Erika Yukawa
Erika Yukawa is a character in The Silver Case. She is the ex-girlfriend of Tokio Morishima, and a major character in the Placebo storyline.
Appearance and Personality
Erika is an independent and strong-willed woman. She isn't afraid of speaking up for herself, and takes pride in her position as a journalist, becoming angry with Tokio for doubting his abilities as one. She is in love with Tokio, even after eventually getting married. She desires someone who can make a commitment with her, and who she can trust fully.
History
Background
Erika is a journalist who worked together with Tokio Morishima at a news angency. The two were in a relationship three years prior to the events of The Silver Case, but broke up due to him doubting his skills as a journalist. At some point she married S. Inohana. Afterwards Erika continued to read Tokio's articles, and was disappointed in him wasting his talents on tabloid news.
The Silver Case
Yume
On April 8th, 1999, Tokio called Erika for information on the Kamui Case. She abruptly hung up on him without answering him. Later that day she began emailing him, first scolding him for treating her like a "cheap woman" with his annoying phone calls. She then informed him that the Heinous Crimes Unit was handling the Kamui Case, and to speak to Tetsugoro Kusabi for information. She decided to help Tokio, for what she claimed was just out of her own curiosity. On April 10th, Erika went to the Babylon Shopping Center after hearing about the incident that took place there. She heard from Kusabi that Tokio was rescued from the scene and was unconscious. Later that night she emailed Tokio asking what he saw there. Later she responded to Tokio's inquiry about Ayame Shimohira, telling him about her "atelier" at Gladiolus. On April 15th, she and Tokio spoke in the Scolba chatroom about the case. She noted that Ayame's past had been erased, and that she may have had a deeper reason for committing the murders. She decided to work together with Tokio on the Kamui Case, saying that while she still hates him, they work well together. After this, their chat was interrupted by The Bat, and Erika was forced offline.
Hana
On July 2nd, Tokio contacted Erika to tell her about his investigation into Koichi Sugita and the apparent suicide at Typhoon. After looking into the HCU's involvement in the case, she agreed to help. On the evening of July 3rd, she spoke to Koichi in the Apricot Square park near the apartment complex. She played with him for a while and gained his trust, and planned to see him the next day to ask about Akira. The next day she found Koichi crying by himself in the park. She learned about Hikaru Kobayashi's death, and Koichi's delusion that he was still alive. She agreed to help Koichi, and later emailed Tokio about this meeting from a café. Later the same day, she and Tokio met up in person at Apricot Square, and discussed the investigation. After arguing about the nature of children, Erika curtly said goodbye and left. That evening she met Koichi again, where he agreed to show her his secret base the next day. On July 5th, Erika waited at he agreed place but Koichi didn't come. She spoke with Koichi's teacher Ms. Kitajima, who told her he was a normal child. She later approached Koichi's mother, and learned about his living situation. After waiting longer, Koichi approached Erika and handed her a letter without saying anything. She put the letter in Tokio's mailbox, and then called to tell him about it. Before he could return with the letter, she hung up.
Tsuki
On July 8th, Erika was emailed by Tokio for help solving riddles sent to him by who he believed was The Bat, but who in reality was Hanao Hiseki. She responded, asking who The Bat was. The next day he informed her that The Bat was the one who interrupted their chat in Scolba. Later that day, Erika bought a Mother Goose book and met Tokio at Apricot Square to decipher the riddles. The next day they met again, when Erika connected the riddles to the events at Mikumo 77. After bonding with Tokio over solving the riddles, she reminisced about how they used to work together before. That night, she informed Tokio that she learned about a survivor of Mikumo 77, an old man. On July 11th, she met the old man and heard another cryptic fairytale relating to the Mikumo Boys, then relayed her meeting to Tokio over email.
On July 23rd, Erika emailed Tokio about the rumor regarding Chairman Yukimura's disappearance. After connecting the story to Mikumo 77, she asked what Tokio planned to do next. On July 26th, she informed Tokio about the press embargo on the Yukimura kidnapping, and the identities of the kidnappers Fuyuki and Hiseki. She also relayed information on the kidnapper's suicides, and their connection to the fairytale. That night, Tokio emailed her to tell her that Hiseki had been the one sending the riddles. On July 27th, she received a call from the woman living next to the Mikumo survivor, telling him that his health was deteriorating. Erika asked Tokio to go see him before it was too late. On August 1st, Erika called Tokio to tell him the embargo was soon to be lifted. Tokio asked her on a date, but she declined. On August 2nd, Erika was emailed by Tokio, telling her the answer to the final riddle, after being told it by Sumio Kodai.
Ai
On September 3rd, Erika visited Bar Jack Hammer and spoke to the Bartender. Tokio arrived and gave her one of the pomegranates that he had received from his mother. He told her about his relationship with her, and that he was adopted. She asked him if their work was done, and he told her about receiving another message from The Bat. On September 5th, Tokio emailed her asking about the destruction of Kamui Net and the identity of oldman, as well as his fears of being watched by The Bat. She replied the next day, telling him oldman has a partner named Neutral, and writing off Tokio's concerns as a joke about the recent Sayaka Baian incident. Tokio emailed her again, telling her to stay away from The Bat. On September 8th, she messaged Tokio about her side of The Bat's first appearance in the Scolba chatroom, and questioned why he hadn't told her about it. On September 9th, Tokio told Erika about nearly being killed by Enzawa, and that he was stopping all investigation into Kamui. In Scolba, Erika criticized Tokio for quitting while so close to the truth, and for doubting his own abilities, echoing the conflict behind their break-up three years prior. Tokio informed her that his client for the Kamui investigation was her husband S. Inhohana, who was in reality a syndicate member using his name as an alias. Erika told him to continue the investigation with her, but he instead decided to disappear. Erika confronted Tokio at his apartment later that night, planning to tell him that if he were to run, she would go with him, but after seeing Tokio she knew that wasn't what he would want. Tokio asked her to take care of Red while he was gone. She agreed, and he prepared to go into hiding.
Hikari
On September 16th, Erika picked up Red from Tokio's apartment. Over the following days she repeatedly emailed Tokio with updates, and began to question whether they would ever meet again. On November 14th, she emailed Tokio saying she planned to go after Kamui despite his warnings. She said that she and Tokio could be great partners, and said she wouldn't mail him anymore. She ended the message by declaring her love for him. On December 28th, Erika visited Bar Jack Hammer, and learned Tokio was alive after hearing he had returned from the Bartender. She asked to speak the following night in Scolba. The next day the two spoke over chat. She refrained from asking about Tokio, since she trusts him as her partner. Tokio informed her about the Shelter Kids Policy, before telling her he plans to disappear again. Tokio promised to come back for Red some time in the next 30 years. Erika realized that all she had wanted from Tokio was a promise. The two said goodbye, and she left the chat.
Aftermath
It is unknown what happened to Erika after this point. Five years later, Tokio was reuinited with Red through unknown means. It is not clear how or if Erika was involved with this, and she is not mentioned throughout The 25th Ward: The Silver Case.
Gallery
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Portrait -
YUME portrait -
PlayStation portrait
(Unused in HD) -
Manual portrait -
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Confronting Tokio -
Unused art
(Art of Grasshopper Manufacture) -
Fanart by Masateru Ikeda -
