01x05 - Angel

[bunniefuu]

[ominous music playing]

ITAMI VILLAS

[knocking on door]

[man] I know you're in there, Yuji!

Open the door!

Yuji!

Mr. Saito, what's with all the racket?

Apologies, Mr. Nishizono.

The ugly truth of the matter is I've come

to collect Mr. Nakayama's overdue rent.

[Nishizono] Our only chance is

to pry it open.

Hey, you better not make me pay damages

after this.

Oh, I wouldn't think of it.

It's locked from the inside,

and my master key won't open it.

Prying it open would be bad

for my blood pressure.

[Nishizono] Hmm.

Fair enough. I'll hold you to that.

[lock clattering]

[Saito groaning]

[Saito] The bar lock's engaged.

[Nishizono] I could bust it open.

[Saito] All right.

- [door rattling]

- [Nishizono straining]

Yuji! I've been patient,

but there's a limit.

When are you gon-- [gasping]

[Nishizono] Hmm? [gasping]

Dear God!

[both shuddering]

[doll cackling]

[opening theme music playing]

AKUMA KUN

EPISODE 5 ANGEL

Let me get this straight.

We were hired

because a cursed doll m*rder*d someone?

Yes.

My first thoughts

are immediately drawn to Fortuna's Doll.

[Mephisto III] Fortuna's Doll?

What is that?

The Itami Villas? Like the "Itami Dump."

- You're finally here.

- [Mephisto III gasping]

Uh, yes, that's right. Hello, sir.

It's number 202 located

on the second floor.

Walk this way. [shuddering]

I pointed out the k*ller doll

to the detectives.

They didn't seem to care.

I thought "the heck with it."

That's why I called you.

[Mephisto III] Hey! You can't do that.

Check this out.

An old-fashioned lever

tumbler lock keyhole.

Hmm. This is the first time

I've ever seen one. In real life, that is.

Don't people use these

to spy on each other?

[Mephisto III] Wow!

I've never seen a real one either.

[Saito shuddering]

[Mephisto III gasping]

[ominous music playing]

I guess that's that.

Looks like you're ready to investigate

the mystery of the Fortuna's Doll m*rder.

[Saito] What's a Fortuna?

[Akuma] Fortuna was the Roman goddess

of luck.

The doll in question

was originally obtained

by the American millionaire

William Sanglard.

Three days later, he was found dead

with nails driven through his hands.

Every subsequent owner of the doll

has died mysteriously.

[Mephisto III gasping]

Whoa! A Neko-musume figure.

This is a rare one.

Oh, wow.

On closer inspection, I'm recognizing

a ton of limited-edition collectibles

and stacks of unopened game consoles.

A specialty item scalper.

A scalper? Sounds like a demon.

[Akuma] They hoard

limited-release merchandise,

and sell it at a markup,

pocketing the difference.

If he were a demon,

he'd be ranked in the bottom tier.

Whoa! The guy was making a k*lling!

The windows were locked from the inside?

[Saito] Yes.

[Akuma] Hmm.

Right. The windows are firmly sealed,

and the only entry was secured

from the inside with the key still in it.

And the swing bar lock was shut, too.

There anything in the attic?

[Saito] As the landlord,

I'm ashamed of how dirty it is up there,

but there weren't any footprints

in all those layers of dust.

A classic locked-room m*rder.

Yeah.

And this object over here

that's clearly had a cloth thrown over it

is the cursed doll, right?

[Saito shuddering]

[Saito] Tortured spirit, seek thy rest,

and leave me out of all this mess!

[Saito shuddering]

[sinister music playing]

[Mephisto III shuddering]

That thing is creepy.

But was this nail always in it?

[Saito] How should I know?

Akuma Kun, what's the matter?

[sinister music swelling]

[Mephisto III] Huh?

Hey! What're you doing?

Mephisto, I leave the rest to you.

Uh, wait a sec.

[Saito shuddering]

[Saito] Hey! You'll take care of this

for me, won't you?

What the devil has gotten into him now?

[sinister music playing]

[music fades]

[Akuma] I suppose I'll have to ask him.

[footsteps approaching]

[Shingo] Would you look at that.

And I take it this is the nail

you want to know more about?

Check out the super genius.

I'm probably going to need

to take a closer look.

- That's definitely a demon nail.

- [ominous music playing]

[Akuma] Why is it familiar to me?

Oh. Where have I seen it?

[Shingo] Don't force yourself to remember.

There might be a very good reason

your mind sealed those thoughts away.

Yeah, okay. I got it. So, it's wrong

to wanna know the truth about myself.

You know that's not what I'm saying.

[Akuma] You're so out of touch. Forget it.

So, uh, we should get some ramen

at Hachiman soon.

I guess it'll take a little longer

before he's ready to get along.

UMOREGI

[can popping]

[Etsuko gulping]

[Etsuko exhaling]

- Yeah.

- Say, where's Dad?

He has a programming deadline coming up.

[Mephisto III] Ah, hence the pizza.

[liquid pouring]

[Etsuko] Okay. You gotta spill the beans

on this cursed doll m*rder.

Looking for some juicy gossip?

[Etsuko] I'm an editor, remember?

I'm looking for a good story.

[Etsuko gulping]

Fine, why not.

[Etsuko exhaling]

The m*rder occurred the night before last.

The victim was one Yuji Nakayama,

42-year-old male, unemployed.

-He made his living as a scalper.

- [Etsuko] Hmm.

[Mephisto III] He would walk

around his place at night

playing loud music,

unconcerned with the noise level.

-The other tenants hated him for that.

- [Etsuko] Hmm.

We're talking about a scalper.

I'm pretty sure everyone

who knew him hated him.

[Mephisto III] Based on what the police

were able to piece together,

he was m*rder*d

at around 8:00 p.m., two days ago.

What really stands out as odd

is that even though his room was

in total disarray,

none of the other residents heard sounds

of a disturbance.

Oh? No wonder they're

saying it was a cursed doll.

[Etsuko laughing]

[Mephisto III] But all of the residents

reported hearing footsteps

coming from the victim's place

past midnight,

well after the m*rder.

Would you cut it out

with all the stompin'?

It's impossible to get any sleep with all

that racket you're making. Isn't it?

[woman grunting]

[Etsuko] What about

the guy next door in 203?

[Mephisto III] Hitomi Nishizono,

age 27, a freelance writer.

He was working in his room at 8:00 p.m.

Later that night,

he went out for his daily jog.

[Etsuko] So, he's got no alibi.

And the others?

[Mephisto III] Twenty-eight-year-old

Hideki Tanaka in 103,

an artist and part-timer.

At 8:00 p.m. on the night in question,

he was engrossed

in creating a piece of art,

so he also has no alibi.

[Etsuko] And?

[Mephisto III] Fifty-two-year-old

Satomi Kudo in 102.

According to her,

she was the number-one hostess

at a Ginza club when she was young.

She made me write that down.

[Etsuko] Hmm.

- [Mephisto III] Now, she's a janitor

That evening at 8:00 p.m.,

she was at home.

I already told you

what she was doing past midnight.

In 101 is Yuna Shimamoto, age 20.

She's a sophomore studying French Lit

at Jonan University,

and was studying

in her apartment that night.

When she was leaving

for her shift at a convenience store,

she remembered hearing

Nakayama's footsteps from upstairs.

[Etsuko] Hmm. Any others?

[Mephisto III] Just the landlord.

- Kozo Saito, in his seventies.

- [jazzy music playing]

[Mephisto III] He's the owner

of Itami Villas.

He also has no alibi

from 8:00 to 12:00 that night

Though, he had this

to say about the deceased

He was difficult, never paid his rent

on time, always made a commotion,

but I've known him

ever since he was a little kid.

He was good-natured back then.

But after that job drought,

he couldn't get his career jump-started

and hopped

from one part-time job to another.

He was lost.

I knew the kind of hard times

the poor kid was going through,

so I let him fall behind on his rent.

[sighing] But still,

such a horrible way for a person to die.

He had nails driven through him all over.

Sounds like a real pickle.

They all seem suspicious, if you ask me.

What stands out most mystifying

is the sound of footsteps coming from

his apartment after he was already dead.

[gasping] And of course, the mystery

of who was manipulating the doll!

Right?

And, Ichiro, what does he think?

He's left the entire case

to me to focus on a red nail.

[Etsuko] A red nail?

[ominous music playing]

[Shingo] Don't force yourself to remember.

There might be a very good reason

your mind sealed those thoughts away.

[woman] Look deeper.

Remember.

Remember me.

- Hey!

- [music stops]

[Akuma grunting] Oh.

[Akuma inhaling, exhaling]

[Akuma] It's morning?

[Mephisto III] It's midday!

Even you ought to realize

this is no time to doze off.

[seething] Forget about that red nail.

We have to solve this case and get paid.

Otherwise, we won't be able

to afford our utility bills,

let alone cover what we owe in rent.

And that means no more hotcakes!

Just so we're clear,

simply saying the word hotcakes

isn't going to make me listen.

Sure. Fine. Let's go investigate.

[Akuma inhaling, sighing]

There's no need I've already solved it.

Huh?

[dramatic music playing]

[Akuma] Let me preface by saying Fortuna's

Doll has nothing to do with the case.

It's a red herring.

This was a straightforward m*rder.

But the door was locked from the inside.

Without the power of a curse,

how could that be done?

I'll demonstrate just how possible it is.

[door opening]

- [Akuma] Go in and observe.

- Sure.

First thing I do

is take care of the swing bar lock.

I brought some plastic string along.

With a little tape,

I attach the string to the end.

And then I'll wrap the string

around this metal fitting here,

close the door carefully,

and then slowly,

but steadily, pull on the string.

[Mephisto III gasping] You locked it!

Then, I just have to give a hard pull,

and the string

and the tape come right off.

You're right.

You can find all manner of tricks

like these with a quick internet search.

Okay. What about the key

in the lock inside?

Mm-hmm. That's also quite simple.

A paper clip?

This next trick requires

certain knowledge.

And by that I mean knowledge regarding

the kind of lock this door uses,

which makes it likely

the culprit is another resident.

[lock clanking]

[Akuma] Set it up like so

and run the string through the gaps

at the top and bottom of the door,

after which it's as easy as

[lock clicking]

Oh, that's brilliant.

[Akuma] Then all that's left

is to retrieve the string and paper clip

through the gaps around the door.

Say now, I could use the cost of

changing all the locks

as an excuse

for raising everyone's rent, couldn't I?

[Mephisto III] What about the footsteps?

The people downstairs said they heard them

after midnight.

Right.

If it wasn't that cursed doll doing it,

then where was all that noise coming from?

From those speakers.

Both of which are lying face down

on the floor, which is odd.

I assume a timer was used

to play recorded footsteps,

which should be easy enough to figure out.

Why would someone do that?

To what purpose?

It was an attempt

to throw the investigation into confusion

by making it seem

like the cursed doll did it.

All of the tricks they used

have been incredibly crude.

The m*rder*r is one of the residents.

And it's someone

who has very low intelligence.

But who did it?

[Akuma] One of the first people

to have discovered the body,

who intentionally got himself involved.

Some of the tape he used

on the swing bar might have remained,

so he'd want

to get rid of that evidence himself.

Now to discern a motive.

[Mephisto III] I might have solved

that one.

There's a mark in the cabinet

that looks like something was in there.

Speakers wouldn't leave a mark like that,

so it had to be something else.

I found these receipts nearby,

which leads me to believe

it may have been a safe.

He probably couldn't figure out how

to open it, so he just took it with him.

Search his apartment, and you'll find it.

I see.

Nakayama was behind on his rent,

but I guess he was working hard

in his own way to make some money.

[Akuma] Yeah, and his neighbor must have

found out about it and took advantage.

The thief is another scumbag.

A trivial incident between two losers.

You've got a lot of nerve

to call it trivial.

Don't be so cavalier about other people.

[Akuma] According

to official Japanese records,

there are approximately 1,000 murders

every year.

That translates to roughly three per day.

This man's death

was simply one of the three.

Insignificant.

[Mephisto III] Hmm.

[melancholy music playing]

ITAMI VILLAS

He was hiding the safe in his fridge

until he could figure out how to open it.

Then he's even more

stupid than I expected.

[car door closing]

Sir, I meant to ask you earlier

if Nakayama had any children.

Yes.

He had a little girl.

I have a feeling he was trying

to start his life over again.

But he took a wrong turn

somewhere along the way.

I feel for the poor damn fool.

He used disgraceful methods

of earning money

in order to reunite with his daughter,

but he never got the opportunity.

[Saito crying]

Father and child.

We should get some ramen

at Hachiman soon.

[music fades]

[birds squawking]

So, level with me.

What?

What was all that Fortuna's Doll business

you were talking about?

Like I already told you,

it was just a weird, old porcelain doll.

No.

I meant the real one that you said k*lled

an American millionaire or something.

What if demons were behind that?

[Akuma gasping]

[Mephisto III] Hmm?

[Akuma chuckling]

[Akuma] It's blatantly obvious.

How could I have missed

what was right in my face?

[Akuma scoffing] I really am an idiot.

What do you mean by that?

Where is he off to now? [sighing]

[footsteps receding]

MILLENARIANISM RESEARCH INSTITUTE

[indistinct chatter]

[ominous music playing]

Fire, element of the heavens,

water, element of earth,

and air, the element that binds them both,

hearken to me, ruler and judge,

and through these words,

feel the breath of God.

Bagabi lacha bachabe, Lamac cahi achababe!

[Akuma gasping]

[demon cackling]

[demon] Were you expecting the demon

William Sanglard made his contract with?

I hope I haven't disappointed you.

It's been far too long,

Aeshma.

[sinister music playing]

It's been forever

since anyone called me by that name,

Strophaia.

[intense, ominous music playing]

[choir vocalizing intensely]

[Shingo] Hmm.

That can't be good.

So, how have you been?

Looks like someone's become

very well adapted to human society.

Uh, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say.

[voice echoing] I've come

to save you, Aeshma.

Thanks, but I'm not interested.

Oh. [cackling]

Fine.

The quicksilver colored fingertips

will inundate the eleventh month

with blood.

Deep in the dark waters,

the seething, smoldering black womb

will open the eyes

of Physis.

Ta-ta.

See you soon.

[music fades]

[ending theme music playing]

[girl] Oh! Komorineko, long time no see.

[Komorineko] Hi, Yuko!

You must see Hyakume quite often.

You're both in Japan, after all. Right?

[Yuko] Yes.

[Komorineko] And the mini ghosts,

would you say they're in good spirits?

[Yuko giggling] Yes,

they're all quite well.

They're searching for the secret

to revive the Hyakume race!

What good ghouls.

[Komorineko] Such noble spirits!

Their work ethic reminds me of me!

- [Hyakume] Huh?

- [Yuko] Huh? Uh, yeah, sure. Right.

[Komorineko exclaiming] Harsh.

You know you could just go along

with my little joke.

[Yuko] I'm sorry.

[Hyakume] Oh.

I thought jokes were supposed to be funny.

Komorineko, you work harder

than anybody I know,

and that's definitely a joke

and not a lie!

[Yuko groaning] Knock, knock! Who's there?

A lazy cat! A lazy cat, who?

A lazy cat who must be batty if he thinks

he's ever worked a minute in his life!

Do you get it?

[Komorineko] That was too

close to the mark to be funny.

[Yuko] I tried.

[Hyakume] Oh,

sorry if we took things too far.

[Komorineko] Don't worry about it.

Not everyone can be blessed

with my wit and comedic timing.

Uh, but anyway,

those mini-ghosts should be careful.

They can't be ex-spectred

to handle all that demon stress.

[Yuko] Okay! We'll be careful.

Komorineko, you're the best!

[Hyakume] He sure is.

He's punny, and he's funny!

[Yuko] He's one cool cat!

[Hyakume] Cat bat!

[Komorineko] If I become

one of the Twelve Apostles

for the second Akuma Kun,

could my destiny number

actually be number one?

- [Yuko] Well, uh

- [Hyakume] Probably not.

[Komorineko] Can we split the difference

with the harsh truths here?