Cosmic

* Original
* Reprint

* Ryuu
* Sui

**Cosmic** (コズミック, *Kozumikku*) is the debut novel of Ryuusui Seiryouin, the first volume of the *JDC Series*. First released as **Cosmic: End of Century Detective Myth** (コズミック 世紀末探偵神話(せきまつたんていしんわ), *Kozumikku: Sekimatsu Tantei Shinwa*) in 1996, it was the second winning work of the Mephisto Prize. Before its publication, it was known under the working title of **The Legend of the 1200 Year Locked Room** (１２００年密室伝説(ねんみっしつでんせつ), *1200-nen Misshitsu Densetsu*).

It was later reprinted in a *bunko* format, split into two volumes: **Cosmic Ryuu** (コズミック 流(りゅう), *Kozumikku Ryū*) and **Cosmic Sui** (コズミック 水(すい), *Kozumikku Sui*), both released in 2000. The second installment of the series, *Joker*, was also rereleased as two books, titled *Joker Sei* and *Joker Ryou* respectively. The new names dictate the author's recommended order of the story, which is to read *Sei* and *Ryou* in between *Ryuu* and *Sui* > **Seiryou in Ryuusui** (清涼(せいりょう)in流水(りゅうすい), *Seiryō in Ryūsui*), creating a pun on the author's name.

## Synopsis

An unidentified person calling themselves the Locked Room Lord sends a crime notice, claiming that 1200 people would be killed in 1200 locked rooms. What is the true identity of the Locked Room Lord, who claims to know the secret of the locked room that no one has been able to solve for over 1000 years? The JDC's genius, the Meta Detective who transcends great detectives, Juuku Tsukumo, takes on the challenge!

## Contents

* **Before the Locking (Pre-matter)** (施錠(せじょう)の前(まえ)（プレマーダー）, *Sejou no Mae (Puremādā)*)
* **Locked Room Inner Part: Present Dream**(密室内部(みっしつないぶ)　現世(げんしょう)の夢(ゆめ), *Misshitsu Naibu Genshō no Yume*)
	+ **Locked Room 1: The the Heian Shrine Locked Room "The Thrill of Life"** (平安神宮(へいあんじんじゃ)の密室(みっしつ)『人生(じんせい)のスリル』, *Heian Jinja no Misshitsu『Jinsei no Suriru』*)
	+ **Locked Room 2: The Empty Taxi Locked Room "A Buried Chewing Gum"** (空車(くうしゃ)タクシーの密室(みっしつ)『埋葬(まいそう)されたガム』, *Kūsha Takushī no Misshitsu『Maisou Sareta Gamu』*)
	+ **Locked Room 3: The Beachside Apartment Locked Room "The Devil Hiding in the Shadow"** (砂丘(さきゅう)マンションの密室(みっしつ)『陰(かげ)に潜(ひそ)む魔(ま)』, *Sakyū Manshon no Misshitsu『Kage ni Hisomu Ma』*)
	+ **Locked Room 4: High Speed - The National Highway Locked Room "The Head Cutting Bridge"** (超高速(ちょうこうそく)・国道(こくどう)の密室(みっしつ)『首(くび)を切(き)る橋(はし)』, *Chōkōsoku・Kokudō no Misshitsu『Kubi zo Kiru Hashi』*)
	+ **Locked Room 5: Shinkansen - The World's Fastest Locked Room "Missing One Another"** (新幹線(しんかんせん)・地上最速(ちじょうさいそく)の密室(みっしつ)『すれ違(ち)い』, *Shinkansen・Chijousaisoku no Misshitsu『Surechigai』*)
	+ **Locked Room 6: The Gondola and Fog Locked Room "A Crime Within the Crime..."** (ゴンドラと霧(きり)の密室(みっしつ)『犯罪(はんざい)の中(なか)で……』, *Gondora to Kiri no Misshitsu『Hanzai no Naka de……』*)
	+ **Locked Room 7: The Yamataikoku Locked Room "A Lifelong Love"** (邪馬台国(やまたいこく)の密室(みっしつ)『生涯(しょうがい)を捧(さば)ぐ愛(あい)』, *Yamataikoku no Misshitsu『Shōgai wo Sabaku Ai』*)
	+ **Locked Room 8: The Bowling Alley Locked Room "The Three Bets"** (ボウリング場(じょう)の密室(みっしつ)『三つ(みっつ)の賭(か)け』, *Bouringujō no Misshitsu『Mittsu no Kake』*)
	+ **Locked Room 9: The Nightmarish Reversal Locked Room "The Trillemma of Destiny"** (悪夢(あくむ)の逆転密室(ぎゃくてんみっしつ)『運命(うんめい)の三択(さんたく)』, *Akumu no Gyakuten Misshitsu『Unmei no Santaku』*)
	+ **Locked Room 10: The Surreptitious Telephone Locked Room "The Silence of Death"** (見(み)えない電話密室(でんわみっしつ)『死(し)の沈黙(ちんもく)』, *Mienai Denwa Misshitsu『Shi no Chinmoku』*)
	+ **Locked Room 11: The Pizza Delivery Locked Room "Love Association Game"** (宅配(たくはい)ピザの密室(みっしつ)『恋想(れんそう)ゲーム』, *Takuhai Piza no Misshitu『Rensou Gēmu』*)
	+ **Locked Room 12: The Locked Room Which Wasn't One "Complete Reversal"** (密室(みっしつ)ならぬ密室(みっしつ)『どんでん返(が)し』, *Misshitsu Naranu Misshitsu『Dondengaeshi』*)
	+ **Locked Room 13: The Deeply Moderated Locked Room "Obtaining One Life from Nine Deaths"** (慎(つつし)み深(ぶか)い密室(みっしつ)『九死(きゅうし)に一生(いっしょう)を得(え)る』, *Tsutsushimibukai Misshitsu『Kyūshi ni Isshō wo Eru』*)
	+ **Locked Room 14: The Locked Room Novel Paranoia "The Secret of the World"** (パラノイアの小説密室(しょうせつ)『世界(せかい)の秘密(ひみつ)』, *Paranoia no Shōsetsu Misshitsu『Sekai no Himitsu』*)
	+ **Locked Room 15: The Hotel's Double Locked Room "The Flower of Evil"** (ホテルのダブル密室(みっしつ)『悪(あく)の華(はな)』, *Hoteru no Daburu Misshitsu『Aku no Hana』*)
	+ **Locked Room 16: The Wall-less Inverse Locked Room "Mijime (M←IJIME)"** (壁(かべ)のない闇(やみ)の逆密室(ぎゃくみっしつ), 『みじめ（M←IJIME）』*Kabe no nai Yami no Gyakumisshitsu『Mijime(M←IJIME)』*)
	+ **Locked Room 17: The 3000 Meter High Locked Room "Falling!"** (高度(こうど)三〇〇〇メートルの密室(みっしつ)『落(お)ちる！』, *Koudo Sanzen Mētoru no Misshitsu『Ochiru!』*)
	+ **Locked Room 18: The Locked Room Lord's Own Locked Room? "Charade"** (密室卿自身(みっしつきょうじしん)の密室(みっしつ)？『茶番劇(ちゃばんげき)』, *Misshitsukyō Jishin no Misshitsu?『Chabangeki』*)
	+ **Locked Room 19: Resolution and Pyramid's Locked Room "Darkness"** (解決(かいけつ)とピラミッドの密室(みっしつ)『闇(やみ)』, *Kaiketsu to Piramiddo no Misshitsu『Yami』*)
* **The Gap of the Closing (Inter-matter)** (開閉(かいへい)の狭間(はざま)（インターマーダー）, *Kaihei no Hazama (Intāmādā)*)
* **Outside the Locked Room: The Truth of the Night's Dream** (密室外部(みっしつがいぶ)　夜(よる)の夢(ゆめ)の真実(しんじつ), *Misshitsu Gaibu Yoru no Yume no Shinjitsu*)
* **Deduction I: The Deduction of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)I　密室(みっしつ)の推理(すいり), *Suiri I Misshitsu no Suiri*)
	+ **a　For The Great Downfall** (あ　華麗(かれい)なる没落(ぼつらく)のために*, a Karei naru Botsuraku no Tame ni*)
	+ **i　Where is the Locked Room's Secret?** (い　密室(みっしつ)の秘密(ひみつ)はどこにある？*, i Misshitsu no Himitsu ha Doko ni Aru?*)
	+ **u　Bad News from Geneijou** (う　幻影城(げんえいじょ)からの凶報(きょうほう)*, u Gen'eijou kara no Kyōhō*)
	+ **e　"The 1200 Year Old Locked Room Legend"** (え　『１２００年密室伝説(ねんみっしつでんせつ)』*, e 『Sen Nihyakunen Misshitsu Densetsu 』*)
	+ **o　The Dead was a Messenger of the Locked Room Lord?** (お　死者(ししゃ)は密室卿(みっしつきょう)の使者(ししゃ)？*, o Shisha ha Misshitsu no Shisha?*)
* **Deduction II: The Seal of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)II　密室(みっしつ)の封印(ふういん), *Suiri II Misshitsu no Fūin*)
	+ **ka　Fiction? Or Reportage?** (か　小説か？記録文学か？(フィクション・オア・レポルタージュ), *ka Fikushon oa Reporutāju*)
	+ **ki　The Locked Room Legend of the Past** (き　過去(かこ)からの密室伝説(みっしつでんせつ), *ki Kako kara no Misshitsu Densetsu*)
	+ **ku　2400 Locked Rooms** (く　密室二四〇〇個(みっしつにせんよんひゃっこ), *ku Misshitsu Nisen Yonhyakko*)
	+ **ke　The Locked Rooms are Passed to the Next Generation** (け　密室(みっしつ)は受(う)け継(つ)がれる, *ke Misshitsu ha Uketsugareru*)
	+ **ko　The 1000 Year Old Man** (こ　一〇〇〇歳(せんさい)の老人(ろうじん), *ko Sensai no Roujin*)
* **Deduction III: The Deciphering of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)III　密室(みっしつ)の解読(かいどく), *Suiri III Misshitsu no Kaidoku*)
	+ **sa　The Book Club Leads to the Truth** (さ　真実(しんじつ)に通(つう)じる読書会(どくしょかい), *sa Shinjitsu ni Tsūjiru Dokushokai*)
	+ **shi　Cryptanalysis x Juuku** (し　暗号解読(あんごかいどく)×一九(じゅうく), *shi Angokaidoku x Jūku*)
	+ **su　The Search Through the Old Capital** (す　古都(こと)を巡(めぐ)る探索行(たんさっこう), *su Koto wo Meguru Tansakkou*)
	+ **se　The Comfortable Holy Land Kept Secret** (せ　心地(こころち)よく秘密(ひみつ)めいた聖域(せいいき)*se Kokorochiyoku Himitsumeita Seiiki*)
	+ **so　The Night of the Detectives' Reunion** (そ　探偵(たんてい)が集(つど)う夜(よる), *so Tantei ga Tsudou Yoru*)
* **Deduction IV: The Curse of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)IV　密室(みっしつ)の呪縛(じゅうばく), *Suiri IV Misshitsu no Jūbaku*)
	+ **ta　The Reviving DNA of Fear** (た　甦(よみがえ)る恐怖(きょうふ)の遺伝子(いでんし), *ta Yomigaeru Kyoufu no Idenshi*)
	+ **chi　The Nightmare when Deceit Turns to Reality** (ち　虚構(きょこう)が現実(げんじつ)となる悪夢(あくむ)*, chi Kyokō ga Genjitsu to naru Akumu*)
	+ **tsu　Who Will Tell the Locked Rooms?** (つ　伝説(でんせつ)はだれが伝(つた)える？, *tsu Densetsu ha Dare ga Tsutaeru?*)
	+ **te　The Time to Grieve a Historical Discovery** (て　歴史的発見(れきしてきはっけん)を悲(かな)しむ時(とき), *te Rekishiteki Hakken wo Kanashimu Toki*)
	+ **to　The Senior of the Twin Cases** (と　双子(ふたご)の事件(じけん)の年長者(ねんちょうしゃ), *to Futago no Jiken no Nenchōsha*)
* **Deduction V: The Departure of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)V　密室(みっしつ)の飛翔(ひしょう), *Suiri V Misshitsu no Hishō*)
	+ **na　The Seesaw Between Deceit and Reality** (な　現実(げんじつ)と虚構(きょこう)のシーソーゲーム, *na Genjitsu to Kyokō no Shīsōgēmu*)
	+ **ni　Locked Room of "Ito + Ito + IT"** (に　()密室の（意図(いと)＋糸(いと)＋IT）, *ni Misshitsu no (Ito + Ito + IT)*)
	+ **nu　Theorizing Around the Dinner Table** (ぬ　午餐(ごさん)にて推理談議(すいりだんぎ), *nu Gosan nite Suiri Dangi*)
	+ **ne　Flying Towards the Truth** (ね　真実(しんじつ)へとはばたく*nu Shinjitsu he to Habataku*)
	+ **no　The Ones Inheriting the Locked Room Legend** (の　密室伝説(みっしつでんせつ)を紡(つむ)ぐもの*, no Misshitsu Densetsu wo Tsumugu Mono*)
* **Deduction VI: The Myth of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)VI　密室(みっしつ)の神話(しんわ), *Suiri VI Misshitsu no Shinwa*)
	+ **ha　The Locked Rooms are in London** (は　伝説(でんせつ)はロンドンへ*, ha Densetsu wa Rondon he*)
	+ **hi　The Escalating Deduction Showdown** (ひ　エスカレートする推理合戦(すいりがっせん)*, hi Esukarēto suru Suiri Gassen*)
	+ **hu　The Secret Lies in the Statistics** (ふ　統計(とうけい)の中(なか)に神秘(しんぴ)は眠(ねむ)る*fu Tōkei no Naka no Shinpi ha Nemuru*)
	+ **he　The Place Forgotten by Time** (へ　時(とき)に忘(わす)られた場所(ばしょ)*, he Toki ni Wasurareta Basho*)
	+ **ho　The Locked Room's Triangles** (ほ　密室(みっしつ)の三角関係S(トライアングルエス)*, ho Misshitsu no Sankakukankei S*)
* **Deduction VII: The Collapse of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)VII　密室(みっしつ)の崩壊(ほうかい), *Suiri VII Misshitsu no Houkai*)
	+ **ma　Overture to the Locked Room's Collapse** (ま　密室崩壊(みっしつほうかい)の序曲(じょうきょく)*, ma Misshitsu Hōkai no Jōkyoku*)
	+ **mi　The World's Mystery - The World's Crime** (み　世界(せかい)の謎(なぞ)・世界(せかい)の犯罪(はんざい)*, mi Sekai no Nazo・Sekai no Hanzai*)
	+ **mu　The Detective Climbs the Stairs for the Last Time** (む　探偵(たんてい)は最後(さいご)の段階(かいだん)を上(のぼ)る*, mu Tantei ha Saigo no Kaidan wo Noboru*)
	+ **me　The Meta Detective Overcoming Time** (め　時(とき)を超(こ)えるメタ探偵(たんてい)*, me Toki wo Koeru Meta Tantei*)
	+ **mo　The Great Detective's Checkmate** (も　名探偵(めいたんてい)は王手詰(おうてづ)め*, mo Kakutantei ha Outedume*)
* **Deduction VIII: The Tragedy of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)VIII　密室(みっしつ)の悲劇(ひげき), *Suiri VIII Misshitsu no Higeki*)
	+ **ya　A Sudden Tragedy Right Before the Resolution** (や　解決篇(かいけつへん)……直前(ちょくぜん)の悲劇(ひげき)*, ya Kaiketsuhen……Chokuzen no Higeki*)
	+ **yu　The Locked Room Lord Appears on Video** (ゆ　ビデオに映(うつ)る密室卿(みっしつきょう)*, yu Bideo ni Utsuru Misshitsukyō*)
	+ **yo　The Door Opens** (よ　扉(とびら)が開(ひら)かれる*yo Tobira ga Hirakareru*)
* **"Challenge to the Readers"** (『読者(どくしゃ)への挑発状(ちょうせんじょう)』(), *『Dokusha he no Chōsenjō』*)
* **Deduction IX: The Truth of the Locked Room** (推理(すいり)IX　密室(みっしつ)の真実(しんじつ), *Suiri IX Misshitsu no Shinjitsu*)
	+ **ra　The Locked Room Lord's Name is...** (ら　密室卿(みっしつきょう)の名(な)は……, *ra Misshitsukyō no Na ha*)
	+ **ri　The Hidden History Unraveled** (り　隠(かく)された歴史(れきし)が紐解(ひもと)かれる, *ri Kakusareta Rekishi ga Himotokareru*)
	+ **ru　Every Road Leads to the Truth** (る　すべての道(みち)は真実(しんじつ)に通(つう)じる, *ru Subete no Michi ha Shinjitsu ni Tsūjiru*)
	+ **re　One Case's Demise** (れ　一つ(ひとつ)の事件(じけん)の終焉(しゅうえん), *re Hitotsu no Jiken no Shūen*)
	+ **ro　Every World's Crimes** (ろ　すべての世界(せかい)の犯罪(はんざい), *ro Subete no Sekai no Hanzai*)
* **Deduction X: The Legend of the Locked Room** (真実(しんじつ)X　密室(みっしつ)の伝説(でんせつ), *Shinjitsu X Misshitsu no Densetsu*)
	+ **wa　Afterwards...** (わ　その後(あと)……*wa Sonoato……*)
	+ **wi　The Locked Room's Last Key** (ゐ　密室(みっしつ)の最後(さいご)の鍵(かぎ), *wi Misshitsu no Saigo no Kagi*)
	+ **we　The Four Seasons and the Time of Demise - The God of Detectives**(ゑ　四季(しき)と死期(しき)・探偵(たんてい)たちの神(かみ), *we Shiki to Shiki・Tanteitachi no Kami*)
	+ **wo　A Fitting Place to End the Story** (を　物語(ものがたり)が終(お)わるのにふさわしい場所(ばしょ), *wo Monogatari ga Owaru no ni Fusawashī Basho*)
	+ **n　And Inside the Labyrinth of Time...** (ん　そして時(とき)の迷宮(めいきゅう)のなかに……, *n Soshite Toki no Meikyū no Naka ni*)
* **After the Unlocking (Post-matter)** (開錠(かいじょう)の後(あと)（ポストマーダー）, *Kaijō no Ato (Posutomādā)*)
* **"Ocean" - Post-writing** (『海(うみ)』（執筆後記(しっぴつこうき)）, *『Umi』(Shippitsu Kouki)*)

## Characters

* **Japan Detectives Club:** A detective organization established in 1974 which employs over three hundred great detectives, helping police solve Japan's and the entire world's toughest crimes.
* **Locked Room Lord** (密室卿(みっしつきょう), *Misshitsukyō*)**:** A mysterious criminal who sent the JDC an advance notice of a crime in which 1200 people would die in 1200 locked rooms.
* **Juuku Tsukumo** (九十九(つくも) 十九(じゅうく), *Tsukumo Jūku*)**:** An S rank detective from the 1st division of the JDC. A man possessing such overflowing beauty that everyone who looks straight at him faints. He has a gentle and polite demeanor. At the time of the Locked Room Lord case, he is overseas, solving a case in England.

TBC

## Genre & Style

Cosmic is a *shinhonkaku* novel at its core, but doesn't stop there. It tries to incorporate every previously existing genre as a **Ryuusui Great Novel** (流水大説(りゅうすいだいせつ),*Ryūsui Daisetsu*). According to the author, the origin of the term comes from Chinese, where "novels" (小説(しょうせつ),*Shōsetsu*) are thoughts of as stories about individuals, while "great novels" (大説(だいせつ),*Daisetsu*) are stories about the world. Adding to that, the idea of Ryuusui (流水(りゅうすい),*Ryūsui*), which metaphorically represents the genres, words, and thoughts of the author flowing like water that has been released from the dam it had been retained in.

The book is separated into two main segment, which respectively compose the contents of the two reprint versions. In the first one, we follow many characters through a semi-omniscient third person narrator as we watch the mystery unfold, whereas the second part has an omniscient third person narrator mostly following the detectives of the JDC as they try to solve the case. The book's most characteristic features would be the many complex wordplays serving as hints for the readers, a pretty big reliance on the reader's knowledge of historical figures, and the meta elements.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cosmic: End of Century Detective Myth (in Japanese). Published by Kodansha.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Cosmic Ryuu (in Japanese). Published by Kodansha.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Cosmic Sui (in Japanese). Published by Kodansha.