Hannin Wa Odoru Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Components
• Setup
• Game Progression
• Winning the Game
• Card Reference
  • Criminal (犯人 / hannin)
  • Detective (探偵 / tantei)
  • Discoverer (第一発見者 / daiichi hakkensha)
  • Alibi (アリバイ)
  • Accomplice (たくらみ)
  • Exchange (取り引き / torihiki)
  • Gossip (うわさ / uwasa)
  • Witness (目撃者 / mokugekisha)
  • Dog (いぬ)
  • Boy Detective (少年 / shōnen)
  • Muddy the Waters (情報操作 / jōhō sōsa)
  • Civilian (一般人 / ippanjin)
• Card Distribution

Overview

Hannin Wa Odoru ("The Criminal Dances") is a mystery card game for 3–8 players. The objective of the game is to catch the Criminal — or, if you are the Criminal, to evade capture.

Components

• 32 cards, split among 12 card types:
  • Criminal
  • Detective
  • Discoverer
  • Alibi
  • Accomplice
  • Exchange
  • Gossip
  • Witness
  • Dog
  • Boy Detective
  • Muddy the Waters
  • Civilian

Not every card type is used in every game — the mix depends on the number of players. See Card Distribution below.

Setup

Shuffle the cards and pass out 4 to each player. Use the Card Distribution table below to know how many of each card type to include for your player count.

Each player looks only at their own hand and keeps it hidden from the other players for the rest of the game.

Game Progression

1. The player holding the Discoverer card plays that card face up in front of them and begins the game by making up and telling a quick story of the criminal incident they witnessed.
2. Next, the player to their left begins their turn.
3. On their turn, a player plays one card from their hand by placing it face up on the table and follows the specified action on the card.
4. If a player has no cards left in hand, skip their turn.
5. Proceed clockwise, repeating steps 3–4, until the game ends.

Winning the Game

There are three ways the game can end:

• The Detective card is played and the Criminal is correctly identified. Winner: the Detective. Loser: the Criminal (and any Accomplices).
• The Dog steals and reveals the Criminal card. Winner: the Dog. Loser: the Criminal (and any Accomplices).
• The Criminal card is played. Winner: the Criminal (and any Accomplices). Loser: all other players.

Card Reference

Criminal (犯人 / hannin)

If you are caught by the Detective or the Dog, you lose. If asked whether you are the Criminal, you must answer truthfully — unless you are also holding an Alibi card, in which case you may lie and answer "I am not the Criminal."

You may only play this card when it is the last card in your hand. When this card is played, you (and any Accomplices) win.

Detective (探偵 / tantei)

Play this card to accuse one player of being the Criminal. Ask that player, "Are you the Criminal?" They must answer truthfully unless they are also holding an Alibi card. If they admit they are the Criminal, you win the game.

This card may not be played until the second cycle around the table (once you have 3 or fewer cards left in hand).

Discoverer (第一発見者 / daiichi hakkensha)

The player holding this card begins the game by playing it first. Make up the details of a crime scenario and explain it to the other players before play continues.

Alibi (アリバイ)

This card does nothing when played. Its effect is passive: if you are questioned by the Detective (whether or not you are the Criminal), holding an Alibi card lets you lie and answer "I am not the Criminal."

Accomplice (たくらみ)

Play this card to permanently join the Criminal's team. Keep the card in front of you instead of adding it to the discard pile — it stays visible for the rest of the game. If the Criminal wins, you win. If the Criminal loses, you lose.

Exchange (取り引き / torihiki)

Play this card, then choose another player. Each of you privately choose one card from your hand and exchange it with each other. You may not use this card if you have no other cards left to trade.

Gossip (うわさ / uwasa)

When this card is played, every player takes one card at random from the hand of the player on their right, all at the same time.

Witness (目撃者 / mokugekisha)

Play this card, then pick one other player and privately look at their hand.

Dog (いぬ)

Play this card, then pick one player and choose one card from their hand at random, showing it to everyone.

• If the revealed card is the Criminal card, you alone win the game.
• If it is not, the card is returned to that player's hand, and everyone now knows that one card in that player's hand.

Boy Detective (少年 / shōnen)

Play this card to learn the Criminal's identity without revealing it to anyone else:

1. Ask everyone to close their eyes.
2. Ask the player holding the Criminal card to silently open their eyes and make eye contact with you.
3. Ask that player to close their eyes again.
4. Ask everyone to open their eyes.

Even if the Criminal is holding an Alibi card, they must still open their eyes for this card's effect.

Muddy the Waters (情報操作 / jōhō sōsa)

When this card is played, every player chooses one card from their hand and passes it to the player on their left, all at the same time.

Civilian (一般人 / ippanjin)

This card does nothing when played.

Card Distribution

Use this table to determine how many of each card type to include, based on the number of players. Deal 4 cards to each player from the resulting deck.

Players	Criminal	Discoverer	Detective	Alibi	Accomplice	Other cards
3	1	1	1	1	0	8
4	1	1	1	1	1	11
5	1	1	1	2	1	14
6	1	1	2	2	2	16
7	1	1	2	3	2	19
8	All 32 cards — pass out the entire deck

"Other cards" are drawn from the remaining pool of Exchange, Gossip, Witness, Dog, Boy Detective, Muddy the Waters, and Civilian cards, shuffled together and dealt out to fill each hand to 4 cards.