Kayoko Onodera

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* Anime
* Manga

* Journalist

**Kayoko Onodera** (小野寺 カヨコ, *Onodera Kayoko*) is an astronomical photographer who was invited to a meteor shower viewing party at the Nandan Observatory.

In reality, she is a journalist who investigates unsolved crimes and came to the observatory to uncover the truth about the Nandan Observatory Murder Case.

## Biography

### Island Observatory Murder Case

Onodera joins Takumi Jumonji, the observatory's director, the cook Minami Unno, and some others—Totomaru Isshiki, Ron Kamonohashi, and Eisaku Donzawa—who were also invited to the meteor viewing party in the observation dome. She enters the room right when Donzawa talks about "impure" guests and clarifies that he means people who are not actually astronomy fans and, thus, do not appreciate the value of a meteor shower. They are then joined by John Grizzly who, like Totomaru, was invited to ensure that the tragedy from ten years ago will not be repeated. Onodera emphasizes the necessity of bodyguards, especially considering that the case was never solved. Jumonji reveals that the director back then, who also died in the tragedy, was his father and he is holding the viewing party to overcome that tragedy because this is what his father would have wanted.

Afterward, Princess Ori arrives as well, and Ron opens the dome, setting the telescope in motion. This delights Onodera, and she takes multiple pictures of the dome and telescope.

Later that day, at 11 p.m., Onodera is with the others on the observatory's roof for the standing buffet and meteor viewing party. She talks to Donzawa, Ron, and Toto, and is amazed how much Ron knows about brown dwarf stars. Later, Onodera watches Ron hula-hooping despite being very full; afterward, he retreats to his room. Around the time of the meteor shower, Onodera also excuses herself to her room and tells Donzawa that she wants to get some photography equipment.

Two hours later, Onodera is found dead in the observation dome. Ron is lying across from her, on the other side of the telescope. Onodera died right before she was found; she was shot in the back, and the bullet pierced her heart.

Onodera's killer is later identified as Jumonji by Ron and Totomaru. After she left the party, he found and drugged her before he carried her to the observation dome. Then, he placed Ron, whose food he laced with sleeping medicine beforehand, next to the telescope. Jumonji put the master key in Ron's pocket and glued the dome's door shut. Onodera, who was given a lighter dose of the drug, woke up before Ron. Because it was pitch-black, she tried to turn on the light, but Jumonji had destroyed the lamps earlier. She then went to the door; however, because it was glued closed, she thought it was locked, and when she turned the key, she locked the door. With the lights broken and the door locked, Onodera went to open the dome's ceiling. As a result, the telescope turned and triggered a mechanism that set off a gun which then shot her in the back and immediately killed her.

Jumonji confesses and reveals that Onodera was, in fact, a journalist who investigated unsolved crimes. She wanted to find out the truth about the initial Nandan Observatory Murder and had been coming to the observatory for this reason for years, and when she left the viewing party, she actually searched Jumonji's room for clues. Because he did not want her to learn and expose the truth, Jumonji murdered her.

## Etymology

* The name "Kayoko" is written in katakana (カヨコ), which has no special meaning. However, when written in kanji, it has a variety of meanings as it can be written in different ways.
* Her surname "Onodera" means "small" (小, *o*), "field, wilderness" (野, *no*), and "temple" (寺, *tera*/*dera*).

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga; Chapter 13, page 13
2. ↑ *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga; Chapter 9, pages 13-23
3. ↑ *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga; Chapter 9, pages 27-29
4. ↑ *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga; Chapter 9, pages 33-35
5. ↑ *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga; Chapter 10, page 8
6. ↑ *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga; Chapter 13, pages 5-13