Episode 07

**The Magician** (奇術師 *Kijutsushi*) is the seventh episode of the *Dead Mount Death Play* anime.

## Official Blurb

The Shinoyama family is out of danger, but the Corpse God must still explain himself to Polka's father, Rozan! How will the gruff tycoon react to his youngest son's fate? Meanwhile, an eccentric criminal stages a jailbreak.

## Synopsis

Lemmings informs Takeru that "Polka" reached Kazuki and Shizuki before he did. Takeru asks for details.

Once resituated in the annex, Rozan dismisses his three hidden bodyguards when Corpse God requests privacy. Corpse God explains that he is an otherworlder who reincarnated in Polka's corpse and alluded to Misaki's culpability for Polka's death. Misaki says that Rozan would be within his rights to kill her and that she is unafraid of him, for he is a good person.

The little shark plush flings between Misaki and Rozan's katana and spreads its flippers wide, just as a young Polka had done for his pet albino crocodile Shiro when Rozan intended to kill it. Rozan incredulously recognizes the plush as Polka and bursts into laughter both at the ridiculous situation and how Polka seems to be *enjoying* himself. Since Corpse God needs his own vessel before he can return to Polka, his body, Rozan is willing to provide Corpse God one of the Shinoyama Group's androids. Polka calls dibs on being a robot instead, enthusiastically demanding modifications like a rock drill and flight capabilities.

Between the hit on Polka's life and Polka's utter disinterest in reclaiming his body, Rozan concedes that Corpse God may continue borrowing the latter for now; after all, Polka seems safer this way. He also concedes that Misaki *did* save two of his grandchildren, so although he has not "let her off the hook" for killing his son, he will let her leave for today. Once she and the Polkas do, he speculates that the intermediary they mentioned is probably Lisa, someone he would rather avoid tangling with due to the heavy hitters in her arsenal. As much as he would also rather avoid the idea of a family member wanting Polka dead, he cannot discount it, and he supposes this must be karma catching up with him.

Outside the damaged manor, Polka informs Takumi over a call that he had told Rozan the truth. Misaki finally apologizes to Polka for murdering him and thanks him for coming to her defense. Polka, if anything, is more upset about losing his textbooks and video games to the fire than his own death. Corpse God has met few souls who are as open with their murderer as Polka is; he smiles at a memory of the last such soul.

Kazuki and Shizuki then run over to thank Misaki and Polka for saving their lives. "Polka" replies that the credit goes to the fortuneteller Corpse God and the twins' guardian angel. Before he and Misaki check on Polka's pet, Misaki asks Corpse God if he intends to form a contract with Suzuka. Corpse God looks back at Suzuka, 'hugging' the twins in utter contentment. Eventually, he replies, but not now.

In Tokyo Penitentiary, Iwanome informs Arase and the "Phantom Solitaire" Tena Sorimura that the real Fire-breathing Bug incinerated a patrol car and its arsonist occupant. In other words, Solitaire says, Bug preyed on a mimic. When Iwanome denies his request for another look at the Shakuzawa Building footage, Solitaire decides to see it himself. The lights switch off. Arase switches on his flashlight only to discover Solitaire is long gone. Under a late afternoon sky, Solitaire immediately begins plotting his comeback tour.

Comps-3 assembles for an emergency meeting wherein Iwanome briefs his subordinates on Solitaire's criminal career, which consisted of three years' worth of magic tricks and illusions and ended when Solitaire turned himself in. Solitaire had never hurt or killed anyone unless one counts Japanese stocks or the reputation of Japanese security, which took a tumble when Solitaire captured and released Japan's prime minister and the opposition parties leaders. This stunt gave Solitaire a global spotlight that he had squandered, for he demanded no money or other boons. However, the motive he had professed to Iwanome pre-incarceration is a child's fantasy: Solitaire wants proof that real Magic exists. He performs his magic tricks, hoping to attract the *real* supernatural. It remains indeterminable how much of Solitaire's claimed motive was/is true or false. At any rate, Iwanome says, Solitaire's 'superhuman' energy and technique are far from Solitaire's worst qualities.

Corpse God shows off to Takumi a ¥2,000 antique radio he bought on the way home and tunes it to a news channel; a female anchor of which is reporting on the death of a suspected arsonist; Takumi confirms the arsonist is the Shinoyama one. The channel moves on to more breaking news, this time about Tena Sorimura. In the Shinjuku Police Station, Fumiyo Yamada ushers Iwanome, Arase, and a third Comps-3 man to the television: a familiar mustachioed news anchor is reporting on Solitaire's prison breakout despite Iwanome's media muzzle. Takumi, meanwhile, has to explain to Corpse God and Hosorogi who Solitaire is since Hosorogi died before Solitaire began his criminal spree. Misaki wonders why the news anchor's voice changed from a woman's to a man's.

Iwanome flicks through the television channels with increasing alarm, for each broadcast the same feed. The news anchor—Solitaire—removes his glasses and announces that he will resume performing a week from now, so the police ought to take advantage of their grace period. His villainous airs are undermined when he indecisively fumbles his sign-off catchphrase. Solitaire's face on the police's TV screen is replaced by the equally frazzled faces of the anchors of the news channel the TV is set to. Arase wonders how Solitaire managed to jack the airwaves. Iwanome says he probably bought airtime from The Grocer, who remains as much of a merchant in his cell as he was out of it.

*Click edit to add Solitaire's clash with Fire-breathing Bug.*

## Adapted From

* Chapter 18
* Chapter 19
* Chapter 20

Changes
* The shot of an abnormally tall man watching Solitaire's broadcast in a public square is anime-original.

TBA

## Trivia

* Narita likely drew inspiration for Solitaire's Metropolitan Government disappearing trick from the American illusionist David Copperfield's vanishing of the Statue of Liberty in 1983. He has previously referenced that incident in *Baccano!*
* The manga that Prime Minister Yumenosuke Kubikigawara had when he awoken in a Manga Cafe was the first volume copy of Murciélago.