Aaaaagh I know everyone is speculating and wishing and insisting that this is Chuuya but I’m literally going to go through the full character roster to prove or disprove every last character that it could possibly be!
Ch 95, p 13-14, translation by @czkkn-upload
This is definitely my longest post yet but fear not, I made it organized! Putting the spoiler warning here and end of the intro too, there are Storm Bringer, 55 Minutes, and ofc ch 95 spoilers!
Edit since posting my initial thoughts of this on Twitter: turns out the physical appearance of the silhouette isn’t all too relevant here (shoutout to @chazukekani for helping me with checking), given some of the past examples of silhouettes being used, specifically when we don’t know who the silhouetted figure is yet. Although there have been silhouettes drawn made to be obviously one known character or another (ie. the PM in ch 46 p 10 or John in ch 24 p 5),
Ch 46, p 10, translation by dazaiscans Ch 24, p 5, translation by easygoingscans
We’ve also seen silhouettes be partially revealing and partially obscured if it was right before the reveal (ie. Fitz, Lucy, and James on ch 15 p 6, only for the three of them to be fully revealed a couple pages later).
Ch 15, p 6, don't know who translated
The silhouette I’m focused on here however is the ambiguous kind, which has basically been used for one of two purposes. 1. It’s ambiguous with slight variation to show the masses (ie. many victims) or 2. to keep a future reveal (or at least one not in the same chapter) in suspense. The former isn’t important here because I don’t see a reason for the hallway figure to be some random guard or no-named thief breaking in. Examples being the seemingly forgotten mystery writer that used the page (ch 58.5) and when Taneda was telling Ranpo about the DOA and how there are 3 more members (ch 58.
Ch 58.5 p 4 and Ch 58 p 14, both translated by dazaiscans
We still know next to nothing about the mystery writer but we do now know all of the DOA members and more importantly here, their appearances. None of the silhouettes look like the DOA because we were meant to be kept in suspense, not just because Sigma hadn’t met everyone yet. Sure you could argue that with the page overwriting things that concealed Sigma’s identity in the memory exchange with Taneda but that doesn’t change the fact the silhouettes were kept as generic and ambiguous looking as possible. After all, we don’t even know what happened to Bram’s body below the chest. Conclusion to this point? TLDR? We can’t rely very much on the height and proportions of the silhouette to deduce who it is. The height proportion to the doors and walls too because it’s not impossible that this is just an unusually tall hallway, or it’s just as likely that the blood splatters aren’t all at the height of the head of who the blood came from since some of the blood splatters (which look like headshots in my opinion) do seem to be at roughly the same height as the silhouette’s head once perspective is applied.
Again spoiler warning for the Storm Bringer epilogue and 55 Minutes! And ch 95 ofc! Now onto the bulk of the content!
Armed Detective Agency
Fukuzawa: near impossible that it’s him, his last appearance was ch 91 at/near the airport and I see no reason for him to go on a messy killing spree now
Yosano: literally a healer, although she can hold her ability back from activating right away (as seen in ch 59, likely thanks to Fukuzawa's ability) I don’t see why she would go to such lengths because this specific setup leaves a very real chance of the half-dead state not lasting long enough while she completes her mission and she does normally use bladed weaponry over guns, plus she also should still be at or near the airport anyway
Atsushi: he’s at the airport and he doesn’t want to kill, it’s not gonna happen, next
Kunikida: same as Atsushi, but although he’s willing to use some force it’s limited to intimidation purposes (unless the situation absolutely makes him deem it an exception)
Tanizaki: Naomi’s not directly in danger currently, no reason for him to be out for blood currently, especially since these guards haven’t done anything to Naomi. Also, he’s most likely at the airport
Kenji: most likely at the airport and not enough property damage for this to have been him. Any property damage here is only the mess created by the blood; no cracks or holes or anything else in the walls, floor, or ceiling
Kyouka: she’s learned to refrain from killing as a member of the ADA, and she’s probably at the airport now anyway
Dazai: literally the one getting broken out of jail a few pages later. Also, he’s long since left behind using the methods that result in this aftermath. Yes he does still use underhanded techniques, not with nearly the same brutality as in his mafia days
Ranpo: We just saw him in Anne’s room and he’s not a murderer. He’s a thinker, not a doer lol
Naomi, Haruno, Katai: Just no, it’s none of them cause they’re either somewhere safe in hiding and/or not someone who’d go on a murder spree
Port Mafia
Mori: very unlikely and near impossible as he has his hands full with the vampire mafia over in Yokohama while this hallway is over in Meursault in Europe. The only reason I say it’s not completely impossible is because Mori is the one that retrieved Kenji and Tanizaki from hiding (even they were surprised to see him)
Elise: very unlikely as we don’t know the limit to her range as Mori's ability but orMi would want to keep himself and Elise safe currently and also the silhouette wasn’t wearing a frilly dress
Chuuya: he’s just not the type to go on unnecessary killing sprees, much less make it so messy. Plus there are no signs of damage caused by his ability (ie. fractures and damage to the floor, ceiling, or walls). He values life (unlike a certain former executive). Plus he likely has to deal with the vampire mafia. Quite unlikely imo. I also see no reason for him to be smirking in the face of carnage (unless using tainted but again, no property damage in sight so no reason to believe tainted has been activated), as he was the one telling Dazai to stop shooting a dead body in 15, telling Adam off for being disrespectful at a funeral, and even paying his respects to the grunts that died due to Q’s ability in s2. Also although yes he does have a knife, his fighting style does seem to prioritize hand-to-hand combat, especially making use of his kicks. Not too much reason for those kinds of blood splatters to be everywhere if you ask me. TLDR: I just cannot see it being him
Kouyou: can’t be her because even if she was tasked with whatever mission the silhouetted person is on I don’t see a reason for her to be smirking. And again, the vampire mafia business
Akutagawa: in the airport vents and a vampire, it just can’t be him
Higuchi: whereabouts unknown but also a vampire. Makes the most sense for her to still be in Yokohama, spreading the vampirism around
Hirotsu: same as Higuchi
Gin: same as Higuchi and Hirotsu
Q: likely locked up in the basement. Also, this isn’t how Dogra Magra works. Actually, wait unless everyone started shooting each other because of Dogra Magra? Plus Q did mention planning to hurt everyone Dazai cares about when they next meet but then the guards don’t fulfill this "criteria" technically so I still don’t think it’s Q. But hey they are on the shorter side (which isn’t the biggest factor here imo) and would smile in such carnage, especially if it’s a way to get back at Dazai
Kajii: this isn’t what his lemon bombs or the aftermath of them looks like. Also we don’t know where he is
Verlaine: honestly one of the most likely in my opinion. That or he’s still chilling in the basement and no one told him what’s happening. After all, he’s a former assassin so he has the skills, and he is publicly dead to everyone that doesn’t need to know so in a sense he can sneak over to Meursault if needed. We also know that he’s not afraid to vary his kill methods and leave a mess behind. If this person does happen to be the same one greeting Dazai currently, then I do see a reason for Verlaine to be smiling at the chance to see Dazai again, as well as the possibility that this is the first time he’s been outside in 8 years, plus the chance that he’s getting back at the very government that created him (as some people do believe Meursault is in France but idk because last I checked the only thing confirmed about the location is that it’s in Europe).
Tachihara: vampire and location unknown. Considering how long he’s been missing to the rest of the HD it’s not impossible for him to be here but I highly doubt it, especially with the whole smirking thing
The Guild
Fitzgerald: he has a business to run and an organization to rebuild, so no
Alcott: like Ranpo, a thinker and not a doer. You won’t see her on the battlefield
Steinbeck: This isn’t how grapes of wrath works and I see no reason for him to come back now. After all, he wants to make Fitzgerald suffer when he peaks again
Poe: he’s basically working with the ADA now and I don’t see a reason for him to go on an actual murder spree (what happens in his books is different)
Melville: literally no reason for this to be him. That’s not how moby dick works, no reason for him to be killing people (much less while smiling), last we saw him was leaving to explain everything about the guild incident to the special division
Lovecraft: not how his body(?) that isn’t actually an ability works and no plot relevance for him to be here
Lucy: working with the ADA now and at the airport and no reason for her to go on a murder spree, much less try to fight outside of the room where she’s much weaker than in it
Margaret: either waiting to be healed or already healed. No reason for her to do this
Hawthorne: can't be him, he's stuck in Anne’s room (confirmed by omake 21)
Twain: isn’t he in America? Writing a novel? Look at him achieving Oda’s dream, at least that’s someone being a writer
Rats in the House of the Dead
Pushkin: didn’t he get arrested again? He did escape Meursault once so maybe there is a chance, assuming he got sent to Meursault again. He is also the type to smirk while killing others after all
Ivan: What even happened to him? I’m going to assume he’s arrested. I mean hey, like Pushkin if he’s in Meursault and assuming he has a way to break out then I could actually see him walking around smirking while killing the guards for his beloved Fyodor
Mushitaro: basically allied with the ADA now. Either in Poe’s book or Anne’s room though and there's no reason for him to go on a killing spree now. He’s had his character arc about this. In conclusion, it can’t be him
Decay of Angels
Kamui/Fukuchi: he's busy at the airport struggling with a box
Bram: no lower body whereas the silhouette is clearly walking and even footprints are left behind, plus he’s in his coffin at the airport anyway. Hope he's enjoying a BTS livestream or something with Aya rn tho. Maybe a bit of Tchaikovsky’s Flower Waltz too
Fyodor: I think it’s highly unlikely, if not impossible unless Asagiri is playing with the order of events being displayed again. It doesn’t seem that way as this was shown before Dazai asked about the noise outside. Unless the Fyodor in the cell has been a body double or something (ie with the use of Ivan’s ability?), which I do think is unlikely, for a while I highly doubt it. Because although I do have to admit that the carnage in the hallway is reminiscent of the one left on Ace’s ship (presumably by his ability), it’s not like Fyodor is the only one that can leave a bloody mess.
Ch 42, p 41-42, translation by dazaiscans
Gogol: those are not his shoes, pants, or the rest of his outfit ok so since the clothing argument is not really a thing now in my opinion, there is an honest chance of it being Gogol. We’ve seen him smile while torturing and attempting to kill others but he also does so with at least some purpose to who he kills.
Sigma: same as Gogol. Also, why would the two of them separate at this point? Plus, I don’t see why sigma would go on a murder spree of his own volition, much less be all smug about it. However, there’s also a chance that only Gogol was walking through the hallway, killing and smiling, and then he brought sigma over from one end of the hallway or a hiding spot to wherever they are standing at the end of the chapter with the use of Overcoat. So basically, it’s not impossible for it to be Gogol while hiding Sigma somewhere
Hunting Dogs
Teruko: at the airport with Fukuchi
Jouno: at the airport in the vents and a vampire, very likely still with Aku
Tecchou: also at the airport with Fukuchi
Order of the Clock Tower
Agatha: why would she even be here when she can sit comfortably and send commands while sipping tea?
Government
Taneda: unconscious and with Ango
Ango: we just saw him working overtime again
Tsujimura: no reason for her to be here or doing such a thing
Murakoso: she’s one of Ango’s guards, no reason to be here
Aoki: another one of Ango’s guards iirc
Ayatsuji: he can be anywhere in the world for his ability to work, his presence isn’t needed for this. But now I am curious as to how he got affected by the page and what would have happened if the government had asked him to solve the whole case a good while back. But also idk how Gaiden ends so idk where he even is or his current status
Minoura, Sugimoto, Yamagiwa: can’t be them, they're in Yokohama either busy or arrested
Tonan: he’s not going to do anything himself
Unaffiliated/Other
Natsume: he literally made a whole plan to keep Yokohama safe, why would he kill the Meursault guards? But it would be interesting if the shoulder in front of Dazai later on is his because he snuck in as a cat
Shirase: The last we heard of his whereabouts, he was heading to Europe with Adam. But why would he go on a killing spree? Much less be all smug about it? I honestly can’t see it being Shirase, despite how much the idea of Dazai possibly meeting anyone from his PM days intrigues me
Adam: he wants to protect people, so no
Wells: there’s no reason for her to go on a murder spree considering how she explained her motives in 55 minutes (idr the exact phrasing of her overall goal but basically to save people from disasters, especially those caused by ability weapons iirc, but here’s some quotes anyway. All of these are Wells talking to Atsushi btw).
“ ‘I came to stop that weapon [the Shell].’ … ‘My name is H. G. Wells. I came here to prevent this catastrophe,’ ” (55 Minutes, p 76, translation by Yen Press)
“ ‘I don’t want anyone else to die because of me’ ” (55 Minutes, p 185, translation by Yen Press)
However, I do think there’s a chance of Wells being the one whose shoulder is shown near Dazai on p 23 and not just because of what we know of how she dresses. She actually knows Dazai and there’s also her parting words in 55 minutes, plus Dazai describing the situation as basically the end of the world in ch 95 p 20. No this is not my bias for her and me wanting her to make an appearance, wdym /j
“ ‘Well, I should be on my way to the next catastrophe. As I will continue to do until I draw my last breath and am forgotten in the flow of time…’ ” (55 Minutes, p 235, translation by Yen Press)
If you made it to this point, seriously thank you. I know I reblogged and replied to a few others' takes on who this could be (both here and on Twitter) prior to posting this here but I'd still absolutely love to hear any feedback here on my revised version of this!
TLDR: My top choices for who it could be in the hallway are basically Verlaine or Gogol (but others aren't impossible). I don’t think it’s Chuuya but it’s not completely out of the question for it to be him. Trust me, as much as I want to see Wells again, the chances of even just the shoulder in front of Dazai (if we assume it’s a different person from the hallway one) being her are pretty slim in my opinion.
No no no by page order I meant if we got some proof that Nikolai murdered those guards and afterwards we got that figure, we can easily assume that dazai had called that figure to help him break out but Nikolai did that already. Also there's one reason I think that figure isn't Nikolai, cuz if it's Nikolai shouldn't sigma be with him?? Anyways can I have an emoji please (this one 🌻) I love talking about theories like these and hearing your opinions too😁 also I have a jouno theory too. Thanks
Ahhh I see. And yeah I agree on the Sigma should also be there if it is Nikolai part. Hence why he’s not my first guess but there is a slight possibility if he used his ability to transport Sigma after crossing the hallway on his own for example.
I’m guessing with the emoji part you mean as a signature/what to refer to you as (I’m still new with tumblr ask culture😅)? If so then, sure! Please correct me if I’m wrong tho🌻 ^.^
Also I’d love to hear your Jouno theory! I really enjoy theory discussion too!
