As of today, as chairman of the Kengan Association...
KENGAN LIFE-OR-DEATH
...I hereby declare the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament open.
METSUDO KATAHARA GOVERNOR OF DAINIPPON BANK
Anyone who desires the position of chairman of the association is welcome.
Enter your strongest fighter!
This declaration by Metsudo Katahara, the chairman of the Kengan Association,
was earth-shattering to those who desired power.
FIGHTERS WRIGGLE IN THE DARK!
REUNITED
NOGI GROUP HEADQUARTERS
Oh no! Oh no!
KAZUO YAMASHITA NOGI PUBLICATIONS
Ohma, what are you doing to Mr. Nogi?
Old man. What did you just say?
HIDEKI NOGI CHAIRMAN, NOGI GROUP
I'll say it as many times as you want, Ohma Tokita.
For the next Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament,
I won't have you fight on behalf of our company.
I guess you want me to end your life here, huh?
Hold on a second. Please, calm down a little.
KAEDE AKIYAMA, CHAIRMAN'S SECRETARY, NOGI GROUP
What has changed Mr. Nogi's mind?
He tested Ohma's abilities in previous kengan matches
to be sure he was good enough to fight for us.
Oh?
Are you in the middle of something?
It's you!
Tokita, let me introduce you.
This is Sen Hatsumi,
Nogi Group's chosen fighter for the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament.
SEN HATSUMI FIGHTER, NOGI GROUP
Hey, reject. Good to meet you.
He's going to represent us?
This is a disgraceful sight, Pop. Are you in trouble?
Can't you see? Just help me, you idiot.
You heard him.
Mind if I resort to violence, reject?
Do you think that would work against me?
Yes, I do.
You shouldn't raise your hand to your employer.
Actually, before that,
you should take better care of your broken arm.
What are you, a doctor?
Not just your right arm, your whole body.
All that damage you've taken is pretty serious.
You think you can fight in that condition?
Dream on, brat.
He's dodging all Ohma's blows.
He has 39 wins and 15 losses.
That's Sen Hatsumi's kengan match record.
Fifteen losses? Isn't that kind of a lot?
There's no doubt that his skills are first-rate,
but he has some behavioral problems.
His loss breakdown is--
I skipped four, forgot about two, and missed nine because I overslept.
That adds up to 15 losses.
-Hey! -You've made me happy, Kaede.
I didn't know you cared about me that much.
Do you have any idea how much those losses cost Nogi Group?
Do you want to go out for dinner with me later?
No, I don't!
Oops. Did I go too far?
Seems like I flicked a switch in him.
That sound is exactly the same as the one I heard in the match with Sekibayashi.
Okay, you started this. No hard feelings, even if you die.
You blocked me. Your speed has greatly increased since you changed to that form.
What's the trick? Some kind of transformation?
Whatever. I'm pretty confident about my speed, too.
Do you want to see if you're faster than me?
He really is fast. But...
You bent the flow of my power.
You use the Niko Style, don't you?
Did you say Niko Style?
That's strange.
I heard the Niko Style wasn't passed down to the second generation.
Don't you ever talk about Niko again!
Oh. Did that hit a nerve?
You're far too cocky, you little brat.
That's enough.
Oh, God!
Ohma.
This is not open to discussion.
Sen Hatsumi will represent Nogi Group at the tournament.
Yeah? Will he?
-Then, I'll kill-- -However...
there's nothing stopping you winning a spot in the tournament yourself.
What?
Don't you understand?
You'll need a certain individual to make this plan work, though.
-Yamashita, come here. -Me? Yes, sir.
Why don't you become a member of the Kengan Association?
What are you talking about, Mr. Nogi?
There's no way he can become a member.
You still have a lot to learn, Akiyama.
There are always loopholes to be found in business.
Being a member of the Kengan Association
confirms that you are a first-rate merchant.
This is the reason countless people are dying to become members.
FIST
There are also people who pretend to have the authority of the Kengan Association
and conduct unofficial matches offering the chance to win membership.
What they want is money, paid as a "challenge fee."
Unofficial matches?
The referees are from the official Kengan Association.
I guess you could call them "kengan challenge matches."
The challenge fee is a hundred million yen.
-A hundred-- -Don't worry.
I happen to have that exact amount to hand today.
Here. A hundred million yen.
How do you have that?
What do you say, Yamashita?
This is the only way Ohma can fight in the tournament.
Wait. Why am I being forced to make such a crazy decision?
How did this happen? This whole situation is messed up.
I'm just an ordinary businessman. How could I do such a thing?
I need to calm down. Take a deep breath.
I need to stand my ground and say no without offending him.
Well, I appreciate your offer, but...
Cool. We'll enter these unofficial matches.
Why are you answering for me?
Hey. I'm going to settle things between us at the tournament.
All right. Whatever you say.
Don't they understand that I haven't agreed yet?
-Great decision. -I admire your courage.
Why are they taking this as a yes from me?
This is bad. I have to get out of this before it's too late.
Listen to me, Ohma. I'm sorry to tell you this, but...
Let's do this, Kazuo Yamashita.
Yes. Let's do our best.
It's been officially confirmed.
Kazuo Yamashita will enter the unofficial kengan match.
UNDERGROUND DISCHARGE TUNNEL (40 METERS BELOW GROUND)
This is the metropolitan area outer underground discharge tunnel.
Tonight, fighters will get a chance to win membership of the Kengan Association,
by taking part in unofficial fights.
Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you for coming all the way down here to join us tonight.
Let me now introduce the fighters.
This fighter holds membership of the Kengan Association.
Ushitami Food Service's affiliated fighter...
MASAYASU YOKOTA FIGHTER, USHITAMI FOOD SERVICE
...Masayasu Yokota.
The challenger is Yamashita Corporation's affiliated fighter,
Ohma Tokita.
OHMA TOKITA FIGHTER, YAMASHITA CORPORATION
-Isn't that guy with Nogi? -He knocked Sekibayashi down.
-He's the rookie everyone's talking about. -Has he transferred already?
KAZUO YAMASHITA PRESIDENT, YAMASHITA CORPORATION
-Yamashita Corporation? -Their president looks really pale.
How did I get myself into this?
A company?
Yes, your company.
The Kengan Association is an organization of business managers and finance people.
So, to become a member of the association,
you need to be a company manager, it's just a formality.
The name of the company and its line of work don't really matter.
How about a simple name, such as "Yamashita Corporation"?
He's making bad life decisions on my behalf.
All that's left to do now is to apply for the match.
The next matches will be held in two days, eight days and 12 days’ time.
There's no going back now.
So, the date. Which one would be better?
-I'll fight in two days, obviously. -Huh?
Hold on, Ohma.
-You can't fight with your wounded-- -Kazuo Yamashita.
Do you think they will have healed in ten days or even in 12?
Well, you have a point, but...
I'm going to be fit by the time the Life-or-Death Tournament is held,
totally fit, for sure.
I will make it to the tournament.
And that's where I will beat you.
All right. We've confirmed that you've paid the fee.
We wish you luck.
I'll be one hundred million yen in debt whether we win or not.
MIKIO NABE PRESIDENT, USHITAMI FOOD SERVICE
Yokota, you're known as the "Kingpin Brawler of Gadokan Karate."
-I bet you'll finish him in no time. -Sure.
Kengan membership is such a great way to attract rich suckers.
I love making money.
Are you ready? Set!
Fight!
Huh?
The winner is Ohma Tokita!
We've lost our membership of the Kengan Association.
-Kazuo Yamashita. -Yes?
We won.
That's... awesome!
I can trust this man with my life.
Is this the membership certificate? It's very plain.
What's important is its value.
Why?
Why is he there?
I didn't expect to see him again like this.
How many years has it been...
KENZO YAMASHITA KAZUO'S OLDEST SON
...since I last saw his face?
You look a lot older, Dad.
UNDER MOUNT INC
MASAHIKO OHTA PRESIDENT, UNDER MOUNT INC
Hello?
Oh! Hello, boss. How are you, sir?
Mr. Ohta, I've told you so many times that you're the one who's president.
KENZO'S ROOM IN YAMASHITA'S HOUSE USED AS UNDER MOUNT INC HQ
-I'm happy hiding behind you. -Well, you may think that way,
but if it hadn't been for you, the company couldn't have come this far.
You're the one working behind the scenes.
Putting that aside,
thank you for recording the match the other day.
No problem at all.
With a certain unexpected discovery, we've now collected enough data.
-Does that mean... -Yes.
We will enter the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament
after welcoming one fighter from the Kure Family.
Kure?
KURE FAMILY
What is the Kure Family?
They appear wherever conflict is happening.
Providing the money and conditions are right,
they won't hesitate to kill their previous employers.
They are, so to speak, mercenaries.
We have decided to fight for Under Mount Inc in the tournament.
I wonder which member of our family we should send to the tournament?
I don't need to step out of this house.
I can stay in the shadows...
and seize this country.
Hey, Kazu! It's me, Ken.
Are you free now? Let's go for a drink together.
-See you soon, Kazu. -Wait.
That drunk man at the match called me.
As I couldn't turn it down, I found myself here.
But what kind of man drinks at this high-class hotel?
FIVE STAR HOTEL, TOKYO
Whatever it was that brought us together,
I wanted to give you a pep talk, now that we're friends.
Friends? A pep talk?
I'm surprised you've become a member of the Kengan Association.
How did you find out about that?
The whole Kengan Association is talking about it.
SKY BAR LOUNGE, UPPER FLOOR OF THE HOTEL
They're saying that some mysterious company
called the Yamashita Corporation is going to join the kengan tournament.
Are they?
So, did Mr. Nogi pay the entry fee of five billion yen
for you to pay back later?
Five... what?
He set me up!
He didn't say anything about that.
You can pay it off easily enough if you win.
That son of a bitch.
-Damn it! -Wow.
I'll do it. I just need to win, right?
I will make that Nogi bastard regret the day he underestimated me!
Wow. Look at you, Kazu.
I've made up my mind.
From now on, as the president of Yamashita Corporation,
I'll handle the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament.
Kazuo Yamashita of Nogi Publications dies today!
That's the spirit!
Screw the Nogi Group!
There's something I wanted to tell you tonight, Kazu.
What is it, Ken?
My company is actually participating in the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament too.
-Right? -Yes.
This is our fighter, Ryo Himuro.
RYO HIMURO FIGHTER, GINOKUNIYA BOOKSHOP
He's only fought four kengan matches but he's a really good fighter.
Really? And which company are you talking about?
It's a little bookstore called Ginokuniya.
You named it after the famous Ginokuniya Bookshop?
We are the Ginokuniya.
-You are? -We are.
Oh.
You're like the famous shogun who patrolled the city in disguise.
Oh, Kazu. That's very flattering.
KEN OHYA CHAIRMAN, GINOKUNIYA BOOKSHOP
I hate to say this to you, but the championship will be ours.
That's funny. Somehow I feel like I saw this coming.
I'm not going to lose, Ken.
That's just what I want, Kazu.
ABANDONED MINE, TOKYO
Good. I've completely recovered.
All I need to do is win.
I've arrived...
on the battlefield.
These last ten years have felt like a long time.
NIKO TOKITA OHMA'S MASTER OF NIKO STYLE
A very long time.
Niko.
Hi. Long time no see.
Huh?
Who the hell are you?
GENZAN TAIRA NIKO'S ENEMY, KOEI STYLE
-Now you remember me. -What are you doing here?
I let him get close.
Oh, I love it.
You've beefed up beautifully since I last saw you.
You--
I have one thing to tell you.
You've been chasing...
my master for the past ten years in order to get your revenge.
But I killed him.
How does it feel?
The man who killed your master, Niko Tokita,
is already dead.
You must be so mad.
Take it all out on me, the man who stole your revenge.
Come on. Don't be shy.
Go ahead and kill me just like my master killed Niko Tokita.
I'll see you again someday.
I hope the next time we see each other...
we'll be enemies.
Niko.
Now, strike me with your anger.
The man who ruined your revenge is right in front of you.
Don't get the wrong idea.
What did you say?
Revenge? Did you think that's what I wanted?
Your master and Niko only died because they were weak.
But I am stronger than Niko was.
The reason I was going after your master was to prove that.
I can't stand those fools who act like they're the strongest of all of us.
I'm going to crush every one of those bastards...
and show them that I'm the strongest!
Luckily, there's a stage set up
for misguided dudes who think they're the strongest.
I'm going to smash you at that tournament,
along with all of those other self-proclaimed "strongest" fighters.
Look forward to it, you freak.
You're right. You're right!
We should choose the best possible stage on which to kill each other.
Seek for love, fight for love, and kill each other for love.
And then, in despair of losing you,
I will shoot my load.
Man, you're too much to handle.
Now that we have a plan, I should get going.
I'll see you at the tournament.
Tell me one thing before you go. What's your name?
Setsuna.
SETSUNA KIRYU FIGHTER, KOUOU EDUCATION GROUP
I'm Setsuna Kiryu. Don't forget.
It's the name of your enemy.
Setsuna Kiryu, huh?
Got it.
Setsuna Kiryu! I'm going to crush you!
With emotions running high,
the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament is about to begin.
PREVIEW
Is it a wish? Or an ambition?
The kengan fighters are at the mercy of the ship of death.
Show your powers. Fight your own way.