Episode 04

**The Mad Dog** (狂犬 *Kyōken*) is the fourth episode of the *Dead Mount Death Play* anime.

## Official Blurb

Polka's recent activities have caught the eye of a police unit dedicated to hunting down the most bizarre and seemingly superhuman offenders. To a peace-seeking necromancer, these cops could be worse trouble than the criminals he's fallen in with!

## Synopsis

Standing in front of a whiteboard, Tsubaki shows to the other members of Comps-3 various Troublemakers: The Gator Sisters, The Barber, Riddle Riddle, The Grocer, The Poisoner, Donner Donner, and Phantom Solitaire. All of them are Troublemakers who are either incarcerated or dead. He explains how cracking unbelievable cases such as these, which cannot be made public, is their job at Comps-3. He then gestures to the three Troublemakers who are still at large: The Grim Reaper, Fire-breathing Bug, and Lemmings. He surmises that Fire-breathing Bug may be responsible for the fire at the Shakuzawa Building as Saki explains how Lemmings' footprints were found at the scene of the knotted-up humans from the day before. Iwanome says that, even though these cases seem supernatural, the perpetrators have always been humans: even the Phantom Solitaire is simply an incredibly skilled human. And since they are human, Comps-3 can handle and catch them.

At the same time, Corpse God is transferring the soul of the real Polka  from Takumi's drone to a stuffed shark toy. Takumi enthusiastically welcomes his drone back home, while Corpse God tells the real Polka that he will borrow his name and identity a little longer, apologizing. Misaki Sakimiya enters the room, excitedly inquiring about the cute shark toy, not knowing she is hugging the real Polka. Takumi says that the real Polka might be a weirdo, too, as he is getting excited about the girl who killed him. Polka attempts to retort, but cannot speak. Corpse God explains how he could allow Polka to talk, but it would require a fresh pair of human vocal cords, as creating some from scratch would take too much mana. He then says that before worrying about their monetary situation, he should focus on replenishing his magic and that exorcising ghosts would be an efficient way to do so. He explains a different way of restoring his magic: mana stones, alias regular gemstones in this world. Takumi tells him to face reality; gemstones are expensive.

Corpse God and Misaki visit a jewelry store, and Corpse God quickly becomes disheartened from seeing the high prices, saying how easy it was to get one's hands on these gems back in his world. Thanking the store clerk, they both exit the jewelry store, but end up running into Kōzaburō. Locking Takumi's drone, the detective runs past Corpse God and Misaki and performs a very high jump, effortlessly snatching the drone out of the air and asking Takumi why he is attempting to run away.

Meanwhile, Tsubaki Iwanome enters Youtoukorou, saying that he is glad he was able to catch Clarissa this time and that he would like a chat with her. He asks Lisa about her involvement with yesterday's Shakuzawa fire and the tangled humans.

Arase apologizes to Corpse God and Misaki for startling them and tells them to please ignore him. While he tries to get Takumi to speak, Corpse God interrupts him, saying that that drone belongs to his friend. Arase tells him that being friends with someone like Takumi is no good and that Corpse God should immediately cut ties with him. Refusing to ignore his friend being badmouthed, he tells the detective that only *he* decides who he is friends with, snatching the drone out of Arase's hand without the latter noticing. Having his curiosity piqued now, Arase insists that the boy tell him about himself. A flashback plays out with Takumi explaining his previous experience with Arase, how the detective single-handedly wiped out the gang that Takumi previously belonged to, and that he is scary. Advising Corpse God not to answer his questions and to hide his powers, Takumi tells him that he can forget about his peaceful life if Arase sets his sights on him. Arase proceeds to ask Corpse God if Takumi was the one who asked to be friends and if his parents didn't teach him not to trust strangers who act nice. Corpse God retorts by saying that his "parents sold him, so he wouldn't know", which prompts the real Polka to remind Corpse God that he's still borrowing his body, so he shouldn't say those things.

As the risk of the police investigating Corpse God is becoming too great, Takumi decides to call Arase on the phone. He tells Arase that these two kids are his gaming buddies, whose relatives work at Clarissa's bar, and that they are innocent. Having filmed the entire scene with his drones, he also threatens the investigator by releasing a video of him "hassling innocent kids" onto the internet to get him back off. However, Arase is not impressed. Instead, he tells Corpse God and Misaki that Takumi is a guy who would sell out his friends in a heartbeat if he were to get into danger, just like how it happened the last time Takumi was part of a gang. Corpse God responds that even though Takumi might be loose-lipped, "that's better than what you are right now". Before the discussion can get any further, Misaki is revealed to have disappeared entirely from sight, instead standing right behind Arase, sending a chill down his spine. Arase reacts by swinging behind himself with a backhand strike, which Misaki easily evades, countering with a kick to Arase's abdomen and sending him hurtling backward. Misaki says she just "defended herself from a creep who was about to hit her" and that they should get out of there, upon which they run away. Arase remarks how that just now wasn't a kick from any ordinary kid. The two get away by being carried into the air with a large skeletal hand by Corpse God. Takumi then calls Corpse God and admits that Arase was right about him and would sell out their secrets without a second thought if his life were threatened. However, Corpse God responds by saying he doesn't care because he has no secret that's more valuable than a friend's life.

Back at the Shinjuku Police Station, Arase asks Saki Aikawa to investigate the footprint left by the kick to his abdomen. Exclaiming how funny that is, Aikawa recognizes it as a woman's shoe, "What the hell were you doing?" she asks. After looking at it for a few seconds, she proceeds to say that it won't be necessary to check that print and almost instantly pulls up a photograph of a shoe print from the human knot crime scene; it turns out to be the same shoe. Arase is amused, saying this might finally be "a case worth sinking my teeth into".

Two other investigators are seen talking about Lemmings. One of them explains how Lemmings is a mysterious and dangerous man willing to do any job: Murder, protection, transportation, kidnapping, robbery, destroying evidence, debt collection; it doesn't matter. He remarks how he has seen him in action himself; he was in battle against several men wielding submachine guns, and even though he was getting peppered by bullets from all directions, he wasn't even fazed and killed every one of them by snapping their necks. He did not dodge the bullets; they did nothing to him. Utterly unbeknownst to everyone in the building, Lemmings is present in the room from earlier, somehow remaining utterly unnoticed by all the people inside it. He is holding and looking at the photo of Misaki's footprint.

Tsubaki Iwanome is seen getting drunk in Youtoukorou. He drunkenly insists Clarissa admit to working with some Troublemakers: not Fire-breathing Bug or Lemmings; however, but the Grim Reaper. The bunny girls ask him who those people are and how cute the name "Lemmings" is. Iwanome says there's nothing cute about Lemmings; he scared him by breaking through a team of 30 men. Urai asks Clarissa if he should be saying that, but she says that there's nothing wrong with that, as this bar is part of the underworld, and nothing that happens in it goes public, either. However, the investigator's snooping around is dangerous, and just as Clarissa is considering warning Corpse God not to come here, Misaki arrives at the bar with him in tow. At the same time, Iwanome receives a text from Arase about people who may be involved in the human knot case; their traits match those of Misaki and Corpse God. Iwanome decides to strike up a conversation with them, offering them juice.

Takumi notices Arase heading out of the police station. Realizing that the policeman is headed to Youtoukorou, Takumi spills his coffee, completely missing that Lemmings can also be seen being on the move on his camera. Arase arrives at the bar, leading to a comedic moment where Misaki exclaims that he is the guy who tried to hit her and force himself on her, the latter of which Arase denies. Just as Iwanome and Arase will ask the two some questions, lest they be charged with obstruction of justice, the lights in the bar suddenly go out. Corpse God and Misaki want to use this chance to escape, but are stopped as Corpse God notices something on the ceiling. The two police officers also feel a menacing presence, suddenly getting chills. Clarissa says she will make some light and, lighting up a candle, illuminates the room, revealing Lemmings hanging from the chandelier. The Troublemaker drops down, landing on top of a table. Iwanome and Arase are unnerved by this turn of events.

"You've gotta be kidding me... What's *he* doing here? Lemmings!"

## Adaptation Notes

### Adapted From

* Chapter 6
* Chapter 7
* Chapter 8

### Changes

* The kick that Misaki Sakimiya gives Kōzaburō Arase is slightly different compared to the manga.
* The photographs of several Shinjuku troublemakers are anime-original and, therefore, the first time several troublemakers have been visually depicted.

## Trivia

* Ryouma Kannagi is the model featured on the National Traffic Safety Campaign posters inside the Shinjuku Police Station.
* Nishida is visible at the 17:58 timestamp.
* Aikawa chose Arase's animal profile picture.

## References

1. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play*: Volume 2, bonus comic.