Originally posted on 14 October 2013
Source: Siren 2 Maniacs, page 114-115

Siren 2: Archive 015~021

[No. 015] Weekly Kastori
A magazine with the cheap slogan "the ultra news magazine that will melt your brain!". Taking its name from an old magazine with a bad reputation and nicknamed "kasutori magazine", it unashamedly presents content to entice people's curiosity, feeling no shame from its title. Also, the Kazuo Umezu-style illustration on the cover comes from Shoko Nakagawa. Issue #139, a special edition published on 29 July 2005, is titled "Yamijima, the Cursed Island". It is a report about the incidents surrounding Yamijima, a purported mystery spot, but what is really of note here is what happened to the occult magazine writer who wrote the article afterwards. According to the actual website "Urban Legend Investigation Team" (www.shibito.com), he became completely obsessed with Yamijima and later vanished after writing of his intention to go there... It appears as though the writer managed to get back to the island. The cup from archive [No.014] Turtle Jelly Ramen and the copy of Kastori Weekly were brought along by him.

[No. 016] Pottery Exhibition Commemorative Medal
A medal put in with the intention of giving off a 70s feel. The exhibition is based on the 1970 Osaka world fair. Also, it is this medal, lost by a young Shu, that the Mikamis are searching for by the sea before they discover Kanae. It serves an important role at the end of the game, being the item that connects Shu and Kanae.

[No. 017] Mermaid Princess Picture Book
A picture book left beside the pillow of the young Shu Mikami. As you can see from the writing - "big sis" - scrawled across an illustration of a beautiful mermaid princess, it appears as though Shu was projecting the image of the mermaid princess onto Kanae, a girl with no relatives found on the beach. However, it doesn't stop there; even the image of her body becoming pretty seafoam as she vanishes is the same as in the book. The scene, quite shocking and horrific for someone as young as Shu, caused him to lose his vision due to trauma.

[No. 018] Fisherman's Letter
Talks about head fisherman Tsuneo Ohta's decisive actions in August 1976, conducting a raid on the Mikami house. To the islanders Kanae, who lived with the Mikamis, was nothing more than "sin from the sea". The right the bloody tragedy unfolded, one of the fisherman participating in the raid left this letter as a note to his family. From "Whatever happens, don't go outside," and "Don't even turn on the lights," you can see the fishermen's resolution regarding that night's attack on the Mikami house. On the other hand, from the way he pays care towards his son's birthday present, you can also see that the fisherman raiding the house were not cold-blooded demon killers. Tsuneo Ohta and the men were simply normal human beings. Their simple idea of needing to protect the peace of Yamijima is what brought about the tragedy. The reason you see no one other than fishermen in the village at "-1:00 Fleeing" is explained in the letter as well.

[No. 019] Robo Beast
Shu Mikami's favourite toy. It was unpopular enough to lead to a slump in business for Sushibon Co., though for some reason seems to have been relatively popular amongst the children on Yamijima - one of the island's many mysteries, perhaps.

[No. 020] Helicopter Transceiver
A record of transmissions from the Self-Defence Force helicopter that crash-lands on Yamijima after an accident during cargo moving training. The accident that occurs is not due to losing sight of land and taking a nose-dive, but actually due to something as serious as the mysterious death of the pilot. Because of this Misawa and Okita, riding in the back, struggle to right the helicopter, and their voices can be heard on the wireless transmission. In the recording you can hear, "The clouds look strange," "I can't see the land," and "We've gone off course," - these phrases bear similarities to the final transmission of the American navy plane Avenger that vanished in 1945 over the sea in the Bermuda Triangle.

[No. 021] The Mermaid's Tear
The latest book of popular author Shu Mikami. Shu Mikami actually has an official site (www.shu-mikami.com). The messages of his fans, worrying about him after he goes missing on a research trip, remain on the site's BBS. Also, in the photos of Shu on the site you can see a large scar on the back of his right hand. This wound actually occurred when he fell into the sea while escaping with Kanae from the raid of Tsuneo Ohta and his men as a child.