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No Name No Memories No Future Title Card

Manga

Manga[]

Overview[]

No Name, No Memories, No Future (also known as Chapter 6) is the sixth chapter of the manga and the third story of Volume 2. It covers a case where Roger’s old friend Instro is the lead suspect in a series of murders committed by a serial killer believed to be an android, so Roger decides to investigate for himself to prove Instro’s innocence. This story is manga exclusive and barely features any story elements from the anime.

Synopsis[]

We alternate between 2 different scenes at the start of this chapter. On one side we get a monologue from a man known as the “Grim Reaper”, saying he has a task to accomplish in this city that’s been dead for 40 years, noting how even the sun hasn’t been shining. He asks if it's fate that he remembers everything after such a long time. We see his robotic arm as the reaper he's aware again of his identity and destiny.

Meanwhile, Roger has his own monologue, stating how during his time in the Military Police he listened to R.Instro's music in delight, as opposed to Dorothy, whose piano skills are terrible. However, Roger is happy that Dorothy will be getting lessons from Instro soon. However, Instro says he can’t come over today. When Roger asks why, Instro, surrounded by police, explains his situation, which shocks Roger. She asks why, to which Roger frustratedly says he doesn’t know, stating Instro is a pianist, not a murderer. When Dorothy states those aren’t mutually exclusive, the negotiator frustratedly states that’s beside the point, his angered response confusing the android. Before Roger can explain further, Norman states that his car is ready, so the negotiator heads out, allowing the butler to explain somberly to Dorothy that Instro is an old friend of Roger, but Dorothy still thinks this is still no reason to get so worked up.

Roger monologues that recently a series of murders have occurred, and Instro is the main suspect. Instro tries explaining explaining to the police that he was simply on his way to work, only for a suspect to claim it was Instro, saying the murder was committed with those robotic arms of his. Roger asks if there’s any tangible evidence or motive, but Dastun states Instro is an android, stating someone could’ve manipulated his memory and had his free will deactivated. Roger states that although that’s an interesting theory, there’s no proof. He then proposes the murderer is human.

We return to the robotic arm of the Reaper, stating again that he remembers, and can now see clearly. Meanwhile, the Military Police arrive to the scene of someone who reported a suspicious person in the area, only to find their corpse. When Dastun is informed of this, he asks where Instro is. We then cut to a full view of the Grim Reaper, soaked in the blood of his latest victim, who monologues that he knows who he is, and what he must do. When Dastun is told Instro was in containment the whole time, Roger states this means he must be innocent. Dastun retorts however that he may have an accomplice, and until innocence is proven, Instro is to stay arrested. He then reminds Roger this is a murder case, not a negotiation case, and to keep that in mind. Roger heads to Instro’s holding cell and apologizes that he couldn’t help, but Instro says he’s just happy that Roger cares so much in the first place.

As the Military Police pursue the actual murderer, Roger monologues that in Paradigm City, androids with personalities can receive civil rights, albeit limited ones, and can still be destroyed simply due to suspicion of crime alone. Roger states that as Instro’s friend, it’s his duty to prove the android’s innocence, as he drives over to the Speakeasy to talk to Big Ear. Big Ear is visibly nervous, stating all the victims were around his age, before saying the city’s older inhabitants can’t remember their pasts or what once existed 40 years ago, but the killer allegedly seems to remember his task, all whilst his victims don’t know at all. Roger compares the killer a ghost who remembers their past, stating he must be very old, but that this won’t stop him from killing.

Later on, Roger is allowed into the latest crime scene thanks to an officer who secretly let him in, who says he admired Roger back when he was part of the Military Police. He asks Roger to keep quiet about this, to which Roger promises, before then asking what he’s seeing. The officer says manipulated androids are unpredictable and can act aimlessly, but Roger examines the damaged walls and states they were too precise and well-aimed to be a manipulated android.

The Reaper monologues that every man he’s killed brings back more of his memories, and that the past 40 years were like a joke to him. Meanwhile, Dastun impatiently demands for a new clue, stating the investigation can’t progress like this. A forensics expert states that the murder weapon was a steel arm with traces of oil. Dastun asks if this means if the murder can only be an android, to which the expert says a human murderer is impossible at this point.

Underground, the murderer monologues that although he remembers so much, he can’t remember his name, nor the name of his “mute friend”, The Archetype, asking him when he’ll know the rest, stating he’s killed nearly everyone on the list. The murderer states that some of the people on the list should’ve died these past 40 years, but he’ll keep killing if that’s what the Archetype wants, asking when he’ll be told everything.

The Reaper states that he wants his past back before he dies, and that Paradigm City thinks he's dead anyway. A Military Police officer spots the killer, and demands his men to follow him as Roger arrives at the scene. Dastun tells Roger to not get involved and that killer androids aren’t his specialty, only for Roger to retort that this isn’t an android, much to Dastun’s confusion. Roger asks if the execution will be reconsidered if he delivers enough evidence, only for Dastun to state it’s already been scheduled for tomorrow.

Roger asks how this is happening even though the real killer is still loose, but Dastun exclaims the evidence is all against Instro. The officer driving Dastun then states the killer is up ahead of them. As the Reaper is chased by squad cars, Dastun states a human can’t run that fast. Eventually, the Military Police surround the killer and tell him to not move. In response, the Grim Reaper simply leaps over the squad cars whilst being shot at, landing on one of them and crushing it. One of the officers stutters out for him to freeze, only to have his hand and gun slashed off in a single swipe. Roger sees this and admits this killer isn’t human, but isn’t an android either as he looks at the Reaper’s bony, dried up face. He gets into a fist fight with the suspect, narrowly avoiding death and forcing him to go on the run. Roger tells Dastun to hurry up, and the Military police give chase, Dastun vowing this “android” won’t kill any more people. The Reaper proceeds to leap atop several city buildings, much to Dastun’s bewilderment, and forcing Roger to call upon Big O.

The police fire at the killer as he climbs various buildings, only to stop once the black megadeus shows up. The Grim Reaper vows he won’t let it end like this, as he still doesn’t have his memory back. Roger tries using Big O to catch the killer, but the megadeus is too slow, thus Roger leaves the cockpit and uses his watch’s grappling hook to swing his way to the killer as Dastun and the Police look on in confusion. Dastun says it seems a person left Big O, and asks one of his men if he can see anything. However the officer, even with binoculars, states they’re too far away. Roger remembers this is his last chance to prove Instro’s innocence, and tells the reaper he knows he was able to remember his past, but his victims remembered nothing.

The killer is confused by this, but Roger keeps pushing, asking why he’s holding to his past so desperately. The Reaper wants to retort, but then sees Big O reaching after him, and realizes the megadeus is controlled by Roger, who demands he stop killing and to let go of the past. It was then at this moment the Grim Reaper realized that this city, which he thought was dead, was still full of life, even without a past, meaning his murder spree was pointless. The man’s sown mouth opens up, undoing it’s stitching, and he howls with laughter at the irony, stating he hasn’t laughed like this in 40 years. The killer states the blood he’s shed wasn’t the same as it was 40 years ago, asking himself how he could’ve let things be like this, before leaping off the building and falling to his death.

Roger monologues that after this incident, Dastun informed him that the murderer was a human-android hybrid, known as a cyborg, who was created by a forgotten technology. The Military Police think he remembered his identity as a hitman and then proceeded to kill again. Instro was released, finally able to give Dorothy piano lessons, much to Roger’s amusement as there’s finally someone Dorothy listens to, laughing to himself. Instro asks why humans laugh randomly, to which Dorothy says Roger also scolds and complains to her without reason, much to Roger’s annoyance. Roger then wonders why the killer laughed before jumping off that ledge.

Similarities To The Anime[]

  • Only a handful of similarities are shared between this story and the manga, mostly pertaining to R. Instro’s debut and Roger helping him out of trouble as an old friend of his. Also like the anime, Instro agrees to help be Dorothy’s piano instructor, much to Roger’s delight.

Trivia[]

  • Megadeus: Big O, Archetype (briefly)
  • Paradigm City: Smith Estate, Military Police HQ
  • This story introduces Instro as an old friend of Roger’s and provides context to how they met, with Roger stating he knew Instro from his days as a Lieutenant from the Military Police, whom Instro would play piano for.
  • This chapter shows the first instance of a cyborg in the manga, which is considered is such a rare sight in Paradigm City that the mere thought of one being the serial killer of this chapter wasn’t even considered by a forensics expert.
  • We never learn of the killer’s real name, but Paradigm Gallery states he’s known as “The Grim Reaper” on the city streets.
  • Although The Archetype appears briefly, Big O doesn’t face any megadeus opponents this chapter.
  • Although stated to be mute by Grim Reaper, The Archetype is revealed to be able to reawaken memories within people, and apparently has a list of people that it wants dead, all consisting of individuals over 40 years old.

Citations[]

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