I’m trying to steal a few hours at a coffee shop in Cap Hill. I just want to get some writing done, but all I can think about is the girl a few blocks away. Her name is Nyaruchuu, and she’s a cartoon.
“Your relationships may not last. But this Eternal Shooting Star Idol will!” reads the text beside her giant jellied eyes. At the bottom of the graphic, Nyaruchuu’s social media handles are listed. At Broadway and 10th, the billboard occupies prime real estate for advertising—a high-traffic intersection catching southbound commuters heading home from the metro. And, later, when I call the person responsible for coordinating the purchase, I learn it was $4,500 for the spot and that it wasn’t the first. The original billboard was up north on Walnut Street, and it was $2,000. “Alone? Good,” the previous iteration read. Both were birthday presents for the girl whose age is listed online as “Forever 18.”
I have no idea what I’m about to get into. I scroll through Nyaruchuu’s Twitter page and fi…
