The Liver, Alcohol, and Pride

"The Liver, Alcohol, and Pride" (肝臓、アルコール、誇り) is the 2nd episode of the Cells at Work! CODE BLACK! anime adaption.

Plot
Even though AA2153 doesn't excuse him for being slow, according to his senior colleagues. Even his colleague AC1677 can't escape from the constant reprimands. While on delivery, the red blood cells run into a beautiful yet bloody-stained-clothed Macrophage. Her appearance and behavior shocks and scares AA2153.

Nevertheless, the rookie continues with his delivery until he stumbles into a room with its workers on fire. AA2153 remembers what AC1677 told him, to suppress his emotions. One of the workers, who is in flames, tries to warn the red blood cell. But it's too late. A group of bacteria stumbles in. Luckily, U-1196, U-1212, and U-8787 dispatches of them by eating them.

After a grueling round, AA2153 tries to relax when a veteran Red Blood Cell appears in front of him. Alcohol starts coming from the fire sprinklers mounted on the ceiling. Thus making the work much harder. The veteran suggested taking a break and detox at the liver. The rookies don't know what he means. But immediately afterward, AA2153 and his colleagues find themselves having the time of their lives. However, AA2153 finds it somewhat difficult, especially he can't forget what happened to his senpai.

The rookie hears his colleagues' frustrations, and a weird, black smoke starts to come from out of them, acetaldehyde. It's what you get when alcohol is metabolized by ADH. But with ALDH, the frustrated red blood cell starts to relax. However, AA2153 doesn't take the ALDH and unleashes all his built-up frustrations. Luckily, one of the veterans splashes ALDH on the rookie's face, and he calms down.

However, there's a bigger problem going on. There's been too much alcohol that the Hepatocytes can get rid of properly, leading to liver failure.

Refreshed, the rookies are ready to head to work. However, the veteran won't be joining them. After long years of hard work, the old man has passed away. They take the now dead red blood cells to the sinusoid. There the Kupffer Cell devours the lifeless red blood cell worker.

On the street, Hepatocytes is about to bid farewell to AA2153 when U-1196 bursts out of the sewers, catching the rookie in a compromising position.

The following day the rookies are sporting a horrible hangover. But that doesn't mean that they can slack off on their jobs.

New characters

 * Hepatocyte
 * Kupffer Cell (BLACK)
 * Macrophage
 * U-1212
 * U-8787

Returning characters

 * AA2153
 * AC1677
 * U-1196