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Danganronpa: Salvage Showcase - Hasegawa Research Institute

So The Danganronpa series has no shortage of antagonists lurking about its midst. From the Masterminds of death games, to the one off blackened's who seek to escape at the expense of everyone else's lives.

Of course, in the world of Danganronpa spin-off novels, we get more antagonists than ever given their format allowing more enemies to be more freely added and in DRT is no exception.

In this case, we have 'guest' characters from the Kagami Family Saga - the Hasegawa Research Institute (The DR versions of them anyway)...Though since no group shot of them exists, I'll just use Taeko pictures instead XD

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.

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And that's the DRT portion of the Showcases done for now...meaning it'll be time for me to talk about Killer Killer again XD Any suggestions on that is welcome! This rendition was suggested by @drmedicsgamesurgery who I suggested I do a Showcase on Chief and Kanai, though decided to make it about the HRT in general since it'd be too short otherwise just talking about those two only.

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If Ayaka is allowed to live then there's a chance Satomi could be as well! We never know!~ I mean, in DRT she really couldn't have died there since she's needed to make that motive video for Sayaka with her group collpased - can't happen if she's dead!~

I learn after drawing this that drt is before thh so satomi was in fact probably dead when sayaka died. Whoops!

Anyway this is Satomi Aoba who is the leader of Sayaka's group. this is for @danggirlronpa's Dangan wlweek 2024 day 2: Tragic ship/trapped. you can take trapped to mean sayaka is trapped, and tragic ship cause... yknow.

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Salvage Showcase - Korisu Kakitsubata

It's the horror season, and what better way to celebrate than by doing a Showcase on the main 'villain' of Danganronpa Kirigiri Volume 3, and Culprit of the Takeda Haunted Mansion Duel Noir: Korisu Kakitsubata!!!

(Korisu is the left silhouette behind Licorne)

Summary

Korisu was a detective registered in the Detective Library under the DSC of 488, specializing in animal welfare. Like all Victims, Korisu has a traumatic past that influenced her to take up the Duel Noir. Eight year prior to the Duel Noir, Korisu was with her family up on a mountain railway. However, a fire broke out and during Korisu's attempt to escape, she got seperated from her family. Her family, unfortunately, ended up being trapped behind closed emergency exit doors - doors that were shut by Suntetsu Shirasu. Shirasu closed the doors to prevent the smoke from killing more people, but as a result, 28 people (including Korisu's family) who were trapped behind the door, died in the blaze. Suntetsu was never identified or arrested for the incident, and Korisu was left traumatized to the point she heard voices of the victims in her head.

Korisu would be confronted by the Victims Catharsis Committee, and would take up their offer of competing in a Duel Noir. In her case, Korisu planned out the Takeda Haunted Mansion murder. The idea behind it was to lure in Shirasu with three other detectives: Sachi Mizuiyama (her scapegoat), Salvador Fukuro Yadorigi and Hajiki Yaki. Under the guise of the deceased Saiun Takeda, she lured them in with various tip-offs of crime at the manor. Once all five met, Korisu would eventually drug Shirasu to enact her scheme. Hoisting him between two armored warriors, she would set up her locked room case to have a bunch of rubber bands use a katana as a makeshift slingshot to kill her Target. The deed was done as Yui and Kyoko had arrived, with them being only moments away from saving Suntetsu before the blade plunged itself into his back.

During this exchange, Korisu tried to pose as just a vapid, party-gal, woman who didn't have a care in the world. Initially, she seen to have gotten away with her murder as Sachi was initially fingered as the culprit. But, to her downfall, this was a trap set up by Kyoko - catching Korisu back at the crime scene with the intent to destroy any remaining evidence of her misdeeds. Despite Korisu's attempts at trying to refute Kyoko's claims, not only did Kyoko figure out how Korisu's trick worked - she even had proof it was only Korisu that could have done it. The main piece being the fact that, during the murder, Korisu had used the armor sandals to walk outside since Salvador was too busy admiring art out in the hallway for her to safely get her stilleto's back. Unfortunately, given the size of the shoes was too big for the boys and too small for someone as short as Sachi, it was only her that could have used them, and when its clear they were used in the crime, Korisu was stuck as the sole candidate.

Korisu gives up, and admits to doing the Duel Noir to put the voices at rest. However, while initially coolheaded at her defeat, she panics once they saw she's in danger of being executed due to inability to pay the VCC back their earnings. Ultimately, she takes Kyoko's advice to go with the cops to be arrested, though the last shot of her from Yui's POV shows her to clearly still be struggling with the 'voices' returning. In the next volume, while she doesn't appear, she is mentioned by Salvador to be safe since Gekka has paid off her debt, but she'll still be tried for her crimes.

While Korisu acts like an airheaded, flashy, yet bubbly party girl - this is merely a facade. In truth, Korisu is pretty intelligent, lucid, and crafty to the point that she needed to be lured into a trap to expose her since her current set-up lacked real hard hitting evidence to expose her without it. Due to her trauma, Korisu hear the voices of those who perished in the fire's blaze, and was desperate enough to appease them by taking up a VCC. While not being a sore loser, she is terrified of being murdered herself and begs for the girls to save her as she realizes she's doomed to be executed.

Rundown

Being both a Detective and a Victim, Korisu has a few things going for her in regard to the DRK's theme - which I have already pinned as being about Justice & Corruption.

In this case, Korisu is on the side of Corruption, in this case Appeasement of her trauma and another aspect of criticizing the 'greater good' theme in Volume 3 on a whole. On the Greater Good theme first, while like the other Victims, she's motivated by vengeance - it's less hatred based and more so just trying to find some form of peace in her life. As stated before, Korisu had been severely traumatized from her family being roasted to death despite her protests because someone sacrificed them for their perceived 'greater good'. In turn, for the sake of finding closure for the voices, she's willing to not only slay Suntetsu, but also sacrificing someone else's peace for her own safety. In doing so, this puts her about as bad as Suntetsu himself. It also smacks into the Greater Good message that Gekka and Lico usually use to justify their own violent acts, since it shows such a line of thinking is both detrimental towards bystanders and those involved alike, but also winds up leaving new collateral to suffer down a path like Korisu's as well. Ergo sustaining the cycle further.

In terms of the Corruption theme (and her own Drive as a detective), namely Appeasement, Korisu's case is used to show why giving in to vengeance and bloody murder as means of clearing up mental issues, just doesn't work like how Gekka or the VCC think it works. She got her paybck on Suntetsu, yes, but in turn it didn't solve her problem with the voices in her head yelling at her and it certainly wasn't helped by her actual arrest. Even if she won, she was only confused, not satisfied with doing the deed - meaning that in spite of promising relief to the Victims they lure in, at best they only piled on new worries to give them. At worse, if they don't kill them outright, the Victims are left with new trauma and anguish on top of their old wounds. There's is no truly satisfaction to be gained by playing in a Duel Noir and looking for justice. Just tragedy.

In terms of character comparison and contrasts, the immediate one you would think of is Sachi, another Victim and Detective of the 12 Duel Noir Challenge. Both were willing to kill, and even harm innocents, not for their own sakes, but for the sakes of those who, really, couldn't have enjoyed such endeavors or approved of them, even if they really wanted to. Both Korisu's family and Gekka were dead by the time their Duel Noirs started. As such, their actions proved only to harm themselves in the long run with no real benefits. In terms of demeanor, they're kind of the polar opposite of each other in, even if their end goals are roughly the same. Korisu acts immature to hide the fact she's smarter than she appears, while Sachi portrays herself as a composed detective, to hide how much of a zealot she was for Gekka. In terms of scale, Korisu was hard focus on her own personal trauma, whilst Sachi's love for Gekka had her disregard even her own Catharsis for the sake of seeing him thrive in the VCC.

Of course, I'd also be remiss to not add in how much Korisu reflects on Junko Enoshima. Both being fashionista types that people would never suspect of masterminding intricate murders. Although the biggest difference between the two is that Korisu is ultimately doing her misdeeds as a form of closure, while Junko is working towards a goal of constant open despair.

Personal Thoughts

Korisu makes for a fine, 'final boss' of volume 3. Give the chaotic nature of the book in setting up the 12 Duel Noir Challenge, the battle at Meyura Station, Lico, one would think the actual Duel Noir Victim just wouldn't hit as well as Tadashi or Sae, but she's proved me wrong.

She's extremely entertaining play up the bratty fashion dive and love that the antagonist for this time around tried for the Junko Enoshima manner of villainess. It also helps her motivation is extremely compelling and makes her quite sympathetic as to why she'd work with the VCC. This is a high praise, especially when you consider how Vol. 4 and 5 treated the remainder of the Zodiac Victims.

Of course, beyond that, it also makes me sad volume 3 would be her only real appearance, but I was at least glad that she fulfilled her role properly. Beyond that, I loved the Takeda Haunted Mansion she set up and how it filled well with the ideas of her being haunted by her own past, and using it to take vengeance on Suntetsu (even if trying to wrap my head around the murder method was a real killer X_X)

Ultimately, for what it's worth, Korisu was a nice stopping point to end Vol 3 out on (besides Yui visiting Kyoko's home of course) and remains a favored of mine among the DRK cast!

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With this out of the way, up next is DR Togami!! Be a while until then so if you have anyone you'd like to see talked about before it gets posted, feel free to recommend!

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You guys are jealous I got a pic with Matthew Lillard and @idsfantasy :p

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So a bunch of internal spike chunsoft documents leaked and...

There is a shitload of Distrust and early Danganronpa stuff

it even contains the full rundown of the cut murder ^^

Theres a bunch more but this is the more interesting stuff. 100s of text pages too. I have the documents archived personally. I dont know who leaked these or how but it is a great find.

@hopeymchope @jelimore @jinjojess @aseriesofunfortunatejan

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KYOSUKE MUNAKATA!!!

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DR3 Rewrite: Deadly Life Part 1

Heeeey, remember this little project? Where I was rewriting DR3 and even made a post concerning the first part - here - if you remember? It started my year, and I was working on it for a good deal.

That said, between general life busynes and motivation issues, it's been kind of slow. That said, am still working on it and originally wanted to only post until it was 100% done. Buuuut, at my pace, felt even doing that was kind mental slog. So instead, I'll be breaking it down into several eps per post for people to enjoy and have something out there until the gap between this and the next part.

So without further ado, I hope reading both will be enjoyable!!

13

The cast is in shock: Chisa Yukizome was dead and they were clearly under threat from the Monokast. With Monokuma at the front of the screen, he begins to explain the whole ordeal - the third killing game under the Monokuma Hunter rules.

Monokuma Hunter is as follows under two phases: Hunter Phase and Trial Phase. Under Hunter Phase, as it stands, the cast is on the F1 of the building and have to make their way up to the trial grounds of F6. However, each floor above is hosted by a member of the MonoKast who has a particular ‘Hell’ that the cast must endure, lest it cost them their lives. 

Each floor has a Boss that governs it as well, and they are in charge of ensuring that ‘Hell’ is carried out. If the cast manages to defeat the Boss then the conditions of the Floor are nullified. In addition, they could also get a major lead that could help them for the Trial Phase. 

In the Trial Phase, similarly to a class trial, the cast will be discussing who is the guilty party - though instead of discussing who killed who, its ‘who are the Traitors’ that have set up this killing game? There are three Traitors that they are to find and vote off. If they vote all three off, the game is over and the survivors can leave the building. If even one Traitor is not voted for after the final trial, the non-Traitor survivors will be executed. The Trial Phase happens once all floors have been conquered.

With that in mind, for the time being F1 has also been made the group’s de facto living quarters with food, a nurse’s office and bedding that’ll suit their needs for the time being and give them rest in-between their endeavors. 

With that, the explanation ends, and the room descends into chaos. Yelling is going on and tension is high given the circumstances. What should they even do? It’s Munakata who, in spite of his loss, gets everyone back on track. As it stands, standing around isn’t going to do anything. If they want answers, than the best course is to investigate their surroundings first…and if all else fails to make headway, they move up to the next floor.

Nobody really likes it, but there isn’t much anyone can really do. Juzo is assigned to keep watch over Makoto given how high suspicion is on him. As for Kyoko, she’s allowed to investigate Chisa and where she died, though under watch by Munakata himself. Seiko is also there to do an autopsy, albeit as best as she could. Everyone else is to spread out throughout the first floor to search or gain their bearings.

Hina, alongside Koichi and a very upset Ryota, go to Kyoko to get info on Chisa’s death. It was a stab through the heart from an odd-looking knife that did her in. Presumably, the culprit stabbed with it before hoisting her on top of the chandelier before rigging it to fall. Koichi asks if it was possible any of them could have done it, Kyoko believes that, while possible, its too early to tell since, given how long the group was out, the culprit would have hm more than enough time to kill Chisa and prepare their event up, and get back in position before anyone would even wake up.

When asking Seiko about the time of death, while she admits she is not a true coroner, she can at least confirm that it has been a good deal of hours since Chisa had died. There was no hope of saving her long before they woke up. Upon saying that, she notices Munakata and immediately begins to apologize, though he tells her it’s alright. Makoto, knowing how it feels to lose a girl you love, tries to empathize with Munakata, but the Vice Chairman tells him to save it. 

The others come back to share their findings. As it stands, the exits are locked up tight. No way in or out. There were enough rooms for everyone and food to last for a while, but it remained pretty clear this is not a permanent stay. They needed to make moves and fast. So, with that in mind - Munakata gives the orders. They were heading to F2. Though as they make their way to the elevators, they find that there are three different elevators they had to take. 

Monokuma appears on the monitors again. He adds that, before the elevators could rise, all participants needs to spread themselves amongst the elavators. At max 5, at minimum (for one elevator in this case) 4. At this, the groups are created under Munakata’s direction/personality clashes:

Group 1 - Munakata, Juzo, Makoto, Gozu, Hina (Gozu was worried about Makoto, and so Tengan allowed him to watch over him to ensure the first two don’t do anything foul. Hina joined G1 to help out Makoto)

Group2 2 - Kyoko, Tengan, Koichi, Ryota, Seiko (Tengan volunteered to lead this next part, with Ryota joining under him. Kyoko followed suit with G1 filled and with a degree of suspicion on her face. Koichi followed Kyoko and Seiko couldn’t join G3 or G1 so she had to join G2)

Group 3 - Ruruka, Izayoi, Bandai, and Miaya (Ruruka refused for Seiko or any ‘traitors’ to join her elevator, so her BF and the two neutrals won by default)

With these settled, the groups finally make their way to F2. Inside each elevator is a monitor that explains the rundown of the Floor. For F2, the Host of the Floor is Monokan and her Floor Boss is Pestilence: The Ex-Ultimate Exteriminator - Jun Ueda. The stipulations of the Floor is as follows. Each elevator has enough gas masks that can filter out a particular poisonous gas for one hour. During that hour, the players must traverse through F2 and defeat the Floor Boss. How they defeat a FB is entirely up to the players (kill them, knock them out, capture them, make them give up - it’s all up to the cast). Once that happens, the gas will stop automatically, along with treatment for the poison in the room to the trial grounds. A Clue for one of the Traitors identity will be handed out following an FB’s defeat.

With that firmly established, the cast (after getting their masks) brace themselves to face Jun..with both Juzo and Munakata looking even more irritated at the thought. Especially, Munakata. A flashback shows Jun sitting in a chair, drinking some tea, and even looking genuinely friendly towards the Class 74 trio.

…Which is contrasted with Jun in the present, sitting in an armchair as gas flows throughout the room - gas mask on in preparation for the fight to come.

14

The scene opens with Hagakure running for his life and for good reason. The Ultimate Elite Taskforce is still after him and wants his ass dead. It’s basically the start of Hagakure’s bizarre, unfortunate, adventure trying to get to safety, all while trying his damnedest to get in contact with anyone from inside or even outside, like Byakuya…

Speaking of which, everyone’s favorite heir is knocking back some tea as he gets a report on the damages throughout the divisions. For Division 14, they’ve since managed to subdue the rebels and have suffered minimum casualties. Their current objective is reaching out to the other Division and trying their damndest to support them as best as they can. We get a flashback to Byakuya looking over the contents of the files from last season. How they showed there was going to be a nationwide rebellion against the Branches, and how Byakuya had barely managed to organize his own security force for Division 14 prior to things going crazy. Pennyworth and his secretary remark on fortunate it was that they were able to get the drive to Byakuya in time. He agrees though they can’t rest now: they need to get in touch with, and possibly, rescue the Directors as soon as possible. Through the emails, Byakuya knows the location of the secret trial and is trying to arrange ships and helicopters as quickly as possible. But, given how much disarray everyone was in, it’ll be awhile.

But, hopefully, the others can hold out until then.

Speaking of the others, they’re at the Pestilence Floor - a place filled with dense gas that they have to make their way through and traps. Such as spears through the floors and Monokuma units that lunge out. Thankfully, for the groups, they’re able to gradually make their way throughout the maze like floor due to their own experience. Though Kyoko can't help but notice that, for her group, they aren't really running into most obstacles as expected…

During this time, Makoto begins to ask if anyone knows anything about the Floor Boss - Jun Ueda. Begrudgingly, Munakata informs Makoto that Jun was a former member of class 74’s student council. Specifically, he was their Treasurer - being a snarky, teasing, logistics man who only forked up the cash for any school project only when all bases were covered. Something that is shown in a flashback to the 74 trio and their interaction with their former friend. Though, their happy days could not remain forever. He later joined Future Foundation - but was imprisoned due to the one act that earned him his place among the Four Blights. He gassed a warehouse filled with those who were ill, injured, disabled in some manner or were under watch due to having some past criminal conviction - killing them all while they slept. The very next day, when it was discovered, he turned himself and remained in max prison up until recently.

Makoto and Hina are horrified, while their other teammates are tense. This is why Munakata wants Jun defeated immediately. They can’t risk any of the Blights getting back out and enacting their horrors again. They have to end him here. But as they enter another room, Hina asks if both Juzo and Munakata are prepared to fight against someone that used to be their friend. Something that a voice mentions, is way too late to consider.

It’s Jun, gas mask on his face, and gun in hand. Munakata orders Gozu to watch Makoto and Hina while he and Juzo try to pincer Jun. However, it’s a tense fight as Jun is very light on his feet, and has some units to help hold off both. While he fights, he’s taunting Munakata - criticizing how it was inability to take decisive, proper, headway into this matter that led to the Directors being attacked like this now. What lead to that incident in the past! He should be ashamed of himself for being so hesitant!! It’s what leads Munakata being grazed by a shot and Juzo getting knocked about in his anger to get to Jun.

However, Makoto has had enough and rebuked such claims. While he doesn’t know Munakata personally, and while they definitely disagree on certain things, even Makoto can see he was at least trying to help as much people as he could in these awful times! Jun shoots back, both metaphorically and literally, that trying to help everyone is a fool’s errand. During the time of the incident, Future Foundation was struggling to gain supplies to help those under their care - it was a massive effort to supply a squad, let alone refugees. If they helped everyone under their case, they would have been left completely depleted and wiped out by Ultimate Despair. That’s why Jun did what he ‘had’ to do it. He wiped out those who couldn’t help FF to make the organization live for another day. It was awful, but necessary in his eyes. Even the five here can understand the need to dirty your hands for the greater good, right? Hina is the one to speak up on this.

She knows how it feels, to think you have to resort to extremes just because you think its right (referencing her attempt in DR1 chapter 4 in trying to kill everyone after bein tricked by Monokuma). But, she insists that being tunnel visioned by thinking you’re justified can lead you to being blinded on the truth. In this case? He had no real way of knowing if slaughtering those refugees really was the ‘saving move’ he keeps claiming it is. True, FF was struggling back then, but he has no real evidence that helping out the refugees would cost the FF everything. If anything, by killing off so many with potential who could have helped, didn’t he just send the organization back ? Jun has to know this, unless…

Is he is arguing his case so hard, because realizing the other side is that soul crushing?

Snapping, an angry Jun is about to shoot her when he realizes his mistake. Hina distracted him enough to allow Munakata to get in close - knocking away Jun’s gun with a slash. Thus, giving Juzo a free opportunity to punch Jun in the mask. Sending him flying into the wall, unconscious. His gun was also knocked away from him, but no one quite seems to notice. On his wrist, a bracelet glows red and the gas stops. The Floor Boss has been defeated.

From Jun’s defeat, a letter floats down from the ceiling, into Makoto’s hands that he reads for the group:

“Even a dethroned monarch can be crowned again…”

Huh? The crew is unusure to what this means and by now the other groups have arrived. Jun also begins to stir, chuckling at their confusion. Munakata walls up to him, raises his katana and holds his blade to Jun’s throat. What is the meaning of this? Who recruited him for this? Who does this hint refer to. Jun opens his mouth, but by now Monokima units have flooded the room and snatched Jun.  

It's been announced that since Jun lost there would be a penalty for him. As Munakata and Juzo fight to get to him, begging him to speak, and to stay with them - all Jun could say is this:

“Eh, only thing I can really say is that the one who got me on board was a real nag. Sorry, but my hands are tied.” But right as they take him out of the room he does say this to Munakata. 

“Maybe…I was the one that couldn't remain decisive that day."

With that he was gone. But for what? Well…

“Boss of the Pestilence Floor, Ex-Ultimate Exterminator: Jun Ueda has lost his fight. Time to face the penalty!!! Let’s give it everything we’ve got: It’s punishment time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Execution: Suffocation of the White Rider

Jun wakes up to find himself trapped in an enclosed space with multiple other boxes beside him. The boxes all open to pour vermin and other dangerous animals. In addition, gas begins to fill the room. Chuckling, Jun goes around the room, trying to fend off the beasts as he scrambles to find a jumpsuit, oxygen tank and gas mask to put on. He succeeds, but that’s also his downfall. I nthe suit itself are venomous creatures that attack Jun. The suit itself can not be removed and the cast are forced to watch as he stumbles around in the haze…and eventually collapses dead.

This horrifies a lot of the cast, but they are urged by Munakata and Tengan to return down towards the first floor. The first floor has been cleared, and given what they’ve gone through, a rest is deserved.

On the monitors, of the MonoKast, Monokowl has been removed.

END

[shockersalvage]

Salvage Showcase- Soshun Murasame

What's this? A new Salvage Showcase!! And this time we're back at Danganronpa Zero to talk about the first of the Student Council Presidents!!

Soshun Murasame!!

Summary

Chronologically, Soshun's ordeal happens during his tenure at Hope's Peak Academy. He's apart of its 77th Branch and is the Ultimate Student Council President. However, everything changed for him when he, alongside the rest of the SC (except Madarai) got threatening messages that had them head over to the old Hope's Peak Academy building.

Something that Soshun would soon regret taking, as it was a trap to get the Student Council reps to kill each other, under threat of death from Mukuro and their own motivations. That's not to say Soshun didn't try to stop things. Even after his Vice President, Kotomi, was killed by Mukuro, he tried to keep everyone's nerves, reassure them that the remainder of their group can get through this, and was gradually succeeding...

Up until Karen Kisragi shanked Ryota the Toymaker and everything went to Hell. He barely avoided being sliced by his own council secretary before it became a free for all. In the end, the Student Council effectively wiped each other out, with only Soshun surviving, but in a rough state with a head injury. While this injury isn't shown on screen, given that DR0 implies Daiki Kubo went on a rampage with a chair, and hurting two people prior to Shoji Yoko's death, it can be inferred Soshun's injury was a result of that.

On the flipside, he was alive, but was in a comatose state that, even after a month after the incident, had him unresponsive. Stashed in the East compound medical bay, Yasuke Matsuda, his classmate and Ultimate Neurologist, was tasked with seeing if he could interrogate Soshun and if he knew anything about the Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy. Something that, if Soshun did knew, might have gotten him silenced by the Steering Committee. Not that Yasuke was planning on ratting him out to those guys anyway, but the threat was there.

As Yasuke started to interrogate him, initially it seems like Soshun genuinely was not gonna react...up until Junko's name came out. That's when it's revealed to Yasuke, Soshun had been faking being unresponsive, sort of. He was genuinely faking being unresponsive, buts its clear he's in a lot of shock and trauma. His act was to essentially escape the notice of the Steering Committee, and, even in his injured state, wanting to see if he could still fight to protect the school given what transpired.

After Yasuke vows to help Soshun, since Yasuke himself doesn't want to let the old quartet have their way and get rid of his classmate, Soshun, gradually relents to questioning. When asked if Izuru killed the Student Council, while Soshun does say Izuru did, his tone heavily implies he wasn't completely sure.

However, things take a turn for the worse when Yasuke asks if Junko Enoshma was involved - and Soshun's snaps. He turns into a raving, maddened, 'thing' that can only scream Junko's name and how much he wants to just kill her.

...Something that Yasuke, who was Junko's accomplice and boyfriend, just can't have let slide. Soshun was so far gone, that he didn't notice Yasuke choke him to death. His demise would be covered up as a suicide and mark the end of the Student Council (because Madarai doesn't count).

Personality wise, DR0 characterized the old Soshun as being responsible, friendly to all, and the sort to laugh even at bad jokes. Something that is contrasted with how he actuall appears post-Student Council killing game. Apathetic, traumatized, sluggish and, prior to his breakdown, still hold some aggressiveness there in his voice. He was still devoted to at least wanting to protect the school from the threats that laid there and is very talented in deception given he was capable of fooling the Academy's medical staff for a month prior to Yasuke being called in. In DR3, we get to see more of how Soshun normally is, being coolheaded under the face of pressure (and even the death of one of his councilmen), faithful in his group getting out of a rough situation, and even being a decisive leader that people listen to (up until Karen at least).

Rundown

Soshun has several ways he interacts with DR0's them of Identity, and the lack of it. In his case, his interaction with the theming has to do with loss of identity following tragedy robbing you of your sense of peace.

In DR3, while we don't get much of him, we do get to see him at his best and what makes him who he is. Soshun is the Ultimate Student Council President, the leader of 13 other students (among others) and, technically, would be one of many other Student Council Presidents who would no doubt be among the 'faces' of Hope's Peak Academy in general. Even before the killings really started, Soshun was a trusted leader that his council did seem to depend on and believe in...

So what happens afterward, when the game starts and Soshun is left as the sole survivor? Well, he's left stripped of everything that made him who he was. His talent? Can't be Council President if there is no Student Council. His friends that trusted and liked him? Slaughtered each other. The school that likely would have propped him up, and usually supported him? Now is very much considering cutting ties with him, at best, or killing him if what he knows is that detrimental. His supportive and kind demeanor? Gone from his injury and trauma. In one night, Soshun Murasame pretty much lost all that made him who he was. He couldn't even keep the last remnant of himself, his sanity, because the very mention of Junko broke him to the point of no return.

In DR0, meta wise, he's also interesting in the fact that, unlike most of the original, major, Zero cast, Soshun didn't actually have any official artwork of himself up until DR3 came about. While this likely isn't an artistic decision (could really just be for a lack of time/disintest in Soshun) it does track with the story's overall theme as well. Despite being the key victim of Junko's actions that kickstarts the plot of Zero, no one really cares about Soshun, truly. Hope's Peak just considered what happened a disgrace on their end, and wanted to suppress the truth if it was too inconvenient. Junko, who hurt him in the first place, just saw the council as easy means to of furthering her despair plot. Yuto wants to solve the mystery to advance his popularity, Kyoko has her own thing with her Dad going on, Jin in particular, while sympathetic, still goes along wth covering up the incident as much as he could. You'd think Madarai and Yasuke would care the most given they're classmates, but for the former its more of a 'wounded pride' sort of thing, while Yasuke (despite genuinely liking Soshun - which a notable thing given Yasuke's kind of a grump) straight up kills him to protect the girl who ruined Soshun's life. No one really cares about Soshun Murasame outside of how he affected their lives, likely negatively, and the story reflects this with a lack of a art to go with it.

Of the characters to compare him too, one would easily think of three guys. One, is Makoto Naegi himself, which makes sense given how Soshun is set-up to essentially be the 'Hope' of the Student Council that raises their spirits. Though, given his lack of a proper ahoge, he was also clearly designed in the mind to essentially what would happen if Makoto didn't have his luck or was placed in different circumstances by Junko. A tragic take on what easily could have been a protagonist in his own right.

In the same vein of DR1, we have Kiyotaka Ishimaru, who Soshun does follow a bit in terms of his story. While not as socially awkward outcast as Taka, both serve as a leader for their group who, due to Junko's actions, wind up losing the ones they care about in the killing game and undergoing a major personality shift. First by being near catatonic, then recovering into essentialy worst versions of themselves after something triggers them to change for the worse. Taka becomes Kiyondo, whose essentially trying to be Mondo in a sense, while Soshun becomes a 'thing' that needs to be put down. Likewise, both wind up killed as a means to an end for the machinations of a manipulative woman and her underling (Taka killed by Hifumi who was working with Celeste, to Soshun killed by Yasuke who was dating Junko).

Lastly, there is Kyosuke Munakata, fellow Ultimate SC President. In this sense, Soshun is pretty much a look into the future that awaited Kyosuke at the end of DR3. Both were leaders of 14 branch organization that wounded up in a killing game with the Ultimate Hope. Despite their attempts to stop things, be it through words or by force, the killings happen after girls they would have been closest too, are driven into despair and kickstart the affairs (from Chisa killing herself via Gloomy Sunday, to Karen killing Ryota). In addition, this game is merely a means to an end for the Mastermind to enact their endgame plamns to enforce their will onto the world. Ultimately, both stories ends with the killing game giving both serious injuries, and leaving their groups effectively dismantled, while the Ultimate Hope gets out alive and more or less well. What diverges is that, while Kyosuke lost everything, he did come out of his killing game with the resolve to carry on their memories and effectively being brought away from becoming a 'beast' himself lost in his rage and desapir thanks to his Ultimate Hope genuinely reaching out to him. In contrast, Soshun was left hurt and abandoned, with izuru not giving a flying feather what happens to anyone or anything unless its interests him. Thus, leading Soshun being unable to properly deal with his grief and wind up leaving himself vulnerable to be ing murdered.

Personal Thoughts

Soshun is an interesting character to talk about, given how he's essentially the DR protagonist that never was. He's the Makoto of a story that ends with the failure to overcome a killing game. While the other games had major casualties, at the very end, the survivors were able to work past their problems and eventually break free of their confinement. A bittersweet ending, all in all...

Soshun does not get that, Soshun is the protagonist that gets no happy ending, and that alone makes him very fascinating to me. Okay, also, admttedly, Soshun and his Student Council are very much major fanfic bait that I just can't help but love.

What were the rest of his underlings talent and council positions? How well would they interact in a proper killing game setting? Or maybe if more of his number survived? It's thoughts that those that, honestly, get people talking about Soshun and his lot, which is probably intentional given how they do exist just to slaughter themselves for the sake of the plot.

In terms of DR0, I appreciate that, for what its worth, he was used well to show, yes, Yasuke can have actually good terms relationships with his classmates in the 77th batch! Jokes aside, I did like how Soshun was also used to foreshadow Izuru's not being the number one cause of the Council's demise with how unresponsive he was to him be labelled as the murder. I also really enjoyed Soshun pretty much living, if briefly, example of the sheer trauma of what being in a battle royale would be like, while knowing full well the person who that to you is out there.

In general, Soshun's presence was short, yet, effective, for his time in the book and anime, and he remains just a nice well used tragic character, caught in the insanity of Danganronpa!

[shockersalvage]

My friend sometimes brings her six-year-old to our DnD sessions and my husband (the DM) lets her roll for all enemy attacks and sometimes he will show her a few figures and let her secretly pick what creature we meet next. Who needs encounter tables when you have a first-grader around

[shockersalvage]

Kohei Matsudaira - Salvage Smallcase

Finally we reach the end of Kirigiriso's participation in these Showcases! It's time to tackle our hero for this story...and his unique situation!! It's Kohei Matsudaira!!

Summary

For the basics of Kohei, no matter the route, his entanglement to the plot starts the same way. Kohei is driving one night from college and takes a short cut he never took before. During his drive, he winds up meeting Kyoko Kirigiri, who ends in a ride with him towards her destination. Ultimately, though, his car is totalled and he's forced to accompany her on foot to the sight of her latest case: a mansion in the woods.

Kohei is a witness to Kirigiriso's three routes + alternate ending to canon:

The canon route - the Plant Girl Route - has him trying to survive a man eating mansion filled with carnivorous plant/human hybrids, cared for by the most successful experiment: Kyoka a bioenginerred plant/human hybrid clone of Kyoko Kirigiri that sought to sacrifice Kyoko and Kohei to her plants as 'nourishment'. In the canon ending, it's Kohei appealing to Kyoka in an attempt to turn her life around that has her give up her antagonism towards the lured in duo...but, killing herself and the Hybrids by setting the mansion on fire. Six months later, Kohei returns to the mansion to see the gravesite of Kyoka filled with white flowers and one huge one that he mistake for Kyoka.

Alternative route - Earth Defense Force Route - has him be a member of the Earth Defense Force with Kyoko, Kyoka and lead by their captain: Santa Shikiba. They fight against aliens: the Rhinogradentia, and its during this plot where it's revealed their ally - Kyoka - was an alien herself, but its thanks to Santa's actions does she reform and call off the invasion.

Joke route - Extra Scenario - A dream Kohei has after crashing his car. Kohei dreams of Kyoka and Kyoko being related, with him being called by the former to wake up the latter with a kiss. He's instead woken up by actual mouth to mouth by Santa.

Another End - an alt ending route to Plant Girl - Kyoka survives and becomes the adopted sister to Kyoko, while becoming good friends with her and Kohei.

Kohei's personality is that of a typical everyman sort, whose traits depend on what choices the player chooses. For example, he could be pervy towards Kyoko, cowardly enought to abandon Kyoko, easily timid or misled by Kyoka. From what canon route show of him the most, he is at least empathetic enough to try to connect with even a serial killer like Kyoka given his knowledge of her origins and is more than willing to give her at least a shot at turning over a new leaf.

Personal Thoughts/Rundown

Now, Kohei is difficult to properly analyze or discuss. At his core - he is a CYOA protagonist without much in the way of his personality or desires outside of being the typical average joe to Kyoko being a not-so average extraordinary detective. He's the Kirigiriso equivalent to Makoto and Yui, but lacks their core traits of being overly hopeful and justice seeking. He's basically even more of an audience surrogate than those two. As such, he can't really be gleamed for deeper meaning without it being a stretch? I mean, at best, I can consider Kohei in the canon route as being like a message that running away from the truth or not delving in to the heart of the matter as being detrimental? But, again, it feels like a stretch.

That's not to say Kohei is bad by any means. For an audience surrogate, he offers a serviceable look to Kirigiriso as the straightman/butt monkey to a lot of its oddities, which is appropriate given this is the game that has Kyoko deal with evil plant clones and aliens. He does his job well!

He's also interesting in that he's actually a guest star from another series, Otogirisu. I don't know the exact specifics of Otogirisu, aside from Kirigiriso being sort of like a sequel to it. So pretty neat origins on his part.

But, yeah, not much else to go off of beyond that. As it stands, this ends the Kirigiriso side of the misc. spin-offs - and in turn, for the next time I get back to them, I'll discuss two characters hailing from the short story - Makoto Naegi's Worst Day Ever!

[shockersalvage]

Dangan ronpa magica

Commission info | Facebook

[shockersalvage]

I'm curious. Reblog this if you know how to cook

I don’t even care if it’s macaroni, ramen or those little bowls you stick in the microwave. Please, I need reassurance that most of the population on tumblr WOULDN’T STARVE TO DEATH if their parents couldn’t fix them food or they couldn’t go out to eat. 

[shockersalvage]

Everyone shut up about the Jabberwock gjinka WE FINALLY GOT MUKURO SPRITES

[shockersalvage]

little blue ink for you all!! aint she cute🎀

sorry i’ve been inactive lately i’m really struggling right now

[shockersalvage]

What not having a bullying kouhai does to a mfer

Salvage Showcase - Eichiro Saiyama

...And so I missed the Killer Killer anniversary like, well, a lot! My bad, but trying to find who to do next was pretty difficult. I didn't want to do a salty or disappointed Showcase like the last two, so was trying to focus on who I could write about that I liked.

So on that end I decided to do a Showcase on one of Killer Killer's better serial killers of the week (having a backstory will do that to you) - its Eichiro Saiyama!!!

Eichiro was a lonely and rather unpopular kid in his youth. The only happy moment he could gather was when one girl complimented his art and said he should be a mangaka.

And so he did!! That moment inspired him to be a manga artist that worked under Comic Ponpon...except the issue of people praising him persisted. While he's surviving the Tragedy enough to continue his work, it should be noted that his work was considered just...okay. Editors or readers, no one really cared for it.

Cue one day, Takumi Hijirihara shows up in a box, going over his work and about one he liked was Eichiro's documentary manga about the Tragedy. It had gotten popular with Takumi for its hyperrealistic graphic displays of death, but there was just one issue.

See, they were a bit too realistic.

Yeah, Eichiro is a serial killer that murders his victims to use as references in his manga. To be specific, he's a copycat killer that murders his victims in relation to past cases, such as stringing up people to look like Chihiro's corpse.

Takumi deduces his motives were in a vain attempt to gain some praise, and criticizes him for using murder to seek out approval from others, believing attempts like that won't ever sell well. Takumi ranks Eichiro's murder as being 20 points for his misdeeds, and notes that Eiichiro's manga, while he does like it, won't ever be a bestseller since it's just too ordinary (to the point he marks Eichiro's manga as just being 55 points, even though Takumi likes it)

Upon hearing this, Eichiro (who had been progressively losing his mind) snaps and attacks Takumi, trying to kill him with his Wolverine-eqsue pens. But, Takumi get's the leg up and kill Eichiro similarly to how Mukuro Ikusaba died.

Eichiro is a man that seeks out praise above all else since he sorely lacked that in life. Self-describing himself as dull, he believes his only redeeming quality is his artistic skills since it net him one praise he got in life. He is very sensitive to people dismissing him and his hard work.

Eventually, his need for approval escalated until he became a serial killer, killing others to use as reference for his work out of some desire to gain what he wanted the most.

Rundown

In Killer Killer's theme of Passion vs Shallowness, Eichiro represents Shallowness in the form of attention and represents the dangers of being obsessed with validation from others. He wants people to notice him, and gives him the praise he feels he deserves. It's what fuels him to become a mangaka and drives him to the point that became a copycat killer to try to get what he wanted.

But its all at a detriment to himself. He focused so hard on his artistic skills he neglected his personal life, be it making friends or enjoying life that he made his own self-esteem issues worse. And because what he chased after was something so brief, and in a career so demanding, it had become a cycle of toxic disappointment and desperation. It's basically a self-fulfilling downward spiral in a way.

Another aspect of Eichiro that's telling to his own 'dullness' is the form of manga he made, a documentary, and even his own killing: copycat murders. He's essentially recapping events that most people in the world at the time would be privy about, and committing the cardinal sin for those in the artistic world - plagiarism. No one really cares for his work because he's essentially just regurgitating common knowledge for the public. If he had made something more original, he'd probably would get better success, but given how much he shut himself away to 'hone his talent' he probably doesn't have the life skills or proper imagination for it (and never will thanks to Takumi).

Finally, he's killed in similar way to Mukuro's Spears of Gungnir, though instead of spears its his own pens that kill him. in Danganronpa, ironic murders are all the rage, so you can think of it as symbolizing his own talent - his own crutch and downfall in life - being the one to lead him astray and betray him.

Personal Thoughts

I really like Eichiro, because he's one of the few characters in Killer Killer to be fully fleshed out. In backstory, in motivations, in personality - he's brimming with it in one chapter, when most of the main cast lack it in all 14. (Probably since the writer for KK is speaking from their own feelings in the industry, but that's just me). He's one of the few gems that I can say are good about Killer Killer and wish the other killers replicated. Especially Ted, who debuted in chapter 3.

I also like Eichiro in how he fleshed out an established lore item in DR2, that being the Tragedy manga found in endgame. He's heavily implied to be the author of that, and I always appreciate it when the DR series tries to build upon past continuity. Same reason why I like Koichi or Another Episode! Or later on concepts like the Mukuro Cult. It's building upon and even expanding the world of DR in a pretty good way. And in a 'flash, but little substance' story that Killer Killer seems to tred, stuff like that needs to be treasured.

Also, even as a killer, I just like he's the sort that should have been promoted more - he feels like a realistic DR villain. He's not drinking blood due to thinking it'll make him younger, he doesn't have parasite monsters that break the world - no, he's just a copycat killer trying to use his murders to increase his fame and get him praise. That's it, and God is it refreshing.

In short: Eiichiro is a breath of fresh air in the Killer Killer entry.

-

With that, another Killer Killer entry done! Hope it's a good read, with the next up being, again, the miscellaneous section of the DR novel side.

[shockersalvage]

Salvage Showcase - Eichiro Saiyama

...And so I missed the Killer Killer anniversary like, well, a lot! My bad, but trying to find who to do next was pretty difficult. I didn't want to do a salty or disappointed Showcase like the last two, so was trying to focus on who I could write about that I liked.

So on that end I decided to do a Showcase on one of Killer Killer's better serial killers of the week (having a backstory will do that to you) - its Eichiro Saiyama!!!

Eichiro was a lonely and rather unpopular kid in his youth. The only happy moment he could gather was when one girl complimented his art and said he should be a mangaka.

And so he did!! That moment inspired him to be a manga artist that worked under Comic Ponpon...except the issue of people praising him persisted. While he's surviving the Tragedy enough to continue his work, it should be noted that his work was considered just...okay. Editors or readers, no one really cared for it.

Cue one day, Takumi Hijirihara shows up in a box, going over his work and about one he liked was Eichiro's documentary manga about the Tragedy. It had gotten popular with Takumi for its hyperrealistic graphic displays of death, but there was just one issue.

See, they were a bit too realistic.

Yeah, Eichiro is a serial killer that murders his victims to use as references in his manga. To be specific, he's a copycat killer that murders his victims in relation to past cases, such as stringing up people to look like Chihiro's corpse.

Takumi deduces his motives were in a vain attempt to gain some praise, and criticizes him for using murder to seek out approval from others, believing attempts like that won't ever sell well. Takumi ranks Eichiro's murder as being 20 points for his misdeeds, and notes that Eiichiro's manga, while he does like it, won't ever be a bestseller since it's just too ordinary (to the point he marks Eichiro's manga as just being 55 points, even though Takumi likes it)

Upon hearing this, Eichiro (who had been progressively losing his mind) snaps and attacks Takumi, trying to kill him with his Wolverine-eqsue pens. But, Takumi get's the leg up and kill Eichiro similarly to how Mukuro Ikusaba died.

Eichiro is a man that seeks out praise above all else since he sorely lacked that in life. Self-describing himself as dull, he believes his only redeeming quality is his artistic skills since it net him one praise he got in life. He is very sensitive to people dismissing him and his hard work.

Eventually, his need for approval escalated until he became a serial killer, killing others to use as reference for his work out of some desire to gain what he wanted the most.

Rundown

In Killer Killer's theme of Passion vs Shallowness, Eichiro represents Shallowness in the form of attention and represents the dangers of being obsessed with validation from others. He wants people to notice him, and gives him the praise he feels he deserves. It's what fuels him to become a mangaka and drives him to the point that became a copycat killer to try to get what he wanted.

But its all at a detriment to himself. He focused so hard on his artistic skills he neglected his personal life, be it making friends or enjoying life that he made his own self-esteem issues worse. And because what he chased after was something so brief, and in a career so demanding, it had become a cycle of toxic disappointment and desperation. It's basically a self-fulfilling downward spiral in a way.

Another aspect of Eichiro that's telling to his own 'dullness' is the form of manga he made, a documentary, and even his own killing: copycat murders. He's essentially recapping events that most people in the world at the time would be privy about, and committing the cardinal sin for those in the artistic world - plagiarism. No one really cares for his work because he's essentially just regurgitating common knowledge for the public. If he had made something more original, he'd probably would get better success, but given how much he shut himself away to 'hone his talent' he probably doesn't have the life skills or proper imagination for it (and never will thanks to Takumi).

Finally, he's killed in similar way to Mukuro's Spears of Gungnir, though instead of spears its his own pens that kill him. in Danganronpa, ironic murders are all the rage, so you can think of it as symbolizing his own talent - his own crutch and downfall in life - being the one to lead him astray and betray him.

Personal Thoughts

I really like Eichiro, because he's one of the few characters in Killer Killer to be fully fleshed out. In backstory, in motivations, in personality - he's brimming with it in one chapter, when most of the main cast lack it in all 14. (Probably since the writer for KK is speaking from their own feelings in the industry, but that's just me). He's one of the few gems that I can say are good about Killer Killer and wish the other killers replicated. Especially Ted, who debuted in chapter 3.

I also like Eichiro in how he fleshed out an established lore item in DR2, that being the Tragedy manga found in endgame. He's heavily implied to be the author of that, and I always appreciate it when the DR series tries to build upon past continuity. Same reason why I like Koichi or Another Episode! Or later on concepts like the Mukuro Cult. It's building upon and even expanding the world of DR in a pretty good way. And in a 'flash, but little substance' story that Killer Killer seems to tred, stuff like that needs to be treasured.

Also, even as a killer, I just like he's the sort that should have been promoted more - he feels like a realistic DR villain. He's not drinking blood due to thinking it'll make him younger, he doesn't have parasite monsters that break the world - no, he's just a copycat killer trying to use his murders to increase his fame and get him praise. That's it, and God is it refreshing.

In short: Eiichiro is a breath of fresh air in the Killer Killer entry.

-

With that, another Killer Killer entry done! Hope it's a good read, with the next up being, again, the miscellaneous section of the DR novel side.

[shockersalvage]

Wait wait wait wait. Is the background of the cover meant to be Borges? Blue Ink’s eye? Since that was blue and gold, wasn’t it?

Not quite. The blue background of volume 2 is just the sky. As for Borges, you're only partially correct. It's gold, as shown in the volume 3 cover of DRT. But it is not blue and gold.