Kyokou Suiri is a mystery novel by Shirodaira Kyo. It was originally published in 2011 under the title Kyokou Suiri: Steel Man Nanase and was later adapted into a comic in Magazine Z. As both a mystery novel and a biographical work, Kyokou Suiri: Steel Man Nanase tells the story of Steel Man Nanase, a monster born from an urban legend. We'd like to delve into the secrets of Steel Man Nanase.
Who exactly is Steel Man Nanase? What kind of being is he?
Steel Man Nanase is an urban legend about the idol "Karin Nanase," who died in an accident earlier this year. The story of the "Steel Man Nanase" is that she "wears a frilly dress, wields a rugged steel beam, and attacks people every night, with her face painted black." However, the mystery surrounding her death remains, and her relatives also died under mysterious circumstances, creating a bit of a festival on the internet. Furthermore, the celebrations have grown even more intense with the addition of eyewitness accounts of people being attacked by "Steel Man Nanase."
About Karin Nanase and Her Family, the Inspirer of "Koujin Nanase"
Koujin Nanase is inspired by the idol "Karin Nanase," who died in an accident. Karin Nanase, whose real name was Haruko Nanase, was scouted because of her large breasts, but she was actually incredibly intelligent and her quick thinking led to her gradual rise in popularity. However, behind the scenes, she was said to be a person filled with ambition and ambition. Just as her entertainment career was gaining momentum, with her being selected for the lead role in a drama and performing the theme song, her father died under mysterious circumstances.
About Her Father's Death
Haruko Nanase's father falls to his death at home. Although the incident was ruled innocent, it was later discovered that Haruko's father had complained about Haruko to those around him and that he felt "murderous intent from Haruko," which led to a sudden media investigation.
What is the true identity and purpose of the strange, immortal monster "Steel Man Nanase"?
To put it simply, Koujin Nanase is a real monster. He's not some imaginary creature sprouting from urban legend, but a real monster that attacks people. Physical attacks are obviously ineffective against him, and he's immortal, with no visible weaknesses that are usually present in supernatural beings. In this work, beings like yokai and ghosts do exist, and the main character, Kotoko Iwanaga, serves as an advisor to these supernatural beings. However, even for Kotoko, who has become a god of wisdom and is well-versed in various supernatural phenomena, Koujin Nanase remains a unique being.
Spoilers about Steel Man Nanase's true identity and purpose
Steel Man Nanase's true identity is a "monster born from an urban legend." She wasn't a monster born from Karin Nanase's hatred for the world; she was the embodiment of an image born from an online festival. As a result, Steel Man Nanase has no real purpose. Her reason for existence and her driving force were her desire for online residents.
Steel Man Nanase Was a Product of Imagination! And to make matters even more complicated...
Koujin Nanase is a monster born of the imagination; that is, the source of his power lies in those who believe he is a real monster. To make matters even more complicated, when Saki Yumihara, a police officer who was independently investigating Koujin Nanase, murdered Terada, Koujin Nanase. The simple murder of a powerful police officer and the mystery of his motives further fueled rumors that Koujin Nanase was a real monster, further increasing his violent behavior. And to make matters even more complicated, this rumor turned out to be undeniably true.
So how do we defeat him? How to Kill "Koujin Nanase"
Koujin Nanase, a monster born of the imagination, cannot be killed by conventional means. His death was caused by online posts, specifically the "Koujin Nanase" aggregator site. He was born from the "Koujin Nanase" aggregator site, and the aggregator site itself was his source of power. In other words, unless we do something about the rumors, we can't kill him.
Manipulating Public Opinion with Fiction
In order to defeat Koujin Nanase, protagonist Kotoko Iwanaga, her partner Kuro Sakuragawa, and police officer Saki Yumihara, representing the general public, attempt to change public opinion about the existence of Koujin Nanase and eliminate her. However, Kotoko and her friends' manipulation of public opinion, claiming that Koujin Nanase is a real monster and that she does not exist, is a lie. In other words, they use fiction to convince internet users that Koujin Nanase is gone.
Be careful when manipulating public opinion
There were problems with trying to manipulate public opinion to eliminate Koujin Nanase. It would require fabricating a rational reason for Terada's murder, the identity of the perpetrator, and even Koujin Nanase's motives. However, to do that, a culprit would be needed, and a fabricated culprit would inevitably be found innocent. In Werewolf terms, it's on the verge of collapse. The most interesting part of the series is how public opinion is convinced from this situation.
Who created "Koujin Nanase"? The True Mastermind Exists
Koujin Nanase is a monster born of the imagination, and its true identity can be said to be the Koujin Nanase aggregator site itself. However, if the creation of an aggregator site were to give birth to monsters, the world would be filled with monsters. There is a mastermind who actively contributed to the creation of Koujin Nanase. The person who created the monster by launching an aggregator site and manipulating public opinion is...
Sakuragawa Rikka, Kuro's cousin
The true identity of the mastermind is Sakuragawa Rikka, Kuro's cousin. Like Kuro, she possesses the ability to remain immortal even after death and to determine the future by facing death. Using this ability, she creates public opinion powerful enough to create the Steel Man Nanase, and engages in a battle of public opinion manipulation with Kotoko online. Rikka's true goal was to create a supernatural phenomenon in order to restore her body to normal, and Steel Man Nanase was one of those experiments.
[Instantiation] Steel Man Nanase Summary
In Instantiation, Steel Man Nanase's existence is a major mystery, and the way this mystery is unravelled and resolved is extremely fascinating. The ending is very satisfying, so I recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries. This work can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, including anime, novels, and manga, so if you like it, I encourage you to try it out in various media!
