#drt

Summary

In DRT, the Hasegawa Research Institute is an organization dedicated to learning everything there is about the world. If it's a mystery, they want to figure out the truth behind it. However, the issue here is that they'll do anything to get that truth, even unethical or malicious means. In DRT, the HRT's Hokkaido branch infiltrates the Ketoin Conglomerate by the means of having one of their agents, Taeko Kanai, be a bodyguard to the twins Hiroyuki and Yuika Ketoin, in order to spy on them.

When the World Domination Proclamation starts, the twins and Taeko would travel to Prague to take in Byakuya Togami and Blue Ink, with Taeko defeating Sonia's henchmen with her guitar, while the the twins took the fugitives away in their car. When she caught up with them later on, near an anti-Byakuya march, she introduced herself amicably as Taeko the Cattle Slayer and displayed her love for Yuika full force (like trying to stip her clothes in order to get Yuika's spare uniform - all while stuck in Hiroyuki's car window because her boobs were too big). However, because of t, her antics she wounded up attracting so much attention, the group was forced to drive off and leave her to get mobbed by anti-Byakuya crowd. Though she later escaped.

At the Church of Bones, Taeko's status as a spy would be revealed by Hiroyuki and she's join forces with the leaders of the Hokkaido branch of HRT: The Chief and Mr. Kanai on their main weapon the Uragan. She would go onto fight Sakura and Despair High School with her allies, and the HRT would reign victorious after trapping Sakura in a minefield. The HRT would capture Byakuya and Yuika, taking them back to their headquarters at Dretsky's Island.

There, Chief and Kanai would try to forcefeed Byakuya truth serum to get him to reveal the secrets concerning the Kudan and the Togami Conglomerate's prosperty, at the cost of seemingly his life. However, this was a ruse by Byakuya, as he faked his death, albeit for Blue Ink (who arrived later), she was convinced it was real for a time. The duo tried to interrogate her about the conglomerate's secret, but she managed to run away from their headquarters. Both Chief and Kanai gave chase...but that was their mistake as Blue Ink would run into Suzuhiko Otsuki, groggy and bloodlusted. The Ultimate Hitman would kill both by slicing them in half.

However, this wasn't the end of Hasegawa's involvement in the WDP. During Byakuya and Ink's helicopter flight away from the destroyed Despair High School, Taeko would appear with forces to intercept them. These being the Tentacles Soldiers and a brainwashed 'Octopussy' Yuika, all who were given bio-engineered/mecha octopi that could camoflage them to use their appendages for attacking/defense, and the Uragan being piloted by the fourth higher-up - the Professor (who only appears in this scene). Together, the Hasegawa forces wipe out the Needle Force sent to escort Byakuya away from the scene, aside from his butler Aloysius. However, they are unable to capture Byakuya. During the fight the soldiers are killed by Aloysius, Yuika had to be barely saved from plummeting from her death and a clash with DHS had Taeko be unable to complete her mission.

Officially, the third and last time Hasegawa would fight for Byakuya would be when he, Ink and several other Hope's Peak Academy/Despair High School forces would be captured by Kazuya Togami's UN train convoy. However, before they could leave Prague, the HRT attacks the convoy with the remaining Tentacle Soldiers + Taeko on the Uragan again. During this conflict, though, the truth of the matter regarding them has come to light for Blue Ink.

Due to Borges interference, it had had relayed in real-time the Hasegawa Research Institute characters from Kagami Family Saga on to real people. In truth, what was the Hasegawa Research Institute, was, in actuality, the Kasamori Drug Manufacturers - who had German political stockholders essentially use them to try to capture Byakuya. In the end, Taeko's endeavor would fail as Suzuhiko would arrive on the scene, slaughtering both the Tentacles Soldiers and ripping Taeko to pieces. Leaving only the remnant of their misdeeds, a brainwased Yuika to give chase in their stead.

Rundown

In DRT's themes of Reality vs Unreality, naturally the HRT take the form of representing the Unreality themes. In this case, representing the sheer insanity Unreality could bring, but also how it blinds you to a very realistic danger in the world.

Throughout the book, the HRT bring about the trilogy's wackier concepts. Taeko fighting with a guitar and hiding landmines in her skirt, one of the higher-ups being a bratty kid who makes a deadly truth serum and needs cake to avoid her blood sugar going too low every few minutes, brainwashing octopi!!! They bring about blatantly bizarre things to the front that it is easy to forget how violent they are. Numerous people wind up dead because they got ripped out of helicopters to having their skulls cracked open because of them. They've kidnapped people and tried to slaughter anyone in their way. They're originally build as a super, top secret, organization filled with mystery and who desires the Kudan for their own nefarious means and pursuit of unethical knowledge!!!!!

...And yet? That's not who they truly are. They are the Kasamori Drug Manufacturers, just a very corrupt pharmaceutical company in the pockets of very corrupt politicians just trying to take advantage of the WDP to get a leg up in the world. That's it. The fantastical elements Ink has been seeing along the way, more than likely just Borges overlaying more mundane weapons or tech or drugs in favor of something more 'exciting' - because that's what Unreality and the Story AI kinda does. In exchange for a thrilling story involving a top secret organization, it prevents Ink from realizing actual evil in front of her and stops her from acting accordingly to properly help herself and her allies. The world is filled with crooked groups all over, but imagining fictional groups in their place only masks and makes it harder for proper action to be taken against those doing wrong.

The HRT, in general, main point of comparison and contrast is with its rival organization in the WDP - Despair High School. From being lead by an unlikely super genius (Chief/Junko), their obedient/stern 2nd in command (Mr. Kanai/Mukuro, Twogami), an eccentric vanguard (Ibuki, Sonia, Gundham/Taeko) and a background tech wizard (Kazuichi/Professor). Both are immoral groups trying to reach Byakuya by any means necessary, no matter who gets harmed in the way and have a variety of personnel/weapons used to make it happen (from HRT's Uragan to DHS's Boss Dekotora to their brainwashed soldiers to match DHS's floating statues/Sonia's guards).

However, there is a key difference to be had. DHS is a secret organization that masquerades intentionally as regular Hope's Peak students and operate for the sake of themselves. However, the KDM are backed by politicians and are essentially doing their dirty work, with their involvement being pretty much their job. The HRT wanted the Kudan, allegedly, to gain its knowledge of the Togami Family's prosperity. DHS knew about the prosperity already and wanted to suppress the knowledge entirely. In terms of methodology, the KDM are also more open and blatant with their violence, with their leaders personally jumping into the fray with their tech and openly showing themselves acting as a rogue third party, compared to DHS which preferred to either act as if they were trying to help, used proxies or only revealed their malice when in hiding. Something that gets the former killed and the latter to escape with minimum casualties.

Personal Thoughts

In regard to the HRT, I found myself between liking the bunch to mourning their usage in the trilogy it'self. Beyond Taeko anyway. As a whole, the unit is very entertaining in regards to their antics. If you liked Dangan at its wackiest, then you'd probably really like them, in general. Taeko is a character, given her longevity, that hits a nice blend of both Ibuki/Akane/Tenko that she winds up being kind of lovable to read through. Likewise, despite being on the shorter end of the stick, Chief and Kanai's dynamic of 'little gremlin/gremlins minder' was also pretty cool even in regards to their short appearance....

Which leads to their biggest problem. As funny as they are, as surprisingly competent they can be, they are rather a bit lost in the shuffle in the multi-fight for Byakuya and taken out so unceremoniously. Both Chief and Kanai are killed off-screen and without fanfare, Professor just stops existing after thee scene shifts and Taeko, as great as she is, is still ultimately removed like an annoyance, falling to the same fate as the higher-ups of being murdered by....fucking Suzuhiko (-_- I don't like Suzuhiko...at all). I wished they got show off more of a human side like the other DRT originals, but it can't be helped, I guess.

Still, their treatment leaves a sour taste in my mouth, regardless. Honestly I think Yuya Sato is so gung-ho with their murders and so blatant is because they're basically Ultimate Despair that he can actually put into danger and kill, compared to the main DR cast who are essentially future proofed from any, seemingly, lasting consequences. At the consequence of getting deeper looks into their characters, especially as the KDM since that fact is brought up only when Taeko is left and isn't really delved into too much compared to Hiroyuki as Ink's Companion.

Basically, another case of intriguing idea and a good concept that fits the theme of the story, yet still undercooked.

-