
Wilde delivers even shocking lines with a casual indifference. For example, she might say, “Okay, I’ll sleep with you, but you need to bring someone else for me too,” or casually hand off a partner with instructions like, “Have fun with her, but don’t let her go all the way – she’s not that close to me.” Erika is a larger-than-life character who embodies Araki’s tendency to push boundaries and challenge norms. She criticizes the lack of openness around sex in younger generations, disregards workplace etiquette, and makes statements like, “Sex is everything, and also nothing,” which initially sounds contradictory but actually captures the essence of Araki’s approach to depicting sex in his films. (For further insight into Araki’s work, I recommend reading my colleague E. Alex Jung’s insightful 2019 interview with him.)