Pre-Lunatics

File:Pre-lunatics.png

Pre-Lunatics is a short manga by Syuji Takeya included with the deluxe edition of the 2016 release of The Silver Case. It depicts the events occurring shortly before and at the very beginning of case#0:lunatics, with the last few pages of the comic matching the beginning of the case. The case is known as "Pre-Lunatic" on the History of 24th Ward timeline.

Summary

The manga begins with a zoom-in at night on Kanto, Ward 24, the 24 Precinct, the Heinous Crimes Unit, and Unit 2's napping room, where Sumio Kodai has fallen asleep. He suddenly wakes up and runs out into Unit 1's room, and asks Chizuru Hachisuka where Tetsugoro Kusabi is. Chizuru informs him that Tetsu has already gone home; Sumio says that he's getting "one of those feelings". He then heads off himself, saying that he'll return soon. Chizuru asks if she should call Tetsu about the bad feeling, but Sumio says that he'll already be aware of it. Sumio also says that he's late for a date with "two monkeys", and leaves without combing his messy hair. In the background, Kiyoshi Morikawa, Morichika Nakategawa and Shinji Kotobuki can be seen.

Elsewhere, Ryo Kazan is sitting in a chair in his room, holding the bloody paper bag containing Kyoko Kazan's head. His TV, in front of him, is smashed open, with a knife stuck in the top. He wonders to himself where Mika is, when Rumi Toba walks in, is shocked to find Ryo in this state, and fearfully tiptoes away. Ryo continues to think to himself about Mika, before reaching into his TV, pulling out a gun, and walking out of his room.

Back in the Ward, Kusabi is taking a nap in his car, dreaming about his daughter Toriko Kusabi. In front of him is a photo of her and her pet Christina. He wakes up when he gets a bad feeling, seemingly envisioning Ryo. The Republic van passes by him, and he gets the impression that "shit's about to go down", before driving down the road after them. In the van, commander Daigo Natsume is prepping Kenichi Sakamoto, Haruhiko Inomata and Akira. He says that criminal power levels are on the rise; Inomata, at a computer, calculates that their next target will appear at the Cauliflower building, and the soldiers prepare.

From here, the manga segues into the beginning of the lunatics case. Kusabi, driving on the road, wonders if it was really this long; Ryo Kazan appears on the road in front of him, holding the head. He pulls out his gun and fires at Kusabi, who just barely dodges the bullet. As Ryo heads away, Kusabi calls the HC Unit over the radio, and Chizuru picks up. He relays the situation to her, and she contacts Republic to let them know. Kusabi readies his own gun, and the case begins.

References

• Sumio wakes up with a copy of The Lospass on top of him, on the back of which are Kaido Wataru and Challia from Kurayami Dance.
• In Ryo's room, there is a decal of the Royal Funeral Service logo.
• This comic reveals the river along which Cauliflower is located to be named the "Kurogane river", likely referencing the Kurogane Kingdom.

Trivia

• Kusabi mentions his car's name, Cantona. This is likely named after soccer player Eric Cantona, paralleling the name of Sumio Mondo's car, Giggs.
• Kusabi has an alligator charm in his car and a flyer for the coffee shop Tamura.
• On the cover and opening page, Ryo is drawn with a silver eye, but he doesn't actually have one in the comic or the game. On said opening page, he is juxtaposed with Kamui Fujiwara and Sundance Shot; Kamui is drawn with a silver eye (likely referencing Format Kamui's) and Sundance is drawn with his eyepatch.