The Journalist is the character that narrates the ten Mysterious Tapes hidden across the school grounds.
Ayano is able to play his tapes in a cassette player in the Computer Lab to hear his tragic backstory. No other information is known about him at this time.
Description
"In the 80s, a young man began a promising career as an investigative journalist. He was phenomenal at his job, and was quickly making a name for himself all throughout the nation of Japan. Unfortunately, he may have been TOO good at his job...
While investigating a murder in 1989, he correctly identified the perpetrator of the crime. Due to the unusual nature of the case - a schoolgirl accused of murdering a classmate for the sake of love - the media chose to sensationalize the case, resulting in international attention. However, the young murderess was able to escape a guilty verdict by manipulating the emotions of the court, and tricking the world into thinking that the journalist only accused her of murder for the sake of sensational headlines.
As a result of that court case, his reputation was permanently damaged, and his career as a journalist was over. He spiraled into depression and alcoholism. Nobody knows what became of him after he fell out of the public eye.
His current whereabouts are unknown."[3]
Backstory
The Journalist was likely born sometime in the mid-late 1960s,as he was in his early twenties in 1989.[4] Not much is known about his early life, except that at some point, he began a promising career as an investigative journalist, at which he was phenomenal, and was quickly making a name for himself all throughout the nation of Japan.
As revealed on the 1st Mysterious Tape, in April of 1989, when his career was at peak, The Journalist heard about a murder at the local high school, in which the police had no leads, so he decided to investigate it himself to be a hero.
As revealed on the 2nd Mysterious Tape, The Journalist couldn't walk around the school, so he tried to gather information by interviewing students outside the school gate when they entered or left the school, and while investigating, it was at this point in time that he noticed a peculiar girl - Ryoba Aishi, who was quite obviously stalking one of her seniors. The Journalist decided to keep his eye on her, and before long, he began to observe some disturbing behavior from her.
As revealed on the 3rd Mysterious Tape, from the school gate, The Journalist witnessed Ryoba do more than just stalk an upperclassman as she stalked any girl that spoke to him. Through student interviews, The Journalist kept tabs on what happened to those girls - they became victims of bullying, were expelled, and in some cases, stopped coming to school, and he also frequently saw Ryoba running with a mop and a bucket, as though she always had some sort of mess to clean up. According to The Journalist, Ryoba was using manipulation, intimidation, and sometimes even violence to sabotage the boy's love life, and if she wasn't above that kind of behavior, the possibility of murder didn't seem too far off, but he didn't want to believe that a schoolgirl would actually commit murder just to keep a boy single. That's when The Journalist learned a crucial piece of information - the girl who was murdered at the beginning of the school year had a crush on the same boy that was being stalked. The Journalist knew that he correctly identified the perpetrator of the crime and had found the culprit, so he went to the police with his findings. It took a lot of talking, but The Journalist was eventually able to convince them to take Ryoba into custody.
As revealed on the 4th Mysterious Tape, due to the unusual nature of the case - a schoolgirl accused of murdering a classmate for the sake of love - the media chose to sensationalize the case, resulting in international attention. Word of her arrest quickly spread throughout the entire nation, and the trial turned into a media circus. The idea of a murderous schoolgirl was enough to attract that much of attention, that The Journalist became a celebrity practically overnight, though he didn't want to be a public figure, but he did want his investigative skill to be recognized, so he hoped that all the attention would boost his career. However, the young murderess was able to escape a guilty verdict by manipulating the emotions of the court, and tricking the world into thinking that the journalist only accused her of murder for the sake of sensational headlines. According to The Journalist, Ryoba put on the best act he have ever seen - she cried non-stop, feigned ignorance at every opportunity, and had an excuse for every accusation leveled at her, and the court, media, and entire nation fell in love with her. Ryoba called The Journalist a dirty pervert who enjoyed leering at schoolgirls and a fame-seeking yellow journalist, and the court bought every word of it. The day the judge declared Ryoba innocent, the entire country celebrated like it was a holiday.
As revealed on the 5th Mysterious Tape, Immediately after the trial, The Journalist tried to escape the press by hiding in an alley behind the courthouse, and Ryoba, who had just been declared innocent found him there. According to The Journalist, she was smiling, but her eyes were blank, empty, and soulless, like a doll's eyes, and she looked like she didn't have a single ounce of humanity in her entire body. With that smiling face, she threatened his live, then turned around, and left without another word. As a result of that court case, The Journalist's reputation was permanently damaged, and his career as a journalist was over. From that day forward, The Journalist was a national disgrace, as he was known across the nation as a lecherous journalist who stalked schoolgirls and tried to throw a girl in prison to boost his own career. According to The Journalist, he saw disgust in the eyes of every person who looked at him, and his house and car were vandalized every day for weeks. Even his own parents turned away from him.[4][5]
As revealed on the 6th Mysterious Tape, The Journalist's life was a "living hell" for about a year, while the trial was still fresh in people's minds. Eventually, the hatred subsided, but it never truly died, as there was always someone who recognized The Journalist, no matter how much he tried to change his appearance. Finding employment was nearly impossible, so The Journalist drifted between part-time jobs, and he spiraled into depression and alcoholism, by spending his free time drinking to ease the pain of becoming the national punching bag. It was around this point in time that he met his future wife. They met at a bar, and she didn't know who he was when she first met him. She casually said something like "Nice, night, huh?", and he was surprised that she didn't recognize him or try to avoid him. She asked, why she should recognize him, and he told her everything. She listened in silence during most of his story. That night, he drank so much that he was eventually too drunk to drive himself home, so she called him a cab. When the cab arrived, he was too drunk to get inside of it himself, so she helped him in. She was worried that he wouldn't even be able to open his own front door, so she got in the cab with him to make sure that he'd make it inside of his own house safely. Once she opened his front door, she saw that he was living in absolute squalor; he wasn't cleaning up after himself at all. She put him to bed and then cleaned his entire house. When he woke up, she was gone, but he immediately realized that his house was completely clean. He found a note from her, saying that she was worried for him and wanted to see him again. From there, they kept meeting up, and eventually, a relationship occurred.[6] The Journalist didn't understand what she saw in him, as he was an absolute wreck, not to mention the laughingstock of the entire country, but as soon as they met, she wanted to spend every waking moment with him, wouldn't let him out of her sight, and got possessive if another woman so much as looked at him. The Journalist quickly began to depend on her for everything and it wasn't long before he couldn't live without her, as he certainly wasn't in any state to take care of himself. According to The Journalist, he was like an "adult-sized baby" - helpless and vulnerable, and maybe that's what she was attracted to - maybe she just wanted to experience the sensation of owning a person, to keep a "human pet", and someone who she could emotionally depend on. The Journalist didn't understand why anyone would waste their time with a man like him, but none of that mattered, as despite all his flaws, she accepted him, and that was all that he needed. She wanted to marry him very quickly, like about a month after meeting each other, but it wasn't until about six months, when The Journalist accepted her proposal.[7] They got married in a town hall, as neither of them had any friends/relatives who wanted to attend, and according to the journalist's wife, she didn't need a fancy union, since she was happy enough just being with him.[8] The Journalist may have taken his wife's name, so he could "start fresh" with a new legal name, untied to his old reputation.[9] The Journalist wanted to avoid having a child whose father was a national disgrace, which is why, he waited over a decade to have one, so that the stigma will fade by the time his child'll grow up.[9] Eventually, somewhere in the early-middle 2000s, when he was in his middle-late 30s, his wife got pregnant with him.
As revealed on the 7th Mysterious Tape, The Journalist's wife died while giving birth to their only child - a daughter. She died due to severe and rapid blood loss, very soon after birth, and she never even got to see her child.[8] After her death, The Journalist could barely take care of himself, much less a baby. It was very difficult for The Journalist to love his own infant daughter, knowing that his wife was dead because of her. According to The Journalist, he was a horrible father, and his daughter practically had to raise herself, as he never tried to spend much time with her, or learn about her interests, which is why he didn't knew much about her, like what kind of person she's turned into, or what her everyday life is like, but he knew that she spends all of her time on her computer, that she bought it herself. His daughter also seemed to have a lot of money for someone her age, but The Journalist was afraid to ask where it comes from. Sometimes his daughter came home with blood on her clothing, but he can't tell if it's her blood or someone else's blood, as he try to stay out of her business, partially out of respect for her privacy, but mostly out of fear.
As revealed on the 8th Mysterious Tape, The Journalist made the first 7 tapes, because he thought it would be therapeutic to record his feelings, even if he was only talking to an obsolete machine since he had never told anyone about any of this, never saw a shrink, and never had any friends to confide in. However, The Journalist hasn't calmed down at all, and the only thing that came out to him of this experience was all the anger and the hate he had kept buried for the past decades has risen back to the surface. After that, The Journalist couldn't go back to the way things were before - to wasting his time with part-time jobs, drinking, and sitting on a couch feeling miserable, and didn't want his life to be like this, until he will see justice served. Then, The Journalist remembered Ryoba, who never been punished for the sins of her youth, and he didn't want to live in a world where a monster like her walks around in public. The Journalist knew he is the only one who knows the truth about her, and the only one who can bring her to justice, thanks to his Journalist's skills - he know how to track a person down, to learn a person's secrets, and to dig up the truth. For the first time in decades, he felt like he have a purpose, and knew what to do with his life, so he decided to track down Ryoba, and try to deliver justice to her.
As revealed on the 9th Mysterious Tape, Ryoba after over three decades since the events from 1989, never even moved out of her hometown. The Journalist began to following Ryoba around town for a week. He noticed that she'd suddenly change direction when walking, or linger in one place for seemingly no reason. He realizes she was stalking someone, and figure out that her prey was a young woman, just out of high school. Shortly before The Journalist began to follow Ryoba, this woman casually flirted with Ayano's Father,[10] and Ryoba began to stalk her. She was probably a cashier at a convenience store, or a female co-worker of Ayano's Father.[11] However, there's no guarantee that she was actually in love with Ayano's Father, but as a yandere, Ryoba was so over-protective of her husband that she assumed any girl who was moderately polite to him was in love with him.[12] She was suspicious of any girl who seemed to be too sweet to her husband, but doesn't always took action, and probably murdered a handful of times between 1980s Mode and Story Mode.[12] It wasn't revealed whether or not Ryoba actually killed this woman.
As revealed on the 10th Mysterious Tape, Ryoba eventually caught The Journalist on following her. He followed Ryoba into an alley, but lost her in the shadows, and she sneaked at him from behind. He then turned and ran to his house. The Journalist knew he can't go to the police, as he will sound like a "babbling lunatic" without any evidence, and even if they do listen to him, and investigate her, they won't find anything. The Journalist also knew his only option was to leave town and Japan altogether, but before that he tried to contact with his daughter but he couldn't, and he couldn't wait for her to come home, as he had to leave immediately. So, The Journalist recorded the 10th tape and gathered all of the recordings he had made so far and put them where he knew his daughter will find them, and will know why he disappeared so suddenly. The Journalist then went to the airport, but Ryoba followed him and saw him get on a plane to America.[11]
Appearance
Journalist's face is covered by a brown hat with a gold ribbon. However, on other illustrations can be seen that he has black hair and eyes. He has also facial hair.
On website illustration, Journalist wears a shirt with a blue tie, and long meringue coat fastened with brown buttons and tied at the waist. He has brown pants and shoes.
Personality
He has good intentions when stalking Ryoba and wants to do what's right. He appreciates fame, but he wouldn't just accuse a high school girl just for it.
The Journalist is very observant and great at finding clues. He shows that when he first deals with Ryoba, seeing her stalk her Senpai, and a few decades later when she stalks a young woman.
He must be very skilled, considering that he might be able to escape Ryoba after the ten weeks of the game are over if he appears in an ending.[13]
If the player proves the Mysterious Tapes false by not using the canon elimination methods for 1980s Mode[14] it is unknown what would make The Journalist say such things on the tapes.
Relationships
Ryoba Aishi
Their backstory and how they interacted is told throughout the Mysterious Tapes. There is some more information on the Basement Tapes.
The Journalist can almost go blind with rage when he sees Ryoba, though he still runs away from her after she found him stalking her after a few decades. The Journalist's revenge has seemingly failed for now, but he is said to possibly appear in a secret main story mode ending, which implies that he could've gotten away.[13]
Ryoba doesn't kill The Journalist right away after the court case and he lives until sometime shortly before Ayano's first day of high school, as seen from Basement Tape #10. Ryoba follows him to America (which is why she is absent throughout gameplay), but it's currently unknown what happens next.
His Daughter
In his tapes, The Journalist mentions a daughter that he doesn't spend any time with, a daughter that he knows nothing about, only that she spends a lot of time on the computer, makes a lot of money and occasionally comes home with blood on her.
It is unknown who his daughter is.
Trivia
- He was introduced in the August 10th, 2015 Build.
- The Journalist might only appear in the ending cut-scene of 1980s Mode[13] or during week 10.[15]
- The Journalist is not the person who put his tapes around the school.[16]
- The Journalist's name will likely not be revealed unless there is a huge fan demand for it.[17]
- YandereDev thinks that the Saikou family is probably aware of his existence.[18]
- He may have taken his wife's surname, to escape the past of his own.[19]
- When he was a student, he likely had the Sleuth persona.[20]
Illustrations
Quotes
| “ | Looks like it still works. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #1. The first thing he says in that tape.
|
| “ | I decided to keep my eye on her, and before long, I began to observe some disturbing behavior from her. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #2. The Journalist talking about Ryoba.
|
| “ | That's when I learned a crucial piece of information...The girl who was murdered at the beginning of the school year had a crush on the same boy that was being stalked. The final piece of the puzzle had fallen into place. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #3. Finding out that the Phantom Girl's death was the death in April of 1989. The Journalist goes to the police.
|
| “ | The court fell in love with her. The media fell in love with her. The entire damn nation fell in love with her. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #4. The Journalist talking about how everyone, from his view, bought Ryoba's act.
|
| “ | From that day forward, I was a national disgrace. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #5. After the court case.
|
| “ | She looked like she didn't have a single ounce of humanity in her entire body. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #5. The Journalist noting Ryoba's eerie behavior.
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| “ | It was around this point in time that I met my future wife. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #6. The Journalist's life was terrible for about a year after the case. Around this time he met his future wife who he married six months after meeting her.
|
| “ | I never tried to spend much time with her, or learn about her interests. Even now, I don't think I know much about her. I don't even know what kind of person she's turned into. I don't even know what her everyday life is like. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #7. The Journalist talking about his neglected daughter.
|
| “ | For the first time in decades, I feel like I have a purpose. I feel like I know what to do with my life. I'm going to deliver justice to that murderer or I'm going to die trying. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #8. The Journalist deciding to hunt down Ryoba once again.
|
| “ | In order to convict this monster and send her to prison, I need firm evidence that she's a murderer. If I save this young woman's life, I won't have any evidence. I have to let her die. | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #9. The Journalist decides to let a woman die so that he can get back at Ryoba.
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| “ | Stay safe...I love you... | ” |
— Mysterious Tape #10. The Journalist's goodbye to his daughter and his last words on the tape.
|
References
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7wo5d3/some_question_about_journalist/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/YandereDev/status/654560770353532928
- ↑ http://yanderesimulator.com/characters/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7wo5d3/some_question_about_journalist/
- ↑ https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7xcfgl/some_questions_about_journalists_family_members/
- ↑ https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/aci1ts/questions_about_journalist_wife_for_dev_12/
- ↑ https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7rtk6u/some_journalist_wife_questions_again_xd/
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/f5vw32/some_questions_about_the_wife_of_journalist/
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7wgbgs/some_questions_about_journalist_family_again/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/YandereDev/status/655901765615751174
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/a0ztz3/yesterday_i_saw_a_post_on_the_subreddit_that_make/
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 https://old.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7j2set/questions_about_yanderechans_father_and_ryoba/
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 https://twitter.com/YandereDev/status/652553259702292480
- ↑ https://twitter.com/YandereDev/status/669206116073496576
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7td9l0/week_10_in_1980s_mode/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/6019x2/one_question/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/63a33w/four_questions/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/78qald/questions_about_the_saikous/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/7wgbgs/some_questions_about_journalist_family_again/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yandere_simulator/comments/83p92o/questions_about_the_sleuth_persona/