The Tokyo Blade 2.5D stage play begins, and we get to watch a good chunk of the first act from the same perspective as the audience. The combination of traditional stage work, video, projection, lighting effects, wire work, and pyrotechnics all combine to form an immersive and compelling experience. The titular Blade and Kana’s Tsurugi set the stage with unimpeachably solid and confident performances.
Then it’s Harushima Melt’s turn, and we delve into why he sucks at acting and why he wants to change. He lost his virginity to a third-year girl when he was still in middle school, and learned that he was attractive and popular. People were naturally drawn to him, so he went with it, spending years strolling down Easy Streety with minimal effort or conviction.
Then he saw how inferior his acting was in Sweet Today and now in rehearsals. Even Raida doesn’t quite understand why Kaburagi cast Melt, but it wasn’t due to nepotism, or simply because Melt was pretty. Instead, Kaburagi had a hunch that under the right circumstances, Melt’s potential would be realized. Sure enough, Melt started working his ass off in the compressed schedule, and even reached out to Aqua for his advice.
Compared to the other actors, and his sparring partner Kamoshida Sakuya in particular, Melt was a lousy actor not much better than an amateur. So Aqua told him not to bother trying to improve every part of his performance throughout the play. Instead, he urged him to focus all of his energy into being great when it counted the most: when the audience had already made up their mind about him. They’d then be the most vulnerable to him suddenly delivering an awesome performance.
A surprised crowd is an entertained crowed, and Melt well and truly wins them over. Abiko is over the moon when he pulls off his acrobatics, while Yoriko and many others are moved to tears by his raw and resonant expression of frustration. Heck, even Sakuya gives him props backstage even though he ad-libbed, and encourages him to keep it up. Melt really showed everyone something out there, but more importantly, he showed himself that when he actually put the effort in, he’s capable of greatness.
