Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Unmask the truth in a dark, twisted thriller for Nintendo Switch: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club. Solve the tragic murder of a junior high school student, where a creepy clue recalls cold cases from the past and an urban legend about a killer with a disturbing modus operandi.

“I CAN GIVE YOU A SMILE THAT WILL LAST FOREVER!”

Junior high school student Eisuke Sasaki has been found dead in a chilling fashion, with a smiley-faced paper bag over his head.

This unsettling visage bears a striking resemblance to a recurring clue in a string of unsolved murders from 18 years ago – as well as the urban legend Emio, aka the Smiling Man, a serial killer said to grant his victims “a smile that will last forever”.

Does the Smiling Man really exist…or is a new culprit continuing on his legacy?

As a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency, you’ve been tasked with investigating the events that led to Eisuke Sasaki’s death. Along the way, scrutinise the clues and testimonies you gather for potential connections to the gruesome events of the past.

A CURIOUS CAST

Meet some of the characters involved in this unsettling murder mystery.

Protagonist

A cheerful and patient assistant detective from the Utsugi Detective Agency who possesses a keen intuition. He is assigned to investigate the circumstances of Eisuke Sasaki’s death at the request of the police.

“But…the legend almost has to be connected to the current case, doesn’t it?”

Ayumi Tachibana

A hard-working assistant detective working alongside the protagonist. Despite her kind-hearted nature, Ayumi is often praised for her interrogation skills.

“OK, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

Shunsuke Utsugi

The director of the Utsugi Detective Agency. Shunsuke has collaborated with the police on numerous cases, including the series of murders that happened 18 years ago…

“I’d say we have a lot of work to do. Let’s split up and get to it.”

EmiO aka “the Smiling Man"

An urban legend with an eerie similarity to the serial killings from 18 years ago. It’s said that Emio would appear before crying girls and offer them “a smile that will last forever”. His murder victims would later be found with a smiley-faced paper bag over their heads.

Junko Kuze

A police detective working on the Eisuke Sasaki case. She’s considered something of a workaholic by her peers and is notoriously strict on herself and her fellow detectives.

“This is an active crime scene, officer. Your job is to keep the looky-loos OUT!”

Daisuke Kamihara

A young police detective working alongside Junko Kuze on her investigation. He’s often scolded by Junko for his carefree attitude and approach to detective work.

“You can call me “Dice” if you want. Most people want.”

Kimiharu Kamada

A police inspector overseeing Junko and Daisuke’s investigation efforts. He and Shunsuke Utsugi previously worked together on the unsolved murders from 18 years ago, and requests the help of the Utsugi Detective Agency.

“Hah! I see Mr. Utsugi has trained you well!”

PUT YOUR INVESTIGATIVE INSTINCTS TO THE TEST

It’ll take a keen sleuth to solve this captivating mystery. Interview the victim’s classmates and others connected to the case to gather leads, and travel between crime scenes and locations of interest to comb them for potential clues.

If you hit a snag in your investigation and can’t seem to find a way forward, consult your notebook to review your findings thus far. Use every detective trick at your disposal – no matter how farfetched they might seem – to uncover a potential lead.

A CHAT WITH YOSHIO SAKAMOTO

Series producer and writer Yoshio Sakamoto shares some insights on the creation of Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, the first new entry in the series in over 30 years.