Identity of Sera's middle brother (Spoilers)

[DCUniverseAficionado]

So in recent chapters, Gosho has connected Mary directly to the plot of the Rum arc while hinting at her other mysteries, thus fully establishing her significance. That leaves only the middle brother as the sole current 'mystery' character in the manga who seems largely irrelevant to everything. I hope that there's a reason it was necessary to introduce another Akai sibling (and I actually like Shuukichi; I'm just wondering why he had to be anything besides Yumi's ex).

Well, he's Koji Haneda's step-brother/brother-in-law... it was the most recent case that Shukichi was involved in that launched this very plot-heavy streak in the manga. Also, he likely met Shinichi and Ran on that beach, with Masumi and Mary, ten years prior.

Until he's revealed as the middle brother, though, we have no idea what Gosho will have him do, in terms of actions related to Shuichi/Subaru, Masumi and Mary, and the plot.

[DCUniverseAficionado]

Apologies for the double post, and the necroing (if that's the proper term) of this thread after half a year.

I forgot to consider Shukichi's shogi outfit from 847–849/731–732 (that he's wearing in the interview after the case) as a possible candidate for what the person contacting Masumi was wearing in 860/745—as far as I can tell, it's the best match for the sleeve of the person contacting Masumi during 860/745 (unfortunately, the only looks we get at it are on a phone, with the lighting all messed up).

[Tantei San]

Spoiler:

]Well the spoiler in other thread has it !! shukichi is the middle brother!! it s out

[DCUniverseAficionado]

Spoiler:

]Well the spoiler in other thread has it !! shukichi is the middle brother!! it s out

Spoiler:

Believe me, I've been on the Shukichi is the middle brother train for years.

I was more talking about the theory that the person contacting Masumi could be either Shukichi or Shuichi/Subaru. I brought up Shukichi's shogi outfit from 847–849/731–732 as a likely match for the sleeve of the person contacting Masumi in 860/745 because I'd overlooked it, and only talked about Shukichi's other two shogi outfits (899–902/785–786 and 945–947).

[Tantei San]

Btw DCUniverseAficionado could you tell me? when you write manga chapters in the format you wrote i.e XYZ-PQR/ABC-DEF with the alphabets being numbers how do you understand and what format it is ?? Thanks

[Kor]

Btw DCUniverseAficionado could you tell me? when you write manga chapters in the format you wrote i.e XYZ-PQR/ABC-DEF with the alphabets being numbers how do you understand and what format it is ?? Thanks

He's just writing both the chapter numbers and the equivalent anime episode numbers. (which if I may say, tends to make his posts very bothersome to read cause this is a pretty redundant information that doesn't empower the text or whatever message he's trying to get across).

[Swagnarok]

Btw DCUniverseAficionado could you tell me? when you write manga chapters in the format you wrote i.e XYZ-PQR/ABC-DEF with the alphabets being numbers how do you understand and what format it is ?? Thanks

He's just writing both the chapter numbers and the equivalent anime episode numbers. (which if I may say, tends to make his posts very bothersome to read cause this is a pretty redundant information that doesn't empower the text or whatever message he's trying to get across).

It really isn't all that redundant. Some fans (such as myself) have hardly read any of the DC manga. Others might have not watched the anime while being big on the manga. His system allows both kinds of people to understand him better.

[DCUniverseAficionado]

It really isn't all that redundant. Some fans (such as myself) have hardly read any of the DC manga. Others might have not watched the anime while being big on the manga. His system allows both kinds of people to understand him better.

I'm glad you think so.

I will try to put in "File XXX-XXX/Episode XXX-XXX" from now, on, rather than just having the numbers, from now, on—thanks for the constructive criticism, Kor.

[wiamz]

Spoiler:

finally we know who he is after all these years

[rfsuki]

After reading chapter 972, I saw the theory "Shukichi can be Mr.Akai's son with another woman (besides Mary)" popped up here and there. But in Shukichi' marriage registration form we can read his mother' s surname as "Sera". What do you guys think? Honestly I want to believe that Shukichi is the middle son of Mr.Akai and Mary.

[DCUniverseAficionado]

After reading chapter 972, I saw the theory "Shukichi can be Mr.Akai's son with another woman (besides Mary)" popped up here and there. But in Shukichi' marriage registration form we can read his mother' s surname as "Sera". What do you guys think? Honestly I want to believe that Shukichi is the middle son of Mr.Akai and Mary.

Yeah, exactly.

I really doubt someone would write their biological father's name on one line, and their adoptive mother's name on the very next line.

The basis behind the "Shukichi can be Mr.Akai's son with another woman (besides Mary)" theory is that Shukichi refers to Mary as "Mary-ka-san." Those who believe this theory see him doing so as too weird to be anything but an indication that Mary is not his biological mother.

However...

It could've been Gosho's way of confirming that Mrs. Akai's name is Mary, coupled with Shukichi's unique way of addressing people.

Shukichi also called Shuichi "Shuichi-nii-san." Maybe this is a quirk of his. He does keep calling Yumi "Yumi-san" or "Yumi-tan," (his use of the "tan" honorific is pretty unusual and weird, already, by the way) even though, at this point, she probably wouldn't mind if he eschewed the honorifics. Maybe the same applies to Mary and Shuichi.

Plus, we've seen, in DC, when characters are referred to/addressed as "oto-san" and "oka-san," by other characters, even when they aren't actually the other character's biological mother or biological father.

Finally, if Mary isn't Shukichi's mother, then how did Mr. Akai first have a kid with Mary (Shuichi), then have a kid with another woman (Shukichi), and then have a kid with Mary, again (Masumi)? Koji Haneda is still Shukichi's non-blood relative.

For me, the "Shukichi can be Mr.Akai's son with another woman (besides Mary)" theory is a nothingburger, at this point.

[rfsuki]

@DCUniverseAficionado Thank you very much for answering my question. I also have the same thoughts

[DCUniverseAficionado]

@DCUniverseAficionado Thank you very much for answering my question. I also have the same thoughts

Not a problem.