MWPSB Special Case 102, better known as The Specimen Case, is a case handled by Inspectors Shinya Kogami and Nobuchika Ginoza, along with their Enforcers between November 2109 and January 2110. In March 2110, the investigation is completely closed by Bureau Chief Joshu Kasei as the subject is declared unknown and the investigation headquarters dissolved.[1]
Background[]
The case is nicknamed "The Specimen Case" due to the victims' bodies being dismembered and turned into inhumane artworks via plastination, like fossil specimens encased in amber, before being put on public display. For a while, there are no leads or clues as to who or what is behind the gruesome murders. However, Enforcer Mitsuru Sasayama finally uncovers a lead and manages to obtain a photograph of the suspect, though quite blurry. He names the photo "Shogo Makishima."
Sasayama's blurry photo.
Shortly thereafter, Sasayama is brutally killed in the same way as the other victims before he can solve the case. His then-Inspector, Shinya Kogami, discovers his ravaged body after frantically searching for him. This experience causes Kogami to view the law enforcement system in a different light. This, along with the fact that he is horrified, saddened and angry, causes his Psycho-Pass to rise above acceptable levels. Kogami refuses treatment which results in his demotion to Enforcer.[2][3]
Three years later, his team is again investigating crimes committed in a near-identical manner, but with a different mastermind, done through accomplices like Rikako Oryo, who butchers her victims in the same way as those of the Specimen Case. She, however, displays them in imitation of her father's paintings, which assists the Public Safety Bureau in learning of her role in the murders.
Kogami is dragged into a game-like test and, by the end, he briefly sees the puppet master who kidnaps Yuki Funahara and kills her in front of her friend, Akane Tsunemori. Utilizing the Memory Scoop, the team is able to obtain a clear image of Makishima through Tsunemori's memories.
The Victims[]
Ryoji Hashida[]
He is a politician of the Diet Lower House. His corpse is found in the front garden of the Iyasaka Traditional Restaurant in November 5, 2109 by Anna Nakamichi, a member of the Akasaka Waste Management Bureau. Hashida's cranium is cut open and his brain removed. A part of his brain, the hippocampus, is also inserted into his anus.[2] Even if it's impossible to estimate the exact time of the death, it's believed to be set in November 1 or November 2, as Hashida met another member of the Diet Lower House, Mitsuru Ishihara, at the Iyasaka Restaurant in November 1 and considering the amount of time the plastination process needs.
"Princess"[]
She is Toma's twin sister, however, her true identity is never discovered by the MWPSB. They just assume her as an illegal immigrant or an adolescent who isn't included in the census. Princess is found on the outdoor stage in a public park on November 25, 2109, by Akira Mukai, a student taking a walk in the park and photographing the grounds. Some parts of Princess's skin are cut away and rearranged. Skin from her thighs are rearranged as a "skirt" over her hips.
Abele Altoromagi[]
Altoromagi is Toko Kirino's father and an Italian human rights lawyer. He is also the head of the charity organization which finds Toma. He is discovered in the chimpanzee enclosure of the Ueno Imperial Zoo (Jan 11, 2110) by Mirai Asano, a zookeeper. Different parts of his body are opened and filled with chimpanzee feed and toys, before being closed again. The brain and the internal organs are also removed to make more space for the fillings. Because of the feed, some chimpanzees partially devour the body with remnants later found in their stomachs. Because Altoromagi attends a charity event at the Johann Okubo Church until midnight before losing track of him, and because of the long plastination process, it's believed that the crime occurs between January 8-9, 2110.
Mitsuru Sasayama[]
Sasayama is an Enforcer of Division 1. His corpse is detected on a sidewalk under a PR hologram of the pharmaceutical company[3] OW Pharmaceuticals on January 15, 2110, by his superior, Inspector Shinya Kogami. Several parts of Sasayama's body have been cut off (e.g. his arms, legs and head). The arms are combined with the body again at the place where the head is located while his head is held by the rearranged arms. The eyes are removed and the mouth stuffed with coins. It becomes known that Sasayama's dissection is undertaken while he is still alive. His time of the death is assumed to be set between January 12-13, 2110, as he reports for duty for the last time on January 12.
Trivia[]
- While Division 1 is involved in the Specimen Case, it is Division 2 as led by Inspector Risa Aoyanagi that ultimately captures Kozaburo Toma.
- The report on the Specimen Case, which includes Sasayama's murder, is prepared by Aoyanagi.
- The autopsies are done by Shion Karanomori.
- Because of the plastination, it is impossible to estimate the exact time of the death of any of the four victims through autopsy.
Gallery[]
Aoyanagi's official reports[]
References[]