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Episode 2 of No Guns Life, begins with Juzo knocking the train off the rails. Karen sends Beruhren guards to stop him. However, Juzo easily dispatched them. Karen refuses to call for back up because it would be “too humiliating.” Juzo tears open the steel door. Karen shoots Juzo with “anti-extended bullets.” They don’t work. Juzo calls to Tetsuro. He activate his harmony ability, asking Juzo to save him. Juzo knocks Karen out and takes Tetsuro. Juzo’s rescue of Tetsuro is covered up. Instead a terrorist group called Spitzbergen is blamed. Tetsuro is the son of Beruhren CEO, Souichiro Arahabaki. The news report states that he went missing over a year ago. Juzo is skeptical.

Underground extension mechanic, Mary Steinberg

Juzo takes Tetsuro to Mary Steinberg. She’s a mechanic that specializes in the extended. She doesn’t mind keeping Tetsuro with her. Extensions were originally developed to strengthen soldiers during war. Sub-brains are given to support all “metahuman functionality.” This is done to limit the strain on the human brain. As a result, Extended are able to move extensions that follow programmed movements without much effort. Harmony takes over the sub-brain of the Extended. However, this isn’t a normal way to access the sub-brain. Three authentication keys are needed. One from the user, one from the manufacturer and one from the EMS. However, a master key may exists. Mary questions why Beruhren would make harmony in the first place.

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Juzo meets Cunningham

Juzo leaves Tetsuro in Mary’s care. While trying to get his favorite brand of cigarettes, Juzo is lured into a trap. He meets with a representative from the Beruhren corporation. Cunningham confirms that Tetsuro is the son of Arahabaki. If Juzo returns Tetsuro to them he will give him his favorite brand of cigarettes, Tanegashima. These cigarettes are created to ease nerve strain. By altering them with chemicals, the cigarettes can help reduce the pain in the nervous system of an Extended. Without them Juzo has difficulty controlling his body. Cunningham threatens to ruin the supply of Tanegashima. If Juzo doesn’t give them Tetsuro, he will destroy everything Juzo loves. However, Cunningham was wrong. Juzo only smokes those cigarettes because of the taste. With the help of Mary, Juzo is able to defeat Cunningham’s men. Mary helps Juzo back to her shop, where Tetsuro has awakened.

In many ways, No Guns Life is predictable. Silent, emotionless tough protagonists that doesn’t remember his past, protects the weak. Meanwhile, an evil corporation is abusing the innocent and poor. With Juzo signaling that he doesn’t want to someone to partner with in order to pull his trigger, it’s clear that Tetsuro will become that. Juzo flashes back to the war, when a mysterious person (maybe his old partner) tells him that “he’s not a tool.” Which brings us to the likely theme of this series. Refusal to be a tool.

Read More: Review of Episode 1 of No Guns Life