Timeline

All dates are approximate based on series information presented, and conjecture from said information.

1850’s

 * Mr. Gentleman, the founder and political leader of modern Great Britain, first shows interest in his nephew’s biological research. Parts of his body, such as his eyes, hair and skin are altered. British operatives first begin to study Oriental herbs and medicine to try and augment Mr. Gentleman’s physical body. This contributes to the tension between China and Great Britain. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)
 * Also at this time, super-powered “agents” begin to take control of the underworld.

1950’s

 * Mr. Gentleman becomes unable to live without medical intervention. British operatives conclude that medical intervention is no longer a viable option and begin the Gentleman Resuscitation Project. This project is also under the leadership of Mr. Gentleman’s nephew. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)

1984

 * Nenene Sumiregawa born in the early months of this year. (“In the Gray Light of the Abyss”) (“A Christmas Carol”)

1994

 * Dokusensha opens up their first bookstore in Beijing, using it as a front to obtain information. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)

1997

 * Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule. Dokusensha opens corporate headquarters in Hong Kong. This marked Dokusensha’s return as a global entity and the number of clashes between British and Chinese operatives and agents increased dramatically. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)
 * Nenene Sumiregawa is awarded the first New Teen Writer Award for her first novel. (“A Christmas Carol”)

2000

 * President Cole is elected
 * Dokusensha attacks the Department of Dominant Gene Conservation, stealing half the I-Jin cell samples stored there. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)

2001

 * ”Case of the I-Jin” or “The I-jin Incident”: The I-Jin are reconstituted from their DNA by Dokusensha. The I-Jin, including Gennai Hiraga, Genjo Sanzo, Jean-Henri Fabre, Otto Lilienthal, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Mata Hari, under the leadership of the clone of Ikkyu attempt a plan to kill all the “unworthy” members of mankind, i.e. anyone not them. They are stopped by Yomiko Readman, Drake Anderson and another clone of Mata Hari, known as Nancy Makuhari. The Incident is made up of 2 seperate operations, “Operation Manuscript Retrieval” and “Operation Exterminate I-Jin Corp”. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”) (“Read or Die OVA”)
 * During the attack on the I-jin’s headquarters, the “evil” Nancy (Nancy-2) is aphyxiated, resulting in brain damage and loss of some brain function. The “good” Nancy, who worked with the British Library, died in a rocket headed for high Earth orbit.
 * Nancy-2 is placed in a health care facility. It turns out that she is pregnant with the child of Ikkyu. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)
 * Sleeping Book Collection Operation begins.
 * Mr. Gentleman is “killed”.

2002

 * Nancy-2 gives birth to the child, Junior. (“The Papers Have Landed”)
 * Junior is chosen as the candidate of the Sleeping Book Collection Operation to become the new Mr. Gentleman.
 * Yomiko Readman is against Junior’s involvement. She confronts Joseph Carpenter, who goads her, resulting in Yomiko destroying the British Library and stealing The Book of Clairvoyant Eyes. The destruction of the British Library leads to a great diplomatic blow against Great Britain.
 * Yomiko takes Nancy-2 with her and they hide in the National Diet Library in Japan.
 * Nenene Sumiregawa publishes her last book. She is unable to write anything else until she gets the opinion of Yomiko Readman on it.
 * Anita King placed in foster care.
 * Alice Alice Arquette hides the Master Key in the ruins of an ancient civilization, hidden in Japan’s GIfu Prefecture. (“Heart of Darkness”)

2003

 * Great Britain secedes from the European Union and is expelled from the United Nations. Great Britain is declared bankrupt and the Special Operations Division are disbanded. (“Forest of Paper Leaves”)
 * Joseph Carpenter neogotiates with Dokusensha to relieve the burden on Great Britain but is declared a traitor for doing so. In return for protection of Great Britain, Joseph Carpenter offers the books of Mr. Gentleman.

2004

 * President Cole is re-elected
 * Anita King, Maggie Mui, and Michelle Cheung meet each other for the first time on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, they decide to become a family. (“A Christmas Carol”)

2005

 * Haruhi Nishizono wins the ninth New Teen Writer Award for her first novel, “First Love, Now It’s Begun”. (“A Christmas Carol”)

2006

 * On April 1, Nenene Sumiregawa travels to Hong Kong to do a book signing of her last book. She is to be guided around Hong Kong by the Three Paper Sisters Detective Agency but when her life is threatened, they become her bodyguards. (“Rise Up, Oh Dregs of Humanity”)
 * On April 4, the 3 sisters travel back to Tokyo with Nenene, even moving in with her, in order to continue their job of bodyguarding her. (“Rise Up, Oh Dregs of Humanity”) However, the Paper Sisters also travel around the world performing jobs for Dokusensha. These jobs include recovering the books of Mr. Gentleman.
 * In October, the Paper Sisters travel on Gifu Prefecture to intercept Alice Alice Arquette, while Nenene is also in Gifu Prefecture for a high school classmates wedding. (“Heart of Darkness”)
 * Nenene makes a promise on Christmas Eve to return to writing. (“A Christmas Carol”)

2007

 * Nenene Sumiregawa returns to Hong Kong with the 3 sisters. (“Goodbye Japan”)
 * The sisters are fired from their bodyguard positions.
 * Dokusensha kidnaps Nenene to use her to write the “Ultimate” book, using the complete language being developed by Dokusensha. The 3 sisters raid Dokusensha, saving Nenene.
 * Dokusensha’s main office in Hong Kong is destroyed, which as a result, sinks Hong Kong. Joseph Carpenter uses this opportunity to steal the information held by Dokusensha and to capture the 6 books of Mr. Gentleman held by Dokusensha.
 * Yomiko attempts to contact Nenene.
 * Joseph Carpenter returns to the British Library and starts to look for Yomiko Readman.
 * Nenene is declared a criminal and she begins to search for Yomiko Readman.
 * Nenene, the 3 sisters and Joseph Carpenter all find Yomiko and Nancy-2 hidden in the National Diet Library.