Hi! I loved this post, only saw it now because I’m introducing my cousin to Kyary (we’re seeing her in London in two weeks) I came across this as I was making searches to refresh my memory on the meaning of the rafflesia (stench of death).

The sad boy with the transformation belt- well a transformation belt is a device used in Shonen anime to transform the (almost always male- it being shonen) protagonist into his super sentai form (!) or what have you.
In relation to the little boy, he’s a *little* boy, so he wouldn’t mind wearing a toy transformation belt (English language equivalent would be little boys wearing cowboy hats or Darth Vader masks in public) in order for him to have more fun in the world, for him to lift his mood.
Like the girl, like Kyary, the boy does not have this “attachment” for any purpose other than feeling better about himself. It’s entirely an internal level up. It just strenghtens your point about the point of makeup in KPP’s world view being that it is for feeling good rather than looking good for the sake of other people’s gaze.

Thanks for the post again (I’m two years late lol)
I’ve felt this way about Tsukema Tsukeru for years now and it’s nice to see someone else have the same understanding of it!
I’ll say hi if I see you at the concert in KOKO ^_^