[Wanderer]

'Kay, so I've reviewed some of the stuff in question.

Originally Posted by Cao Ni Ma

I guess we just disagree in that element. I think the tape method in terms of mystery shenanigans is more ideal and feels less like cheating in Umineko than having Yasu pull successful mimicry twice in rapid succession on the same person. ^^

Then again I also think that Yasu pulling off successful possum twice in EP3 was far fetched and RK07 played it straight sooo...!

In the first place I think that voice recording is a valid trick. There's even an example in episode 7 with that probably is a recording of Maria's voice. Also upon review I acknowledge that everything Kyrie says does sound like it could be a recording (but only her last call). However, I don't see any advantage in using it over a live phone call from a live Kyrie. In fact I see two big disadvantages: 1) The risk Battler might figure out it's a recording 2) Recording earlier means that Yasu has committed to the crime scenes matching to a certain narrative that much earlier.

If I could get even one sensible theory that address these issues as well as somehow make sense in the context of Willard's big reveal ("Silent corpses adorned with fiction"), I could change my mind on the whole vocal impression deal.

I also noticed something really interesting about Jessica's phone call with Battler:

"They really aren't opponents you can fight with that hat-stand spear you're so proud of."

So even supposing Jessica's voice was recorded, it could only have been done at some point after she left the guest house. We're talking about a 30-minute or so window. On the other hand, if it was vocal mimicry then Yasu would've had to learn about the hat-stand somehow, which is possible, but requires some theorizing.

Jessica is free from the "Silent Corpses" thing, but from a thematic angle Jessica was dead before her phone call with Battler anyway. Even Ronove said so.

Here's a little timeline.

11:00 (exactly?) Phone call from Krauss about locking Gohda and Kumasawa
-The two are locked inside
-Phone call from Kyrie about explaining tests
11:08 Phone call from Shannon about George's test
11:12 Jessica arrives at her room
-Jessica and George's tests (fiction)
-Escape from Kuwadorian (fiction)
-Phone call from Jessica
-Phone call from Kyrie
11:47 Phone call from Beatrice

Originally Posted by jjblue1

Let's see. In the first call we have:

Krauss talking with Gohda and Jessica
Kirye talking with Battler
Shannon talking with George
Kanon talking with Jessica
Nanjo talking with Kumasawa.

Yes. Let's reduce the complications here. Gohda and Kumasawa are liars, so we can just scratch anything about who they may have spoken to. Also, Kanon and Shannon automatically are "in on it" in any Yasu scenario so the simplified version of this formula is:

Krauss talking with Jessica
Kyrie talking with Battler

I would like to point out how the call starts: The phone rings and Gohda picks up the phone exclaiming surprise that Krauss is on the other end. So Jessica would start to expect to hear Krauss. Even if his voice sounded a little off, she may just unconsciously brush it off. Of course, when Battler gets his turn with Kyrie, he has the same expectations.

Still, what Krauss says is never in any way strange in the hypothetical context of him being directly threatened, so *shrug*.

Originally Posted by jjblue1

Would Jessica being tricked into thinking her father was on the phone? If the one tricking her was an adult male maybe... but I think it would be harder with Yasu trying to fake Krauss' voice. There's likely too much difference between the two voices.

Yeah. Between Krauss, Jessica, and Kyrie, this is by far the most difficult (hypothetical) voice imitation to swallow. We could suppose Jessica lied about talking to him for some reason or that it's the real Krauss and he was under duress. The "Kinzo" they were negotiating with could just be Yasu with a winchester.

Originally Posted by jjblue1

In the second call we have:

Kirye talking with Geroge, Battler and Jessica

You missed a call. The second call was Krauss with instructions that there would be a test and to lock up Gohda and Kumasawa. The explanation of how the heir test would actually work was the third call.