Takaaki Yoshimura / Katsuaki Yoshimura
Karuwari / Irazu Valley Church / 1989 / 16:33:08
Karuwari / Irazu Valley Church / 1989 / 16:33:08
At last the final chapter, chapter 5, which was written specially for this book. Depicted within is the story of a pair of twins. Torn apart by an unfortunate destiny at a young age, the two head down separate paths of light and shadow. Their fates will again be drawn together by Hanuda Village's curse and the laws of cause and effect. When light and shadow become one, what will happen? Can there be salvation in the end...?
The names of the twins are Takaaki and Katsuaki Yoshimura. On the night of the landslide in 1976, they are separated from their parents and each taken in by the Makino and Miyata houses. Generation after generation, the Makino family descendants serve as the Guiding Priest at the Irazu Valley church, controlling Hanuda Village through the ritual upon which Manaism is based. If the Makino family are the "light" then the Miyatas are the "shadow". The descendants of the Miyatas, working as doctors for generations, perform various kinds of dirty work in order to control the village, hiding an immoral curse at its depths. In this manner, although the brothers share the same face, they contrast quite strongly. From this dual contrast come two distinct personalities for the twins. These are "persona" and "shadow".
The funeral at the beginning is that of the former Guiding Priest, Reiji Makino. Reiji, having blamed himself for the failure of the ritual since it occurred in 1976, ends his own life out of disgrace and remorse. Taking over the role of Guiding Priest from Reiji is Kei Makino... the elder twin, Takaaki Yoshimura. The other brother, Katsuaki Yoshimura, lives his life wearing the mask of Shiro Miyata, who is to take over the family business and become a doctor, but inside he is not calm and gentle. He lives his life dirtying his hands, stained bloody, in order to support the Makinos - the "light". The "white sheep" and "black sheep", set in their roles from birth although sharing the same face and flesh. "Why am I Shiro Miyata?" With this doubt in his heart, a question with no answer however many times he asks it, the shadow inside Miyata expands... Incidentally, the reason Miyata killed the nurse, Mina Onda, seems to be some kind of sharp impact he feels from something she says about Makino, with regards to whom his feelins are complex.
The point in the game at which Miyata (Katsuaki) confesses his ambivalence toward his elder brother Makino (Takaaki) is at the central intersection of the Shibito Nest (Day 3 07:42:44). As you well know, Makino and Miyata's lives literally converge at the intersection. At this point, Katsuaki Yoshimura's "persona" and "shadow" finally merge.
What is of particular interest is the dream of a girl calling in fragments from the darkness, that troubles both Makino and Miyata as they grow. Naturally, this is a message from the Previous Miyako, confined in the basement of the Miyata Clinic. Makino, lacking the strength of mind to take action, ignores Miyako's desperate pleas ("Don't trust that woman...!") and happily seeks comfort from Hisako. On the other hand, Miyata takes Miyako's message to heart, and though he is not entirely sure what "it" is, midway through the game he obtains the Uryen from Previous Miyako. In the end, he ends up serving a vital role in the story of Siren.
Characters
Takaaki Yoshimura
Katsuaki Yoshimura
The younger of the Yoshimura twins. After being taken in by the Miyatas, he lived as "Shiro Miyata". He has a wealth of decisiveness and action, but this leads to extreme actions that stand out.The girl in the dark
The Previous Miyako, who was imprisoned in the basement of the Miyata Clinic by Hisako in 1976. Even while mummifying, still holding the Uryen in her hands, she continues to send her thoughts towards Hisako Yao's dangerousness to the village's occupants.The old woman in the Miyata Clinic basement laboratory
The "old woman behind the bars" the young Katsuaki meets in the basement of the Miyata Clinic is the "dog shibito-turned" Namiko Yoshikawa from the end of chapter 1. After getting his hands on her, what he does with Namiko after this is an eternal mystery."Burnt Scrap of Doctor's Coat"
The name "Miyata" can be faintly made out. After shooting Makino and stealing his identity, Miyata burns this to bring a decisive end to his life as "Doctor Miyata".
English Translation by Chelsea
