WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 2 of Ikebukuro West Gate Park, "Nishi Ichibangai Shady Job," now streaming on Funimation.
A new gang has arrived in Ikebukuro, causing a new wave of tension to roll through. When a company has both G-Boys and Red Angels members overworked and constantly threatened, leaders of the two gangs suddenly have a common enemy to fight against. Ikebukuro West Gate Park looks to focus on the relations between the G-Boys and the Red Angels -- though whether they will stay in an alliance or return to conflict remains to be seen.
This weel, Makoto's role as the mitigator is shared with an unexpected ally. While it's unclear whether this is someone that he can trust, it's clear that this won't be the first and last time that he'll be seeing him.
OK Curry Is Not OK
Takashi calls Makoto to OK Curry, a restaurant where the food is mediocre at best. Few people are aware the employees here are overworked and underpaid. Since many employees are G-Boys, Takashi asks Makoto to investigate the Red Angels, a gang recently formed by newcomer Kyouichi Ozaki, who has quickly captivated Ikebukuro with his alluring dance. If the Red Angels have the G-Boys involved in this sweatshop scheme, then they must be stopped.
Masaru, a G-Boy working at OK Curry, tells them that there's a group called the Military Police who threaten employees: Mitsuki, Masaru's friend, being their latest victim. Anyone who tries to fight back are dealt with by another group who resort to violence to silence them. Masaru is reluctant to go against OK Holdings, the company that owns the restaurant, but accompanies Makoto to scope out the Red Angels only to leave without answers.
Suddenly, someone yells that there's a jumper, who turns out to be Mitsuki. Masaru almost manages to convince him not to jump until Mitsuki spots the Military Police in the crowd, watching him. Masaru jumps but is thankfully saved. Masaru's suicide attempt leads Masaru to decide he'll go against OK Holdings, but before he can do anything, he's attacked the next day.
The Red Angels Descend
Makoto and Takashi visit Masaru, and subsequently Mitsuki, in the hospital. A few minutes later, the Red Angels, with Kyouichi at the helm, march in with a bouquet of flowers to see Mitsuki. The tension is broken when Makoto spots one of the Red Angels' members he met earlier: Tomomi Isogai, known as the Archangel, who acts in a similar role to Makoto.
The four of them quickly realize that the OK Holdings has tricked both gangs into thinking that the other gang was in league with them, and decide that an alliance is in order. Makoto and Masaru go undercover as journalists at a media conference with the owners of OK Holdings. When he hears the owners try to cover up the horrible employee treatment, Masaru explodes and reveals what's really happening. As a result, Masaru gets followed by the same five guys who initially beat him up. But it's not Masaru who walked into their trap: it's the masked guys who suddenly find themselves surrounded by the G-Boys and the Red Angels.
An Uneasy Coexistence
Full of confidence, the now-unmasked group takes on the two gangs but they find themselves powerless against Takashi, who effortlessly dodges every hit. Kyouichi holds his own, using his dancing skills to weave in and out. When Mitsuki sees one of the members come at Kyouichi with a knife, he throws himself at him, nearly gets stabbed but is saved by Masaru.
The employees of OK Holdings are arrested and those in charge slapped with a lawsuit. While the G-Boys and Red Angels watch Kyouichi dance on stage, Tomomi hands Makoto a keychain with black angel wings which will allow him to come and go to any of the Red Angels' gatherings. With that, the G-Boys take control of the West Gate and Red Angels at the East, forming a tentative coexistence.
