#Yasuoka has come to help!

[bloodraynebeast]

If Moe is looking to be the protagonist throughout the amusement park DLC - I'm wondering how Yashiki and Mashita will come into it and if the three of them will be working together during the investigations or just at the end, since they're on the art cover - that's a really interesting character choice for a switch of POV. We've only had Yashiki and Kijima. Is Moe a popular character maybe?

Part of me hopes the decision to choose her is because they're implying Moe might take the reins as the next generation in that universe if Yashiki intends to be the last heir and take the family curse with him, but pass on all the information needed to someone else. It's a very important matter that's still ongoing, time is counting down. Unless they reveal another Kujou somewhere out there, which I hope isn't the case because then the stakes are higher and that choice if Yashiki makes it, has more weight and impact.

I've always got the small sense of Moe being set up as some kind of "successor". She has spiritual power on par with Yashiki and Yasuoka's, she's always visiting him for interviews for the occult magazine, in Voice Drama skits they have a help column where spirit related stories could be found - another way of finding information, she provides spiritual items in Death Mark 2 and has less issues going to these haunted locations than some characters. The Mark Bearer's feel like one big family that will definitely help each other, never leaving it all to one person, but for some reason Moe always stuck out to me as a potential successor among them. Also she has that father-daughter or niece-uncle dynamic with Yashiki.

This might just be my wishful thinking, but the reason they've chosen Moe as the protagonist is something I'm really curious about.

[cynical-sprite]

Anybody else think Haruaki Abe is Yasuoka's mentee and possibly/likely also her grandchild?

Hear me out: Abe has very strong spiritual abilities, and he mentions he has a mentor who taught him all about the spiritual and supernatual, that they essentially "made him the man he is today". He also mentions being in a good mood because he was going to be seeing his mentor again the very day Yasuoka comes to the school to help Kujou. Abe also mentions that his mentor warned him off of the investigation into The Departed, just as Yasuoka was doing to everyone, and that his mentor says the vision of his death won't come true if he abandons the investigation now, implying his mentor is able to see or sense things that may come to pass, like a fortune teller such as Yasuoka would.

In reference to Maruhashi, Yasuoka says that young people (Marihashi's age) also have problems just like adults, even her grandchild, which means obviously, she has a grandchild, but also implying that her grandchild may be in that age range.

[tamamorikun]

I wanted to talk a bit more about the general banter and things that Moe points out in the DLC, especially in Mashita and Daimon's offices, so I took some screenshots of the background cgs ! My other writeup was long enough and I tried to focus on the plot itself so I'm doing these on a separate post. Also any other tidbits that Moe mentions I found were fun or interactions, since I love learning little things about the characters when they're not spirit hunting.

Spoilers under the cut, I suppose, not much about the actual plot of the DLC though!

At the Kujou Mansion:

She mentions that his bed is big enough to fit 3 of her. Also, when she comes in, she mentions the sheets are messy and still warm and she thinks he must have been sleeping there recently... but later you learn that he's been missing for about a week... and that Banshee was in the mansion and had gone to the bathroom when Moe came in so... uh, Banshee was sleeping in Yashiki's bed? yeah.

Not even that relevant but the lightbulb in Yashiki's room is dead and it has been for a while, Banshee says it's because all the furniture and such in the mansion is very old, so it's harder to find replacements. I wonder how long he's just been living in a dark room 😭

Yashiki also just leaves the door of the mansion unlocked all the damn time, apparently. Banshee says that he always forgets to lock it and that's how he comes and goes all the time.

At the park with Tsukasa:

Tsukasa mentions that he's never been to an amusement park in his life before or gone on any sort of rides. Poor kid... all he ever does is study.

Moe doesn't like mint!

No one questions or scolds Moe at home even though she comes back so late. She mentions that it may be because she has many siblings (doesn't specify how many, though) that her family isn't overprotective at all, and also that they probably don't expect much from her in the first place since she has bad grades. She prefers it this way though.

At Mashita's office:

It's in the basement of a building in front of the station.

When checking the rack, Moe does point out the red shirt is kind of flashy for what Mashita usually wears, so she's surprised to see he'd wear something like that too.

Moe is curious about the shelf full of alcohol. Shou tells her that Mashita seems to really enjoy drinking, and that at night he often drinks expensive looking brandy served neat. Moe is still surprised he'd keep alcohol out in the open in his workplace like that.

When checking the table, Shou mentions it's rarely used because customers don't usually come to the office. He explains that since most of his clients come from Yasuoka referring them, they often meet outside instead. Moe wonders if he really needs to have an office then.

Moe asks him what kind of shows Mashita watches when checking the TV, and she's disappointed to learn he only really uses it to check case related tapes. She was hoping he'd be really into something like reality tv or animal shows, something that wouldn't fit his image.

The kamidana on top of the shelf, a mini household shrine, was something Moe insisted he put in his office. Since he works with spirt cases and all, the shrine is meant to protect him and ward them off so they don't curse him. It's cute that Mashita listened to her and actually did...

There's a massive pile of cigarettes and cigarette boxes on his desk. We knew he smoked but it really seems like smokes A LOT.

I did mention the picture of him and his senpai he keeps in the drawer with the alarm, it was taken 5 years ago and he's smiling in it. Moe points out he's wearing a police uniform, the kind that police box officers in small neighborhoods do. So this was way before he became a police detective, he really was just a rookie then (He's 27 now, so he was only 22...)

Shou seems to still feel really guilty about what happened in the Red Riding Hood case, when he was possessed and attacked them, so he also sees this as a chance to help them and repay them for that. He also really wants for Mashita to acknowledge him and make him a proper assistant instead of just having him clean around.

At the park with Shou:

Shou mentions that he started to work part time at an Izakaya because he wants to get his dream motorcycle, a 750 cc one. (I looked that up but I don't know much about motorcycles in any language so I'm not sure what that means lol...). Moe asks him to give her a ride along the Shuto expressway one day since there's a rumor that a giant horse shows up, but he of course tells her no.

They find a rusted battery in the field and Shou mentions that the grass around it isn't growing due to soil contamination, and Moe immediately teases him about it since she didn't expect him to know about that. He explains that the type of battery they picked up is an old kind that would have mercury in it, and he tells her to not lick it. She gets mad but guesses it's payback for trying to tease him.

At Daimon's clinic:

We get a BG for this one too!

According to Moe, Daimon's specialization is surgery. So he's a surgeon! I don't remember if that had ever been mentioned before.

When checking the record player, Moe says that most of them have foreigners on the covers so it's most likely all old western music, though she doesn't know much about it.

When checking the guitar she says that Daimon has mentioned he was in a band before, and she wonders if he ever plays for his patients.

At the park with Daimon:

I did mention this in my summary, but Moe thinks about why Daimon dresses like that, with his shirt unbuttoned and part of his chest exposed, despite him having frail health. She wonders if that's the rockstar style.

Moe is not very good with snakes and freaks out when Daimon seems to pick one up, but it turns out to be just a snake shedding, and she remembers it's apparently good for luck with money and excitedly takes it when Daimon offers it to her.

Daimon is really smart and knows a lot about different subjects but he sure seems to go on tangents about it at the worst moments. He brings up the Monty Hall problem and the first time he just tells Moe to trust him, but later when Moe refers back to it and calls it Monkey Hall problem he proceeds to try to explain the whole thing... while they're still in a dire situation. At least Moe cuts him off before he can.

He also translated the archaic Japanese for Moe because she had no idea what most of it meant and just turned to him for help. Very cute. (And also helpful, because I wasn't familiar with most of it either lol...)

Moe and Daimon overall were such a fun combo! He takes her seriously enough that they openly discuss theories and he's willing to listen to her, but he's very gentle and knows she's a kid and scolds her sometimes. And even though Moe says she feels he's treating her like a child, he's really reasonable. It was great! I just love Daimon in general and I'd love to see him interacting more with the other mark bearers as well...

Also at the end, when she goes to visit the Kujou mansion to see Yashiki after he's recovered, Mashita is also there. Gee. How strange. I wonder why.

Moe getting nervous when Mashita clears his throat and stares directly at her, pausing for a bit... only for him to actually thank her. In a roundabout way. And still being condescending. But that's just how he is.

Also after Yashiki praises her, Mashita says something like 'Don't praise her too much, it'll get to her head and she'll get into something dangerous again." and one of the reply options is for Moe to be like "who was it that saved you again?" and he just clicks his tongue. Moe wins this round! That's about it! This ended up also being long as hell again but... if I had added it to my 'summary'... would've gotten even longer. I hope we get more DLC with little character tidbits like this!

[nagashima-shou-fanclub]

feel free 2 ignore if sum1 has already asked but: shou or mashita for the ask game? :>

I'll do both! I put it under a read more because they got a bit long, haha...

Shou Nagashima

How I feel about this character: I love him so much, he's my all-time favourite character in the entire Spirit Hunter Series!! From his design to his personality, I love everything about him!!! He's so interesting to me, I love the bits of backstory we get about him. My favourite fight-first-ask-questions-later delinquent. (~ ꈍᴗꈍ)~♡

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I'm too embarrassed to say, lol... maybe one day I'll talk about it.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Him & Mashita!! I love them so much!! I want them to investigate cases and chase after criminals and go for drinks and smoke together!!! And he & Moe because the two of them being friends and going after spirits and being successors to Mashita & Yashiki makes me happy. ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

My unpopular opinion about this character: I'm not a fan of how everyone in the fandom mischaracterizes him... I hate veering from canon and nobody even makes the fanonization interesting! They just turn him into an idiotic scaredy cat or some other cliche... It's really disheartening. He's canonically in a gang and he gets into fights and he went wild after his knee was injured and he got kicked out of his school's baseball club and he hates his school coach and he repeated a year and he has an unexplained scar on his face and he's the strongest out of all of the Mark Bearers!! There's so much to take and work with!!! But everyone turns him into either an idiot or a scaredy cat or... I don't know. It can be said about every character in Death Mark and NG, but Shou is special to me because he's my favourite, so it sucks the most to see it happen to him...

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: Let him beat somebody up with his bat! Let him get into a fight and show off his strength!! Let him and Mashita be friends and investigate cases and solve mysteries together!! Let him show off his street smarts!!! ＼(≧▽≦)／

Mashita Satoru

How I feel about this character: I thought his character was funny and pretty interesting throughout Shiin, but he was especially funny in Shibito Magire! I like to think Shou's swearing wore off on him after those four months of being around each other, lol. Overall, he isn't one of my favourites, but he's definitely one of the characters I'm more interested in. ~(°▽°)~

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Sometimes Daimon, Hiroo or Ban. There are other characters, but they aren't coming to mind right now.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Him & Shou!! Thinking about the two of them investigating cases and watching out for each other and hanging out together heals my soul. ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ) And also him & Yasuoka, the way the two of them talk to each other is really funny, lol.

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don't like the ship between Mashita and Yashiki... it's always very fanonized and involves taking away the best parts of each character just so they work romantically. If it were canon-accurate, I might like it, but... I doubt it, lol. They work better the way they are in canon, as close friends and with Mashita as a person Yashiki can depend on for help in tough situations!! \(・∀・)/

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: I want a Mashita game where we get to investigate cases, solve mysteries, and slowly veer into the world of spirits!! And I want more information on what he and Shou are like together since there are only clues to go off of in canon.

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Chapter 8 - Crimson Knight

"So... Did you find anything?" Kisara could hear Satoru's bored voice next to her. For the past two hours, she has been attempting to meditate under the tree in Bodh Gaya where Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, supposedly achieved his awakening. "Sort of." she nodded her head, seemingly absent-minded. "I found that reciting Mantras repeatedly actually does help in calming my anxieties, for the most part." she explained. "And... Truth be told, it has been nothing but a delight, listening to the monks' chanting." she smiled, turning her gaze to her beloved. "I have come to respect Buddhism for what it is. I might not be an avid practitioner of any religion, but I can appreciate the Sutras." "That's about as much as you'll get, if you ask me." Kisara agreed with his comment. "At least the traveling we've done helped a little." he hummed, absent-mindedly playing with her hair. "If only I could also get some damn peace." "Ah, don't tell me - Yasuoka sent MORE cases your way?" by the grimace on his face, it must be a positive answer. "I turned off the phone. I couldn't stand all that annoying ringing anymore. How am I supposed to relax if I keep getting piled under mountains of cases?" he grumbled lowly. "Well! If it's just some detective cases, then I suppose I can lend a hand to my beautifully stressed out boyfriend!" she smirked up at him, only for Mashita to plant his palm over her face, stopping her from reacting altogether. "Shut up, you little menace." he chuckled, grateful that his girlfriend was so brave and loving that she'd step on her fears of ghosts, just to aid him in his reckless detective work. "I will take you on that offer though."

Their traveling vacation was a much needed break that kept their minds away from all the mess they've had to go through during the Death Mark situation, where their lives were directly on the line, and they almost died so many times. Nightmares still plague them, yet they find comfort within each other's embrace. Kisara saw the worst out of the ghost-situation, and experienced even worse;

Since then, she kept trying out various methods of keeping afloat through all the mess she's been through; Yet nothing compares to being disconnected from reality through the bliss of traveling. What's more, she even got around to visiting her parents in Italy, and told her all they've been gone through - What a way to introduce your boyfriend to your family.

Still, her mother apologised profusely for allowing her little baby to be put to such risks - Alas, her grandpa was right - In spite of his fanaticism, there was no person with more connection than him, in the family. With his wealth and status, Kisara could do anything she wanted, without facing and repercussions; And she was a docile child to begin with, she was never a bother to anyone.

Thus, when she said she saw pretty horses in the countryside, her grandpa bought her the horse with the colour coat she wished, and taught her how to ride to perfection. When she read a manga about a priestess who could exorcise demons by using her spiritual powers on her arrows, he taught her archery. When she became fascinated by the Sengoku era warlords, her grandpa had the royal blacksmith force fitting armor and weapons in the colour scheme and banners of the warlord she loved most, Oda Nobunaga, and thus she became Kisara Shogun.

With a promise from man to man, from Satoru to Kisara's father, sealed with a manly handshake, the man promised to keep her safe, as he's done so far; And her father thanked him dearly for not giving up on her, despite her tumultuous family mess, and the many death-dealings with the ghosts. Though the father promised to make sure Mashita's name is cleared of all charges and suspicions throughout the law enforcement network, Satoru, albeit grateful, wasn't quite sure if he'd trade this hilariously messy and adventurous faux career that paid him so little, over the constant stress and hatred he went through daily in that snake pit.

Regardless, their vacation was soon over, and after two years honey moon, Kisara and Satoru returned home; Though he kept his apartment as more or less a work office, he was more than happy to live in the comfort of her penthouse - And more, her loving embrace. He had to admit, but one night spent away from her was almost... Unnatural. Even his home felt empty, cold and lonely without her around, as if the cinders of her fire-kissed hair were the sole source of warmth for his frozen heart.

After a lot of pestering from Yasuoka and her clients coming their way, Mashita showed his girlfriend the case file, and agreed to barge in Yashiki's house and get him into this mess. Surely, after two years of doing nothing but research on the Mary doll, he'd be extra bored, right? Nothing like a new life-threatening ghost to spice things up!

The ex-detective knocked on the door, and much to their surprise, it was none other than sweet Moe who opened. "Moe!" Kisara exclaimed the girl's name, as they both grinned and hugged each other. After Yashiki was able to escape the curse, all the Death Mark bearers gathered together for a little Survive-Party, and it was then that the two girlies met up, and hit it off immediately.

Though the red head was much older, Moe looked up to her and was eager to hear all of her stories that she missed. Since she was working at a Supernatural Magazine as a writer and what not, Kisara was more than happy to tell her details and help her write up articles - And thus, she became the protagonist known as the 'Crimson Knight', as Mashita wittingly came up with that nickname, half as a praise, and half as a tease. The Japanese word for 'Knight' was 'KiShi', and she has both characters in her name, so what better way to call herself, considering the selfless way she threw herself in harms way so many times?

"We're coming in." Satoru called out, being the first to step in and letting the two girls catch up with each other, or whatever they wanted to do. As soon as he entered the main hall, he also noticed the other kid from the Hanahiko case - Tsukasa, was it? The stiff smart-ass. "Hey, what's all this? When did you start a daycare?" he joked, seeing the two kids.

"Miss Kisara, why are you guys here?" the girl asked, a cheerful grin on her face. "Did you come to see us?" 

"I wish that were the case!" Kisara joked, though Mashita, instead, gave an annoyed shake of his head and tsk'ed at the two children. "I'm the one asking why you're here." he sneered a little. "Damn, we're going in circles now."

"Lighten up, 'Toru! It's good to see them again." Kisara patted his shoulder lightly.

"Miss Kisara is right - Don't lie, Mr. Mashita! I know you're happy to see us. You're always hiding your feelings!" Kisara couldn't help but laugh at Moe's straightforward remarks - And how true they were. "Oh, but what a huge coincidence!  We've got everyone from the Hanahiko case back together again! This is totally destiny!"

"Everyone, huh? Hm... In that case, one person - No, one being is missing." Mashita had a snarky smirk on his face.

"So, why are you here?" Yashiki finally speaks.

"I have something to ask you first." Satoru's smile was frozen cold, yet dripping with the most lethal poison. "Yashiki... You told that fortune teller about my office, didn't you?"

"Towako Yasuoka?" Yashiki asked. "Yeah, it might have come up while I was talking to her about Mary." he nodded his head cluelessly. 

Thus, Mashita glared harshly at his partner. "Why'd you have to go and do that? Now I'm drowning under investigation requests." Yashiki was totally clueless. 

"Are you a private investigator, Mr. Mashita?" Moe asks, her eyes shining brightly. "Wow! I guess you'd be pretty good at that. Oh! If you get an interesting job, bring me along with you."

"And this is exactly why it's annoying." the man huffs. 

"I only told her about your office - What's wrong with that?" Kazuo finally asks. "Getting job requests is good, isn't it?"

"It depends on WHAT the request is about." Satoru grumbles. "The one I just got... Is the worst." he ends with a sigh. "It's your fault that this happened. So, Yashiki - I'm going to have you help me."

"Help you?!" Yashiki stammered in bewilderment. "W-Wait a minute, what are we talking about here?"

"Can't you guess based on the context? I believe he's telling you he wants your help with a detective job." Tsukasa bluntly explained.

"Wow. I can't really picture him working as a private detective, though." Moe giggled cutely. "Now, if he were to investigate a supernatural phenomenon, that would be per--" she abruptly stopped herself, as if she realised the truth behind the investigation. "Wait, don't tell me... This worst request ever that you got..."

"You've got it. We suspect a spirit might be involved." Kisara nodded solemnly.

Mashita began to explain the rumours he was told by Lady Yasuoka about the case of the Little Red Riding Hood, about how people disappeared once they entered the Love Hotel, Masquerade, in K City - Supposedly, only on rainy days, there's this girl wearing a red hood, and she stands by the road like she's trying to get customers; Everyone who accepts her offer ends up disappearing.

Yet here comes the peculiarity of this case - The missing ones do get eventually found, however, their heads are so messed up they cannot even remember their own names.  What's worse, some end up dying in the hospital, while others jump in front of trains out of madness.

One man, apparently, saw this girl in a red raincoat and decided to chat her up; Though as soon as he approached her, she started whispering to him. Apparently, the man got so creeped out that he bolted out of there immediately. It was only the next day that he realised that, although it wasn't raining that badly, she was the only person completely soaked from head to toe, which was quite an oddity for him... Only for him to strongly suspect that... The raincoat was, in fact... Soaked with blood.

"I'm sorry, but I must say, that sounds like a simple ghost story." Tsukasa was the first to speak, seemingly not touched or impressed in the slightest. What a strong and level-headed kid! Good for him. "The rainy shopping district and the red raincoat... Rather suspicious."

"It's enough to get me concerned." Mashita ignored the child. "I'll leave the rest to you, Yashiki."

"What?!" Yashiki gasped. "No, you're coming with me. It's your case, not mine." the man was absolutely flabbergast at the nerve of his friend.

"I'm bogged down with my other cases, I don't have time to spare." Mashita shrugged his shoulders. "It's your fault the old lady passed it to me, so you need to take responsibility."

"Come on, you can help him out a little - I'll help too! The editorial department might have some info on a case like this - And your investigation needs an assistant, right?" Moe chimed in immediately.

"Did you learn nothing from last time, Miss Moe?" Tsukasa sighed at her innocent death-wish.

"Don't work yourself up. It's more likely that it's just a lie." Mashita shrugged once again, dismissing the claims. "A bunch of it sounds like it was made up. That's why it's such a pain to have an absurd request like this brought to me."

"Well, better safe than sorry, right?" Kisara stretched a little. "I'll go investigate too, see if I pick up on any spiritual residue or what not."

"Cool! Then, we better get rea--" Moe was immediately shut down by the older man.

"Sorry, Moe, you can't come with us. I won't put any of you in harm's way. Kisara and I can handle this." Yashiki spoke up.

"Don't worry, Moe, I'll keep you updated in great detail. Besides, we still need someone like you to investigate rumours, right? Your skills are valuable outside of the crime scene." Kisara placed her hand on Moe's shoulder, reassuring the girl.

"I don't really like seeing you do all the work and getting in danger all that time... But if that's how I can help best, then that's what I'll do. Only this time, thought!" her cheerful and energetic demeanour was brought back once again.

Mashita ripped out a paper from his notebook and handed Yashiki the address of the Love Hotel; Apparently, it's all but abandoned by now, and their meeting was at 8PM the following night. The old lady said she'd call in help, so it's probably a scheduling thing - Not even Satoru knew for sure why the specific date, but oh well, trivial details. 

Just as the detective put his arm around his girlfriend to leave the mansion and return home, he rushes back inside; It was far too late to late two children wander around by themselves, so he offered to drive them both back home. What a thoughtful man - A true and righteous policeman through and through, even in spite of all the sarcasm and snarkiness.

"Satoru." Kisara called out to her boyfriend, the next morning, hopped on the kitchen counter and drinking her coffee. As soon as the man entered the room, his hair all disheveled as always, he couldn't help but smile a little, taking the coffee mug from her hand, and slumping on the comfortable chair. 

"Morning to you too, beautiful." he muttered, looking at the gorgeous lady; Her long red hair was a mess, and the short pink lingerie pyjamas. He will never tire of looking at her - What a sight for sore eyes.

"What is Masquerade?" Satoru couldn't help but raise a quizzical eyebrow at her, not understanding the question at all.

"The... Love Hotel...? The address of our little ghostie...?" he dragged out his words with confusion.

"Yeah - What is it?" Kisara realised he wasn't understanding the question. "What the hell is a Love Hotel?"

Satoru's eyes widened, and his lips parted slightly, flabbergast at her question - Before placing down the coffee mug to start laughing. "You canNOT be asking that." he hasn't had that much fun in a while.

"You're not answering my question, you little jerk. Don't laugh at my ignorance." she pouted, only for the man to get up and step in front of her, his palms placed on either side of her, his face dangerously close to her own.

"A Love Hotel is a depraved place where dead beats who can't get out of their parents' basements take their equally dead beat one night stand for a little bit of naughty action." the look on her face was worth millions.

"There are buildings created for THAT purpose?!" Mashita smirked at her shock, nodding slightly. "How pathetic!" she huffed. "Have they no shame? Everyone knows what they're doing, from the time you enter the building, to the second you exit on the street. Isn't that degrading?"

Mashita shrugged, a cheshire grin on his face. "Shameless, huh?" he purred, embracing the girl. "Granted, I'm pretty sure everyone is aware of what we are doing - After all, we have been rather close for the past two years now."

"Now, now, don't make me feel embarrassed. Normal people don't look at a couple and instantly think with their minds in the gutter." Kisara blushed softly, though she couldn't help but be amused by the man.

"Well, you might have to pick my mind from the gutter. I can't help but think shameless thoughts whenever I look at you." his hot breath on her neck made her wrap her arms around his neck lazily, pulling him closer.

"Guess we're having a late morning again, aren't we, Mr. Officer~?" she giggled, getting picked up with ease; As always, the muscles on his arms flexed so beautifully, and his face was as Godly beautiful as always. If the Heavens wanted a Beauty Deity, it would be him.

"How could I resist?" he hummed, kissing her. "Though that precious coffee of yours is going to get cold. Are you going to cry about it?"

"I love you more than coffee." they both chuckled at the silly gag about her other-worldly love for coffee.

Come late evening, Kisara was doing her make up in the vanity mirror; Mashita put on his coat and got behind her, placing a kiss on her temple. "Let's go, Princess. Don't wanna be late." She smiled, and applying her favourite red lipstick, she put on her black trench coat and went to the car.

As always, Satoru opened her door, and she sat in the driver's seat; Her beautiful hand over the stirring wheel, with those long nails, painted a pretty pearl pink with gold glitter, and the gold jewellery adorning her slender fingers and her wrist - What a luxurious woman, elegant without even trying. It was truly an honour being by her side.

At 8PM sharp, the trio waiting near the Love Hotel heard the familiar resounding click of Kisara's heeled boots against the pavement; Turning their gaze towards them, the Doctor and the Detective were hand-in-hand, looking high-class glam. They looked to be made for each other. Mashita's messy black hair contrasted Kisara's well-groomed scarlet locks so well; Their light coloured eyes almost looked as if they were soulbound and sharing a telepathic connection that only they could understand; And those fox-like expressions on their faces, knowing smirks as though they knew all of your darkest secrets, kept for blackmail.  All that, under the same umbrella. How unnerving.

"Got a lot of free time to stand around, I see. Playtime's over." the man had an empty smile on his face. 

"Mashita? What are you doing here?" Yashiki was flabbergast at seeing the detective who was, allegedly, far too busy to join them.

"This case is a request from a client - I came here to make sure you showed up." he cheekily replied.

"Jerk. What, planning on observing us, are you?" why was that damn annoying Hiroo here also? "What if we didn't show up?"

"One of you IS a no-show, in fact." he pointed out, allowing Yashiki to explain that the idol girl, Ai, couldn't make it because her manager caught her in her attempt to sneak out. 

While Daimon was finishing his phone call, the five people went inside a dirty smoking area, where Mashita and Hasashi both indulge in a stress-drag. As Hiroo was sipping from her drink, evidently complaining about the rain, the detective explained that the Masquerade hotel closed down about a year prior, and though the definite reason was unclear, they were thinking it might be because the owner went missing... Just like in the rumours. 

Though the scientist lady spoke out her idea that the whole case was just a typical case of the owner just up and vanishing, Mashita ignored her altogether, going on about the prime gossips some publications came up with, regarding the story; Though it only lasted for so little, before everyone forgot about it. Considering the red district is crime syndicate turf, they likely applied some pressure to keep things under wrap. 

The detective waved his cigarette towards the Hotel vis-a-vis from their little shelter, explaining that the gossip was contemporary with the rumours of the Red Riding Hood stories - Masquerade seems to be the center of everything.

While everyone was focused on something else, Kisara turned to the table to grab one more sip of her drink, only to let out a small of terror, her eyes fixated on the corner of the room, just between the vending machines and Hiroo. At once, everyone averted her attention to the red head, but it was only Yashiki who understood her horror.

"What was that for?" Mashita looked at his girlfriend with concern, realising that petrified expression she made only when it concerned spiritual activity. Subtle signs of hyperventilation were beginning to pick up.

"H-Hey, Hiroo... Behind you..." Kazuo gulped, staring straight at the grinning ghost wrapped in that red raincoat.

"Huh? What? Did you get scared by a moth or what?" the scientist was as non-chalant as ever. "Nothing's here." she says, looking behind her, puzzled.

"S-Sorry..." Yashiki dragged the neck of his shirt a little. "I think... My eyes were playing tricks on me."

"On both of us?!" Kisara snapped at him. "Say it loud and clear - We both saw the ghosts."

"Wh-What...?" Hiroo gaped at the other woman.

"That's more than concerning." Satoru muttered, squeezing her shoulder. "Can you handle this?"

"Of course I can." her voice turned solemn quickly, her eyes averting towards the Hotel. "However... I'm getting the feeling that our little ghostie is... Just about as tragic and vengeful as Shu Xian."

Mashita cringed, remembering the Kannon Soldier and the way she affected Kisara, close to bringing her to madness. "Guess this just became my main case." he muttered to himself.

"You've got enough work on your plate as it is, Satoru. I can handle this with Yashiki." but the stubborn man only shook his head.

"I promised your dad I'll keep you safe. If you say this is a ghost case, I can't, in good faith, let you do this by yourself. Who knows what would happen if you'd get possessed again?" the girl sighed, hanging her head.

"I think... It's going to be a crazy case." Kisara said, leaning back on the bench.

In that moment, Daimon hung up his phone and explained he has an emergency at the hospital and he has to leave. "So the only one left is the science freak. That's... Concerning." Mashita shook his head in disappointment. He, like Kisara, cannot stand Madoka and her insufferable personality. 

"What?! What did you just say?!" she was so offended. "That how you treat people helping you out?!"

Paying no mind to Hiroo's violent outburst, Mashita calmly looks at his watch. "It's time. Enough gossip, let's go." with an arm around his partner's waist, the duo went first inside the dusty hotel.

"Wh-What...?! What a jerk!" they could still hear Madoka's hissy fit, making them both chuckle satisfied.

The air was chilly inside Masquerade, but the atmosphere was even creepier than they imagined. Their footsteps echo loudly against the exquisitely detailed marble floor. Truth be told, although she was petrified out of her mind and trying to convince herself the underground shelter was a far tougher experience - The scientist did raise a good point; It might be just a year since it closed down, but it's not even half as damaged and vandalised as your usual abandoned building... Despite the entrance doors being unlocked. How peculiar.

Agreeing to investigate just about the whole place, every nook and cranny, for any piece of info that might help understand what's going on. Still, a Love Hotel owned by a crime gang... Kisara was sure that even her boyfriend suspected the place might have been run as more of a brothel, than a simple hotel. And if that is true, well... Some pimping and abuse might be in the middle. 

Somewhere on the board, they noticed pictures of every guest room available - How luxurious. On the desk, they found an emergency key ring on the receptionist's desk - Might as well use it on the emergency exit door. As Hiroo went ahead to try the key on the door, Kisara was drawn to the shelf, where she saw a picture titled 'Masquerade Wife', depicting a masked woman wearing a wedding gown. For a second there, she cringed, remembering Hanayome. She might want to get married and wear a pretty dress, but if she sees one more tragic bride, she might as well quit her dreams.

As if reading her mind, Mashita guided her towards the stairs, and the first thing they see on the second floor is, in fact, a painting of yet another Masquerade Wife, yet this time, she is gazing at a man. "Enough of this bride thing. I'm getting the creeps." she shuddered lightly.

They split in two groups to cover more ground in lesser time - Mashita and Hasashi went inside the room on the left; Here, they see a rather creepy Venetian mask with the typical elongated nose, hanging on the wall. Whether or not they were hung there to match the Hotel's vibe, it was rather creepy; Though it would make even more sense, if it were to protect the client's identity. The power cord and the phone line have both been strategically cut, so they cannot be used. Under the door, there is a piece of paper, but Satoru alone cannot lift the bed, and he doubts Kisara's strength will help much, so he'll have to ask Yashiki for help later. 

Weirdly enough, the bed had only a mattress and no sheets; Perhaps they were taken off to sell or use elsewhere? Granted, a mattress has to be more expensive than some sheets. Still, Satoru shifted it around to look underneath, and found a clue - A notebook called 'Mask Guestbook 202'.  That's a great start!  Opening it, they saw writing that encouraged the guests to write about their 'sweeeet sweeeeeet time' spent together. Every single page was filled top to bottom with lewd, suggestive comments. 

Though they read the guestbook entries together, neither of the two could digest the vulgar description of all sexual acts. Kisara, more than anything, was so disgusted she had to step away from the book. Mashita, though only skimming through the pages, managed to get to the last entry, which was a gold mine in terms of information.

'This is bad! Sa... might've ratted us out! There're rumours that she tattled to the teach and said she's going to the fuzz! This is so so so bad! What should...'

Horrifically enough, the two came to the conclusion that schoolgirl prostitution must have been going on about the rooms of this place; And though the girl in the entry seemed a willing participant, it sounded as though she was panicked over being told on to some teacher by one of her friends. How horrific and very illegal. Kisara's fears were more or less proven true, and Mashita could only pray she wouldn't touch anything that would traumatise her even more than she already is. He doubts any amount of Heart Sutra chants would heal her.

Lastly, they searched the bathroom; The mirror was stained with dust, but still in perfect shape, and same with the slimy shower. This bathroom was absolutely useless in terms of information.

On the room on the right, where Yashiki and Hiroo went to investigate, the layout was the same; The very same creepy Venetian mask hanging on the red wallpaper, the mattress had no sheets - But there was no phone here, and iron bars were covering the window.

Next to the bed, there was a wooden chest - But it was locked. Through the small creak close to the top, Kazuo noticed a spring stopper; Simply put, if he had something thin, he'd be able to break the clasp and open it. 

Meeting back in the hall, the two teams briefly explain what they've encountered, and try the elevator - Only, pressing the button repeatedly does nothing. So, the next best thing was to go to the 3rd floor by climbing the stairs.  On one wall, they notice an object with an iron cover, some kind of an electrical device.

The team going in the left room found a spoon stained black by the bed-side table, and a wallet, similarly stained black, in the bathroom by the toilet - Inside of it, there was a credit card, and nothing more. The stains on the card that make the name of the owner unable to be read... Look an awful lot like old blood stains.

The room on the right, however, made Kisara almost feel weak to her knees and collapse; It looked like a prison cell or a dungeon, not a bedroom. In a corner, there was a torture device - A Spanish donkey. The girl shivered, quickly shuffling her feet away from that ominous thing, only to find herself in the middle of the room. Not good. Not good at all.  On the wall, inside a glass case, were hanging whips and ropes - They looked weirdly cheap and frail.

The worst part about it, Mashita realised, was the red head's trembling as she stared with terror at the unnatural space along the wall, between the two lamps. It had a faint stain that gave proof of something likely once hanging there. "Kisara." Mashita almost scowled in anger addressed to him, seeing his own girlfriend flinching at his voice. "Don't touch it." he brought her out of the room. "You don't have to touch anything. We can solve this without you getting involved like that." she merely nodded, trying to control her shivers.

Here, the elevator doesn't move either, unfortunately. However, as the two were ready to go to the room on the left and see what Yashiki and Hiroo were up to, they noticed them coming up from the 2nd floor. Apparently, Kazuo was able to open the wooden chest with the help of the credit card he found - And inside, there was the Guestbook from room 201 and a battery operated Mini Massager.

Just like the previous guestbook, the last entry had concludent evidence. 'Something's up. The fuzz hasn't come. Did ...ko really tattle? Mr. N... is acting normally, too. Sa... hasn't been to school recently.'

So the question stood... Why hasn't this reported? Her friend wanted to rat them out... But Mr. N, possibly the teacher, was acting normal... Wait, was the teacher a regular to this place? That would be awful - Was he an accomplice to this mess? Goodness...

At that very same time, a loud sound coming from the room on the left startled them half to death. Just when they thought everything was settled... They heard a voice. "S...I....R...." Yashiki was the first to turn around and flash his light, but there was nothing except the door to the emergency staircase.

As the four were looking around at each other, more confused than anything, the metal door screeched, and before them appeared the school girl wearing the red raincoat. "Th-There she is...!" Hiroo stuttered, petrified out of her mind, only to immediately change her stance. "Wait... She's human! That ghost story w-was an utter lie!"

"Hiroo, shh! Be quiet, I can hear something." Yashiki immediately shushed the noisy woman.

True enough, a slithering whisper of a voice sneaks up on them. "I knew it... I'm so glad I trusted you, Sir." the girl in the raincoat spoke to them... Kisara could hear it, thanks to her spirituality, and the two men could hear her too, being confused for the trusted teacher she saw them us... The only one perpetually puzzled was Hiroo, who was neither of those. "I knew... I knew it... I knew you'd come... But, sir... Who is... That woman....?" the girl asked, pointing towards... Madoka? Interesting; Regardless, there didn't seem to be hatred in her voice, only sorrow, regret, and something akin to a quiet plea. "I'm going to make sure...." make sure of... What, exactly...? "Sir, do you come to places like this... Very often...?" Mashita was shocked at what was happening before him; He stole a quick glance to his girlfriend and towards his work partner; They both seemed to be making an active effort of calming down. 

Sir, she called him... A person she respects... Suddenly, Mashita recalls the conversation he had earlier that day, when Kisara oh so innocently asked about this kind of place, and it clicked - What if she saw him as the teacher she trusted enough to report this mess? Then, he should reply accordingly. "I come here with my wife." Satoru spoke confidently, bringing the red head into a tight embrace.

"Yes... Of course..." she muttered softly. "Hey, sir... Could you tell me, please? Another teacher told me that... I'm heartless and don't treasure my friends... But if something's wrong, then it's wrong." was it about reporting this illegal dealing? "What am I supposed to do? Which is more important - Friends, or what's right?" that question seemed a little to close for comfort for the detective.

"Of course what's right is more important." Satoru found himself blurting - Friends come and go, but you won't forgive yourself for living with the knowledge of illegal dealings that you could have prevented.

The girl remained quiet, save for a gentle nod of her head. "Tell me one more thing, please." she said.  "When people are selling and buying bad things... Then who's in the wrong?" 

"Both are in the wrong." Mashita answered, sure of his answer. The ghost seemed pleased, and her ominous aura dissipated.

"I'm so happy... You're really him..." the ghostie sighed in relief. "All the immoral people died." under her hood, and through the darkness, peered the schoolgirl's twisted smile. In one turn, the girl in the red raincoat disappeared into the stairway.

Although for the longest time Satoru could feel Kisara's soft shivering as he held onto her, just like that, he couldn't feel her any longer. "SAYAKO-CHAN!" she found herself yelling out a name she's never heard in her life, and her spiritual instincts took over her body and brain, driving her into overload as she ran after the ghost.

"What the hell was that about?!" Madoka was frowning deeply, glaring at the metal door that was just slammed shut. "Why are you two just standing there, with your mouths wide open? Are you that dumb that you can't act?" she huffed, rushing after the doctress.

"I swear - If she got possessed again, I'm going to lose it." Satoru sneered under his breath and hurrying towards the stairs, followed by his partner in work - They went up the stairs, only to realise... They were still on the 3rd floor? How... Peculiar. 

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Yashiki gulped, flashing the light on the number 3 of the floor.

"I'm so done with this ghostly bullshit." the detective grumbled, rushing towards the 2nd floor, but the outcome was the same.

"If we're stuck on the 3rd floor... Reckon Kisara and Hiroo are also here?" Yashiki's words made sense, in a ghostly way. 

The two tried one more time to change floors, but instead of escaping the 3rd floor, they found Hiroo on the ground, thankfully just unconscious. Yashiki decided to look after her while Mashita looked for his girlfriend around the only two available rooms.

The brunet barged into the room on the left - How peculiar, it was covered in webs everywhere. Yashiki didn't mention anything of this. Could it have happened after the ghost encounter? If so... Could the ghost have anything to do with... Spiders? If that was the case, he feared Kisara losing her mind. If there was one thing she was afraid of, it was spiders. It was almost comical - A girl her age and size, unafraid even faced with monstrous ghosts, fighting against them so brazenly - Only to shriek like a little girl and jump in his arms, at the sight of the littlest spider of cockroach. Hilarious, yes - But definitely not now.

The bathroom door was gently opened, and much to his surprise, Kisara stepped towards him, seemingly unharmed by anything. "Kisara...?" though she looked fine, her eyes were glazed over and seemed unfocused. "Hey, can you hear me? Or do I have to slap you awake again?" concerned, Satoru makes his way in front of her, only to stop dead in his tracks as he sees her slowly stripping her clothes off, in the most sensual way imaginable - All while holding sultry eye contact.

What the hell was going on...? Mashita was confused beyond belief - Yes, Kisara was cheeky with him, and had no shame in flirting, but she'd never put off something as crudely shameless like this. Her pride was bigger than the milky way, there's no way she'd stay uncovered around so much spider web, let alone show off her sexy black lingerie in a place like this. That girl was the most pillow princess he's ever known; Not only she'd not even stand close to a dirty and dusty mattress, but she'd be disgusted by a place where so many lecherous bastards committed lewd things.

And yet, there she was, with that vixen smirk of her, grabbing him by the shirt and pushing him back on the mattress before climbing on his lap; Her hands were placed gingerly over his chest, carefully unbuttoning his shirt as she bit her bottom lip; She was attractive as always - The most endearing woman he's ever met - But not only she wouldn't be caught dead on top of him - She wouldn't be so unbothered with so much web stuck to her back. 

"I was waiting for you... For so long..." she giggled sweetly. "I've been thinking about you the whole day... I missed your hands on my skin..." she leans down, whispering in his ear as she gets comfortable sitting on his waist. "Don't you want me, Satoru...? Don't you crave me, as much as I long for you...?" don't ask such difficult questions, damn it, Mashita thought to himself, trying to find a way to snap her out of it. "Come on, Master, don't hold back." she quickly grabbed his hands, placing them over her bosom. "Look at me - Tell me I am the only one you love - And take me. I am all yours, Master."

"Damn it, woman, where's your shame..." Satoru sneered, realising the ghost from earlier was tormenting him with more questions. How annoying.

"B-But...!" Kisara whimpered, making those puppy eyes that he could never resist. "But I want you, Master...! I need you! I need you more tha--" before she could finish her pouting, her fingers crumpled up his shirt tightly, getting stuck in a violent fit of coughs. "C-Can't... Breathe... D-Damn it..." her head was hung, and though her long her was draping most of her uncovered body, Satoru could see tears of resistance prickling at the corner of her eyes. "Webs... Please... My back..." she pleaded desperately. She was snapping in and out of her own consciousness.

The instant Mashita got a good grip on her body, he could feel her feeling lax in his arms. "D-Don't you need me anymore...? I... I can't... I can't live without you... I have everything in life... I made it all myself... But I cannot... I cannot win... The gamble of love... So... You can't... You can't leave me... Please... Tell me you still need me..." those cries were tugging on all of Mashita's heartstrings in all the most painful ways possible. He terribly hoped Kisara won't be remembering any of this, because he couldn't imagine the shame she'd feel, saying all these things.

"You are my partner, Kisara. I will always need and depend on you." Mashita's voice was softed than before. "Now get it together - I need you now. I can't do this case without you."

Instead of an answer, Kisara let out a shrill laugh that echoed through the room - Did he make the wrong choice? Did he say something wrong?  Sneering, Mashita ripped apart the webs sticking to her back, and the girl collapsed as if fainted, in his arms. He quickly checked for her vitals - She was perfectly fine, thankfully.

"Kisara." he shook her desperately. "Kisara, wake up already." for a good two to three minutes, Mashita tried every thing he could think of, from shaking her, to slapping her face, and kissing her. Finally, the red head slowly opened her eyes, as if waking up from a sweet sleep. "Finally. Gave me quite the scare." the man exhaled deeply.

"Satoru...?" the girl mewled softly. "What...? What is going on...?" she asked so innocently, not realising what she was wearing. "Why is it so cold...?"

"Have you thought, perhaps, it was cold because you're half-naked?" that comment startled her so badly that she almost jolted off the bed - Were it not for him holding her tightly, she'd have been on the dusty, cold ground.

"What... What happened...? Why...?" she gulped, trying to calm herself down in some way or another.

"You got possessed by the ghost. Made you seduce me and all that." despite his own grimace, he tried hard to keep the atmosphere light, as to not to get her to panic more. "If I knew you were so bold, I'd have let you do the work sometimes too."

"... How awful..." still shaky, Kisara gets some help to dress from the detective. "I... I don't know what happened. I heard a name - Sayako - And then... I don't know." she looked distraught. "Can we go home for now, please? I'm exhausted."

"I had no intention to spend one more minute in this hell hole after what happened." after fixing her clothes and her, Mashita opened the door for her; Daimon was there, helping Yashiki hold an unconscious Hiroo on his back.

"What's going on...?" Kisara frowned in shock, looking at the scientist girl.

"No clue. We found her like this." Mashita muttered. "Glad you're strong enough to snap out of it." Kisara only shook her head, getting the imagine of Madoka and what happened in that room out of her head. 

"I'm glad you're here, Daimon. Let's get out of here." the doctors nodded at each other.

With some help, Yashiki got Hiroo in the ambulance and Daimon took her to the hospital, where he'd take care of her the whole night. Yashiki went to his mansion, angry by the outcome and allowing Hiroo to get in that state, only to notice Christie and Suzu visiting him.

Mashita and Hasashi returned home, where they took a quick shower and drank a hot tea for comfort. The girl nestled comfortably in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. "I'm getting involved from tomorrow on." she found herself speaking. "But it's the last time."

"Why...?" Satoru looked at her incredulous.

"Because of the same thing that happened with Shu Xian." Kisara explained. "An innocent girl who didn't deserve any of the torture she went through." she went on. "I... I don't know what happened, but... If she was involved in this prostitution madness... And the gang found out she wanted to rat them out for having schoolgirls..." she needn't say any more of that, for he understood all that was left unspoken.

"You're going to end up killing yourself if you continue this way." he sighed, holding her tighter.

"If not the visions... Those bloody spiders sure will." she shuddered softly at the mere thought of those disgusting things.

"We'll bring her peace, okay? And after that, we're done with ghosts." she nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. No more tragic ghosts."

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[spirithunterscenarios]

🍬

🍬 - sweets headcanon

Doing the cast of Death Mark for this one, but I’ll come back to NG later on.

Yashiki has a huge sweet tooth and it surprises everyone. He’s mainly a big fan of rich flavors, especially chocolate. He likes all chocolate, but dark is his favorite. Honestly though, he could probably eat just about most anything sweet though. It kind of frightens Mashita. The kids (and teens) can easily sucker him into getting something yummy to eat with them, it’s not even hard. He has good luck when trying new stuff and somehow finds the good stuff if Ai shares some from her mystery box. Shou tries not to be mad at the old man, but he’s screaming internally as he suffers.

Credit to @aph-illuminati because their headcanon changed my mind on some things.

Mashita is kind of indifferent to sweets. He doesn’t exactly care for them but he doesn’t hate them. Suckers sometimes help in those places where he can’t smoke (aka, someone else won’t let him). He’ll chew on the stick for a while.

Moe loves sweet stuff almost as much as Ai does, she loves fruity flavors and is a bit of a chocoholic. She begs Yashiki to share his stash, he doesn’t know how she knows but he obliges. Huge fan of melon cream soda.

Tsukasa prefers baked goods like brownies or cookies and he’s pretty controlled with it, he doesn’t let himself eat too much. When it comes to candy though, he prefers old fashioned hard candies. Sometimes having one will help him concentrate on his school work a little better.

Ai loves it all and she loves to try new things because she gets one of those subscription boxes every now and then, unfortunately if it’s weird, she pulls somebody else into it. She has an iron stomach and a high tolerance for sugar. People suspect she’s on a constant sugar rush just to be as go, go, go as she always is. She has good luck picking things that taste great despite the people around her seemingly suffering while she got something tasty.

Shou likes sweets but is more of a fan of sour stuff and probably always has bubblegum on him somehow. Unfortunate person that Ai picked to help her try stuff. Awful luck. She got a box of stuff and he grabbed something involving chocolate covered squid. He hates weird jelly beans. Ai got them and he just… He couldn’t win. Grass wasn’t awful and he could live with toothpaste, but he was sick for days after getting dog food and dead fish back to back. He doesn’t trust jelly beans anymore even if you insist they’re normal.

Suzu enjoys a sweet every now and then. Sometimes she wants something like daifuku or taiyaki sometimes she wants some cotton candy. She also has a lot of collectible Hello Kitty stuff from candy packs. They’re from Eita.

Eita just loves snacks in general. He has a lot of collectible tins and stuff from limited edition stuff. He usually gets one to share if he thinks Suzu will like it. He also likes going to carnivals with Suzu because they both enjoy the food.

Christie is a fan of caramel and chocolate but she doesn’t crave it all the time. Tiramisu is her favorite dessert though. She just really likes gourmet desserts.

Daimon is okay with sweets but he doesn’t really need them. Mochi is good every now and then though, it isn’t sickeningly sweet. He also likes ice cream every now and then. It gets really hot in the city and sometimes the kids drag him along.

Hiroo isn’t really big on sweets as much, but she does like them a bit. Too much tends to make her feel kind of sick though. A sweet pastry is nice every now and then. Her fridge is stocked with cream breads and other stuff so she doesn’t have to go out and get them all the time.

Banshee is more of a savory guy, but if you give him candy he won’t really mind. He’ll eat it anyway. Baked goods are his favorite, just as long as it’s not overly sweet… I imagine his teeth are kinda sensitive. He tried to bite into ice cream and figured out really fast that wasn't a great idea.

Yasuoka likes old fashioned hard candies, it brings her back to her childhood. Sweets that are easy to have with tea or coffee are also a hit with her. Small cookies and desserts or traditional Japanese sweets… Especially ones with bean paste.

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | The Stray Cat Rock Series (Hasebe & Fujita, 1970-71)

A surprisingly consistent series, frequently unpredictable and always stylish and entertaining. The first entry, Delinquent Girl Boss, might be the best summation of the their strengths, striking a tough, edgy tone yet proving surprisingly tender in its depiction of the camaraderie among its characters, members of an all-girl gang and other societal outcasts. The plot follows the gang as they band together to protect their friend who gets in trouble with another gang after his friend refuses to throw a boxing match. The proceedings are as raucous as the title suggests, lent extra swagger by the brash performance by Akiko Wada as a leather-clad biker who takes up with the gang as well as groovy scoring courtesy of various rock acts (a series fixture), yet when the conclusion arrives, it’s surprisingly deeply felt.

The ending also suggests that this might not be a series in the traditional sense, which quickly becomes clear when the second film, Wild Jumbo, switches to a completely different set of characters, only some of whom are played by returning cast members Meiko Kaji and Tatsuya Fuji. This is probably the most slight of the films, as two thirds of the movie consist of our characters goofing around on a beach in loosely connected vignettes and almost play-acting as soldiers or police, parodying the establishment that wants no part of them (although the stash of antique weapons they find makes some of this “acting” uneasily authentic). The third act brings some welcome focus to the proceedings, as the characters decide to rob a religious organization. The heist does not go as planned, and the film ends on a grim note in stark contrast to the lighthearted tone of the earlier sections.

The series frequently casts its characters in opposition to the establishment and ugly nationalistic sentiments, and nowhere is this dynamic clearest as in Sex Hunter, the misleadingly titled third installment which has our heroes standing up to racially motivated violence after a rival gang starts targeting mixed-race individuals. As always, even when pairing our heroes with a morally righteous mission, the series finds emotional complications and throws in a surprisingly moving subplot about a supporting character coming to terms with her identity. This is the strongest of the entries, and also the one that serves as the clearest testament to Meiko Kaji’s star power. While the first film was arguably led by Akiko Wada and the second was an ensemble piece, this is the first one where Kaji really dominates the proceedings, wresting control of the action with her steely demeanour while producing moments of real poignancy. She even sings a duet with Rikiya Yasuoka in a moving scene that’s one of the film’s best. Let it also be said that while Kaji has one of the best stares in the movies, she also has one of the most underrated smiles. If that sounds like I’m crushing on Kaji, so be it and judge not that ye not be judged.

The fourth film, Machine Animal, has the girls helping a draft dodger escape the country by offloading enough LSD to buy him passage on an outbound ship. It continues to position the characters more as actual gang members rather than stylishly dressed pals who get into knife fights (which is mostly the case with the first movie) while still finding ways to earn our sympathies. It’s comparatively slight and feels closer in quality to the second than to the first and third, but still finds moments of unexpected poetry. The final film, Beat ‘71, returns to the level of relative quality as the first and third films and ends things on a relatively high note. It has Kaji wrongly framed for a murder, leading her comrades to face off against the forces of the culprit’s father, a mayoral candidate trying to maintain the facade of respectability by any means necessary, legality be damned. It has the most political conviction of any of the movies, and situates the climax in a mine dressed up for shooting westerns, which gives the action a nice sense of finality. That being said, one of the promo images promises a scene of Kaji and friends in too cute cowgirl outfits, so if that’s your reason for watching the movie (and I won’t judge), be warned that it never materializes. No matter, for the rest of us, these movies and their improvisational energy, off-the-cuff action filmmaking, deeply felt sense of camaraderie and smuggled in notes of visual poetry, are a real treat.