Phantom Solitaire's Art of Disguising Oneself as a Supernatural Being

Mock Weekly Dry magazine cover promoting the novel.

**Phantom Solitaire's Art of Disguising Oneself as a Supernatural Being** refers to a *Dead Mount Death Play* spin-off gaiden novel about Phantom Solitaire and its manga adaptation of the same name. It tells the tale of Solitaire's criminal debut while intercutting it with scenes from the manga's present-day main storyline. Both the gaiden novel and manga are serialized in the *Young Yangan* app **Manga UP!**; the former began serialization on May 08, 2023, and the latter on November 2025 of the same year.

## Novel Serialization

The spin-off serialization was announced in early Spring 2023. To promote the story, *Young Gangan* included its first installment with *Dead Mount Death Play*'s ninety-ninth chapter in the magazine's tenth volume; Yen Press included a translation of that installment in the English release of Chapter 100. Ryohgo Narita explained on April 21 that the spin-off would use material that he had to set aside while writing the main story. "Before I knew it," he wrote, "All the parts that I had eliminated were connected!"

## Gaiden Novel

On November 25, 2023, the story's first ten installments were collected in a gaiden novel published by Square Enix. The volume features story and character illustrations by Shinta Fujimoto.

The chapter list below includes the original Japanese titles and approximate English translations.

## Cast

At least a few familiar faces from the main manga besides Solitaire's appear in the spin-off, those being Tsubaki Iwanome, Kōzaburō Arase, Kochou Eightport, and Gioacchino Soldati. As for the rest of the spin-off's cast, some characters are those who previously had only been referenced by name in the main manga, and others are brand new to the series.

The wiki has yet to confirm all character appearances in the spin-off. Listed below, however, are the six characters who have character illustration sheets at the end of the first gaiden novel volume. They are listed below.

*On names:* The Poisoner, Riddle Riddle, Komura Korone, and Himura (family name only) are all official English translations. The given names of the other two female characters can be readily surmised (Charlot, Misa), but Charlot(te) and Misa's family names are trickier. Himura's given name in the novel conflicts with the manga.

Spin-off characters who have been previously alluded to in the manga include

* Emihiko Himura (火村 笑彦 *Himura Emihiko*): A cold-eyed slender man who does not smile despite his name (Emihiko: smiling/laughing man). Senior of Komura and Eightport. (In the *DMDP* manga, the *Weekly Dry* Chief Editor makes reference to 'Himura...[a] veteran reporter' at least twice.)
	+ **NOTE:** Chapter 42 of the manga writes Himura's full name as 火村 あたり (*Himura Atari*). Atari does not appear to be a viable reading of 笑彦 (*Emihiko*). Narita may have simply forgotten that he used it; alternatively, he perhaps may have decided to rename Himura after developing his personality for the novel.
* The Poisoner (誕毒犯): An elderly man who frequents Youtoukorou's half-basement floor. Lisa Kuraki calls him 'sensei.' He wears a gas mask just like Kazami Asaura. (The Poisoner is one of the troublemakers mentioned early on in the *DMDP manga*. Kazami, who is said to be the Poisoner's apprentice, has at least two manga appearances.)
* Riddle Riddle (リドルリドル): A Shinjuku troublemaker who always asks unintelligible questions. His masks, which are neither human nor animal, are adhered to his face and are muted in color. (Riddle Riddle was first mentioned in the *DMDP* manga at the same time the Poisoner was first mentioned.)

New characters include

* Korone Komura (狐村 コロネ *Komura Korone*): A *Weekly Dry* rogue reporter who is technically the senior of the newcomer Kochou, though they were/are both considered part of the "Weekly Dry Suicide Squad"'s rookie roster. She accidentally got caught up in Solitaire's debut crime three years ago and "became the exclusive 'Solitaire keeper'" as a result.
* シャルロ ー・フィストランス (poss. TL: *Charlot Fistrance*): The 25-year-old daughter of the Fistrance Group's president. She came to Japan from overseas as the [Group's?] Japan Bureau Chief.
* 黒屋敷 ミサ (poss. TL: *Kuroyashiki Misa*): A runaway kidnapped by Sorimura after the two talked. She appears to be an ordinary woman, but she has an incredible grip.

## References

1. ↑ @solitaire\_tv (2023,April). 右が本日発売 #ヤングガンガン no.09です。
左が胡蝶が勤める情報誌「週刊DRY」です。うそです。でも[ #DMDP ]外伝小説が、スマホアプリ[ #マンガUP！ ]で連載開始するのは本当です。 #成田良悟 書き下ろしです。anime https://dmdp-anime.jp 【TVアニメ絶賛放送中＆次号no.10で冒頭部分先行掲載】[Tweet]. https://twitter.com/solitaire\_tv/status/1649408187445985281. Accessed on May 2, 2023.
2. ↑ @solitaire\_tv (2023, May). これは胡蝶の勤める週刊DRYの記事です。嘘です。 明日発売の #ヤングガンガン no.10の #成田良悟 書き下ろし小説、連載開始前の先行公開です。最新99話もミサキ役 #水瀬いのり グラビア＆インタビューも、よろです。今日24時より放送のTVアニメ4話も是非です。[Tweet]. https://twitter.com/solitaire\_tv/status/1653032992540078081. Accessed on May 2, 2023.
3. ↑ @ryohgo\_narita (2023, April). 原作文章を書き連ねる中で、『これは本編で描いたら話が進まなくなる』という部分を除外していたら、いつの間にか除外した部分のストーリーが全て繋がった、ワオ！　というような小説です。現在と３年前のソリティアの物語が交錯し、３年前の岩野目や荒瀬も登場しますので宜しくお願いします。　#DMDP [Tweet]. https://twitter.com/ryohgo\_narita/status/1649416941084323846. Accessed on May 02, 2023.