Well I am not sure if you'll see this, but this story is amazing. Honestly, you've left me with an intense hunger for the next chapter, which I think is the best compliment you can give an author.

I know the plot is based on Hannibal, but I really enjoyed the cast of Yukino as the serial killer. I really hope you come back and finish this beautiful thriller.

man i want the new chapter i really likee this story pleasee continue author san

(Reads chapter title) Holy crap! Do Yukino and Hachiman have kids!?

so good

Great story, your writing skills are great and I’m excited for the next chapter

Next chapter ? I like fiction goob job :)

Good job next chapter ?

Before I started this review, I listened to Sogno Soave E Casto by Roberto Alagna.

"I feel a twinge of dread"
Skilled investigators have good instincts; they can sense when something doesn't feel 'right' about a place.
"Loud noises aren't good for me"
You've made Hachiman into SUCH a fascinating and multi-layered character in this story.
"more sensitive hearing than most people"
This may be one of possibly several reasons for him refusing to carry a gun.
"My doctor advised me"
Does he still see this doctor?
"at least not one caused by noise"
Hmm.
"he could use to deconstruct my brain"
Hachiman feels like a potential victim. Yukino however felt like a predator when it seemed that she was being investigated by Shizuka.
"Almost"
He REALLY does not like carrying a gun.
"running it ever since"
There's no way they can cover up what he did to Tsurumi...
"staying too long in one place"
Neil McCauley: 'Don't ever let yourself get attached to something you're not prepared to walk out on in thirty seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.'
"unpainted and easily demolished when the job would be done"
(looks at Tsurumi being a pipe-worker) Hmm. What and which jobs are common and uncommon in Japan?
"enter without knocking"
Heh!
"But when she got a good look at Yukinoshita, I see the change in her eyes"
I love this so much.
"Insecurity hits her hard"
(looks at Yukino and Haruno) Hmm. (looks at Yui and Iroha) Huh.
"a smile she didn't give me she flashes for Yukinoshita, trying to look inviting"
This likely didn't impress Yukino. By contrast, she was fascinated by Hachiman not trying to placate her.
"Yukinoshita looks like everyone's boss"
Might be difficult for her to go unnoticed, which means she has to plan carefully when she's stalking/following potential/future victims in public.
"Police scare innocent people as much as criminals"
What if Hachiman is recognized on sight as the legendary profiler?
"before I could make up an excuse...I'll have to call you back"
Yeah, hiring a serial killer probably won't look good for a company.
"If the construction company wasn't so organized"
Apparently, Japanese businesses tend to be meticulous when it comes to things like this, perhaps even to a fault.
"one name stuck out the most"
Tsurumi was afraid of being seen or questioned by the police. He chose to flee rather than try to play it by ear and bluff in the event that he is approached.
"I don't know. Maybe"
Tsurumi moved around a lot due to work, never staying in one place for too long. I thought of Lisbeth Salander tracking the movements of the Vanger family business and cross-checking them with the locations where murder victims were found in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
"Like Yukinoshita over there"
Ha!
"first the sudden confession now this stealth compliment"
This dynamic is adorable. Which makes it even worse knowing what Yukino is.
"What makes...Tatsumi Tsurumi so suspicious"
Yukino intends to learn from other people's mistakes. Hachiman had spent a long time teaching instead of working murder cases.
"completely aware of my discomfort"
Hmph!
"Far below her station"
How did Hachiman feel when he was with Yui? Their marriage failed for a reason.
"he didn't write down his address"
Bad mistake. The best place to hide is in plain sight. Just ask Yukino.
"But he wrote it down with a glitter pen"
Great writing here! I like this detail that wasn't in Hannibal!
"trying to breed skepticism"
Hachiman has had to deal with lawyers in the past.
"making me out as"
It may be more effective to paint Hachiman as a GOOD and SKILLED investigator who nevertheless made a mistake and refuses to acknowledge it.
"You never know what you might find on a second look"
(looks at Yukino) ...
"sending nerves a flutter"
This isn't Oregairu. Hachiman in this story has been with at least one woman in the past. Man, writing him as a former husband, and his ex-wife being Yui, is a BRILLIANT idea.
"the tone of voice I love to hear"
He tries so hard to make people understand how he deduces the nature of a crime and the person/people who committed it.
"I can't help but imagine if I can make her let out other noises"
It isn't because of how physically attractive she is, is it? It's because of her personality as well. Until he first met her, Hachiman hasn't had an animated conversation in a long time; someone whom he enjoys simply having a conversation with.
"Sue me"
Being around Yukino is going to bring out more of his sarcastic side.
"Should we inform Commissioner Hiratsuka?"
She is carefully manipulating the investigation already...
"keep the Tsurumi family's image relatively blemish free"
Yukino is a horrible, horrible person.
"I might as well entertain Yukinoshita"
He will...
"it would be a shame if her first time on a case would be a paper work run"
Yukino thinks so too.
"what I assume would be thrilling look"
I take it she wasn't disappointed by what he did to Tsurumi.
"all the rumors and intellectual discussions"
Yukino had the upper hand on Hachiman earlier; he knew nothing about her.
"those very abilities might one day be used against me"
She wants an opponent whom she deems worthy of her.
"this selective killer"
Yukino isn't as selective or restricted as Tsurumi.
"If Hachiman won't entertain me"
Was this done out of spite?
"My voice acting lessons pay-off"
A skilled and intelligent psychopath. In my opinion, unless Yukino makes a mistake or WANTS to be caught, she'll never get caught. And she knew that if she kept being around Hachiman, he'll eventually 'see' her.
"the fair maiden in me smirk"
Liar. Like you are a fair maiden at all. Sheesh, Yukino really doesn't see herself as evil at all.
"I should write that one down"
Yukino is so despicable in this scene.
"altering my voice slightly"
Would Rumi tell the police that the caller was a woman?
"perfectly masking"
Hachiman would have spotted him the instant he first spoke.
"He's a simple man who enjoys simple things"
And a hunter who hunts the deadliest game.
"He built his home himself...They weren't perfect. Just average"
Somewhere along the way, something happened that led to Tsurumi becoming a murderer and a cannibal.
"cooking together"
Yukino enjoys cooking as well.
"he's the apex predator"
Oh, how wrong you were, Tsurumi.
"Do you understand?"
Yukino knew that by doing this, Tsurumi would do something that would remove all doubt as to his guilt in Hachiman's eyes.
"she looked completely relaxed"
Yukino has a very well-made person suit. Hachiman came close to seeing through it. She'll be making improvements.
"not find it awkward"
Did he have the same thing with Yui?
"the neighborhood I grew up in"
Hmm.
"I shudder at the thought"
Ha!
"The lawn was mowed perfectly"
Psychopaths are narcissists.
"a pickup truck just like mine"
Hachiman has at least a few psychopathic traits himself. It's one factor into why he could empathize with them so well.
"the outdoorsman variety"
Tsurumi loathes the idea of being seen as a corporate worker.
"nor will I ever"
Why not?
"even from a glance I could tell this house was unique"
Tsurumi wanted to be noticed. He got his wish.
"genuine familial love"
Yukino may grow to love Hachiman...which would only make it all even worse. She'll damage him far more than anything he has been through in the past.
"She screams again"
Mrs Tsurumi did not die quickly. Unlike his other victims, her husband didn't kill her fast.
"Eyes are said to be windows to the soul"
He's looked into Yukino's eyes many times by now. Yukino is TERRIFYING in this story.
"like a startled monster"
Francis Dolarhyde: 'Your face...is...closed to me.'
"My first instinct was to run after him"
Most people run away from the things that frighten them, not towards. Hachiman is not most people.
"Blood was everywhere...The smell"
Hachiman will never forget this, and this is far from the last time he'll see something like it.
"Like I was soothing her"
He already knew that she was going to die. In fact, he might have been doing exactly what Tatsumi did before he cut her throat.
"Out of instinct, my mind goes through its motions"
This story is SO well-written.
"I came to one conclusion"
He can analyze and deduce even in moments like this.
"white knight instincts"
Not all men (or women) would have rushed in there. Some would have hanged back and called for backup, then yelled for the suspect to come out slowly and unarmed.
"The countless times I've had to defend myself against bullies"
Hachiman is not helpless without a gun. Also, it's clear he was bullied not only as a child but as an adult too.
"I hate myself enough to die trying"
Hachiman is reckless.
"Aiming near the lock"
Not the first door he's kicked down.
"Keeping me away"
You are more likely to be killed by the person you love than by a stranger. Fact. Truth is stranger and scarier than fiction.
"He looked straight out of a monster movie"
Yukino doesn't. She looks beautiful and majestic. However, Hachiman is aware that she has her ugliness and flaws.
Will Graham: 'You have no traceable motive...which is why you are so hard to see.'
"compelling to do worse to his own daughter"
In cases of molestation, it's usually a friend or family member. Many children were molested by their parents. This is a terrible world when you think about it, which is why many choose not to. Many people are repulsed and/or disturbed by Hachiman's brutally honest and blunt profiling.
"They're so blue"
I don't know why, but I think this may be one of the most important lines of this chapter.
"the first thing that came to mind"
I winced.
"Oh, God. What am I doing?"
Shizuka probably either gave or wanted to give Hachiman an earful for this.
"He wants to die together with his wife and daughter"
No. He doesn't get to do that. I wish Hachiman had taken him alive.
"and I wasn't even trying"
I think it says more about those people than it does about Hachiman.
"Yukinoshita's smug face came to mind"
This made me laugh. This really, truly isn't Lecter and Graham.
"Your daughter doesn't belong to you"
...yeah, this would set Tsurumi off. The one thing he covets more than anything in the world.
"Very rarely do I"
Wait, so he's done something like this before? Interesting.
"she might fall in love with me"
OUCH. Oh man. And Rumi heard it too!
"That's why soldiers just opt to stab the throat"
I remember reading that no professional would ever slash the throat, as it is neither quick nor quiet.
"No gurgling sounds. That's good"
I feel sick.
"I see the abyss in those eyes"
Would Yukino ever be driven to such despair? I honestly doubt it.
"I've been trained by the best"
Hachiman clearly has a very interesting past.
"brawling in the dog fighting den"
Wait, WHAT?
"cut in the gut...Then I felt it"
Stomach injuries are usually very, very painful. Stomachaches often hurt more than headaches. In boxing, knockouts by body-shots are far more excruciating than ones to the head.
"My blood"
Graham wasn't wounded in the first episode. This chapter is TERRIFYING.
"A millimeter deeper"
He escaped death by the skin of his teeth.
"My legs were already giving up on me"
He's rapidly losing strength already.
"that was everything I could register"
Tsurumi killed his victims and then butchered them. Hachiman does the opposite to him.
"But I don't stop there...flashes in my mind"
...yeah, he's gonna need a psych evaluation. (looks at Yukino) Aw GOD DAMN IT.
"Something primal came out of me"
Something in him died when Komachi was killed, and something else was awakened.
"She's hanging on"
Did she hear or even see everything?
"This is beginning to feel oddly familiar"
...was...was Komachi alive when he found her?
"I must look like a bloodsucking demon to her"
Dr Hannibal Lecter: 'The lamb is becoming a lion.'
"all the ridicule my eyes have brought me"
Yukino may tell Hachiman that rather than hide them, he should proudly display them.
"As if she's rehearsed it"
Have I mentioned that I love this story?
"I was actually admiring"
...this story. It may become the most heart-breaking Oregairu fanfic ever written.
"Yukinoshita's voice"
She spoke to her latest victim before abducting her and taking her away to have her lungs cut out while she was alive and conscious.
"Yukinoshita followed them, holding the girl's hand"
Seriously, Yukino is DESPICABLE in this chapter. And yet I cannot hate her. More like be in awe. Killing her would be like killing something that has no other like it.
"I had to be slightly physical with a few sccrubs to get me to talk to her"
Huh.
"thinking of Chiba as they drugged me up"
Why?
"in a few days"
It wasn't a stab wound, and the cut was shallow.
"a sight that warmed my desensitized heart"
...oh my God. This story is going to kill me. Poor Hachiman. Yukino, you MONSTER. You godless, soulless MONSTER.
"there's no such thing"
Yukino knew that Hachiman would realize that something was wrong; that he'll eventually learn about the phone call. She knew. And she did it anyway.
"just to avoid spitting it out...say her name like it forever haunts me"
He hasn't gotten over her. If he had, he wouldn't have reacted like this.
"Yui"
First-name basis.
"how much I've missed her"
I am SO glad that you've brought Yui into this story! Still my favorite development of this story so far! Yui is an awesome character and I look forward to seeing how you have crafted your own version of her for this story.
"they're easy to put on...rushed to the hospital"
She likely didn't hesitate for even a second.
"then she frowned"
Ha!
"I'm an idiot for forgetting to change me"
Don't lie to yourself, Hachiman. You didn't forget. You just didn't want to change it.
"she must think I kept it that way on purpose"
You don't forget to change a phone number when it concerns your ex.
"the sad, lonely loser she thinks I am without her"
Hachiman is an Unreliable Narrator. He clearly hasn't seen Yui in a long time, so it's not like Yui has been constantly checking up on him.
"Pre-school teacher"
Huh.
"the former Mrs Hikigaya"
You were smiling while you were writing this, weren't you?
"the one I got you"
I can't wait for the next chapter.

Glad I came back to this one

(Part 4 of my review of Chapter 3)

"My anger spiked at the sheer psychopathy"
Hachiman DOESN'T admire or envy killers. He can respect them, in a way, and even empathize with them, but he is DISGUSTED by their rationalizations. He recently tore into Yukino psychologically by telling her that being a psychiatrist is more to feed her ego and less to help others. Hachiman gets along with Iroha because he shares a mutual honesty with her.
"wanting to write this all down"
This made me laugh. Seriously, Iroha, what is it with you and murder cases? I'll bet more than a few people have been mystified by her, as they assume that only creepy people would be into such things. Imagine someone who looks like Iroha excitedly insisting that they watch a psychological thriller movie, and while the other girls are reading romance novels, she's reading a murder-mystery one and cheerily talking about forensics.
"The cannibal had to have his own"
By allowing Kayo's body to be found, Tsurumi practically gave himself up. He caught HIMSELF.
"one of the few citizens in Chiba"
Yep. This isn't the USA, it's Japan. Firearms are rare there, though not unheard of.
"A person like that is just terrifying"
Rumi looked up to her father so much...
"Humming happily"
Dammit, Yukino, stop making cannibalism look FUNNY!
"my dad taught both me and my little sister how to shoot a bow"
Where are the Hikigaya parents now?
"To succeed in something almost impossible"
Shizuka and her team are aware of Hachiman's reputation, but this...they'll never look at him the same way ever again. Hopefully, they'll treat him as an equal instead of a celebrity.
"What about the copycat?"
Hachiman just told everyone that the copycat is far, far worse than the killer they are currently chasing.
"but not human emotion"
Wrong, Hachiman. You have no idea how wrong you are. This is what you WANT to believe. It's the most frightening thing of all; serial killers are just people. We call such people 'inhuman?' No. They are just as human as we are. The DNA doesn't lie.
"probably thought it was cute, they should have dropped it"
Kenzo Tenma and Johan Liebert.
"She struggled for her life"
Gideon didn't. He knew his death was inevitable, and he accepted it.
"Which reminds me"
Hachiman in the future is going to be hitting his head against a wall and cursing himself for not seeing it sooner.
"wasted when only eaten alone, after all"
Kuudere.
"a casual brown office attire"
Ha!
"A pretty girl has never made me breakfast before"
Wait, what?
"She sounds a little too excited"
This feels so much like a date. Seriously.
"That was out loud"
I love Yukino. Yes, even this Yukino. Goddammit.
"a warm smile"
She smiled when Kimiko blew smoke in her face.
"I can't even remember the last time"
Yukino is doing this on purpose.
"along with any romantic interest in you"
Ouch.
"You'd react the same way too"
I doubt it. Yukino will continue to surprise Hachiman, and vice versa.
"Friday's when he'll strike"
You do the same thing over and over, sooner or later there'll be a traceable pattern. It's not easy being Yukino, especially when investigators like Shizuka and Hachiman are out there.
"the chicken scratch"
...she noticed. She saw that Iroha is curious/interested in Hachiman.
"my crass language"
Hachiman is not very charismatic.
"people hate them for their looks"
I imagined bats flipping off humans and replying that humans don't look so good to them either.
"the last time I looked into a woman's head"
Not all murderers are male. Hachiman's not going to have it easy in this story.
"that just makes me feel responsible for her"
I do NOT want to know how he is going to feel for Rumi...
"We're just following up on a lead on a case"
Yukino manipulates the investigation to make things more interesting.
"The only decent organization in the police force"
Seems like Hachiman has at least one or two friendly associates there.
"the most likely suspect"
How do they determine that? One whom a court jury would most likely see as guilty?
"I never guess"
Hachiman and Yukino are BOTH arrogant.
"Evidence can ruin the truth"
Especially when the culprit knows what evidence is.
"the least embarrassing one"
I imagined Yui telling Hachiman to play the one he finds MOST embarrassing.
"I didn't expect you to enjoy classical music"
I'm not surprised that Hachiman does. I wonder what his first classical song was.
"That's wrong, I should have said"
Hachiman can't help but be honest around her.
"Stop blushing and drive you idiot"
ARGH. This really isn't like the main dynamic of Hannibal! This could go in so many different directions!
"she played it over Kimiko's screaming"
'Over'. Hmm. She preferred the music to the screams.

(Part 3 of my review of Chapter 3)

"I can smell"
Hachiman is a very, very, very good investigator. He views a crime scene, notes all the details, then closes his eyes and is then able to re-create the crime in his mind as though he was goddamn there. I love how much it is emphasized in this chapter, because it honestly needed to be; NO ONE can do it like he does.
"not out of rage"
She doesn't immediately get offended or defensive. Instead, she actually considers his words.
"who defends by going on the offensive"
Oh God, this scene is so good. I'm grinning like an idiot now typing this.
"You're too prideful...to protect your pride"
Okay, who's the patient here, Hachiman or Yukino?
"I just thought she'd be more imaginative than that"
The one thing that no psychopath ever wants to be called is boring.
"leers at girls with dirty thoughts in my head"
Wrong. More likely that people who judge others mainly by appearance and social status would incur Hachiman's contempt. He wouldn't find such people attractive at all. It's what inside that matters to him. In Oregairu, Yumiko puts a lot of effort into her outward appearance, from make-up to hair-styling. Hachiman has no interest in her at all, and she isn't one of his four love interests. Heck, he finds Ebina to be way more interesting. Even Tobe finds Ebina more interesting and attractive than Yumiko! Heh! Maybe that's what makes people uncomfortable around Hachiman; the usual things like appearance and popularity don't work on him; he'll instead seek to learn what kind of person you TRULY are. (looks at Iroha in Oregairu being honest and shameless towards Hachiman after realizing that he can see right through her) Ha!
"a hint of your darkness through your eyes"
It isn't perversion. It's cynicism, misanthropy and pessimism. If Hachiman admires or envies someone...wow. Yeah. Man, people are going to be REALLY curious about Yui. It wasn't her looks that made him fall for her, and it is clear that he still loves her to some degree.
"do you hide behind them?"
Yukino is GOOD. I love this.
"because you don't try"
I agree with Yukino here. Hachiman CAN socialize. He just doesn't want to because he despises society in general.
"being bullied in middle school...scolded by my homeroom teacher for being a detestable person"
It's not any of these. Those people - those pests - aren't really what twisted Hachiman into the person he is now. He lost someone so important to him, someone who was practically a part of him, and he knows he would never find anyone quite like her again.
"Explain those doctor"
The worst arguments are when both sides are correct. Yukino IS correct in that most of the damage done to Hachiman was self-inflicted. Hachiman is correct in his beliefs of society caring more about appearances and outer image than sincerity, and that people prefer lies to the truth.
"They don't even look that bad"
I don't know why, but I immediately thought of Iroha. Seriously, she wasn't repulsed by Hachiman AT ALL. His overall demeanour and his dead eyes, which so many others find off-putting or even downright creepy, made her come closer instead of recoiling or keeping her distance. Iroha is an interesting character. Even in Oregairu, in S02E03, when Iroha entered the Service Clubroom and looked upon Hachiman for the first time, her first act was to smile, which irritated Hachiman. He sees through her IMMEDIATELY and doesn't pretend to go along with her deceptions. And rather than be repulsed by it, she LIKED it. Heck, she later sits with him in the school library. Hachiman dismisses her behavior as her seeing him as a useful asset, but it's obvious that Iroha genuinely enjoys being around him. Seriously, I don't blame anybody who states that Iroha is Best Girl. Even though objectively, in terms of morality Iroha is probably the worst of the four girls who are romantically interested in Hachiman.
"the most I've ever said to a woman in ten years"
What was the longest conversation he ever had with Yui?
"are you sure you want to play this game"
Of course he does. When was the last time he legitimately enjoyed talking to someone?
"I can still hear her try to dominate and undermine me"
Hachiman may diagnose Yukino as a narcissist.
"not a flirty one"
I love the moment in the novels where Hachiman says as a parting line, 'See you, love ya Kawasaki' when she unintentionally helped him with an issue on his mind, and as he runs off Hachiman hears what sounded like a startled squawk behind him.
"Hiratsuka watched the ongoing brawl"
This is going to be a frequent occurrence, is it? People witnessing Hachiman and Yukino arguing and bickering, both seeming more alive and animated than they had ever been before.
"nods, conceding"
If he's correct, she won't deny it.
"most girls hate girls who outshine them"
In Oregairu, Yui and Yukino are surprised that Hachiman had somehow grown close to and even gone on a DATE with Iroha. It likely passed through their minds; what does Iroha have that they don't? (looks at Yukino) Being a narcissist, she'd be curious as to how Hachiman would find other women equally or more attractive than her.
"Hiratsuka thought"
I wonder if anyone tried to antagonize Shizuka while she was in high school.
"a childish association"
Says the person who puts so much value in samurai lineage. You know, samurai; people who can bully, murder, rob, molest or rape peasants and commoners without consequence, and can behead a peasant for not bowing low enough to them. As much as I love the movie The Last Samurai (2003), every society has its ugly side, because in the end, societies are just people.
"at least a decade old"
Wow, Yukino IS good.
"an old love for anime targeted for males"
Does Yukino look down on men in general? If so, then I find Hachiman more likable since he doesn't discriminate; he dislikes and distrusts both men and women. Then again, Yukino was mostly bullied by other girls.
"because of delusionary media"
(looks at Pan-san the Panda) Uh-huh. Sure, Yukino.
"From that bias analysis, you must be a dog-person then"
Ha!
"your lack of masculinity and social skills by acting superior and far beyond such things"
(looks at Yukino leaving surgery to become a psychiatrist) I'm just cackling now.
"That wasn't an observation"
Yeah, it wasn't. Yukino's just tossing insults like a child now. Hachiman actually managed to make her do that.
"It was your mother wasn't it?"
Hachiman loves dogs, preferring them to people, and Yukino just spoke of dogs like being compared to one is an insult.
"moulded you to be one"
Said it before, will say it again; I find Yukino being written to be a psychopath to be completely believable.
"You're not the first girl I've met"
What no psychopath ever wants to be told; that they are nothing special. Frederick Chilton taunted Lecter by telling him that Lecter had been eclipsed by the Great Red Dragon.
"you started doing their job for them"
Bryan Cranston talked about it at the Film Society of Lincoln Center: The two main ways of dealing with depression - you Explode, blaming everyone and everything around you, or you Implode. In my opinion, Yukino imploded while Hachiman both exploded and imploded. Hachiman has little to no self-esteem AND despises society and humanity in general.
"or at least a slap"
Yukino knows that lashing out physically would only validate Hachiman's claims.
"a sheltered girl like you couldn't survive a day without your parent's money"
I wonder if Kawasaki is in this story.
"but in reality you simply like the feeling of being superior"
Lecter in the TV series has a psychiatrist. Does Yukino have one in this story? In Oregairu, she states that Hachiman is the one who needs to change, and Hachiman not only turned it around on her but claimed that forcing oneself to change is giving in to the demands of society to become a faker and liar. Thing is...neither of them are wrong. It's why their rivalry in Oregairu is so fascinating. Watari doesn't take sides. They are BOTH correct, and Yui being in the Service Club with them is SUCH an important factor and element.
"Considering what I'm doing"
Hachiman later psychologically torments Tsurumi...and he liked it. He liked emotionally breaking the man.
"Your sister"
For me, I say Hachiman had this match won, and in wrestling terms, Yukino resorted to a low blow.
"Shocked...how much of this was true"
...Shizuka knew nothing of this? Does this mean that this isn't public knowledge? What then is the official/publicly accepted means by which Hikigaya Komachi died?
"He thought he buried it long ago"
He caught the killer...or did he? It remains to be seen.
"their first case"
Hmm.
"Yukinoshita had known from the start"
She had already done her research on Hikigaya Hachiman, long before she met him.
"I wanted to know more about him"
Fujio was uninteresting to her, and she was bored by his therapy session. Hachiman on the other hand intrigued her from the start.
"He turned his pain into power"
In a way, that is somewhat admirable. He didn't let it break or destroy him.
"He turned the disdain others had for him as the base to the tools he uses to solve crimes"
Sadly, most law enforcement, even if they started out with selfless goals, end up focusing mainly on serving and protecting themselves. It doesn't help that they tend to receive little thanks or gratitude when they DO go out of their way to help others. Hachiman doesn't discriminate; he dislikes both law enforcement AND the people they are supposed to protect. Rust Cohle in True Detective is accused of having been involved in an Internal Affairs department in the past.
"It makes me want to eat his heart"
Dr Hannibal Lecter: 'I have no plans to call on you, Clarice. The world's more interesting with you in it.'
"It's a lot less demeaning than what I've been told"
Nobody can be skilled at EVERYTHING. Narcissists often tell themselves that the skills they are weak in that others are strong in, are not skills at all and not worth learning.
"I wonder which hemisphere is more pronounced"
Yukino would open someone up just to see what is inside.
"Eventually it manifests into something more"
Hachiman turned it into a SCIENCE.
"free of the rust that pollutes"
Hachiman had to sacrifice something in the process. When you can see the ugliness in other people, nay, when you refuse to blind yourself to it, it makes your eyes dead to the world. It's weird; Yukino looks down on people, strives to make them better, and puts so much effort into presenting herself as the smartest, neatest, most good-looking, etc, while Hachiman has little to no faith in humanity, believes that people don't truly change, and puts no effort into socializing beyond practical necessity (like when he joined in the Jazz Hands)
"but together form the perfect disorder"
I love this discussion of Hachiman's issues and skills. They both feed into each other, making him better AND worse.
"her family's deep bushido roots"
Yukino may take issue with Hachiman claiming that samurai are ultimately no better or different from anyone else; just enforcers for people with power and money. Hachiman focuses on individuals, not groups. I wonder what Yukino knows and/or has been told about historical figures in her family tree. Unfortunately, 'old money' usually means...well, you don't typically become rich and powerful by being nice.
"the fierce decorative helmet, the demonic facial plate...the ceremonial way of maintaining the blade"
Frank Castle: 'My body is merely a tool. My body is a weapon. I care for it like I care for my AR-15 or AA-12 assault shotgun.'
Unlike a lot of Punisher fans, I see him as a serial killer and an intelligent psychopath, and I peg him as Lawful Evil.
"Yukinoshita kneeled"
Does she see herself as a servant or follower?
"She could be herself here"
When did she become like this?
"She found her target"
Dr Lecter collects business cards and contact details. Like most intelligent killers, he carefully and patiently gathers information on his victims and targets. This is why it is wrong to mix the word 'psycho' with 'crazy'. No crazy person could plan and execute like this.
"tailing her for months"
How many other future/intended victims does she have? Has Yukino dealt with most or all of the people who bullied her in school?
"why he became a NEET at such a young age"
A part of Yukino may want to believe that she does the world a service/favor, but let's face it; she has definitely killed people who weren't even 'rude'. In the TV series, Lecter tortured and killed people like Isabella Crawford and Beverly Katz.
"continuous bullying"
I roll my eyes at what my fellow Singaporeans refer to as 'bullying'. In my opinion, REAL bullying is horrible, and could destroy a person - be they youth or adult - if it isn't stopped. It says something about society and humanity in general that in most cases, nothing is done to stop the bullying and if the victim takes action, THEY are the one who is condemned and punished. After all, bullies usually are people who have impunity and leverage over others; children or adults from wealthy/powerful families who know that the school/company would favor them over their victims. Bullies tend to be good-looking and popular, not the ugly brutes that they are stereotyped as (though those do exist, like street punks and thugs)
"She's pretty"
Yep, and that is clearly a big factor as to why she is allowed to get away with her behavior.
"Yukinoshita can see why her patient confessed to her"
Has anyone ever confessed to Yukino, in childhood or adulthood? I am very, very curious as to how Hachiman met and grew close to Yui. Their divorce may not even have been all that tumultous. They didn't run into each other by chance in Chapter 4; they are still a part of each other's lives, albeit distantly. Hachiman has clearly gone to lengths to keep that part of his life a secret.
"waste her life partying and hanging out with her friends instead of staying in school"
Are there female patients of Yukino who have focused more on their academic studies and/or hobbies over socializing?
"is probably what lets her parents give her so much leeway"
Yukino is not stupid. She studies her victims and targets carefully before planning. Somewhere in the past, she decided that Kishima Kimiko is a swine whose highest possible achievement and role is to satisfy Yukino's sadism and fill her stomach.
"You shouldn't be smoking at such a young age"
Why did Yukino choose to speak to her victim rather than take her by surprise? Maybe she just couldn't help it. Or maybe...hmm. Has Yukino ever changed her mind at the last minute when approaching a would-be victim?
"What are you going to do about it?"
That is NEVER a wise thing to say, especially when you are all alone with the person.
"The next morning"
Yukino had the whole thing already planned out; she scouted out the field, timed the stealing of the deer's head, everything. Intelligent psychopaths are very, very difficult to catch. Edward Kemper was only caught because he called the police and gave himself up out of dismay that there wasn't going to be an investigation, let alone a manhunt for him.
"in the hopes Hachiman would like it"
"...is...is this COURTSHIP? Is this Yukino's idea of a GIFT for Hachiman?! CHRIST.
"A girl matching the profile"
I don't think Tsurumi would have chosen Kimiko. It's not just the appearance, they had to also share some of Rumi's personality. Rumi wouldn't have reacted with rudeness towards Yukino.
"Wishing me good luck"
Crows have their place in mythology and folklore for a reason.
"Or having a nightmare"
Dr Hannibal Lecter: 'We'll help you with the nightmares.'
"And nothing else"
Dr Lecter ensures that all his victims would be positively identified. Yukino clearly wanted Kimiko to be identified here; everyone will know that the girl left naked and butchered in a field is her.
"if I was five years younger"
Hmm. Would Hachiman get EVEN BETTER as this story progresses?
"He needed to steal one"
Lecter left a priest's tongue on an open page of the priest's bible, and impaled a tool worker with his own tools. He makes it clear, as the Chesapeake Ripper, just what he thought of his victims and the things they took pride in.
"so now I can't help but observe them"
Heh! All three of them are interesting to him.
"Isshiki was taking pictures"
If you were an ordinary person, aka like the majority, you wouldn't be in a team like this.
"Most doctors ruin the scene for me"
Shizuka picked Nishiyama for a reason.
"becoming unnoticed, treading lightly"
Nishiyama is more concerned about the job than about his image or reputation.
"a pale faced Nijima"
Nijima seems to be the most 'normal' out of the three. Interesting. So why's he in the team?
"looks sick enough to vomit right then and there"
He's seen a lot of murder victims, yet this one makes him feel ill.
"much louder than most"
Some would scream futilely for help. Others would beg or plead, or try to bargain. Yukino may have killed wealthy and powerful people. There is a reason that throughout history, serial killers have refrained from targeting police or people of money and/or authority. If Yukino had murdered and then put on display someone like that...yeah, I'd imagine there were consequences for the case going unsolved. Hachiman possibly drawing up a profile of Kimiko's killer means that Yukino had taken her first step towards slowly being found out. The more bodies she leaves, the more clues Hachiman may find. However...she knows Hachiman now; what he is capable of, what he looks for.
Will Graham: 'You can't trust any of this to be what it seems.'
"with onions and tomatoes"
The horrific thing about the cooking scenes in Hannibal isn't that they make it look bad, they make it look GOOD.
"Killing her wasn't what he wanted"
Yukino probably felt peeved or disappointed when a person whom she had marked as a future victim died quickly of an accident or illness.
"sadism in its purest, cruelest form"
Yukino is a MONSTER. She knows EXACTLY what she is doing, how horrible and terrible it is...and she LIKES it. By the way, I also consider the Punisher to be a sadist. He tortures and kills people in inventive and cruel ways with ZERO remorse or hesitation.
Frank Castle: 'I send them to Hell. I sleep just fine.'
(looks at the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)) Hmm.
"is just torture"
Bill Tench: (refering to a murder in which the victim was mutilated post-modem, and a suspect who is a married man) 'When you're married, it's a contract. There's children, a mortgage, a house to keep up, almost like a business. Only you can't quit. She can't fire you. Stock goes up, stock goes down, doesn't matter. You're trapped. Unless you want to bring on the lawyers and open Pandora's box. Resentment builds on both sides. A thousand tiny cuts. If Alvin Moran had a married man's anger, he'd have tortured that girl, and THEN killed her. No question in my mind.'
I still need to read the book Mindhunter by John Edward Douglas. I have seen the ongoing TV series, though.
"The only regret he had"
Abel Gideon survived for a long time. Lecter made sure he did. You don't plagurize the Ripper.
"Neither one knew what was going with me"
Will Graham: 'Do I seem different?'
Beverly Katz: 'You're different, but you've always been different.'
"her reluctance to believe"
Anyone is capable of anything. It's a very tough pill to swallow; perhaps the toughest one of all. A question I often ask to people who insist that humans are mostly good or decent: if we truly all are decent and honest, why do we have law enforcement? Why do we have locks on our doors and vehicles? Why do we not leave our belongings unattended? The Joker stated that when the chips are down, people will eat each other. Terry Pratchett however has stated that the single most amazing thing about humanity is that we are simultaneously capable of some of the most selfish, horrible acts possible and the most selfless, self-sacrificing. Sometimes from the same person.
"My

(Part 2 of my review of Chapter 3)

"at even the slightest possibility of failure"
If you fail, the world keeps spinning. It's not out to get you, it just doesn't care. Looking at it from a certain angle, one could actually find comfort in that.
"the cure was simple. Highly effective for virgins"
I raised my eyebrow and then laughed. Who would have thought that THAT was the solution, and none of his other psychiatrists presented it to him.
"a gift to women everywhere...finding someone worthy of it"
I like that in this session, rather than appeal to his sense of self-worth, Yukino goes the opposite direction.
"that are most depressing"
OUCH.
"the ones who ask for your life in return"
(looks at Yukino marrying Hachiman in this story) HA!
"Yukinoshita has no problems with prostitution and prostitutes in general"
She doesn't care about your sexuality, race, religion, background, etc. All that matters is whether you are considerate or rude.
"teach him how to fish"
Yukino in this story is a psychopathic serial killer...
"It's only recently that society has deemed"
Yukino clearly has little love for society. While Hannibal Lecter is a skilled socialite who holds parties and banquets, Yukino may be different. Hmm.
"bullet proof vest"
Shizuka frequently wears a vest even when not on an assignment involving likely-armed suspects or a raid. Hmh, imagine Shizuka being made a psychiatric patient.
"puts on a calm but irritated mask"
Most psychopaths have low intelligence and either don't try to or are very bad at concealing/denying what they are. Yukino is not most psychopaths.
"the poor guy"
Yukino by contrast views Fujio with contempt and exasperation.
"schoolgirl sketch book was filled with doodles...the destruction of the small clinic"
Sheesh, was Shizuka ALWAYS this angry? No wonder she became a cop.
"all these magazines about hourmet, fine dining and surgeon's digests"
I'm going to laugh if Hachiman takes Yukino out to have ramen after refusing one of her home-cooked meals.
"finally opens"
Yukino deliberately kept Shizuka waiting.
"for privacy"
Yukino's killed people in this room...
"always only a step behind"
If Hachiman could not 'see' her, Shizuka definitely couldn't either. I love that at the end of the first season, what made Graham finally able to 'see' Hannibal was what Hannibal himself taught him. Lecter leaves NO evidence; nothing that could possibly be used against him in a court of law.
"No secretary, doctor?"
Hachiman may ask the same question, perhaps asking more about Yukino's former secretary and why she left.
"dispose of it thoroughly"
Yukino is nothing if not careful. She has measures in place to quickly dispose of anything incriminating in a hurry.
"the only artist she could name that could sketch anatomy"
Hmm. Who in Shizuka's team has the most knowledge of art?
"held tightly in a reverse grip"
How did Yukino learn how to kill? Who taught her? In my opinion, the scariest answer is 'Herself'.
"still a student in Kyoto University"
Hachiman focused on criminal studies, while Yukino studied a wide variety of subjects.
"a predator ready to strike at her prey"
For Yukino, Shizuka isn't a 'pig', but someone who actually needs to be hunted, and respected for the required effort.
"Her only regret was"
Yukino has zero remorse for her past victims. She doesn't find anything despicable in what she does.
"it's been a while since she's been curious of something"
She has never, in all her time of observing and treating people with problems and disorders, ever met anyone quite like Hachiman. She would become attracted to him as well.
"I shouldn't. My focus was on the target"
I smiled at this.
"So I'm testing my limits? So what?"
I think Hachiman is showing off here, even if he doesn't realize it.
"my arms and back already conditioned"
There is a reason that in some video games, a minimum Strength score/level is required to use certain longbows. Hachiman has considerable upper-body strength.
"but in hunting game"
Will Graham is a fisherman. Hachiman is a hunter. They both go after the deadliest prey.
"After the six failures"
Odd that he only succeeds after he hears someone calling to him.
"I'm far sighted"
Uh-oh. This means Hachiman would have trouble in close-quarters.
"Do these two ever come separately?"
Ha! I'll bet the first question anyone asks when one of them arrives alone is 'Where's the other one?'
"without an invitation"
This is going to be a frequent occurrence, isn't it? Hachiman's team-mates and associates showing up unannounced to his annoyance.
"why do I feel I'm in the scene where"
Shizuka sent both of them for a reason. She honestly ISN'T giving Hachiman a choice here. He WILL help her solve these murders. Shizuka has her own agenda that she is willing to put Hachiman's mental well-being at risk to pursue; justice for the victims of killers.
"finalize the profile so we can start handing them out"
I imagined a police precinct/station in a prefecture nearby Chiba receiving an incredibly detailed and extensive profile on a murder suspect, a detective finishes reading it and immediately says, 'Hikigaya.'
"To my horror, they were following me, both of them watching me"
Yep, this is going to be a regular occurrence. Hachiman DOESN'T want friends, but they aren't giving him a choice in the matter!
"from the action-fueled 1980's"
The 80s were and still are the highest point for Japan economically, financially, etc. EVERYONE was rich, everybody partied and had a blast, then the 90s came and the bubble burst. According to Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku 0, it was because of Majima.
"Arisaka bolt-action service rifle"
Hmm. Shizuka in this story where she is a police commissioner is one heck of an interesting character.
"Completely engrossed by it...Oblivious to me and Hiratsuka"
Yukino is getting a glimpse of Hachiman before she actually meets the man.
"delicate face"
Nobody is harmless. Anyone can kill. Competent investigators quickly learn not to judge by appearance.
"I feel homeless in comparison to how well she's dressed"
Most men (and even women) would probably dress in their best in an attempt to impress Yukino. Hachiman being Hachiman, he wouldn't even try. Heck, he doesn't need to. She finds him interesting already.
"She's so neat"
Of course she would be. Yukino often carefully checks herself and her immediate surroundings for any possible evidence of her crimes.
"but designed into it"
I love this writing. Many thugs, punks and sociopaths would give off an aura of unease or intimidation. While Yukino CAN be intimidating, she can also be very charming and charismatic when she wants to be. Emphasis on 'wants'.
"Who is this man?"
Instead of addressing Hachiman directly, Yukino does this. (pause) She already knows who he is. She did it deliberately to gauge his reaction. She IS a psychiatrist, after all.
"She then looked at me with skepticism"
Yukino in this story can fake emotions very, very well. Intelligent psychopaths usually are good actors.
"Blue just like the girls that were taken"
Tsurumi Rumi even in Oregairu bears an uncanny resemblence to Yukino, though their personalities have their differences.
"our killer would've come for her too"
That would have been the worst mistake of Tsurumi's life. Yukino would have considered such an action to be rude.
"having similarities with a cannibal serial killer"
(looks at Yukino) ...he has no idea. This is all just the beginning for him.
"that only look like his special girl"
The Chesapeake Ripper doesn't discriminate at all; age, gender, race, religion, nationality, height, weight, etc. You find the pattern, the find the lead. Unfortunately, Lecter doesn't leave any leads and has no motive that can be traced. Graham ends up exploiting one of Lecter's main weaknesses; Graham himself.
"the biggest crime-drama otaku I've ever met"
Shizuka shouldn't watch The Wire, then. It would infuriate her. That series is just too...real.
"I haven't felt this self-conscious since the first day of college"
I wonder if Yukino also felt self-conscious towards Hachiman.
"Believe me, I'm not the kind of guy who'd ogle a girl"
It isn't just her physical appearance. She immediately fascinated him.
"an amused smile on her face"
Shizuka seems to be glad that Hachiman can still express SOMETHING, in this case being attraction.
"My faith in humanity's dignity went away long ago"
Hannibal Lecter likes and appreciates some humans while despising others. He is fond of good food, music and art.
"doesn't seem to share my opinions on keeping opinions"
Yukino is a narcissist.
"amazed that she read such a book"
...the signs were there. He just failed to see them.
"for some reason felt insulting"
She's deliberately baiting him, and I think a part of him KNOWS it.
"a morbid fascination people have with the worst of humanity"
I grinned at this. Me personally, the things I abhor most are hypocrisy and self-righteousness. I differentiate between 'bad' and 'evil'. By my standards, most bad people are just scum (I consider Caesar in Fallout: New Vegas to be, for all his intelligence and charisma, a lowly piece of trash) If I call someone 'evil', it's actually something of a compliment for me. Hannibal Lecter by the way is to me one of the most evil characters I have ever seen. I also personally believe that Hitler wasn't evil, he was insane, and that Stalin should be the one to be cited as one of the most evil men to have ever lived. Honestly, if the personality of Adolf Hitler really is one of the most evil personalities ever, then in my opinion at least one fifth of humanity is exactly like him.
"watching someone else do it keeps the impulse at bay"
My favorite comic book character is the Punisher, and my favorite version of him is that of Garth Ennis in which rather than be written as an anti-hero, he is written as a Villain Protagonist serial killer who is just as brutal, savage, sadistic, remorseless and merciless as his victims. I wonder what went through Tsurumi's mind just before Hachiman killed him.
"Any of them containing details"
Yukino's already got her own idea of how to help the investigation...
"A reporter by the name of Sagami Minami"
Eurgh. Honestly, I could see Sagami in Oregairu going on to become a reporter/journalist. Heck, she may even be good at it (although in Oregairu she is far from a competent manager for the festival, leaving most of the work to everyone else - especially Yukino - while being little more than a figurehead)
"I find myself clenching my mug too tight"
In Oregairu, Hachiman psychologically tortures Sagami. In my opinion, that is something that NO Good person would do. I consider Hachiman's alignment to be Neutral.
"I search for the insult to describe this"
Hachiman is different from Graham in that he doesn't just have social issues, he is flat-out misanthropic. I love it.
"amazed at how curious they looked"
Hachiman tries to downplay his own skills. He denies how unique he is.
"you must have poor eating habits"
...sometime in the future, perhaps years down the line, Hachiman may recall this conversation and wonder how the hell he did not realize it sooner.
"for the past five years"
Hmm. Hachiman still has Yui as an emergency contact, but it's obvious that he hasn't been keeping regular contact with her.
"Yours aren't that much"
Ha!
"Perhaps you have bad experience with women...defiantly"
Does Yukino suspect that he has an ex-lover or wife?
"she literally looks at me like I'm not a creepy molester"
The first woman around Hachiman's age to approach him without hesitation, fear or reluctance in this story is Iroha. She finds NOTHING disturbing or repugnant about him. I love that Hachiman doesn't quite know what to make of her.
"Is this how other people feel when I look at them?"
Yukino's eyes are like ice. Hachiman's eyes are dead. Christ, what it would be like to be interrogated by both of them?
"In my experience...failed confessions and unrequited love"
Yeah, I'm more curious about Yukino's (possible) love life now. If Hachiman could have a past love, perhaps she could too. Considering what she is and what she does...
"She just looks embarrassed and looks away"
Ha!
"you didn't once act on that attraction. Hesitation comes from past failures"
I absolutely love this. Graham and Lecter are both male and heterosexual. In this story, however, the difference is clear. Sexual and romantic tension is a BIG factor and game-changer. This dynamic is not going to and already isn't like that of Graham and Lecter's.
"Any relationships for that matter"
Hmm. Seems like Yukino may be wrong here. Hachiman was married, after all. God, I can't wait for that reaction. Methinks EVERYONE would be fascinated by Yui. Sheesh, Hachiman really IS a private and reclusive person.
"I didn't make bonds because those bonds aren't real"
Tsurumi genuinely loved his daughter. Unfortunately, love is NOT all-positive. It has driven people to do terrible things, just as much as hate, envy, jealousy and other emotions and feelings.
"we all end up alone, it was better to just start early"
I wonder if Hachiman would ask Yukino if SHE had ever asked someone out and been turned down. (pause) Oh man, if Hachiman turns down an offer to go somewhere with Yukino because he has an arrangement/appointment with someone else like, say, Iroha... (like Hachiman postponing a psychiatry session because Iroha told him she needed his immediate help on a case)
"why socialize with the herd if the truth you preach will only get you ostracized?"
Heck, Hachiman is ostracized already, and honestly it really is mostly due to his own actions. It's weird; had he been arrogant and condescending towards his peers, he probably would have been MORE accepted by them.
"I feel more than just betrayed"
Honestly, yeah, Shizuka set him up. Had she told him that Yukino is a psychiatrist, Hachiman would have immediately turned around and walked out regardless of how immediately fascinating he found Yukino.
"for the sake of knowledge, logic is our sword, curiosity our guide, we are the shield that protects the realms of education"
Will Graham: 'These aren't the Ripper's enemies. These are pests he's swatted.'
"I'm the experiment"
In a way, Hachiman will become both to Yukino. He may get payback by turning it around on her. Heck, he does it in THIS scene.
"You won't like me when I'm psychoanalyzed"
He wasn't just trying to be intimidating, he really meant it. Hachiman fights and hurts worst with words, not fists or bullets. I wonder if he had ever lost his temper in this story and coldly, cruelly psychologically tortured someone. He might have done it to a cop or investigator; dig deep into their personal life, past and current failures, issues and insecurities, etc.
"I know getting inside people's heads give you a power trip that you can't get off without"
He's not wrong. Yukino prides herself on being able to succeed where more other psychiatrists would fail.
"you believe sex is the greatest impulse"
I'm curious about asexual people; people who DON'T have strong libidos, and whom it takes considerable effort to get them to become attracted to someone.
"A relief"
It's like a drug. It doesn't cure the problem, it only masks it. Sheesh, Hachiman really IS like Gregory House.
"Words haven't hurt me since middle school"
He's never met a psychiatrist like her in his life. Heck, in my opinion, Yui, Iroha and Kawasaki are in some ways more beautiful and attractive than Yukino while being less attractive in others. There is a reason that Yukino was bullied and ostracized in middle school while Hayato, who is also very good-looking, became popular and well-liked. Also, I love that Hachiman actually ISN'T a bad-looking person and CAN be attractive, but his general demeanour and especially his eyes make most people uncomfortable. Emphasis on 'most'; after all, he has at least two friends and no less than four love interests in Oregairu.
"Do I really look so repulsive"
...no. She doesn't find it repulsive at all.
"Nothing ever felt good about killing someone"
For some people, killing someone gives them the worst feeling possible; they are shaken by it afterwards, maybe even to a point of vomiting. For other people, they feel nothing; it's like breathing to them. The most professional of hitmen are this, in my opinion (Agent 47 of the Hitman game series comes to mind) And then there's the other type; the one like the helicoptor gunner in Full Metal Jacket who yells 'Get some! Get some!' Soldiers deal with killing people and seeing people get killed by numbing themselves to it...or learning to like it.
"and have it snuffed out"
For sadists, they ENJOY doing something like that. Yukino sees her victims as swine who do not deserve to have their hopes and dreams fulfilled. In Oregairu, Yukino wishes to make the world a better place one person at a time, while the misanthropic Hachiman simply looks for the quickest and most efficient solution with minimal damage to any and all parties. I love that ultimately, the only person he ended up helping in the LONG-TERM was Sagami, and that it was UNINTENTIONAL. Watari is such an awesome writer.
"I've tried and the most I've ever gotten was second-high"
In Breaking Bad, several characters who up to a point had never killed anyone in their lives are forced to do so. Jesse in particular is affected by this. However, sometimes you'd come across people so despciable, so horrible, that you wouldn't feel ANY negative emotions from killing them. Will Graham liked killing Hobbs and had to stop himself from executing Eldon Stammets.
"learn to find some joy"
He isn't aware of it, but this is already his first therapy session with Dr Yukinoshita.
"Or anyone else"
I'm happy and thankful that Yui showed up at the end of Chapter 4. Yui is a wonderful person, and she clearly still cares for and loves Hachiman. It is obvious that the two of them divorced and stayed divorced because they feel that it is best for the other. Hmm...I wonder if, like in Oregairu, Yui would grow close to Yukino. (pause) ...no. Please no. You can't be that cruel...
"She got me"
When was the last time someone managed to do this to him? And in their FIRST MEETING too. Damn, Yukino is good.
"But like that would save her"
I LOVE THIS. HACHIMAN CAN BE VINDICTIVE. I LOVE IT.
"A reflex"
It still bothers her; that she was BORN into wealth, instead of earning it.
"I bet you can trace your lineage to some samurai ancestry"
Icura's ASOIAF/Oregairu story has Hachi Lannister being cynical about Tywin's obsession with 'legacy' and the family name. It was practically pounded into Yukino's head from birth that the Yukinoshita family name and legacy are very, very important; that its dignity and reputation must be upheld. But what about her? What about her dignity and reputation? Where was her family and Hayato when she was being bullied in middle school?
"A third - no second daughter"
Hachiman is a first child who dearly, dearly loved his younger sibling, perhaps to an unhealthy degree. Her death killed something in him, created something else, and twisted others.
"It's worth more than all my outfits put together"
Instead of feeling impressed by such a display of wealth, Hachiman feels the opposite. Hmm. I wonder how he would feel about people who are falsely modest/humble. Like Al Saleem in Body of Lies (2008).
"hitting her where it hurts"
I LOVE THIS. Two can play at this game, Yukinoshita. And as it turns out, despite your profession, he is JUST AS GOOD AS YOU ARE AT IT. This is NOT Graham/Lecter! I love it!
"even in eighteenth century England, that was reserved"
Yukino is not Lecter. Lecter became a psychiatrist by choice.
"She genuinely looks surprised"
In the end, they keep each other around; someone who isn't afraid to tell them what they DON'T want to hear.
"I've met enough doctors...Surgeons in particular"
Hmm.
"I can smell"
Hachiman is a very, very, very good investigator. He views a crime scene, notes all the details, then closes his eyes and is then able to re-create the cr

"loved her black hair and blue eyes. Her mother's features that she can be grateful for inheriting"
She loves her mother, and is happy to resemble her.
"her personality was definitely her father's"
...yeah. I...yeah. I have no words for this.
"socializing was hard for her, and she'd rather observe than be observed"
Hmm. Yukinoshita Yukino is not Hannibal Lecter. Unlike the Lithuanian who is very charming and charismatic, Yukino can often come off as arrogant, imperious and/or cold. However, she does have charisma; people listen to her when she speaks and are unlikely to forget her words, hence her success as a psychiatrist.
"She was an only child"
Hachiman has/had a younger sibling, Yukino an older one, Kawasaki has at least a few younger siblings, and Yui is an only child. (looks at Iroha) Hmm.
"harder for her than for most to be open to people"
Her father is responsible for this, isn't he?
"few people she can call her friends"
This being the case, it means she wouldn't have a lot of people to turn to after her parents' deaths. Also, Rumi is different from Abigail Hobbs in that Abigail is naturally friendly and charming, which Garrett used by having her manipulate and lure his victims.
"They share the same shortcomings and that's what made them grow close"
Rather than attempt to help her overcome her issues, he has her embrace them, and she grew closer to him than anyone else.
"every week he had a new job, a new place to work and that's where most of the fun is"
The same is true for Hachiman, except he doesn't find it fun. He preferred teaching in the university.
"seeing new places and taking different routes around Chiba. Like a new adventure every time"
...I feel sick. Rumi is going to empathize with Hachiman SO much in this story.
"close enough to get a good look"
She enjoys watching him work. It seems that in this story, Rumi has no idea of the horrible things that her father does. He keeps it hidden from her.
"considered by most to be pretty good at his"
...Hikigaya Hachiman. Yukinoshita Yukino. By growing closer to them, her life would only be made EVEN WORSE. Hachiman is a trouble magnet. Yukino is trouble.
"His concentration was mesmerizing"
Jack Crawford: 'Will, is it me, or is it becoming easier for you to look?'
"the bigger the tool you worked with"
Hachiman as of Chapter 4 has refused to carry a gun.
"The piece of metal stayed with him"
I love this. How fitting that his daughter would inadvertently cause his eventual exposure and death.
"The literal stuff of nightmares, the monsters you only read about"
People like them are REAL. My right hand shook as I typed this. That's what makes Hannibal so terrifying. It's not mythical beasts with claws, hooks, talons or glowing eyes. They are humans, just like you and me. The same species.
"Never do you make a profile for one, let alone have to catch one"
Yukino clearly has a reason for why she enjoys not only torturing and killing people, but EATING them. That's a step up from most murderers. A big step.
"a deranged psychopath's meal"
Hachiman claims that he does not find Tsurumi to be psychopathic, and Mads Mikkelsen has stated in interviews that he doesn't see Hannibal Lecter as a psychopath, more that he is simply pure evil; a mindset that is more demonic than human. But the fact remains; Yukino is no demon. She is a human being. That is the most frightening thing about her. Monsters aren't red-skinned, hoof-footed creatures with barbed tails. They are just other human beings. Hachiman had no idea that the person who ate with him and sat beside him in a car is a monster, and Rumi had no idea that the person she loved and admired more than anyone and anything in the world is a multiple murderer and cannibal. Give a monster intelligence...
"sheer rage"
Hachiman understood Tsurumi, perhaps even more than Tsurumi's family and even Tsurumi himself understood him. And while Shizuka may have shot him dead, Hachiman LITERALLY BUTCHERED him.
"The image of the killer in her head"
Why is Shizuka so driven? Why is she in this particular branch of law enforcement?
"Where!?"
Not where, Shizuka. Why. People like this usually don't leave evidence. While Iroha found the piece of metal, it was thanks to Hachiman that they were able to significantly narrow down the search.
"anger management...suppressed rage"
She has anger issues. Hmm. Crawford doesn't have those. Interesting.
"She has to smile. Her higher-ups have it worse than her"
When he was arrested, the FBI turned to Will Graham even as he was in prison. In my opinion, even if he had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced, he would still be called upon to help them solve murders.
"Serial Killer on the Loose"
It seems that intelligent, psychopathic murderers would increase or at least become more prominent in Japan as this story progresses. That's the problem with serial killers; they can inspire other psychopaths to become more...creative. People who may have never murdered before may decide to do so. I am scared of the possibility of a killer claiming to have been inspired by Hachiman.
"They're scared and they should be"
The publicity of this case means that Hachiman WILL be noticed by the press and news media. it's likely that his past would be dredged up all over again. The harsh truth is that he really is a fascinating person. I imagined a scene in which Hachiman in his classroom/lecture hall angrily says that only those who are actually students can stay, then tearing into the faculty who allowed the reporters in for the sake of publicity for the university.
"they blame the police"
The Hannibal series doesn't involve organized crime, at least not prominently. I'll say this; in my opinion, Japanese people in general are nice, polite and helpful (I've been to Japan once before). But the ones who are bad are very, very bad. Same goes for Russians (All you need to know about the Russian Mob; when SICILIAN MOBSTERS call YOU animals...oh, and all you need to know about the Albanian Mob; Russian mobsters steer clear of them)
"the trivial chore numbing her mind enough"
She could hardly grasp the sheer monstrousity of such actions, much less understand it. It's why serial killers are so difficult to interrogate. Hachiman can, however; he can understand the motives and reasonings of such people SO well that it shakes him to the core. (pause) And yet Yukino slips beneath his gaze. Her mask, her person-suit fools him. The best way to lie is to tell the truth.
"that may have been eaten by another human being"
In my opinion, the absolute worst thing that a bad person can do to someone is to make the latter become like them. (looks at Hannibal Lecter and his patients including Will Graham) ...
"only the latest in a trend"
Some police HATE findings like this, while others love it.
"She needs him now more than ever"
Hachiman is distressed that he seems to be the only person who can empathize so deeply with intelligent psychopathic killers. He tries so hard to pass on his craft. I wonder if some of his students at least succeeded to some degree in inheriting a few of his skills.
"The only profiler in the world"
In my opinion, there WILL be people who'd try to poach Hachiman away from Shizuka, probably by employing the same methods in that they need him to stop a string of murders from lengthening. I'm expecting some political/bureaucratic BS to occur.
"mouth-breathing idiots often make accusations"
That's the problem with trying to catch a killer by alerting the public; releasing a 'general' profile in my opinion is ALWAYS a bad idea. Don't release it to the public, but to law enforcement departments/agencies whom you can trust not to screw it up. Only release information to the public if you've determined a clear suspect; name, face, etc.
"finds out for sure or by instinct"
Yukino is no fool. I maintain my belief; she knew from the start that getting closer to him at all greatly increases the chance that she'd eventually be found out. And as it turns out, she'd get very, very close to him.
"he knows where the hounds are, and how close they are to catching him"
In Hannibal, Will Graham tries to lure Francis Dolarhyde by insulting and ridiculing him. He and Lecter both state that all psychopaths are narcissists. Unfortunately, Dolarhyde turned out to be smarter and more cunning than they anticipated.
"Only overly romanticized"
...until Hachiman came along. Unfortunately, rather than be a suave, charismatic person, he is a social, mental and psychological wreck.
"in fictional works"
Hachiman is SUCH a fascinating person. There's no way Yukino and Iroha wouldn't have gotten interested in him. However, it seems that it isn't just his skills but his personality that intrigues them.
"from his studies abroad"
What DID Hachiman study overseas? Did he have a mentor? Was he involved in any cases over there?
"downright terrifying, meticulous to the last detail that made more than a few people wonder"
This is AMAZING. Seriously, how could he tell so much about a culprit from a crime scene alone? He claims that it's simply exercising one's imagination based on the evidence, but NO ONE has been able to do it like he can. Others have tried. None have come even CLOSE.
"Hiratsuka had harbored"
I don't blame her for being disturbed by his skill.
"whose genius defined a new era"
Unfortunately, the current reality is that Hachiman is the only living person who can do this sort of thing. He may feel that he is a failure for a teacher for it.
"notably by Hikigaya himself"
The irony is that if he had been arrogant and boasting about it, he WOULDN'T have been as unpopular and ostracized as he is now.
"simultaneously revered and resented"
(looks at Shizuka's team) Hmm.
"she called him that in a fit of rage"
I'm guessing that's when she started seeing an anger management therapist.
"killing several police officers"
I have to say that I always find the seriousness and emotion with which law enforcement handles attacks and killings on cops to be hypocritical; they claim to protect and serve people, yet only make a real, maximum effort when it's one of their own who is targeted.
"the deaths of former yakuza members and petty thugs"
I wonder if Hachiman was told by Yakuza that he is like them; an outcast who is shunned by society. In Oregairu, Hachiman grows to like the manipulative and deceptive Iroha due to her honesty and self-awareness.
"Hiratsuka dismissed it as nonsense"
Probably out of the belief that no one would be crazy, stupid (or competent) enough to kill police and get away with it.
"staking out the detective's home that night"
Hachiman knew he was going to get ZERO gratitude for it, yet he did it anyway. People hate you more for being proven right than if you are proven wrong. And Hachiman's problem is that he is usually correct.
"if only she listened"
She's likely turned it over and over in her head; WHY she refused to listen to Hachiman, when he had never been wrong before.
"all she thought of him was an upstart"
This isn't Oregairu-Shizuka. She was never his homeroom teacher. She only met him when he was already an adult. Why did she immediately see him as an upstart? Man, Shizuka in the past really strikes me as having been an arrogant person.
"fueling the belief"
Ah, so her lashing out at Hachiman was not due to any of HACHIMAN'S actions, but her own insecurities and self-doubts.
"He did none of that"
What does Hachiman want? Does he himself even know?
"the closure that was brought"
It is clear that he has never found closure for himself. He's still haunted by Komachi's death, and probably always will be. I LOVE the differences between him and Will Graham. I'd say Hachiman has it even WORSE than Graham! He's MISERABLE.
"refused to take any credit"
The last thing he wants is media scrutiny. He really is a misanthropist.
"over such a petty thing"
I wonder if Hachiman really fought all that much against his dismissal.
"apparently a few people have been locking doors...requesting a requirement...written by a licensed psychiatrist"
(looks at the Yukinoshita family) ...no. No way.
"rejected time after time"
Psychiatrists who personally dislike Hachiman, or are afraid for their reputations and careers if they publicly support him.
"willing to at least hear her out"
Yumiko honestly isn't one of my favorite Oregairu characters. That said, she at least seems to have gained SOME semblence of maturity as an adult in this story.
"blonde hair and polished nails"
Old habits die hard, though. Seems like Yumiko is still hung up on appearances. However, it isn't appearances that ultimately keeps Hachiman interested; it's actually being interesting. In Oregairu he's mostly indifferent to Yumiko and has little to no interest in her at all. (I really don't understand the shipping of Yumiko with Hachiman in the Oregairu fandom. It just makes zero sense to me)
"every bit a licensed psychologist"
YUMIKO AS A PSYCHOLOGIST? Now that's something I never thought I'd see. In Oregairu she usually prefers to talk rather than listen. What the heck happened in this alternate world in which Hikigaya Komachi was murdered at a very young age?
"She worked in the same university as Hikigaya"
Where is Hayama Hayato in all this? This story's world is FASCINATING.
"the eyes of venomous reptile"
This is why I find Yumiko to be rather unlikable in Oregairu; she gives that look to anyone who isn't in her clique, and it's not like she treats her clique-members all that well either with the exception of Hayato. Honestly, what IS Yumiko's problem? Why is her default action towards others to glare at them like that? I'm still baffled as to how she became a respected psychologist.
"he's never been wrong with a profile before"
In Hannibal, Graham's first incorrect prediction was of the copycat killer of Garrett Jacob Hobbs. Graham knew from the start that the copycat would be very difficult to catch. He had no idea how right he was...
"he's scared of what's inside"
Yukino may tell him not to be afraid.
"It's scary how he works"
Iroha got to see it close-up, and she wasn't frightened AT ALL. Iroha is weird.
"a sad little line that felt tragic"
I'm curious of the history that Yumiko and Hachiman share. I honestly can't imagine their Oregairu-versions ever growing close, at least mutually. Hachiman could develop sympathy for her, maybe a friendly dynamic, but I doubt he'd connect with her to the degree that he did with Yukino, Yui, Iroha and Kawasaki.
"he thinks he's worth less than anyone else"
Dr Hannibal Lecter: 'You are alone...because you are UNIQUE.'
"I consider that creep my friend"
I don't know if that counts a lot considering it's Yumiko. Sorry, but I'm really not the right person to go to if you want an objective, unbiased opinion of her.
"he'll have at least one member of her team with him"
How many times is Iroha gonna volunteer? Hmph. Manipulative fox.
"waiting to be hanged to death"
Instead, Hachiman brutally and savagely chops Tsurumi to PIECES. At that point, it wasn't self-defense, it was a prolonged execution. That is FAR WORSE than Graham shooting Hobbs ten times.
"To have the honor of"
I smiled imagining Yui hit Frederick Chilton repeatedly over the head with a handbag.
"if there's one thing I know"
I'm sorry, I STILL find it bizarre that Yumiko claims to be a friend to Hachiman. I really do. That alone could warrant its own story.
"wonders just how close the line was for being friends"
I wonder if there is a one-sided attraction here on Yumiko's part.
"Hikigaya's relationship status later"
Does Shizuka even KNOW that Hachiman used to be married?
"the answer always seems to be one thing"
...Yukino may tell Hachiman that what he had been seeking, he had only just started to experience; when he EXECUTED Tsurumi. I thought of Lecter referring to the Lamb of God.
"he's scared of rejection"
(looks at Yui) There is no writing of Will Graham of being formerly married. Anything is possible in this story. Anything. I'm actually expecting a BIG reaction from every one of Hachiman's current associates. He is a very private and reclusive person, after all.
"it's how they act!"
Did Hachiman help Yumiko with something in the past?
"no one wants to be the one to blame"
Yukino WILL come under scrutiny for choosing to take Hachiman as her patient. I love that you maintain their Oregairu-dynamic of exchanging witty insults and put-downs.
"who can't see Hikigaya Hachiman's value"
Shizuka and all three of her team are going to be questioned and/or even ostracized for their association with Hachiman. I get the feeling that NONE of them would care. Heck, knowing her, Iroha may even turn it around to her advantage. She's nothing if not crafty. In Oregairu, Hachiman constantly surprises and flusters her with his words, actions and behavior. She finds him interesting and refreshing for it. Coincidentally, Haruno calls Hachiman interesting and Hayato boring.
"At last, Miura conceded"
Ha!
"I'd hate to lose my job"
Yukino clearly doesn't fear for her career in supporting Hachiman.
"I'd totally report you"
Yumiko uses force and threats here. Yep, she's still Oregairu-Yumiko and yet she isn't.
"Yumiko sounded bitter when she admitted it"
It seems that she has a history with Yukino in this story.
"she's not for the faint of heart"
Hmm. Yukino strikes me as the type of psychiatrist who is called up when other psychiatrists fail; for special/particular cases where her psychiatry skills, exceptional even to other psychiatrists, may be the only ones that can help these particular patients. In other words, she is like Dr Gregory House of House MD. I love this.
"watches her patient weep"
If you are sent to Dr Yukinoshita, then it means that you have very severe problems indeed. Doubtless at least several psychiatrists are jealous of Yukino.
"giving him nothing"
Yukino has met some of the most socially and psychologically damaged people in Japan, and almost always manages to do this. Yet within minutes of them first meeting, Hachiman manages to aggravate her. I love it. Not too often Yukino gets a patient who is JUST as intelligent and wise as she is.
"that can't let him be who he is"
I honestly find Zaimokuza Yoshiteru to be someone deserving of some respect. He KNOWS he regularly makes a spectacle and clown of himself, and he doesn't care. He is open and honest about what he loves and is passionate about. There is a reason that, until Shizuka coerced Hachiman into joining the Service Club, Zaimokuza was Hachiman's ONLY friend in Sobu High.
"Things like these tend to happen from time to time"
I'll bet. Fujio is no typical socially inept person, he's a MESS.
"the term was so stupid she can't even properly remember it"
I hope Zaimokuza would appear in this story, and that Yukino would meet him. I suspect that Zaimokuza never had any need for a pschiatrist, and successfully channelled his loves, enthusiasms and passions into something healthy and productive for him. I know I would hire the guy if I were a publishing company, just to see what his crazy mind would write. Have the animation studio completely ham up the dialogue. Make it way, way over-the-top. So stupid it's hilarious.
"a sorcerer"
...Fujio is serious. He's actually insane.
"Yukinoshita even wrote a paper on it"
Interesting. Hmm...has Yukino had any past romances herself?
"your current status as a hermit living of your parent's hard earned money"
Why can't Fujio hold down a job, even a part-time one? Man, Yukino's patients must be near-hopeless cases.
"She tended not to do this"
Perhaps she enjoyed this session! Finally, someone who made her have to expend a bit of effort.
"Stop hiding behind"
She tells her patient not to hide, but to face his problems. (looks at Hachiman) ...I wonder if Hachiman would turn Yukino's methods around and onto her. That would be hilarious and awesome; Yukino suddenly realizing that SHE is the patient.
"at even the slightest possibility of failure"
If you fail, the world keeps spinning. It's not out to get you, it just

Amazing chapter. Amazing how you merge the tv show and snafu

(Part 2 of my review of Chapter 2)

"A hard-boiled detective, former delinquent turned cop"
Interesting.
"a famous figure to the upper-class citizens"
Dr Hannibal Lecter has no living family, while Yukino is part of a wealthy and powerful family in Japan. God am I looking forward to more of this story.
"So 29 at most"
They are both prodigies, then. Incredibly skilled and knowledgeable for their age.