Original subtitles

You know what's taking place in the world right now, right?

The world is in shambles.

In some places, flames are being whipped up,

space is distorting in a way that is carving up continents,

and many countries that once existed have fallen.

Right now, there are few places where you can live a decent life

other than here in the Tokyo Empire.

And so, people gather here in the relatively undamaged Tokyo,

where the Holy Sol Temple and Haijima Industries have developed

Amaterasu, the perpetual thermal energy plant.

The Empire is the beneficiary of its vast energy

and has also made further advancements.

Does this story keep going on?

Who knows?

If it were up to me, I'd like it to continue.

So how did it go?

This stuff I had you make for me did some interesting things.

Special Fire Force Company 8, that devil guy's brigade?

I run a little background check on them.

Their Captain, Akitaru Obi, was decorated twice in his firefighter days.

He was also stripped of them twice.

The reason why they stripped them is because

he disobeyed orders and gave priority to saving lives.

AKITARU OBI

Very nice. A model fireman, whether for good or bad.

You could say Company 8

has been built upon the strength of Obi's character and magnetism.

They're a different animal than the other companies.

It's fascinating.

SHINRA KASUKABE

Yes! The Rookie Fire Soldier Games!

Tamaki Kotatsu is here to rock!

THIRD GENERATION PYROKINETIC SECOND CLASS FIRE SOLDIER, TAMAKI KOTATSU

Hey! What are you looking at?

Nothing.

Wow!

Wone Wone Nyine!

Wone Wone Nyine?

You don't know them? They're the Fire Defense Agency's mascot characters,

Wone Wone Nyine!

But one of them is just an older man.

You mean Mamoru?

Mamoru?

The characters started out as two dogs and one cat,

but the higher-ups at the Fire Defense Agency

complained about all three of them being animals,

so one of them became a dog-faced older man.

What's wrong with having them be two dogs and a cat?

What? But Mamoru is cute!

This?

This?

VISITOR SEATS

That man was...

Excuse me!

Do you need anything?

Are you one of the rookies who came in this year?

Yes, sir! Shinra Kusakabe, Special Fire Force Company 8!

If you don't mind me asking, do you remember that fire 12 years ago?

I don't have time to chat with you right now. Excuse me.

-I just need a moment! -Hey, you!

Don't act so familiar with my captain!

No, it's not like that! I'm sorry!

What are you smiling at, you pervert?

Damn it! Why does my lucky lecher lure always have to be activated?

I know you stepped in to distract me, but that's really distracting.

Captain, can I have a moment with you?

The competition is about to begin.

All competitors, please put on your turnout gear and gather around.

You said your name was Shinra?

Do you know how many fires break out in a year?

I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything that happened 12 years ago.

The competition is beginning. Go get ready.

He's hiding something, isn't he?

What is this?

ONE

You are all about to charge into this building

which will be simulating a fire scene.

After you overcome the obstacles and rescue those who require it,

be the first to reach the crewman posing as an Infernal.

So that's it. We're storming the castle.

Is everyone ready?

Start!

Is he that confident?

Then again, in my case...

I can just fly up there!

What?

Dirty pool. This is why I hate devils.

Damn it!

Nekomata!

Heroes always arrive from the skies.

Pardon the intrusion.

I have to hurry and wrap up this contest

and interrogate the Captain of Company 1.

Hello? Is there anyone alive up here?

Hey. I took care of anyone getting in our way.

I need your attention, Devil's Footprints.

What?

The fire that happened 12 years ago,

would you like to know about it?

What?

Who are you?

You'd like to know, right?

About the fire where your mother and brother died in?

About the day you became a devil?

How do you know about that? Who are you?

Get away from those crewmen!

What?

You're more worried about these two than hearing about the fire?

You Fire Soldiers...

Okay, so you can't give me your attention.

Well then, guess I'll kill them.

Stop!

What do you know about the fire? Tell me.

If you entertain me, I'll tell you.

So let's see how many moves you can last.

Ashes?

Well, that was surprisingly easy.

I guess I'll just kill you.

He's going to kill me.

Wow, that's a hell of a look on your face.

You can still smile, even in this situation?

You're better than I thought.

As a reward, I'll give you your first hint about the truth of that fire.

Your younger brother

is still alive.

What? Sho is alive?

What do you mean? Sho was burned to death, bones and all!

And besides, if he's alive, where has he been since the fire?

At the time, Sho was still a one-year-old baby!

You don't think someone is hiding something?

There's no way I could believe something like that!

What's the matter? Did that ring a bell?

Even if it's true, how would you know about it?

Why would you tell me about it?

What are you after? Why did you come all the way up here?

So now you're deeply intrigued by me. Very good.

You do show a lot of promise after all.

And from the way you're acting,

do you have suspicions about the Fire Force?

Your mother died, that's something you shouldn't take lightly.

You want to know the truth, don't you?

Are you ready to stop playing hero, and seek out the truth

by joining me as a devil?

Be a hero or a devil, you say?

Screw you! No matter what you know, you still assaulted two Fire Soldiers!

I'm going to kick your ass and take you in!

Well, this is disappointing.

That flying kick of yours leaves you wide open.

Heroes always do flying kicks!

That's incredible, isn't it? That's the firepower of the Devil!

Gosh, that startled me!

I'm sensing something icky up ahead.

I'm picking up a whiff of some awfully nasty danger.

I am not a knight-shaped seat cushion.

Hurry up and move.

What are you doing underneath me, you pervert?

I'm not a knight-shaped punching bag either.

Hey!

Watch out!

I let this drag on too long, and now we're being interrupted.

Sorry to keep you waiting, "Infernal."

Arthur!

A suspicious man has snuck into the games facility!

He's brought harm to two crewmen who are now injured!

Go report this to the captains outside!

What?

Don't lie to me. I'm going to be the winner.

What?

I'm going to catch him!

Oh, you stupid knight!

How do you plan to catch me by waving that sword around?

Don't forget about me!

I caught you!

They're taking things this far in the Rookie Games?

Like I told you, the competition is on hold!

Shinra, if you insist on being a hero,

then go ahead and try to rescue every last person here.

You have more of those ashes?

What are those?

Ashes?

Later, Devil.

If you ever feel like joining the Joker, I'll take you in.

Good luck with this.

We have to get out of here now! It's going to explode!

Arthur cut through the ceiling! We'll head upward!

Only beautiful princesses may give orders to a knight.

My cuts were too brilliant to let the ceiling fall down.

Move it! We're busting through the ceiling, right?

Grab on, both of you!

I'm saving them all!

ONE

Are you a hero, or are you a devil?

Damn it all, Fire Soldiers are heroes!

Arthur! Cat lady!

Save me!

God have mercy.

Captain Burns!

You get those two safely down on the ground.

Right!

What about me?

Look down.

Don't punk out, Arthur!

Show us that Company 8 spirit!

That Company 8 spirit? All I'm doing is free-falling.

That hurt.

I'm lucky you're all so musclebound.

Who are you calling a gorilla cyclops?

I never said that!

Is anyone hurt?

Hurry and evacuate!

It looks as though you took care of Tamaki here.

I could have gotten out of there by myself.

Shinra, wasn't it? Thanks.

Your praise is more than I deserve. Thank you very much.

Shinra! Are you okay?

I saw that! You saved all four of them! You're a hero, you know that?

Thank you very much!

All right, we'll be going now.

Tamaki, tell me what happened there.

Yes, sir!

That's a good man you've got there.

ONE

I ran into a suspicious man inside.

Someone who could control explosions with a mysterious powder.

What?

The explosions were a lot like the ones at that fire scene the other day.

The man seemed to know something.

Captain, is the Special Fire Force hiding something?

Shinra...

The Special Fire Force really is fighting for the good of the people, right?

I became a Fire Soldier to keep people safe.

Fire Soldiers really are heroes who fight the flame terror, right?

Yes, they are. On the other hand,

the Special Fire Force isn't exactly one monolithic organization.

The Fire Force was formed by combining personnel from three bodies.

The Holy Sol Temple, the Tokyo Armed Forces, and the Fire Defense Agency.

Moreover, each of them has different levels of influence at each company.

The influence of the Holy Sol Temple is strong on Company 1.

Company 2 reports directly to the Tokyo Armed Forces.

For Company 3, the real power is held by Haijima Industries.

Haijima? Why is Haijima so deeply involved?

All of the equipment that we use is made by Haijima.

The Special Fire Force can't operate without Haijima.

They have a monopoly on product orders

and control vast amounts of capital and interests.

Of course, each company's duty is to put Infernals to rest,

seek out the cause of Spontaneous Human Combustion,

and fight on behalf of the people.

However,

each company keeps the information they find out to themselves,

and nothing is shared.

Some of it

may be information about the truth behind Spontaneous Human Combustion.

I believe it to be a just organization,

but there may be some companies that have their own dubious motives.

Since I can't completely trust them, I'm also suspicious of the Fire Force.

So Captain, what is our objective on Company 8?

We at Company 8 are a body

that some on the Fire Defense Agency strong-armed into creation,

with me as its captain, comprised of members that they could trust

to investigate Companies 1 through 7 and unravel the truth.

Does that mean...

The Special Fire Force should already know the cause of the Infernals.

I want to find what it is and save people.

Please allow me to help you with that investigation, sir.

Thanks. I'm glad I called you into Company 8.

TO BE CONTINUED

NEXT EPISODE