Hapna is a miracle drug developed by Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Dr. Skinner that initially promised a world without pain or illness and apparently no side effects. However, by Episode 1, it has become a threat to wipe out humanity, setting the central conflict of the story in motion.

Axel is a chronic jail-breaker who is tasked with finding Dr. Skinner, the only man who has a cure for the dangerous effects of Hapna. His mission to locate Skinner drives much of the episode's plot.

Dr. Skinner is the Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist who developed Hapna. He has mysteriously vanished, and finding him is crucial because he holds the cure to the drug's deadly consequences. His disappearance is a key mystery in the episode.

The episode uses exposition and narration to introduce the audience to a futuristic world transformed by Hapna. It features fast-paced storytelling, jazz-influenced music, and a reflective tone consistent with creator Shinichiro Watanabe's style, setting a foundation for the series' atmosphere and themes.

While specific obstacles in Episode 1 are not detailed extensively, Axel's background as a chronic jail-breaker suggests a troubled past, and his mission to find the elusive Dr. Skinner implies he will face difficulties tracking down a man who has disappeared amid a global crisis caused by Hapna.