Sharp R-105

Lore & Background

The artifact represents the dual nature of scientific discovery in the series: a tool for wonder that quickly spirals into tragedy. Its existence forces Okabe to confront the weight of his actions, as every message sent through this phone ripples outward, erasing friends and memories until he must find a way to stop using it entirely.

In Their Own Story

The hum of the microwave filled the cramped lab, drowning out the usual chatter of Akihabara. His finger hovered over the keypad, trembling slightly. One wrong character, one misplaced comma, and the world he knew would vanish forever. He took a deep breath, typed the words that would save her, and pressed send. The microwave whirred to life, and the phone's screen flickered as reality itself began to rewrite.

Reader's Guide

By exposing the phone to specific electromagnetic waves during the transmission of a text message, the device sends information backward in time to the user's past self. This process, known as sending a D-Mail, alters the world line by changing the recipient's actions upon receiving the future knowledge. However, this power comes with severe limitations and side effects. The most significant is Reading Steiner, a phenomenon where only the sender retains memories of previous timelines after a shift occurs. While others forget the changes, the user suffers from fragmented consciousness, remembering all lost worlds while living in a new one. Additionally, the device can only send text messages; it cannot transmit physical objects or people. The phone is fragile and requires precise calibration. If the microwave is not tuned correctly, the message may fail to arrive or cause unintended divergence. Characters use it with extreme caution, knowing that even a single character change in a message can cascade into catastrophic consequences for their friends and the future of humanity.

Did You Know?

• The phone was chosen specifically because its unique antenna design interacts perfectly with microwave radiation to facilitate time travel.
• Sending a D-Mail does not physically travel back; it alters the probability flow, causing the past self to receive the message as if it always happened.
• Okabe often refers to the device mockingly as a 'gadget' while secretly fearing its power to erase his friends from existence.