Shiraishi An

Gender: Female Birthday: July 26 Height: 160 cm School: Kamiyama High School (2A) Committee: Broadcasting Club: Helps in sports clubs Hobby: Growing mint Talent: Making coffee and tea Favorite food: Rum raisin ice cream Disliked food: Tomatoes Dislikes: Ghosts, Scary stories

Shiraishi An is a second-year student at Kamiyama High School. She is a member of the street music group Vivid BAD SQUAD. The easy-going, yet determined and enthusiastic daughter of a famous busker, An's dream is to put on a show that will surpass her father's RAD WEEKEND. An's father was a popular musician who performed in the Shibuya street music scene. He now owns the live music bar and cafe WEEKEND GARAGE, where An works part-time. She hopes to surpass him by refounding RAD WEEKEND. Surrounded by music from a young age, she began singing because she felt a connection to it and wanted to be like her father. She has many connections in the street music scene as Ken's daughter. When Kohane returned to WEEKEND GARAGE after hearing An sing there, An invited her to form a band with her, calling themselves Vivids. After some rivalry, they join Akito and Toya from BAD DOGS to become Vivid BAD SQUAD, though she and Kohane still perform as a duo.

An has orange eyes and long black hair with blue tips, decorated with numerous small stars. She also has other accessories: a clapper clip, a hair clip, and an earring, also shaped like stars. In her casual attire, An wears a black T-shirt. Over it, she wears an unbuttoned, turquoise and white, oversized jacket. It has four pockets, two of which are on the sleeves. A large "HEADS" inscription can be seen on the left sleeve. An wears short, light-colored shorts with straps on the sides and green, one-piece headphones around her neck. She wears white sneakers.

An is a tough and outspoken girl with an unwavering spirit. She's generally very sweet and kind to her friends and loved ones, though she can be prone to teasing Akito about their friendly rivalry. Shiraishi makes a strong impression, regularly motivating and supporting others in their endeavors.

However, despite her strength of spirit, charisma and courage, An still has her own experiences, ranging from an unexpected genuine horror of ghosts and scary stories in general, to a fear of loneliness that comes from the need to remain a leader and support in the eyes of others.

Azusawa Kohane: A fellow band member, close friend, and partner. The story of Vivid's creation largely began with the motivation and confidence An gave Kohane.

At the very beginning of the group's main storyline, Azusawa's unexpected appearance at the café pleasantly surprises An, who, unlike Kohane herself, has been interested in music since early childhood and dreamed of finding a partner with whom she could sing songs and dispel her loneliness. She immediately tries to introduce her to street music culture and get her hooked, which Shiraishi successfully achieves.

Although An considered Kohane her partner, she nevertheless found it difficult to consider her an equal. Shiraishi was an overprotective friend to Azusawa, always worried about her shyness and lack of self-confidence, and therefore felt a sense of obligation to protect her, even when it was unnecessary. This is often even noted by the other characters. The "Bout for Beside You" event further explores their relationship. An's obsession with protecting her friend causes her stress and anxiety, fearing that after her personal growth, Kohane will leave her alone, realizing she no longer needs support and is confident enough to cope on her own. Azusawa's singing ability, oddly enough, also strained An. Noticing how Kohane is gradually beginning to surpass her in vocal ability, Shiraishi worries that this could leave her, too, as a burden, falling behind in skill. In the end, An pours out his heart to Kohane about his worries, to which she responds by promising to support her until the end.

At times, their friendship status is called into question. The most iconic example of this was the Peak Excitement! side story, in which An tells his father and the rest of Vivid about his scheduled date with, later revealed to be, Kohana.

Shinonome Akito: Bandmate, friend, and rival. An knew Akito before the events of the game due to his frequent visits to WEEKEND GARAGE, though she wasn't nearly as close to him as she had been after Vivid formed. They currently attend the same high school and regularly bicker over various things. While they may have arguments, their friendship never ends.

Their disagreements often stem from a dispute over who is the better duo in the group—Akito and Toya or Kohane and An. The main plot also indirectly touched on this topic. An's unexpected preference for Kohane offended Akito, who firmly believed their duo would fail due to Azusawa's lack of confidence and her limited experience in the musical field. The conflict is resolved after an incident at their performance, when one of Shinonome's friends turns off the sound. Afterward, Akito apologizes to the girls, feeling guilty for what happened, even knowing he didn't do anything at the time. Akito also secretly invites An and other friends over when Ena isn't looking.

Aoyagi Toya: Fellow group member. Just like Shinonome, Shiraishi knew Toya before the game even began, though she didn't interact with him much in person. An acknowledges his abilities, but she doesn't understand why Toya is always around Akito. Toya respects her in return, believing her to be "just like Akito." She treats Toya well, sometimes treating him and the other members to pancakes, at her own expense.

A sekai is a special virtual space formed from the inner feelings, thoughts, and desires of its characters. It's not just a digital world in the traditional sense, but a reflection of their emotional state: something they can't always verbalize in reality. Each sekai is unique because it is "assembled" from the experiences of a specific group of people and changes with them—if their feelings change, the world itself changes. A good example is the street sekai of the band Vivid BAD SQUAD. It looks like a city at night, with bright neon lights, graffiti, and the atmosphere of street music. This look is no accident: it reflects their desire for self-expression, their spirit of freedom, and their desire to achieve something greater in the world of music. This sekai seems to amplify their energy, reflecting their overall mood and how they see themselves and their goals. It's not just a backdrop, though—through it, the characters better understand themselves and each other, and find the strength to move forward.

Only those who possess it—members of Vivid BAD SQUAD—can enter the Sekai. To do this, find the song "Untitled" in your phone's playlist, which will appear when the Sekai itself is born. The song has no artist, album, or cover art, and is a silent, endless melody. After the song starts, a white veil with small, multicolored triangles, which are the components of the world, will gradually appear before your eyes. When you open your eyes, you will find yourself in virtual space.