History Recap / CreepshowS3E5TheLastTsubaraya

* AssholeVictim: Wade, the first protagonist in the series to be one thus far.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: After torching the last Tsuburaya, Wade is haunted by the monster depicted in it, loses his girlfriend, and ends up replacing the aformentioned monster, revealed to be a cursed Tsuburaya, in the mysteriously reconstructed painting.

* AssholeVictim: Wade, the first protagonist of a story in the series to be one thus far.

* BreakTheHaughty: As the monster continues pursuing him, Wade is gradually converted from a smug, money-drunk, asshole of a billionaire to a nervous wreck. He's even crying genuine tears for the first time in a ''long'' time, if not '''''ever,''''' as he hides in the closet.

* NightmareFetishist: Art collectors across the world are said to have paid millions for Tsuburaya's bloody and gorey paintings, whereas his paintings of things like butterflies and landscapes are virtually worthless to his fanbase.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Mai gives a short one to Wade after he burns the painting, rebuking him for getting his jollies by destroying irreplaceable relics, and comparing his inhumanity to Tsuburaya himself.

* SealedEvilInACan: The monster depicted in the last Tsuburaya manages to escape the painting when Wade burns it, after which it goes after him with intent to kill.

** Though she dumps him and moves out, Gisa is last seen in Wade's penthouse, being interviewed by a detective over her ex-boyfriend's death. Given that she's established to be a GoldDigger (albeit a good-hearted one), one can only hope that the cops at the scene don't jump to conclusions and snap on the cuffs.

Many centuries ago, Japanese artist Ishiro Tsuburaya (Joseph Stephen Yang) made a name for himself by painting many haunting and gruesome paintings that depict monsters and ghouls disemboweling helpless victims. Tsuburaya was believed to demonstrate a sense of contempt and disdain for mankind in his lifetime, and it is theorized that his paintings (which have since become sought-after by collectors worldwide) are an allegory for "man's inner cruelty", or perhaps the cruelty of the artist himself. In the present day, Tsuburaya's sole descendant, Best Buy employee Bobby Tanaka (Joe Ando Hirsh), is seated in the office of legal attorney Mitch Duclon (Kenny Alfonso), being informed of his ancestor's work and legacy. He is accompanied by Dr. Mai Sato (Gina Hiraizumi), curator of the Ōta Museum of Art in Tokyo, whose fellow art historians have uncovered a long lost Tsuburaya piece, locked inside a crate that was discovered in a monastery at the base of Mt. Fuji, seen by no other person but the artist himself. Tsuburaya had it stated in his will that upon the 100th anniversary of his death, the painting would be passed over to his possible descendants, leaving Bobby the sole heir to the mysterious painting.

Before Bobby can finalize his thoughts about his new acquisition, the immoral, arrogant, and heartless billionaire Wade Cruise (Brandon Quinn) struts into the meeting, accompanied by his artist girlfriend Gisa (Jane Fernandez). Dr. Sato makes her animosity toward the pair known almost instantly, hating the former for "absconding" with artworks that she wanted for her museum, and the latter for agreeing to create pieces exclusively for a man as monstrous as Wade for money. After taking a look at Bobby and his "Average Joe" appearance, Wade persuades the awkward young man that he could auction off the painting to Dr. Sato's museum, or sell it to him by offering to transfer $20 million to his bank account, a far higher price than Sato or her museum could afford. The only stipulation Cruise gives is that he collects the painting immediately, sight unseen. Dr. Sato objects to Wade's terms, stating that the painting is a lost jewel of Japanese culture, and should be hung in her museum for all to see. Wade rebuffs her claims by explaining to Bobby that Tsuburaya was also known for painting butterflies, trees, and landscapes. While lovely, these works are considered worthless by the artist's fanbase, and then proceeds to psych Bobby out by making him consider whether the unseen painting may be either a monstrous visage worth of millions of dollars, or a peaceful sunset that may score him a $100 tax-write off. As Wade gradually lowers his price to $10 million, Bobby finally relents and tells Cruise to take the painting. Before leaving with the piece, Wade does invite the angered Dr. Sato to his penthouse apartment for a private unveiling of the work.

That night, during the party, Wade opens the crate and lays eyes on Tsuburaya's long lost painting for the first time, revealing that it depicts a demonic monster devouring a helpless person. After observing the painting's grotesque appearance and describing what it looks like in positive-but-vague terms, Wade proceeds to burn the painting with a blowtorch so that not only will he be the only person who ever gets to see it, but also so he can relish in the shock and horror of all the art-lovers in attendance. The act incites unbridled rage and horror from Dr. Sato, who insists the painting was irreplaceable and meant to be displayed in her museum. She furiously rebukes Wade for using his money to find joy through destruction, comparing his inhumanity to that of Tsuburaya himself before leaving. After the guests leave, Gisa, sharing her disappointment that her boyfriend has once again bought something one-of-a-kind and destroyed it just so no one else can have it, attempts to recreate the painting based on Wade's vague description. As she does, she tells Wade about her very first work of art: a drawing of a cat she made when she was three, which she sold to her father for a quarter. She also mentions that she grew up with four, loud older brothers,
who overshadowed her to the point where she didn't think her father knew she existed, and believed that no one would notice her unless she created something they valued.

In a stark contrast, Wade rebuts that he was an only child whose rich parents would shower with whatever he wanted, and he inherited their fortune and their technological empire after they died. Pretty soon, Wade discovered that there was no thrill or substance in being able to buy whatever he wanted simply because he could, but one day, he was looking to purchase a rare $300,000 vase, the owner of which was eager to sell because he needed the money so his daughter could receive a desperately needed heart transplant. Upon refusing the offer, Wade noticed that the pain and desperation in the man's eyes caused by his money granted him a perverse thrill, and it was there that he experienced a twisted revelation: the joys of sadism. He eventually went back to the store with only $100,000, and the man snapped at it, eager to get ''anything'' to give to the doctor. Six months after, Wade mentions that he sold the vase at an auction for $1.3 million, and not giving any cares about the fact that the man's daughter likely died from his little stunt. He then looks over Gisa's illustration, psyching her out by telling her that she may or may not have gotten it wrong.

Later that night, Wade notices one of his paintings staring straight at him with orange, demonic eyes. Upon checking his one of his art books to see if the painting accurate, the painting gains pupils and frowns at him. When he looks back in the book, he sees that the painting has transformed into the same one he burned, frightening him into dropping the book. After shrugging off the experience, Wade sees the monster's face in one of his sculptures, which he also shrugs off. He then notices Gisa's illustration of the monster roar at him, viscous liquid pouring from its mouth. When Gisa hears him drop his glass in shock, Wade blames it on the stiffness of his drink. As he gets ready for bed, Wade sees the monster behind him in the mirror, lit by a flash of lightning. After turning around to see nothing there, Wade bears witness as his mirror becomes surrounded by clawed hands trying to grab him. From the bed, Gisa tells Wade about Tsuburaya's similar contempt for humankind, saying that the duo would be best friends. As Wade climbs into bed himself, Gisa transforms into the monster, making Wade recoil. The real Gisa runs in, hearing the commotion, just as Wade sees that the monster is gone and runs out of the room. He desperately roots through the burned fragments of the painting, explaining to Gisa that the creature from said painting is loose in the penthouse. Gisa believes Wade's ramblings to actually be a result of the guilt from all the atrocities he has ever committed, but Wade scoffs at her, claiming that "guilt is for losers" and "being human is overrated". Incensed by her boyfriend's sheer immorality, Gisa leaves him, vowing to find a place to go. After she leaves, the monster reappears in front of Wade, blocking the front door when tries to escape and forcing him to briefly take shelter in his closet. After escaping his penthouse, Wade spends the night sleeping in Duclon's office floor. Duclon, upon finding Wade, doesn't believe his story about the monster or his claims that the painting was tampered with, leaving to get security. The monster reappears from the ceiling and pounces on Wade, who stabs it with a pointed trophy. The monster screeches in pain and disappears, but Wade notices its blood still on the sculpture, realizing that the creature can be injured and therefore killed as security throws him out.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Nearly every person in the story detests Wade, even his girlfriend, and they aren't shy about letting him know it. The only exception to this is Bobby, who is too naïve and awkward to fully realize what's going on.
* AgonizingStomachWound: Tsuburaya is finally killed when he is impaled through the stomach with a spear.
* AssholeVictim: Wade, the first main protagonist of a story in the series worthy of the role.
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: As he begins transforming into the monster, Wade charges at the spear he used to kill Tsuburaya and impales himself with it. Unfortunately, it doesn't help.
* BileFascination: Dr. Sato tells Bobby that this is the reason why Tsuburaya's paintings are so popular, saying that the people of his time were utterly horrified, but they just couldn't look away.
* BittersweetEnding: Dr. Sato fails to acquire the last Tsuburaya for her museum and is forced to watch it being destroyed before her eyes, but the person responsible for it ''does'' receive karmic justice for his actions, as well as having his girlfriend leave him.
** Additionally, on the bitter side, said girlfriend is last seen being interviewed by the police about her boyfriend's murder, which may not end well for her. But on the sweet side, Bobby, the naïve descendant of Tsuburaya, is spared from inheriting the cursed painting his ancestor created, and is likely living large on the $10 million (originally $20 million) he now has in his bank account.
* BreakTheHaughty: As the monster continues hounding and pursuing him, Wade is gradually converted from a smug, money-drunk, asshole billionaire to a nervous wreck, even crying genuine tears for the first time in a ''long'' time, if not '''''ever.'''''
* ChalkOutline: One of these, albeit in blood instead of chalk, is seen on the window where Wade killed himself... in the shape of the monster instead of a person.
* ComedicSociopathy: Wade might just be the term "schadenfreude" given human form, since he specifically uses his money to screw with people so he can relish in their misery and sorrow. It's shown in agonizing detail when he unveils the last Tsuburaya for the very first time, keeps it hidden from everyone else's view, vaguely describes what it looks like (while hyping it up in the process), and then ''burns it'' in front of everyone for the sake absorbing the shocked, horrified, and slack-jawed looks on their faces. As Gisa notes, this isn't the first time he's destroyed an incredibly rare treasure just for his own sick pleasure.
* CreepyChangingPainting: This happens quite a few times with Wade's paintings as the monster from the one he burned makes its presence known. At the very end, one of them changes into the last Tsuburaya, revealing that Wade is now cursed to the same fate as its creator.
* DecoyProtagonist: Bobby, the sole descendant of Tsuburaya, is introduced as an "Average Joe" working at a Best Buy who suddenly comes into the possession of a mysterious painting that is likely cursed. Once Wade is introduced, he forces Bobby to sell him the painting by offering to transfer $20 million (which he then lowers to $10 million) to his bank account. Once the painting is sold, Bobby disappears from the story completely.
* DyingCurse: Tsuburaya was cursed into becoming the monster he created upon his death as retribution for his hatred of mankind. When Wade kills him, the curse transfers to him, even after he stabs himself to death.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: While it isn't actually seen or proven, it can easily be determined that Bobby is going to be living large on the millions of dollars in his bank account, enough for him to never work at Best Buy again.
* EurekaMoment: When he is ambushed in Duclon's office, Wade stabs the monster in the stomach with a trophy, causing it to disappear. He then discovers the creature's blood is still on the trophy, making him realize that the creature can be injured and therefore killed.
* EvilHand: At one point, Wade's bedroom mirror is surrounded by black, clawed hands that try to reach out and grab him.
* EvilWearsBlack: The heartless Wade is never wearing anything other than black clothing.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Wade ends up cursing himself into a demonic monster trapped in a painting that is unlikely to be destroyed anytime soon.
* ForcedToWatch: The art-lovers at Wade's unveiling are forced to watch in horror as he burns the last Tsuburaya in front of them just for the hell of it.
* ForeShadowing: While in bed, Gisa tells Wade that he and Tsuburaya would have been best friends because of their shared disdain for humanity. "Gisa" is then revealed to be the monster, which itself is later revealed to be Tsuburaya, who ends up released from the curse when Wade kills him and ends up taking his place.
* ForTheEvulz: Wade has a habit of using his money specifically to make people miserable. The first victim of his sadism was a man who needed $300,000 so his daughter could get a heart transplant. He reminisces that the look of pain and desperation on the man's face was "like fucking crack" to him.
* FreudianExcuse: Gisa reveals that she got into art because she grew up with four older brothers, who overshadowed her to the point where she thinks her dad didn't even know he ''had'' a daughter, and made her believe that the only way people would notice her was if she created something they valued.
* GoldDigger: Gisa is a rare good-hearted one, since she has the same amount of contempt for Wade that everyone else does, and only stays with him because he paid for her apartment and hired her to create artwork exclusively for him.
* GuiltComplex: What Gisa assumes Wade is experiencing when the monster begins stalking him. He shrugs it off by admitting that he thinks guilt and being human are wastes of time.
* HateSink: '''Wade''', who is written to be as unlikable and detestable as possible, is actually the first protagonist in the series to be one of these. He uses his money to destroy irreplaceable objects just for the hell of it, treats everyone, even his girlfriend, like absolute crap, and indirectly caused the death of a man's sick daughter in the past. Needless to say, he ''very'' much deserves his FateWorseThanDeath.
** Tsuburaya himself is mentioned to have been horrifically inhuman in life, so much so that it cursed him into becoming the very creature he created. It's also implied that his monster form is actively seeking Wade because he is the perfect individual to replace him.
* InformedAttribute: Wade is mentioned to be a "tech mega billionaire", but at no point in the story do we ever see him do anything tech-related.
* {{Irony}}: Wade pressures Bobby into selling him the last Tsuburaya by transferring 10 million to his bank account, thinking nothing of it at the time. After he burns it, Wade finds out that he got a raw deal, and ends up battling a vicious monster before being subjected to a FateWorseThanDeath. Bobby, meanwhile, gets to live it up on Wade's millions and presumably quit his mediocre day job.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Wade only cares about himself and his money, which he uses to ruin peoples' dreams.
* {{Kappa}}: Two of them appear in one of Tsuburaya's paintings, devouring a helpless man.
* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: For years, Wade has been using his money to make people miserable and destroy irreplaceable treasures solely for shits and giggles. The cursed painting he ends up buying is, thankfully, what ends his reign of terror.
* KickTheDog: Wade's act of burning the last Tsuburaya in front of all the art lovers gathered in his penthouse, Gisa included.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: After torching the last Tsuburaya, Wade is haunted by the monster depicted in it, loses his girlfriend, and ends up replacing the monster, revealed to be a cursed Tsuburaya, in the mysteriously reconstructed painting.
* LargeHam: Wade, who goes full-on cartoon villain with how reprehensible he is.
* LetsGetDangerous: Wade arms himself with a samurai sword and a vintage gun when he finally decides to tackle the monster head-on.
* LivingDrawing: Tsuburaya is revealed to have been cursed into one of his own creations because of his unending hatred for humanity. Wade, who expresses a very similar mindset, ends up taking his place at the end of the story.

* MisanthropeSupreme: When he was alive, Tsuburaya was known to hate humankind with an intense passion. He channeled this passion into a series of gruesome paintings where helpless people are dismembered by demons and monsters.
** Wade also has this mentality, using his money to screw with everyone he can, even his girlfriend, because their comparative lack of wealth means that they're beneath him.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Wade is a vile caricature of billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos; the kind of men who can easily throw away millions of dollars for their own selfish reasons.
* OffscreenTeleportation: The monster is able to appear from absolutely anywhere to get the drop on Wade.
* OhNoNotAgain: Dr. Sato's reaction to Wade bursting in on her private meeting is the irritated recitation of his name, as well as an equally irritated greeting to Gisa, making it clear that the duo have barged in during these private meetings and buying artworks she wants for her museum ''many'' times before.
* OnlyChildSyndrome: Wade was an only child who was given whatever he wanted by his rich parents. This, along with him inheriting their fortune when they died, gradually turned him into the sadist he is today.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Even though she acts like Wade's equally-smug girlfriend in public, Gisa can't stand him and his inhumanity, only staying with him because he pays her to create artwork exclusively for him. Even before she met him, her pieces have been known to have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, just to give an example of how much she craves money.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: While inside the painting, Tsuburaya apparently had a lot of time to think about his hatred of humankind leading him to this state, and when Wade kills him, he expresses a small sense of relief in knowing that his ordeal is over.
* ReducedToDust: Once Tsuburaya finally dies, his body transforms into ash that is blown away by an unseen wind.
* RidiculouslyAverageGuy: Bobby is a naïve and awkward person who is fully described as "some guy working in a Best Buy in Fullerton". Wade takes advantage of his "Average Joe" status to dupe him into selling him his ancestor's long lost painting.
* {{Sadist}}: Again, Wade, who claims that "guilt is for losers" and "being human is overrated".
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Wade cites his vast amount of money as the reason for doing whatever he wants with what he buys.
* SealedEvilInACan: The monster depicted in the last Tsuburaya manages to escape its canvas when Wade burns it, after which it goes after him with the intent to kill him.
* SellOut: Gisa is considered one by Dr. Sato, who resents her for associating herself Wade, the immoral billionaire who has repeatedly stolen work she wanted for her museum, and being paid to create artwork exclusively for him.

** Ishiro Tsuburaya's name is a mashup of Creator/IshiroHonda and Creator/EijiTsuburaya, the co-creators of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''. This is humorously alluded to by the fact that the monster looks like, and even moves like it, a man wearing a rubber suit.

** One of the Japanese artists Dr. Sato namedrops during the opening is named [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros "Yoshi-Doshi".]]
* SpoiledBrat: Wade mentions that he was one of these growing up, since his parents showered him with whatever he wanted.
* SpookyPainting: Tsuburaya specialized in creating these, and the subject of one of them in particular begins haunting Wade after he burns it.
* TrophyViolence: Wade stabs the monster with a trophy owned by Mitch, which causes it to disappear. Wade is clued in that he can kill the monster when he finds its blood still on the trophy.
* TheUnreveal: It's never revealed how exactly Tsuburaya was transformed into the monster and trapped in that painting, nor is there any indication as to who was responsible for it. What ''is'' revealed is that killing him prompted the curse to transfer to Wade.
* VillainProtagonist: Wade, one of the most vile characters of the series yet.
* WallOfWeapons: Wade has one in his penthouse, decorated with antique swords and vintage guns. He later uses some of these weapons to fight back against the monster near the ending.
* WouldHurtAChild: Wade tells Gisa a story about how he was looking to buy a $300,000 vase, the owner of which needed the money so his daughter could receive a heart transplant. When Wade refused, the pain he saw in the owner's eyes gave him a perverse, sadistic thrill. He eventually went back with only $100,000, which the owner snapped at, hoping for ''anything'' to give the doctor. Six months later, Wade sold the vase at an auction for ''$1.3 million''. And as the cherry on top, it's made quite clear that he doesn't care that his little stunt very likely caused the girl in question to die.
* {{Youkai}}: Tsuburaya painted several of them gruesomely mutilating helpless victims.
* YouMonster: Gisa flat out calls Wade a monster while listening to him tell the above story.

** One of the Japanese artists Dr. Sato namedrops during the opening is named [[Franchise/SuperMarioBrothers "Yoshi-Doshi".]]

That night, during the party, Wade opens the crate and lays eyes on Tsuburaya's long lost painting for the first time, revealing that it depicts a monstrous demon devouring a person. After observing the painting's grotesque appearance and describing what it looks like in positive-but-vague terms, Wade proceeds to burn the painting with a blowtorch so that not only will he be the only person who ever gets to see it, but also so he can relish in the shock and horror of all the art-lovers in attendance. The act incites unbridled rage and horror from Dr. Sato, who insists the painting was irreplaceable and meant to be displayed in her museum. She furiously rebukes Wade for using his money to find joy through destruction, comparing his inhumanity to that of Tsuburaya himself before leaving. After the guests leave, Gisa, sharing her disappointment that her boyfriend has once again bought something one-of-a-kind and destroyed it just so no one else can have it, attempts to recreate the painting based on Wade's vague description. As she does, she tells Wade about her very first work of art: a drawing of a cat she made when she was three, which she sold to her father for a quarter. She also mentions that she grew up with four, loud older brothers,

Later that night, Wade notices one of his paintings staring straight at him with orange, demonic eyes. Upon checking his one of his art books to see if the painting accurate, the painting gains pupils and frowns at him. When he looks back in the book, he sees that the painting has transformed into the same one he burned, frightening him into dropping the book. After shrugging off the experience, Wade sees the demon's face in one of his sculptures, which he also shrugs off. He then notices Gisa's illustration of the demon roar at him, viscous liquid pouring from its mouth. When Gisa hears him drop his glass in shock, Wade blames it on the stiffness of his drink. As he gets ready for bed, Wade sees the demon behind him in the mirror, lit by a flash of lightning. After turning around to see nothing there, Wade bears witness as his mirror becomes surrounded by clawed hands trying to grab him. From the bed, Gisa tells Wade about Tsuburaya's similar contempt for humankind, saying that the duo would be best friends. As Wade climbs into bed himself, Gisa transforms into the demon, making Wade recoil. The real Gisa runs in, hearing the commotion, just as Wade sees that the demon is gone and runs out of the room. He desperately roots through the burned fragments of the painting, explaining to Gisa that the creature from said painting is loose in the penthouse. Gisa believes Wade's ramblings to actually be a result of the guilt from all the atrocities he has ever committed, but Wade scoffs at her, claiming that "guilt is for losers" and "being human is overrated". Incensed by her boyfriend's sheer immorality, Gisa leaves him, vowing to find a place to go. After she leaves, the demon reappears in front of Wade, blocking the front door when tries to escape and forcing him to briefly take shelter in his closet. After escaping his penthouse, Wade spends the night sleeping in Duclon's office floor. Duclon, upon finding Wade, doesn't believe his story about the demon or his claims that the painting was tampered with, leaving to get security. The demon reappears from the ceiling and pounces on Wade, who stabs it with a pointed sculpture. The demon screeches in pain and disappears, but Wade notices its blood still on the sculpture, realizing that the creature can be injured and therefore killed as security throws him out.

Returning to his penthouse, Wade arms himself with a sword and gun. When the demon approaches, Wade enters combat with it and manages to shoot it. When the demon shrugs off the bullet, Wade grabs a spear and stabs it in the stomach, pinning it to the window. As the demon slowly dies, Wade watches as it turns into Tsuburaya himself. Tsuburaya weakly explains that upon his death, he was cursed into becoming the very demon he created, a grim symbol of his hatred for mankind, and trapped inside the painting. Tsuburaya tells Wade that in burning the painting and killing him, he has subjected himself to the same fate, just before he disappears into a windswept cloud of ash. Wade then discovers his hands have been replaced by the demon's, just as he begins transforming into the creature himself. In a last-ditch attempt to escape what he has brought upon himself, Wade charges at the spear he impaled Tsuburaya on and impales himself on it, killing himself. Sometime later, the police are investigating the crime scene and interviewing Gisa, but they neglect to notice the demon's bloody outline on the window. The painting that glared at Wade earlier transforms into the last Tsuburaya, revealing that Wade's attempt to escape the curse failed, and he is now doomed to forever remain a demon trapped inside a painting as punishment for his wickedness.

* AssholeVictim: Wade, the first protagonist of a story in the series worthy of the role.
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: As he begins transforming into the demon, Wade charges at the spear he used to kill Tsuburaya and impales himself with it. Unfortunately, it doesn't help.

* ChalkOutline: One of these, albeit in blood instead of chalk, is seen on the window where Wade killed himself... in the shape of the demon instead of a person.
* ComedicSociopathy: Wade might just be the term "schadenfreude" given human form, since he specifically uses his money to screw with people so he can relish in their misery and sorrow. It's shown in agonizing detail when he unveils the last Tsuburaya for the very first time, keeps it hidden from everyone else's view, vaguely describes what it looks like (hyping it up in the process), and then ''burns it'' in front of everyone for the sake absorbing the shocked looks on their faces. As Gisa notes, this isn't the first time he's destroyed an incredibly rare treasure just for his own sick pleasure.
* CreepyChangingPainting: This happens quite a few times with Wade's paintings as the demon from the one he burned makes its presence known. At the very end, one of them changes into the last Tsuburaya, revealing that Wade is now cursed to the same fate as its creator.
* DecoyProtagonist: Bobby, the sole descendant of Tsuburaya, is introduced as an average Joe working at a Best Buy who suddenly comes into the possession of a mysterious painting that is likely cursed. Once Wade is introduced, he forces Bobby to sell him the painting by offering to transfer $20 million (which he then lowers to $10 million) to his bank account. Once the painting is sold, Bobby completely disappears from the story.
* DyingCurse: Tsuburaya was cursed into becoming the demon he created upon his death as retribution for his hatred of mankind. When Wade kills him, the curse transfers to him, even after he stabs himself to death.
* EurekaMoment: When he is ambushed in Duclon's office, Wade stabs the demon in the stomach with a statue, causing it to disappear. He then discovers the creature's blood is still on the statue, making him realize that the creature can be injured and therefore killed.

* EvilWearsBlack: The heartless Wade is never wearing anything but black clothing.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Wade ends up cursing himself into a monstrous demon trapped in a painting that is unlikely to be destroyed anytime soon.

* ForeShadowing: While in bed, Gisa tells Wade that he and Tsuburaya would have been best friends because of their shared disdain for humanity. "Gisa" is then revealed to be the demon, which itself is revealed to be Tsuburaya, who ends up released from the curse when Wade kills him and ends up taking his place.

* GuiltComplex: What Gisa assumes Wade is experiencing when the demon begins stalking him. He shrugs it off by admitting that he thinks guilt and being human are wastes of time.

** Tsuburaya himself is mentioned to have been horrifically inhuman in life, so much so that it cursed him into becoming the very demon he created. It's also implied that his demon form is actively seeking Wade because he is the perfect individual to replace him.

* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: Wade has been using his money to make people miserable for years. The cursed painting he ends up buying is, thankfully, what ends his reign of terror.

* LivingDrawing: Tsuburaya is revealed to have been cursed into one of his own creations because of his unending hatred for humanity. Wade, who expresses similar feelings for people in general, ends up taking his place at the end of the story.

* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Even though she acts like Wade's equally-smug girlfriend in public, Gisa can't stand him and his inhumanity, only staying with him because he pays her to create artwork exclusively for him. And bear in mind, her artworks created ''before'' becoming his girlfriend sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

* SellOut: Gisa is considered one by Dr. Sato, who resents her for associating herself Wade, the immoral billionaire who has repeatedly stolen work she wanted for her museum, and being paid to create artwork exclusively for him.

** Ishiro Tsuburaya's name is a mashup of Creator/IshiroHonda and Creator/EijiTsuburaya, the co-creators of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''. This is humorously alluded to by the fact that the demon looks and moves like a man wearing a rubber suit.

** The law firm that Duclon works at his named [[Creator/StephenKing "King]] & [[Creator/MaryShelley Shelley."]]

* TheUnreveal: It's never revealed how exactly Tsuburaya was transformed into the demon and trapped in that painting, nor is there any indication as to who was responsible for it. What ''is'' revealed is that killing him prompted the curse to transfer to Wade.

* WallOfWeapons: Wade has one in his penthouse, decorated with antique swords and vintage guns. He later uses some of these weapons to fight back against the demon near the ending.

Centuries ago, Japanese artist Ishiro Tsuburaya (Joseph Stephen Yang) made a name for himself by painting haunting and gruesome images of monsters and ghouls disemboweling helpless victims. As Tsuburaya had demonstrated a sense of contempt and disdain for mankind in life, it is theorized that his paintings (which have since become sought-after collectors items) are an allegory for man's inner cruelty, or perhaps the cruelty of Tsuburaya himself. In the present, Tsuburaya's sole descendant, Best Buy employee Bobby Tanaka (Joe Ando Hirsh), is seated in the office of attorney Mitch Duclon (Kenny Alfonso), being informed of his ancestor's work and legacy. He is accompanied by Dr. Mai Sato (Gina Hiraizumi), curator of the Ōta Museum of Art in Tokyo, whose fellow historians have uncovered a long lost Tsuburaya piece, locked inside a crate discovered in a monastery at the base of Mt. Fuji, seen by no one except the artist himself. Tsuburaya's will has stated that on the 100th anniversary of his death, the painting would be relinquished to his possible descendants, leaving Bobby the sole heir to the mysterious piece.

Before Bobby can finalize his thoughts about the painting, immoral, arrogant, and heartless tech billionaire Wade Cruise (Brandon Quinn) struts into the meeting, accompanied by his artist girlfriend Gisa (Jane Ferndandez). Dr. Sato makes it known that she is not fond of Wade and Gisa, the former for absconding with artwork that she wanted for her museum, and the latter for being paid to create pieces exclusively for a man as wicked as Wade. After taking a look at Bobby's "Average Joe" appearance, Wade persuades the young man that he could auction off the painting, or sell it to him by offering to transfer 20 million dollars to his bank account, a far higher price than Dr. Sato's museum could afford, on the condition that he hands the painting over immediately, sight unseen. Dr. Sato objects to Wade's terms, stating that the painting should be hung in her museum for all to see. Wade rebuffs her claims by informing Bobby that Tsuburaya also painted butterflies, trees, and landscapes, which are considered worthless by his fanbase, then proceeds to psych him out by making him consider whether the unseen painting may be either a monstrous visage guaranteed to make him rich, or a peaceful landscape that may score him a decent tax-write off. As Wade gradually lowers his price, Bobby finally relents and tells him to take the painting. Before leaving with the piece, Wade does invite the angered Dr. Sato to his penthouse for a private unveiling of the piece.

That night, during the party, Wade opens the crate and lays eyes on the long lost painting for the first time, revealing that it depicts a monstrous demon devouring a person. After observing the painting's grotesque appearance and describing what it looks like in vague terms, he proceeds to burn it with a blowtorch so that not only will he be the only person who ever gets to see it, but also so he can relish in the shock and horror of all those in attendance. The act incites unbridled rage from Dr. Sato, who insists the painting was to be displayed in her museum and calls Wade out for using his money to find joy through destruction, comparing his inhumanity to that of Tsuburaya himself before leaving.

After the guests leave, Gisa, while sharing her disappointment that her boyfriend has once again bought something unique and destroyed it just so no one else can have it, attempts to recreate the painting based on Wade's vague description. As she does, she relates to Wade that her very first piece of artwork was a drawing of a cat she made when she was three, which she sold to her father for a quarter. She also mentions that she grew up being overshadowed by four older brothers, and believed that no one would notice her unless she created something they valued. In stark contrast, Wade mentions that he was an only child whose rich parents would shower with whatever he wanted, and he inherited their fortune after they died. Pretty soon, he discovered that there was no thrill in being able to buy whatever he wanted simply because he could. But one day, he was looking to purchase a rare $300,000 vase, the owner of which was grateful to sell because he needed the money so his daughter could receive a desperately needed heart transplant. Upon refusing, Wade noticed that the pain and desperation in the man's eyes caused by his money granted him a perverse thrill, and it was there that he experienced a revelation: the joys of sadism. He eventually went back to the store with only $100,000, and the man snapped at it, eager to get ''anything'' to give to the doctor. Six months after, Wade mentions that he sold the vase at an auction for $1.3 million, not giving any worry to the fact that the man's daughter likely died.

Later that night, Wade notices one of his painting staring at him with yellow, demonic eyes. Upon checking his one of his books to see if it is accurate, the painting gains pupils and frowns at him. When he looks back in the book, he sees that the painting has transformed into the one he burned, frightening him into dropping it. After shrugging off the experience, Wade notices the demon's face in one of his sculptures, which he also shrugs off. He also notices Gisa's illustration of the demon roar at him, viscous liquid pouring from its mouth. When Gisa hears him drop his glass, Wade blames it on the stiffness of his drink. As he gets ready for bed, he sees the demon behind him in the mirror, just before he witnesses said mirror become surrounded by grabbing, clawed hands. From the bed, Gisa mentions that Wade and Tsuburaya were essentially the same in their contempt for humanity. As Wade climbs into bed himself, Gisa transforms into the demon and vanishes. The real Gisa runs in, hearing the commotion, just as Wade runs out of the room. He desperately searches through the burned fragments of the painting, explaining to Gisa that the creature from said painting is loose in the penthouse. Gisa believes this to actually be a build-up of guilt from all the atrocities he has committed, but Wade scoffs at her, claiming that "guilt is for losers" and "being human is overrated". Incensed by her boyfriend's sheer inhumanity, Gisa leaves him. After she leaves, the demon reappears and blocks the front door as Wade tries to escape, forcing him to briefly take shelter in his closet.

After escaping, Wade spends the night sleeping in Duclon's office. Duclon does not believe Wade's story about the demon or his claims that the painting was tampered with, leaving to get security. The demon pounces on Wade, who stabs it with a pointed sculpture. The demon disappears, but Wade notices its blood still on the sculpture, realizing that it can be injured and therefore killed as security throws him out. Returning to his penthouse, Wade arms himself with a sword and gun. When the demon approaches, he enters combat with it and manages to shoot it. He then grabs a spear and stabs it in the stomach, pinning it to the window. As the demon dies, Wade watches as it transforms into Tsuburaya himself. Tsuburaya weakly explains that upon his death, his hatred for mankind led him to being cursed into the demon he created, and trapped inside the painting. Tsuburaya tells Wade that in releasing him, he has subjected himself to the same fate, before disappearing into a windswept cloud of ash. Wade then begins transforming into the demon himself, and in a last-ditch attempt to prevent his fate, charges at the spear he impaled Tsuburaya on and impales himself on it. Later, the police investigate the crime scene and interview Gisa, but neglect to notice the demon's outline surrounded by blood on the window. The painting that glared at Wade earlier transforms into the last Tsuburaya, revealing that Wade's attempt to evade his curse has failed.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Everyone in the story detests Wade, even his girlfriend, and they aren't shy about letting him know it. The only exception to his is Bobby, who is too naïve to fully realize who he is.
* AssholeVictim: The first protagonist of a story in the series worthy of the role.
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: As he begins transforming into the demon, Wade charges at the spear he used to kill Tsuburaya and kills himself with it. Unfortunately, it doesn't help.
* BittersweetEnding: Dr. Sato fails to acquire the last Tsuburaya and is forced to witness it being destroyed before her eyes, but the person responsible for it has received karmic justice for his actions, as well as having his girlfriend leave him. Additionally, Bobby, the naïve descendant of Tsuburaya, is spared from inheriting the cursed painting his ancestor created, and is likely living large on the 20 million dollars he now has in his bank account.
* ComedicSociopathy: Wade might just be the term "schadenfreude" given human form, since he specifically chooses to use his money to screw with people so he can relish in their misery and sorrow. It's shown in agonizing detail when he unveils the last Tsuburaya for the first time, keeps it hidden from anyone else's view, vaguely describes what it looks like, then ''burns it'' in front of everyone for the sake absorbing the shocked looks on their faces. As Gisa notes, this isn't the first time he's done this.

* DecoyProtagonist: Bobby, the sole heir of Tsuburaya, is introduced as an average Joe working at a Best Buy who suddenly comes into the possession of a mysterious painting that is likely cursed. Once Wade is introduced, he forces Bobby to sell him the painting by offering to transfer $20 million to his bank account. Once the painting is sold, Bobby completely disappears from the story.
* DyingCurse: Tsuburaya was cursed into becoming the demon he created upon his death. When Wade kills him, the curse transfers to him, even after he stabs himself to death.

* FateWorseThanDeath: Wade curses himself into a monstrous demon trapped in a painting that is unlikely to be destroyed anytime soon.
* ForeShadowing: Gisa, while in bed, tells Wade that he and Tsuburaya would have been best friends because of their shared disdain for humanity. "Gisa" is then revealed to be the demon, which itself is revealed to be Tsuburaya, who ends up released from the curse when Wade kills him and ends up taking his place.
* ForTheEvulz: Wade has a habit of using his money expressly to make people miserable. The first time he did this, it was on a man who needed $300,000 so his daughter could get an essential heart transplant. He reminisces that the look of pain and desperation on the man's face was "like fucking crack" to him.
* FreudianExcuse: Gisa mentions that the reason she got into art was because she grew up with four older brothers, who overshadowed her to the point where she thinks her dad didn't even know he ''had'' a daughter, and made her believe that the only way people would notice her was if she created something that they valued.
* GoldDigger: Gisa can be seen as a rare, good-hearted version of one, since she is revealed to have the same amount of contempt for Wade that everyone else does, and only stays with him because he paid for her apartment and hired her to create artwork exclusively for his collection.

* HateSink: '''Wade''', who is written to be as unlikable and detestable as possible, is actually the first protagonist in the series to be one of these. He uses his money to destroy irreplaceable objects just for the thrill of it, treats everyone, even his girlfriend, like absolute crap, and indirectly caused the death of a man's daughter in the past. Needless to say, he ''very'' much deserves his FateWorseThanDeath.
** Tsuburaya himself is mentioned to be one of these as well, so much so that it cursed him into becoming the very demon he created. It's also implied that his demon form is seeking Wade because he is the perfect individual to replace him.
* InformedAttribute: Wade is mentioned to be a "tech billionaire", but at no point do we ever see him do anything tech-related.

* LivingDrawing: Tsuburaya is revealed to have been cursed into one of his own creations because of his unending hatred for humanity. Wade, who expresses similar feelings, ends up taking his place at the end.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Wade is a vile caricature of billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos; the kind of men who can easily throw away millions of dollars for their own reasons.

* ReducedToDust: Once Tsuburaya finally expires, his body transforms into ash that is blown away by an unseen wind.

* SellOut: Gisa is considered one by Dr. Sato, who resents her for siding with Wade, the immoral billionaire who has stolen work she wanted for her museum, and being paid exclusively to create artwork for him.

** Ishido Tsuburaya's name is a mashup of Creator/IshiroHonda and Creator/EijiTsuburaya, creators of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''. This is humorously alluded to by the fact that the demon moves like a man wearing a rubber suit.
** When offering to tell Wade about her very first sale, he accepts by replying [[Film/NightOfTheCreeps "Thrill me."]]

* SpoiledBrat: Wade mentions that he was one of these growing up, as his parents showered him with whatever he wanted.
* SpookyPainting: Tsuburaya specialized in these, and the subject of one of them in particular begins haunting Wade after he burns it.
* TheUnreveal: It's never revealed how exactly Tsuburaya was transformed into the demon and trapped in that painting. What ''is'' revealed is that killing him prompted the curse to transfer to Wade.
* VillainProtagonist: Wade.
* WallOfWeapons: Wade has one in his penthouse, decorated with antique swords and vintage guns. He later uses some of these weapons to fight back against the demon.
* WouldHurtAChild: Wade tells Gisa a story about how he was looking to buy a $300,000 vase, the owner of which needed the money so his daughter could receive a heart transplant. Wade refused, and the pain he saw in the owner's eyes gave him a perverse, sadistic thrill. He eventually went back with only $100,000, which the owner snapped at, hoping for ''anything'' to give the doctor. Six months later, Wade sold the vase at an auction for ''$1.3 million''. And as the cherry on top, it's made quite clear that he doesn't care that his little stunt very likely caused the girl in question to die.

Centuries ago, Japanese artist Ishido Tsuburaya (Joseph Stephen Yang) made a name for himself by painting haunting and gruesome images of monsters and ghouls disembowling helpless victims. As Tsuburaya had demonstrated a sense of contempt and disdain for mankind in life, it is theorized that his paintings (which have since become sought-after collectors items) are an allegory for man's inner cruelty, or perhaps the cruelty of Tsuburaya himself. In the present, Tsuburaya's sole descendant, Best Buy employee Bobby Tanaka (Joe Ando Hirsh), is seated in the office of attorney Mitch Duclon (Kenny Alfonso), being informed of his ancestor's work and legacy. He is accompanied by Dr. Mai Sato (Gina Hiraizumi), curator of the Ōta Museum of Art in Tokyo, whose fellow historians have uncovered a long lost Tsuburaya piece, locked inside a crate discovered in a monastery at the base of Mt. Fuji, seen by no one except the artist himself. Tsuburaya's will has stated that on the 100th anniversary of his death, the painting would be relinquished to his possible descendants, leaving Bobby the sole heir to the mysterious piece.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Everyone in the story detests Wade, even his girlfriend, and they aren't shy about letting him know it.
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: As he begins transforming into the demon, Wade impales himself on the spear he used to kill Tsuburaya. Unfortunately, it doesn't help.

* ComedicSociopathy: Wade might just be the term "schadenfreude" given human form, since he specifically chooses to use his money to make people miserable so he can relish their sorrow and discomfort. It's shown in agonizing detail when he unveils the last Tsuburaya for the first time, vaguely describes what it looks like, then ''burns it'' in front of everyone for the sake of making them miserable. As Gisa notes, this isn't the first time he's done this.

* DecoyProtagonist: Bobby, the sole heir of Tsuburaya, is introduced as an average Joe who suddenly comes into the possession of a mysterious painting that is likely cursed. Once Wade is introduced, he forces Bobby to sell him the painting by transferring $20 million to his bank account. Once the painting is sold, Bobby completely disappears from the story.

* ForeShadowing: Gisa, while in bed, tells Wade that he and Tsuburaya would have been best friends because of their shared disdain for humanity. "Gisa" is then revealed to be the demon, which itself is revealed to be Tsuburaya, who ends up released from the curse when Wade takes his place.
* ForTheEvulz: Wade has a habit of using his money expressly to make people miserable. The first time he did this, it was on a man who needed $300,000 for a heart transplant for his daughter. He reminisces that the look of pain and desperation on the man's face was "like fucking crack" to him.
* FreudianExcuse: Gisa mentions that the reason she got into art was because she grew up with four older brothers, who overshadowed her to the point where she thinks her dad didn't even know he had a daughter, and made her believe that the only way she would be noticed was if she created something that people valued.
* GoldDigger: Gisa can be seen as a rare, good-hearted version of this, since she is revealed to have the same amount of contempt for Wade that everyone else does, and only stays with him because he paid for her apartment and hired her to create artwork exclusively for his collection.

* LivingDrawing: Tsuburaya is revealed to have been cursed into one of his own creations because of his unending hatred for humanity. Wade, who expresses similar feelings for people, ends up taking his place at the end.

** Ishido Tsuburaya's name is a mashup of Creator/IshiroHonda and Creator/EijiTsuburaya, creators of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''. This is humorously alluded to by the fact that the demon looks like a rubber suit.

* WouldHurtAChild: Wade relates the story of how he was looking to buy a $300,000 vase, the owner of which needed the money so his daughter could get a heart transplant. Wade refused, and the pain he saw in the owner's eyes gave him a perverse, sadistic thrill. He eventually went back with only $100,000, which the owner snapped at, hoping for ''anything'' to give the doctor. Six months later, Wade sold the vase at an auction for ''$1.3 million''. And as the cherry on top, it's made quite clear that he doesn't care that his little stunt very likely caused the girl in question to die.

* BittersweetEnding: Dr. Sato fails to acquire the last Tsuburaya and is forced to witness it being destroyed before her eyes, but the person responsible for it has received karmic justice for his actions, as well as having his girlfriend leave him. Additionally, Bobby, the naïve descendant of Tsuburaya, is spared from inheriting the cursed painting his ancestor crated, and is likely living large on the 20 million dollars he now has in his bank account.

That night, during the party, Wade opens the crate and lays eyes on the long lost painting for the first time, revealing that it depicts a monstrous demon devouring a person. After observing the painting's grotesque appearance and describing what it looks like in vague terms, he proceeds to burn it with a blowtorch so that not only will he be the only person who ever gets to see it, but also he can also relish in the shock and horror of all those in attendance. The act incites unbridled rage from Dr. Sato, who insists the painting was to be displayed in her museum and calls Wade out for using his money to find joy through destruction, comparing his inhumanity to that of Tsuburaya himself before leaving.

Centuries ago, Japanese artist Ishido Tsuburaya (Joseph Stephen Yang) made a name for himself by painting haunting and gruesome images of monsters and ghouls. As Tsuburaya had demonstrated a sense of contempt and disdain for mankind in life, it is theorized that his paintings (which have since become sought-after collectors items) are an allegory for man's inner cruelty, or perhaps the man's own cruelty. In the present, Tsuburaya's sole descendant, Best Buy employee Bobby Tanaka (Joe Ando Hirsh), is seated in the office of attorney Mitch Duclon (Kenny Alfonso), being informed of his ancestor's work and history. He is accompanied by Dr. Mai Sato (Gina Hiraizumi), curator of the Ōta Museum of Art in Tokyo, whose fellow historians have uncovered a long lost Tsuburaya painting, locked inside a crate discovered inside a monastery at the base of Mt. Fuji, seen by no one except the artist himself. Tsuburaya's will has stated that on the 100th anniversary of his death, the painting would be relinquished to his descendants, leaving Bobby the sole heir to the mysterious piece.

Before Bobby can finalize his thoughts about the painting, immoral, arrogant, and heartless tech billionaire Wade Cruise (Brandon Quinn) struts into the meeting, accompanied by his artist girlfriend Gisa (Jane Ferndandez). Dr. Sato makes it known that she is not fond of Wade and Gisa, the former for absconding with artwork that she wanted for her museum, and the latter for being paid to create pieces exclusively for Wade. Taking a look at Bobby's "Average Joe" appearance, Wade persuades the young man that he could auction off the painting, or sell it to him by offering to transfer 20 million dollars to his bank account, a far higher price than Dr. Sato's museum could afford, on the condition that he hands the painting over immediately, unseen. Dr. Sato objects to Wade's terms, stating that the painting should be hung in her museum for all to see. Wade rebuffs her claims by informing Bobby that Tsuburaya also painted butterflies, trees, and landscapes, which are considered worthless by his fanbase, and proceeds to psych him out by making him consider whether the unseen painting may either be a monstrous visage guaranteed to make him rich, or a peaceful landscape that may score him a decent tax-write off. As Wade gradually lowers his price, Bobby finally relents and tells him to take the painting. Before leaving with the piece, Wade does invite the angered Dr. Sato to his penthouse for a private unveiling of the piece.

That night, during the party, Wade opens the crate and lays eyes on the long lost painting for the first time, revealing that it depicts a monstrous demon devouring a person. After observing the painting's grotesque appearance and describing what it looks like in vague terms, he proceeds to burn it with a blowtorch so that not only will he be the only other person who ever gets to see it, but so he can also relish in the shock and horror of all those in attendance. The act incites unbridled rage from Dr. Sato, who insists the painting was to be hung in a museum and calls Wade out for using his money to find joy through destruction and sadism, comparing his inhumanity to that of Tsuburaya himself before leaving.

After the guests leave, Gisa, while sharing her disappointment that her boyfriend has once again bought something unique and destroyed it just so no one else can have it, attempts to recreate the painting based on Wade's vague description. As she does, she relates that her very first piece of artwork was a drawing of a cat that she made when she was three, which she sold to her father for a quarter. She also mentions that she grew up being overshadowed by four older brothers, and believed that no one would notice her unless she created something they valued. Wade, in response, mentions that he was an only child whose rich parents would shower with whatever he wanted, and he inherited their fortune after they died. Pretty soon, he discovered that there was no thrill in being able to buy whatever he wanted simply because it was expensive. But one day, he was looking to purchase a rare $300,000 vase, the owner of which was grateful to sell because his daughter needed a heart transplant. Upon refusing, Wade noticed that the pain and desperation in the man's eyes caused by his money granted him a perverse thrill, introducing him to the concept of joy through sadism. He eventually went back to the store with only $100,000, and the man snapped at it, eager to get ''anything'' to give to the doctor. Six months after, Wade mentions that he sold the vase at an auction for $1.3 million, not giving any worry to the fact that the man's daughter likely died.

Later that night, Wade notices one of his painting staring at him with yellow, demonic eyes. Upon checking his one of his books to see if it is accurate, the painting gains slit pupils and frowns at him. When he looks back in the book, he sees that the painting has transformed into the one he burned, frightening him into dropping it. After shrugging off the experience, Wade notices the demon's face in one of his sculptures, which he also shrugs off. He also notices Gisa's illustration of the demon roar at him, viscous liquid pouring from its mouth. When Gisa hears the commotion, Wade blames it on the stiffness of his drink. As he gets ready for bed, he sees the demon behind him in the mirror, just before he witnesses said mirror become surrounded by grabbing, clawed hands. From their bed, Gisa mentions that Wade and Tsuburaya were essentially the same in their contempt for humanity. As Wade climbs into bed himself, Gisa transforms into the demon and vanishes. The real Gisa watches the panicking Wade search through the burned fragments of the painting, explaining that the creature from said painting is loose in the penthouse. Gisa believes this to actually be the build-up of guilt of all the atrocities he has committed, but Wade claims that "guilt is for losers" and "being human is overrated", prompting Gisa to leave him. The demon reappears and blocks the front door, forcing Wade to briefly take shelter in his closet.

After escaping, Wade spends the night sleeping in Duclon's office. Duclon does not believe Wade's story about the demon or his claims that he tampered with the painting, leaving to get security. The demon pounces on Wade, who stabs it with a pointed sculpture. The demon disappears, but Wade notices its blood still on the sculpture, realizing that it can be injured and therefore killed as security throws him out. Returning to his penthouse, Wade arms himself with a sword and gun. When the demon approaches, he grabs a spear and stabs it in the stomach, pinning it to the window. As the demon dies, Wade watches as it transforms into Tsuburaya himself. Tsuburaya weakly explains that upon his death, his hatred for mankind led him to being cursed into the demon, and trapped inside the painting. Tsuburaya tells Wade that in releasing him, he has subjected himself to the same fate, before disappearing into ash. Wade then begins transforming into the demon himself, and in a last attempt to prevent his fate, charges at the spear he impaled Tsuburaya on and impales himself on it. Later, the police investigate the crime scene and interview Gisa, but neglect to notice the demon's outline surrounded by blood on the window. The painting that glared at Wade earlier transforms into the last Tsuburaya, revealing that Wade's attempt to evade his fate worse than death failed.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Nearly everyone in the story detests Wade, even his girlfriend, and they aren't shy about letting him know it.

* BittersweetEnding: Dr. Sato fails to acquire the last Tsuburaya and is forced to witness it being destroyed before her eyes, but the person responsible for it has received karmic justice for his actions, as well as having his girlfriend leave him.
* ComedicSociopathy: Wade might just be the term "schadenfreude" given human form, since he specifically chooses to use his money to make people miserable so he can relish their misfortune and discomfort. It's shown in agonizing detail when he unveils the last Tsuburaya for the first time, vaguely describes what it looks like, then ''burns it'' in front of everyone for the sake of making them miserable. As Gisa notes, this isn't the first time he's done this.
* CreepyChangingPainting: Happens quite a few times with Wade's paintings as the demon from the painting he burned makes its presence known. At the very end, one of them changes into the last Tsuburaya, revealing that Wade is now cursed to the same fate as its creator.
* DecoyProtagonist: Bobby, the sole heir of Tsuburaya, is introduced as an average Joe who suddenly comes into the possession of a mysterious painting that is likely cursed. Once Wade is introduced, he essentially forces Bobby to sell him the painting by transferring $20 million to his bank account, and once the painting is sold, he completely disappears from the story.
* DyingCurse: Tsuburaya was cursed into transforming into the demon he created upon his death. When Wade kills him, the curse transfers to him, even after he stabs himself to death.
* EurekaMoment: Wade stabbing the demon in the stomach with a statue and causing it to disappear, but also discovering that the creature's blood is still on the statue, making him realize that the creature can be injured and therefore killed.

* ForeShadowing: Gisa, while in bed, tells Wade that he and Tsuburaya would be best friends because of their shared disdain for humanity. "Gisa" is then revealed to be the demon, which itself is revealed to be Tsuburaya, who ends up released from the curse when Wade ends up taking his place.

* GoldDigger: Gisa can be seen as a rare, good-hearted version of this, since she is revealed to have the same amount of contempt for Wade that everyone else does, and only stays with him because he hired her to create artwork exclusively for his collection.

* HateSink: '''Wade''', who is written to be as unlikable and detestable as possible, is actually the first protagonist in the series to be one of these. He uses his money to destroy irreplaceable objects just for the thrill of it, treats everyone, even his girlfriend, like absolute crap, and may have likely indirectly caused the death of a little girl in the past. Needless to say, he ''very'' much deserves his FateWorseThanDeath.

* LivingDrawing: Tsuburaya is revealed to have been cursed into one of his own creations because of his unending hatred for humanity. Wade, who expresses similar feelings for people, is forced to take his place as the next demon.

** Ishido Tsuburaya's name is a mashup of Creator/IshiroHonda and Creator/EijiTsuburaya, creators of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''. This is humorously alluded to by the fact that the demon looks like a man in a rubber suit.

* WouldHurtAChild: Wade relates the story of how he sold a $300,000 vase at an auction for ''$1.3 million'', in spite of the fact that the man who owned it needed the money for a heart transplant for his daughter. It's also made obvious that he doesn't care that his little stunt very likely caused the girl in question to die.