Welcome to Victory Script where we dissect the interesting episodes of anime throughout the ages, starting with Burn Up W episode 2 - Search for the Virtual Idol.

It starts with resident pervert cop Yuji talking to a virtual idol named Maria who tells him that she's going away, the reality is that her A.I is being downloaded into an android in order to transport her data to the villains in order to distribute the virtual drug, meanwhile the ring leader is approached by underworld investors but decides to utilize an android bodyguard to prove her point.
With all this going on, Rio's forever empty bank account forces her to try and sell her underwear but to no avail, Rio forcing Yuji to deal with bill collectors chasing Rio.
Word comes to Warrior about the Maria case as she's gone missing, Maria sets up a ransom for her own kidnapping as she's forced to use a body she's not used to.
Knowing that the android bodyguard is after Maria, Warrior sets up the exchange with Nanvel introduced to setup a mecha named El Huggante for heavy firepower to deal with the attack android.
The actual exchange doesn't go to plan as faulty equipment plagues Rio and Nanvel leading to both androids being destroyed, the episode ends with Maria's A.I stuck in El Huggante.
Three takeaways from this episode.
1. The high level creepiness of having to sell underwear to perverts, keep in mind Rio had to pretend to be a high schooler for a higher price, this was a thing back in the 90s but I'm not even going to attempt to find out if its still a thing today.
2. The fact that the A.I was built to smuggle the Virtual drug draws an interesting parallel between what Maria is being used for and what A.I today is being used for in the crypto market, there is quite alot of overlap there.
3. As early as 1996, there were already parodies of Eva unit 1, as El Huggante is a heavy, poorly functioning version of the Eva unit, Burn Up would later do an actual full parody of Evangelion in sequel series Burn Up Excess.

Next time on Victory Script
Smile Precure