The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited

The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited (Japanese: 富豪刑事 Balance：UNLIMITED, Hepburn: Fugō Keiji Baransu Anrimiteddo) is a Japanese anime television series produced by CloverWorks, directed by Tomohiko Itō and inspired by a novel The Millionaire Detective written by Yasutaka Tsutsui.[2]

This article is about anime television series. For the 2005 drama series, see Fugo Keiji.
The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited
Promotional poster
富豪刑事 BALANCE: UNLIMITED
(Fugō Keiji Baransu Anrimiteddo)
GenreComedy, detective, mystery[1]
Created byYasutaka Tsutsui
Anime television series
Directed byTomohiko Itō
Written byTaku Kishimoto
Music byYugo Kanno
StudioCloverWorks
Licensed byAniplex of America
Medialink
Original networkFuji TV (Noitamina)
Original run April 9, 2020 – present
Episodes11

It premiered on April 9, 2020, on Fuji TV's Noitamina anime programming block, but postponed programming after the second episode due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series restarted its broadcasting on July 16, 2020, from the first episode.[3][4]

Plot

Daisuke Kanbe, a detective with an extreme amount of personal wealth, is assigned to the Modern Crime Prevention Headquarters where officers who have caused problems for the Metropolitan Police Department are sent. There, Daisuke is partnered with Haru Katou who is repulsed by Daisuke's materialistic ways. Challenging mysteries unfold in front of the two detectives, and they must work together to solve them.

Characters
Kanbe Daisuke (神戸大助, Kanbe Daisuke)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Ōnuki[5]
The current head of the eminently wealthy and influential Kanbe family. As a police officer he uses his fabulous wealth and a collection of the very latest technological gadgets to solve crimes in a blunt, straightforward manner, often resorting to outright bribery as his preferred investigative method. He is currently a member of the Modern Crimes Prevention Task Force and frequently works with detective Haru Kato, who is frequently annoyed by Kanbe's materialistic ways. He also relies heavily on his butler, HEUSC. The scale of his wealth is demonstrated when HEUSC reminds him his balance remains Unlimited.
Haru Katō (加藤春, Katō Haru)
Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano[5]
A young detective on the same task force as Kanbe Daisuke, though he was previously a Division 1 detective but was forcibly transferred out after an incident embarrassing to the police. He is passionate about his job but has a quick temper, especially around Kanbe or when innocent people are in danger. In particular he is annoyed by Kanbe's attitude that money can solve any problem.
Yukihiro Kiyomizu (清水幸宏, Kiyomizu Yukihiro)
Voiced by: Kōzō Shioya[6]
The ranking officer of the Modern Crimes Prevention Task Force, Kanbe and Kato's boss. He is very laid-back and quite cheerful and places a great deal of trust in his subordinates. He is usually found at his desk enjoying his hobby of building plastic models.
Chо̄suke Nakamoto (仲本長介, Nakamoto Chōsuke)
Voiced by: Akira Kamiya[6]
The oldest member of the task force and a veteran detective, formerly of the Investigative Division. Kato is highly respectful of Nakamoto's abilities and experience. He comes across as very sympathetic and uses this to manipulate confessions out of criminals. He is a lifelong chain-smoker.
Shinnosuke Kamei (亀井新之助, Kamei Shinnosuke)
Voiced by: Kentarō Kumagai[6]
Another member of the task force who works only when he wants to and does not particularly enjoy his job. His main goal is to impress Motoyama from Security Division on whom he has a substantial crush. The very mention of her name has a visible effect on his level of enthusiasm.
Mahoro Saeki (佐伯まほろ, Saeki Mahoro)
Voiced by: Reina Ueda[6]
The only woman on the task force with an addiction to sweets and snacks. She is normally found at headquarters either drinking cups of tea or checking for new jobs around the office.
Teppei Yumoto (湯本鉄平, Yumoto Teppei)
Voiced by: Shinya Takahashi[6]
Another member of the task force. He loves gambling with a preference for horse and boat racing.
Katsuhiro Takei (武井克弘, Takei Katsuhiro)
Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama[6]
The current chief of Division 1, Kato's former boss. In the field he prefers to take charge himself, as such all his subordinates place a great deal of trust in him. Despite no longer being Kato's boss he still cares about him.
Ryо̄ Hoshino (星野涼, Hoshino Ryō)
Voiced by: Junya Enoki[6]
A detective from Division 1. He takes his job very seriously. It is implied he was Kato's partner in the past but they now appear to have a strained relationship.
Suzue Kanbe (神戸鈴江, Kanbe Suzue)
Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto[6]
A genius mechanic and Daisuke Kanbe's relative. She uses her innocent appearance to her advantage enabling her to perform undercover work. She and Kanbe live together in the family mansion and have a good relationship. Despite the dangers of her work Kanbe never stops her as he knows she is fully capable. While working together she and Kanbe are a highly effective team.
HEUSC (ヒュスク, Hyusuku)
Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu
Described as Kanbe's personal butler who only communicates through Kanbe's ear piece and the computer screen in his sunglasses. HEUSC is strongly implied to be an advanced Artificial intelligence programme that instantly responds to Kato's requests and can seemingly manipulate other computer systems at will.

Production and release

On January 20, 2020, Noitamina announced that a new anime television series directed by Tomohiko Itō is in production.[7] The series is animated by CloverWorks, with Taku Kishimoto handing series composition, Keigo Sasaki designing the characters, and Yugo Kanno composing the series' music. The opening theme titled "Navigator" is performed by SixTones while Okamoto's performs the series' ending theme song "Welcome My Friend".[8][6] Aniplex of America licensed the series, and streams the series internationally outside Asia on FunimationNow, AnimeLab and Wakanim.[9] In Southeast Asia, the series is licensed by Medialink and being simulcast on Ani-One YouTube channel[10] and iQIYI. The series premiered its first two episodes on April 9, 2020 and April 16, 2020 respectively, but had to delay later episodes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]

Episode list
No. Title[12][lower-alpha 1] Original air date
1"I Came, I Saw, I Sponsored"
Transcription: "“Kita, mita, katta”" (Japanese: 「来た、見た、買った」)		April 9, 2020 (2020-04-09)

Detectives Haru Kato and Shinnosuke Kamei from Japan’s Modern Crimes Prevention Task Force are asked to assist security during the Ginza Classic Car Festival where First Division officers are trying to locate a bomber targeting a foreign prince. Two amateur thieves, Yoko and Hiroshi, observe jewellery stores for potential robbery. The ridiculously wealthy Daisuke Kanbe meets the Police Superintendent and requests a place on a squad of his choice. The bomber is arrested while the thieves accidentally rob a sweet shop, then unknowingly flee in the bombers van with the bomb. During their pursuit Daisuke damages most of the expensive classic cars but reveals his butler, HEUSC, is automatically paying for all his damages. Daisuke succeeds in pushing the van into the river where it safely detonates, while Kato rescues the thieves before falling into the river while an amused Daisuke watches.

Costs incurred in this episode: ¥1,369,800,000 (£10,055,332.64, US$12,822,081.39, €11,034,747.31)
2"Love Does Much, Money Does Everything"
Transcription: "Ai wa Ōku o Nashieru ga, Kane wa Subete o Nashieru" (Japanese: 愛は多くを成し得るが、金は全てを成し得る)		April 16, 2020 (2020-04-16)

A fashion model, Akiko Hoshida, dies of an overdose. Daisuke arrests two street performers for buying Mescaline and bribes them for their dealer’s name. They identify the model Isezaki as the dealer and witness him selling drugs, but Daisuke decides not to arrest him. They learn Isezaki's drugs come from organised crime group Gondawara Gumi, run by mob boss Umezu. Kato decides to follow Isezaki’s latest girlfriend, only to follow her to Daisuke’s mansion, where he learns she is actually Suzue Kanbe, Daisuke's relative who was working undercover, and has discovered Umezu is attending a party. Kato infiltrates the party and steals Umezu’s phone, only escaping his bodyguard with help from Mita, a journalist helping the investigation, and Daisuke, who has HEUSC purchase the building before attacking it with sleeping gas. The entire crime group is arrested for drug smuggling and murdering Akiko. Kato confronts Daisuke about his overuse of money. Daisuke reveals he knows Kato was kicked out of Division 1 for accidentally shooting a suspect and now is psychologically unable to fire his gun. Furious, Kato leaves but is later told to attend a symposium on international crime in Hong Kong, with Daisuke.

Costs incurred in this episode: ¥83,006,110,000 (£609,469,117.14, US$776,941,339.91, €668,652,805.59)
3"The Sinews of War Are Infinite Money"
Transcription: "Kin wa Senryokunari" (Japanese: 金は戦力なり)		July 30, 2020 (2020-07-30)[3][13]

Kato is brought to meet Daisuke and Suzue’s grandmother, who asks Kato to make Daisuke a good policeman. Kato becomes involved in an incident when a young man takes several music fans hostage. Kato’s former Division 1 colleagues arrive, causing him to have a flashback to the incident when he shot a suspect. Daisuke arrives, but rather than leave with him Kato decides to stay and learns the man is streaming the incident live on Chaintube. Kato asks Daisuke to help, so Daisuke launches smoke grenades and they infiltrate the train. Division 1 Chief Takei orders Kato to shoot the man but instead Kato has HEUSC hack the man’s emails and learns he is aiming to win prize money from Chaintube by reaching 10 million views so his sick sister can have surgery. The hostages, desperate to see their favourite band Yokorenbo’s last concert, attack but Daisuke distracts them by paying to have Yokorenbo sing outside the train. Kato has a chance to shoot but hesitates, so Daisuke steps in and pays for the sister’s surgery himself. With the crisis over Takei, rather than being disappointed, praises Kato for a job well done. Kato is further surprised to learn Daisuke only helped because he trusted Kato’s judgement that the man wasn’t a real killer.

Costs incurred in this episode: ¥1,271,500,000 (£9,175,590.55, US$12,012,686.97, €10,200,873.35)
4"Nothing Makes A Man so Adventerous as an Empty Pocket"
Transcription: "Karappo no Poketto hodo, Jinsei o Bōken Teki ni Suru Mono wa Nai" (Japanese: 空っぽのポケットほど、人生を冒険的にするものはない)		August 6, 2020 (2020-08-06)

Kato asks Daisuke to find a child’s lost puppy with HEUSC. Daisuke realises that, having stormed out of his house in a bad mood, he forgot the earring that he uses to contact HEUSC, and has also lost his phone. Kato leaves the child with local police before Daisuke reveals his lack of access to his money. Suzue panics after learning Daisuke is loose in public without HEUSC. Their grandmother thinks the experience will be good for Daisuke. Daisuke goes shopping with Kato and then to his apartment where he shows a lack of basic skills. Kato asks why Daisuke joined the Modern Crimes Taskforce, but Daisuke falls asleep before answering. Suzue stays up all night worrying about Daisuke surviving, and HEUSC jokingly claims Daisuke’s balance is currently Limited. In the morning Kato spends all day looking for the dog. Daisuke appears with the dog, delighting the child, but secretly informs Kato he learned the original dog was killed by a car, so he bought the dog’s identical sibling from the local dog breeder so the child couldn’t tell the difference. Unfortunately, he has to ask Kato to pay the breeder and to lend him train fare. Returning home Daisuke shows his family Kato’s recipe for natto rice, which Suzue finds delicious despite the meal only costing 246 yen. HEUSC returns Daisuke’s balance to Unlimited.

Costs incurred in this episode: ¥55,616 (£402.52, US$523.03, €445.36)
5"If Money be not thy Servant, it will be thy Master"
Transcription: "Moshi Kin o Nanji no Meshitsukai to Shinakereba, Kin wa Nanji no Shujin to Narudarō" (Japanese: もし金を汝の召使としなければ、金は汝の主人となるだろう)		August 13, 2020 (2020-08-13)

The taskforce is assigned to protect President Alvarez of Poliador, as there are concerns terrorists want to kill him. Daisuke, however, attends the embassy as Alvarez’s guest. Alvarez wants the Kanbe family’s help to modernise Poliador but faces tough opposition from indigenous protestors. An infiltrator retrieves a package and murders the embassy chef to keep it secret. Kato and the taskforce befriend an elderly embassy janitor. Daisuke and Alvarez are sent to a safe room after the chef is discovered. Daisuke has HEUSC hack security cameras so he can observe. Kato chase the murderer fleeing the embassy while HEUSC retrieves footage showing the murderer planting a tear gas canister, designed by a Kanbe Group company, filled with VX gas inside the panic room with Daisuke and Alvarez and stealing the key, trapping them inside. Kato catches the murderer, who disposes of the key down a drain, hoping Alvarez’s death will prevent the dam destroying indigenous land. He then commits suicide before Kato can stop him. Suzue crashes her bike and can’t make it while HEUSC informs Daisuke he cannot tell him how to disarm the canister, despite it being a Kanbe product, as Daisuke doesn’t have the necessary clearance. Kato manages to save them, having realised the janitor had a secret spare key and had been using the panic room to hide his dirty magazines. Alvarez returns to Poliador while Nakamoto begins investigating the origins of the canister, unaware Daisuke is watching him through HEUSC.

Costs incurred in this episode: ¥317,000,000 (£2,272,633.96, US$2,974,082.27, €2,511,384.95)

Notes
  1. All English titles are taken from Funimation.

References
  1. "The Millionaire Detective balance:unlimited". Fuji Creative Corporation. February 20, 2020. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  2. http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13206637
  3. Balance:UNLIMITED, 【公式】富豪刑事 (2020-04-22). "【放送日程のお知らせ】 3話以降の放送を延期する旨先日発表させて頂きました 「富豪刑事 Balance:UNLIMITED」につき、 今後の放送予定が決定致しました。 2020年7月16日(木)～　 フジテレビ"ノイタミナ"枠にて放送開始予定 （※第１話より毎週放送） →https://fugoukeiji-bul.com/onair/ #富豪刑事BULpic.twitter.com/QGNe7Rrmqg". @fugoukeiji_bul (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  4. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-06-17/the-millionaire-detective-anime-resumes-on-july-30-after-covid-19-delay/.160746
  5. "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Author Yasutaka Tsutsui's Fugō Keiji Detective Novel Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. January 23, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  6. "Fugō Keiji Balance: Unlimited Anime Reveals Promo Video, Cast, April 9 Premiere". Anime News Network. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  7. "Sword Art Online, ERASED's Tomohiko Ito Directs April Anime for Noitamina Block". Anime News Network. January 20, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  8. "SixTONES Performs The Millionaire Detective Anime's Opening Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  9. Aniplex USA [@aniplexUSA] (March 27, 2020). "📢 SPRING SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT 📢 ❣️ "Kaguya-sama: Love Is War?" begins streaming April 11th! 🔎 "The Millionaire Detective - Balance: Unlimited" begins streaming April 9th! Fans will be able to watch both shows only on @FUNimation!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 10, 2020 – via Twitter.
  10. https://www.youtube.com/post/UgzU9e9GRG88l_G6ztx4AaABCQ
  11. Mateo, Alex (April 16, 2020). "The Millionaire Detective Anime Delayed Due to Coronavirus Disease COVID-19". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  12. "STORY | TVアニメ「富豪刑事 Balance:UNLIMITED」公式サイト". fugoukeiji-bul.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  13. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-06-17/the-millionaire-detective-anime-resumes-on-july-30-after-covid-19-delay/.160746
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