Strain

Chapter 1

MAYO, THE HORSE

  • Story by Buronson

  • Art by Ryoichi Ikegami

  • English Adaptation by Yuji Oniki

  • Lettering and Touch-Up art by Cato

  • © 1997 Buronson/Ryoichi Ikegami/Shogakukan inc.

In this chapter we are introduced to a contract killer named Mayo, “the horse”, that charges 5 dollars. “That is all we are worth” he says. He is drawing a horse in a bar located in Kuala Lumpur waiting for work when an underaged prostitute (Shion?) enters, running from a john whose wallet she had just stolen. She gets punched by the john, who then leaves, and she throws a fit at Mayo saying she needs the famous 5-dollar killer to kill that john.

Mayo, on his way to meet a client sees the john and knocks him out. Mayo meets his client in a room filled with horse art. He gets hired and goes to his mark. When he enters there is a woman alone in bed. Just before pulling the trigger, Shion? enters the room calling out to her mom. She tries to seduce Mayo so he won’t kill her mom. He refuses her advances but tells her to pay 10 dollars for a new contract.

Mayo goes to the original client and kills him. Afterwards he is seen by someone who thought they saw a ghost.  Jump to Tokyo Raceway there is a group of men discussing horses and breeding when one of them gets notice that someone saw Mayo. He thought he was executed in jail. We end with the group discussing genes and superior strains. As long as one person remains of the superior breed.

Chapter 2

THE GHOST

  • Story by Buronson

  • Art by Ryoichi Ikegami

  • English Adaptation by Yuji Oniki

  • Lettering and Touch-Up art by Cato

  • © 1997 Buronson/Ryoichi Ikegami/Shogakukan inc.

In Kuala Lumpur the man who saw Mayo and thought was a ghost is talking to another guy about the murder and they knew it was connected. They also know it was connected to “the organization”. Mayo is with a prostitute inside a vip room of strip club who asks him about being Japanese because of his skin. When he leaves her, he leaves 5 dollars.

Mayo meats up with the old man from the bar. He warns Mayo about having killed his client. “The organization” has already called about it. They find those that kill their own and will not overlook it. Yang, a young bookie, comes running asking Mayo for help. He is being chased by men he stole money from for placing bets. Mayo chases them away with threats of physical force using skewers. Yang takes Mayo out to get women and drinks. On the way they pass a prison and Mayo looks away. Yang asks about it and he says its just habit.

On the way to get babes hey see Shion? get thrown out of a building by a bunch of men. Mayo approaches her and she starts crying, saying her ‘mom  is ….’. She drops a doll on the floor and Yang comments that she must be Japanese because the doll was Japanese. Chapter ends with Shion? and Mayo staring at each other in the rain.