Nagumo Detective Agency
So this is the Nagumo Detective Agency.
Detectives These Days Are Crazy!
Former Great Detective Nagumo Keiichiro
The famous high school detective has done it again,
bringing a speedy resolution to a tough case the police couldn't handle.
He's so hot!
No pushing now.
Shake my hand!
The screams just refuse to stop!
Take me now!
Nagumo Keiichiro truly is a genius!
Nagumo-kun! How do you feel about this case?
Well, I'd say...
I could've used a little more excitement, y'know?
Oh. A dream.
Yeah, yeah. I'm coming.
Hello, Nagumo Detective Agency.
I'm Nagumo Keiichiro, a detective so great that everyone in the business knows me.
R-Right. If you could just give me a little more time on the rent.
Except I haven't been known as a "great detective" since I was a kid.
I'm so sorry.
Some people say I've lost my skills, but I haven't.
Damn landlord. One day late with the rent and this happens.
He used to be a lot more pliable.
Ow, ow, ow!
I just lost a little of my youth.
Damn this chronic back pain!
Shit. I've got a stakeout to get to.
This is the first job I've had in ages. I can't blow it.
Get up. Get up, great detective.
Oh, um...
Thanks for the treat.
My chastity is in danger!
Watch it!
You just tried to get a peep at my underwear, didn't you?
Sure, I looked, but not on purpose. I'm down here for a good reason.
Liar!
Who the hell are you, anyway?
If you're a prospective client, sorry, but I'm busy.
Oh! I came after seeing this.
Huh?
Wait, where did I put it? That's weird.
Did I forget to bring it?
Oh, it was just at the back of my neck.
Oh.
The flyer I made a long time ago when I was shorthanded.
So, uh...
I'm responding to your honored, venerable agency's request for—
I'm not hiring.
What?! Why not?!
That should be obvious. A teenage girl can't be a detective.
Huh? But it's not like I'm a gyaru or anything.
Makeup.
Cleavage on show.
Short skirt.
You're clearly a gyaru.
Your criteria's super outdated. Gross.
I'm fine with being gross.
Aw, come on. This job's gotta be tough for an old dude to do alone.
You should have an assistant.
Listen, little girl. Detective work's all about patience.
No faltering. No hesitating. No getting flustered.
It takes innate talent.
It's not a job a tender young gyaru like you can, uh, handle...
Tender... So tender...
No getting flustered!
Sorry!
Quit peeping at my underwear any chance you get!
I told you, I'm not.
Despite how I may appear, I practice Ryukyu karate,
so if you try anything funny, your head's gonna go flying.
There's no move in Ryukyu karate that sends heads flying.
There's gotta be other part-time work you can do.
Why do you want to be a detective's assistant?
Because I'm striving to be a detective one day.
Who says that with a spear over their shoulder?
I've been working super hard since I was little to become a detective.
My storage technique is just another result of my effort.
No technique makes that possible.
I promise I'll be useful, okay? So please!
Seriously—
Say no more!
I'm an aspiring detective.
I will deduce what you were about to say.
Can you do that?
Not to worry. I watched all of Furuhata Ninzaburo yesterday.
Is that gonna work?
Hmm, I'm going to say...
Since you've had less work lately, you don't have the money to hire anyone?
Whoa, it really did work!
Well? Wanna hire me now?
I don't have time for this. Try somewhere else.
Hey, wait!
Tamura Takako
Age 27. Office worker
Married client 2 years ago
Signs of a man
around her
for 2 weeks
Suspected of meeting
a man in
secret
at work
Tamura Takako.
Age 27. Office worker.
Married the client two years ago.
Signs of a man around her for two weeks.
Suspected of meeting a man in secret at work.
Frankly, she's looking pretty guilty to me, but there've been no changes this week...
Oh, she's on the move.
In the opposite direction from her office. Is she meeting a man?
She went into a café. Okay, I'll go in, too.
Wait.
What kind of fancy café is this?
An old guy like me would stick out like a sore thumb if I went in there alone.
I'll just watch from outside.
Squee! What is this café? It looks so cute!
Let's go in, Kei-chan.
Hey! What are you—
You want to go in there, right?
An old dude like you would stick out like a sore thumb if you went in there alone.
I'll pretend to be your much younger girlfriend.
Let's go in, okay?
Uh, okay, I guess.
Welcome! Have you decided what you'd like to order?
Oh, uh...
The menu's so fancy, I can't read it.
Just order anything. It doesn't matter what it is.
Okay, then, one Hoppy.
What even is that?!
What? I can't get that?
Should a detective draw attention to himself from the get-go?
But I can't read any of it.
Ugh, fine. I'll order, okay? Just wait there.
'Scuse me! Two venti hazelnut vanilla almond caramel frappuccinos with an espresso shot,
extra chocolate chips, and whipped cream.
That's so long!
Venti Hazelnut Vanilla Almond Caramel Frappuccino with an Espresso Shot, Extra Chocolate Chips, and Whipped Cream: ~915 Calories
I have severe hyperesthesia, you know.
Hyper-squeeze-ya? What's that?
Never mind.
I get how enthusiastic you are,
but there must be other detective agencies looking for assistants.
Yours is super close to my house, though.
Oh, is it?
You know, I've been doing detective work for twenty years now,
and it's not easy work.
That's the woman you were tailing, right?
Cheating?
Bingo.
She might be cheating on her husband,
so my job is to take some photos proving it.
Which is why I'm keeping my eye on her.
You're making it super obvious!
Are you really a pro? You'll get noticed right away, staring like that.
I can't help it! I'm getting farsighted with age.
So wear glasses!
Oh, crap! She's getting suspicious!
Here, Kei-chan. Open wide.
M-My hyperesthesia! My hyperesthesia!
Aw, there's no need to act so embarrassed.
We are a couple, after all!
Oh, a couple with an age gap.
Whew. We managed to fool her.
You didn't have to freak out like that.
No one's gonna catch on that easily.
Wrong! Your thinking's too old-fashioned.
If I hadn't been here, you'd be dead for sure.
Why would I be dead?
In this day and age, smartphones make it easy to spread photos all around the world.
People are more sensitive to the eyes of strangers now.
What's a "smartphone"?
Oh, come on! Get it together!
This is a smartphone.
Don't you see people on the street with 'em? What'd you think they are?
Hand mirrors.
Maybe be a little inquisitive? You are a detective.
The times sure do change fast.
I was tailing you while you were tailing that woman.
Who tails someone carrying milk and a red bean bun in this day and age?
What? Hang on.
You were following me?
Knowing an HS girl tailed you doesn't piss you off?
What's "HS" mean?
Oh, come on!
Maybe it's not your health losing you work, but the fact that your senses have dulled.
You nailed it. I can tell my intuition's been suffering more than my health lately.
But the old ways are all I know.
And those ways got me to the top once, so they're even harder to let go.
You know, they used to call me a "great detective."
Hard to believe, right?
I believe it.
Look!
A man!
I think he's her superior at work.
So is she guilty or not?
Hug!
Yep. Guilty.
I knew it.
Whoa. This is way too real.
When it comes to cheating, it's easier to prove guilt than innocence.
This pretty much clinches it.
Now you just need a photo and the job's done, yeah?
Exactly.
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
You're being way too obvious.
Aren't you supposed to be sneakier?
Also, an instant camera's gonna stand out way too much.
But it's all I have.
See? They're looking at us! You can't point the lens at them now!
So what am I supposed to do?
I swear!
Smile, Kei-chan. Say cheese!
Nagumo Detective Agency
There's no mistaking it.
That's definitely my wife.
I can't believe she really was cheating on me.
I feel your pain.
And?
How long are you gonna sit there?
Make me your assistant.
I told you. No.
I think I was pretty useful, though.
I mean, you were useful, yeah.
Really? Then...
Instead, I'll give you a ticket you can redeem to observe my agency anytime.
What? Stingy.
Point is, you're not ready to be my assistant yet.
Mine.
Hey. Give that back.
It's my reward for today.
Yeah, whatever.
So? How did you feel about your first job?
Well, I'd say...
I could've used a little more...
excitement.
You...
Y'know?
You knew who I was?
Later, old dude.
Hey! Your name! You didn't tell me your name!
It's Mashiro.
You can call me Mashiro-chan.
I won't be doing that.
Careful getting home.
Ow, ow, ow, ow! My back!
Old dude?
Oh, jeez! You're the one who needs to be careful!
Nagumo Detective Agency
Holy crap. You're bent at a right angle.
Nagumo Detective Agency
What?!
This isn't the right cat?!
See? The ears aren't the right color.
Oh. I see it now.
So what do we do with this guy?
We can't just toss him out.
From now on, you're our agency's mascot, Cerberus.
What? We're keeping him?
Also, wasn't Cerberus a dog?
This old dude's so nitpicky, isn't he?
Anyway, glad to have you on board, Cerberus.
Don't underestimate humans, you little piece of shit.
Um, what about my request?
Mashiro's Pest Extermination
Nagumo Detective Agency
Seeking Work!
We'll Do Anything!
Isn't this fun?
Everyone's Happy...
What do you think? I made a poster for the Nagumo Detective Agency!
I've always had a knack for drawing, if nothing else.
Now we'll get tons of clients.
Hey! That's so mean!
Why'd you put "We'll do anything"?
Nagumo Detective Agency
We're not an odd jobs agency.
Have some pride as a detective.
You were the one crawling around, looking for a cat.
Finding lost pets is legitimate detective work.
It's hard to make a living on detective work alone these days.
You gotta branch out and try some other jobs.
Like catching the bear that showed up in town.
No death-defying jobs, please.
Anyway, how's that poster gonna attract clients?
Rejected.
I've already put them up all over town. Five hundred of them.
Wait, five hundred?!
How much did it cost to print all...
Oh, you want food? I'll go get something—
Bro!
Stay away from me!
Jeez, Cerberus, you shouldn't eat gross things like this.
I can't believe you can touch that thing.
What? Bugs are no problem.
Wait. Don't tell me you're...
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Wait up!
Damn it!
Go take down every last one of those posters!
For the love of...
Hello, police? I just saw a high school girl get murdered by being thrown out a window.
You've got it all wrong!
I'm so sorry for startling you, mademoiselle.
She's the type that can fall from five stories up and not get hurt.
I've never heard of a "type" like that.
So what brings you here today?
This might be outside your area of expertise,
but your poster did say you'd do anything, so...
It's working already?
The thing is, bees have built a nest on my house—
Nope.
That was quick!
Forgive me, but let's switch to grown-up topics now.
Speak of this to no one.
A-All right.
Thing is...
I absolutely can't stand bugs.
Are you a child?!
But there are no exterminators in town.
I can't handle them, and that's that.
Oh. Maybe I'll have Mashiro do it.
Bugs don't bother her. She's tough.
Um, how do you make a call on one of these?
What?
What is it? I'm not done taking down all the posters.
We got an urgent request for an extermination.
Can you take it alone?
What? A job?! I'm on it! Leave it to me!
What's your address?
Such-and-such in the town of so-and-so.
Such-and-such in the town of so-and-so? Okay, got it!
Great. Take care of it.
Hello? Can you see the nest?
I see it.
The Crime Family
A giant, towering nest of nasty pests.
The Crime Family
The Client's Actual House
The Crime Family
Is it really that big?
Okay, wipe it out quick, then.
Is that really the thing to say right now?
Why are you being all modest now?
But, uh...
I'm counting on you, partner.
Okay. I'll try.
And make sure you're prepared first.
Partner, huh?
I gotta live up to his expectations.
It's okay.
I did all that training, and I've watched tons of action movies for research.
Like D*e Hard, R***dent Evil, T*mb Raider.
I am a hero. I am an agent!
Are you ready?
All set.
Why English?
Guide to Insect Extermination
Seiso Shobo
Okay, first...
Get as close as you can to the nest.
Then, once you've found the entrance and confirmed how many are inside...
Virtue
Block the entrance.
Virtue
Who's this brat?
Are you lost?
What brings you here, little lady?
And when the entrance is blocked,
let loose with the insecticide!
Tear gas?!
She's a button gal here to whack us!
Get her!
They'll probably be pissed after you spray them, so be careful.
I'll stab you!
And be careful not to get pricked.
Little brat.
This ends now.
Make a honeycomb outta her!
Honeycomb?
Well, I know it's a bee nest, but...
Wait, whose deep voice was that?
Projectiles, huh?
In that case, I need this, too.
Did we get her?
What the hell is that weapon?!
It's a flamethrower!
What? What happened?
Boss! Bro!
Shit.
I guess it's all up to me now.
But can I beat this monster on my own?
Sh-She's terrifying. Her face is scary as hell.
Man, I shouldn't have joined the yakuza just 'cause I looked good in flashy suits.
She dropped the weapon. Now's my chance!
I'm gonna take your very soul!
Nezu Taro, aged twenty-two.
After two years in the yakuza, he sensed death looming for the first time.
Unused
Booze
Cars
Women
P&D
Yazawa
At that moment, the limiter on his brain was released,
and after fumbling around for a way to stay alive...
I'm sorry!
I'll quit the yakuza right away! Please forgive me!
I'm begging you! I'm begging you!
I'm done, old dude.
Hey, good job. You did it.
Shoulda known you could.
What a relief.
By the way, can you tell what type they are?
Huh? What type?
Yeah. If you don't know, just tell me what they look like.
What they look like?
If I had to say...
Long-legged.
Hmm, paper wasps, maybe?
Nagumo Detective Agency
The designated criminal organization, the Crime Family,
has had its office destroyed by an unknown individual.
Did... you do that?
Yep!
Wait! How'd destroying a bee nest turn into taking down a criminal organization?
What the hell kind of mistake led to that?
I goofed up. Tee-hee.
Wipe off the other guy's blood before you say that.
Oh, yeah! I got something out of it, too.
Come on out.
Ta-da! This is Nezu-kun, ex-yakuza.
Hey! Thanks for havin' me.
You really do have long legs, Nezu-kun.
Big Sis Mashiro granted me this life.
You may use it however you please.
I'm all yours!
Okay, go make coffee or something.
Got it!
We gained another new member.
Our agency's getting livelier and livelier.
Um, what about my request?
Next Time
With Ghosts, Go for the Knees
m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
Fi
nd
the
Re
al
Thi
ef
!
Three Minutes Until Mashiro Explodes