WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 3 of Ikebukuro West Gate Park, "ZettaMovier @ Metropolitan Theatre" now streaming on Funimation.
The G-Boys are becoming less of a formidable gang and more like Ikebukuro's errand boys. Even with Takashi at the helm, the G-Boys don't really have the threatening presence they did in the first episode. But, all the same, when a ZettaMovier's (the series' version of a YouTuber) life is threatened, it's up to the G-Boys to protect him.
Makoto and Tomomi meet Zero-One at a restaurant and Zero-One shows the pair ZettaMovie, an online platform that pays people for uploading videos and getting views. Unfortunately for ZettaMoviers, the pay is on the decline. The reason for Makoto's interest is because a ZettaMovier named Ryuusei, who posts videos of onion speed-eating contests, has requested bodyguard protection from the G-Boys.
Ryuusei invites Makoto to his studio where he meets two other people who work with him named Gong and Cheadle Yokoi. The ZettaMovier tells Makoto that a group of four ZettaMoviers, who wear gorilla masks and call themselves "ToDaBaShi Destroyer Z," have been threatening him. Each side has filmed videos dissing each other, but it has escalated to the point where ToDaBaShi recently uploaded a video threatening his life on Ryuusei's five-year anniversary.
It's clear that Ryuusei is passionate about his job, willing to risk his life to film videos like his anniversary special, where he plans to tumble down the escalators dressed as a human die. Swayed by his earnestness and sincerity, Makoto convinces Takashi to send the G-Boys as bodyguards while he opts to stay close to Ryuusei.
As the G-Boys secure the perimeter around Ryuusei's studio, Takashi informs Makoto that there's a vehicle parked outside. Hearing this, Ryuusei gets unnaturally excited, immediately wanting to shoot a video but Makoto manages to stop him, telling him he shouldn't get involved now that the G-Boys are here. Disgruntled, Ryuusei relents. But soon after, the G-Boys are discovered and are injured, allowing ToDaBaShi to escape. The following day, Ryuusei's car is trashed with an onion staked on a windshield wiper, but he seems to be loving the attention that the incident has garnered for him. Shortly after, ToDaBaShi uploads a video, taunting Ryuusei.
One of the staff members, Gong, is fired from the studio because money is tight but, before he leaves, he confesses to Makoto. It turns out that ToDaBaShi and Ryuusei hatched this elaborate plan to stage a rivalry to get more views on both of their channels. Getting the G-Boys involved meant that there would be much more exposure. Ryuusei apologizes to Makoto but he warns him that since some of the G-Boys were injured in the process, Takashi would be angry. Anyone who pisses off the King is never seen or heard from again.
Yokoi, the only one left at Ryuusei's side, tells Makoto that ToDaBaShi is threatening Ryuusei for real now because of payment issues. Unable to turn away, Makoto offers to act as protection for Ryuusei's anniversary video. On the day of the filming, ToDaBaShi interrupts Ryuusei, armed with sledgehammers. However, the death glares of Takashi and the G-Boys freeze them in their tracks and have them running in the opposite direction.
Takashi corners one of the members of ToDaBashi, asking him if he knows the Hammer Bros. When he says no, Takashi launches the hammer in the air, catching it just a hair's breadth away from the boy's head, saying that he hurt the G-Boys. Makoto stops him in time and Takashi turns his attention to Ryuusei, who begs for mercy and says he'll do anything as long as he film his anniversary video.
After doing so, Ryuusei goes to the hospital for his injuries. Takashi's punishment turns out to be getting Ryuusei to pay for the bodyguard service and granting him the right to use Ryuusei's studio. The punishment maybe does fit the crime but, other than some flashy moves from Takashi, we still haven't seen the power that he and the G-Boys supposedly hold. Whether this is a pattern that will continue throughout the series remains to be seen.
