Mind Tampering

The various mind altering practices at one's disposal in Rieko Yoshihara's Ai no Kusabi universe.

## **Raoul Am's Field of Work**

    The science behind mental and neural biology is the purview of Raoul Am, who is responsible for all mind-wipes in Tanagura. Much can be achieved, though even Raoul admitted on several occassions that not even his medical and technological advancements could restore a thoroughly damaged mind, Elite or human alike.

Eos Medical Center, Room RS-35: (V7 p27)

### **Neural Hacking and Memory Retrieval**

*"If you want to chemically interrogate my pet, the answer is no. Placing [Riki] in the hands of Raoul for neural hacking is out of the question."* (V7 p77)

If [the Darkmen] didn't want to listen to what anybody had to say, they could have gone in with the memory retrieval drugs from the start and rummaged around in the grey matter all they wanted. (V5 p65)

There was no fabrication in human memory. Even after death, it could be retrieved and reconstructed from the brain effortlessly. But there were limits; the mind could delude itself. (V8 p20)

#### **Brain Damage**

*"All the psychotherapy in the world isn't likely to restore [Manon's] mind."* (V6 p17)

After Kirie and Manon Kuger's infiltration of Guardian's labs, Manon went mad, seeing for himself the ugly truths about Guardian's true purpose. He was retrieved by security forces, but no infornation could be extracted from his shattered mind. Raoul deemed him irreparable.

*"There is no brain damage, but the mind is shattered."*

*"...Conscious, but there is no id or higher order brain functions. [A person] not even aware it is alive.... Mindwiped."*

*"You mean to tell me the brain reset itself?"*

*"No. The synapses died entirely."* (V7 p75)

Even Kirie had snapped, having gone more or less temporarily insane after witnessing the horrors of Guardian's scientific experiments.

Kirie screaming in Riki's closet - Shousetsu June edition (1986-87) – Katsumi MichiharaKirie's mental breakdown in front of Riki - Crystal Bunko edition (2001-07) – Katsumi MichiharaKirie's panic, as seen in the 1992 OVA.
#### **Truth Serums**

*"A truth serum that prompts one to talk about whatever one doesn't want to talk about. In great detail."* (V6 p40)

Truth serums are injected via a small auto-hypodermic. (V6 p40)

*"The very latest, right out of the labs. Only stings a little, and then gets right to work."* (V6 p40-1)

## **Dreamcatcher**

[A game] that was popular in the slums...the one that caused permanent brain damage. (V7 p111)

It was an online hologame, sold only in Ceres. The lack of leisure pursuits in the slums made it insanely popular. Every connection to the neural network had two or three sets. The problem was that Dreamcatcher was addictive -- and it caused permanent brain damage over time. After a number of fatalities rocked Ceres, the game quietly vanished. There was a rumor that Midas was using slumdogs as test subjects for a mind control experiment. No one knew the truth of it. No one dared to ask. (V7 p111)

Zico's Euthanization lies/cover-up (V7 p111)

## **Grey Matter**

*"I suppose I could...tinker with the grey matter a bit and turn [Guy] into an obedient slave? Sell him on the black market? Or in a brothel?"* (V4 p57)

As [Kirie] racked his grey matter and thought things through, *"Guardian"* was the one word that kept coming back. (V4 p147)

The stark reality ate mercilessly through their grey matter, as if attempting to devour sanity itself. (V5 p128)

Riki's grey matter felt like a soggy newspaper. (V5 p45)

### **Shock Eyes and its Effects**

After Guy had been tased with nightsticks by the Darkmen, his head throbbed as if his grey matter had been brought to a boil. (V5 p40)

see Darkmen: Nightsticks for more

## **The Vermillion Sphere**

*"The human brain is strange. When chemical interrogation is induced, it creates a fantasy world as a defense.... Fantasizing about sex with you was comfortable for him, and to break him out of that was quite the struggle."* (V7 p33-4)

A sphere -- strobing from yellow, to orange, and then to red. The tips of [Kirie's] fingers brushed against the vermillion sphere approximately six inches in diameter. Despite its metallic luster, it was neither hot nor cold to the touch, but body temperature.... The surface was slippery to the touch. Not too hard, not too soft. Slightly elastic. (V6 p76)

It throbbed in response [to Kirie's touch], synchronizing with Kirie's own heartbeat. (V6 p77)

In time, the large vermillion egg would hatch into the thing Kirie desired most. Slowly, gradually, the hue and shape changed. The egg hatched and morphed. At last, a human form emerged...Riki. (V6 p145)

see Kirie: Fate, Vermillion Sphere for more

(V6 p75-7, V6 p145, V8 p97)