The Detective is already dead, but the finale of Tantei Wa Mo Shindeiru reveals her dying wish. Overall, the anime wasn't very well-received, and the hype died long before Siesta did. With several underwhelming episodes and a cast of unremarkable characters, it would be natural to not be sure how we got there. Below, you'll find the ending of The Detective Is Already Dead explained:
The Detective Is Already Dead Ending Explained: What Is Natsunagi's True Identity?
The Detective Is Already Dead practically begged us to make the connection between Hel and Nagisa Natsunagi early on. The two have identical hair and eye colors and very similar designs even though Nagisa has none of Hel's harshness.
In that sense, it came as no surprise that Nagisa is inhabiting the point that once belonged to Hel. But Hel is also Alicia. The latter was a human girl SPES experimented on, and Hel was an alter ego created out of her suffering. Throughout the anime, we've seen SPES members undergoing horrible transformations making Alicia/Hel's ability to change into one another less shocking than it might have otherwise been.
Alicia was kind and only wanted to have friends and an identity that was her own. However, sharing her existence with Hel wasn't making this possible, nor could Hel be killed without Alicia also perishing. Siesta, however, had another plan. A combination of Siesta's heart and Alicia's innocence was all it took for Hel to be eliminated and a new personality, Nagisa Natsunagi to surface.
Nagisa is a person with new memories, different from Hel's. She remembers growing up as a sickly child and thinks that Siesta's heart is what allowed her to live. She is not exactly Alicia, but through her, Alicia's spirit lives on, allowing her to experience school, normal life, and adventures that Alicia had always wanted.
The Detective Is Already Dead Ending Explained: Why Did Siesta die and What Was Her Dying Wish?
Siesta sacrificed herself so that Alicia could live on. If she killed Hel, Alicia would also perish. However, Siesta thought of herself as a legendary detective. Her definition of that was a person who would protect their client's interests at all costs. This is problematic on many levels as such a description could apply to any job. But for the purposes of this analysis, we just have to accept that this was Siesta's view of it. And she would prefer to die rather than let a client down.
Siesta had come to care for Alicia and wanted to give her a chance in life. Therefore, she fully organized her death, knowing that Hel would replace her wounded heart with Siesta's good one. Why did she know that? The anime isn't great at explaining, but it's strongly implied that there's something supernatural going on.
It's one thing for a few traits of a heart's deceased owner to be transferred to the one who received it – we've seen it before in sci-fi works – but for a person to almost fully control the consciousness of the body their heart entered after they died? There's a stronger than usual sci-fi element here, suggesting that Siesta wasn't entirely human. Perhaps, like Alicia, she was experimented on by SPES – this would also explain why she wants to eliminate them.
In any case, Siesta planned and made this choice for herself and doesn't seem to regret it. After all, she lives on through her wish. And that wish was simple: for Kimizuka, Char, the newly-awakened Nagisa, and their new friend, Yui, to take up her mantle and keep fighting SPES.
The Detective Is Already Dead Ending Explained: Where Are the Surviving Characters Now?
After an emotional spiritual encounter with Siesta, Kimizuka is now at peace with her death – though perhaps less so with the unresolved tension between them. The final episode implies a mutual attraction between him and Nagisa, although it's not clear how much of it is because of Siesta's heart.
Nagisa doesn't feel confident about her new identity as the next legendary detective, but, with Kimizuka, Yui, and Char by her side, she is willing to try her best.
Related:Dragon Ball Super Introduces Granolah's Mother
Yui is relieved to finally have friends and enjoys her role as the second sidekick in the newfound family dynamic, while Char might eventually warm up to Kimizuka now that she has accepted his continued role in Siesta's plan.
The ending of the anime is quite open, suggesting that the team will keep fighting. Does this mean a second season? I would say not. Now that we know why the detective is already dead, the weak way characters have handled mysteries in the 12-episode anime, means that these alone wouldn't let it stand on its own. Siesta's death was integral to the plot. You can say the plot would likely die without her.
Of course, this is just one theory, and we encourage viewers to do their own research and read the light novel and manga if they want to reach their own conclusions about the show.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Anime