Plot
In 2011, Tokyo is plagued by supernatural threats stemming from the Machida massacre, a gruesome incident secretly orchestrated by demons known as Phantoms. These creatures originate from the netherworld, having crossed into reality after the "Box of Dirge" (or "Druj") was shattered into 108 fragments, each possessed by a powerful Phantom. To combat this menace, the Public Security Intelligence Agency establishes the Special Public Safety Task Force, or "Tokko" (特公), under Superintendent Ryoko Ibuki. Composed primarily of survivors from the Machida incident, Tokko's members harbor dormant Phantoms within them, granting superhuman abilities when awakened, including enhanced speed and the power to materialize swords. These weapons are essential, as conventional firearms prove ineffective against the Phantoms and their lesser human-faced larval parasites, which emerge through massive holes caused by unnatural earthquakes in the Kanto region.
Tokko operates covertly, drawing criticism from other law enforcement agencies for their secretive methods and cover-ups of civilian and police casualties, which are publicly attributed to armed criminals or mental instability. Each member bears a symbiont tattoo, marking them as hosts to one of the 108 Phantoms. The alignment of these spirits remains unknown until awakened, though they provide passive protection—such as shielding Sakura Rokujo from a fatal car accident in her youth. Tokko's mission is to hunt down rogue Phantoms, reclaim the Box of Dirge fragments, and seal the expanding Machida hole before it consumes the world.
Ranmaru Shindo, a young investigator, joins the Special Mobile Investigation Forces (Tokki) to uncover the truth behind his parents' deaths in the Machida massacre. Haunted by recurring dreams of a bloodied, tattooed girl wielding a massive sword, he encounters her in reality—Sakura Rokujo, a Tokko operative. Alongside her are the prodigious Kureha Suzuka, the taciturn Takeru Inukai, and their leader, Ryoko Ibuki. Rumors swirl around Tokko, alleging they execute criminals with swords, leave dismembered bodies at crime scenes, and may not even be human.
While investigating a brutal murder, Ranmaru's team witnesses a demonic attack by larval parasites, which identify him as a Machida survivor. Sakura intervenes, revealing that the massacre was perpetrated by Phantoms who crossed into the world after the Box of Dirge was opened. The stronger Phantoms consume humans to grow more powerful, and Tokko's symbionts are the only ones capable of stopping them.
Determined to fight, Ranmaru and his partner Hanazono infiltrate the quarantined Machida site, inadvertently provoking a Phantom attack. Tokko rescues them and explains that symbionts—awakened through near-death trauma—are the sole means of defeating the creatures. To activate his latent Phantom, Kureha mortally wounds Ranmaru and hurls him into the Machida hole. He emerges transformed, wielding dual swords and swiftly annihilating the 12th Phantom. After recovering, he joins Tokko as the countdown to Tokyo's destruction continues.
Meanwhile, siblings Itsuto and Mayu Araragi, unaffiliated symbiont hunters, consume Phantoms to absorb their powers. They rescue Yukino Shiraishi, a suicide attempt survivor controlled by a larval parasite. Investigating disappearances at her university, they uncover a conspiracy led by Yukino's father, who experiments on students by turning them into Phantom hybrids. After a fierce battle, Yukino kills her father by burning their home, then joins the siblings to prevent further atrocities.
The epilogue hints that Tokyo is ultimately consumed by the Machida hole, underscoring the relentless struggle between humanity and the encroaching netherworld.
