The first two sections this week are nicely constructed, and we’re starting to get a sense of why Maria still works with Nanao – he’s not just an unlucky bumbler, he really is good at his job. It’s interesting that his reputation in the wider criminal underworld community is good too. Plus, the snake has turned up!
I’m surprised there’s not a lot of speculation going on - is it because most people have seen the movie and know what happens? (I haven’t, although I do get the impression as I’m reading that this would work better as a movie than it does as a book).
My own theory based on nothing is that there’s basically no one unconnected on the train, no innocent bystander. They are all somehow involved, and no one is there by chance. Even the woman that got her arm cut off (I think it was an arm?) because she was five minutes late must be connected to someone we already know. Luck is being mentioned a lot - not sure if the author really intends it to be part of the characters’ traits, that they’re either lucky or unlucky. I guess we’ll see. I also think Maria is on the train somehow, although I have no idea how she’s not been spotted (unless most don’t know what she looks like). Maybe she’s the drinks cart lady (no - Nanao interacted with her)? And maybe she’s actually behind the whole mess?
I think you’re right that all these little side characters and minor things are going to tie in to each other. I don’t really remember the small details well enough, though – I only knew the snake had been foreshadowed because of a conversation in a previous thread, for instance. I expect all the cellphones being passed around and that one 10,000 yen note that got torn up are going to turn out to matter too.
I’m forgetting details too, and I really shouldn’t, as I read it all in the past ten days or so. Nanao did give Ookami’s phone to someone, didn’t he? To whom and why though? I don’t remember a thing. And I don’t have the slightest idea why Kimura felt the urge to tear up a banknote, nor why that brat guessed it at once. As for other details, we have a drugged soft drink where the Kudamonos are sitting, a snake on the loose, the luggage back in its hiding place (allegedly at least), and the debit cards in Ouji’s pocket. And Nanao has Lemon’s gun - is it the one that’s supposed to jam? Or an empty one? I’m sure there’s more.
He gave the phone to the man in women’s clothing. He intends for the man to pass the phone to Mikan. He will likely give Mikan a call to clarify the situation they are in(?)
I have not seen the movie. I have not speculated yet about what is going on because I was fine with just reading.
But, well, here we go:
I am with you in thinking that all of them must be connected to each other somehow.
However, I would assume that Maria is probably not on the train because otherwise Nanao should have run into her by now. But maybe she might still board the train later on…?
Wasn’t there a guy who said he is a teacher or something similar? I cannot remember exactly, but I have been wondering ever since he first showed up what he is up to. Guess he is not what he pretends to be…
That’s what I meant, I suspect even the minor, seemingly random characters aren’t really innocent bystanders at all. I guess we’ll see.
There’s also this other train that keeps being mentioned, the one that’s connected to はやて but supposedly you can’t get from one train to the other. This can’t be just a random detail. Maybe Maria is there?
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