Side=Kick centers on the Community Safety Division of the Kichijoji Police Station, the department that handles every troublesome case that other divisions avoid. Known as the police’s “anything” unit, it is the least popular assignment in the force. The story follows Kinpei, a rookie officer who is transferred there after being kicked out of the Criminal Division because he cannot stomach dead bodies. He is partnered with Kinojou, the division’s most reckless and dangerous senior investigator, a man who operates on instinct and bends every rule. As the two tackle a succession of crimes that reflect contemporary social problems—impersonators filming schoolgirls, online influencers who incite chaos, dark-web recruiters targeting students, and the shadowy criminal network known as Tokuryu—Kinpei begins to uncover the hidden sorrow that drives Kinojou’s cold, emotionless approach to police work. Kinpei himself carries the belief that “no one is truly okay,” a conviction forged when he witnessed the violent death of a childhood friend. The duo’s unorthodox investigations force them to confront not only the criminals but also the ambiguities of justice and the deep-seated grief that haunts them both. The story’s first major arc concludes with Kinojou revealing the truth behind his own past and the weight of the cases he could not save, bringing the two officers’ partnership to a crucial turning point.