Criminologist Himura and Mystery Writer Arisugawa / Characters

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/CriminologistHimuraAndMysteryWriterArisugawa

Character page for Criminologist Himura and Mystery Writer Arisugawa. Given the mystery nature of the series, beware of unmarked spoilers.

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The Main Duo

Hideo Himura

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himhimura2.png

"This crime is not beautiful."

^{Click here to see him in the 2019 specials}

Portrayed by: Takumi Saitoh

"What I want to prove isn't your innocence, but the truth."

A criminologist by day who often assists the prefectural police with their work, though his lack of social graces is a point of contention. His desire to understand criminals is born in part because he harbours his own criminal urges, much to his consternation.

Badass Longcoat: His regular attire includes an oversized longcoat that he likes to flourish for dramatic effect when entering the scene of a crime.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Though he's a civilian with a bad habit of riling witnesses, he's also unquestionably a genius and has helped the police solve multiple murders. Because of this, Nabeshima is willing to overlook his faults and continue to consult with him on cases.
Character Catchphrase: "This crime is not beautiful", said when he's pieced all the clues together and discovered the criminal, thus preventing the case from being the "ideal" crime that he seeks.
Chick Magnet: He gets Ship Tease with three women throughout the series, one of which is the antagonist with a very clear interest in him. In "Detective, Blue Era", one of his classmates explains that his solitary nature gives him a mysterious vibe that women like.
Cigarette of Anxiety: He's shown to pull out a light when cases get particularly difficult. He almost does the same after Arisugawa is kidnapped, but hesitates for a long second before stashing them away. He's then shown smoking one last time during the final confrontation with Moroboshi, and it's through finding his cigarette afterwards that Arisugawa realises what happened.
Cold Ham: He rarely raises his voice and doesn't shift expressions much, but he still likes to make a show out of his cases by gesturing dramatically — such as bowing and flourishing his coat — and putting undue emphasis on his words.
The Comically Serious: Much of what makes Himura's humour work, and why he bounces off Arisugawa so well, is how completely straight-faced he is regardless of the situation. When his coworkers geek out about an idol group, he's as deadpan as always as he agrees to come along and wave a glowstick with gusto.
Face Your Fears: In a way, this is the entire reason why Himura became a criminologist. He had a desire to commit a "beautiful" crime, and was repulsed enough by it to follow a career that allows him to capture criminals and dissect their crimes as the ugly acts of brutality that they are.
Fanboy: "Detective, Blue Era" reveals that Himura and Arisugawa first met because Himura was so interested in Arisugawa's writing. Since he wasn't published at that point, it's fair to say that Himura was his first fan.
The Gadfly: He's often blunt in a way that annoys others, especially Komachi. However, this is mostly due to poor social skills and he doesn't normally go out of his way to be aggravating... unless it comes to his best friend, Arisugawa, who he loves to mess with (especially if it concerns Arisugawa's love life).
Hiding Behind Your Bangs: His messy fringe usually hangs over one eye, making him seem both unkempt and unapproachable. It also mirrors the hairstyle of his Evil Counterpart Moroboshi.
Hyper-Awareness: In "A Study in Vermilion" he visits an apartment during the night and happens to pass by a man on his way there. The next morning he's able to accurately describe the man's clothing, hairstyle, height, and facial shape, information he noticed and retained despite not knowing that the man would be relevant to the current case.
Interdisciplinary Sleuth: Himura doesn't have any history in law enforcement, and instead it's his natural intelligence and understanding of the criminal mindset that he uses to assist the police. This causes him to clash with By-the-Book Cop Komachi, who doesn't approve of civilians being involved with police work.
Introverted Cat Person:
- The cat that lives in Tokie's house, Momo, was brought in by Himura, and he's openly affectionate towards it in contrast to the aloof way that he approaches people. Though he's cool-headed when facing off against Moroboshi, he raises his voice for the only time when she threatens to poison Momo. He also says that he's a cat person after comparing Arisugawa to a dog.
- In "Detective, Blue Era", Himura is able to deduce the order that people arrived at a party by observing their cars and the road below them. When asked if he usually looks under cars, he claims that he dropped something — in actuality, he had spotted a stray cat under the car and bent down to talk to it. Arisugawa says afterwards that Himura's love for cats is an adorable trait.
Loners Are Freaks: Downplayed in a flashback that shows his days in university. While he isn't outright disliked, his classmates are surprised that Arisugawa has stricken up a friendship with him, and one of them remarks that his solitary nature makes him seem weird to other men. He also mentions in passing that people have frequently told him that he's unpleasant, and he seems to have had no friends before Arisugawa.
Messy Hair: He's immediately distinguishable from his mop of messy black hair, which tells you right off the bat that he's not one to fret over his appearance.
No Social Skills: He's passably social while off the job, but while working he focuses entirely on solving the case and thus doesn't care about the feelings of the people involved. This often leads to him asking pointed or bizarre questions that aggravate the witnesses. It gets to the point that Komachi forbids him from speaking to the witnesses in sensitive cases because she knows that all he'll do is cause them grief.
Not a Game: Himura is called out by multiple other characters for the cavalier way that he treats investigations, disregarding the feelings of people involved in favour of making a spectacle of his deductions. He does treat his cases seriously, but he has poor social skills and doesn't take into account that making a show out of serious crimes like murder can be disrespectful to the victims.
Not So Stoic:
- After Himura is forced awake by a nightmare, Arisugawa asks him if he wants to be woken up next time. Rather than brushing him off, a shaken Himura just asks Arisugawa to wake him gently.
- Himura is generally as straight-faced as always when confronting culprits, even complimenting them if they present a challenge to him. However, when he encounters Apollo, who espouses the same desire for a "beautiful crime" as Himura, the criminologist loses his cool for the first time and grabs Apollo by the front to chew into him for his disgusting beliefs.
- Moroboshi revealing that she's kidnapped Arisugawa sends the usually stoic Himura into a panic, and he doesn't stop panicking until they're able to track down and rescue Arisugawa.
Only Friend: Arisugawa is not only his closest friend, but also appears to be his only one. When Arisugawa shows up at Himura's university, Himura's students are amazed that Himura has a friend.
Psychologist Teacher: His credentials as a criminologist and a police consultant come in handy when his student Akemi needs help solving a case personal to her. In doing so, Himura helps her recover from her deep-seated trauma and find happiness in her life again.
Puppy-Dog Eyes: You wouldn't expect it from him, but Himura puts on the puppy-dog eyes when he wants to stay over at Arisugawa's, and claims it's his speciality when Arisugawa relents.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Blue to Arisugawa's Red. Himura is stoic and usually speaks in a deadpan drone, and focuses on the logic of a crime and is methodical in his approach.
Reluctant Psycho: As he reveals to Apollo, he's disgusted by his murderous urges and became a criminologist specifically to prove to himself that there's no such thing as the "beautiful" crime that his mind desires.
A Shared Suffering: Akemi confesses to Himura and Arisugawa that she has nightmares about her uncle dying in a fire, and is scared of her dream self for implicating her other uncle in the crime. In turn, Himura confesses to her that he has nightmares of his own where he kills people, and encourages her not to be afraid of how she acts in her dreams.
Sherlock Homage: Much like the great detective, Himura is stoic, highly intelligent, and lacks social skills despite his deep understanding of the criminal mindset. He has his own Watson in his assistant Arisugawa and his own Moriarty in the form of Moroboshi, who delights in the similarities between herself and Himura. Arisugawa explicitly compares them to their Holmesian counterparts in "Logical Death Game", and the climax sees Himura and Moroboshi playing out the tense stand-off from "The Final Problem".
Sherlock Scan: He's adept at picking up on small clues and piecing together the bigger picture with them.
- His Establishing Character Moment has him take one look at Sakashita and immediately deduce that he was called back in to work, much to the officer's amazement.
  Himura: Isn't it terrible to get home and be called out again?
  Sakashita: Yes... Huh?
  Himura: If you had worn [this shirt] all day, the collar wouldn't be so clean. You must have changed at home. [sniffs] I can tell that you were taking a shower, but from your uneven face I can see you left in a hurry.
- In "Dali's Cocoon", Himura and Arisugawa make a game out of Himura scanning people at a restaurant and deducing their life stories. He can tell that a man is a surgeon by the way he holds his knife, that the man's companion is a nurse by how she does her makeup, etc.
Slasher Smile: He sports a sinister, gleeful smile in the nightmares where he kills someone, and also displays it when he gets too absorbed in a case. Arisugawa urges him never to show that sort of smile to the police.
Socially Awkward Hero: He struggles a lot more with being social than he does with his work as both a professor and a police consultant. This is lampshaded in "Waiting for Jack the Ripper": when asked to give a speech, he mumbles that he's not good at talking in front of people, only for Arisugawa to tease him about how he gives lectures all the time at university.
Tall, Dark, and Handsome: He sits at 180cm and is recognisable by both his height and his messy black hair. As for the handsome... well, he is portrayed by a model, and one of his students admits that he'd be good-looking if he ever combed his hair back (though some would argue that the messy hair just adds to his appeal).
These Hands Have Killed: His nightmares always end with his hands covered in the blood of his imagined victim. The feeling of it is so pervasive that he continues to stare at his hands even after waking up.
Thinking Tic: Running a finger across his lower lip, done when he's thinking particularly hard about a case (which usually leads into the "Eureka!" Moment).
You Don't Look Like You: Himura as he appears in the novels and manga◊ is a tidy and broad-shouldered man. His live-action counterpart instead has Messy Hair and oversized clothing, and is more of a Pretty Boy.

Alice Arisugawa

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himarisu1.png

"We writers have no concept of the word 'free'."

^{Click here to see him in the 2019 specials}

Portrayed by: Masataka Kubota

"How long will my hand be able to hold the back of the man who is standing on the edge of a cliff?"

A mystery novelist who's also Himura's assistant and closest friend since their university days. Accompanies Himura on cases, both to help him out and to keep an eye on him.

Anger Born of Worry: Himura leaves to confront Moroboshi alone, which leads to both of them digesting a non-fatal dose of poison. Arisugawa accompanies him in the ambulance and is none too happy at Himura putting himself in danger.
Arisugawa: Stupid! I was worried about you, you idiot!
Author Avatar: As evidenced by his name and occupation, Arisugawa is a stand-in for the original author of the Hideo Himura novels, Alice Arisugawa. He often talks about the process of writing a mystery novel and frequently references other popular works in the genre. He's intelligent enough to follow along with Himura's deductions, while also being extroverted enough to comment on Himura's stranger tendencies.
Chick Magnet: Though subtle, he does catch the eye of a few women. Akemi's classmates express interest in him when they find him having lunch with Himura, and his neighbour can be seen tidying herself up before she attempts to greet him.
Cope by Creating: As revealed in "Dali's Cocoon", writing was a coping mechanism for Arisugawa after his First Love attempted suicide in high school. From there he followed a successful career path of being a mystery novelist. When Himura learns of this, he says that writing is like a cocoon for Arisugawa (harkening back to the episode's victim of the week, who was found in a float capsule).
Declaration of Protection: After Himura receives a threatening phone call, Arisugawa reassures a worried Tokie that he'll protect Himura. Tokie responds that he's not very reliable, but she'll be depending on him anyway.
Distressed Dude: At the climax of the season he's kidnapped by Moroboshi and her cult in a bid to unleash Himura's darker side by getting rid of his Morality Pet. Things take a turn for the unusual when an attempted rescuer arrives but is poisoned by a mysterious source, leading the cult to leave Arisugawa behind for Himura and co. to rescue.
Ditzy Genius: He can be a competent detective when he puts his mind to it, but with Himura usually leading the cases Arisugawa is free to let his imagination run wild and act like a goofball while on the scene.
First Love: The first person he ever confessed his love to was a fellow high school student. In a dark twist, she attempted suicide on the same day. He still carries some of the emotional baggage from it to this day.
First-Name Basis: Subverted. When they first meet, Himura calls him Alice/Arisu. He's surprised that Himura would be bold enough to call him by his first name so quickly, but Himura clarifies that it was supposed to be a shortening of his surname, Arisugawa.
Freaky Is Cool: Arisugawa tells Himura during their first meeting that he's an unpleasant guy. Himura responds that he's often told that, to which Arisugawa elaborates with a smile that he finds it interesting.
Has a Type: He's attracted to women who resemble his First Love, and models the female characters in his novels after her.
Green-Eyed Monster: In "Dali's Cocoon" he's quickly smitten with Sagio, and ends up annoying the witnesses by prodding into her love life.
Hiding Behind Your Bangs: His fringe comes down over his eyes even more than Himura's Messy Hair. It gives him an unkempt look that contributes to the "attractive but unemployed" impression that Akemi's classmates have of him.
The Idiot from Osaka: He has a Kansai accent that's especially noticeable when he's goofing around with Himura. While he's not unintelligent, he is more energetic and fun-loving than Himura, and prone to moments of ditziness.
Keet: In contrast to the stoic Himura, Arisugawa often gesticulates and reacts to things in an over-the-top manner. While he's more sociable than Himura, he's still sometimes kept away from witnesses because his hyperactivity can come off as insensitive.
Living Emotional Crutch: He serves as one to Himura, being Himura's closest friend and one of the only people who knows and accepts his darker side. When Akemi offers to be Himura's assistant, he declines with the reasoning that he's never wanted anyone but Arisugawa as his partner.
Morality Chain: Arisugawa is aware of Himura's murderous tendencies and feels like he's the only person capable of reigning him in. He's able to sympathise with one of the victims in the Screaming Castle case, who felt like she was the only person who could save the culprit and went to drastic lengths to do so. Moroboshi, who wants to bring out Himura's dark side, tries to take advantage of this by kidnapping Arisugawa and threatening to kill him.
Mystery Writer Detective: Though his primary role in the series is to keep Himura in check and act as a more sociable foil to him, Arisugawa's expertise in the mystery genre does occasionally allow him to help solve the case alongside Himura.
The Nose Knows: His sense of smell helps the investigations twice — when he smells bird poop in a victim's apartment, indicating that she used to have a pet, and when he detects a cologne in the empty apartment from "A Study in Vermilion". Himura compares him to a police dog.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Red to Himura's Blue. Arisugawa is talkative and high-energy, and is usually the one to question a suspect's behaviour or demand the motive from the culprit.
Secret-Keeper: He's one of the few people who knows about Himura's desire to kill someone. Not only does he try to reign in those tendencies as best he can, he's also there to stop Himura from acting strangely in public.
A Shared Suffering: In "A Study in Vermilion", Arisugawa has a small bonding moment with one of the suspects, Mutobe. Mutobe has feelings for Akemi, but says he doesn't have the right to confess to her since there's nothing he can do to alleviate her suffering. Arisugawa empathizes with him because he feels the same way about Himura, wanting to stay close to him but feeling that he isn't enough to keep Himura from falling to his dark side.
Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?: Alice is certainly a strange name for a Japanese man. While he's an Author Avatar, the author in question only used Alice as a pen name — Another Story confirms that Alice is the character's real name when Himura questions him about it. Given that Arisugawa confirms it's his real name at the same time that Himura asks, it's likely that he's used to the question.

Kyoto Prefectural Police

Hisashi Nabeshima

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himnabeshima1.png

"Investigate for the dignity of the police."

Portrayed by: Katsuhisa Namase

"Are you saying I have no pride? I don't. What I have is the determination to catch the killer. That's all."

The lead investigator of the First Investigation Division. An older officer who often brings in Himura to assist with cases.

Benevolent Boss: Best shown when Arisugawa is kidnapped, and Nabeshima forgoes the chance to take down the entirety of Shangri-La Crusade to instead rescue Arisugawa as soon as possible. Even moreso considering that Arisugawa isn't technically one of his men, but Nabeshima treats him as one regardless.
The Comically Serious: He has the appearance of a stern and serious detective, which makes it funnier when he gets wrapped up in Himura and Arisugawa's shenanigans. Such as when Arisugawa goes on a tangent about a delicious beef bowl while at the scene of the murder, with Nabeshima agreeing and the two gushing over it until Komachi yells at them.
Da Chief: He presides over the Investigation Division and is shown a few times addressing the entire department for particularly tough cases. He's respectful to both his own men and advisers like Himura and Arisugawa, with Komachi instead taking up the role of an officer with a bark worse than her bite.
Dead Partner: "A Study in Vermilion" reveals that he has a deceased colleague who worked on the case that Akemi brings to Himura, but whom was never able to solve it before he passed away. Nabeshima dedicates himself to solving the case in his colleague's stead, and is able to put the memory of his dead partner to rest.
Feeling Their Age: One case has the crew ascending thirteen flights of stairs, with Nabeshima lagging behind and complaining about how healthy the youth of today are.
Gut Feeling: In "An Odd-looking Customer", he fingers Hata as the culprit of the street stabbing based on his instinct as a veteran detective. Himura counters that logic is more important than gut feelings, though Nabeshima ends up being correct.
Hidden Depths: "Waiting for Jack the Ripper" shows that Yasoda got him hooked on idols, with his over-the-top enthuasiasm for them acting as a humurous contract to his age and serious attitude.
Letter Motif: Nabeshima and his old co-worker Ogata were referred to as the "ON Team" by the rest of the police force. Ono tries to set up her own ON Team with Nabeshima, but it falls flat since he's so used to her Komachi nickname.
Old Cop, Young Cop: Nabeshima is head of the investigation division and notably older than Komachi and Sakashita, who work directly under him. With Komachi being serious and by-the-book, while Sakashita is more light-hearted, Nabeshima is a middle force between the two, having the experience and instincts of a veteran detective while also offering leeway to more unconventional techniques like bringing in civilians to help solve cases.
Only a Flesh Wound: He's shot in the arm while attempting to stop a group of criminals from escaping. While he does collapse to the ground from the pain, he's still able to aim and shoot with his injured arm, hitting one guy in the leg and nearly taking out the tire in a moving vehicle. Afterwards he gets it bandaged up and then continues his day like nothing happened.
Reasonable Authority Figure: He's aware that his deductive prowess just doesn't match up to Himura's, and is willing to put his pride aside and have Himura assist with police investigations as much as possible. He's familiar enough with Himura's methods that he doesn't question his sometimes odd behaviour, knowing that it'll ultimately be beneficial to the case.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: It was by Nabeshima's suggestion that Himura was brought in to confront Moroboshi. This inspires Moroboshi to break out of prison, kidnap Arisugawa, and attempt to murder Himura. Nabeshima is seen quietly regretting his decision as Moroboshi's captor is questioned.

Nozomi Ono

Nozomi "Komachi" Ono

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himkomachi.png

"Himura-san, are you purposely challenging me?"

Portrayed by: Yūka

"I don't let personal matters get in the way of cases."

A detective who transfers into the First Investigation Division at the start of the story. Her orthodox mentality causes her to clash with Himura.

Adaptation Name Change: She's based on Machiko Takayanagi from the original novels. Despite having a different name, the Komachi nickname that she's given by Arisugawa is the same.
By-the-Book Cop: The main reason she dislikes Himura is because she doesn't think that the police should be relying so heavily on civilians to solve crimes. She tries to mitigate his strange methods as much as possible, such as distancing him from witnesses that she knows he'll just annoy.
Death Glare: She's very displeased when Himura acts insensitively to the wife of a kidnapped man, and lets him know it with a fierce glare.
Defrosting Ice Queen: She starts off the series with a professional and personal dislike for Himura, believing a civilian shouldn't be involved in police work and disturbed by his murderous tendencies. Towards the end she realises that Himura is as disgusted with his urges as she is, and offers him a sincere apology. Though she's still straight-laced, she's noticably less antagonistic towards him, especially in Another Story where she asks him to keep working with the department.
Gleeful and Grumpy Pairing: Komachi's no-nonsense personality is emphasised all the more when she's paired up with Sakashita, her chipper coworker.
Hates Being Nicknamed: Arisugawa saddles her with the "Komachi" nickname, which ends up sticking despite her best attempts to refuse it.
Inspector Lestrade: If any of the officers are going to challenge Himura or question his effectiveness then it'll be Komachi. Though she's competent in most of her police work, her deductive reasoning isn't as good as his, which is implied to be one of the reasons that she doesn't like him.
Jerkass Has a Point: Though it's couched in her usual abrasiveness towards Himura, she does end up being completely correct that having him meet with Moroboshi is a dangerous idea: their meeting is what motivates Moroboshi to escape from prison so that she can kill him.
Only Sane Man: She's the only person who'll at least try to stop Himura if he gets to be too aggravating. And when Nabeshima and Sakashita get involved in the antics, she'll put her foot down to stop them messing around.
Passive-Aggressive Kombat: In "Smashing a Show Window", she politely expresses her distaste at Himura being at the crime scene.
Nabeshima: Sorry to bother you. We know you're busy.
Komachi: If you're busy, you know you can turn us down.
[...]
Himura: Oh, please continue with your questioning.
Komachi: We will, without you saying so.
Tsundere:
- When she's targeted for being a woman close to Himura, she's quick to snap that she definitely isn't close to him at all.
- She takes charge of planning a party for Himura's return. When Arisugawa expresses his surprise, she's quick to claim that she only did it because she doesn't trust the men to handle it.

Keiichi Sakashita

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himsakashita.png

"Bingo!"

Portrayed by: Kazuki Shimizu

"Himura-san, I've figured out the trick!"

A younger detective who works for the Kyoto Prefectural Police. Acts a little goofy, but proves to be competent with his work.

Adaptation Name Change: A minor instance of him going from Keiichi Morishita in the novels to Keiichi Sakashita in the series.
Butt-Monkey: Occasionally, and usually due to Himura. In "Ransom of Associate Professor", Himura makes him pass on a tactless deduction to the wife of a kidnapped actor (since the ransom demand was postmarked, it's unlikely that the wife is staging things). After Sakashita leaks information to Himura's students, Himura refuses to let it to go regardless of how much Sakashita begs him. In "A Study in Vermilion", Himura solves the case and makes Sakashita do all the busywork so he can prove it — and still refuses to forgive him for leaking information.
Demoted to Extra: Keiichi in the novels received a few A Day in the Limelight stories: one where Himura and Arisugawa don't show up at all, and another where he's kidnapped by the Shangri-La Crusade and manages to escape by himself. The adaptation of the latter changes it so that Arisugawa is the one who's kidnapped, while the former isn't adapted at all, leaving the series' depiction of Keiichi as a side character.
Gleeful and Grumpy Pairing: Sakashita's sunny disposition is clearly contrasted with his co-worker Komachi, who's much more straight-laced and irritable.
Fair Cop: Kind of inevitable when you cast a Sentai Ranger as a detective. When a member of the police department needs to sub in for Himura's criminology class, one of the options that the students hope for is the handsome Sakashita that they met on a group date. They're subsequently disappointed when Yasoda takes the stand instead.
Once Done, Never Forgotten: During a group date with Akemi's classmates, Sakashita accidentally lets slip that Himura assists the police with investigations. Himura is none too pleased when he finds out, and refuses to let Sakashita off the hook for it despite repeated pleading.
Smarter Than You Look: He's actually pretty intelligent, despite what you'd think from his goofy demeanor. In "A Study in Vermilion" he figures out the trick with the mysteriously appearing body at the same time as Himura, and in "Logical Death Game" he figures out the Monty Hall problem before Akemi, Komachi, or Arisugawa.

Munenori Yasoda

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himyasoda1.png

"I can't get an autograph from a dead person."

Portrayed by: Makita Sports

"It's just what you'd expect from Himura. He's intrigued by an interesting point."

A coroner who works for the Kyoto Prefectural Police.

Affectionate Nickname: He refers to the stoic Himura with the cutesy "-chan" honorific, which seems to come from him being a soon-to-be Bumbling Dad.
Cringe Comedy:
- The poor guy falls victim to it when he's called in to substitute for one of Himura's classes. The students are already disappointed that he isn't one of Himura's handsome co-workers, and then he stutters all over his words, causes feedback in his microphone, and then accidentally drops its stand. All Played for Laughs, of course.
- At Himura's welcome back party, a drunk Yasoda gets up on stage and performs an idol song for him. The performance is painfully awkward, which is exactly what makes it so funny.
Doting Parent: First shown off when he interrupts Himura during an investigation to show off a sonogram of his unborn child. When he meets Arisugawa at the hospital, he asks if he wants to see the newest ultrasound, and Arisugawa goes along with it since Yasoda seems so enthusiastic.
Due to the Dead:
- He's shown offering a quick prayer to the body of a high school student before he begins examining the body. When Himura arrives, Yasoda reveals to him that the death of a teenager hit him particularly hard as a new father.
- He offers a prayer to the idol Mary after examining her body, as he was a fan of her group and was hit particularly hard with her death.
Hidden Depths:
- Despite being a bumbling old man, Yasoda is revealed to be excellent with computers, and was responsible for mentoring the analysis division of the police. When the group find a tablet at a crime scene, he easily cracks it open for them.
- "Waiting for Jack the Ripper" reveals that he's a huge fan of a certain underground idol group, to the point of memorising their dances and getting Nabeshima hooked on them too.
Mr. Exposition: He gives Himura details on the victim of the week, as you'd expect from a coroner, but as the only named forensic character he also usually passes on information about evidence that was found on the scene.
Sentimental Drunk: When celebrating Himura's return, Yasoda gets a little too tipsy and shows himself to be even more affectionate and cuddly than he is normally.

Antagonists

Sanae Moroboshi

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himsanae2.png

"You have the same scent as me."

Portrayed by: Kyoko Hasegawa

"I am here. I am only here. So, we can be one anytime."

The leader of the Shangri-La Crusade, a cult focused on revolution, though Moroboshi's own motivations are unknown. She starts off the story in prison, with her devout followers protesting for her release. Her cryptic personality unnerves those around her, and eventually brings her into conflict with Himura.

Color Motif: While imprisoned, Moroboshi wears a white cape that marks her as an ethereal and sinister figure. When she escapes and becomes directly involved in the plot, she switches her cape for a more striking all-black ensemble.
Enfant Terrible: Though we don't see it, Moroboshi claims to have been manipulating people since she was a child, seeing them as a better alternative to the dolls she was given to play.
Evil Counterpart: Like Moriarty to Sherlock, Moroboshi is a dark reflection of what Himura could be if he ever fell to the dark side. Both are geniuses with a deep understanding of the criminal mindset, but whereas Himura uses his intelligence to put criminals behind bars, Moroboshi uses hers to manipulate others.
Faux Affably Evil: Moroboshi acts in a giddy, almost childish way while blackmailing or kidnapping her hapless victims. When Arisugawa tries to tell her that Himura will never be interested in her, she seems disappointed for a moment before she reveals with a wide smile that she plans on killing Arisugawa to get Himura's attention. Sometimes this persona of hers drops when interacting with her cult, revealing her true nature as a cold and demanding manipulator.
Foe Romance Subtext: She has an obsession with Himura that toes the line between being murderous and romantic. When thinking about killing him, her followers comment that she has the expression of someone with a crush, and Arisugawa sarcastically tells her to ask Himura out after she kidnaps him.
In Love with Your Carnage: Moroboshi is very interested in Himura's murderous urges, seeing him as a worthy counterpart to herself. It's to the point that she's willing to kidnap and threaten the life of his best friend to try and make him snap.
Institutional Apparel: While in prison, Moroboshi wears a white cape-like outfit that seems to be fashioned after a straitjacket. She sheds it alongside her handcuffs after she makes her escape.
Manipulative Bastard: Her natural intelligence allows her to understand and manipulate other people as she sees fit. This allows her to amass a cult who follow her without question, and lets her pull off such feats as escaping prison with a few well-placed words.
Moroboshi: If there was a gun on this table, I could have you pull the trigger without giving you an order.
Mysterious Woman: She is introduced with a cult protesting her imprisonment, and she often speaks in abstract terms that confuse Nanba. When she comes face-to-face with Himura, it sets off a chemical reaction that places her in the role of his Moriarty.
Not Afraid to Die: As evidenced by "Logical Death Game", Moroboshi will happily risk her own life if it means she can have a Battle of Wits against Himura. When Himura asks if she's afraid of death, she only replies that she's sad her time with him might be cut short.
Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: The members of her cult genuinely believe that Moroboshi will lead them in a revolution that will change the world for the better. However, Moroboshi herself only seems interested in manipulating others to her whims. This first becomes apparent when she becomes fixated on Himura and makes the cult target innocent people just so that she can face off against him. When the two finally meet, she admits that she's been manipulating people since she was a child, and that the cult were all just "dolls" in her eyes.
Sultry Bangs: Her long hair is usually styled so that her right eye is covered, giving her an air of mystery and allure.

Apollo

Kiyone "Apollo" Sakamazu

"I'm God, and they don't deserve to live."

Portrayed by: Akira Onodera

"I came to Kyoto before on a school trip. I was able to laugh with everyone else during that trip. But I can't do that anymore. I'm here again, but I can't remember what I was like before."

An unusually young serial killer who seems to share Himura's desire to commit a "beautiful" crime. His past is unknown, but his presence is felt throughout the series.

Bad People Abuse Animals: One of the rumours spread about him is that he's responsible for a cat going missing in his neighbourhood, something that he doesn't deny when confronted about it (instead only confirming that, yes, he's a serial killer).
Borrowed Catchphrase: His first appearance has him echo Himura's "This crime is not beautiful." even though he's yet to meet Himura, setting them up as foils.
Double Consciousness: One interpretation of his words to Akemi before he willingly gives himself up to the police: he says to her that the police can't catch him because he's Kiyone, not Apollo, and that it'll be Apollo who is caught after committing crimes and will then disappear. This all suggests some manner of dissociation between himself, his physical body, and the Apollo moniker applied to him by the public.
Enfant Terrible: He's a serial-killing high schooler who murders just for the fun of it. The police run into some complications when dealing with him since he's underage, which indirectly affects the outcome of an unrelated killing of high schoolers.
Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: His soft features are almost cherubic. Don't let him fool you, though, because his smile hides a sadistic desire to kill.
Foil: He happens upon Akemi after running away from home, and their ensuing conversation highlights the various differences between them. He's lost his empathy for others and can't find joy in anything besides killing, and enjoys being in a crowd so he can feel superior to those around him. Akemi, on the other hand, is a kind girl rediscovering her emotions after recovering from her trauma.
A God Am I: At some point he lost the ability to act like a regular person, and instead only finds happiness when killing others. He explains to Akemi that he enjoys being in a crowd because it makes him feel like a god picking out undesirable people to kill.
Meaningful Name: He's given the nickname "Apollo" by the public, which can have two meanings: to those who see him as a hero, since he kills cult members, Apollo would be in reference to the Greek god; to those who see him as a simple serial killer, the meaning of Apollo is "to destroy".
Mysterious Past: He kills people just for the fun of it — however, in his own words, he didn't always feel that way. It's never explained what happened that caused him to lose joy in life and start thinking of himself as a god.
Not Me This Time: When two high school students show up dead, social media naturally assume that the up-and-coming serial killer Apollo is to blame. He actually had nothing to do with the case, though the solo witness tampered with the scene to try and implicate Apollo of the crime.
Serial-Killer Killer: He's a killer who only targets other criminals, thinking himself a god who's eradicating people who don't deserve to live.
Shadow Archetype: Both he and Himura harbour the curious desire to kill, to the point that Apollo echoes some of Himura's dialogue despite having never met him. While Apollo becomes a serial killer and delights in the opportunity to create "beautiful" crimes, Himura is disgusted by his impulses and hunts down criminals to temper his desire. When they finally meet, Himura snaps at Apollo for giving in to his murderous urges.

Other

Akemi Kijima

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himakemi2.png

"I feel like time stopped flowing two years ago."

Portrayed by: Mizuki Yamamoto

"I want to understand that darkness that lies within a criminal's heart. If I don't, I'll never be able to move forward."

One of Himura's students at Eiko University. She harbours intense trauma from a long and complicated series of cases, and solving them proves to be one of Himura's toughest challenges.

Absurd Phobia: Due to witnessing her uncle being burned alive when she was a teenager, Akemi has a deep-seated fear of the colour orange. It's so intense that, when the sun sets and paints the sky orange, it causes her to panic and experience vertigo. She berates herself for having such a strange phobia, with Himura reassuring her that trauma can manifest in strange ways.
Accent Slip-Up: She slips into her natural Kansai dialect when following Himura across campus, which tips her friends off that something's bothering her.
All of the Other Reindeer: Her extended family are cold to her since they were forced to take her in after the death of her parents. This attitude only worsens when their home is set on fire and Akemi's uncle is killed, with her aunt outright calling her a "cursed" child.
Dark and Troubled Past: Her parents died in an accident and then her uncle's home was set on fire when she was 15, killing him in the process. Then, four years later, her friend was bludgeoned to death while on a family vacation. Himura solving the twisted mystery behind it all helps Akemi come to terms with her troubled past.
Epiphany Therapy: After her uncle's killer is caught, Akemi is able to watch the sunset without experiencing painful memories of the fire that killed her uncle. That said, she and Himura both say that it'll take a while longer until she's fully recovered from her trauma.
Foil: She happens upon Apollo while out reading in public, and their ensuing conversation highlights the various differences between them. She likes isolating herself in a crowd and is finding her emotions again after her tumultuous past. Apollo, on the other hand, loves being in a crowd and has lost his joy in everything besides killing.
Heal the Cutie: Episodes 6 and 7 are a long two-parter dedicated to solving the mystery behind the murders of Akemi's two uncles and her friend. After it's all done and over with, Akemi is shown to be slowly recovering from her traumas and coming out of her morose shell.
Mysterious Waif: She often approaches Himura but hesitates to reveal her troubles to him, asks him strange and probing questions (like if he's ever wanted to kill someone) and has a bizarre reaction to watching the sunset. It's not until halfway through the show that Himura gets her to open up, which leads into a complicated case spanning six years.
Refused by the Call: Near the end of the series, Akemi asks Himura if she can be his assistant — by that point she's become acquainted with three different killers, and wishes to understand the reasoning behind why they committed their crimes. However, Himura gently rebuffs her by saying that Arisugawa is the only person he's ever wanted by his side. That said, she still ends up tagging along in future cases.
Repressed Memories: Akemi witnessed her family home being set on fire, and frequently has nightmares of seeing her first uncle set her second one on fire. Himura deduces that said nightmare is actually a memory that Akemi repressed, as she was close to her first uncle and shared his hatred of the second one.
Secret-Keeper: Along with Arisugawa, Akemi is one of the few people who knows of Himura's murderous tendencies after they confess to each other about their nightmares.
Took a Level in Cheerfulness: She's more openly happy and outgoing when she shows up in the 2019 special, having been given time to recover from the trauma of her Dark and Troubled Past.
Trauma Button: Akemi has a general phobia of the colour orange that manifests most often in her intense reaction to the sunset. She's shown multiple times collapsing to the ground and panicking when evening approaches. After Himura solves the case that gave her the phobia, she's able to view the sunset without being triggered by its colour.

Tokie Shinomiya

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himtokie2.png

"Youth is a treasure."

Portrayed by: Mari Natsuki

"If I were the editor, I would push you harder. Because I want to read your novel more than anyone."

Himura's landlady, and a close friend to both him and Arisugawa.

Birds of a Feather: With Arisugawa. She loves mystery novels, he is a mystery novelist, and both of them have exuberant and cheerful personalities. It's especially noticeable when the deadpan Himura is sandwiched between them.
Cool Old Lady: Tokie is always a joy to be around, with even Himura enjoying her company and benefitting from her advice. She usually has food on hand for the boys and enjoys getting up to mischief with them.
Fangirl: She's a big fan of mystery literature, and thus a big fan of Arisugawa. When she needs to write down the combination for her safe, she hides it in a riddle based off a mystery novel.
The Heart: She's a kind-hearted women who gets along well with everyone, and the light-hearted moments with her generally serve as a reprieve from the various murder cases. Her home is treated as a safe, comforting place, particularly for her tenant Himura — this makes it all the more tense when Moroboshi confronts him there in the finale.
I Was Quite a Looker: A photobook hidden away in her safe reveals that Tokie was stunning◊ when she was younger, with looks befitting a model and an aura that Arisugawa compares to a fairy.
Kindhearted Cat Lover: She was happy to take in the stray cat that Himura picked up off the street, and cares for it as deeply as she cares for him.
The Pollyanna: Regardless of the situation, Tokie is almost always gleeful. When she's targeted by a cult because of her relationship with Himura, she's still happy because they recognise how close she is to him. One of the only times she's ever seen upset is when Himura apparently dies in the finale, which makes it hit all the harder.

Characters / Criminologist Himura and Mystery Writer Arisugawa

The Main Duo