Smith

Smith (スミス Sumisu) is Kevin's good friend. He is an agent from the CIA. He is investigating the Shimoyama incident. He helps Kevin to investigate The Bat. When trying to save Kevin from unknown assassin, he gets shot, but succeeds in letting Kevin escape. In 1981, he has become old and lost an eye.

Kevin Yamagata Era
He first appears in Chapter 6 as a CIA investigator questioning Kevin about Charlie Ishizuka due to suspicions of him being a communist. Through the next few chapters he is taking part in the investigation of the Shimoyama incident. He is seen speaking with Finney about it soon after too. In chapter 12 he talks with Shirasu, who criticizes the Japanese system.

He next appears in chapter 30, looking for Oswald at Billyland, where he mentions that Kevin Yamagata's Billy Bat is the real one. He makes his way to the Fujiyama publishing (the company which printed Kevin's works) office, and pretends to be the president when Finney arrive to investigate, where he praises Kevin's works yet again. When they threaten him with their guns, he disarms and takes them down before kicking them out. He then forces the president of the publishing company to tell him where Kevin is. He finds himself in the town Pistol Hair is set in, where he is treated with hostility. He finds some of Kevins doodlings, but is shot at before he can investigate further. Angry, he growls at the residents what they did to Kevin, and where he is. He links the scenery in the Pistol Hair goes West comic with the scenery around the town, and is subsequently attacked. After taking the gun he is threatened with, he says that 'The main character, Sheriff Sabukichi... He was a man that protected the peace of his town without carrying a gun' and that the town is full of nothing but lowlifes. The townspeople correct him, saying that Pistol Hair was a Marshall, not a Sheriff, and therefore Smith must not be a real fan. He pleads that he is, so they ask him his favourite Billy Bat scene, to which he replies 'the last scene in Billy Bat's Jungle Adventure' at which point the townspeople start crying and welcome him as a friend, as they are all massive fans of Kevin Yamagata. After the townspeople asking why he went there, he answered he had to tell Kevin that he was in danger. He is lead to where Kevin is now, lying drunk on the floor, crying that he doesn't want to see the bat any more. Smith attempts to persuade Kevin to start writing again. While talking to Kevin he reveals that the CIA and another organisation had been planning something big together. Smith reveals to Kevin that he has been tracking someone, and also that he had read the newest Billy Bat work by Kevin which he found bizarre. Additionally, he noted it was similar to the Shimoyama incident, with which Kevin agreed. Through Kevin's ensuing delirium, Smith tried to calm Kevin, and stayed with him until he calmed down, when he recommended that Kevin go to a hospital to detox. Kevin explained what happened, and Smith listened calmly. Smith had just managed to persuade Kevin to draw when they were alerted about Finneys arrival. With help from the townspeople, they escaped on horses to the train, which they jumped onto while it was going around a corner. After getting off the train, they started searching for Oswald, finding the place he had lived until recently. From there they headed to New Orleans, where Kevin drew the final chapter, on which Smith commented that Billy Bat wasn't in it. Later, Kevin told Smith about his new findings involving the planned assassination of the President. When the Billy Bat Hour comes on in the bar, Kevin storms out with Smith chasing after him. Smith tells Kevin that he was naive for letting Chuck handle the comic while he went to Japan. After noticing "Chuck Culkin" on the TV, Kevin exclaims that it wasnt Chuck. He talks to Smith about it and they become confused by the issue. Next we see him questioning Thomas Valee in Chicago, due to him being a dummy for the assassination attempt, a 'rabbit'. His main question was 'which one do you prefer' out of the two Billy Bats, Chuck Culkin's or Kevin Yamagata's. He has a phone call with Kevin after, where Kevin reveals that he had met with the real Oswald. Smith had managed to get the Presidents parades put on hold. They then discussed what they would do next, to which Kevin said he would write a Drama with a happy ending. Smith continues to question Thomas, and discovers that the assassination attempt planned on Kennedy was practice for assassinating Castro, and it was ordered by 'A big organisation like the mafia, or the army, or your own [the CIA]'. He was also told that he [Smith] wouldn't be able to stop it. He then runs to Kevin's place and tells him that the parade was going to go ahead in Dallas. He then tells Kevin to get his bags so Kevin can run to Japan, while he went to Dallas. While leaving out the back of the place they were staying, Smith was shot in the arm. Smith then told Kevin to go to Dallas to save the President. As Kevin left we are left with Smith in a firefight with an unknown attacker, with unknown (for then) results. Just before Kevin Heads to Japan, he is handed a letter by the publisher, addressed from Smith. It says that he could be dead or alive when Kevin reads it, but he obviously survived the original encounter where they were attacked. He also says that if he is alive then he will have the luck of reading Kevin's new Billy Bat work. He asks if Kennedy is ok and that he can only pray for both Kevin and Kennedy, and himself too. He then reveals all the information he knows to Kevin. He explains that two organisations are involved and the two leaders are Finney and Kurusu, among more information. He finishes by saying 'Don't stand too close to the window', saving Kevin's life yet again.

Kevin Goodman Era
Smith reappears in chapter 95 as an old man, looking for Kevin at Philips concert. Soon after, he reappears, saving Kevin Goodman from a fake policeman. He takes him to a restaurant and tells him that Kevin's life is being targeted. He comments on the fact that Kevin's graffiti was of things that most people wouldn't know about, and asks if he was asked to by the bat. He tells Kevin that he needs to teach him self defense, because if Kevin died it would 'truly be the end'. They meet again in the Billy Bat section of the bookshop, from where Smith tells Kevin to tail the person who had been tailing him. They end up in front of the PWWP building, on which Smith comments that Kevin has some big shots coming after him. In New Jersey later on, Smith taught Kevin how to defend yourself when someone is threatening you with a knife. After teaching him this, he tells Kevin they are going to meet with Akechi. Next, just after leaving a record shop, Smith quizzes him on his observational skills, which he learns are incredible. After Kevin's meeting with Akechi, Smith asks Kevin if he solved the mystery of the bat on the moon.

A while later, in Vienna, we see Smith having met up with someone we can presume is his informant, who tells him that the Soviet rocket was manned, before showing Smith the picture, who he recognizes as Kurusu. Next, we see Smith asking around fro Kurusu in Japan in a flashback. He notices Kurusu walk past and asks him a few questions about his organisation and motives. In another flashback, we see Kevin and Smith escaping before Kevin went to Dallas. After Kevin escaped, we see Smith black out, but he is saved by Kurusu, having lost an eye, and gets told to protect the mangaka. Back in Vienna we see Smith exclaiming that the world is going to end due to Kurusu.

In the 'Rose Wood Retirement Home' we next see Smith alone on a bench. He is approached by another Smith, who works for an organisation like the CIA. He asks him where Kevin Yamagata is. He answers that he only knows what happened to Kevin up until he went to Dallas. He also reveals he was kicked out of the CIA when he learned things he didn't need to know. He then prepares to head off to the Civic Culture Center to see a Japanese comics Expo, but the person he had been talking to takes him to his van instead, in an act of kidnapping, in order to gain info from him. He is then saved by Devivie, who tells him about Kevin. Smith tells Devivie he should be protecting Kevin Goodman instead of him.

In another flashback of Smith with Kurusu, Kurusu tells him that he wouldn't understand about what son the moon, which smith claims is wrong and that he would. In a house by the sea, we see Smith in bed talking to Devivie about Kevin. Smith is scared the bat will come to take him away before he can read Kevin's new works.He remembers when the bat told him he had to protect Kevin Goodman. Smith then tells Devivie that the bat will come talk to him too. When Kevin goes to the seaside house that Smith lived in, he found a letter addressed to him, which said he had planned to wait for then, but his life was at an end, but Kevin must live on. He said he wanted Kevin Goodman to meet Kevin Yamagata. He finished the letter off with '[...] and remember that even up until the moment i died, I still always wanted to read the continuation to Billy Bat and the Curse of the Pharaoh. Farewell, Kevin Goodman. Live strong' R.I.P. Smith.

Smith was one of the 4 characters of whom Kevin took pictures to the cave for.

Relationships
Kevin Yamagata: Smith was good friends with Kevin, and saved his life once. They went though a lot together, and Smith was the one who persuaded Kevin to start drawing again.

Kevin Goodman: Although at first Kevin distrusted Smith, he came to love/respect him at lot, as showcased by Kevin's crying at his death. Smith could be seen as a mentor to Kevin up until he started drawing in Chuck's place. Kevins life was saved by Smith so we can presume Kevin felt a bit of a duty towards Smith.

Billy Bat: Smith loved the Billy Bat comics by both Kevins, and met the bat once, at the time he lost his eye. Its told him to protect Kevin. Smith knew about the bat for a while and we can presume he respected the bat.

Henry Devivie: He told Henry that at some point the bat would talk to him. It seems that Smith never disliked Devivie despite all he did. Devivie seems to respect Smith as well.

Kurusu: Kurusu seemed to look down on Smith, but he did save him once, albeit for his own sake, so that someone would protect the mangaka (Kevin).

Finney: At first they appeared as colleagues on equal terms, but not long after we realised that Finney held himself as a more important person than Finney. Smith moved against Finney in 1963, so by then they were not in league with each there at all.

Kevin Yamagata Era
Throughout the first half of the series, he wears a Red suit and a spotted tie. He has a beige hat and short, receding hair. He is also quite tall.

Kevin Goodman Era
In the year 1981, Smith wears a Black coat, black hat, black trousers, black shoes and an eye patch over his left eye. He also uses a cane due to his old age. He is bald.