So did you see it?
Here's another look in slow motion.
Ow, ow, ow, ow!
Flour
Sugar
Salt! Salt!
Flour
Gotta purify this place quick!
Don't watch shows like this if you can't handle that stuff.
Found it!
Evil spirits, begone!
Salt
Take it out of the bag first!
Detectives These Days Are Crazy!
With Ghosts, Go for the Knees
I've never been able to handle dark places and ghosts and stuff.
They don't bother you, old dude?
Nah, not really.
I can't believe it. How?
I mean, there's no such thing as ghosts.
Okay, then, could you walk through a graveyard naked at night alone?
Bet you couldn't!
That's no prob—wait, is the naked part necessary?
Dets These Days
Ghosts and Santa share the same roots.
They're products of the imaginations of innocent children.
Santa, ghosts, God, the childhood buddy running up with toast in their mouth...
God
All illusions.
God
I bet you'd turn into a really nasty bound spirit if you died.
Welcome!
Wait.
Hayashida-kun.
Hey. So you really are working at a detective agency.
Oh, he's your classmate, huh?
Haven't seen you in a while.
Y-Yeah.
Since you don't come to school much, um, Mashiro-chan.
I'm keeping track of my attendance, though.
Oh, cool.
So, uh, wh-where'd your zodiac sign rank today?
Ah. They're not particularly good friends or anything.
Um, I'm here with a request.
What? From you?
Yeah. The thing is...
A ghost keeps showing up around my house.
For...
F-F-F-F-F-For real?!
Yeah. Every night around midnight, I sense something outside the house.
So I bought a cheap surveillance camera to watch for it.
But it suddenly showed static, and when the picture came back...
When I went outside to try to see what it was,
the camera displayed static again, and whatever it was I saw was gone.
Hmm, a nasty prank? A stalker?
There's a lot it could be, but Mashiro and I will stop by to check it out.
Guess you do react to some things like a normal girl, huh?
Must sacrifice fifty virgins to the mountain god right away.
Are you some crazy shaman lady from the boonies?
I don't think I can do this one.
Hey, Mashiro.
Does the detective you wanna be choose clients based on your moods and preferences?
I won't say it's wrong to escape to the easiest path,
but no matter how far you go on that path,
you'll never catch up to me.
Old dude.
You're the one who made Mashiro take the extermination job, man.
Okay. I'll do my best!
M-Mashiro-chan, are you sure you'll be okay?
Hang on. I'm trying to recall my coach's advice.
Coach!
How do I defeat a ghost?
That's easy!
Go for its nose.
You made that up!
Every living thing's weakness is its nose.
And if it doesn't work?
If it doesn't work...
Go for the knees.
Okay! I'm good now!
Who's your coach?
I didn't know you lived by yourself, Hayashida-kun.
Yeah.
Huh. It's cleaner than I would've expected.
Hayashida-kun.
Y-Yes?
Wouldn't you be able to see this ghost if you just waited outside?
Oh, actually, for some reason, it doesn't come out when people are around.
Uh-huh.
So this is connected to your surveillance camera?
Hey, I see something!
Is it here?
Oh, it's just the old dude with the cross-shaped chest hair. Whew!
Wait, wait! Is this guy that well-known?
Huh? It's the famous old dude who's been showing up lately.
You're an old dude, too. You don't know about him?
Don't put me in the same category as him!
There! The static!
That's two hundred times scarier than I imagined!
Okay, Mashiro. Go.
Me?!
Well, it looks like it disappears quick.
We need your speed if we want to find out what it is.
You'd better treat me to BBQ later!
Oh, the static again!
And it's gone.
Oh, there's Mashiro-chan.
Damn. Just barely too late.
Oh, the guy with the cross-shaped chest hair is giving her food.
That's the one type of person you should never accept food from.
Day 2
Today's the day I catch that ghost!
There's the ghost. Go, Mashiro.
Damn, she's fast.
It's gone!
Day 5
It's there!
That still wasn't fast enough?
Day 7
I'll break the joints in its legs so it can't run when I catch it.
Mashiro gets faster every time, but it always disappears the moment before she gets there.
But it doesn't show up at all if we hide and wait for it.
We're kind of stuck, huh?
You're looking pretty content, all things considered.
Huh? No, not at all.
Oh, the static. Here it comes.
Mashiro! Go through the window!
Window?!
I bet the ghost wasn't expecting me to take a shortcut!
And I'm here.
Oh? Now, this is strange.
Mashiro should be in front of the camera,
but only the ghost is on the screen.
Hayashida-kun, what is this?
Don't ask me. I don't have a clue.
No, I think you do.
Because that ghost is you.
Huh? Wh-What are you saying?
I'm right here, aren't I?
You dressed as a ghost, stood in front of the camera in advance, and recorded the footage.
And you've been returning it to the original picture before Mashiro gets there
so we wouldn't figure out it was a recording.
Well?
Wh-Where's your proof?
Hey, no need to fly off the handle.
We can find out just by looking at the camera,
but the remote is proof enough.
It's in your pocket, right?
When did you figure it out?
On the first day.
The moment the ghost disappeared, the old man's light was visible.
That kind of gave me a clue.
Why did you pretend you didn't know, then?
I wanted to know why.
And I figured that out over these past few days, too.
You've got a thing for Mashiro.
You sure were having a good time talking to her.
From the look on your face, ghosts were the last thing on your mind.
So you created a ghost that could never be found and made her look for it
so you'd have an excuse to see her.
Am I right?
N-No—
It happened to me, too.
In eighth grade, I borrowed an MD from a girl and told her I'd lost it
to get her in my room so we could look for it together.
Though I later realized she'd stolen my G*me Boy and I vomited from the shock.
I'm sorry!
You're right about everything!
I was just so desperate to get closer to Mashiro-chan!
I'll pay you, I swear! Just please, forgive me!
Are you familiar with Sherlock Holmes?
Huh? Yeah...
In one of the books, he says...
...uh, something that isn't coming to me right now.
Huh?
Well, anyway, stop taking the roundabout way,
and just face her head-on. Got it?
You can pay my fee whenever you can.
Nagumo-san!
Sorry about that! I'm back!
Hey, Mashiro. Hayashida-kun has something to tell...
Look! I finally caught the ghost!
Evil spirit, begone!
Hey! Take the salt out of the bag first!
Huh? My pudding's gone.
I was so looking forward to eating it.
You didn't eat it, did you, Nezu-kun?
You wouldn't do that, right?
Next up in the news...
Self-proclaimed detective, Nagumo Keiichiro,
Uh, no, this was just, like...
has been arrested on suspicion of stealing women's underwear.
Uh-oh! Big Bro Nagumo got arrested for underwear theft!
Can't you come up with a better lie than that?
That news again...
The man arrested on suspicion of underwear theft was self-proclaimed detective,
m 627.5 52 l 294.5 52.5 287.5 48.5 284 42 284.5 36 287.5 31.5 291 27.5 627.5 28
Former great detective resorts to underwear theft?!
m 627.5 52 l 294.5 52.5 287.5 48.5 284 42 284.5 36 287.5 31.5 291 27.5 627.5 28
Former great detective resorts to underwear theft?!
Reproduction
Where are the stolen articles?
Featured Topic
m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
50 victims! 150 pairs of underwear stolen
Nagumo Keiichiro, aged 35.
Seriously?
m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
Fi
nd
the
Re
al
Thi
ef
!
Wow, it's been ages.
Metropolitan
Police
Department
Shinjuku
Station
Looks like you've aged a bit, Keiichiro.
So have you. You're straight-up old now,
Chief Inspector Mimasaka, sir.
Hey, don't address me like that. Creeps me out.
Just call me what you always used to.
Still, though...
We were prodigies who were once in the limelight as a high school detective duo,
and now, one of us is just a humble civil servant,
while the other is making waves as a serial underwear thief.
I told you, it wasn't me.
I know that. I don't really think you did it.
Then let me go home already.
I'm afraid I can't.
Not when I have this.
That's...
What is it? Menko?
It's an SD card!
It contains footage recorded by one of the victims.
And what's an "SD card"?
Anyway, until you explain what happens in this footage,
I can't let you go...
I didn't do anything, and it broke.
10 Minutes Later
Well?
That's you, isn't it?
That's me, all right.
Guess this case is closed, then.
No! Wait, wait, wait!
Something's weird about this footage.
It's as if he's looking right at the camera on purpose.
Based on the number of victims, this guy's a pro.
Would a pro make a dumb mistake like that?
Someone's obviously trying to frame me.
That's all speculation on your part, Keiichiro.
Or do you have proof?
I do have proof.
Or I will have it.
My assistant will find it.
Nezu-kun, what is this?
I call it "Operation: Fish Up the Underwear Thief"!
I'll carry this thing around town,
and the underwear thieves will flock to it!
Whaddya think? Do I have what it takes to be a detective?
Nezu-kun...
Yes?
Two to go.
Huh? Wait, what are you counting? You're scaring me! I'm sca—
Look here.
The Office
These are the locations where the underwear thief struck.
Looks like they're concentrated around our office.
The old dude was immediately taken in, even though he wasn't caught in the act.
That means there's most likely photographic evidence.
Makes sense.
The Office
Given the spots the thefts occurred, it had to be someone who looks like the old dude,
and who wanted to make it look like the old dude did it.
You kinda sound like a detective, Big Sis!
You think so?
Also, do you notice anything when you look at this map?
Ooh, like what? Like what?
If we draw lines to connect these locations...
Yes! It forms the shape of the Big Dipper!
Oh! Uh... yeah, um...
That's reaching.
What? No way! It totally looks like the Big Dipper!
Nah, that's a serious stretch.
Uzbekistan
It looks like Uzbekistan to me.
And if it did form the Big Dipper, what would that mean?
Well, it's... um, that is...
We should nab everyone we see wearing clothes with the Big Dipper on them?
That's some shitty logic.
Can't believe you found yourself a reliable assistant.
Not sure if I'd call her "reliable," but...
Why do you gotta dry your underwear at my place?
I can't use the office. It'd make the thief suspicious.
The people living near there dry their clothes inside now because of the thief,
so he'll naturally end up here. I know it.
Huh.
Also, interrogations revealed that he seemed to focus on white underwear.
Just wondering, but are these yours?
Like hell they are! These are new ones I just bought—
Hey, Mr. Nagumo!
So they let you go, huh?
Old dude?
Check it out. I set a trap to lure the thief here...
He looks kinda like him, but very specifically different!
His assistant?
Hey, wait!
Big Sis, leave this one to me!
Since my legs are so long, I'm a great runner.
I'll nab that guy in a flash with my spee—
Bug scary. Bug scary. Bug scary.
I swear, all the men at our office are useless!
Hold it, you!
As if a girl can catch up to me.
I'll just have to use this, then.
Come forth, new weapon! Drone Strike!
What? Drone?!
Yeah, as if I have one of those, dumbass.
Gotcha!
I'll make sure you pay for framing the old dude.
Hey, no need to get so testy.
Sure am glad they were white.
Sorry, Big Sis! Did you catch the thief?
I will pulverize him.
That's it for today's interrogation.
I sure hope your assistant saves you.
Hey! Who are you?!
Stop! Where's that momentum coming from?!
We need backup!
What's all the noise out there?
Sorry for the wait, old dude.
Took you long enough.
We caught the thief. He looks just like you.
See?
You beat him up so bad, I can't even tell!
Stop right there!
Serial arsonist, Knit Man!
Damn it. How are you so fast in that form?
I did warn you.
Take this!
Wha—
Hah! Where the hell are you aiming?
You suck at kicking.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
That's my ricochet.
The English line has nothing to do with anything.
Three Minutes Until Mashiro Explodes
That was some fine work, Mashiro-chan.
Nothing's gonna come out of that kinda praise.
Uh, something did just come out.
What's up?
My art is still out there.
Your what?
Go check out parking lot #1 by the station.
I don't think you'll get there in time, though.
Wha...
Mashiro! You should be fast enough.
I'm on it!
What did you do, Knit Man?
What did I do? I did art. Art.
You sure you wanna let that brat handle it?
My art is pretty provocative.
Mashiro, did you find it?
It's our 2-month anniversary!
There's a monster hunt quest posted here.
That's probably not it.
Huh? There's some kind of box here.
A box?
Okay, don't touch it. Stay there until backup—
I don't think there's gonna be time for that.
You heard Knit Man. I'm opening it.
Wait, you idiot. What if it's a bomb?
It literally is a bomb.
Now it's less of a surprise thanks to your weird preface!
Uh, sorry about that.
Why are you acting so carefree right now?!
Get a bomb squad together.
Yes, sir.
Listen to me, Mashiro. Don't touch the bomb, but send me a picture.
A picture, huh? Okay!
There it is. This should give us an idea of its design.
We don't need you in the shot.
Why are you in the frame with the bomb?!
Keep screwing around and this'll be your funeral pic!
Please, no! I'll take another one!
A solo shot!
Stop trying to take a good funeral photo!
Crap! There's less than three minutes left!
What? Run, Mashiro!
I can't. If it blows, the buildings above could fall.
So I'll disarm it here and now.
What? You can't do that!
This'll be a good show.
You! Tell us how to disarm the bomb right now!
Stop it, Keiichiro. He's not gonna tell us.
Hah! There's no way to disarm it.
You got a plan, Mashiro?
Yeah. I've seen bomb-disarming scenes in movies.
Movies?
If I can get through this, I think I'll make a breakthrough.
Though if I fail, it'll do a lot more than "break through."
Get it?
That's too disturbing to be funny.
Okay, I'm taking off the outer cover.
Based on the stats I have, if there's a red wire and a blue wire,
the number of successes after cutting the red wire is a bit higher, so...
Clump.
M-Mashiro!
I-I'm fine, I'm fine.
I just blew up 'cause I was panicking.
What do I do, old dude?
There's a whole tangled clump of wires!
Hey, if I post a shot of me with this on my head, will I go viral?
Is your need for approval really that insatiable?
What do I do? It's down to two minutes!
Forget it. Just run, Mashiro.
I can't. Regular people are gonna get hurt.
But there's nothing more you can do.
There is!
I'll take it to a place where there are no people.
Wha... You...
The bomb squad won't get there in time. We have to take a chance on her.
Mashiro-chan, this is Mimasaka.
There's an abandoned baseball field to the north.
Leave the bomb in the center of it and get out of there.
There it is.
One minute left.
I can get to the center of the field, but I won't have time to run.
I'll just have to...
use the soft touch I built up playing so much W*****g Eleven...
to kick it in!
Did you see that, Knit Man?
I win again...
Heya! I'm Nezu.
I'm actually into photography as a hobby.
My usual subjects are ruins and abandoned structures.
Huh?
Could you tell me how to get to the station?
That's my ricochet.
The English line has nothing to do with anything.
Next Time
Great Detective
Asunaro
The Ones Who Don't Realize They're Stalkers Are the Most Dangerous