The Chiral Network is a lonely place. You spend hours walking through the rain—or Timefall, if we’re being technical—climbing over jagged basalt and trying not to trip over your own feet while carrying a stack of crates that reaches the sky. It’s exhausting. But then you meet the Death Stranding junk dealer. He’s tucked away in a crater filled with rusted metal and the literal wreckage of the old world. He’s cranky. He’s cynical. Honestly, he’s exactly how most of us would feel if the world ended and we were left responsible for sorting through the trash of a dead civilization.
A lot of players overlook him as just another "Prepper" to level up for gear, but that’s a mistake. He’s the heart of the Central Region’s emotional arc. If you’ve played Hideo Kojima’s 2019 masterpiece, you know the Junk Dealer isn’t just a quest giver; he’s a guy living out a tragic, weird, and eventually hopeful soap opera in the middle of a supernatural apocalypse.
Finding the Death Stranding Junk Dealer and Why He Matters
He lives in the Central Region, south of the Lake Knot City area. You’ll find his bunker nestled in a giant, polluted basin that looks like a graveyard for 21st-century technology. It’s a bleak spot. The ground is stained with black tar, and the air feels heavy. When you first meet him, he doesn't want your help. He doesn’t even really want to talk to you. He just wants his stuff.
The Death Stranding junk dealer is voiced by and modeled after Akihiko Kumashiro, but his story is what sticks with you. He’s obsessed with a girl—the Chiral Artist. This isn't just a simple "save the princess" story. It’s a mess. It involves a mother-in-law who doesn’t trust him, a long-distance relationship maintained through holograms, and the physical reality of trying to find love when a literal ghost might eat you if you walk five miles to the east.
The Rewards: More Than Just Story
Let’s get practical for a second. Why do you actually want to spend time with this guy?
- Speed Skeleton Upgrade: This is huge. If you want to run faster and jump further, you need him on your side.
- Remote Detonation Grenade: Perfect for when things get messy with the MULEs.
- Chiral Gold Gear: Once you max out your connection with him, he starts giving you specialized equipment that lasts longer in the Timefall.
I remember my first playthrough. I was struggling with the weight of my cargo, and my boots were literally falling apart. Reaching the Junk Dealer felt like a chore until he handed over the Speed Skeleton. Suddenly, the game changed. I wasn't a pack mule anymore; I was an athlete. But the cost of that gear is participating in his personal drama, which is arguably the most "human" moment in the entire game.
The Chiral Artist Quest: It’s Kinda Ridiculous, Right?
The mission that everyone remembers is the one where you have to physically carry a living person—the Chiral Artist—from her mother’s studio back to the Death Stranding junk dealer.
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It’s awkward.
You’re literally strapping a human being to your back like a piece of oversized luggage. Kojima loves these moments. They force you to slow down. You can’t just sprint across the terrain when you’re carrying someone’s fiancée. You have to be careful. You have to think about the balance. It’s a physical representation of the emotional weight the Junk Dealer is carrying. He’s a guy who finds beauty in what everyone else threw away. He sees value in the "junk."
There’s a bit of a twist later on, too. Without spoiling the emails you get after the mission, let’s just say their relationship hits some very realistic speed bumps. People complained about it when the game launched. They thought it was "unrealistic" how quickly things soured. But think about it. They’ve been living in isolated bunkers for years. Suddenly they’re living together in a hole in the ground filled with scrap metal. Of course it’s going to be hard.
Why the Junk Dealer Represents the Game's Core Themes
The whole point of Death Stranding is "connections." Usually, the game talks about this in a big, grand way—saving America, rebuilding the U.S.A., connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The Death Stranding junk dealer makes it small.
He makes it about two people trying to figure out if they can stand each other. He represents the "micro-connections" that actually make life worth living. It’s easy to care about "humanity." It’s much harder to care about a grumpy guy who keeps asking you to bring him specialized cooling components from a territory infested with BTs.
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The Struggle of the Artist and the Collector
The Junk Dealer is essentially a curator of the past. In a world where the "past" is literally trying to kill the present (via the Beach and the BTs), his job is inherently dangerous. He sifts through the wreckage of the old world to find things that can still be used. He’s a recycler. In a way, Sam Porter Bridges is the same thing—a bridge between what was and what will be.
- First, you prove your worth by bringing him high-quality scrap.
- Then, you bridge the gap between him and the Chiral Artist’s mother.
- Finally, you bring the lovers together.
It’s a three-act play set in a wasteland.
Getting the Most Out of the Junk Dealer’s Location
If you’re trying to five-star this guy, you need a strategy. Don’t just run back and forth on foot. Use the zip-lines.
Honestly, setting up a zip-line network around the Death Stranding junk dealer is the smartest move you can make in the mid-game. The terrain around him is a nightmare. It’s full of jagged rocks and that annoying black sludge. A zip-line from the Film Director to the Junk Dealer, and then over to the Chiral Artist’s Studio, will save you hours of frustration.
Also, pay attention to the Lost Cargo in the area. You’ll find a lot of "Junk Dealer" branded crates lying around the MULE camps nearby. If you’re already raiding a camp for ceramic or metals, grab those crates. It’s the easiest way to boost your reputation without waiting for a formal delivery mission to pop up at a terminal.
The "Junk" Isn't Actually Junk
One thing the game doesn't explicitly tell you is that the Junk Dealer's area is one of the best places to farm for high-density materials. If you’re looking to build roads—and you should be building roads—you’re going to be spending a lot of time in his neck of the woods.
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The road network requires thousands of units of Metal and Ceramics. The MULE camps surrounding the Junk Dealer are loaded with these resources. You can basically treat him as your "home base" for a few hours while you clear out the camps, load up a truck, and finish the highway sections nearby. It makes the game feel less like a walking simulator and more like a logistical puzzle.
Common Mistakes When Dealing With the Junk Dealer
Most people rush his missions. They want the Speed Skeleton, so they blast through the dialogue and ignore the emails. Don't do that.
The emails are where the character development happens. In Death Stranding, the lore isn't just in the cutscenes. It’s in the data entries. If you read his messages, you see a man who is terrified of being alone but doesn't know how to be with someone. It’s deeply relatable. We’ve all been there—wanting to connect but being scared of the vulnerability that comes with it.
Also, watch out for the BTs near his bunker. There’s a specific stretch of land between him and the Film Director that is a hotspot for Chiral activity. If you aren't prepared with Hematic Grenades or a Catcher-grade weapon, you're going to have a bad time.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you're sitting down to play right now, here is exactly how you should handle the Junk Dealer to maximize your efficiency and enjoy the story:
- Prioritize the "Collection" Missions: Before you try to bring the Chiral Artist to him, do at least two or three standard deliveries of scrap metal. This builds enough trust that he’ll actually give you the upgraded skeletons sooner.
- Build the Highway First: There is a Paver right near his entrance. If you finish that road segment, delivering to him becomes a breeze. You can drive a truck right to his front door.
- Check the Shared Locker: Players often leave high-quality ladders and climbing anchors at his terminal because they know the terrain is rough. Check the "Share Locker" before you head out; you might find some free Chiral ladders.
- Read the Post-Quest Emails: After you complete the "Chiral Artist" delivery, rest in a Private Room. Check your mail. Then rest again. The story continues in the background, and it gives you a much better perspective on his character.
The Death Stranding junk dealer reminds us that even when the world is ending, we still have to deal with the "trash"—both the literal scrap metal on the ground and the emotional baggage we carry around. He’s a scavenger, a lover, a grump, and a vital ally. Treat him well, and he’ll make your journey across the UCA a whole lot faster. Forget the grand speeches from Amelie or Die-Hardman for a minute. Focus on the guy in the crater. He’s the one who actually knows what it’s like to live in the dirt and still try to build something that lasts.
Get those zip-lines up, grab some Hematic Grenades, and go help him out. You won't regret the gear, and you might actually find yourself liking the guy.