OVA
Description
Daizaburo Eddie Ban is a Japanese-American officer who joined the NYPD after graduating from the academy around age 18-19. Assigned to Manhattan's high-crime 34th Precinct, he partnered with veteran John "Sleepy" Estes. Initially earnest and by-the-book, he frequently decried Sleepy's violent, unlawful methods—including executing criminals and causing property damage—creating significant early tension. His Japanese-American heritage is integral, though he operates primarily in an American context. He functions as both a foil to Sleepy and an audience point-of-view character, often reacting with shock and moral outrage to extreme violence and corruption. Early on, he provided comic relief, particularly through displays of naivety or cultural discomfort, such as when prostitutes arranged by Sleepy retreated upon learning he was saving himself for marriage.
Over time, he developed a grudging respect for Sleepy after witnessing justifications for his actions, like skimming money from sex workers to fund STD clinics and shelters. This culminated in him defending Sleepy during an Internal Affairs investigation, adopting Sleepy's logic to justify lethal force against criminals supposedly armed with hidden machine guns, marking a pivotal shift from his strict adherence to protocol.
He developed romantic feelings for Lieutenant Perrine Valley, marrying her twice: first in a coma-rousing scheme orchestrated by Sleepy, and again after their initial marriage was presumably annulled during a kidnapping involving cowboy assassins. This relationship showcased his vulnerability and emotional investment.
While often overshadowed by Sleepy's physical presence, he demonstrated significant competence and resilience, surviving brutal mob beatings while protecting Perrine and exhibiting lethal precision, like delivering precise headshots to chainsaw-wielding assassins. His transition from comic relief to a more capable, hardened officer progressed as the series did, with the primary comic role shifting to Sleepy's increasingly absurd antics.
His arc reflects a journey from idealism to pragmatic compromise within a corrupt system, embodying the tension between procedure and vigilante justice. He retained his core morality but became more willing to operate in moral gray areas confronting adversaries like cyborg mob bosses, crime syndicates, or assassins in advanced combat suits.
Over time, he developed a grudging respect for Sleepy after witnessing justifications for his actions, like skimming money from sex workers to fund STD clinics and shelters. This culminated in him defending Sleepy during an Internal Affairs investigation, adopting Sleepy's logic to justify lethal force against criminals supposedly armed with hidden machine guns, marking a pivotal shift from his strict adherence to protocol.
He developed romantic feelings for Lieutenant Perrine Valley, marrying her twice: first in a coma-rousing scheme orchestrated by Sleepy, and again after their initial marriage was presumably annulled during a kidnapping involving cowboy assassins. This relationship showcased his vulnerability and emotional investment.
While often overshadowed by Sleepy's physical presence, he demonstrated significant competence and resilience, surviving brutal mob beatings while protecting Perrine and exhibiting lethal precision, like delivering precise headshots to chainsaw-wielding assassins. His transition from comic relief to a more capable, hardened officer progressed as the series did, with the primary comic role shifting to Sleepy's increasingly absurd antics.
His arc reflects a journey from idealism to pragmatic compromise within a corrupt system, embodying the tension between procedure and vigilante justice. He retained his core morality but became more willing to operate in moral gray areas confronting adversaries like cyborg mob bosses, crime syndicates, or assassins in advanced combat suits.