Part 5: Japan - 1985 Edition
Part 3: Japan - 1985 EditionThe thread has spoken. We’re going with the matchbox.
“117-3149” is actually a number we can enter in the “Dial Phone” menu. Messing around results in a new area in which we can explore.
But can we order a pizza?
I’d rather get takeout, actually.
But before we go on with the case, there are a few tricks you can do with the phone. Dialing 000 000 0000 for example…
: “Do you know what? I think Toshi did it.”...tells you the most likely suspect at the time. It’s a quick and cheat way of narrowing down possible murderers.
Now if you dial in 110…
...we get yelled at by our very own Police Department. It’s a shame that Yasu took the brunt of the blow, but it is no one’s fault but his own that he dialed the number.
Can’t tell if “sob” or “SOB”.
That’s clearly a lower-case “b”.
Can it, you Sob.
Anyhow, let’s get down to it, shall we? Entering the matchbox’s phone number results in a few beeps, followed by someone picking up the phone.
I was really hoping “8675309” would be an Easter Egg number.
Namely, the Pal hostess bar. Kind of a weird name for a bar, but there have been worse.
Much worse.
Oh hell, I would totally go to that.
Trying to ask about Kouzou results in a puzzled response and a hang up on the other end. For now, let’s just get their address.
: “Would you mind telling us your address?”
: “Real...specific…”
With that, Shinkaichi has been opened up for investigation. Let’s mosey on down to get a drink, shall we?
Too bad I’m the DD.
Like everything else in the game, Shinkaichi looks like a toddler’s MS Paint masterpiece. And...Is that a strip club…?
COOL! Let’s go!
Entering the uncouth institution results in Yasu being overwhelmed by his male hormones. I’m pretty sure this game didn’t get the Nintendo Seal of Approval back then.
: “Go wild, kid…”: “You mean I can really go? Gladly!Wow, this is amazing!
It’s out of this world!
Oh, my!
Oh man, that was good!”
: “...I...what did I watch…?”Okay, this is territory even I wouldn’t go into.
Interrogating a nearby citizen reveals the Pal Bar’s location. Kouzou’s photo also elicits a small reaction from our fellow bystander, but it’s nothing that adds to the case.
Moving on...
For the record, a hostess bar is a location in which guys try to pick up women by buying them drinks.
So a normal bar.
Ahahahahahaha! Shut your filthy mouth. Ahahahahaha! Gonna gut you.
So far, Shinkaichi is about as appealing as a skunk’s odor.
We can attempt to start a bar fight, but unfortunately, Yasu rejects our notion and calls us a ridiculous sociopath.
Investigating the barman reveals that he doesn’t look like a liar. Unfortunately, anything we ask him only results in a negative response.
Instead, we need to show him Kouzou’s photo in order to elicit an informative response.
: “Take a look... at this photograph, please…”
: “Oh, this guy! Some time ago, this guy had a big fight here with [Mr. Kawamura].”: “Sorry to say it… but he won’t be coming around for drinks anymore… he’s dead.”: “What? He’s been killed?”
Now that the barman has mentioned Mr. Kawamura, we can prod him for more details.
: “Can you tell me what you know about Mr. Kawamura?”: “Now that you mention it, he hasn’t come around here recently.”
Unfortunately, that’s all we can do at the moment. Investigating Kawamura and the bar sets up an event flag that’ll allow us to progress later on, so it was well worth our time here.
“Hit rock bottom”
That was an awful joke.
Good.
While we’re in the area, let’s investigate the sign quickly.
: “The name [Okoi] Yuuhi is on display. Looks like she’s a dancer here.”Okoi gets put on the list of people we can haul in the interrogation room. However, since she has no connection to the case, we can’t pull her in.
Rather, let’s investigate her personal life and occupation. We can save her alibi for later when it becomes relevant.
Fun fact, “Shingeki” means “New drama” and is a Japanese retelling and performance of Western plays at the turn of the 20th century.
Congratulations! That is the first actual fact you have contributed to the case!
I’d like to thank Google search and Wikipedia.
Job
Okoi Yuuhi is a well-known stripper.
Oh, good.
Personal Life
She claims to have once been in the famous Takarazuka dance troupe, but whether that’s true is unknown.
Now that the bar’s done with, we have Toshi and Yukiko left to investigate. Since I flipped tails, we’re going with Yukiko to wrap this update up.
This ain’t no Pokemon card game, watchyoo doing flipping coins?
Let’s look at Yukiko’s profile first.
Job
Yukiko is Mr. Hirata’s only daughter. She’s in her junior year in high school.
Personal Life
At one time she’d been what we’d call a “juvenile delinquent”, but now she’s back in school, more serious about her studies.
If you recall, Mr. Hirata is the missing man in this case, so it was nice of her to lend us a hand as to his whereabouts.
Anyways, let’s call her out, shall we?
: “Name…?”
: “Your subordinate just introduced me…?”: “Name…?”: *sigh* “Hirata Yukiko.”
Let’s start from the top and make our way down.
Oh hey, wasn’t she in Sailor Moon?
I’d just like to say that I hate you for making that reference.
SHE IS THE ONE NAMED SAILOR MOON
Why am I friends with you again…?
: “Where were you around 9 P. M. on the 17th?”: Me? Why are you asking me such a thing? I mean, I was at home, but…”
Since her father owed a lot of money to Kouzou, it’s possible that she might be the culprit. However, let’s see what she has to say about the bald loan-shark first.
: “I’d like you to tell us what you know about Kouzou…”: “All I know is that my old man borrowed money from this guy.”
Let’s wrap it up by asking about Mr. Hirata. Hopefully, it won’t be any of that “oh, my dad couldn’t have done it!” bullshit.
: “I’d like you to tell us what you know about Mr. Hirata…”: “He said he was going to Kyoto… That’s all I know.”: “She’s lying… hit her, Yasu…”
Yukiko disappears, never to be seen again...until we haul her back in the interrogation room.
Typical. Hit a girl and she’ll come crawling back.
Anyways, let’s see if her alibi holds up.
: “It’s highly doubtful that she was lying when she said that she was at home.”: “Doubtful… but still possible…”Welp, her alibi is incriminating at worst, and suspicious at least.
Theorize
Yukiko
Her father was being harassed, but would she go so far as to kill because of that?