In/Spectre

In/Spectre (虚構推理), also known as Invented Inference, is a 2011 Japanese novel published by Kodansha and written by Kyo Shirodaira with illustrations by Hiro Kyohara. In 2019 it was republished with illustrations by Chasiba Katase as part of a series. A manga adaptation with art by Katase has been serialized since April 2015 in Kodansha's manga magazine Shōnen Magazine R and since December 2019, also in Monthly Shōnen Magazine. It has been collected in twenty-one volumes. The manga is published in North America by Kodansha Comics. An anime television series adaptation produced by Brain's Base aired between January and March 2020, with the second season aired between January and March 2023.

Plot
While struggling to get past a break-up with his girlfriend, Kuro Sakuragawa was approached by Kotoko Iwanaga, a girl who declared that she has been in love with Kuro since she met him two years ago. She then tells him that she is a sort of Goddess of Wisdom where she serves as the intermediary between the real world and the supernatural world. Kuro, of course, doubts her at first but after fighting a in a library and revealing to each other their true identities (Kuro is actually a monster due to having eaten two different  meats, giving him the powers of immortality and near-absolute precognition), Kuro agrees to help Kotoko on her various adventures as the peace-keeping Goddess of Wisdom.

Main characters

 * Kotoko Iwanaga (岩永琴子)
 * A young university student with one eye and one leg, which she adapted at the age of 11 after becoming acquainted with the request of her wisdom.
 * A young university student with one eye and one leg, which she adapted at the age of 11 after becoming acquainted with the request of her wisdom.


 * Kurō Sakuragawa (桜川九郎)
 * A young university student with instantaneous healing abilities, which he acquired at the age of 11 due to his grandmother pursuing experiments performed by their ancestors by having him unknowingly consume flesh.
 * A young university student with instantaneous healing abilities, which he acquired at the age of 11 due to his grandmother pursuing experiments performed by their ancestors by having him unknowingly consume flesh.


 * Saki Yumihara (弓原紗季)
 * A young police officer and Kuro's former girlfriend.
 * A young police officer and Kuro's former girlfriend.


 * Karin Nanase (七瀬かりん)
 * A gravure idol who gained a niche following after starring in a late night TV drama.
 * A gravure idol who gained a niche following after starring in a late night TV drama.


 * Tokunosuke Terada (寺田 徳之助)
 * A police detective and a subordinate of Yumihara.
 * A police detective and a subordinate of Yumihara.


 * Rikka Sakuragawa (桜川六花)
 * The older cousin of Kuro Sakuragawa and the reason he visits the hospital on a regular basis.
 * The older cousin of Kuro Sakuragawa and the reason he visits the hospital on a regular basis.


 * Masayuki Muroi (室井昌幸)


 * Kazuyuki Konno


 * Marumi Oki

Yōkai

 * Kappa (河童)


 * Ochimusha (落武者)


 * Ushi no Ayakashi (牛のあやかし)


 * Yama no Ayakashi (山のあやかし)


 * Komainu (black) (狛犬(黒))


 * Komainu (white) (狛犬(白))


 * Yōko (妖狐)


 * Bakedanuki (化け狸)


 * Nushi no Orochi (ヌシの大蛇)


 * Yosuzume (夜雀)


 * Kodama no Genichirō (木魂の源一郎)


 * Bakeneko (化け猫)


 * Yuki-Onna (雪女)

Novel
In/Spectre is a novel written by Kyo Shirodaira with illustrations by Hiro Kyohara that was released in 2011 on Kodansha's Kodansha Novels imprint (as Invented Inference: Steel Lady Nanase (虚構推理 鋼人瀬)) and was republished in 2015 under Kodansha Bunko imprint without the subtitle. In 2018, it changed imprint to Kodansha Taiga and the illustrator to Chasiba Katase, and has continued as a series since then, with the original novel republished as part of the series in 2019. Some short stories collected in the series have been previously published in the Mephisto magazine.

Manga
A manga adaptation by Chasiba Katase originally began on the Kodansha's Shōnen Magazine R in April 2015. In October 2019, Kodansha announced that Shōnen Magazine R would stop its print publication and be a digital-only publication, and with it, they also announced that the manga would be published in Monthly Shōnen Magazine, starting on December 6, 2019, along with the digital release on Shōnen Magazine R and on the Magazine Pocket app. Shōnen Magazine R was discontinued in January 2023. The manga is published in North America by Kodansha Comics.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation of the manga series was announced on January 14, 2019. It is produced by Brain's Base and directed by Keiji Gotoh, with Noboru Takagi writing the scripts and Takatoshi Honda designing the characters. It aired between January 11 and March 28, 2020, on TV Asahi, MBS, and BS-NTV for 12 episodes. Lie and a Chameleon performed the series' opening theme song "Mononoke in the Fiction" (モノノケ・イン・ザ・フィクション), while Mamoru Miyano performed the series' ending theme song "Last Dance".

The anime was co-produced by Crunchyroll, as part of their "Crunchyroll Originals" brand, streaming it on their service. Viz Media released the series on home video.

On November 26, 2020, it was announced that the series would receive a second season. The staff reprised their roles, with Kentarou Matsumoto replacing Takatoshi Honda as character designer and chief animation director. The series was scheduled to air in October 2022, but was later delayed. It aired from January 9 to March 27, 2023, on Tokyo MX and BS-NTV. The opening theme song is "Yotogibanashi" (ヨトギバナシ) by KanoeRana, while the ending theme song is "Invincible Love" by Mamoru Miyano.

Reception
The manga has over two million volumes in print. In 2018, it was nominated for Best Shōnen Manga at the 42nd annual Kodansha Manga Award.