Episode 19

Branchial Blues (鰓呼吸ブルース) is the seventh episode of Kekkai Sensen & Beyond. The episode follows the storyline from chapters 23 and 24 of the manga.

Summary
Leonardo enters the office, happy that he managed to get reservation at Bar Utsukoi for their New Year party. Leonardo goes to Zed and gives him a flyer for the party, telling him that at the party they will introduce him formally to the team. Moments later Zapp causes a fuss over how much money are going to Zed equipment and Zed end up hearing them, but leaves without saying anything. Zed goes around looking for a job, but everywhere he go, he is refused. He ends in a bar drinking, recalling how he met his master Raju, who tells him that being half-human, half-fish, he will be lonely as there is no other of his kind.

In a car, a girl is listening to music, when her driver interrupts her and she shocks him for that. After he tells her tasks, she returns back to listening music. While driving, she sees Zed and recognizes the headphones he hears as Vaneheiser Mark 0, a piece of phantom ultra-high-grade audio gear. She calls two of her men, to try and buy it from Zed and if not, to kill him and take it. Being drunk, they attack Zed without he is able to react and take the phones, leaving him suffocate. Zapp, Leonardo and Chain are looking around for Zed, and end up finding him and bringing him back to Libra before he dies. Leonardo wonders who would take his air gills, that were made specially for Zed and have no other use. Steven explains that if they don't find them, Zed will remain in his aquarium for a month, until replacements are made, making him miss the New Year party. Seeing that Zed had put the flyer on the aquarium glass in order to be able to look at it while in the aquarium, Leonardo decides they get back his air gills.

Monsters attack the city, and Libra prioritize them, while Leonardo decides to go look for them alone, but Chain decides to join him. Meanwhile, Zed dreams of the first time he came out of the water due to Raju's blood technique and how he enjoyed the world outside and then awakens in his aquarium, seeing Gilbert waiting for him. The traces lead Leonardo and Chain to Walhalla Dynamics building, hardcore arms company, who had rapid grow in the combat cyborg sector. Zapp arrives and wants to head in, but while Leonardo and Chain try to stop him and explain who they are, he asks them if they get differently angry at people depending on who they are. Leonardo realizes Zapp is angry for Zed's sake and comments it, making Zapp angry and starting a fight with Leonardo and Chain. A guard sees them and Zapp explains they are looking for men who robbed their friend and as he explains they were in trench coats, one of the men that robbed Zed attacks Zapp, but he blocks the attack. Zapp starts fighting and destroying the trench coats men, revealing to be the companies top cyborg models. The company owners watches, but then sees Chain coming in her room and taking the "headphones". As he starts shooting at her, Chain turns invisible and starts chocking the girl from behind, warning her that if she continues to be that arrogant and pull the same stunt again, next time she will kill her. As they walk away of the building, a man with a power suit comes out, but Gilbert arrives with Zed, who suffocates the man. Seeing Zed using his blood technique to form a water bubble around his head, they group is shocked, but starts laughing joking he is alien from distant star system.

Libra ends up having a great New Year party with all members present. Zed ends up performing street magic using his blood technique and earning some money that way.

Characters

 * Zed O'Brien
 * Leonardo Watch
 * Sonic
 * Steven A. Starphase
 * Patrick
 * Neyka
 * Zapp Renfro
 * Chain Sumeragi
 * Raju Jugei Shizuyoshi (Flashback only)
 * Klaus Von Reinherz
 * Gilbert F. Altstein
 * Alice Neverhayworth
 * Dog Hummer & Deldro Brody
 * Luciana Estevez