DIE I'LL KILL YOU
I'll kill you.
I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you.
That's it for tonight's stream! Let's all hang out again soon!
Die, die, die, die. I'll kill you. Die!
Reality's absolute trash, disgusting as hell.
But don't go overboard and do anything stupid just 'cause you're bored, okay?
I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you.
Get plenty of sleep. Good night.
Me too! Me too! Me too!
Bless!
It should've been me, too!
One-hit poison straight into every otaku heart. <3
Deadly Poison Denpa Girl Purple Lollipop!
The Silver Knight shrouding your reality.
I, Nechika, will escort you to our own private hell!
The black rose is a symbol of curses.
Rejoice! Hell's Blood Rose Michica will hate you until the day you die.
As long as you want it, otaku,
Karamazov will show you an eternal dream with our sweet poison.
DEADLY POISON DENPA GIRL PURPLE LOLLIPOP
And that's why I said we've got a big announcement today, right?
You wanna know? You really wanna know, my little otakus?
Well, I guess I have no choice.
Aren't we, Karamazov, the hottest streamer group right now?
We're obviously planning to take over the whole scene,
MICHICA GOKUBARA
but there's still one washed-up relic refusing to give up her seat.
Unforgivable, right?
NECHIKA-SAMA
So that's why,
one of these days, I'll be the one to deliver the final rites.
And as the first step,
Karamazov will be holding a collab interview event with none other than
the ultra-cutest angel herself, KAngel!
When are you finally going to retire?
You're half-assed at both singing and dancing.
Back to selling your face again? Zero talent.
That live singing was so bad I thought my ears were going to break.
P!
I worked really hard on today's stream!
I'm fine. I'm not holding anything in.
I'm seriously not bothered at all.
For. Real.
The loud, annoying fans! The nasty, lurking haters!
They don't bother me at all.
I wish I could tie them up and drag them through the streets.
Oh, and maybe I'd just peel their skin off
as slowly as possible so they don't pass out.
They're like bugs that swarm around lights.
I don't care one bit.
I'm happy.
I'm with P, the person I love most in the world, so I can do anything.
P, we're together forever.
Even though "forever" is a lie.
Come to think of it, I feel like I said yes to some invitation.
I think I only agreed because they were being super pushy,
but what was it again?
Oh well! It's probably nothing important.
Hey, P, what should we do for fun today?
Let's prove the parasol is the fastest thing in "Gourmet Race."
Um, is it really okay for me to be here with the three of you?
One extra spectator won't change anything. Don't concern yourself.
You'll be seen by tens of thousands of nobodies regardless.
Anyway, you said you wanted to discuss something?
I did say I wanted to talk,
but I didn't expect to get called in right before a Karamazov stream.
Figures that a friend of Michica's would be so cute.
Nechika-sama!
Your fans are going to kill me.
So what if they do?
Let's just enjoy ourselves until then.
Don't do anything that ends up getting my friend murdered.
Yeah, yeah.
A friend of high-maintenance Michica is rarer than a national treasure, after all.
Should I kill you first?
Your friend says that, but she suddenly gets insecure at night sometimes.
She was like that back in middle school, too.
What did you tell her?
So, Kache, what did you want to talk about?
It sounds shallow and pathetic when I say it out loud.
But I keep wondering what my value even is.
Compared to all of you, this is such a basic, boring problem. It's stupid, right?
Go on.
The other day, I did a guest shift at a theme cafe for the first time.
I flirted with otaku guys, sold them this version of myself,
and walked away with tens of thousands of yen.
I turned my youth into cash.
A piece of my life for a daily wage of like several thousand yen.
Then I went home, and I'm not even sure if I like him,
but I let my boyfriend have his way with me.
It's not like I hate him enough to break up.
He's pretty decent-looking, I guess.
And it does feel nice to be wanted by someone.
When I say it out loud, it just sounds so dumb, and so painfully ordinary.
I wanna di—
You're just using the feeling of being desired
to reassure yourself that you have value.
The sleazy creeps at those theme cafes,
the girls who milk their selfie accounts for donations,
the guys who throw money at those girls,
the boyfriends who leech off them, they're all equally trash.
For now, anyway.
If you're giving people dreams they can't see in their everyday lives,
then getting paid for it isn't such a bad thing.
Then the three of us are guilty too, aren't we?
If we're getting paid to sell dreams,
then all we have to do is keep shining.
Being diamonds, unscarred, that never crack.
That's our value.
Crime and punishment.
So? You think youth is the only thing that's worth anything?
Well...
If you really were someone with no value beyond that,
I don't think Michica would've let you get close.
Oh? She lets you get close?
I mean, I'm happy you'd say that,
but I'm just a vocational student.
Ever watched tokusatsu shows?
Didn't think so.
You know those heroes who transform with a belt?
Most of them start out as total plebs.
Plenty of them are unemployed nobodies.
Sure, there are exceptions,
but one day, out of nowhere, they end up becoming heroes by sheer circumstance.
They might've been decent people to begin with,
but if they start out as straight-up paragons
of justice, today's twisted kids can't relate.
Streamers are the same as a Rider belt.
The only difference is which button you press, the belt or "Go Live."
The next moment, you're a hero on the other side of the camera.
If you're transforming, then you're free to play whatever persona you like.
Wear whatever mask you want.
Anyone can be the star of the show.
But they're too scared to stand in the spotlight and dance.
The screws in their heads, their so-called common sense, gets in the way.
They take comfort in the fact that they're "not crazy."
School. Work. Family.
Connections on social media. A lover's affection.
Even if it's all paper-thin, it still acts as a safety net, protecting their brains.
So they won't be seen as "weird" by society.
This purple fossil's got a few screws loose, though.
Purple fossil?!
That applies to you too, you know.
True.
That's why we live outside morality and ethics.
From society's point of view, we're "weird" people.
In the world of normal people, you're attractive.
You could find happiness there as much as you like.
The screws in your head are still in place,
so you can still live within the bounds of common sense.
Unlike some delusional prince
or a selfish princess who rejects everyone but herself.
If you ever do lose it and decide you want to transform, just say the word.
I'll buckle the belt on you.
It's almost time to go live.
All right, let's get back to that debate from earlier.
I still think she's cute.
I think she's yappy and annoying.
I mean, I do think she's cute, but...
I'll kill you. Die.
I'll kill you. I'll kill you.
BLESS
Impressive. You managed to land a live event with the Angel herself.
She definitely knew about us already.
All it took was a little provocation.
Are you sure about that?
It's not technically a competition,
but people will naturally decide which side has the momentum.
Still, three against one doesn't exactly feel fair.
KAngel DRESSING ROOM
Three against one, and we're already losing.
You're acting like early-series Yujiro Hanma.
Shut up! I was just writhing in ecstasy over the fact that
Karamazov is finally about to become the strongest!
Whatever. Just open it already.
Ow!
Ouch. Damn it, how dare you do that to your leader?
Hey, cuties!
Hey, cuties.
OMGKawaiiAngel
Uh... Hello.
I am Deadly Poison Denpa Girl, Purple Lollipop.
KAngel DRESSING ROOM KARAMAZOV
Thank you very much for coming today.
Like I said, losing.
This is actually my first time ever doing a live event collab with someone.
She used to be a fan of yours before she debuted.
Michica, you dope! Don't make stuff up like that!
You always said your dream was to play a fighting game against her, right?
No! I just checked her out once and kinda got hooked, that's all!
I see...
So you're not rooting for me anymore?
Well, I mean, sure, I admired you a little back then,
but now we've got serious momentum, too!
Who knows? Maybe there are even more Karamazov fans here today, huh?
It's not about winning or losing when it comes to streaming.
I just don't see myself losing.
To everyone gathered here today!
It is our deepest honor to share this special time with you!
You guys better have a blast!
Wow.
And now, to make this special moment even more radiant,
we've invited the ultra-cutest angel,
OMGKawaiiAngel.
As a matter of courtesy, I'll say this first.
Thank you for accepting our invitation.
No, thank you for inviting me.
I've been curious to see what the "second place" group is like.
SECOND PLACE
NOW
Right now, the cool, composed angel may be in first place,
but if we're talking pure momentum, Karamazov's ahead.
You're good at hyping the crowd. Very impressive.
Even though you were shaking like a fawn backstage.
That's a dirty lie.
Lie or not, the moment you got flustered, that's points off.
Honestly, you weren't just a fawn. More like a turtle flipped on its back.
Why are my own teammates attacking me?
Wow. I'm honored to be collaborating with such calm, seasoned "comedians."
COMEDIANS
See? These days, even "idols" know how to get laughs.
THESE DAYS
IDOLS
While you've been acting all lofty in heaven,
haven't you gotten a little out of date?
A LITTLE OUT OF DATE
Maybe.
I'm not really interested in other streamers.
Then she's not interested in us either.
Or maybe you're just too scared to watch, afraid someone might overtake you?
That's some anonymous message-board level bait.
Shut up! Don't lump me in with internet idiots!
We're all high school dropouts, you know.
Let's all get along as fellow idiots.
Internet High School Dropout Angel!
Don't start friendly fire!
And why are you getting buddy-buddy with our opponent?!
We're geniuses who saw through the limits of that tiny school early on.
Don't lump us in with you.
The three of us here are comrades, aren't we?!
How delightful.
Maybe I'd like to feel a little fear for once.
Because being at the top...
is so lonely.
Are you lonely, KAngel?
Yeah.
That's why I stream. To see everyone.
And everyone comes to see me because they're lonely, too.
But that isn't an equal relationship.
In the end, we're just products being evaluated,
and the viewers are nothing more than
a crowd measuring the worth of human beings.
The customer isn't a god, but to them, we have to be as a streamer.
We're the same kind of humans as them,
and yet we're made to live as gods or princes.
But only the morons who willingly throw themselves
into that role get to bathe in a storm of praise.
That's fine.
Because I'm an angel who guides her otaku.
Sometimes I spiral a little, sure.
But every time that angel coddles them, the masses grow more foolish and entitled.
If they want to keep looking away from reality
and stay happy forever, isn't that fine?
They'll probably get dragged back to reality eventually.
As long as they're happy while they're watching me, that's enough.
BLESS
And while the otaku are showering us with attention,
we get to feel like we're dreaming, too.
Because people treat us that way,
we're able to play the characters we chose.
We get to keep being figures in a story.
A story that belongs only to us.
Everyone wants to be the protagonist, but they wake up from the dream.
They lose the will to keep the story moving
and slowly drift back to being "normal."
Before they know it,
they've settled into being, "someone who used to be the main character."
But KAngel is an eternal angel. That's what makes it lonely.
They can't survive in normal society,
so they throw themselves into the madness of streaming.
If they fail, then they pretend to be crazy from the start.
Bold words.
That's your role, Lollipop, as the leader.
It might happen to you someday, too.
Well, even an angel like you could suddenly betray your otaku
and come crashing down to earth, you know.
True. Maybe I will fall from grace someday.
If that happens, Lollipop, make sure you treasure the memory of being my fan.
Just knowing that someone remembers me is enough to save me.
I'm telling you, that whole,
"I used to be your fan" thing was their lie!
Not "used to be." Still are.
No matter how much of an angel you are,
and no matter how much poisonous denpa I blast out,
it's still sad that we can't truly face each fan one by one.
Is it?
Maybe we can't reach everyone.
But when someone truly needs me, I can't help but feel they're special.
"Truly"? They pretend it's real, then switch favorites in three months.
For example, if someone supports me sincerely, like you, Lollipop,
it really does stay in my heart.
Those aren't just pretty words. I mean it.
"Sincerely"? I told you, the "I was your fan" thing was a joke!
When I did my first fighting game stream,
there was this one girl who sent a superchat, just 500 yen.
She wrote, "I love this game too! I want to play it with you!"
You almost never get a message that pure from a girl on a fighting game stream.
I could tell she really wanted to play with me.
KAngel...
You still remember that?
YOU'RE GREAT GENIUS BLESS BLESS SHE'S IN AWAKENING MODE THERE IT IS! NICE
Mom!
What is it?
Let me use just 500 yen on your credit card! Please!
- What? - Please! It's only 500 yen!
Yay! Thanks!
WOW! UR TOO GOOD DEADLY POISON DENPA GIRL I LOVE THIS GAME TOO! I WANT TO PLAY IT WITH YOU!
It sounded cheerful, but somehow really lonely at the same time. So I knew.
She was lonely, too.
I remember.
Yeah, we lost this one.
If I frame it that way,
my approval rating with the otaku goes up infinitely, right?
That's an angel's job.
See?! This is exactly how the otaku end up spoiling streamers!
I'd never send superchats or anything like that!
This time I just got swept up in the moment.
I was only showing respect to my senpai!
But someday the popularity's going to flip.
So just stand there and tremble until that day comes!
Your fingers are trembling, Leader.
Me, too!
You bitch!
You ruined me, and it's all your fault!
BAD WOMAN UNEMPLOYED INFLUENCER TYPE
Oh, looks like something perfect for stream content just showed up!
Oh, a troublesome fan.
That's how it goes. Behind every bit of validation is just as much hatred.
That girl...
Looks like she's a fan of KAngel, not us.
You! Because of you, I've fallen so far!
One of those people who blames others for their own downfall.
She's exactly the kind of weak-hearted person you'd expect.
Too bad. The angel doesn't even seem to remember her.
Shut up. I don't care what you say.
I'm going to kill her right here! I won't be able to sleep until I do!
Were you calling me?
Now then, which one of them is really the one with a screw loose?
I can do it!
I'll do it! I'll kill you!
Because of you, I... I...
P is waiting.
I have to get home.
Half-hearted people can't even lose their shit properly.
P, are you getting all this?
You know, I really, truly love you, P.
No matter how much I want to die, or how close I am to bursting into tears,
I can keep living now, because I'm not alone.
I cherish having the one and only person in this world who's my lover.
I think I'm going to lose my mind soon.
I can feel it.
I'm swaying between being an angel and being human,
and the distance between them is getting thinner and thinner.
Because both of them are real,
the boundary between them is getting blurry
and my brain might not be able to handle it.
I can't even imagine what'll happen.
Maybe I won't be able to come back from the other side.
But that's okay.
If you're there when that moment comes, P,
I won't be afraid of anything.
Even if I die, or break, or become a god,
we'll always be together.
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
Smiling like an angel, a strong hallucination, INTERNET GIRL.
Whispering like a devil, a downer just for you, NEEDY GIRL.
Next time, "Internet Overdose."
EPISODE 3