anpan~~!

Ganta recaps the events that have recently happened in his life: how his friends had been murdered by a red crimson man, how he’s being surrounded by many things he doesn’t yet fully understand, how he met the strange girl Shiro, and how he almost died in an accident. He finishes his thoughts by saying that he doesn’t want to die in a place like this because he’s clueless and confused. Meanwhile, Makina is in her office musing over how Number 5580 survived the “accident” in the construction site yesterday. She comes to a possibility that perhaps the light she saw from yesterday’s incident was Ganta’s doing. Then she remembers that Tamaki told her that they will not try to kill Ganta through a pretend accident again, because if it failed, it failed, and mentions that there was a success in itself as well. Makina figures that the kid is definitely hiding something suspicious. Her thoughts come to an end when an alarm sounds, informing her that in Sector D4 a prisoner on Death Row is resisting fiercely and the security team are already heading their way to the scene. Shortly after the announcement, Makina also arrives at the scene and sees that a prisoner is holding another prisoner captive, placing a sharp weapon threateningly at the man’s neck. The security team beg him to release the hostage while Makina requests the bio-data readings from the prisoner’s necklet. The prisoner who’s holding a man hostage warns everyone to shut up and give him candy. One of Makina’s fellow co-workers asks Makina what they should do, and she tells her to talk about the weather since the prisoner who’s holding someone captive is going to die soon anyway, in the meantime looking at her watch. The prisoner continues to plead for candy and explains that he doesn’t have enough cast points to buy one. Suddenly, drops of blood shoot out of his eyes, nose and mouth and the prisoner collapses onto the ground, dead. Makina looks evilly at the dead man and says that this is the death sentence rule in action.

Ganta enters Deadman Wonderland cafeteria area and is surprised because everyone looks scary and realizes that his first meal here isn’t going to be nice and slow. Now it is his turn to collect his meal and all he’s given is a little block of bread. He studies the tray that belongs to the man next to him and is shocked that the man’s plate is filled with luscious food. His thoughts are interrupted when he is elbowed on the back. He turns around and the woman who had just attacked him tells him that if he’s done, he should get out of the way. She walks up to the counter to place an order and purchases a pack of sandwiches and a salad after scanning a card under the scanner. Ganta stares hard at what she is given and the woman looks over at his tray. She asks him if he really enjoys eating those small and nasty rations. Ganta thinks to himself about how mean the woman is, but realizes that they are all criminals anyway. His pondering stops when the woman questions him about not having enough money to buy a decent meal. She points to a board and tells him about needing cast points to purchase better food, and tells him that without cast points he can only live in Deadman Wonderland with the lowest standards. She lectures him by telling him off for not being aware of his situation as a criminal. Next she hands him half of her sandwich pack and tells him that she’s poor too, so that’s why he only gets half. Ganta nervously thanks her and introduces himself as Igarashi Ganta, and she introduces herself as Midou Azami. Azami goes on to explain more about the benefits of having cast points. She is distracted when a prisoner bashes up another prisoner in order to get their money. The old man, who’s the victim, begs that the man return his card because he had spent two years saving it all up. The man takes a bowel of ramen and chucks it on the old man’s head and tells him to be happy because now he has more hair. Two other men crouch beside the old man and tell him thank Kouzuji and ask him for the card’s code. Ganta overhears a man saying that if they don’t follow Kouzuji’s rules, then they will end up in the medical warden for life. This idea has Ganta shaking and his block of bread drops to the floor. Just as he warns the man closest to him to watch it, the man steps on the food. Turns out, the man is actually Kouzuji. Kouzuji laughs and greets Ganta by punching him on the face. He tells him that in here he’s the rule and that everyone must do as he says. He points over at the old man and comments on how hilarious he thinks he is. Kouzuji glares at Ganta and demands that he laugh, so Ganta, although reluctant inside, laughs at the poor old man. Azami comes up and takes back her other half of the sandwich pack and says that Ganta is just as low as Kouzuji. Azami walks off and hands the sandwiches to the old man instead.

Ganta heads to the medical warden to heal the injury on his cheek and bumps into Makina. Makina wonders if he knows about the cast points yet and since he does, she tells him to go to the clinic. Before leaving, she also warns him to read the rule book well because this is a unique prison. The doctor takes care of the wound and comments on how young Ganta is. He tells him that he should at least have a candy, which should be in his bag. Ganta thinks about it and tells him that he didn’t receive a candy. A patient in there exposes himself from behind the curtains and tells Ganta that he must’ve lost it when he bumped into him. Ganta remembers the man straight away as the person who had been cut by Makina after being accused of stealing something. Ganta says that losing one candy or two doesn’t really matter and the man is seemingly shocked and only manages to apologize. Shiro appears out of nowhere and asks Ganta to play with her. The man gets scared and thinks she’s a ghost and she denies it by saying that she’s Ganta’s friend. Shiro goes on to tell Ganta about racing together because there are a lot of toys there. The man realizes that she’s talking about the dog race show this afternoon. He tells Ganta that it’s an athletic obstacle race and the prize money is 100, 000 CP (cast points). He also informs him that even for participating you will receive anpan, which is a nice type of bread with sweet bean paste inside. This makes Ganta want to join and Shiro celebrates about the anpan. The man tells Ganta that he can’t join because of his injury and that nothing can be helped if it’s unfair because that’s just how Deadman Wonderland operates. Ganta is reminded of how he had laughed at the old man back then and tells himself that he had no choice because in order to survive, he has to follow the rules no matter what they are. In the meantime, Shiro tells the man a big secret that usually snacks are only once a day, but she eats five. Then she tells Ganta that he doesn’t have to follow the rules if he doesn’t want to. Ganta argues and says that he has to even though he doesn’t want to. Shiro smiles and says that that’s “Ganta’s Rule”. This leaves Ganta thinking.

Ganta is inside the lockers room to prepare for the dog race show. He reads about earning cast points in the rule book while Shiro continuously shouts “Anpan, anpan!” He looks up and notices Azami there as well. Just then, Kouzuji appears and asks everyone threateningly if they will retire half-way during the race. He yells at them to not stand in his way and that this is the rule for this game. Ganta thinks that although it’s a mess, he’s still going to have to obey. All the prisoners move out of the way to let Kouzuji and his gang through, but Azami intrudes and warns him to stop this nonsense. Kouzjuji ignores her and just stamps on her arm, declaring that this is the first retirement. Ganta realizes that he really does have to follow the rules or otherwise he could end up like Azami, or even worse. Kouzuji announces what a retarded woman Azami is and demands that everyone laugh with him. Slowly, the crowd of prisoners begin to quietly laugh but Ganta is too confused to laugh. Kouzuji notices him and asks him why he isn’t laughing like the rest of them. Ganta remembers where he is and starts to laugh as well and Kouzuji tells Ganta that he’s not retarded like her, so now he has to step on Azami. At first, Ganta excuses himself in doing so because she’s injured, but Kouzuji looks at him evilly and says that it is a rule, so he must step on her. Ganta remembers that he doesn’t want any more bad things to happen and that that is why he decided to follow any rule put out for him. He also knows that he doesn’t want anything bad to happen and is reminded of what Shiro told him about “Ganta’s Rule”. Angrily, Ganta asks Kouzuji if he really thinks Ganta can do something like that. He tells him that being on death row and being hit are horrible experiences, but sucking up to Kouzuji and lying to himself makes him feel even more digusted with himself. He throws his rule book into Kouzuji’s face and says that he can eat shit for all he cares because that’s his rule. Everyone is stunned by Ganta’s bravery but Ganta is too worried and realizes that he’s said too much. Kouzuji is on the brink of landing a direct punch across Ganta’s face but is stopped when an officer comes in and asks what’s going on. He tells all the prisoners to get into the docks because the show commences in 10 minutes. Before Kouzuji leaves, he promises himself that he will surely kill Ganta. Ganta is alone and tells himself that as long as he gets his anpan, everything else will be okay. The rule book which Kouzuji threw on the ground is opened on a page that explains about the necklets slowly poisoning its host. The only way to save oneself is to eat a candy-shaped antidote every three days or otherwise the death sentence is carried out. He looks at the bottom of the page where it says that a candy is worth 100, 000 CP. The race begins and Ganta realizes that if he doesn’t win the obstacle, by tomorrow he is dead.

Thoughts: Definitely a must-read. I was more excited with the first chapter than this one, but it was nice being introduced to a new character, plus we got to see more Shiro. I like the man who’s still in the clinic because he’s an interesting guy: weak, yet strong in a sense. Ganta was being sort of unfair about how he had to follow rules and all, but I think that if I were in his situation, I would’ve done the same. I feel so sorry for him. He’s only 14 and he has to go through all of this. I’m still wondering what the red gem is as well. Will Ganta use it to win the obstacle? I just love the drawings of this manga and the plot-line is just excellent. I’m looking forward to the next one! Go Shiro! You will get your anpan!!