Episode 10

## ©2022「アキバ冥途戦争」製作委員会 / Akiba Maid War Production Committee

**To Die For Love: Tears Fall on Electric Town** (メイド心中　電気街を濡らす涙雨, *Meido Shinjū Denkigai o Nurasu Namidāme*) is the tenth episode of Akiba Maid War. It broadcasted in Japan on December 9, 2022.

## Synopsis

Business at the Oinky Doink Café is booming. Meanwhile, the chief sets up a date between Ranko and one of her regulars. A certain panda also attempts to communicate.

## Plot

Suehiro strangles a Lemur maid to death using a garrote and reports his successful assassination to Nagi by a pay phone. She then assigns him a mission that was previously put on hold with a one-week time limit and then visits the Oinky Doink Café. Because of the Cafe's victory in the Lady Omoe Festival, business was booming after. Suehiro has been a frequent guest of the maid café and of Ranko in particular and asks Ranko out on a date. Though Nagomi is against the idea of Ranko falling in love; however, the Manager accepts on Ranko's behalf, thinking Suehiro is a wealthy banker. Okachimachi tries to stop Ranko from going out, but the rest of the cafe's staff help her with makeup and clothes. Suehiro spends the day taking Ranko around Ueno, until that night, he offers to run away with her to Sapporo. After he leaves, Okachimachi appears again and begins to speak, warning that Suehiro plans to kill her. She then reveals herself as the maid who gunned down Ranko's old boss, Michiyo, thinking she would get a promotion. However, Suehiro nearly murdered her by strangulating her with his signature garrote, until he was interrupted by a passing cop, and the maid was hit by a speeding car while escaping.

The maid decided to hide from her past by staying in a panda costume and spent several years drifting around Akiba before ending up at the Oinky Doink Café, which replaced the teahouse from 14 years ago. However, Ranko was soon hired at the same spot, forcing the panda to remain silent. Ranko takes her revolver and shoots the panda's head, saying that Michiyo wouldn't want to kill her. The next night, Ranko decides to deal with Suehiro herself, but never meets him as Okachimachi shoots him on his way to the train station. Back at the café, Okachimachi tells Ranko that Nagi originally ordered the hit on Michiyo, and now ordered one on her too. A post-credits scene reveals that Suehiro really intended to flee Akibahara with Ranko, and held an engagement ring before being shot by Okachimachi.

## Characters

### In Order of Appearance

* Suehiro
* Nagomi Wahira
* Ranko Mannen
* Yumechi
* Shiipon
* Zoya
* Yasuko Yaegashi
* Okachimachi
* Nagi (Voice and Flashback Only)

## Trivia

* During Ranko's date with Suehiro in Ueno, several real-life locations are shown:
	+ Ameya-Yokocho - Commonly referred to as "Ameyoko", it is an open-air marketplace that sells various foods and merchandise.
	+ Ueno Park - Japan's most popular city park.
	+ Ueno Zoo - Japan's oldest zoo that is known for its panda exhibit.
	+ Okachimachi Station - Train station near Ueno Park and Ameyoko that is seen in a flashback as Okachimachi explains her origin story to Ranko at the end of her date.
* When Nagomi talks to Ranko about what they've been through together, she references several events from past episodes:
	+ Nearly died - Episode 1 during the fight at Wuv-Wuv Moonbeam and Episode 7 during the Akiba Big Bang.
	+ Drowned - Episode 5 after being kidnapped by Kaoruko and put into a barrel that was being filled with tomato juice.
	+ Played Baseball - Episode 8 when they played against the Memory Lane Animal Café Axolotl.
	+ Had to grovel - Episode 9 when they were forced to kowtow to the Cow Ace Maid, Bear Ace Maid, and Cat Ace Maid during the Lady Omoe Festival.
* As Nagomi talks about feeling sad that Ranko will be leaving if she starts a relationship with Suehiro, she tells her that she would start practicing for her graduation so she could leave with a proper smile on her face.
	+ Graduation, in this sense, is a term used in the maid café and pop idol industry to describe someone who is voluntarily leaving their idol group or café for reasons such as health concerns, starting a new career as an actress or solo artist, or aging out and wanting to live a normal life outside of the industry. Assuming that the person who is leaving is on good terms with the café / group and management, they will usually do a farewell performance for their fans.

## References

1. ↑ Ameyayokocho アメ屋横丁
2. ↑ What are Maid Cafes?
3. ↑ Dissecting the Subtleties Behind Graduations and Withdrawals in Japanese Idol Culture
4. ↑ What do they mean by 'graduated' in jpop?