Previous episode above.
One of the “indie-like experiments” in the original NEEDY game, I think, was its realistic portrayal of emotional stress.
Things like having to reply to Ame-chan—burdens that held no actual gameplay significance—created a sense of realism, almost like living together with someone in real life.
This episode is the “slice-of-life episode” of the series.
I deliberately saved the peaceful everyday life between the new characters and KAngel until the very end. Structurally, putting such a burden on the finale was probably a terrible idea. But only by coming this far could Ame—one of the most troublesome heroines in galge history—finally learn how to connect with other people.
There were times people misunderstood and thought I hated Ame-chan or enjoyed tormenting her, but I hope they’ll believe it came from parental love. Though I do like the developments of Episode 11. Because I held back until now, peaceful KAngel in Episode 12 was cuter than ever, wasn’t she?
Pietà.
I saw the real thing at the Vatican.
The Virgin Mary cradling the wounded Christ.
In this anime, only Kache has earned the right to embody “motherhood.” As long as they’re a streamer running away from reality, they can’t become one. You might not even be capable of love. As Kache raged in Episode 9, among stars whose suffering itself appears glamorous, “motherhood” has nothing to do with numbers or appearances. Only Kache, who simply struggled honestly through life, could embrace the crucified Jesus.
That’s why Lollipop brought Kache along.
The ramen shop employee is “normal.” So when he sees girls dressed in purple, in lolita fashion, crossdressing—or even one with pink-and-blue twintails—without the filter of the internet, he naturally keeps his distance. Which is why he’s interested in Kache, who is “beautiful in a normal way.”
It was so cool my eyes nearly popped out. The first episode of Gundam 00 Season 2, I mean...
Only now, in Episode 12, do we finally get ordinary scenes.
It took so long... Back in Episodes 4 or 5, I could never have imagined opening herself up to others like this. Though personally I’m not much into fanservice, so I was surprised at how long the bath scene was. I was the one who wrote that Michica and KAngel needed to bare their souls to one another, so I had them bathe together. I just didn’t expect everyone to get in.
To truly connect with others, you have to trust them and share your secrets. In that sense, Michica has learned how to socialize. KAngel herself hasn’t really revealed much yet, so it’s only a first step. Under different circumstances they might have become close naturally—or maybe, because they’re so alike, they would eventually have fought.
People repeatedly criticized me for tackling themes like overdose and self-harm, and Episode 12 contains my own answer to those criticisms.
That answer took twelve episodes to reach. And there’s still next week.
She looks beautiful in mourning clothes.
Ame had finally started opening up, at least a little, to Nechika.
Her role was incredibly important. I assigned themes of truth, goodness, and beauty to everyone, and despite all that, the person Ame ultimately opened her heart to—even just a little—was Nechika, my own attempt at writing goodness itself.
You need a proper ritual whenever anime characters get in a car. But since the usual clichés are so overdone, I decided we should carefully include the water-passing ritual too. Thanks to that, I absolutely love the surreal way Michica quietly performs the motion.
The director put everything into the dialogue during the drive scene, doing countless retakes. The result is incredible tension. Though honestly, can she even reach the pedals? If she has a driver's license, then she’s adapted to society better than the rest of us.
If KAngel is happy, then that’s enough.
It felt like a finale, but there’s still next week.
The song itself is so short that it doesn’t really convey the story leading up to these lyrics, so let me write them here.
I always intended everything—Miyazawa Kenji, my views on the internet—to lead here.
The phenomenon known as Internet Angel
（インターネット・エンジェルという現象は）
Is a hypothetical organic electric rainbow lamp—
（仮定された有機交流電燈の）
Cute, rainbow-colored illumination, vui!
（かわいい虹色の照明です ぶいっ）
A composite of countless transparent accounts.
（あらゆる透明なアカウントの複合体）
I’m the loving angel Who will make you forget this shitty, garbage, disgusting reality.（このクソゴミカスキショキショな現実を忘れさせてあげる 慈愛の天使）
Don’t tell the grown-ups.
（大人のみんなにはナイショだぞ）
It’s okay. Nothing is scary anymore.
（大丈夫もうなにも怖くないから）
Let’s escape this SNS and go see the ocean together!
（こんなSNS抜けだして二人で海を見に行くぞ！）
INTERNET YAMERO!!!
（インターネットや・め・ろ〜！！！）
The success of this song brought both blessings and curses. Because of it, Aiobahn and I got tossed around relentlessly.
So much happened that I’m honestly amazed we never ended up fighting. But perhaps because even worse things happened afterward, we’ll probably stay together from now on.
We really worked hard, didn’t we?
I feel like I’ve finally managed to face this song, at least a little.
Black hair → two-tone → blonde → black again. She’s become a perfectly ordinary woman now.
This was also the moment when Ohisashiburi-san drew a slightly sexy picture.
Poor Kache-chan was always unlucky.
Now then, look forward to seeing how everyone else chose to live.
We prepared quite a lot for this. After all, whether we cry or laugh, NEEDY is finally coming to an end.
It’s sad, isn’t it, Ame-chan...
The end card was by Matcha-sensei, who painted such beautiful shades of blue.
Matcha-sensei loved the anime so much that this was actually their second contribution, including the countdown illustration.
Everyone became those little ¥2,000 figures!
We also compiled footage from all twelve episodes to create the full-length opening. Those moments were unquestionably fun.
Good night.
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