In/Spectre

Both touched by spirits called yokai, Kotoko and Kuro have gained unique superhuman powers. But to gain her powers Kotoko has given up an eye and a leg, and Kuro’s personal life is in shambles. So when Kotoko suggests they team up to deal with renegades from the spirit world, Kuro doesn’t have many other choices, but Kotoko might just have a few ulterior motives…

Kotoko investigates the mysterious death of former idol Karin Nanase, who now terrorizes the sleepy town of Makurazaka as “Steel Lady Nanase.” But with Kurô missing and the threat of the Steel Lady potentially causing harm to the Makurazaka’s citizens, Kotoko is left with no choice but to team-up with Kurô’s ex-girlfriend, Saki. And later, as the Steel Lady strikes again, the origins of Kurô’s bizarre powers are revealed.

The uneasy trio of Kotoko, Kurô, and Saki are facing a seemingly impossible challenge in trying to stop the terror of “Steel Lady Nanase,” the ghost of a dead idol. How can you kill something that won’t die even if its neck is broken? The mystery is further complicated when internet rumors appear to be linked to the ghost’s origin. Now, Kotoko and Kurô must figure out how to defeat a figment of the imagination! To fight a story with another story, they’ll have to pool their resources and Saki’s connections to create something convincing. And is there a mastermind behind this phenomenon, or will some questions remain unanswered?

Whether or not the spectre of a dead idol is real, the urban legend of “Steel Lady Nanase” feeds people’s imaginations and results in a murder that hits close to home for Saki. This brutal death causes the legend to further balloon out of control, and Kotoko and Kurô must devise a lie that can counteract the belief that such a dangerous ghost even exists. But matters become complicated when the group discovers that the person behind the myth may be someone Kurô has known all along…What powers can bring a ghost to life, and what motivated this trickery?

With the violence and the urban legend of Steel Lady Nanase only continuing to grow in power, it’s up to Kotoko to put a stop to her once and for all—and quickly! Her mission is complicated by the likelihood that Kurô’s sickly cousin, Rikka, is the mastermind behind it all. Kotoko gathers "four solutions" to destroy the truth that Rikka has brought to life, but can a lie destroy a fictional monster and create a new truth? Armed only with these imaginative solutions, Kotoko, Kurô, and Saki kick off the decisive battle with Steel Lady Nanase.

“Steel Lady Nanase”—the urban legend of a faceless, bloodthirsty phantom who had once been a voluptuous idol— as gone from myth to terrifying reality thanks to Rikka’s powers. In order to defeat this fictitious monster, Kotoko continues to present her “four solutions” to create a new “truth,” as Kurô uses his abilities to defeat the spectre once and for all. With two solutions rejected and only two remaining, canKotoko’s invented inference put the myth of the Steel Lady to rest once and for all, or is the fate of her and Kurô’s futures completely out of her hands?

Both touched by spirits called yôkai, Kotoko and Kurô have gained unique superhuman powers. But to gain her powers Kotoko has given up an eye and a leg, and Kurô’s personal life is in shambles. So when Kotoko suggests they team up to deal with renegades from the spirit world, Kurô doesn’t have many other choices, but Kotoko might just have a few ulterior motives…

Totomizu was a flourishing little seaside tourist town until suddenly, thousands of dead fish started washing up on shore. No one knows what’s causing it—no one, that is, but the spectres. They say a strange wooden doll is behind this unnatural phenomenon. Can Kotoko solve the mystery and save the town?

Even the mysterious Kotoko Iwanaga was a high school student once, but could a girl like her ever fit in with regular teenagers? There is one student who thinks she would be a great addition to his club, but can he possibly convince the lone wolf to become a member of an organization? Learn how Manabu Amachi manipulated Kotoko into joining the mystery appreciation club!

It’s been nearly a year, and Kotoko has yet to find Rikka Sakuragawa. Little does she know that Rikka has recently moved into a nice little apartment that came at a very affordable price...because it’s thought to be cursed! What is causing the series of suicides in her new home? And can Kotoko catch her before she goes on the run again?

Twenty-three years ago, Sumi Otonashi was killed in a mugging gone wrong. Or was she? Out of nowhere, her husband Goichi reveals to his heirs that he killed her—and challenges them to figure out how. But can they reach a plausible explanation without knowing he contracted a spectre to do the deed? And what will their own buried secrets bring to light? Kotoko will have to judge the heirs’ solutions, and lead them to the right answer …

As Rikka continues her solitary journey, she makes the acquaintance of one of Kotoko’s high school friends, who reminisces fondly of their days in the Mystery Appreciation Club theorizing about dying messages. Meanwhile, a snow demoness has a request for Kotoko, hoping the revered Goddess of Wisdom can find a way to exonerate her human friend of some very serious charges…

To fulfill the Yuki-Onna’s request of saving Masayuki, Kotoko pulls out all the stops to teach the misanthrope a lesson he’ll value forever. The case’s conclusion allows Kotoko and Kurô to return to their routines, but memories of Rikka upset their daily calm. The Goddess of Wisdom reminisces of the time she and Rikka collaborated on a murder mystery, one involving a perpetrator who wanted to ensure his crime was seen…

Kotoko’s recollection of a case she solved with Rikka demonstrates how capable they both are, and how difficult of a match it would be should they find themselves on opposing sides. In the present day, Kurô begrudgingly assists Kotoko in her duties of mediating and investigating spectre-related incidents. One such case involves the resentful ghost of a giraffe, and a very familiar face…

A deadly incident in the mountains claims the lives of three victims and leaves one fighting for his life. As Kotoko and Kurô prepare to investigate the involvement of a vengeful giraffe spirit, who should they find at the scene but the elusive Rikka Sakuragawa! Though the trio agree to cooperate on the case, Kotoko can’t help but wonder what Rikka may have in store…

Kotoko teeters on the edge of defeat after having unearthed Rikka’s plan to make the spectres lose faith in her as their Goddess of Wisdom, but there may still be time to salvage the situation. It all hinges on whether or not she can craft the perfect lie to deter any further investigation of the murder in the mountains and succeed in pacifying the vengeful giraffe spirit! Meanwhile, it seems like Rikka has no intention of disappearing again, so what could she be scheming now…?

The case of the grisly giraffe is finally closed. Rikka emerges victorious, but will Kotoko’s defeat truly change where Kurô’s heart lies? Meanwhile, a high school friend seeks Kotoko’s expertise to resolve a centuries-old family enigma involving their sword-fighting legacy—and an eerie snow woman. Can Kotoko cut through history—and ghosts of the past—to solve a mystery of generations?

Kotoko Iwanaga delves into a historic Edo era mystery when a high school friend consults her about his family’s possible connection to yôkai. According to legend, a samurai named Shirokura Hanbei battles and slays a yuki-onna in the mountains. Hanbei is later suddenly killed under mysterious circumstances and there are two suspects: himself or the yuki-onna. The spine-chilling “To Slay a Snow Woman” mystery continues. Confronted between the choice to tell the truth or to lie, how will Kotoko present the evidence?

Kotoko’s nemesis Rikka is back, and it’s a battle between artificial intelligence and the Goddess of Wisdom. Rikka develops Mecha Kotoko: an advanced technological machine programmed to mimic yōkai supernatural powers. The doppelganger outrages Kotoko, but fools the real yōkai. Up against a seemingly all-knowing artificial version of herself, can Kotoko still emerge as the superior sleuth? A plethora of mysteries awaits in this collection of suspenseful short stories!

When the police find Eiki Tauchi dead along with his last words, the death is easily ruled as a suicide. In a separate case, the widow Ryūko Tobishima continues to don a black veil, fifty years after her husband was killed in a car accident. However, looks are deceiving as further investigations reveal that the victims were actually murdered—by vengeful family members. Kotoko and the yōkai unlock the guilt and shame behind the locked-room mysteries. And Mecha Kotoko makes an encore.

The deeper Kotoko delves into the Tobishima family murder, the murkier the circumstances become. Ryūko Tobishima, the matriarch and widow behind the black veil, emerges as a possible suspect after her late husband’s extramarital affair is discovered. Her son and granddaughter are astounded, but they can’t deny the evidence presented by Kotoko. Will the family finally receive a dignified closure—or will they live with a legacy steeped in shame?