Key: The Metal Idol, episode 10, “Bug.” Written and directed by Hiroaki Satō. Produced by Shigehiro Suzuki and Atsushi Tanuma. Music by Tamiya Terashima. Studio Pierrot, 1994-1996. 13 episodes and 2 movies. Rated 16+.
Available on Crunchyroll.
Hard to believe we have only a few episodes left until it’s time for the two movies.
Akane and Key are still looking for their big break, but it may come in the form of the creepy, bespectacled naked dude we saw in the two episodes previous. As it turns out, Tataki, who knows a lot of the ins and outs of the idol industry, recognizes him: He’s none other than Hikaru Tsurugi, a genius with many careers and his hands in many projects.
Attempting to frustrate Key’s fledgling career, however, is Prince Snake-eye, who now sports an eye patch after his violent encounter with Sergei. He obviously means well, though his methods are questionable: He bugs Key and Akane’s phone, and then he threatens every company that might consider giving Key a job. Assisting him are the parents of the boy whose life Key saved. They believe Key is heading into serious danger and are trying to save her from it. It’s not clear yet if they’re actually helping or hurting, but their dedication to her is admirable.
Snake-eye’s attempt to intimidate Hikaru Tsurugi backfires, however: That only makes Tsurugi more interested.
Meanwhile, Ajo is still about the business of getting Miho back on the stage and is trying to find some other idols who might assist her.At the same time, his scientists continue working on his robot army, and we learn a few more details about how they function. The substance called “gel” is extracted from the human pilot and infused into the robot. Only the person from whom the gel comes can successfully pilot the machine. Attempts to pilot machines running on other people’s gel are not going well.
While all this is going on, Tataki continues his amateur investigation. He travels to the small village from which Key came and discovers there that someone dug up her grandfather’s grave. Besides that, he discovered two photographs, one of which has not been shown to us clearly, though it indicates that Key has a connection to Ajo. A flashback (apparent to us but not to Tataki) reveals that Ajo was present when Sergei killed Key’s grandfather. That flashback also seems to confirm that the mysterious shrine maiden we’ve previously glimpsed is indeed Key’s mother.
Akane’s attempts to get Key work are beginning to frustrate her—perhaps because every agent she talks to is more interested in her than in Key.
