Kikuko Misuji, more often called "Nikuko-chan," is known by everyone in her small northern town as the happy fat lady at the grill. Having lived arduously traveling from man to man and town to town for the bulk of her life, Nikuko-chan finally seems to have settled down on a houseboat docked in the bay with her daughter—also named Kikuko. Together, the pair does their best to find their place in the world. For the bold and brash Nikuko-chan, her spirited behavior easily guides her toward the earnest goal. However, for the quiet and reserved Kikuko, who is often embarrassed by her mother's antics, each day can be just as uninspiring as the last. From middle school drama to solving the mystery of her strange classmate Ninomiya, Kikuko's adolescence is full of many twists and turns.

After her parents were brutally murdered, school girl Sawa was taken into custody by Akai and Kanie, a pair of detectives assigned to her case. Corrupt and immoral, they train the girl to become a weapon, dangling the promise of vengeance in front of the hapless orphan. From celebrities and politicians to influential businessmen, Sawa is tasked with assassinating targets selected arbitrarily by her crooked overseers. She executes every mission without fail, and her distinctive weapon has become infamous among the city's police officers. Physically abused by Akai, who is no more righteous than her victims, Sawa begins to dream of a life unhindered by the shadow of her "guardians." One day, Sawa meets Oburi, a fellow orphan and vigilante. They quickly form a bond born of desperation and disgruntlement at the unjust world, envisioning a future free from the stain of murder.

Bean Bandit and his partner Rally Vincent are couriers for hire - transporting clients and delivering goods in his custom sports car "Roadbuster" for a hefty price. But when they are hired to escort a kidnapped girl named Chelsea to her home, they don't realize they're being framed for kidnapping as their former clients Semmerling and Carrie plan their escape with Chelsea's father and the ransom money.