Runaway Raccoon

Runaway Raccoon is the 1st episode of the BNA: Brand New Animal anime series.

Overview
Escaping to Anima City, Michiru experiences the 10 year anniversary festival and meets a crying wolf as a terrorist plot unfolds.

Summary
Michiru begins her escape to Anima City. She is confronted by a group of Beast Hunters and is fortunately saved by Marie Itami. They arrive at Anima City where the 10 year anniversary celebration is underway. Michiru meets a crying wolf and gets her wallet stolen. While pursuing the thief, she witnesses a terrorist plot unfolding. She is saved by the crying wolf who then confronts the terrorist group. A fight breaks out and the crying wolf defeats the terrorists. Michiru stops the crying wolf from causing more harm and discovers her tail powers.

Plot
Michiru attempts to withdraw money from an ATM before a group of thugs comes her away. The thugs vandalize a poster encouraging unity between beastmen and humans. Avoiding trouble, she hides in an air vent until the group walk away. Outside, a broadcast of the civil unrest against beastmen plays on a screen as Michiru blitzes past.

She reaches the bus station and hops atop the Route 66 bus as it is departing. The bus leaves the vicinity of the city and passes through a mountainous, coastal road. Feeling more relaxed, she takes the hood off her cloak and stretches out on the roof of the bus, gazing at the sea and Anima City in the horizon.

Michiru powers on her phone and watches an Anima City advert on Facelook. Just as she's settling in for the ride, a motorcycle gang of beast hunters shoots two projectiles at Michiru, knocking her off the bus. Before impact, her tail rapidly expands and cushions her fall. The gang approach her once again, but this time she dodges a few blows as she tries to run away from them. Michiru unfortunately falls off the guard rails she was running on and tumbles down the embankment below.

The bike gang eventually catches up and knocks her down. As a gang member is about to deliver the final blow, Mari Itami interrupts the altercation and asks in a sassy tone for them to stop. She explains that she needs to protect Michiru for one of her clients. The gang doesn't listen and swings at Mari. Enraged, she and her two accomplices transform into their beastman forms. Her accomplices easily subdue the beast hunters and Mari explains to Michiru that she will escort her to Anima City. She demands payment for her services and Michiru begrudgingly hands over a wad of bills.

They board a boat and Michiru stares off into the distance at Animacity as she reminisces her life as a fugitive. The sun sets and the group arrive in Anima City. Michiru, nervous and on alert, glances around and sees a bright wolf figure on top of a nearby building. Suddenly the lights turn on and the 10 year Animacity festival begins. Chairman Rose gives a brief introduction and the festivities are underway. Michiru explores the festival and bumps into a crying wolf who says he waited 1000 years for this moment. Disgusted, she looks away for a brief moment and the wolf disappears.

In a tower, PM Shiramizu congratulates Rose on the anniversary but gives a stern warning to keep the citizens under control. Back at the festival grounds, Mari meets Michiru and distracts her as a monkey steals her wallet and runs away. Michiru chases and looses the pickpocket underneath some scaffolding and witnesses a wolf in a coat leaving with a briefcase. She bumps into a pillar in frustration, only tip the scaffolding off balance. As it's falling, Michiru frantically rushes to save an elderly goat in the scaffolding's path. In the last second before the scaffolding fell on the two, the crying wolf from earlier pushes them clear of the scaffolding.

The crying wolf accuses her of knocking the scaffolding over, to which she denies and informs him that she witnessed a wolf sneaking away earlier. The wolf relaxes and smells the air, identifying the path of the fleeing culprit. The wolf follows the trail while Michiru continues to pursue the pickpocket. They are both interrupted by a large explosion in the city. The wolf arrives at the scene of the explosion and confronts the culprit. A lion and a buck beastman carrying guns suddenly explode out the back of a van, raining a sea of bullets on the wolf. The wolf narrowly escapes the enemy's fire and notes that the culprits are professionals. He smells the air once again and discovers the scent of humans on the culprits.

The wolf exclaims the terrorists were hired by humans and the terrorists reply contract work is still contract work. The wolf proceeds to criticize and overpower the terrorists. Backed into a corner, the terrorists use the last of their energy to grow massively in size and strength. The wolf is still able to subdue the two. Right when Michiru appears at the scene, the wolf terrorist from earlier grabs hold of her as hostage. Unfazed, the wolf jumps behind the terrorist and repeatedly beats him down.

Michiru criticizes the wolf for his violence against beastmen and tells him to stop. The wolf refuses and says that the terrorists ruined the festival and were hired by humans. He kicks the terrorist once more, but Michiru screams to stop and her tail begins to glow and expand. The tail knocks the wolf back. They begin to argue once more; this time Michiru defends the humans and exclaims that she is human too. Unconvinced, the wolf sarcastically remarks her beastman appearance.

Characters

 * Michiru Kagemori (debut)
 * Marie Itami (debut)
 * Barbara Rose (debut)
 * Prime Minister Shiramizu (debut)
 * Shirou Ogami (debut)
 * Nazuna Hiwatashi (cameo/ flashbacks only)
 * Alan Sylvasta (debut)

Trivia

 * In the wad of cash Michiru hands Marie, the bill on the top resembles the reverse face of the Japanese 10,000 yen note in real life.
 * Inferno Cop makes a brief cameo on the billboard during the festival.
 * Imaishi was involved with the storyboard of this episode.
 * You can find Sushio bunnies running during the accident.
 * The dog beastman in a green dress running during the accident resembles Sierra from Ashcozy's works.
 * A fox beastman in the festival looks like Nick Wilde from Disney's Zootopia.
 * A rabbit beastman during the festival resembles Lotte from Little Witch Academia.
 * The Fire Bull drink is a play on Red Bull.
 * A float of Ginrou passes by during the opening sequence of the festival.
 * During the Rose announcement, Yuji Tachiki is seen in the crowd spying on Kusakabe and the Jackal henchman.
 * Jackie makes an appearance during the festival.
 * Marie's ship name (阿仁丸) is pronounced Animaru, a play on 'animal'. The -maru suffix is common in Japanese ship-naming convention.
 * Bokko from Osamu Tezuka's The Amazing Three makes an appearance during the festival.
 * Beastmen resembling Lio and Galo from Promare can be seen performing in the band. Lio is the pianist and Galo is a guitarist.
 * When Michiru is on top of the bus, her phone home button can be seen with multiple scratches, caused by her nails.