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shockersalvage · 2 years

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Danganronpa Gaiden: Killer Killer Rewrite

Heyo! To those reading this, this is basically how I would have handled Killer Killer if it was kept in the same 14 chapter set-up it had. Not sure if I said it here, but to make things explicit I genuinely think of out of the Hope’s Peak Academy saga of the franchise, Killer Killer is the very worst of it in terms of how it handles it story and world. Yes, even more than Danganronpa 3 in that regards.

I love its art and Killer Killer is chalked full of great concepts, but it kind of feels as if the writing leaned too far into the ‘CrAzInEsS’ of the Danganronpa world...and kinda forgetting that as wacky as it can be, even Danganronpa’s story (especially in regards to the games) still held itself to a set of (well, I can’t say realistic) a grounded world. DR3 also has that problem, but that’s for another time.

Now, going into this, I swore to one thing: I can not outright get rid of any cast members the manga introduces. I can tweak concepts and story elements, but if the series wants a mad bomber Ultimate, I can’t get rid of the mad bomber Ultimate. Personally, I’m of the belief that it’s better to fix something wrong than just outright get rid of it

NOTE: This does not serve as a replacement ot the RE: Killer Killer I am working on. Think of this like another AU meant to serve well with the another rewrite I’m working on.

Chapter One

Honestly, no real changes to the first chapter. It serves as a pretty decent way to introduce both Misaki and Takumi, as well as the twist of Takumi being Killer Killer. Now, the one thing I will tweak is the 1st serial killer’s motivation.

Momomichi Ito…hoo boy. I feel as thought they were trying way too hard to show he’s ‘CRAZZZZZY’ and over the top, which kinda hurts when he’s the first villain of the week we’re supposed to see to get used to this new world way of doing things. So for him, I’d make it so that the people he killed were critics of his show, ranging from religious extremists to just your average music reviewer. Make him a vain narcissist that sees himself as the second coming of Maizono’s group and the music industry…and go ballistic when people think his work isn’t perfect. No need to have be some off the rocker for a motive that really doesn’t mesh well at all….

And yeah, no giant syringe of fucking blood. He does get a syringe, but its a normal one for knocking people out with sedatives.

For his murders, I also think he’d be the type to bully his backstage crew into doing the grunt work for his set-up so himself isn’t suspected too much. As for how he gets caught, I kind of like to think that the same warning message he used to send to Future Foundation, would be in the same style he uses for an autograph. On that note, this gives Takumi some legitimate detective prowess than his ‘sixth sense’ the manga keeps using to explain how he suddenly knows whose a killer or not. Because that never gets old!~ Hah…

Chapter Two:

Now, time for the real changes!~ Rei, whose in silhouette at the start, is in her hideout and she winds up receiving an envelope on her table. Inside is a photo of her misdeeds and a note saying that if she doesn’t go after Killer Killer, she will be exposed. With her hand forced, she blatantly kills her next victim at Ongo Hospital.

In this version, Rei kills her victims in her forest hideout, using them like in canon as parasite hotels. In this version, her parasites don’t fuse to become a giant monster and resemble…well actual parasites instead of those weird monsters. Takumi, and eventually, Misaki suspects her, when its found that the records for those who did the surgery/check-up on the victim was lost due to an accident with Rei. While Rei does sic her parasites on Takumi, with claims that she can’t be killed by them due to her modifying such parasites to recognize her as one, she’s ultimately killed when Takumi ends up splashing blood from one of her victims on her. The parasites devour her alive and her body is found by Future Foundation forces that eventually discover her location from their own separate investigation.

Mekuru’s introduction has her apart of a B-plot with Misaki trying to bond with her, since Takumi is in the hospital. Ultimately, its their shared desire of seeing evil stopped that allows them to work together. In this rewrite, Mekuru’s Drowsing Deduction requires information before she can give an accurate lead - with both finding out Rei’s hideout on their own. As a side nugget of info, its also revealed that Rei’s parasitolgy research was also being funded a bit by some organization.

The blackmailer of Rei is disappointed, but not really surprised that she failed. Ultimately, he surmises from such information that in order to further his plan, instead of an ordinary killer…he’ll have to hire some whose more of an Ultimate - pulling up information on a certain fireworks artist.

Chapter 3:

We see Ted Chikatilo confronting our blackmailer whose in the shadows. He wants to know why the heck an Ultimate like himself should even bother taking on Killer Killer, especially since he never ran into that serial killer before. In this Ted is the owner of the serial killing gambling and is enjoying making his profit in secret.

In response, the Villain shows him the potential extra moolah, he could gain from hosting a show featuring the elusive serial killer and the notoriety that can be gained as well. Plus, if he plays his cards right, he can both beat Killer Killer and wipe out a good portion of the Sixth Division of Future Foundation. Something that can get Ted to be favored by a certain organization. The last part is what gets Ted’s interest and he begins plotting

Concerning the plot with Eiichiro, its pretty much the same - though his corpse is used by Takumi as a fee for entering the serial killer gambling. Albeit, he’s disguised, with Takumi himself wearing a cloak and the Sparkling Justice mask from DR2 that he stole from Eiichiro. In his hands is a poster for Killer Killer as the main event in serial killing gambling.

Chapter 4:

In this chapter, Future Foundation gains knowledge of the Killing Festival being hosted at Tify Ariake Arena this time. The Foundation has heard about the event for months, but given its secrecy and how it never has a set location, they haven’t had much luck in regards to stopping them. Not wanting to give a Death Game any sort of support given the fiasco with Junko’s game, they make plans to do a raid to arrest everyone involved in the Festival.

In this case, Juzo and Takumi are to pose as Killer Killer and Juzo as a Ted Chikatilo copycat (IDK call him Ned Bikatilo or something XD). Likewise, to sell the illusion of them being legit killers they were supposed to use dummy corpses created by the Ultimate Make-up Artist…granted, Takumi sell his guise later by using Eiichiro’s corpse which he never quite discloses to his comrades.

For Misaki, given how this is her first official raid, her nerves are on her. Especially given how this Festival raid has her finally meeting Juzo. This is operations is a co-op between Juzo’s Special Forces and Special Crime Unit. She also gets to see first hand how he treats the leader of his Special Forces, Kenji Tsuruhashi…namely by yelling at him and threatening him to get on with things during their meeting. With Mekuru’s Drowsing Deduction after getting information on the arena’s layout, they plan on quietly neutralizing the Festival’s security while the audience is distracted with Juzo and Takumi’s fighting. Afterward, they would surround the audience via the arena’s entrances and quickly captured them. With the majority of the people corralled and exits blocks, any stragglers can be hunted down and taken in without too much resistance.

Given the role Takumi is playing, in addition to her prior experiences with Killer Killer, Misaki is both concerned over his safety…and partially suspicious. Though, she tries to dismiss it as being impossible. That being said, she does wish to apprehend Killer Killer for essentially ruining justice properly for their past cases.

When the plan goes off, it initially seems as if they will have a clean run through of their operations, with security going down fairly easily. A bit…too easily? During Juzo and Takumi’s match, Ted’s voice on an intercom interrupts to announce to the crowd both’s affiliation with Future Foundation…and how the the place was filled to the brim with such opposition! Before the squads knew it, metal doors shut down on the exits. Effectively sealing them in with an audience full of pissed off onlookers and criminals.

It’s then that Ted appears on television to announce this ultimatum: to the audience, they have to kill every last Future Foundation personnel in the building…or else he’ll blow up the entire building with bombs that he planted all around the arena.

Chapter 5:

Given the events of last chapter, Future Foundation is in a fight for their lives as the crowds begin fighting for their lives. It’s this chapter where we see Future Foundation’s specialized paralysis ammo they use in their firearms, as well as the fighting prowess of both Ikue Dogami and Juzo. While the cast is doing their best, they are gradually beginning to get overwhelmed and the knowledge of the time limit is clearly on their minds.

Ultimately, they decide to split off. With Mekuru’s Deduction, she, Dogami and some others will go off to look for the probably locations of the bombs. Juzo and most of his Special Forces will fight against the audience to both apprehend them and give the others time. Misaki, Takumi and Kenji are tasked with heading to the upper levels of the arena to look for Ted.

As they head up the arena’s stairs towards the rooftop, both Misaki and Takumi are discussing how bizarre it was that the enemy somehow knew they were coming, especially since this was a top secret mission that most shouldn’t be aware of outside the Future Foundation forces in play. Takumi half-jokes that their’s a traitor in their midst, something that gets Kenji and Misaki to tell him to quit playing about.

When they check into one of the rooms nearby the top, see the Republic’s of Lamieca’s Defense Secretary dead. They assume he was a backer of the Festival, but the fact such a high profile figure was dead here was going to cause problems once this was over. During the inspection of the corpse, Kenji makes an off-hand commented on the exact amount the SoD gave to the Festival…

Which gets both Misaki and Takumi to wonder how the hell does he know that. With the gig up, Kenji is forced to reveal he was the traitor that helped lure the division into this trap. In exchange for leaving with Ted prior to the explosives being set off and givine the bomber info on their plan, Kenji could finally kill Juzo for treating him like shit. When they ask about the SoD, Kenji explains it was insurance so to speak. On the offhand Juzo did survive, the loss of the SoD, ontop of losing most of his personnel in this raid, woudl no doubt earn the public’s ire and calls for him to resign.

Misaki is enraged at such a corrupt figure being on the force and tells Takumi to go on ahead whilst she deals with him. This is meant to give Misaki her own moment, as wel las strengthen her beliefs in dishing out proper justice. Being a platoon head, though, Kenji is quite strong. Yet, his arrogance and short temper leaves him wide open for Misaki to get a good shot on him, stunning him enough to be apprehended.

With Kenji defeated, the scene transitions to Ted and Takumi’s own matter which plays out similarly to how it was in chapter 5 of the manga.

Chapter 6:

This plays roughly out how it is in the manga. Misaki catches up with both Takumi and Ted, but Ted is using his mesmerizing fireworks. Only real key difference is that he reveals a tidbit on how he should thank ‘that person’ for getting him to go against Killer Killer and inspiring his new motivation. That is, to get the Remnants of Despair to rally and continue spreading chaos with a Director of Future Foundation dead. Ted himself is not an Ultimate Despair, but he does value their work and wants to ensure that chaos is the dominant force in the DR world. He had hoped that if he pulled off his plan, it would impress such an organziation to both allow him formally into the upper class of their organization (not like the unfocused Monokuma masked mob that’s piling about) and continue making more frightening shows with their backing.

Same as in the current story, Ted is killed by his own fireworks and Takumi feigns as if he was still brainwashed as Misaki to avoid her finding out about the truth of Killer Killer. However, upon learning that Killer Killer was the one to beat Ted, she vows even more to apprehend them. The corruption of her colleague just re-igniting her desire to stop evil a ‘helpful’ killer like Killer Killer. From there, we learn that the others managed to find and disarm the explosives, whilst the surviving audience were all arrested. As for Kenji, however, he had disappeared.

Still, Munakata is impressed with the Festival being effectively over. In addition, with learning Killer Killer still had no possibility of despair, he ows his Foundation won’t crumble. Kyoko also asks about Shuji, same in canon. At his hideout, Shuji happily is sitting in his locker…whilst Kenji is found, tied up and unconscious on the floor.

Chapter 7:

The plot plays out fairly similar to main storyline. Key difference is Mimiko is inspired to ‘duel’ Killer Killer after recieving an anonymous tip from the Villain, and believing that if she can beat him then she can protect her Kinari with no issue. Naturally, she fucking dies for her attempt via beheading, but it should be noted Takumi doing his whole ‘one knife slices apart the fucking building’ shtick is absent in this. Coolness is no excuse to break the world.

Like in the original, Misaki meets up with Shuji, who asks for help in stopping Takumi from being Killer Killer. Something that leaves her immensely shocked and taken aback.

Chapter 8:

I really love this chapter! Has to be one of my favorites from Killer Killer...which isn’t a super high bar to jump over XD The only notable changes I would make would be Mukuro being covered up instead of blatantly out in the open killing people (seriously, what was with both DR3 and DRG deciding that the duo that spearheaded the end of the world don’t know the meaning of ‘stealth’ and covert operations)?

Also some more clarification that such an attack happened prior to the UD girls enrollment in Hope’s Peak. Instead of both meeting outside the school like a couple of dopes, instead Mukuro is in some old building getting a radio message from her sister about how this job was just a ‘check-in’ of sorts.

Now, given how both boys at least recognize Mukuro, I would make it so that during the chaos, Mukuro’s mask is knocked away a bit. Takumi gets a good look at her…but given his psychological breakdown, his new mental state has him be appreciative of the ‘one who showed him the way’. In Shuji’s case, he barely gets a glimpse, but upon watching the Killing Game years later, he learns of her identity and reacts in horror upon who made him just one of two survivors.

In this version, Misaki is more visibly in shock and denial. Logically, Takumi being Killer Killer would make sense with the irregularities of the prior cases…but at this point she had become really attached to her partner. Tension rising as it turns out Takumi was hiding in a box behind them...and they overhear how Mukuro Ikusaba was on the loose.

Final Arc (Chapter 9 - 14):

Now the final Killer Killer arc: honestly, I don’t think it needs too much in terms of rewriting to be made solid I feel? Personally, I think this most of this last stretch just needs some more depth to make it work more…………and you all know what’s getting a major cut-out in the final chapter.

For the Ikusaba invasion, from the get-go have it be explained that these Mukuro attackers are just female Remnant of Despair cultists of her trying to imitate her. They romanticised her as a martyr and got plastic surgery from somwhere on the black market to look more like their idol, so they could continue ‘her wish’ right.

After their defeat, we get Misaki tearfully accepting the truth that Takumi is Killer Killer and she gets stabbed by Shuji. Shuji then explains his motives, with the nice handy bonus that he sent Rei, Ted, Mimiko and the Ikusaba Cultists all after Takumi in order to scare him into giving up being Killer Killer. From there, we get the scenes where he’s chased off and it transitions into the hospital with Mekuru and Misaki.

Now, Mekuru! You know how DRG said she and Takumi met before, but never went into detail why? Well, we have her finally explain her story. On how she was all alone during the Tragedy and was about to be killed by some Remnants before Takumi killed them. In addition, he even escorted her to safety...which is how he met Ikue Dogami. It’s why she holds trust in him despite being such a notorious killer. Considering the despair she’s feeling from essentially declaring herself the one to apprehend Killer Killer…only to get stabbed with the awful truth, this is something that helps get her out of her funk a deal.

Of course, we then move on to hearing about Shuji’s killing game. You know that guy Shuji killed to prove he’s Killer Killer…except when you think about it doesn’t really prove anything. He just kinda stabbed him, no real indicator of his crimes or proof. Well, Kenji takes his place, with Shuji showcasing the recording of him murdering the DF Secretary. Tears in his eyes, Kenji pleads for his life but he’s murdered. This, of course, would piss Juzo off something fierce. Now, concerning the bomb threat Shuji also made, perhaps have him detonate one in some random part of Japan. As means to show that, yes, even the bombs he stole were legitimate and real.

From there, the manga continues as usual. Takumi and Misaki try to survive against both the FF guards, panicked public and other Remnants being shits. Now, before I continue, I have to address the scene with Tengan in Chapter 11…and how he has Despairful eyes. Which is a good indicator that he likely watched the Despair Video and is brainwashed by it…

*closes old man Jenkins eyes*

Nope! Sorry! Fuck that! Someday I’ll show the other one I’m working on, but I can say that Tengan being likely kbrainwashed is not a thing here. He’s still an extremist, mind you, but he doesn’t need to watch a video to go that far. We stan wrecks that can be wrecks by themselves in this…bloghold?

Anywho, the fight between Takumi and Shuji is mostly unchanged. They get their big showdown and…okay, I can’t put this off for much longer.

The Recapitation….

What I consider to tbe the single greatest fucking sin in this series is next…the amount of hatred I have for it is immense. Everyhing wrong with Killer Killer can be summed up in the above. In Danganronpa, every other series, if a characters get their throat slashed...they die. The series has always been consistent with how fatal its injuries can be for its cast since, while most are Ultimates, they are also human. It grounds them. But here!? NOPE! Fuck how it works usually! Takumi can decapitate someone and they suffer no injuries because, for whatever reason, the writers thought it was a good idea to have their story not give a damn about the rules!! Arghhhhhhhh... But that begs the question:

What the hell can it be replaced with?

Well, I think the answer is fairly simple. As a way of admitting defeat, Shuji tosses the control switch for the collar. No bullshit neck severing/reattaching. Just a man who tried his damndest to change someone’s view, in his dying moments, fully accepting such a path in life and giving up their ambitions. No bullshit ‘it was that clean’ nonsense! Just a good way to tie up Shuji’s arc further and have it be that. Okay? Okay.

Minor notes before I continue, the panels of Munakata seeing the Remnants is getting tweaked so that he sees potentially gets glimpses of some of their features, but nothing concrete. Because both DR3 and DRG kinda forgot about the whole ‘Remnants identities aren’t supposed to be revealed to FF until after Makoto’s NWP is in motion. Well, sorta. DR3 did bring it up in the Despair Arc finale as to why they were faking their deaths…….except Future’s Arc first episode contradicts that with showing blatantly out in the open and attacking the Directors. Ugh...just, don’t think too hard on it.

Anyways, with the worst of the story out, we can safely transition into the both of Takumi and Misaki having their Super Lovers Suicide without error!~ A nice rather happy ending for these two lovebirds!~

Overall

What this aimed to fix were several things

1. Make the cast abilities be more grounded in reality/not-so bullshit and be more logical. This is a manga centered about a group of detectives, have them showcase more of said skill instead of just going by ‘intuition’ and even have the their broken side of them toned down or given a logical buffer. Such as Mekuru’s deductions needing information so she can give an accurate reading. Stuff like that helps make it feel as if the cast aren’t OP tools, but still humans like the rest.

2. Give focus to concepts/cast that lack it and help bring them in closer ot the narrative. Sorry to say, but the villain of the week idea really didn’t help the manga much for me. One too many chapters just feel like filler or wasted concepts that had a lot of intrigue to them. By having a deal more of the villains be essentially mercenaries sent after Takumi by Shuji or connecting them with others concepts to give both more depth, I felt it would have made things better narratively. For example, I love Ted’s design and the concept of a rogue Ultimate is great...but he kinda just...doesn’t really do much? Or seem to much connected with things? Doesn’t help he really doesn’t have him a motivation for what he’s doing unlike the other villains. I lvoe the idea of killer gambling...but its just kinda thrown in without much care. So, why not combine the two? Have him be a sadistic greedy showman who wants profit and eventually infamy for his handiwork, with the Festival being a way he makes his dough.

3. Crazy does not equal genius - it needs to go. Sorry to any of you who enjoyed the over to the top insanity the manga brought...but it needs to go. I already went into my loathing of the Recapitation, but from the parasite monsters weird designs and fusio to Shuji’s skills becoming more bullshit by cutting a damn roof in half just.....no. No. Its uneeded. Craziness can be allowed, but you need to be thoughtful with it and use it wisely. Why isn’t Sakura busting down the walls of the Academy? Because being the Strongest Human still doesn’t mean you can do whatever the fuck you want and the games recognize that. Which is why its baffling that the manga doesn’t and decides cutting off roofs with a small ass knife is a-okay!!? Ugh...

Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this! It was fun thinking of these fixes!~

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