#i know the not-danganronpa game is also out today

[wuwubean]

oh yeah with the undertale news destroying my brain i almost forgot that GHOST TRICK IS OUT TODAY!!! GHOST TRICK GAME OF THE YEAR EVERY YEAR GO PLAY IT RIGHT NOW!!!

[aetherphobia]

Y'know what? I feel like throwing myself to the wolves today.

Hello Danganronpa fandom! I would like to hear unbiased opinions, please. Emphasis on unbiased.

In my opinion, V3 was honestly one of the weaker games of the franchise. And our resident asshole (/lighthearted) of the game, Kokichi, is believe it or not, not a perfectly written character.

Please do not come onto this post calling me a dumbass that is falling for "propaganda." I know his plan was to end the killing game the whole time. The problem is that he doesn't have a solid motive to do so. At least not one that is clear to the viewers. His plan may have been to checkmate the mastermind, but his plan seems to fall apart when you realize he has no proof Monokuma would end the killing game. He’s doing this massive elaborate plan, assuming Monokuma won’t just pick a random person to execute so the game can continue. Because fundamentally, this game is unfair. Kokichi assuming Monokuma would play fair makes his plan just seem redundant, as well put together as it may have been. A buddy of mine posted a similar opinion a couple days ago and got absolutely dogpiled because she wasn't absolutely praising the hydrologic press that he was crushed in (too soon? Nah it's been four years it's fine). In fact, one of the points made above was one I directly copy pasted got from her in specific and I took so that you as the readers could hear her without her getting all the notifications. will not be stating any names out of my respect and care for this friend. But for the love of god, don't dogpile anyone for their opinions.

The purpose of this post is to hear outsider, completely unbiased opinions about Kokichi as a character. So when replying to this post, take those biases and lock them away in a safe. You don't need to throw them away entirely, just put them away until you hit the post button. Info dump to me and clearly point out what exactly his motive was, based entirely on the context clues of the game. What are things that are clear as day? What can be read in between the lines? Why did he want to end the killing game? What was his motive? If you think you know the motive, explain to me what I apparently missed and when it happened. Provide me proof and screenshots. Just all around make it make sense without using profanity and calling me an imbecile for not understanding something that was not written in a way that was clear. I dont not want those kinds of responses, as they really do not help. And as lightheartedly as possible, calling me names in the replies over something like this really doesn't provide me with a reason to take your word for it.

And hey! If you agree with me, I would also genuinely love to hear your personal take on the whole thing and what you think could've been done better with his character. What are your ideas? What do you think would've been really cool and interesting if it had been implemented?

I do not condone the way a lot of you handled my friend's post. So please do not talk to me the same way. Please come in to this post with the assumption that I have already completed the game and I already know what happened.

I humbly await for your perspectives.

[kaibutsushidousha]

Hi not to Danganronpa-post in 2024 but I've been reading the V3 anthology and one thing I noticed was that Yumeno has very different speech patterns from in the English localization?? Obviously this is because the anthology was handled by a different translator but the changes are so huge (as an example, her using "tis", which she never once did in English DRV3) that it makes me wonder about... why they wouldn't include that? Do you have any thoughts about this since you've played V3 in both languages?

Yes to Danganronpa-post in 2024, we aren't Danganronpa-posting in 2024 enough.

On Yumeno's case, I don't know what to say that you haven't already saw yourself. English Yumeno speaks pretty normally aside from her nyehs. Japanese Yumeno speaks like a girlish version of the generic old wizard archetype in fantasy and RPG. Nowhere close to normal teenager speech. The consensus among V3 fan translators before the loc came out to handle her unique voice with thou, 'tis, and these other pseudo-Shakesperianisms.

Now for "why they wouldn't include that", I think I have to once again go back to the old post explaining how V3's localization worked.

Danganronpa games are entirely made of character dialogue. All narration is just the protagonist inner thoughts. So V3's team chose to split their workload by characters. Who got which character in that is a topic I already covered here. In this post, I also made a comment explaining why I believe Yumeno lost her proper character voice while the rest of the cast didn't, and that's a theory I still stand by today.

[ultimatemissadhd]

You guys want complex characters but you couldn't even understand Kyoko Kirigiri - Kyoko defending post.

So today I'm gonna talk about Kyoko framing Makoto because you guys only foucs on Makoto in here which drives me insane.

Yes, it was unfair that Makoto got framed. But don't forget that Kyoko was getting framed too, it's not like Kyoko framed Makoto for a murder she committed. The dead body belonged to Mukuro who died chapters ago.

Of course, Kyoko could have pulled out an inspirational speech and sacrifice herself for Naegi but there was no place for that bullshit.

Haven't you seen the bad ending? If Kyoko dies, they never get out of the killing game, the tradegy goes on forever and they don't even know.

And Kyoko knows that. Kyoko knows she's the only person who can end the killing game with all the information and evidence she got. As much as, some of these were in her room, that still wouldn't be enough for others. Plus they would probably have no reason to go there after she dies, I also wouldn't be surprised if Junko got rid of the evidence in Kyoko's room after she died.

The whole reason why the trail was in the first place was because Junko wanted to stop Kyoko from destroying her killing game. Kyoko knows that.

Now, Kyoko finds herself in a situation where she's about to get executed and the "if you vote the wrong person then you all die" rule is not going to help her anymore since the whole thing is rigged and she's being framed by the mastermind. She knows that if she dies the killing game will never and go on forever AND SHE'S RIGHT. She's nervous, she's scared, she's in a point of no escape.

She has to choices:

1. Die and lnever defeat the mastermind and have everyone locked in there forever, mastermind wins, all the deaths meant nothing.

2. Frame someone else, live and defeat the mastermind and then avenge the deaths of everyone including the person who got framed.

There's no place for sacrifice bullshit here.

Kyoko choses to save herself, not because she's selfish or arrogant but because she believes in her abilities and the knowledge she has.

Makoto ends up being the person who gets executed instead and that's s pretty much a random thing because it really could have been anyone. Yes, she feels guilty and yes, she knows it's unfair. But it was the only thing to do so she can end the killing game.

Makoto survives and she goes to look for him and saves him and she does it pretty quickly. She goes there, brings him food and water, then helps him get back to the building. If she didn't care about him, she wouldn't think about what happened to him.

The fact that she was the only one to do so, maybe because she detailed map of the school that she got from some secret room, however the fact that she threw herself down the trash to save Makoto shows that she cares. But I think it's safe to say that if she didn't go down there, there's a huge chance that no one would.

In conclusion, chapter 5 is not all about Makoto. I hate when people make it all about him and how it was unfair for him and JUST for him. Because if you think about it, it wasn't fair for anyone and Kyoko had no choice, just like everyone else. They couldn't just not vote, they had to vote for someone.

Kyoko is an interesting character because like I mentioned before, what you'd except from a Danganronpa female support character would be inspirational sacrifice to let the protagonist solve everything by themselves and "I believe in you" and blah blah.

That scenario just doesn't work here because Makoto alone doesn't have enough information and knowledge to defeat the mastermind by himself.

Another thing is that Kyoko apologies and explains everything as soon as she sees Makoto.

Makoto forgives her not because he is a loser people pleaser although he is but not here but because he knows Kyoko and trusts her and he knows that she has those information that could help save the killing game, he knows that without her they wouldn't defeat the mastermind.

Kyoko Kirigiri is a character with her own morals, brain, way of thinking and mind. She is a deep powerful character who was one of the main reasons Junko was defeated. Yet, she gets very little credit. This would bring us to talking about the anime but that's a topic for another day and another rant.

[rhondafromhr]

Headcanon that Grace’s love language is media. She obviously has a lot of hangups about physical touch and I feel like she wouldn’t be the best at using words to comfort people (love her but she’d probably accidentally say something that made them feel even worse lol), so if one of her friends is distressed she’ll put something on (movie, show, video game, etc) that she either knows is their favorite or thinks they’ll like. She’s weirdly good at guessing, too, and she’s helped them all discover new favorites.

With Steph, whenever her dad says something that really stings (even if Steph will never admit it and will say she’s just annoyed that he won’t get off her case), they watch so much trash reality TV together. Grace insists that it’s sinful filth and she’s only tolerating it for Steph’s sake, but she gets super invested to the point of actually yelling at the TV and it never fails to get Stephanie to crack a smile. Stephanie’s actually gotten into Twitter beefs with a couple cast members from previous seasons of Love Island (they just HAD to defend that problematic dog) and Grace thinks that’s the coolest thing ever.

With Pete, it’s old school video games. He has every retro console imaginable and especially likes the older Legend of Zelda games. Whenever he’s feeling down, Grace just has to get him rambling about the lore and showing her all the hacks and Easter eggs in the games and soon he forgets whatever was bothering him.

With Richie, it’s the Danganronpa games. Whenever they figure out who did it, she has endless thoughts on why the culprit’s plan was stupid and what they should have done differently to not get caught and Richie finds it both amusing and mildly concerning. They also watch a lot of anime in general (obviously, it’s Richie after all) and he’s endlessly fascinated by Grace’s deep analysis of the religious symbolism he didn’t catch on his previous watches.

With Ruth, it’s classic movie musicals. Ruth has a lot to say about them and the influence they’ve had on musicals today and at first, whenever she catches herself rambling about it she apologizes for being annoying and gets super flustered and embarrassed, but Grace encourages her to keep going because at least Ruth isn’t crying anymore. Grace actually really enjoys the music and the pretty costumes and larger than life choreography. She also appreciated that there was no sex/vulgarity in them until Ruth ruined it by explaining that there totally is, they just had to rely on more subtle innuendo. As a wise man once said, a song is a dick in sheep’s clothing. They also watch newer musicals sometimes, although they’re limited to ones that have pro shots or movie versions available because Grace refuses to watch bootlegs. Once Ruth’s really comfortable with her, she points out all the characters that are dream roles of hers and how she’d portray them.

With Max (assuming a Max lives/gets redeemed AU), it’s cartoons. He’s reluctant to admit to liking them because he’s worried it’ll make people think he’s stupid and childish, but one day he came to her house looking like he’d been crying after his dad really went in on him for failing a test and she put on Gravity Falls at random. She doesn’t approve of the satanic magic it promotes, but he seemed to like it and she would have done anything to get that devastated look off of his face and make him stop putting himself down. They also regularly watch Veggie Tales together after they discover they both grew up watching it.

She also makes them a cup of hot water to sip on because that’s what her mom always does for her when she’s sad. They all think it’s weird, but they still drink it because they appreciate the gesture and over time it sort of grows on them.

[anonzentimes]

Regarding the opinion that Nagito is a relatable character, I totally agree! He is very contradictory, but that makes him relatable. I think the reason he was looking for something absolute was because he didn't want to get hurt emotionally. I really like the following part of the line he says at Nagito's ending of Island Mode, and it made a strong impression on me:

I thought I would finally be released from the cycle of good and bad luck, but I was clinging to false hope...

(I took this quote from the Danganronpa fandom wiki, so I'm not sure if this is the exact line in the Englsih version).

I didn't pay attention to that line the first time I played the game, and for a while I even forgot he said it. But when I replayed DR2 from the beginning and reached that ending again, I was really surprised because this line reveals his honest feelings quite well. I think that he said things like "luck is an absolute good thing" in the Free Time Events, and even seemed to be proud of his talent, but in reality he felt that his life, being at the mercy of bad luck and good luck, was painful. (Since he says "finally be released".) In other words, you can see here that he has an ordinary mind, at least originally.

He had to think that his life was very happy to protect his heart. In reality, he felt that his life was a mess and not going well. Thinking about that makes me really sad, but that is the line he says just before he asks Hajime to be his friend, and Hajime immediately accepted, so I hope he feels happy to be able to enjoy the ordinary moment of spending time with someone he likes for the first time!

Hi Asaka!!! :D yes that's the exact line in the english translation don't worry!

Nagito is such a complex and wonderful character, he is the result of horrible circumstances and horrible continuous tragedies. He clings onto his coping mechanism to have something to live for, and I think to some degree he's aware his life is quite miserable. He cares about his life but has developed in a way where he doesn't have to think about things like anyone else would, and in turn these coping mechanisms became unhealthy, obsessive, and causes him to act morally gray for the sake of so called hope.

I really do love that line because it really does show he acknowledges there that it is a horrible cycle! Usually he wouldn't come to terms with that exactly. Any time anything bad happens he knows good luck for him will strike again, he knows hope surely will happen soon, so he lives on. When good things happen he's scared of the bad luck ahead but appreciative of the moment, and especially if the good is hope he's thrilled because it's what he lives for at that point.

I think he hates his talent and doesn't see it as worth anything because it has killed everyone he's ever loved, but I also think at points he takes pride in it since it's the main thing he can say he has. He thinks he's worthless, but at least he's the ultimate lucky student, right? I think he believes that If he doesn't even live up to his awful talent then he's even more worthless than before. He truly can believe in his luck as the only thing occasionally valuable about himself, but even then he thinks it isn't that good.

He's good at hiding his emotions for the most part when they aren't so extreme, and he has become partially emotionally numb to some extreme situations. But what I love is that, you still can tell when you analyze him enough how he thinks and feels. He's an honest person and even when he lies his emotions shine through if big enough or something usually spills out. One of the examples I spotted today when replaying and loved is when he starts to get really nervous after lying to Hajime so much when investigating.

I think Nagito Komaeda is so relatable because he just feels so human, if that makes sense. His depth is really well done, the world and his coping mechanisms are unhinged but he himself emotionally feels real. We see him use coping mechanisms, have love languages, fear dying alone, be emotionally contradictory, go through struggles and trauma, see the impacts of said trauma, see him have complex beliefs, see him having an honest kindhearted personality, have good intentions while doing the wrong thing, have self esteem issues, have tonal issues, he is just so well written that I could list things that contribute to his depth forever. There is so much that makes him feel human, a lot of it is apart of the universal human experience, while other things are a lot more specific since it's fantasy. The thought of Nagito recovering, being able to finally live the ordinary life he's always wanted after everything, being loved, and not dying alone makes me so happy.

[lunarleonardo]

Do you know about that tier list website? I would absolutely love to see a visualization of your favorite tags to read or write about on A03, and/or your rankings of Danganronpa characters. ^^

you're asking me to share my OPINIONS on the INTERNET?

I left out anime-only characters (Ryota excluded) because it's been a hot minute since i've watched it. Some of these may or may not be controversial, I dunno. Tiktok has ruined me as a fandom enjoyer (⁠｡⁠•́⁠︿⁠•̀⁠｡⁠) still healing

If you like any of the characters I dislike, that's fine! I just didn't like them very much as I was playing the games ^^" Toko was a hard one to rank cus.. it's toko .... but I liked her a LOT better in UDG than in DR1. Chapter 3 of UDG especially made me looove Genocide Syo. girl why are you blowing everything up girl STOP!! THE PROPERTY DAMAGE

As for the ao3 tags list, I couldn't really find a good one for tags. So I just did one for tropes :P I've left out any that revolve around smut (since I don't read that) and things that I don't know about. I mostly read drv3 fics nowadays, but I used to stalk that Sans (Undertale) and Leonardo Hamato tag daily. speaking of which shuichi saihara whump writers where are yall at

Hurt/Comfort, Angst With A Happy Ending, Torture Recovery/Torture Aftermath are some of my favorite tags and things to write. In case that wasnt obvious xD

some fic types I also really enjoy are LAB AUS!! Superhuman stuff, specifically mermaids and vampires. I also reeeally like dragon AUs and stuff so maybe I'll just go entirely off the deep end and turn my favs into a dragon. I dunno. Also, Pokémon trainer AUs are fun when done right!! I have Crossovers filtered out because there's a lot of fandoms Im not into, but Pokémon AUs are so sick. Superpowers too!!! GODDD superpowers. Im so normal over them

A few other specific tropes I like are kidnapping, force feeding, psychological mindfuckery type shit, HUMILIATION especially I love humiliation. You know what how about I just rank whump tropes here we go

I am a HUGE whump fan. Massive whump fan. Angst With A Happy Ending has carried me through this lifetime from the minute I opened Warrior Cats: Forest Territory on roblox for the first time. I kidnapped way too many kids on there (⁠个⁠_⁠个⁠) rogue groups were my THING I loved being evil and twisted. I miss that game man people were so much fun then. I wouldnt have the confidence to roleplay on a Roblox game nowadays even if I tried (⁠╯⁠︵⁠╰⁠,⁠) it went from that to me googling "steven universe kidnapped fanfiction". and then i discovered ao3 and now look where we are

Anyway these rankings can change at any point as I grow and change as a person. What I dislike today I might like in a few months. So who knows :p

[1moreff-creator]

Danganronpa One Shot: Pre-Release Analysis

Let's gooo!

In case you're not aware, for the last sixteen days, there's been a countdown of sorts going on in venus-is-thinking's account, and I've been excitedly following it along! The big reveal happened today: a fangan called Danganronpa: One Shot, hosted in the account av-multifangan!

For now, we have little more than a title, an announcement post, an FAQ and an About Page. Which I hope don't have secrets in source code or anything because I don't know how to chekc that :p

But is that going to stop me from talking about it? Hell no! I'm going to follow this from the start, and that includes early theories based on literally two pictures and a countdown. Mainly character talents and the such. Let's get into it!

What we Have

As stated earlier, literally two images and a countdown.

So... yeah not a lot. However, I feel like the poster with the wheel could give us an idea of tone, at least. Seems on the more lighthearted side from first impression, even if a killing game will inevitably have some pretty sad moments to go along with it. At least that's the impression I get, could be wrong! There's a big theme of games of chance with all the imagery of wheels, money, poker chips... as well as weapons like guns, knives and nooses, as expected of a killing game. Particularly, we see American-looking $100 bills, which combined with the names of the characters, could suggest an American setting. But hey, it's a prediction post; if I get things wrong, I get things wrong!

The comment on the names is a nice segue for the reveal that the tags of the announcement post include the names of the characters!

Now, venus specifically claims the names are secret, but I actually have a guess of what each name refers to. I could be completely off, but I think the names might be listed in Countdown Order. So Sixteen is Vanessa Bravo, Fifteen is Jeff Breeze, etc. It fits decently well, makes some sense, and I have exactly two evidence points for it, which could very well be coincidences. So again, I might be completely wrong on this :v

There's also a surprising amount of last names which... are just words? "Love," "Breeze," "Bravo," "Hall," "Long," "Walker," "Young." Hell, "Rey" and "Torres" are words in Spanish ("king" and "towers" respectively). I assume it means nothing, but I do find it amusing.

But there's one name that's interesting to me above all others. "Mark Dros." Because it just so happens that "dros" is the acronym of Danganronpa: One Shot. Now, this could just be a coincidence, or even a very meta hint of a fake name/mastermind/something like that, but if it's not a coincidence, what I find likeliest is that Mark's last name is not revealed at the start of the series. Be it because Mark doesn't remember it, or because Mark's hiding it, or something else; if Mark's name is not initially revealed, then venus and accirax would be forced to tag Mark alongside the acronym of the fangan to differentiate this Mark from the countless other Marks out there.

Am I cooking? Am I burning down the kitchen? Who knows.

Anyways, let's actually get to so-called "character analysis." I'll refer to them by their number in the countdown (I'm not confident in the name guesses as you can see :p), which can be tied to the cards by color, and from the cards to the wheel via face recognition. It's going to be extremely embarrassing if I somehow get the wrong wheel sprite from the card drawing, so let's hope that doesn't happen!

I'll mostly go in Countdown Order for organization, though... it'd feel wrong not to start at the beginning, no?

Seven - Ace of Hearts [The Protagonist]

Pronouns: Any

Color: Hot Pink*

Countdown Symbol: Penny

Card Frame Symbol: Pennies

Wheel Color: N/A

More-or-less Confirmed Name: Ellis Ortiz

*(Note: These colors are taken from the ALT text of the countdown pictures. None of them use "plum" so they're acceptable in my eyes /ref :))

Those deep in the DROS lore (so, me and maybe two or three other people so far :p) know that Seven's countdown post was the only one accirax reblogged apart from 16 and 1, saying she did it for "no reason in particular." This is one of the things that made me think Seven could be the protagonist, which I was seemingly right about, but I could have never expected her to actually be played by accirax! This sort of roleplay format is really interesting, and I'm very curious to see how it plays out!

Well, I should point out that Seven isn't technically confirmed as the protagonist, but he may as well be. That means they're the only one with a confirmed name, as both the About post and the FAQ state accirax played Ellis. Ortiz comes from the tag. This is evidence point Nº1 for the names being in Countdown Order, as Ellis is listed seventh to last.

Apart from that, my previous guess of Seven being the Ultimate Lucky Student (based on the coins and the number seven being considered lucky) seems to hold up pretty well. The theme of chance and luck has only been made more prevalent with the announcement post, though it's to the point I almost wonder if Seven might be the Ultimate Game Show Contestant or something to that effect instead. However, since the About page claims some knowledge from THH is required, it's not unreasonable to assume this is a Hope's Peak class and thus needs a Lucky Student.

Plus, Ellis being Lucky would continue the age old tradition of Lucky Student protagonists: your Makoto Naegis (THH), your Yuki Maedas (DR Another), your Teruko Tawakis (DR Despair Time), etc. What this luck looks like is impossible to know so far, but since Seven seems like a relatively confident person at first glance, my best assumption is that he's aware of his good luck and uses it for their benefit. That's probably the guess I'm least confident about btw.

Seven's also connected to the Ace of Hearts, and looking at their glasses, yeah that makes sense :v The card is connected to new beginnings and love, which seems pretty in line for a protag.

Anyways, as a final note, I really love Seven's design and Vibe. Really fun looking protag, and since she's played by accirax, I would be foolish to expect anything but peak from them :D

Then again, the rest of the characters were written by venus, so I would be foolish to anything but peak from them either ;)

Alright, now we can start with-

Mascot

Pronouns: He/him

Color: N/A

Countdown Symbol: N/A

Card Frame Symbol: N/A

Wheel Color: Pink

Suspected Name: N/A (but probs Mono-something :p)

Right, this guy. Not included in the countdown, this little cameo in the announcement post is the only reference we have of this thing's existence. That means I genuinely have no guesses on what's going on with him.

I can't even know what I'm looking at, necessarily. It looks like a gem, maybe? I'm very curious to see this guy's full design, because I feel there's a lot being lost in translation to the wheel sprite :v

Alright, now we can start with Countdown Order. Jeez.

Sixteen - Queen of Clubs

Pronouns: She/her

Color: Lime Green

Countdown Symbol: Headphones

Card Frame Symbol: Headphones

Wheel Color: Pink

Suspected Name: Vanessa Bravo

Although headphones by themselves are a bit too vague for me to have made a guess from them alone back during countdown ages, the addition of a microphone in her card makes it seem that Sixteen is the Ultimate Singer! Or something to that effect, obviously exact wording is impossible for me to guess. In any case, I’m sure watching her perform would get anyone to say “bravo!”

… I’m very unfunny.

On top of that, while card symbolism is always pretty hard to pin down due to the large variety of possible interpretations, the queen of clubs' association with confidence and self-love seem in line with Sixteen's seemingly animated stage presence... I say, having exactly one picture of her. As always in these fangans, the persona of any performer will always come into question, so whether or not she's really as confident as she seems is yet to be seen. First impressions can be wrong, after all!

Anyways, I really like her design, her little hair accessory is everything :D

Fifteen - Jack of Hearts

Pronouns: He/they

Color: Teal

Countdown Symbol: Umbrella

Card Frame Symbol: Umbrellas

Wheel Color: Red

Suspected Name: Jeff Breeze

A cool looking guy to be sure, I... have no clue what Fifteen's talent may be. The towel they're holding makes me think the umbrellas are actually parasols, so maybe something like Ultimate Resort/Hotel Manager, Ultimate Tour Guide, Ultimate Vacationer, something to that effect?

Regardless, Fifteen looks like a relatively chill guy, which certainly fits the Jack of Hearts' connections to youthful love, passion, honesty and adventure. Seems like the sort of guy you'd really love to "shoot the breeze" with, huh?

... I gotta stop. These names are all gonna be wrong and this is gonna go from unfunny to straight up silly-

Fourteen - Queen of Spades

Pronouns: She/her

Color: Red

Countdown Symbol: Spade

Card Frame Symbol: Clubs, hearts, diamonds, spades

Wheel Color: Red

Suspected Name: Antonia Cisneros

Oh... oh she looks cool... and vaguely evil... Chat I fear I might have found a future favorite. Her smug little smile and and appealing design have enraptured me lol.

I particularly love the fact all four suits of the French deck are represented in her design; the club and spade accessories in her hair and belt (maybe?) respectively, the heart shaped dress, and the (I think) diamond earrings, she slays so much I worry she might "slay" a bit too literally if you catch my drift.

That aside, it seems my original guess of Ultimate Gambler or Poker Player or something to that effect remains solid, what with all the card imagery in her accessories and the cards she's holding. Especially notable given the series itself has quite a large theming around games of chance. Hell, all the characters are represented by cards in the French deck in the Header picture.

That could certainly imply a larger degree of importance for Fourteen than other characters. I expect her to be a common mastermind guess, but I personally think it'd be cool if she was the main killing game "antagonist," a la Byakuya. Of course, she doesn't have to be, but she's currently my best guess of who the "antag" might be, if there even is one at all.

This is especially so since the Queen of Spades can be associated with intelligence and logical judgement, which makes it seem like we might have a bit of a girlboss in our hands. As much as I'm excited to see all the characters, Fourteen is one that particularly intrigues me. Can't wait to meet her!

Thirteen - Queen of Hearts

Pronouns: She/her

Color: Gold

Countdown Symbol: Teacup

Card Frame Symbol: Laurel leaves, crown?, undetermined

Wheel Color: Pink

Suspected Name: Paris Hall

Speaking of girlbosses, Thirteen seems to be actively telling me to "spill the tea, sis" in her card, which is awesome. She looks like she'll be fun.

I originally didn't have much of a guess of what talent she might have, though Ultimate Tea Maker or something to that effect might still be the best guess. However, the combination of her color being gold, the crown-looking thing at the top right of her card, and the Laurus Nobilis leaves at the top make me consider she might be royalty? Ultimate Queen/Princess? Not impossible for sure. Though it would be pretty funny to call a monarch after the capital city of one of the most notoriously anti-monarchy countries in history, assuming I got the name right of course.

(...Should I mention that Cisneros, which could be Fourteen's last name, is the name of a historically important viceroy? Does this imply a thematic connection to Thirteen? I almost wanna look a bit deeper into it, but that's speculation on top of theories on top of speculation on top of theories, so I'll hold off for now)

In any case, I'm sure she'll be quite fun. The Queen of Hearts is associated with compassion and emotional intelligence, so I'm sure she'll be a good person to have around during the killing game! ... Provided we ignore the associations 13 has with bad luck :v

Twelve - King of Spades

Pronouns: He/any

Color: Dark Red

Countdown Symbol: X

Card Frame Symbol: X

Wheel Color: Red

Suspected Name: Aidan Ho

I didn't know what the X could represent on Countdown Day Twelve, and that hasn't changed just because we've added more Xs to the situation :v

Indeed, Twelve is one of the people for whom I have no guess of a talent. He's so weird that I don't even know what's happening with his hoodie??? Is Twelve wearing a half-blue, half-red thing??? What is this.

To be fair, though, the duality might be the point. The 12 in the countdown image was also split down the middle, although what this duality theming could imply is beyond me for now.

Very emo looking, though, I'm sure it'll be fun to see what his Deal is. The King of Spades holds similar meanings to the Queen of Spades, so I could see Twelve and Fourteen being a pair of sorts. Also potentially not, you know how this works.

Very mysterious dude... I'm excited to see where Twelve goes!

Eleven - Jack of Spades

Pronouns: They/them

Color: Orange

Countdown Symbol: Theater Masks

Card Frame Symbol: Theater Masks

Wheel Color: Orange

Suspected Name: Taylor Long

Really love the design of this Ultimate Actor (or something else theater-related)! They look pretty befuddled by that book, I wonder what they're reading?

I found conflicting reports on what the Jack of Spades symbolizes, but it's something along the lines of cleverness and hard work. Possibly a smart individual, then, and the fact they seem to be studying something in a killing game seems to corroborate the "hard working" thing. I'm interested in seeing them in action! It won't be "long" until we get to see how well that applies-

I gotta... I gotta stop.

Ten - King of Hearts

Pronouns: He/him (I really hope I'm not wrongly assigning the wheel things lol :v)

Color: Pink

Countdown Symbol: Rose

Card Frame Symbol: Roses

Wheel Color: Blue

Suspected Name: Davis Love

Ah, the classic trope of the "sopping wet cat guy," I suspect this one will be a big hit in the Tumblr crowd! Definitely connected to romantic love in some capacity, not just because I'm suspecting his last name is "Love," but more so because of the "they love me-they love me not" game he's playing in the Header image and the roses he's always accompanied by. Not to mention the King of Heart's connections to love and empathy and deep emotions.

Can't exactly tell what the pin he's wearing is, but it might be a rose too. Very Crystal Gem coded, this guy.

I wonder if "Ultimate Romantic" could be a valid talent, because that's the vibe he's giving me. Hey, I've seen weirder! If not, then I don't have many guesses of what he could be :p

Nine - Ace of Spades

Pronouns: They/them

Color: Purple

Countdown Symbol: Question mark

Card Frame Symbol: Question marks

Wheel Color: Orange

Suspected Name: Mark [Dros]

Ah, the classic Ultimate ???, huh? Well, maybe not, but that's my best guess for Nine! The mirror they're holding up could be a representation of them trying to remember their own identity, their talent... and possibly, their last name.

Indeed, the fact that "Mark Dros" happens to fall on Nine is my second evidence point for the name order I'm using. It's a theory built on top of a theory built on top of a guess, but it's what I have for now :v

In any case, I'm sure I'll love them. I'm always a sucker for mystery characters, be it in the form of weirdos like Okazaki Hanano (Tetro DR Pink), cryptids like Mai Akasaki (DR Despair Time), or as seems to be the case here, amnesiacs like Izanami Hoshimiya (DR (He)artless Deceit). And the mystery with this guy is exacerbated by the fact that the Ace of Spades has the most conflicting interpretations we've seen so far. It can represent power, authority, success, and good luck... or bad luck, defeat, and death. Quite literally impossible to tell what's going on, which is only fitting. Very intrigued by this one...

Eight - Queen of Diamonds

Pronouns: She/they

Color: Bright Blue

Countdown Symbol: Scalpel + Wizardry 8 reference

Card Frame Symbol: Scalpel

Wheel Color: Red

Suspected Name: Vivi Mitchell

Ah, my archnemesis.

The backstory here is that Eight's countdown image released after I had spent the entire day, from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon, in uni, and my brain was a bit fried from several hours of class and three hours of lab work. That's my excuse for fucking up not once, but twice with that image. Not only did I first think their symbol was a paintbrush (despite having checked ALT text for every day prior), I then proceeded to confuse the word "scalpel" for "chisel" and therefore assumed Eight would be a sculptor. You're allowed to laugh at me.

Anyways, third time's the charm, Eight is likely the Ultimate Surgeon/Doctor or something to that effect, and will most likely be our designated autopsy performer for at least the first few trials. They seem to be pretty upbeat from the one (1) image we have of them, so I'm sure they'll be fun to have around. The Queen of Diamonds seems to mostly represent wealth and power, which means... I don't know. Eight makes good money? :v

Also, still no idea what Wizardry 8 is, if anyone has any guesses on why that reference exists, please tell me pretty please?

Six - Ace of Diamonds

Pronouns: Any

Color: Brown

Countdown Symbol: Illuminati Symbol

Card Frame Symbol: Illuminati Symbols, but radiant

Wheel Color: Blue

Suspected Name: Kennedy Rey

It looks like Scott Smajor got a little too obsessed with Bill Cipher and turned into a Drew Flamboni kinnie. I wonder how many references it takes for no one but me to understand a sentence :v

In case the illuminati symbol wasn't enough, the red string she's holding, associated with insane cork boards filled with random connections, fully cements Six in my mind as the Ultimate Conspiracy Theorist, or something to that effect. Not sure what the rectangle in their shirt is meant to be, but I guess that'll have to wait for the actual release.

The Ace of Diamonds generally represents wealth and success, which makes me wonder how it could connect to Six. I guess... he might just be rich. Final note, while I'm still uncertain if I got the names right or not, if I am right, venus would be kinda crazy for calling the conspiracy theorist Kennedy, knowing the conspiracy theories surrounding JFK xD It would be iconic of her I think.

Five - Jack of Clubs

Pronouns: He/him

Color: Light Blue

Countdown Symbol: Page

Card Frame Symbol: None

Wheel Color: Orange

Suspected Name: Robert Smith

Now this one's interesting. While Five's countdown symbol of a page with a bent top right corner is etched into his design, being the pin he wears, he's the only character not to have any symbols on the frame of his card. I already had no good guesses for his talent before, just kinda throwing in Ultimate Writer or Ultimate Coder or equivalents as provisional guesses, but now they seem even less likely. Because the lack of symbols on the frame of his card could actually mean the page represents something different.

I think it's possible Five is meant to be a "blank slate," which could mean he has no talent at all. Of course, there's also the possibility that his average-ness is actually his talent, something like Ultimate Blank Slate or Ultimate Regular Person or Ultimate Guy. I'm probably way off, but who knows!

The Jack of Clubs has a few different meanings, but they're generally positive. Creativity, intelligence and sincerity seem to be the main themes. So I'm sure Five will be Perfectly Normal and have Nothing Wrong with him :)

Really curious to see this one!

Four - Jack of Diamonds

Pronouns: They/them

Color: Dark Green

Countdown Symbol: Gear

Card Frame Symbol: Gears

Wheel Color: Blue

Suspected Name: Grace Thomas

Another design I love at first sight, I really dig Four's vibe. They seem pretty straightforward so far; an Ultimate Mechanic or something to that effect (I am overusing that phrase so much), they give me the impression that they'll be a voice of reason within the killing game. The Jack of Diamonds seems to reference a "messenger" who helps people achieve financial goals, which extrapolated to the killing game, could imply Four will be some kind of important support. Probably will be helpful in trials, they seem smart. Entirely possible I might be off, but that kinda fits the vibe I'm getting from them.

Let's just hope the associations the number four has with death and misfortune aren't relevant...

Three - Ace of Clubs

Pronouns: She/they

Color: Light Gray

Countdown Symbol: Fountain Pen

Card Frame Symbol: Fountain Pen

Wheel Color: Blue

Suspected Name: Cass Torres

Another one that looks like they know what they're doing, Three seems to be some kind of Ultimate Writer or something to that- you know what the phrase is. The Ace of Clubs is connected to creativity, prosperity and good fortune, which certainly fits an Ultimate Writer. Bit ironic I don't have much else to write about Three, but what we have of her seems pretty straightforward so far. We'll see how much of that is wrong later!

Two - King of Clubs

Pronouns: He/him

Color: Orange**

Countdown Symbol: Omega (uppercase), 2 stylized as Lambda (uppercase)

Card Frame Symbol: Omega, Lambda, Phi, Psi, Theta, Sigma; all uppercase

Wheel Color: Pink

Suspected Name: Noah Walker

**(Yes, the ALT text for Two and Eleven describe their colors the exact same way. That's kinda funny)

If I had no idea what the hell the Greek letters were about in the countdown image, I have even less of an idea of what they mean here. Is Two the Ultimate Hellenic Scholar? As in, a scholar focused on studying Greece? Certainly kinda gives frat bro vibes. Surely, if he was the Ultimate Linguist or something, there'd be more than Greek letters, right? Why is he so confusing?

Anyways, he seems like a pretty positive person, but who knows. The King of Clubs represents leadership, intelligence and authority. I mean... sure? Maybe that applies to him? Yeah I have no idea. Two's a bit of an enigma for me :v We'll have to wait and see!

One - King of Diamonds

Pronouns: Ve/ver

Color: Dark Blue

Countdown Symbol: Heart in Hands

Card Frame Symbol: Heart in Hands, hearts, people holding hands, peace symbol

Wheel Color: Orange

Suspected Name: Harper Young

While I originally thought One might join ver apparent distant cousin Whit Young (DR Despair Time) as an Ultimate Matchmaker, the inclusion of the peace symbol in the card frame and One giving out sweets (kinda funny, given ver countdown image came out in Halloween) makes me think it's something more along the lines of... Ultimate Pacifist? Ultimate Activist? Ultimate Make-Other-People-Feel-Good-Person? Some vague title that refers to helping others with love and peace in ver heart, be it through volunteer work, activism, whatever. I'm thinking something along the lines of Tsuno Manami's Ultimate Superhero (Tetro DR Pink), if you catch my drift.

In any case, what I'm certain of is that One seems to be a very sweet and kind person! Even if the King of Diamonds, representing mostly material wealth and authority, seems like a weird fit for ver (btw if I use these pronouns wrong please tell me. I looked them up but I'm still not entirely confident I'm using them right :v). However, the King of Diamonds can also represent ethical success and bring positive energy to a reading (?), so it might not be completely off from what the rest of the information we have of One.

Finally, there's one variable I've been listing for these characters which I haven't really addressed yet, and that's the wheel color. Here are the full groups for each color:

N/A: Seven

Pink: Mascot, Sixteen, Thirteen, Two

Red: Fifteen, Fourteen, Twelve, Eight

Orange: Eleven, Nine, Five, One

Blue: Ten, Six, Four, Three

What could this mean? Well, uh... anything. Friend groups, shared themes, simple coincidence... I have no way of knowing what the connections could be, or if they're even relevant at all. I'm just noting them down for future reference :)

Anyways, that's all folks! Geez, how the hell did I write so much about a fangan that has practically no content so far? No wonder my other posts reach such ridiculous word lengths.

Hope you enjoyed! If you made it this far, you deserve a little treat! You can ask One, heard ve's passing them out. See you later!

[sammylbir]

Rewriting The Most Hated Danganronpa Character (Haiji Towa)

No need for an introduction, eh? We know Haiji Towa. Mr Pedro Phillips, the guy who made Monaca, into who she is today and the guy most fans loathed. In my life, I only met 3 people who liked him as a character and even they don't like his infamous "Like em Younger" shtick. Thankfully.

Now, I made a poll and asked, if I should make a rewrite post for this POS. And all of you said Yes. Which does give me more faith in humanity. Even though I really don't want to do this post.

Welp. How about we remove the "I like em younger" line and leave it at that. Okay?

.....No, you want more? Okay fine. Let me do my best then. As always this is my personal opinion and you can feel free to disagree with me.

Appearance:

Honestly, in canon, this is probably the best part of his character. He has a very cool design and I do think that there should almost nothing be changed about it. Emphasis on "Almost".

What I would add is that the fact that his injured arm, is not actually injured at all. It's hiding a cybernetic prosthesis with a chainsaw attached to it that he can activate, in order to take down Monokumas. Said prosthetic was actually a result of an accident he had in the Towa factory as a kid. He uses his false injury, in order to lure his victims into a false sense of security.

The idea is taken from his concept art, back when he was gonna be the Deutagonist of UDG and not Toko. Good thing that didn't happen.

Personality:

Okay then, time for this part. Haiji is still unpleasant and is a huge jerk, hiding his true persona behind a brotherly and chill demeanor. He has a huge temper and can be quite authoritative. But he also cares deeply for his group members and is traumatized over the fact that he lost so many comrades over the years. He has survivors guilt and suffers from PTSD, to the point where any sight of a child sets his alarm off and makes him even more aggressive.

He did abuse Monaca like in canon, but for different reasons which will be explained later. Even so, he does regret what he did to her deep down, hating himself for the fact that he pushed her into Junko's arms. And he also misses his dad, feeling guilty that he survived over him.

Past:

Okay first of, he is not a pedophile. He is not attracted to kids.

Like in canon, Haiji was not a good brother figure to his sister Monaca. But the reason why he hated her, was due to the fact that his mother neglected him and was disappointed when he was born. She expected a girl and thanks to that, she treated him with contempt. His dad also belittled him and often verbally abused him, while praising Monaca's intelligence. This made him feel frustrated towards his younger sister and he hurt her a lot, in order to feel better about his lack of talent. Of course, Mr. Towa also was not nice to Monica and mocked her for being a woman and for trying to act like "a man".

His mother eventually left the family, thanks to the mob chasing her for unpaid debts. This made Haiji and his dad even more frustrated, treating Monaca even worse. Haiji only stopped, when he thought that he paralyzed her, something he deeply regrets to this day.

When Junko hired Haijis dad to make Monokuma Robots, Haiji spoke out against it and was therefore disowned by his dad. The rest happened like in canon and Haiji became the leaders of the adults. He is willing to kill every child, if it meant to stop the war in Towa City once and for all. Haiji did start out as more heroic, but the more the war went on, the more jaded and extreme he became, until at the end of the game, he'd turn into nothing more than a vengeful murderer, driven by the death of his comrades, friends and father.

This version of Haiji is more like A Fallen Anti-Hero/Knight Templar. He believes that what he is doing will help everyone, but deep down all he wants is revenge.

I can imagine him eventually becoming a boss in UDG, the moment Komaru refuses to break the controller, before being knocked out by Big Bang Monokuma. Whether he'd die in the process or not, remains to be seen.

And that's it. I am sure that this version of Haiji is much, much better than the original one and if ya liked this post, feel free to LIKE and REBLOG. It really helps a lot.

See ya!

[conarcoin]

Congrats on finding your white whale. I'm excited to see what comes next from either sharing, or keeping it to yourself.

This fic is definitely one of those pillar fics that created this reaction that we can still see the repercussions of today. And the negative attention the author received in wake of the fic was not something that they deserved. I must admit I am curious to see what that fic actually holds because I stayed away from that side of the mcyt fandom at the time because of personal reasons

Whatever decision is made with the fate of the fic, I will fully understand and support it. Knowing that the fic still exists in its entirety is enough for me.

But also. Were you around at the time of the fics original publication? And how much did the reactions to this fic actually set a tone for the rest of the fandoms interactions with content creators?

I was not! I was a lurker - for personal reasons I was inactive on social media from around 2017 to 2020, if I'm remembering correctly. However, I have done an absurd amount of research into MCYT fandom history to the point of digging through thousands of old SMPtwt tweets, since I'm very autistic about SMPLive and MCYT as a whole.

SMPRonpa directly led to the creation of the blog smp-boundaries, as it was singled out and used as an example of inappropriate fan content by CallMeCarson in his stream "Let's address fan culture", which was the reason the blog was made. Said blog would continue to be updated into the early Dream SMP period and is still cited today despite being filled with misinformation. SMPRonpa is frequently referenced as an example of "what not to do" by other fans - I remember Among Us and Squid Game AUs being heavily criticized with this "remember SMPRonpa" narrative.

Creators didn't really care about it besides Carson, and plenty of them were openly positive towards it! SMPtwt also for the most part loved it, while SMPblr considered it gross and inappropriate. Because of how Carson talked about the fic, people now have the incorrect belief that a majority of creators involved were super uncomfortable with it - when that isn't the case at all - you had them actively replying to the creator and discussing the fic with fans, cracking jokes about their in-fic deaths and kills, it even ended up with Poke playing Danganronpa which you can still watch on his channel!

It's a very odd piece of fandom history to me that goes to show the damage you can do to your community by interfering with and publicly shaming fan content you don't like. I feel like the community around SMPLive seemed way more friendly with their creators before the stream, and it never really was the same after that, unfortunately.

You also have to think about Carson being later stated to be manipulative and at times downright abusive to his friends, especially the three he lived with in 2019-2020 (Noah, Cooper, and Travis - Noah's talked about it in length in an interview that's up on YouTube somewhere) - I feel like this is an important detail to consider given how his concerns were made into "all of our concerns" in the stream. Creators besides Carson were largely uncomfortable moreso by the stan culture surrounding them rather than any individual fan works, at least from everything I've publicly seen.

[tobiasdrake]

Of the Danganronpa casts, which 8 characters do you think would best fit the Adventure Crests?

Ooh, that is a fascinating question to think about. I can't do an episode of Digimon today because I'm back at work after two days off so I not only have a lot of backlog to attend to but also end-of-week reporting to shoot out.

But this is a fun idea for an exercise to keep my brain moving through the day.

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Courage: Mondo Owada. Mondo's issues with masculinity map well onto the Courage template. He's brave and impulsive to a reckless degree, driven by a desire to prove himself. His life has been defined by the virtues embodied in the Crest of Courage, both for better and for worse as his reckless bravery ultimately got his brother killed.

Mondo's story ends in a betrayal of his virtue. In the equivalent of Dark Evolution consuming his Digimon and driving it to kill him. But even this supreme act of cowardice occurs because he is shamed by the courage that Chihiro demonstrates. The virtue that Mondo has strived to uphold.

Friendship: Junko Enoshima. That one's going to take some explaining, but weird as it is to think, Junko's entire gambit as the Mastermind is a dark inversion of the virtue of Friendship. She knows each and every one of these people intimately, and she cares. She has to care for their deaths to bring her the despair she seeks.

The entire Killing Game is a form of self-harm, as despair-obsessed Junko inflicts emotional scars on both her friends and peers, and on herself. It's just like when she stabbed Yasuke; It only works, it only gives her the emotional response she desires, because she cares so much and knows so much about each and every one of these people.

Junko herself has the Crest of Friendship. Which she has corrupted in pursuit of despair.

Love: Sakura Ogami. Sakura is driven by love. Though seen only as a powerful and dangerous ogre by others, it's love that motivates her every action. It's love for Kenshiro that leads her to work for Junko. It's love for the rest of her peers that leads her to betray Junko.

Even her death, her final act in this world, was done out of love. Her final moments spent with a candy in her mouth; A present from a beloved friend. Sakura has a bottomless capacity for love.

Purity/Sincerity: Hifumi Yamada. A Purity-bearer is someone who is emotionally honest and sincere in their presentation. They wear their heart on their sleeve; What you see is what you get. They are, in every moment and every interaction, their truest unfiltered self. For better or worse, they shower everyone they meet in unrelenting emotional honesty.

Hifumi is often difficult to be around. His obsession with his favorite magical girl gets uncomfortable at times. But it cannot be said that he has any sort of filter or that he's concealing any part of himself. Hifumi puts his true self out there in every waking moment, even when you kinda don't want him to. He's not ashamed of himself and he's not going to pretend to be anything he's not. As such, Hifumi embodies the Crest of Purity more than anyone.

Knowledge: Kyoko Kirigiri. I mean. Obviously. Obviously the Ultimate Detective has the Crest of Knowledge. Kyoko is driven to find answers. So much so that she let Makoto die (or almost die until Alter Ego saved him) so that her investigation could continue. There is nothing that motivates Kyoko more than her own curiosity and need to find the answer.

Sincerity/Reliability: Kiyotaka Ishimaru. It can be confusing that there's two Crests named Sincerity in different versions. But they refer to different kinds of Sincerity. The Reliability Crest is exactly what it sounds like. It's the team mom. The most trustworthy person among us. Someone who is dependable and responsible for everyone's wellbeing, who steps up to make sure we're all cleaning our rooms and eating right and making good choices. Or at least tries to.

Up until trauma cracks him in half, that's Taka in a nutshell. A hard-working and diligent believer in effort over talent, Taka futilely tries to be the glue holding this group together and create a sustainable community within Junko's wicked game. He fails miserably, but it's still an effort worthy of the Crest of Reliability.

Hope: Makoto Naegi. He's literally the Ultimate Hope; Who else would this be?

Light: Sayaka Maizono. The Crest of Light is always a hard one because it's more of a spiritual thing than physical. The Light-bearer experiences reality in a unique way. They represent the force of life itself and are attuned to spiritual affairs beyond the mortal realm.

For me, that could only fit superstar pop idol and inexplicable mind-reader Sayaka Maizono.

Kindness: Chihiro Fujisaki. While not appearing in 01, the Crest of Kindness was added in 02 so I think it counts. Obviously there is no one more suited to Kindness than Chihiro, who would sooner give blood to a mosquito than smash it.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Courage: Akane Owari. Akane is Courage incarnate. Every bit as heroic, impulsive, and reckless as any Goggles Boy. Ready to fight at a moment's notice but disinterested in putting real effort into personal growth. She once threw hands with Monokuma hard enough to get one of her teammates killed; If that's not Crest of Courage material then I don't know what is!

Friendship: Gundham Tanaka. For all his bluster, Gundham cares a great deal for other people. Though he's uncomfortable with human contact, he's devoted his life to building relationships with others, even if they are primarily animal in nature.

Indeed, Gundham himself is no island, no single man standing alone, at any given time. He is accompanied always by his Four Dark Devas of Destruction, working together as a team of five to accomplish any goal. Gundham understands the value of teamwork and companionship like no one else alive.

Love: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. Though he tries to be the big bad gangster tough guy, the force driving Fuyuhiko has always been love. Love for his Ultimate Little Sister Natsumi and love for his dearest friend Peko, who he all but begged to deprogram from his family's conditioning.

Even before the Tragedy, Fuyuhiko had killed for love. In the Killing Game, he very nearly died for love.

Purity/Sincerity: Hiyoko Saionji. Again, she can be absolutely unbearable but for better or worse, she always puts forward her truest self. What you see is what you get with this foul-mouthed little bully who hurts animals and people for fun.

Knowledge: Sonia Nevermind. As the Ultimate Princess, Sonia is driven to learn much so that she can become a fair and just sovereign. The only reason she's even here is because she came to Japan to learn about the culture, and she also demonstrates a ravenous if amoral curiosity about macabre topics such as serial murderers.

Sincerity/Reliability: Nekomaru Nidai. As a coach, Nekomaru's dedicated to spending the very last years of his life to building people up. What time he has left in this world is his gift to the athletes training under him, and he will take a bullet for them in an instant. He is a responsible authority figure who selflessly and tirelessly works to build up everyone else, and for that reason he deserves the Crest of Reliability.

Hope: Nagito Komaeda. Again, this one's fairly obvious. He's a dark reflection of Makoto and Junko who embodies hope but in a twisted sort of way. Technically Izuru Kamukura gets called Ultimate Hope but that's just, like, the school administration's opinion, man. It's Nagito who has a complex relationship with the very concept of hope and so, I think, the Crest of Hope would go to him. Please use it wisely. (He won't.)

Light: Chiaki Nanami, of course. The digital human who serves in secret as one of the admins running the program, directly connected to the Neo World equivalent of Homeostasis.

Kindness: Mikan Tsumiki. This is another obvious one, I think. Of course the Ultimate Nurse gets the Crest of Kindness. Mikan struggles with her assigned virtue; she has some resentment in her, she's been abused so much she can't recognize positive reinforcement, and she enjoys the power trip of being in charge of others.

There is certainly a risk of a Darkness Evolution from Mikan. But I think those struggles only reinforce that importance and centrality of Kindness to her existence.

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Courage: Tenko Chabashira. Tenko's a full-blown magical girl superhero. She's the Champion of Women, trawling city streets looking for rapists and abusers she can throw hands with.

In the Killing Game, she ticks all the boxes. Impulsive? Check. Reckless? Check. Heroic? Check. Does things without thinking to both the benefit and detriment of those around her? Check check check!

Friendship: Kaito Momota. Kaito well and truly believes that friendship and bonds of togetherness are how we're going to get through this alive. He's a serial adopter of isolated people, dragging anyone who doesn't have a friend into his own social group where he pushes them to become the best version of themselves.

In fact, his greatest flaw is having too much faith in people, blinding him to the darkness inside of them.

Love: Maki Harukawa. Furious though she would be to receive this Crest, Maki's capacity for love influences much of her story. Child caregiver for her orphanage, she became an assassin so that someone she loved wouldn't have to.

As the Killing Game progresses, Maki's capacity for love finds her again. Love is what drives some of her biggest and most influential actions.

Purity/Sincerity: Miu Motherfuckin' Iruma, shit-for-tits! If this were the Crest of Innocence, it'd be Gonta for sure. But this is about unfettered self-expression, and Gonta has to remind himself to conduct himself gentlemanly. He has fetters.

Miu, however, does not. Every last stray impulse or thought that hits her brain comes straight out of her mouth, even when it definitely shouldn't. She is honest and sincere self-expression incarnate, like no other.

Knowledge: Shuichi Saihara. Like Kyoko, this one's a no-brainer. Though he's reluctant to commit to the role, the Ultimate Detective is here to uncover the truth. His relationship with curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge defines his story throughout V3.

Sincerity/Reliability: Kirumi Tojo. Do I even need to explain why? The Ultimate Maid is the ultimate caregiver for all of these children. She is the pillar that makes living here sustainable, even comfortable. And she does it all without a single complaint. Caring for others is what she lives for.

Hope: Kaede Akamatsu. Though she isn't with us long, Kaede carries hope in her heart so strongly that it ultimately kills her. There is no greater gesture of hope in the entirety of V3 than Kaede's desperate gamble to try and corner the Mastermind. She risked it all on the belief that she could end everything right then and there.

She was wrong. But her effort earns her the Crest of Hope.

Light: Angie Yonaga. Cult leader and possibly oracle, Angie's life is downright haunted by her spirituality. She is already (allegedly) the vessel of Atua; She's the perfect choice for the vessel of Homeostasis.

Kindness: Gonta Gokuhara. This is the Crest that belongs to Gonta. Gonta is a gentle giant who loves all things big and small, but especially small. Though he can be scary at times, he means you no harm. He just wants you to meet his bugs. He loves bugs and he wants you to love bugs too.

Ultimate Team

So, of the three sets, who best embodies the virtue of their Crest? Let's assemble the team.

Courage: Akane Owari. Mondo ultimately falls short of his values. Tenko does a better job of it, but she's also terrified of pain and cracks easily under pushback, which holds her back from being a true icon of Courage.

But Akane gives zero fucks. She is, in every moment, the person that Mondo and Tenko aspire to be. Bold and headstrong to a fault, Akane Owari is officially the Goggles Boy of this team.

Friendship: Kaito Momota. Junko is hahaha no. Her subversion of the Crest's values pretty much disqualify her. Gundham and Kaito are close. However, while Gundham has a wealth of animal friends, he struggles with direct human-to-human interpersonal contact which costs him.

Kaito, meanwhile, is able to embrace the values of Friendship with open arms. An incorrigible friend-maker and support system for every introvert he kidnapped into his orbit, Kaito is a friend to all and a pillar that can always be leaned on for support, through thick and thin.

Love: This was a close one. Sakura, Fuyuhiko, and Maki all have their strengths, and they all perform incredible feats of love. Honestly, they all deserve the Crest equally. I agonized over this choice. But if I have to have to pick one, then I'm going to go with Maki. Because it's funnier that way.

Purity/Sincerity: Miu Iruma, queen of the overshare. Hifumi and Hiyoko are in-your-face with their personalities and proclivities too, but I feel like Miu goes above and beyond in the field of shameless, unapologetic self-expression.

Knowledge: Kyoko Kirigiri. Though Shuichi's story revolves heavily around deconstructing the pursuit of knowledge, he is by design a pale and unwilling imitation of Kyoko. Sonia's boundless curiosity puts her closer to Kyoko, but there's simply no competing with the Ultimate Detective in the field of pursuing knowledge.

Sincerity/Reliability: Nekomaru Nidai. Ultimately, Taka and Kirumi both crack under pressure, but Nekomaru holds true to his values to the bitter end. This is a man who would give everything for his athletes, and he puts his money where his mouth is twice over.

Hope: Makoto Naegi. Ultimate Hope. Contrary to the way later entries treat him, Makoto did not singlehandedly defeat Junko by shooting lightning from his eyes and disintegrating her. But he was the inspiration at the eleventh hour that burned away despair and made her defeat possible.

A triumph the series has never managed to truly recapture, despite two separate attempts.

Light: Chiaki Nanami. As the conduit to a digital god, it's hard to find someone more appropriate than a humanoid AI. You might think that should disqualify her from being a Chosen Child but I support AI personhood and also something something DR3 retcon says there technically was a real Chiaki so AI Chiaki can just use her Partner and Digivice. Nyeh!

Kindness: Oh fuck me, this one's pretty evenly split too. Chihiro, Mikan, and Gonta all deserve this slot on the team. I can't decide between them. So... I'm going to choose....

Hm, we have three DR2 and three DRV3 to two DR1 in this group. Alright, I'll give this to Chihiro so the numbers can be even. I didn't plan on it being even. But this would make them even and that's pretty neat.

Alright, there we have it. Three teams of Chosen Children and one Avengers-style Ultimate Chosen Children team. Holy shit, that was a hell of a thing. ^_^

[aseriesofunfortunatejan]

I hate to be that guy. But as I was pissing on the clock as usual, I had another fandom related thought. I’m typing this into a Word document because having tumblr opened on my screen, which everybody can see, would be a bad look – if that helps…?

I thought about that “I can’t believe it either. I’m pretty sure I died” line. So I started thinking about Kyouko’s survival in DR3 again.

This isn’t something people really argue about anymore. It’s been a while. But back then, I remember a lot of people arguing that it was bullshit, because, most importantly, if Hajime’s waifu died, then Makoto’s could die too! There was also an unwillingness to read between the lines and understand what the writers were implying. Thus, I remember writing about my feelings that for Kyouko, the Smart Girl Character who Historically Didn’t Sacrifice Herself Easily, it made a lot more sense to have planned a mysterious and yet efficient option to save herself, than it did for her to let herself die or sacrifice herself for Makoto’s sake. In fact, “psych, I’m playing with death by having an out” was already established in Kyouko’s writing in DR1.

This has all already been said at some point. But one thought crossed my mind today, and something I already wrote just above might indicate to you what it is…

I don’t think this conversation would have looked the same if Kyouko had been a guy.

Of course, there would always have been people who insisted it was bullshit – either because they genuinely didn’t like it or because they were part of that group who refuses to give writers a chance to think outside the box. But something that was nearly, if not fully absent from the conversation, and would have been everywhere had Kyouko been the Smart Boy Character instead, is “whaAaaAAT? What is he doing here?! How did he do this? Oh my God, he’s such a smart genius, controlling the game. Of course he would find a way to stay 😭 Give me an hour I’m updating my character essay”

And I know it’ll be hard to convince someone who didn’t like that plot point that it could have gone this way, but the entire way it was set up would, in my opinion, have been received with hype had it been a genius-boy type of character. Less people could have argued that “the narrative just saved him” because everyone would have recognised immediately that Oh, He Is The Smart Character, Whose Deal Is Being Really Smart. My argument that “of course Kyouko would think ahead and play the plot” wouldn’t have been rare. People would have heard Mikan try to say something, seen him appear, and be surprised but amazed that he outwit us all.

Most importantly, he would have been saved from being relegated to the role of “waifu who died for drama points”. Much of that conversation was about her role as Makoto’s – and possibly some fans’ – waifu, and how Danganronpa has established killing waifus dramatically with Chiaki. Well, don’t we love Kyouko? It would be so dramatic for Makoto if she died! And so interesting! (And such a meme for her fans to share with Chiaki's !)

…But she’s her own character. You don’t need to fridge her for Makoto to better become a powerful hero. The plot is that Kyouko, the Mysterious Smart Girl character, took a fucking chance. If a Mysterious Smart Boy character, and you know they exist, had done the exact same thing, the reception would have been : “hell yeah. He saved himself and will continue to live his life.” Not “ugh, Makoto gets everything he wants”.

Kyouko was going to stay Kyouko. She did play the role of deceased loved one that Makoto had to grieve. This happened in the show, as everyone believed she was dead. But she’s not a side character the writers could sacrifice easily for plot convenience. In my opinion, the story being told was, at least, an attempt at being loyal to her characterisation. And I respect that a lot more than killing off a strong character in your story for no, ultimately, good narrative reason.

[ultimateplaylistmaker]

Why is PreGame Shuichi always seen as a yanderé when he's just an antisocial DanganRonpa fan?

Excellent question!

This has roots back into the japanese fandom so its hard to fully research actually, however we know kagehara comes from the japanese fandom through a compound kage, and hara, aka shadow saihara, kagehara 影原. This is likely chosen due to persona's use of shadow selves if i had to take a guess, which might also be why kagehara tends to have a much harsher yellow eye color like the one seen below on Shadow Yosuke, before this became so main stream there was also inchara 陰キャ原 for in character + saihara but this has never seen any popularity in the english fandom to my knowledge. There's also these names for the rest of the characters but only bonkichi really saw any traction in the english fandom

So now they we know the basis of the name, where does the yandere come in?

The first fanfiction i can find on ao3 that seems to lean into this view of pregame Shuichi of him being a dangerous creepy guy is This Must Be What Fun Is from 2017, while it lacks some of the more common later tropes and even has shuichi marked as aromantic, the obsessive and bloody traits commonly associated with it is definitely all there.

The first fic in the tag "pregame-shuichi" is audition from february 2017, however they used the tag ORIGINAL saihara which got tag wrangled in, and the first REAL use of the tag is from Can't Help Falling from December 2017

After that the first use of Kagehara in a fanfic description is At Least It's Something from July 2018 which is a selfcest fic with some WILD plot points actually i might need to look at that one later just out of morbid curiosity

From this, we can know the trope has its roots from the very start of the games release. Where the character of pregame shuichi in the audition tapes easily slid into an otaku characterization due to his obsession with danganronpa.

Thus, its easy to see where his creepy pervert personality come from, otaku stereotypes. You'll see this stigma in a lot of anime where characters try to hide being an otaku and such. This is why Kagehara often is soon as very reclusive, spending all his time and money on one thing, danganronpa, and not caring for anything outside this thing. To the point of antisocial behavior or becoming a threat to others. Immature, obsessive, and sexual deviancy. Classic stereotypical otaku characterization.

One of the stereotypes is usually being a creep towards an object of affection, and thus as the most popular ship, kokichi easily slotted into that stereotypical role of the object of affection. He's small, easily made a bit more feminized, and thus able to be the soft kawaii to be harassed.

Which as this becomes popular, likely for the same reasons any "zomg the main character is EVIIIIL actually" kinda thing gets popular, led to more people playing in the space and pushing it further and further until we get to where we are today!

Though, just between you and me, i have my own personal theory. I can't back it up with anything but it makes sense to me.

The audience comments in v3 are unhinged at times, with comments like "I wanna see the color of Shuichi’s blood" and "I want to break Shuichi’s fingers <3" the audience although only here for a short time has a very strong characterization and interesting dialogue. However, how do you portray this in a story? You really can't without someone to act as the proxy.

With the most fanboyish audition video, and the popularity to back it up, Shuichi ended up being this proxy. Kagehara isn't actually a reflection or evil version of shuichi or anything, it's the proxy to hold the audience in a way thats easy to write, and without the risks of say, writing an oc.

All of the fucked up things we hear about the audience and outside world, all the bad things, the talk of how boring everything but danganronpa is, these elements need a surrogate to embody it or else it can be hard to write with them. That's what kagehara is, the audience and what tsumugi tells about the outside word in a convenient familiar character shaped proxy Kokichi just got nabbed along for the ride as the most popular ship

[cosmical-flowers]

Danganronpa: Violent Voices AU

Journal Entry 5 + 6

Taglist: @luvizna, @hypn0sssss, @mutsuowo, @yumetomiko, @dexterityz (If you would like to be added, send an ask!)

A/N: YIPPEE PROLOUGE COMPLETE!!! Journal 6 is meant to be chapter 1 as well! There should be ~5-10 journals per chapter. Anyways VOTE WHO YOU THINK SHOULD GET FREE TIME EVENTS TEE HEE. Half of the cast is available now and the other half will be after the free time event! Enjoy!

Journal Entry 5

XX - XX - XXXX

Theres only 4 people left. I guess they didn’t fit into any category I had already made. All of the entries are done now! Yet even though they are done, we don’t know whats next.

013 - WATARU HIBIKI

     Ultimate Thespian

     Birthday - 2/21

     Height - 180cm

     Weight - 63kg

     Likes - His mask collection

     Dislikes - ???

     Status - Alive

014 - HINATA AOI

     Ultimate Gardener

     Birthday - 3/5

     Height - 170cm

     Weight - 54kg

     Likes - Headphones, Sunflowers

     Dislikes - Spicy food

     Status - Alive

015 - SOUMA KANZAKI

     Ultimate Samurai

     Birthday - 4/20

     Height - 174cm

     Weight - 55kg

     Likes - Lush green places

     Dislikes - Liars

     Status - Alive

016 - IBARA SAEGUSA

     Ultimate Strategist

     Birthday - 11/14

     Height - 172cm

     Weight - 60kg

     Likes - Things he has stored up (?????)

     Dislikes - Incompetence

     Status - Alive

I have a feeling something bad is going to happen. Like someone gets injured, or worse. Everyone seems to get along well though. Subaru seems to be messing around with the camera settings and taking pictures of the gym / auditorium. Theres a raised stage and a basketball court. It’s really nice here. Let’s just hope nothing goes wrong.

Journal Entry 6

XX - XX - XXXX

A death game. Thats why we’re here.

When Subaru decided to take a picture of the stage, a small creature-robot-thingy decided to announce himself. It couldn’t have been taller than 3 feet. It also looked liked a cat? A robot cat?? Weird, but thats far from the oddest thing found out today. Monoshoji (Robot-cat-things name) announced that for our safety, we would be held inside Yumenosaki Academy. He mentioned that there are many facilities here for us to have happy lives, we could even go outside to the courtyard. We just couldn’t leave at all. Many people seem to make a fuss. Especially Leo, mentioning he had family and a younger sister as well. He didn’t like the robot at all, he almost fought it. But Monoshoji assured him that they would be safe inside Yumenosaki.

He then mentioned a way to get out. To kill someone. We all seemed shocked by this. Like, who would even kill!? Monoshoji then mentioned that was the only option for us to escape. Nothing else. He then gave us our room keys and a map so we could navigate around Yumenosaki easily. He wished us well and then he left.

SO WERE JUST MEANT TO KILL SOMEONE IF WE WANT TO LEAVE?!?!

WHAT THE HELL????

Hell no, im not gonna kill someone. There *has* to be a different way for us to escape. Seems Subaru thought the same thing as me because after the announcement he talked with me about how he doesn’t want to kill as well. I agreed with him, and he mentioned that he’s scared that someone is desperate enough to escape. I assured him that nothing would happen at all. But a part of me is still unsure of that. We then made a pact that we would help each other leave. Tomorrow, we decided we would go check for any areas that could be affected, like a trap door or something. But what should I do for now?

. . .

. .

.

[markerofthemidnight]

Danganronpa Settings And Why They Work

(and also an analysis on Blackened Skies and Project: Eden’s Garden’s settings because why not)

I’ve had a pretty long day today and I’m currently nursing a mental headache that’s slowly over time evolved into a physical headache. What better way that to try and help with that then to get my brain working in an analytical way?

So, Danganronpa settings are cool and interesting. There’s a lot of different ways you can take them, but- as we’ll soon see when we get into this analysis properly- most take the form of some kind of prestigious or fancy area that’s been twisted into a mockery of itself.

Another thing they have in common is that wether a school like in DR1 or a chain of islands like in DR2, Danganronpa settings are secluded places closed off from the outside world, naturally as the goal is to get out. If it would be possible to escape it in normal circumstances, it isn’t now.

So without further ado, let’s talk about them:

Hope’s Peak Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Hope’s Peak is the main standard that all DR settings meet, as it is the first in the franchise. As to be expected from such, it’s rather straightforward when you get down to it, but there are a few interesting details:

Hope’s Peak is a prestigious academy for Ultimates that’s been turned and twisted by Monokuma into a frightening, almost claustrophobic nightmare.

And boy, is its appearance good at nailing that frightening feeling down and making it feel even more oppressive.

The school- specifically around the ground and first floors- is filled with these bright colours all over the walls and floors, in a way that, in any other case, would probably feel bright and happy, but now taken to such an gaudy extreme that it circles back around to being uncomfortable. It’s really dark, too. The shadows feel unnaturally strong.

Why, exactly? Well, if you ask me, that’s because we know that schools aren’t supposed to look like this. Colouring in real schools, to my experience anyways, tends to be quite muted. There might be a splash of colour here and there, but nowhere near like the way it is in Hope’s Peak where you’ve got countless colours being thrown at you and none seem any more overpowering than the other.

The best part about this effect is that, as I specified earlier, it’s most noticeable in the first two floors: ie, Chapter 1. The chapter where finding a way out of the school, no matter the cost, was at its most important: the rest of the game seemed to be more focused on why it was happening, and as soon as that was resolved, the issue of them being stuck there was fixed almost immediately after.

Also, is it just me, or do the rooms in Hope’s Peak either feel incredibly claustrophobic or incredibly agoraphobic?

The 2D rooms feel claustrophobic, since they all open up with the little cardboard cutout props appearing into the room, either popping up by themselves or scuttling in from offscreen.

The 3D rooms feel agoraphobic, since they’re rooms that, unlike the rest, you can move around in, and often tend to be incredibly big compared to all the rest.

Either way, there’s a sense of dread following you wherever you go in Hope’s Peak, and that does a lot to add to the overall feel of the game.

Setting Ranking: 8/10

Jabberwock Island - Super Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Now, Jabberwock is where things get interesting. This actually might be the most interesting setting on the list, now that I think about it: first of all, it’s the only entry on the list to be set outside rather than inside.

Secondly, and less obviously, getting off the island wasn’t really that… important in DR2? The game, at least the first few chapters, was more focused on getting it back from Monokuma.

However, there is one thing of interest about Jabberwock Island that I feel like I need to bring up: the sheer uncanniness of it.

It’s not as obvious as it was it Hope’s Peak, for multiple reasons (the game’s on an island so it feels more open, the sun’s almost always shining so there aren’t any strong shadows, and while there are still a lot of different colours, they don’t contrast each other and instead come together in a beautiful tropical aesthetic) but that’s all balanced out by Hajime repeatedly stressing, in the prologue, that something is wrong with the island.

And I have to say, I can’t blame him. Jabberwock, specifically the first island, feels almost… too perfect. The sky feels too blue, the beach too yellow, the whole situation is just too good to be true.

Rocketpunch has just about everything you could ever want, even if it shouldn’t realistically be found in a supermarket, like night-vision goggles. The hotel has personal cottages for everyone- all separate buildings no less, not different rooms in the same building- and its own restaurant.

Just like Hope’s Peak, there’s a sort of uncanniness to Jabberwock. An uncanniness that is repeatedly stressed by Hajime, specifically near the beginning of the game.

Admittedly, that uncanniness sort of… dies down after the first half of Chapter 1. I feel like SDR2 probably should have leaned harder into it, but I realise why it didn’t.

The uncanniness is replaced with a more desolate feeling in the 3rd and 5th islands, not to mention… you know what? This deserves its own section.

The Funhouse

Admittedly, there are times in the game where you come to appreciate the fun island aesthetic. The soundtrack, specifically Beautiful Ruin, really nails that feeling: it reminds you that, no matter what Monokuma and his killing game leads you to think, you were originally supposed to enjoy the school trip.

So naturally, the Funhouse segment says to you, “Hey, you know that fun feeling you’ve been appreciating while you can this whole game? Let me hold that for a second,” rips it straight out of your hands before you can even answer, and throws it out of the window for the rest of the chapter.

The Funhouse is everything I described earlier about Hope’s Peak but amplified to 11. The bright, eye-burning colours are back with a vengeance: but whereas Hope’s Peak at least had different sets of eye-burning colours, here, it’s just the same two dumbass patterns on bright lime green and pink wherever you go.

Also, since the Funhouse seems to consist mainly of 3D segments, you’d think it leans harder into Hope’s Peak’s agoraphobia, right? No, actually, it manages to flip that concept on its head: somehow, the 2D rooms seem too big and the 3D ones seem too small.

The fact that the entire cast are slowly starving whilst having to look at images of strawberries and grapes wherever they go just add to that feeling.

Setting Ranking: 7.5/10 (The Funhouse: 4/5)

The Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Now, I’m probably gonna say this a lot in this analysis, but the Ultimate Academy is… interesting, because it doesn’t really feel like the first two.

It doesn’t have the same uncanny vibe that Jabberwock and Hope’s Peak have: rather, it feels more desolate. The sort of dreary aesthetic it has, and the overgrowth everywhere, adds to that feeling. That your life ends there.

But then, there’s the more futuristic aspects of it. The technology in the school feels high-end, like it takes place a few decades in the future.

Sure, it can be written off as the futuristic parts being Monokuma’s renovations and that the school itself is ancient… but you can never really tell.

And then there’s the Ultimate labs. I don’t know about you, but they’re probably my favourite part of the setting: they’re just so interesting!

We never got anything close to a talent lab in any of the other games… and for good reason, because I couldn’t see it working in any of the other ones.

I think we can all agree on this: if there wasn’t a Killing Game going on, and the place was cleaned up a little, the Ultimate Academy would be a really good place to stay, and the talent labs are part of the reason why this is, wouldn’t you agree?

The characters certainly seem to agree. The only ones who seemed to outright dislike their labs were Ryoma and Maki, who never liked their talents themselves to begin with.

All of the above come together to create a sort of… conflicting feeling about the Academy. Do you like it, or do you not? Is it futuristic, or is it from the past?

Which, I’d say, is quite fitting for a game about the relationship between truth and lies. It makes you question the reality around you…

And then there’s the End Wall. I… honestly don’t have much to say about it. It’s certainly interesting, but probably the most I could add to how it makes one feel is that really pins down the feeling of being trapped, and its sheer size makes you feel a part of something bigger than yourself.

Setting Ranking: 6.5/10

The Despair of the Seas - Blackened Skies (AO3)

(I’m including this because I think it’s a really good an interesting setting. If any of you would like to read it:)

The Despair of the Seas is much like the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles in that it’s unlike anything else we’ve seen in the list so far… but mainly because it’s actually a blend of the previous three, in its own ways.

The logic behind making it a cruise ship didn’t make much sense to me until starting this analysis, but now I start to realise: Blackened Skies takes characters from all three of the games, and what do you get when you take two prestigious schools and merge them with a tropical island? A cruise ship, obviously.

The Despair of the Seas, as described in the fic, is a very large ship. And, additionally, a ship with a very nonsensical layout. Now, it’s quite difficult to tell how this would make the player feel if it was a game, because it’s not, but… if I had to guess, I assume it would be similar to the feeling of uncanniness DR2 had.

The inconsistency of the ship, and the strange way it seems to be laid out, would make you feel almost… detached from it. Whereas Jabberwock Island felt simply odd in a way that was difficult to keep your mind off of, the Despair of the Seas would feel outright liminal.

Much like, say… purgatory.

It’s also interesting how the outside of the ship is described as just being a dreary ocean painted by grey clouds (or should I say, BLACKENED SKIES?!) It adds to the uncanniness the ship has, and amplifies the feeling of there being no escape.

And not to mention, when you start to think about it… it also highlights the themes of guilt and sin that the story has.

Rough seas are perfectly normal. Unpleasant, but common. And yet, despite your desperation to escape the ship, when you look out the window, suddenly you decide you want to stay?

Naturally, you would. Of course you would. And yet this feeling doesn’t do anything but make you feel worse about yourself.

It’s like you want to stay there, almost. The Despair of the Seas is an incredibly fancy ship, and not even in a gaudy or tasteless way: again, if they weren’t stuck there, the cast might actually want to stay.

But what I have to stress is that it’s like that on purpose. In just Chapter 3 of the story, it’s stressed that the protagonist feels as if the fanciful nature of the ship is Monokuma’s way of rewarding them all for killing.

So it makes you feel… tainted, almost. Like you’re in on the joke. Like you’ve been consumed by pride and greed, and the only reason why you want to leave is your weariness of all the other selfish murderers around you.

Of course, that’s just my interpretation of it. Anyways, the Despair of the Seas is cool and great and go read Blackened Skies if you haven’t already!

Setting Ranking: 9/10

Eden’s Garden Academy - Project: Eden’s Garden

Eden’s Garden Academy is… I dunno, it feels very down to earth in comparison to all the rest.

Of course, I can only go off of what little we’ve seen of the academy in the prologue, but… the best I can describe it is like a cross between the uncanniness of Hope’s Peak and the dreariness of the Ultimate Academy.

Hope’s Peak managed to feel both claustrophobic and agoraphobic depending on the area. Somehow, Eden’s Garden Academy manages to feel like both no matter where you are.

As soon as you wake up in the academy, it feels desolate. Like it’s been abandoned for a long time, and only recently renovated for the sake of the Killing Games: much like the Ultimate Academy except less obvious.

The entire school has a haunting feeling not made much better from the portraits scattered all over the walls. It feels almost like a horror game in that regard, like something’s going to jump out at you.

Another thing that adds to that feeling is how we’ve never actually seen the outside. We’ve been tricked into thinking we were outside, but we’ve never even encountered a window.

What results from that is a feeling of separation from the outside. You could be anywhere right now, and you have no way of figuring out where.

It also really adds to the feeling of being trapped. If the recent teaser is anything to go by, there’s also a fake exit somewhere in the new area, which if anything adds onto that feeling by a long shot.

I don’t really have much else to say since we’ve only seen so little of the academy so far, so… yeah.

Setting Ranking: 6.5/10 (but only because I haven’t seen enough of it)

Thanks for reading!

[yours-the-author]

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Extended Zodiac: My Thoughts

Hey, I'm bored and want to do some analyzing, so I decided to look at the birthdays of some of the Danganronpa characters and figure out their extended zodiacs. I did something similar a couple months ago for RWBY, and I've been wanting to try it again with other characters from other fandoms I like. The only fandom that I know about that has birthdays is Danganronpa, though, so that's what we're going to go with! Also, I'm only going to do four of the characters: the protagonist, the assistant character, the "trouble maker", and my favorite character. I'd like to do this for 1, 2, and 3, but I'll start with 1 for today.

For those who don't know, Danganronpa is a video game series about teenagers getting trapped in a mysterious location (school, island, facility, etc) and being forced to kill each other (and get away with it) in order to escape. That's a very vague summary, but that's the gist. Trigger Happy Havoc is the first game in the series, so I'll be starting with the above mentioned character types today.

The other side of this, the Extended Zodiac, is an extension of Homestuck, in which some kids play a game together and nothing else. Yep. Definitely. Anyway, based on certain aspects of a character's personality, the characters have different traits/powers, represented by an alternative zodiac sign.

Okay, that's the basics, so let's get to it! Also, keep in mind, my knowledge of these characters is fairly limited, so don't expect me to get into the nitty gritty of the character's arcs. I'm just doing this for fun, and a lot of it is subjective, so yeah! Spoilers for the games/characters under the cut!

Edit: I've done more of these for the other Danganronpa games, as well as the Masterminds! I'll link them here if you want to check them out:

Trigger Happy Havoc (You are here!)

Masterminds

Goodbye Despair

Killing Harmony

Makoto Naegi - February 5

Aquanius - Sign of the Magician (Aquarius, Prospit, Hope)

Makoto Naegi is the Ultimate Lucky Student of class 77, and his birthday means that he's an Aquarius!

...Given the reputation of Homestuck's Aquarius characters, this may seem pretty out of left field. They're typically considered "eccentric", "weird" and "bent toward contrariness". They can come across as "untoward", and "clingy", too, though they are known to be loyal and interested in humanitarian causes. This might not seem to match Makoto at all, but it's all in how you perceive things. Makoto's insistence on seeing the good in everyone, regardless of everyone else's opinions, has often been seen by other characters as "weird" (putting it lightly). His determination to have faith in the Remnants of Despair and help them recover in the Neo World Program gets him into great trouble with the Future Foundation. He is intensely loyal to his friends (and he's eager to befriend and get along with everyone), and inadvertently becomes heavily intertwined with saving the world from despair through the power of hope (if that's not a humanitarian cause, I don't know what is). His insistence on hope could be considered "contrary", given the extremes of despair that he faces, which makes his Aquarius nature a little more reasonable.

The next part of his Extended Zodiac is his Lunar Sway, and I think a lot of people will agree with me choosing Prospit as his dream moon. Flexibly optimistic, emotional, and instinctual, Makoto is the poster child of the light moon. This isn't all he is, though; he can be overly trusting and have trouble thinking things through. He gets a lot of help from his friends when solving murder trials and is quick to forgive people, even when they do objectively terrible things (like Byakuya messing with a crime scene and Koyuki throwing him under the bus for Mukuro's murder [which he only survived due to his friendship with Alter Ego]). These aren't inherently bad things, and in fact, they a big part of what makes him so likeable. It's all a matter of perspective.

Makoto's aspect was extremely difficult to settle on; it was a tie between Hope and Breath, but ultimately, I decided Hope was the better fit, and not just because he's considered the Ultimate Hope. Hope players are "driven first and foremost by their convictions", "doing right for right's sake" and "dreaming up a better and more beautiful future". Of course, his insistence on what is "good" and "bad" isn't always the generally accepted viewpoint. I again point to his decision to help the Remnants of Despair, despite the rest of the Future Foundation wanting to execute them to put an end to despair. He also knows when it's time to raze the status quo to make something better: he leaves Hope's Peak Academy with his friends in tow despite all the dangers they'll be facing, from bad air to murderous robots to despair ridden masses. Even if it's not as safe, even if his well being isn't guaranteed, Makoto knows that there's a better, more hopeful future in store for the people he loves if he works hard and stays determined.

There's also another reason I picked Aquanius as Makoto's zodiac: depending on the above three factors (zodiac sign, lunar sway, aspect), you're assigned a word to represent you. In this case, it's "the sign of the magician". Makoto never performs any literal magic or sleight of hand, but his miraculous ability to survive the un-survivable is practically a feat of magic in and of itself.

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Kyoko Kirigiri- October 6

Libza - Sign of the Acute (Libra, Derse, Mind)

Fitting for the Ultimate Detective, Kyoko is a Libra! The concept of "right" and "wrong" is very obvious to Libras, and they are strong defenders of justice. At first glance, this might seem to be where the similarities end; Libras are described as "social and flirtatious" and being fascinated by fiction and roleplay. Kyoko certainly isn't those first two options, so what gives? It should be noted that the "games" Libras roleplay "often... will resemble the lives they want to be living". This one could easily be put up to debate, but given that the Kirigiri's bloodline is focused on detective work (something taken with extreme seriousness, to the point that both Kyoko and her father are considered outcasts for leaving/making their skills public), it might not be too far off to think that such ideals are the ultimate life goals for them. Libras also often long for a partner who can match their wit and charm (typically failing to do so, but that's neither here nor there). Whether you ship Kyoko with anyone or not, the survivors at the end of the game can easily be seen as partners that Kyoko works with to uncover the truth of everything that happens.

Next is her lunar sway, and I'm sure a lot of people will agree with my choice of Derse. Derse dreamers have a "distinct and restless skepticism", are "cerebral and self-aware", and "great problem solvers". They also tend to be introverted and rebellious, at least to some extent, which fits Kyoko very well; she's quick to bend and break certain rules of the killing game in order to uncover the truth, but she's also less eager to get chummy with just anyone, especially right off the bat. It takes a lot of time for her to open up to Makoto, but it's clear that her trust in him makes her a powerful ally.

Kyoko's aspect was quite easy to decide as well: Mind. Not only she smart and a great thinker, she is "very concerned about remaining rational". Logic and reasoning is the name of her game, and once she has a plan in place, she can execute it perfectly. She does have a tendency to be cold and inflexible, too; there are a few times throughout the game that it's her way or the highway, though over time she becomes more creative and willing to innovate her way towards results.

And, of course, her word: the acute; someone who is shrewd, perceptive, and intensely experienced. Only the best from the Ultimate Detective.

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Byakuya Togami - May 5

Taurpia - Sign of the Aesthete (Taurus, Derse, Light)

Surprisingly, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny is on the "lower" end of the zodiac as a Taurus! His kingly nature seems like a complete slap in the face of the description for Taurus': while a Taurus is described as warm, generous, and a little bit needy, Byakuya prides himself on his cold, holier-than-thou attitude and his complete lack of dependence on others. On the other hand, though, it may be a facade: Taurus' can be withdrawn and slow to open up, arrogant and stubborn, which are definitely more in line with Byakuya's personality. Arrogance is practically his middle name, and though it takes until nearly the end of the game for him to come around to Makoto's good nature, he does show concern and even potential for growth when he's almost proven deadly wrong about the circumstances of the fourth case. Sometimes a slice of humble pie or two is what's needed to get a guy to come out of his shell. Also, being that rich fancy-pants boy he is, a love of beautiful things and rich decor is practically a given for him as a Taurus.

Byakuya's lunar sway is pretty predictable, given that there are only two options: an identity that's built on control and an almost strict understanding of his own mental landscape points directly at Derse. To Derse dreamers, and by extent Byakuya, there is "one true path among an infinite snarl of wrong ones"; yet another "my way or the highway" kind of guy, and he's very proud of it. Vulnerability isn't something he's skilled with, though, so that humble pie is very important to portion out every so often.

Lastly, the aspect, which was extremely easy: Light! Light players are knowledge seekers, and they aren't afraid to break rules to get that knowledge. Byakuya does a lot of morally questionable things in the game (and that's putting it lightly!) He claims that he does a lot of it because "it's interesting", and interest is the gateway to experimentation, and thus "learning". How easy would it be to manipulate a crime scene? The opportunity practically falls in his lap, and he's hardly a man to say no to his own curiosities.

These three traits combine to make him "the Aesthete", which lines up quite nicely with his affluent upbringing. Only the best and most beautiful things for our resident rich boy.

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Lastly, I'm going to do my favorite character from the first game (because I do not have the time or energy to do every single character of every single game). That means for Trigger Happy Havoc, that character is:

Kiyotaka Ishimaru - August 31

Vircer - Sign of the Accountable

Yes, I'm a sucker for the goody-two shoes with a heart of gold and the emotional stability of paper mâché. The Ultimate Hall Monitor is a Virgo, plain and simple! Virgos are caretakers; intelligent, steady, and organized, and they take a lot of pride in their ability to do flawless work. Taka's life goal is to become the Prime Minister of Japan and right the wrongs of his grandfather, and that means being at the top of his game in all things and at all times! Virgos hold everyone to high standards, but no one is held to a higher standard than themselves; they are also loyal and loving, even if they're a bit slow to truly open up to people. Once you've earned a place in their hearts, though, a Virgo can be fiercely loyal, even becoming a bit destructive to protect the people they love. Once Taka opens up to Mondo and they share their brotherly bond (or if you ship them), he becomes willing to fight tooth and nail to see his bro safe, even offering up his own life in exchange for Mondo's (and in the stage play, he does actually die for Mondo! The stage play rules are different in that anyone who votes wrong is also executed. Taka refuses to vote for Mondo, so he's killed off at the same time).

Taka's lunar sway was a bit difficult to decide on, but I decided he fit best with being a Prospit dreamer. He's emotional, reactive, and intuitive, sometimes to his own detriment, and rebelling against authority is not even an option; he'll adapt and work with the rules he's given to create the best results. He's almost too honest about his goals and his "do good work and you'll get good rewards" nature, which can either be a point of contention or a point of admiration, depending on who's thinking of him and when.

Lastly, Taka's aspect. I was torn between Time and Blood, but after seeing each option's word, I decided Blood would be the best choice. As the class representative and a future world leader (in a better life), Taka is very much a leader, inspiring others through examples of his own hard work to be their best selves. He's also insanely stubborn, standing for his convictions no matter what danger it might get him in. He's not entirely closed off to learning and changing, though; his heart to heart with Mondo helps him grow and improve his abilities as both a friend and a leader, making him a better person overall. Taka can also be pretty charismatic; an essential trait for a future Prime Minister, yet his tendency to be set in his ways can be a little much for some people.

And, of course, his word: the Accountable. Someone who is responsible, justified, and liable in many ways like Taka makes this a near perfect fit!

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...At least, those are my opinions, anyway.

I might do this again with Danganronpa 2 and 3 (probably not the anime/spin off mangas, though, I don't know much about that) but this was just a thing I was doing for fun. Feel free to share your thoughts/alternative zodiacs, too! I don't usually do Danganronpa stuff on this blog, but again, this was just for fun. I love analyzing characters! Thanks for reading!