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danganronpasurvivoraskblog · 5 months ago

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Dangancember 2024 - Danganronpa Top 24 Class Trials - Number 14: Danganronpa Another 2 Case 4

//Even though this may spoil the higher rankings of the list a little bit, I don't think it's a secret to anybody that in pretty much all the games in both the Danganronpa and Another series, Chapter 4 and the case that comes along with it is normally where the game absolutely peaks.

//It feels like once you get past the bullshit that Chapter 3 is, and start to slowly transition into the endgame, the trial that comes after it is designed to establish the emotional mood going into the final few chapters, and as such, it's probably the most critical point in the entire game.

//Which means 9 times out of 10, or rather, in this case, 4 times out of 5, the class trial in Chapter 4 is above and beyond the absolute best the game has to offer in terms of mystery, emotional impact, and everything else that makes the trials great.

//The reason I preface this now is because despite the fact that Case 4 of Another 2 just so happens to be the 5th time out of 5 where it really doesn't reach the same level as those other cases, it still retains its stance as a very decent trial, full of a lot of emotions. It's not nearly as emotionally impactful to me as A-2, and I definitely like the story of that trial a lot more than this one, but I like this trial more because it's a far more engaging mystery without seeming pretentious or dragged out.

//However, the short reason why Another 2's 4th trial falls so low compared to the others is that it does a few of these things wrong.

//I'll admit, I am pretty wishy-washy on this case. Originally I had it in 12th place, but upon reflection, I realized that I actually have way more problems with this trial than I do the opening and ending trial of this game, so I had to move it down.

//And trust me, I did so with a relatively heavy heart.

//Also, a quick warning, this so far is one of my longest analyses, because positive or negative, this chapter is just stacked with content, and there's so much to say about it.

//As I mentioned already, the main thing that 1-4, 2-4, V3-4, and A-4 have in common is that the emotions that they instill among the cast are CRITICAL to the final few chapters of the respective games.

//Game 1, 2, and Another 1 do this in a positive way. The sacrifices of Sakura, Gundham and Nekomaru, and Haru and Satsuki are the most important point of character development for the cast as a whole. At the time their crimes happen, its normally when the group hits rock bottom. Either because everyone is extremely tense around each other following revelations; or being trapped in a location with very limited resources that are making relations kind of tense.

//V3-4 is kind of the reverse. The mood is pretty upbeat throughout most of Chapter 4, mainly because Himiko is now starting to be more open, and it really does feel like the sense of cameraderie is starting to get somewhere, only for Trial 4, and Kokichi's Uno Reverse Card on Miu that also gets Gonta killed to completely SHATTER that.

//But in the case of Another 2's 4th chapter, the mood is already at a low point thanks to the bullshit Kanade achieved in Chapter 3, and this chapter doesn't fix it. It makes it WORSE.

//And if that's not LINUJ's way of writing in a nutshell, I don't know what is.

//Granted, I'm not AGAINST this kind of subversion of expectations. The fact that it was written this way is honestly kind of clever.

//Kanade's betrayal of the group, and the fact that even putting the VOID's aside, we cannot know the true nature of any of these people being reinforced, made it so that whatever structure there was in the group was severely fractured and on its last legs. Then Case 4 kicked those last legs out from underneath it.

//And it didn't feel forced. There were a LOT of aspects that went into how the group ultimately crumbled apart here. So ultimately, I think it was written well.

//Mostly...

//Because while I do think the progression is cool, some of the things that happen to get to that point tick me off.

//We've mentioned this before, but though I do think LINUJ is a good writer, I seriously don't think in retrospect that any of his work actually matches the greatness that Kodaka was able to achieve. At least not wholesale. But this is largely because of his personal way of belief being incorporated into his work.

//I've learned since that this may be due to the social climate in the part of the world where LINUJ is from, but the belief that LINUJ carries with him is that people don't change so easily from their way of life. Positive people can stay positive, but those who are negatively aligned don't always change their ways after inciting incidents. Which ultimately makes his character writing very negative.

//This is the point where I really want to talk about that because this is where that reaches CRITICAL MAX for this series.

//Because my overall biggest issue is that almost every character in this trial IS! A! DICK!!!!!!

//INCLUDING THE PROTAGONIST!

//Now, I need to really shed my thoughts and opinions on the way LINUJ carries this belief through his characters and how it actually affects me. In general, it does spoil my enjoyment of the Another series characters quite a bit, but at the same time, I can't really argue against it.

//There is some element of truth to the way LINUJ portrays this. There are just some people out in the world, as sad as this is to think about, who are BAD people. There are many people who just have no redeeming qualities to them, live their lives by being horrible or selfish towards others, and they don't change so easily.

//Take what I was saying about Mitch in Another 1. Mitch has almost nothing good about him. Not only is he the first killer, but his motives are insanely selfish and unsympathetic, and he seemed almost genetically engineered to be a piece of shit.

//But I don't mind that because the truth is not everybody IS sympathetic. Some people are willing to take lives and do unspeakable things for their own self benefit. It's part of human nature and is a fact of life.

//The notion that we expect some of these inherently bad characters to change their ways through the experiences they go through is, to be completely honest, a little bit of wishful thinking.

//But what is also a fact of life is that people CAN change.

//If people didn't change, character development in media wouldn't be a concept, period. And it's not like LINUJ doesn't understand this, because some of his characters DO grow throughout their experiences in the Killing Game.

//The two best examples I can think of are Akane Taira and Rei Mekaru. They both start to open up more as the game progresses and have real character arcs that make them worthy members of the cast. Even Akane's Mastermind reveal doesn't change this, because she ultimately turns tail on Utsuro and her ideals and sacrifices herself to save the others.

//And that is retained when she makes some physical appearances in SDRA2. She's extremely cynical in the final trial of Another 2, but there's still elements of a sweetheart there.

//However, I feel the need to point out that the vast majority of those characters are from Another 1, not Another 2. The characters in Another 2...honestly don't really change much from how they're introduced.

//And when they do, it's usually for the worse. And as I said, this trial is where I really started to realize that these people are actually not developing, they're regressing as the game goes on.

//So I don't really know what inciting incident happened between the creation of Another 1 and 2, but whatever it was that caused LINUJ to think this way, I feel sorry for him.

//With that being said, while I don't completely disagree with the way LINUJ portrays this type of human nature, I DO disagree with the way he HANDLES it.

//Take what I was saying about Kizuna Tomori in my review of A-2. My big issue with the way that she was handled is that LINUJ spent a lot of time building up the grounds for a potential development arc, in a very similar way to how Kodaka did so with Hiyoko in Chapter 3 of DR2.

//The difference though is that Hiyoko's arc was cut short by the fact that she died, which is something that she didn't have control over in-universe. Kizuna's was cut short because she straight up didn't want to go through with it, and chose to remain a horrible person.

//It just feels really unrealistic to me that there could be so much stimuli to better Kizuna's mindset, and maybe make her think twice about what was going on, and yet it all just gets wasted.

//But Kizuna is a very minor bad because this ultimately blows up in her face in a catastrophic way, and the way that she tries to protect Akane in the end...KIND of makes it better.

//I cannot say the same...about Nikei...

//I don't ever talk about Nikei Yomiuri on this blog. Like, I actively AVOID talking about him, largely because he's never actually appeared here.

//But in the past, when I have mentioned him, all of you who read those messages probably know this...But my God...

//I

//DESPISE!

//This man!

//Largely the reason why I dislike Nikei mainly has to be because of his fanbase, which is...frighteningly large, actually.

//He's one of the highest-rated Danganronpa Another characters, and his fanbase is among the biggest group of people than most of the others, full of people constantly trying to psychoanalyse him or even defend his actions.

//Guys, trust me, he's NOT that deep. He's JUST a PIECE OF SHIT, and that's clearly all LINUJ ever wanted him to be, and all he will ever be.

//I'm 95% sure that if you asked LINUJ himself to confirm that, he would agree with me.

//Even post-trial when we first see Nikei in VOID theater, he's so unsympathetic and cruel to even his own teammates, despite the fact that Emma and Hajime still treat him nicely. He's just a conniving d-bag, and little more than that.

//He goes through an entire character arc in this chapter, making it seem like he's betraying Mikado and VOID, and goes on to reveal so many important info bits about what's actually going on, and you think this might be the point where things start to turn around.

//Nikei would have been the PERFECT catalyst for not only the tide of change, but a survivor of the Killing Game in that instance, but...

//No. No, LINUJ just doesn't allow it.

//And not only does Nikei turn out to be disingenuous, doing everything he did for his own benefit and no one else's, but he's probably the most disingenuous and nasty character in this game barring only Mikado.

//Also...why are some of you guys out here shipping those two again? Do you...have a working brain?

//Okay, sorry, that's a bit mean, but please 'splain yoselves...

//In general, this rampant character regression that's apparent in a lot of LINUJ's modern characters like Nikei, and the fact that he retains the stance that they can't change from being absolute pieces of shit, is proof enough that he doesn't quite understand what kind of people the Danganronpa audience are.

//What's even more unfortunate is that the negative character development doesn't stop at Nikei. The other characters overall recieve it to the point that the only character in this chapter that I found...somewhat redeemable, was Yoruko, and Yoruko alone.

//And even then, she still didn't get off scot-free.

//But I kind of already mentioned that one of the other characters who suffers from this is Sora, and that really pains me to admit, because as you guys already know...

//I REALLY LIKE Sora!

//My feelings on the way Sora is handled here are...generally mixed. However, for now, I want to go over the parts I find negative, because I want to save the positive parts for after this rant.

//To make it quick though, because I really don't like badmouthing Sora, I do agree with people that this is definitely her lowest point, even if it does make sense upon reflection.

//Basically, the point that I'm talking about here is that this whole thing starts off when Yuki accidentally cuts Shinji's throat, and had Shinji died from that, it would have made Yuki the blackened.

//Sora manages to prevent this by slitting Shinji's throat herself, but doing so with Nikei's hand so that HE becomes the killer...kind of.

//I'm just gonna call bullshit on this, because this is actually the single only point in the whole game where I actually agree with Nikei. Nikei was unconscious, and Sora used his hand as a weapon. And yet somehow, that makes NIKEI the fucking killer.

//I think it's really scummy of Sora to do this, as well as the fact that she SEEMS to be guilty over it, but...let's be real, she's not even slightly broken up over it afterwards. The only way this comes back to bite her afterwards is this REALLY hurts her established relationship with Yoruko.

//She doesn't ever show any real empathy for the situation she put Nikei in, but more to the point, she doesn't show much sympathy for Shinji OR Yuki either, despite the fact that this whole operation of hers was for his sake.

//And I want to point one thing out before people start having a go at me here. Yes, I know that this whole case was ultimately set up by Nikei, and that the trial ends with him dying anyway. I KNOW that he's the scumbag responsible for everything that went down here; so this was just well-deserved karma.

//But the fact is that Sora DIDN'T! Not at the time she actually made Nikei a scapegoat at least. She knew he was a VOID, but as far as she was concerned, Nikei was betraying his own organization.

//Also, we find out later that the reason why Sora did this is because her AI is specifically programmed to keep Yuki alive, in the same vein that Akane Taira would have sacrificed herself for Utsuro. It's why Sora takes Syobai's stab in the prologue when it was specifically aimed at Yuki.

//However, while that was a self-sacrifice that Sora did in the moment, it still proves that she's willing to lay down her own life and safety to protect Yuki's.

//She made the consciensous decision to sacrifice Nikei here. So it's very hard to defend her actions.

//Sad as it is to say, Nikei makes a great point when Sora tries to apologize for her actions, and justify them as her making a worthy sacrifice. If she had honestly believed Nikei's words that dying in the game means they don't die for real, why didn't she just take the shard of glass and cut Shinji's throat herself? Or alternatively, take the gun Nikei had on him and shoot him?

//Divine Luck is the only explanation I can think of.

//Had she stuck around enough to observe Nikei setting the whole thing up, tazing himself, and THEN seeing Yuki stab Shinji and run away, it would have made more sense. But as it stands, despite the fact that Sora has already proven to be more self-righteous and unsympathetic towards people than the other protagonists in the series have, this is kind of a new low.

//If anything, the way that that situation looked to Sora, it would have looked like Nikei was collateral damage. There was no reason for her to suspect that he might have had something to do with it. Which proves that if it means protecting Yuki and herself, Sora is willing to sacrifice literally anybody else's lives in this killing game.

//Which REALLY takes away from her role as a hero. Even if we attribute this to the Akane Taira side of herself, that still doesn't make sense because even Ultimate Despair Akane Taira wasn't THIS egomaniacal.

//And when I recently looked at reviews of this game online, a few standout ones did mention that this was the point where, for them, this game started to really fall off. Because Sora was just so unsympathetic and cruel in this moment.

//As one final note, and one final critique of this trial, as I've said before, the big selling point of the Another series is what it does differently than the original series. Because most of the time, when it deviates from the preconcieved points of the main series, it does so in a really good way.

//Which is why it kind of disappointed me to find out that the chapter's victim was Shinji. Not only is he the big guy, and literally the big guy dies in every fourth Chapter of these games, whether they're a killer or a victim, but he was raising so many death flags this chapter to the point that when we found his body, it was HOW he died that shocked me, not the fact that Shinji himself had died.

//Ironically, the only trademark "big guy" who didn't die in Chapter 4 is Kakeru from the previous game. But he still died a chapter earlier.

//Man, these big muscular characters really suck at living through these killing games, don't they?

//I'm a little worried because now that I think about it, a lot of what I've just talked about REALLY gives off that I have an overly negative opinion of this trial. I really went all out talking about my issues with this whole chapter. But I do still like it quite a bit, and while it's far and away the worst of the fourth cases, as I said already, it still holds up.

//If you really think about it, most of my major issues with this chapter and this trial fall under the same umbrella of LINUJ's bad characterization and writing. But the big reason I still like this is because of the story elements of this chapter, and how creative they get.

//There are ups and downs to it, obviously, as I've already made it clear, but what sets this chapter apart from the rest of the game is how full of engaging twists and turns it is.

//The only other chapter in the game that had more twists than this one was Chapter 3, and as I've already made clear, the twists that we see in that chapter are uninteresting at best, and stupid, contrived, and nonsensical at worst.

//Most of the twists that happen in this chapter are fun. It all revolves around the idea of the students being trapped in an isolated environment with very limited resources again, and unfortunately, the Tower of Babel isn't as interesting as the Ballroom in Another 1, and DEFINITELY nowhere near as fun as the Funhouse in 2. But it's still an interesting setup and lots of cool stuff happens there, and throughout the chapter itself.

//The first one is Nikei's VOID reveal.

//The only issue with this it...kind of felt obvious. Nikei was probably the most predictable member of VOID in this game compared to the others. However, predictable twists can be implimented well when they're EXECUTED in a cool way.

//I'm gonna give an example of something that I felt similarly about, but it's also major spoilers for the newer episodes of My Hero Academia, so skip to when the text stops being inverted if you don't want to be spoiled on that.

//One situation that I felt did this well was the reveal in My Hero Academia that Dabi was actually Touya Todoroki. Shoto's older brother, and Endeavor's estranged and presumed-to-be-dead son who betrayed his family and went back on society after the neglect he suffered in favor of Shoto's power.

//Quite literally from the moment that Dabi was introduced, and the fact that he didn't reveal his real name or origins to Shigaraki and the villains, everybody guessed immediately that this was going to be the case.

//It was SO OBVIOUS from beginning to end.

//However, when Dabi does finally reveal himself, the scene itself, and the Todoroki family's reaction to it is damn priceless.

//Throughout My Hero Academia, the Todoroki family’s trauma is a central theme, with Endeavor’s abusive pursuit of creating a perfect hero leaving a trail of scars on his whole family, not just Shoto. Therefore, Dabi’s identity ties these personal stakes to the larger conflict between heroes and villains. His transformation from Touya into Dabi epitomized the devastating consequences of Endeavor’s obsession with power and his failure to protect his family.

//That's why the twist ends up being so good, despite it being really obvious. This emotional weight gave the reveal significance beyond its predictability, forcing characters and viewers alike to confront the ripple effects of past mistakes and the pain they left behind.

//Moreover, the reveal was impactful because of Dabi’s theatrical, calculated delivery, which weaponized the truth for maximum devastation. Dabi didn’t just expose himself to Endeavor, Shoto, and the rest of his family; he broadcasted his identity to the WORLD, shattering Endeavor’s public image as the new Symbol of Peace INSTANTANEOUSLY.

//If that's not a power move, I don't know the definition anymore.

//By combining his personal vendetta with the League of Villains’ broader agenda to undermine hero society, Dabi turned a familial tragedy into a public reckoning. This dual-layered impact, both personal and societal, elevated the moment from a simple plot twist to a turning point that reshaped the narrative.

//Okay, spoilers are over.

//My point is that Nikei revealing himself to be a VOID, despite how much I really come to hate Nikei by the end of this, is similarly impactful and well-delivered.

//Largely because, unlike Hajime and Emma, who already managed to commit crimes before they were outed as members, Nikei outs HIMSELF!

//He does it as a means of getting back at Mikado, rightfully so given how Mikado has already manipulated his group and reigned over them with an iron fist, but frankly, it didn't make sense to me why any of the VOID's would still work with Mikado after Makunouchi got executed. Or rather, I didn't get why Nikei and Emma did, because I can believe that Iroha would swear loyalty through fear.

//To have a traitor among the members of VOID was, to be frank, a really interesting plot development and a cool idea for the story in general.

//As I said already, the very fact that Nikei's VOID reveal went like this instead of the typical way is what saves this whole moment for me, because again, personally, he was the most obvious villain in this game for me. But the fact that when he finally comes out about it, and declares that he's BETRAYING his organization, and revealing himself is strangely gratifying, and a well-deserved kick to the balls for Mikado.

//It's a really cool scene for Nikei to apologize for his actions and give all the information he had about VOID, including how he used to be the leader before Mikado usurped him. It was moving, and this is largely why it pisses me off so much that he turned out to just be full of shit and playing to everybody's emotions.

//Nikei is the worst character in Another 2 in my opinion, but the reason why that's so sad is because this could have very easily made him the absolute best. LINUJ just fumbled the bag, not just massively, but intentionally.

//Twist Number 2: Teruya's totalitarian methodology.

//The next point I want to talk about is Teruya. Because this is a similarly great moment for me, despite the negativity behind it.

//I talked about this a little when I reviewed A2-5, but one thing I brought up is how Teruya's characterization in the later parts of the game really begin to reflect off of Tsurugi's attitude as we've already seen it in Another 1. This is the chapter where that really starts happening, and from what I can see, the general consensus is that people really don't like this.

//And to be honest, I don't either. I generally think being influenced by Tsurugi is a bad idea for ANYONE.

//Ultimately, the reason why Teruya went crazy with the gun is because Nikei told him to get it so he would turn out to look like the bad guy, which was a big part of his plan. However, the issue isn't that. The issue is that the gun and the change in plans came out just...super suddenly.

//It would have made more sense had Teruya gone more subtle about it. Maybe talking about his plan first, then adopting the heavy-handed approach if and when people started to disagree with it.

//Especially since it's weird to me that Teruya didn't try to argue an alternative with Nikei. Teruya's not only too kind for this, but he's had a few years to emotionally mature since Another 1, and he doesn't typically come off as this dumb in the rest of Another 2. Plus, no one had done anything to really provoke Teruya prior to this point, so it was unexpected, but not very well-handled.

//While I do generally agree with these points, I do have to defend this moment a little bit, because in a cosmic sort of way, it does make some sense. Largely because of a scene that was shown in this chapter that does explain it.

//It all comes down to one singular point in Teruya's life that stuck with him forever: Chapter 4 of Another 1.

//In the Utsuroshima killing game, Teruya had his memories sealed away like the rest of the group. However, one thing that becomes clear here is that his emotions are still there, and they resonate with him once he recieves some stimuli.

//In this particular case, he finds golden statues of Haruhiko Kobashikawa, and Satsuki Iranami. And upon seeing them, he starts crying.

//I generally cannot stress enough how goddamn TRAUMATIC Haru and Satsuki's deaths were for Teruya. When they both died, they were at odds with each other, and he never quite got the chance to make amends or show his guilt before they did.

//And what's even more vital to keep in mind is that the situation under which they were at odds is SHOCKINGLY similar to the Tower of Babel situation in SDRA2. In Another 1, Teruya and Haru were fighting each other because the other kept stealing food for themselves, and also blaming the other.

//And now they're stuck in an almost identical situation, so what does he do?

//Even if he didn't know why, Teruya would probably be freaking out, and as we've seen, he tends to take any option he can if it means that he and his friends can survive. So he adopts a very similar psychopathic stance as Tsurugi did in that chapter here.

//Twist Number 3: Sora falling off the tower, and protag switching to Syobai.

//I love protag switches in these games, since they're almost always peak moments (V3-6 notwithstanding), in any Dangan or Fangan. And this situation was super fun upon reflection.

//I'm not gonna spend too long on this one, because I can just say it was cool and be done with it. Not the biggest Syobai fan if I'm being honest, but switching to him and seeing the stuff happen from his perspective was pretty insightful and entertaining.

//Twist Number 4: Sora sacrificing Nikei.

//I already talked about this point and how I do find fault with it, but now I want to talk about why I actually do really like this twist.

//The fact that Sora DID do this is just generally super shocking, and again, as I've said many times before, it's different from anything we've seen before, and that's what makes it great.

//The characters in Danganronpa that I consider to be protagonists are Makoto, Hajime, Shuichi, Kaede, Komaru, Toko, Yuki, and Sora. And of all those people, the closest one we've ever had to one of them committing any kind of crime is Kaede.

//Yet in the end, though she was executed, it was only an attempted murder, and done out of consideration for everyone other than herself. That is not the case for Sora, and I think it is really refreshing to have a main character show this kind of weakness in a killing game.

//Hajime and Yuki did almost commit a crime in Chapter 4 of DR2 and Another 1 respectively, but Chiaki and Tsurugi ultimately stopped them, and we all knew that they would never do it anyway.

//Now, upon reflection, we know now that the reason why Sora did this is because she was programmed to protect Yuki from harm. So she likely did this without realizing it. But that doesn't stop it from being shocking in the moment.

//As I said already, Sora is never established to be an all-loving hero like how Makoto or the other DR protagonists were. But up until this point, she's still established as a morally ambiguous, yet inherently good character, someone the audience can trust to solve mysteries and navigate the group through tense situations.

//But Sora's decision to take such dramatic and deliberate action here calls into question someone's preconcieved perception of her character and causes them to reconsider her moral compass. This maneuver emphasizes the Danganronpa series' central theme of survival vs morality, demonstrating how even the protagonist can be forced to violate their ideals in order to protect someone they care about.

//And again, yeah, we already kind of saw that with Kaede, but moreover, the twist works exceptionally well because of the clever manipulation of Nikei's own scheme.

//Nikei’s initial plan to turn Yuki into the blackened and orchestrate the events of the trial to ruin Mikado's ultimate plan paints him as the quintessential schemer. So when Sora uses his unconscious hand to incriminate him, it creates poetic irony; the manipulator becomes the manipulated.

//Just in general, the fact that we see Sora’s ingenuity and resourcefulness being used to cross ethical boundaries adds an unpredictable edge to her character arc. And it's largely a reason WHY she's my favourite MC, despite the personal issues I have with this.

//The twist also heightens the stakes for the trial itself. With Sora framing Nikei, the trial becomes a battle of wits between all parties, and makes the case not just about solving a murder but also about how far each character is willing to go to achieve their goals. It transforms the trial into an emotionally charged and morally gray conflict, because hardly ANYBODY is right in this situation.

//As a quick side note, one thing I really do like that is kind of subtle and not really drawn attention to is the fact that Nikei's podium is positioned right next to Sora's. So when he was going on that tirade, she was getting full blast of it, and I think that's extremely fun.

//And the great irony is how this plays into the final twist, because it shows the only innocent one here...is the victim.

//Twist 5 is the truth behind what actually happened. Shinji's suicide.

//Now, I feel the need to bring up that this is only the second time in any of these games that we've seen someone kill themselves instead of anyone else. And in general, Fanganronpa's don't always typically bring up the suicide route other than as a possibility.

//But it's easy to see why this is. Sakura's sacrifice in Chapter 4 of DR1 was so perfect, that topping it in terms of the emotional impact and the circumstances surrounding it is near impossible.

//In fact, I'm fairly sure that's the same reason why Danganronpa's MAIN series has only done the suicide once. Sakura set a benchmark that just could not be jumped, even if they tried.

//And Shinji's case certainly doesn't, but it's still impactful in its own way.

//There are, arguably, a lot of similarities between Sakura's suicide and Shinji's suicide:

The obvious fact is that both of them are the trademark big character with a heart of gold who seemed untouchable. Their big size and big voice made them appear intimidating, but they are actually the most sweethearted student of the bunch.

Both of them fell into these situations because of suspicions surrounding them. Sakura was outed as a spy by Monokuma, while Nikei made everyone suspect Shinji might be a traitor too.

Sakura and Shinji both got attacked by two seperate people before they decided to end their own lives. Sakura was attacked by Hiro, and then Toko, while Shinji was attacked by Yuki, then Sora with Nikei's hand.

The reason they killed themselves is mainly so they could protect the relationships and the lives of the other students, particularly one student that they had formed a strong bond with (Hina and Yuki respectively)

//However, despite all these points of commonality, the case is different enough so that Shinji's actions stand on their own merits. And I am ultimately glad that LINUJ brought the suicide case idea back.

//Obviously, I'm not HAPPY that Shinji killed himself; don't get that twisted. I'm just glad that somebody else took a crack at it, and it was done in a way that was meaningful and emotional, just as Sakura's was.

//It also isn't as predictable as it might sound. Upon reflection, knowing what kind of character that Shinji was, this was probably the only way he could go out that would have been meaningful enough for him, but that doesn't make the situation any less heartbreaking.

//The difference between Shinji and Kakeru in the Another series is that Kakeru was not as integral to anybody's character arcs as Shinji was to Yuki's. Had they switched places, it wouldn't have meant as much, but as things stand out, this is what really reinforced my respect for Shinji as a character, and what really marked the end times for this game.

//Because if you think about it, Shinji was the last innocent man standing on this island.

//Mikado is, obviously, the mastermind, Nikei staged this whole crime and is a member of VOID, as is Iroha, Yuki and Sora both stabbed him, and Syobai is...well...Syobai. Yoruko is almost an exception, but she's also not as sweet as one might think, as shown in Chapter 5.

//The last twist I want to go over is what happens with Nikei's death after all of this.

//Even though this was a suicide, this trial still ends with an execution, and it's the first chance we get to see a true villainous side to Mikado prior to the shit he pulls in A2-5.

//I have mixed feelings about this twist considering what it implicates, but at the same time, the killing game has already been established at this point to feel unfair, and the way Mikado does this is fucking tense and HEART-POUNDING.

//Nikei's act of defiance is a culmination of his character arc. The moment his plan backfires, it underscores the overwhelming power imbalance between Mikado and the rest of the cast, especially with how the gun destroys Nikei's right hand, which he places great importance on.

//Kind of symbolically Mikado's way of saying "I can take away everything that matters to you with a snap of my fingers." Unlike the rest of the game prior to this, it truly cements him as an omnipotent antagonist, always one step ahead of the others, making any resistance feel almost hopeless.

//The new killing game rule prohibiting betrayal of VOID is an ingenious twist that amplifies this cruelty and strategic brilliance. By adding the rule immediately after Nikei's rebellion, Mikado not only punishes Nikei but also sends a chilling message to the remaining participants: defying him will not only fail but will lead to certain death.

//Finally, Nikei’s execution is a masterstroke of dramatic irony and narrative payoff. Throughout the game, Nikei has been a manipulator, attempting to control outcomes for his benefit. His final moments, where he loses not only his hand but also his life in a gruesome, predetermined fashion, reflect the very lack of control he tried so hard to avoid.

//And...I really did just spend an entire evening of my life going on a huge analysis of a trial that I actually don't care that much about, lmfao!

//I think it's because there's largely so much to talk about with this trial regardless of whether or not you actually like it or hate it. If you want a deep analysis, these points all need to be brought up.

//Overall, I think the reason why Trial 4, despite being very problematic in some pretty major ways, still turns out to be a really good case for this game overall is because how much of an impact it had both on the emotions of a player, and on the story in general, which is far more than can be said for Chapter 3.

//It's not as long, complicated, or convoluted, but it's a rollercoaster in its own right, being completely disorganized, and chock full of arguments, emotions, and feelings in a really cool way.

#danganronpa survivor #danganronpa #danganronpa another 2 #sdra2 #mod talks #shinji kasai #sora #yuki maeda #nikei yomiuri #mikado sannoji #dangancember 2024 #ranking

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conelluwrites · 2 years ago

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My Love Is Like A Virus

Yandere!Kokichi O(u)ma/Fem!Reader

Requested by P!$$ FR€@¢K (which should let you know what this one is about)

Title from Cooties by Melanie Martinez (8-bit cover linked)

Posted on my AO3 as well

“Now, just tell me why you would do something so fucking stupid?” His voice comes out as he breathes heavily, like he wasn’t even prepared to speak when he did. His tone wasn’t anywhere close to angry or even disappointed, it was more like he was talking just to hear himself talk. The second your lips part to respond, he tugs your hair back, making you just moan instead. “Oh! I get it… You forgot that you’re mine, didn’t you?” His voice is teetering on the edge of too possessive for his small frame, too full of himself for someone that could be punted across a field. “Well, it’s fine. I just need to better mark what’s mine.”

Warnings: urofilia (piss), yandere behavior (no bodily harm, just obsessive and possessive behavior), Dom/Sub, degradation

The grip Kokichi had on your hair was nearing painful, but you really couldn’t expect anything different could you? After all, you baited your boyfriend into this situation with no real care about the outcome. Your knees had long since turned from a stinging pain to numb, how long has he had you on your knees by this point? Does it even matter? You had to stop a grin from finding its way to your face as his shoe lazily kicked at your damp underwear under your skirt, but it was next to impossible as a shaky gasp and low whine leaves your lips. The corners of his mouth turn up into a smirk as his hand slowly moved up and down his cock. It wasn’t hard or fast enough to provide him anything more than a way to stay hard, as if your face and overeager presence wasn’t enough for that.

The grin you had been suppressing so well can’t be held back any longer as you nod excitedly, your hands grip the thick faux fur rug so tightly that it makes your nails dig into the palm of your hand. “Yeah?” You congratulate yourself on not stammering, but you’re nearly hyperventilating from all the emotions racing through you as the tip of his shoe presses against your wet cunt again. “How are you going to mark me?”

He grins, his grip loosens until your hair falls from his grip and he pats the top of your head like you’re a good dog and nothing more. He leans over, his breath brushing through your hair softly, his voice is so soft as he speaks that it almost makes you surprised, “I’m going to have to piss on you.” Your heart stops for a second before it starts again and it’s racing, it’s almost too much for you in that singular moment. “What? Filthy, stupid cunts deserve to be treated as such.”

“Yeah.” Is all that you can manage to say, your tongue flicking out to slide across your lips as your eyes go from Kokichi’s eyes to his cock. The tip of it is so red that you want to reach out and press kisses to it, but you can’t as his grip tightens again in your hair. Your attention is pulled back up to his face as he yanks your head back. “Yes, please.”

One of his eyebrows raise as he nods, his thumb running over the slit of his cock. “You really want me to piss on you?”

You nod, your hands going to rest on his bare thighs, “Yes, please. Please piss on me, Kokichi. I want to be marked by your piss.” The groan that leaves Kokichi before you even finish the second please is enough further cement that you want this more than anything and you can tell he does too.

You can’t process what happens fast enough, the warm stream hits your nose and travels down over your neck and down your neck. The warmth hits you and then the taste- it’s salty and bitter, but not overwhelmingly so and you can’t complain much as he isn’t making you swallow it. His piss seeps into the fabric of your shirt, spreading down, down, down, and making you whimper slightly. The tips of your hair become soaked easily and you can hear a snicker from Kokichi as he lowers his aim to your skirt. Every inch of your clothing in the front is covered and you can feel it make your skin feel cold as it cools off. His shoe moves from your slick, desperate cunt as he stands up taller to shake his cock in front of your face, the last remaining drops hitting your face making you flinch away slightly.

“Are you not going to clean it?” He asks, the tip of his cock is so close to your lips that it’s extremely tempting but all you can manage to do is press the kiss you were so desperate to do so beforehand. He seems content enough with your response as he tugs his underwear and white pants back up. You don’t get up, staying on the soaked carpet as it cools against your skin. A small noise of shock leaves you as he tosses a clean enough towel at you. “You’ll want to dry off some, can’t have you dripping piss everywhere.”

#kokichi ouma x reader #kokichi oma x reader #drv3 x reader #danganronpa x reader #x reader #banner by cafekitstune

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shewasverynice · 9 months ago

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Fandoms: 呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga)呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Anime) MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Rating: Explicit

Major Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con

Content Warnings: Dubious Consent, Prostitution, Drug Use, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Blood and Violence

Categories: F/M, Multi, F/F

Relationships: Gojo Satoru/Original Female Character(s), Nanami Kento/Original Female Character(s), Getou Suguru/Original Female Character(s), Ieiri Shoko & Iori Utahime

Major Characters: Original Characters, Gojo Satoru, Getou Suguru, Nanami Kento, Okkotsu Yuuta, Toudou Aoi, Zenin Naobito, Zenin Jinichi, Zenin, Zenin Ougi, Fushiguro Megumi, Kamo Clan, Nitta Akari, Inumaki Toge, Ieiri Shoko, Iori Utahime, Kusakabe Atsuya, Muta Kokichi, Itadori Yuuji, Hakari Kinji

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Chapter 12 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Two days after their investigation in Niigata, Nanami, Rin, Itadori, and Okkotsu found themselves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The city buzzed with life, its skyline a mix of modern skyscrapers and historic architecture. As they exited the bustling airport, the humid air enveloped them, a stark contrast to the cooler climate they had left behind.

The group made their way through the crowded terminal, their steps purposeful. Rin walked with a quiet confidence and beside her, Nanami’s composed demeanor was a steadying presence. Itadori and Okkotsu followed closely, their expressions reflecting a mix of curiosity and excitement. Despite the intensity of their business, the young sorcerers couldn’t help but be intrigued by the vibrant city they found themselves in.

As they reached the exit, Nanami turned to the group, “We’ll head to our hotel first, get settled in. After that, we’ll review the details of our investigation.”

They nodded in agreement, and soon they were in a taxi, weaving through the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur. The city’s energy was palpable, the mix of cultures and influences evident in every corner.

At the hotel, they checked in and quickly made their way to their rooms. The accommodations were modest but comfortable, providing a much-needed respite after their long journey. Once everyone had a chance to freshen up, they gathered in Nanami and Rin’s room, ready to discuss their next steps.

"We conveniently have a contact here," Nanami began, "But unfortunately they were delayed until tomorrow. For now, we should lay low and-"

"Or," Rin interrupted, placing her hand on Nanami's arm, "We could enjoy the day off? It has been some time since all of us could just relax. Why not take advantage?"

Nanami's eyes flicked down to her hand, her perfectly manicured nails and slender fingers just resting on his bare forearm. With a sigh he shook his head, but relented. "Fine. We can... We can enjoy a day off. I suppose there's no harm in it."

Both Itadori and Okkotsu sighed with relief and then broke into chatter about what they wanted to go and see. Rin, to Nanami's surprise, joined in with them and even pulled out her phone to look up places to visit. The stoic blond found himself at an odd crossroads. On the one street was the comforting embrace of work and professionalism, but on the other was...

"Let's go find a place to buy something more comfortable!" Rin said, smiling at the boys, "It'll double as a souvenir, hmm?"

Before Nanami could process all of this, the group set off together to visit the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. The sleek, shimmering towers stood majestically against the sky. They took their time admiring the view from the observation deck, marveling at the sprawling cityscape below.

As the day progressed, they split up to explore different parts of the city. Rin and Nanami decided to enjoy a more relaxed pace, visiting the serene Lake Gardens. They wandered through the beautifully manicured gardens, enjoying the tranquility and the vibrant flora. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers, and they paused frequently to take in the sights and sounds.

Rin's arm was linked with Nanami's as they strolled together, only parting when Rin would admire a flower or take a photo. Thankfully he'd bought sunglasses because Nanami couldn't tear his eyes from her. She smiled so freely here, dressed in a loose cotton skirt and top. The breeze would give him a little peek at the bikini she'd chosen to wear beneath. He'd never seen this side of her and it made his heart clench in his chest. He couldn't help but believe this was who she should be, not forced to be the proper and uptight manager of a brothel.

Meanwhile, Itadori and Okkotsu sought out the bustling markets and vibrant street life. They wandered through the colorful stalls of Central Market, sampling exotic fruits and local delicacies, and admiring the intricate handicrafts on display. The lively atmosphere and the energetic buzz of the market were infectious, and they found themselves caught up in the excitement of discovering new things.

Itadori already had an armful of souvenirs for the other guys and Okkotsu had amassed a collection of candies and sweets to share with Rika. The two boys hadn't had time to really interact more than for business, but they were building a strong friendship as they enjoyed the city.

In the late afternoon, the group reconvened at a charming café near the Bukit Bintang district. They shared pictures and experiences over drinks, laughing and exchanging stories. The café had a cozy, welcoming atmosphere, and the cool drinks were a reprieve from the heat.

As evening approached, they made their way to a seaside restaurant for dinner. The restaurant had a stunning view of the beach, and they enjoyed a delicious meal as they watched the sun slowly dip towards the horizon. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over the water.

As they left the restaurant, Nanami glanced at the boys over his sunglasses with a certain twinkle in his eyes. The two of them immediately caught the hint and Itadori rambled something about going to a shop or two before meeting back at the hotel. They scurried away and Nanami turned to Rin and extended his hand. She smiled, softly enough that heart fluttered, and placed her hand in his.

Together they took a walk along the beach together. The sand was cool beneath their feet, and the sound of the waves was soothing. They walked in comfortable silence, the air filled with the scent of salt and flowers. The gentle breeze tousled through Rin's hair, her braid loosening.

They found a secluded spot beneath a canopy of flowers, they sat down, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. There were no words shared between them, despite the tense silence. It was an unspoken line between them that they rarely could cross without repercussion, but tonight it felt blurred.

Rin's knees were pulled up to her chest and her chin resting on her arms. The setting sun sparkled in her eyes. Nanami glanced above him at the hibiscus, then over at Rin again. Reaching up, he gently plucked a vibrant bloom and leaned forward to present it to her with a gentle smile. She lifted her head, her cheeks dusted with pink, and gently went to take the flower only for him to reach past her hand.

"If I could," he whispered as he carded a hand through her hair and placed the flower behind her ear, "I would keep you here with me forever. I would never tire of that beautiful smile."

His hand lingered as the long strand slid through his fingers as his gaze met hers. Her breath caught as he pressed his lips gently to her hair before letting it slide out between his fingers. Rin blushed, feeling a warmth spread through her at the tender gesture and those painful promises he could never keep. They shared a quiet smile, their unspoken understanding a strong and painful reminder of what they couldn't have.

Unbeknownst to them, Okkotsu and Itadori were watching from a distance. Itadori, oblivious to the nuances of the scene, nudged Okkotsu. "Look at them, they seem happy," he said with a grin.

Okkotsu, however, recognized the significance of the moment and knew it was yet another secret he needed to keep. He simply nodded, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, they do," he agreed, feeling a sense of contentment seeing them find a moment of peace and connection.

As the sky darkened and the stars began to twinkle overhead, Rin and Nanami sat together, wrapped in their own world. It was a perfect end to a day of exploration and enjoyment, a reminder of the simple pleasures that life had to offer amidst the chaos.

The next morning Nanami spread out a series of documents on the small table in the center of the hotel room, “Our contact has provided us with information about the facility we need to investigate. It’s located in a less populated area outside the city, which should make our approach easier.”

Rin nodded, her eyes focused on the map, “Do we know what kind of security we are expecting?”

“Based on the intel, it’s heavily guarded,” Nanami replied. “Our primary goal is to gather as much information as possible.”

Rin looked at each of them, her expression serious yet reassuring, “Remember, we’re here to uncover the truth about Q.N. specifically. Any information you find could be useful. Sarah knows things that she hasn't shared so the more we can bring her, the better.”

With their strategy in place, the group spent the next few hours preparing for their mission. They reviewed the facility’s layout and memorized key details. They set out for the facility, their resolve unwavering. The journey ahead was fraught with danger, but together, they were a formidable team.

Arriving by bus, they stepped out into the oppressive, humid air once again. The sun was high in the sky, casting a relentless heat over the area. It was mid-afternoon, and the temperature was brutally hot.

“Ugh, it’s like an oven out here,” Okkotsu complained, wiping sweat from his brow.

“This is unbearable,” Itadori added, fanning himself with his hand. “How do people live in this heat?”

Nanami turned to hush them, but Rin, ever observant, caught him discreetly fanning himself with a folded piece of paper. She stifled a laugh and nudged him lightly.

“Even you can’t deny it’s hot, Nanami,” she teased, a smile playing on her lips.

Nanami’s serious facade cracked just a bit, and he sighed, “Alright, it is rather warm.”

The group shared a brief moment of levity, a small respite from the tension of their mission. However, the moment quickly faded as they approached the facility. Before them stood a vast and high-tech row of greenhouses, their sleek, glass structures gleaming under the intense sunlight.

“Stay focused,” Nanami reminded them, his voice returning to its usual, no-nonsense tone. “We have a job to do.”

Rin took the lead, her eyes scanning for any signs of surveillance. Seeing none, she extended a single lock of her long, dark hair. With a delicate precision, she manipulated it to unlatch the door to the nearest greenhouse. The door clicked open silently, and she gently pushed it ajar.

They stepped inside, the cool air of the greenhouse a welcome contrast to the heat outside. The interior was meticulously organized, with rows and rows of herbs stretching as far as they could see. The air was filled with the earthy, aromatic scents of the plants, mingling with the faint hum of climate control systems.

“Impressive setup,” Okkotsu whispered, his eyes wide as he took in the sight.

“Yes, but what are they growing here?” Itadori wondered aloud, his curiosity piqued.

Rin moved forward, examining the plants closely, “These aren't just any herbs, these are specific plants used in traditional medicines. Rare ones, at that.”

Nanami nodded in agreement, “As expected.”

“Let’s document everything,” Rin said, pulling out her phone, “We need evidence.”

Just as they finished, a noise echoed from outside the greenhouse. Footsteps, approaching quickly.

“Someone’s coming,” Okkotsu hissed, his body tensing.

“Hide,” Nanami ordered quietly. The group swiftly moved into the shadows, finding cover behind the rows of herbs.

They held their breath as the door to the greenhouse opened, the silhouette of a guard appearing in the entrance. He looked around suspiciously, his eyes scanning the area. The group remained perfectly still, their hearts pounding.

After what felt like an eternity, the guard seemed to dismiss his suspicions and closed the door, his footsteps receding.

They exhaled in relief, emerging from their hiding spots.

“We need to be more careful,” Rin said, her voice steady but low. “We can’t afford to get caught.”

“Agreed,” Nanami replied. “Let’s finish up and get out of here.”

With renewed urgency, they completed their documentation and slipped back out the way they came, ensuring everything was back in place. They stepped outside into the sweltering heat once more. They moved from greenhouse to greenhouse, each one revealing different herbal remedies and plants cultivated with precision. Among the most intriguing discoveries was a greenhouse filled with a variety of cacti, including the specific type that produced the rare and beautiful Queen of Night flowers. The sight of the tightly budded flowers hinted at the potential for something extraordinary to unfold after dusk.

Rin carefully locked the door behind them as they exited the cactus greenhouse. The group huddled together for a brief discussion, their faces serious and focused.

"We should split up to cover more ground," Nanami suggested, his eyes scanning the area. "Okkotsu, you head to that building on the outskirts. Rin, continue documenting the greenhouses and check the computers inside each one for any useful information. Itadori and I will enter the main building."

Everyone nodded in agreement. With a final glance at each other, they set off in their respective directions, each aware of the importance of their individual tasks.

Okkotsu headed towards the solitary building on the outskirts, his steps cautious and eyes alert for any signs of danger. He knew his mission was crucial; whatever was hidden in that building could be the key to unraveling the entire operation.

Rin moved from greenhouse to greenhouse, her camera capturing every detail. She meticulously documented the plants and took note of any peculiarities. Inside each greenhouse, she checked the computers, scanning through files and records for anything that could provide insight into the facility's operations.

Nanami and Itadori approached the main building, their expressions resolute. Nanami's keen eyes scanned the surroundings, while Itadori followed closely, ready for anything.

As they reached the entrance, Nanami paused, his hand on the door handle. "Stay close and be alert," he instructed Itadori.

"Got it," Itadori replied, his voice steady.

Nanami pushed the door open, and they stepped inside. The air was cooler, filled with the faint hum of machinery. The interior was a stark contrast to the greenhouses, more industrial and sterile.

They moved quietly through the corridors, Nanami leading the way. His instincts told him to head towards the central office area, where they were likely to find the most critical information.

Meanwhile, Okkotsu approached the solitary building. It was smaller than the main structure but still imposing. He glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, before slipping inside. The interior was dimly lit, filled with crates and equipment. He began his search, looking for anything that could hint at the building's purpose.

Back in the greenhouses, Rin's diligent search bore fruit. In one of the computers, she found a series of encrypted files. With a frown, she pulled out a portable drive and began downloading the data. As the progress bar slowly inched forward, she kept an ear out for any approaching footsteps.

Nanami and Itadori reached the office area, finding it surprisingly empty. They split up, each taking a different section to search. Nanami focused on the filing cabinets and desks, while Itadori turned to the computers.

"Hey, Nanami, look at this," Itadori called softly.

Nanami joined him, peering at the computer screen. Itadori had found a set of documents detailing the experimentation on sorcerers and information about cursed based medicine. It included detailed descriptions of the ingredients and the methods used to enhance the herbs.

"This is what we need," Nanami said, his tone grim. "Copy everything."

As Itadori copied the files, Nanami continued his search, finding several ledgers that detailed transactions and shipments. It was clear the operation was extensive and well-funded.

Outside, Okkotsu finally found something of interest. Hidden behind a stack of crates was a secure door. Using his strength, he forced it open, revealing a small room filled with various vials and containers. He recognized some of the substances as ingredients used in cursed techniques. Carefully, he documented everything, taking photos and samples.

Among the various vials and containers, he found something particularly interesting: a large, worn binder. He opened it to find dosage information and records dating back to 2003. Though he didn't recognize the specifics of the dosages, the detailed entries seemed suspicious. Trusting his instincts, he carefully documented the contents with his phone, capturing every page.

Satisfied with his findings, Okkotsu quickly made his way back to the rendezvous point to meet up with Rin, Nanami, and Itadori. As he approached, Itadori immediately noticed an odd smell coming from him.

"Okkotsu, do you smell that?" Itadori asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

Okkotsu paused, confused. "What smell?"

But before he could fully process Itadori's question, his head began to swim. Dizziness overtook him, and he staggered slightly.

"Whoa, Okkotsu!" Itadori exclaimed, rushing to his side. "Something's wrong. We need to get you out of here."

Rin and Nanami quickly joined them, concern etched on their faces. Itadori didn't waste any time; he lifted Okkotsu onto his back, securing him with a firm grip.

"Let's move, now," Nanami commanded, leading the way out of the facility.

They hurriedly made their way through the greenhouses and back towards the bus stop, every second feeling like an eternity. The oppressive heat and humidity only added to their urgency. Rin kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings, her senses on high alert, "We need to get him somewhere safe and figure out what happened."

As they finally reached the bus stop, Rin flagged down a taxi instead. They couldn't afford to wait. The driver, seeing their urgency, quickly agreed to take them to the nearest hospital. Once inside the cool confines of the taxi, Itadori gently laid Okkotsu across the back seat, keeping an eye on his friend.

"Okkotsu, hang in there," he urged, worry evident in his voice.

Rin, sitting in the front, turned to the driver. "Please hurry."

The taxi sped through the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur, heading straight to the hospital. Every moment felt critical, and the tension inside the vehicle was palpable. By the time they arrived at the hospital, Okkotsu was barely conscious.

At the hospital, the medical staff quickly identified the cause of Okkotsu's symptoms: poisoning from the Angel Trumpet flower. Rin, recognizing the effects, explained them to Nanami in a hushed but urgent tone.

"Angel Trumpet poisoning can cause hallucinations, confusion, and death," Rin said, her expression grim. "The lab must have been trapped with the dust from the flower."

Nanami's eyes narrowed as he connected the dots, "They probably set up the trap to deter anyone from snooping around. If someone finds out Okkotsu was poisoned, it could alert the facility that we were there."

The hospital staff informed them that Okkotsu needed a night's rest to recover fully. They handed over his clothes and belongings in a sealed bag, ensuring none of the poisonous dust was still present.

"Thank you," Nanami said to the nurse, taking the bag. He turned to the rest of the team. "We need to be cautious. If the facility suspects anything, our entire operation could be compromised."

Rin nodded, "We should leave as soon as possible. The earliest flight home."

Itadori, still shaken but determined, agreed, "I'll keep an eye on Okkotsu tonight. We can't afford to take any chances."

They decided to stay at the hospital, taking turns keeping watch over Okkotsu. The night passed slowly, each member of the team on high alert, their minds racing with the potential consequences of being discovered.

As dawn approached, they prepared to leave. Okkotsu, now more alert but still weak, was helped into a wheelchair by Itadori. The hospital staff, sympathetic to their urgency, expedited the discharge process.

"Let's get to the airport," Nanami said, his voice firm but calm. "We need to get out of here before anyone starts asking questions."

They called for a taxi and made their way to the airport, the early morning light casting long shadows on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The city was beginning to wake up, but their focus was solely on their mission and the need to leave undetected.

At the airport, they moved quickly through security, ensuring Okkotsu was comfortable and keeping a low profile. The team boarded the earliest flight available, settling into their seats with a collective sigh of relief.

As the plane took off, Rin glanced at Nanami, who was deep in thought. "Do you think we got enough evidence?" she asked quietly.

Nanami nodded. "We have significant findings. Once we're back, we'll analyze everything and figure out our next steps."

Okkotsu, resting beside Itadori, managed a weak smile, "Thank you, everyone. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."

"You did great, Okkotsu," Itadori reassured him. "We're in this together."

As the plane soared above the clouds, they felt a renewed sense of determination. The stakes were high, but their resolve was unwavering.

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

The next afternoon, after a well-deserved rest, Nanami met with Geto in a discreet location. The air was thick with anticipation as the two experienced sorcerers prepared to share their findings and strategize their next moves.

Nanami began by detailing their discoveries. "We found extensive documentation in the greenhouses, including dosage information dating back to 2003. There was also a lab trapped with Angel Trumpet dust, which poisoned Okkotsu. The facility's setup is sophisticated, indicating a significant operation. The presence of high-tech greenhouses and various rare herbs suggests they're heavily backed for some purpose. I think it may be directly connected to the drug's production."

Geto listened intently, nodding as he absorbed the information, "This fits with what we've been finding. We've been focused on collecting any and all samples of the product, but it's been challenging to pinpoint the source. It wouldn't surprise me that it's being partially produced there and then sent to Niigata."

Nanami leaned forward, his expression serious, "We need to be cautious. Whoever is in control here is backing Kamo and likely a lot more."

Geto sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I agree. The Kamo clan's influence is extensive, we have to tread carefully. We've also had another issue on our hands—Hakari and some of the younger sorcerers have been targeting the Zen'in."

Nanami raised an eyebrow, "Targeting them? Why?"

"Apparently, it stems from the death of Fumiya," Geto explained, "Hakari took it upon himself to instigate fights with the Zen'in. I had to deal with a scuffle recently, and it's becoming a problem."

Nanami frowned. "That's concerning. If the younger sorcerers are acting rashly, it could jeopardize our efforts. We need them to stay focused and disciplined."

Geto nodded. "I agree. I've tried to rein them in, but it's proving difficult. They're passionate, but they lack the experience to handle situations delicately."

Nanami sighed, leaning back in his chair, "We'll need to address this directly. Perhaps a more structured training regimen or assigning them to different mentors might help. We can't afford internal conflicts while dealing with the Kamo group and this drug operation."

"That's a good idea," Geto said thoughtfully. "I'll talk to Gojo about it, though he's been... distracted lately."

Nanami's eyes narrowed. "Distracted how?"

Geto hesitated, then decided to share. "He's been spending a lot more time with Shimizu, and they haven't been exactly discreet. I found them at Tenjiku, drunk and causing a scene. He's been trying to drown out his stress with anything he can get his hands on."

Nanami sighed deeply, "That's not good. We need everyone at their best right now. I'll have a word with Gojo myself. He needs to understand the gravity of the situation."

Geto shrugged, "You can certainly try. I'm not sure if it will work, but the stakes are too high not to give it a shot."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their responsibilities pressing down on them. Despite the challenges, they knew they had to persevere. The discovery in Malaysia was a significant breakthrough, but there was still much to uncover and many obstacles to overcome.

Nanami finally spoke, "We'll regroup and strategize our next move. For now, let's focus on consolidating our findings and keeping the younger sorcerers in check. We'll need all the help we can get to take down the Kamo clan's operation."

Geto nodded, determination in his eyes, "Agreed. We'll see this through, no matter what it takes."

With that, they parted ways, each resolved to do whatever was necessary to protect the sorcerer world and dismantle the sinister operations threatening it.

Nanami and Geto exchanged a look of understanding and made their way to Yaga's office. As they entered, Yaga was already seated behind his desk, his expression stern and contemplative.

"We need to talk about Gojo," Geto began, cutting straight to the point.

Yaga's eyes narrowed as he sat up in his chair, "I've noticed his behavior has been erratic. More drugs and alcohol than usual, and he keeps frequenting Tenjiku despite his ban. It's concerning."

Geto nodded, "It's becoming a significant problem. He's distracted and unfocused, which is dangerous given our current situation. We can't afford for him to spiral out of control."

Yaga sighed heavily, rubbing his temples, "I've seen it too. Gojo's always been a bit reckless, but this is different. It's like he's running away from something."

"He's been with Shimizu a lot," Nanami added. "And their activities aren't exactly discreet. It's putting a strain on our operations and could jeopardize everything we're working towards."

Yaga leaned back in his chair, a look of deep concern crossing his face. "We need answers, and quickly. If Gojo's state continues to deteriorate, he might do something drastic. I need you both to start investigating the incident with Fumiya. Find out what happened and why Hakari and the others are targeting the Zen'in without orders."

Nanami and Geto nodded in unison. "We'll get on it right away," Nanami said.

"Good," Yaga replied, his tone firm. "We need to get to the bottom of this before things get out of hand. And keep a close eye on Gojo. If he becomes a liability, we need to be prepared to intervene."

None of them wanted to address the elephant in the room, but finally it was Geto that decided it needed to be said.

"We need to find a way to help him move on from her," he said quietly, "He's not letting it go and he refuses to see reason. Not seeing her is making him anxious."

"Anxious?" Nanami scoffed, "It's not as though they had a relationship. He followed her around like a love sick puppy."

"No, they really did have something genuine when we were younger," Geto corrected, "But he doesn't seem to understand that everything was destroyed with what happened."

"It's the drugs," Yaga said with another deep sigh, "He's too reliant on them and they cloud his judgement."

"He doesn't understand that his love is-"

"No, do not call it that," Nanami hissed, cutting Geto off, "He doesn't love her. Rin is right. He's obsessed and possessive."

"Oh? What else has Rin been saying?" Geto said, the suspicious cat-like smile creeping onto his face, "Do tell. You seem to be spending a lot of time with her on and off the job, Nanami."

"None of that," Yaga snapped, "Let's not get into it. We have too much to deal with. We'll focus on that once we've settled this mess with Zen'in."

As they left Yaga's office, Nanami and Geto exchanged another look, this time one of resolve.

"We should start by talking to Hakari and the others directly," Nanami suggested. "We need to understand their motivations and get the full story about Fumiya."

"Agreed," Geto said. "Let's find Hakari first. He might be the key to understanding this whole mess."

They located Hakari training in one of the dojo's sparring rooms. He was mid-fight, his movements sharp and aggressive, fueled by a barely contained rage. As soon as he saw Nanami and Geto, he stopped, wiping sweat from his brow.

"We need to talk," Nanami said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Hakari sighed, nodding. "I figured this was coming."

They moved to a more private area, away from prying eyes and ears. Nanami and Geto stood before Hakari, their expressions serious.

"Tell us everything you know about Fumiya's death," Geto began.

Hakari looked conflicted but finally relented. "Fumiya was killed by the Zen'in. It had to be a setup. They made it look like an accident, but I know it wasn't."

Nanami and Geto exchanged a glance.

"Why didn't you come to us sooner?" Nanami asked.

Hakari's eyes blazed with anger. "Because I didn't trust that anything would be done. The Zen'in have too much power, and I didn't think anyone would take action. So I decided to do it myself."

Geto placed a hand on Hakari's shoulder. "We understand your frustration, but going rogue isn't the answer. We need concrete evidence before we act on revenge."

Hakari nodded reluctantly. "I know. I just... I couldn't stand by and do nothing."

"We'll find justice for Fumiya," Nanami assured him. "But we need you to cooperate with us and not act on your own. We can't afford any more risks."

As they left Hakari, they felt the weight of their task ahead. Their next steps would involve deeper dives into the Zen'in clan's activities. And all the while, they would need to keep a vigilant eye on Gojo, ready to step in if he veered too close to the edge.

━─┉┈◈❖◈┈┉─━

Gojo sat in the shadows near the bar, his disguise blending seamlessly with the late-night crowd. The bar was deep in Zen'in territory, a place where secrets were shared, and deals were made. Gojo's eyes, hidden behind dark tinted glasses, fixated on a group of higher-rank Zen'in thugs. He strained to listen to their conversation, his senses heightened by the cocaine coursing through his veins.

"That kid Fumiya. His death was a real mess," one of the thugs said, taking a swig from his drink. "Toji didn't mean for it to happen like that, I guess. But it's not like he held back."

"Yeah, I was there that day," another thug agreed. "We didn't mean to kill the kid. But you know Toji—he doesn't exactly lose sleep over these things."

Gojo's jaw clenched, his rage bubbling just beneath the surface. He knew that technically, the Zen'in might have been innocent in Fumiya's death, a tragic accident rather than a deliberate act. But in his drug-fueled state, Gojo couldn't control his fury. The idea of Fumiya's life being snuffed out so carelessly, with such a lack of remorse, was too much to bear.

As the group of thugs finished their drinks and left the bar, Gojo followed them. His movements were precise, his resolve steely. He kept his distance, the menacing smile on his face hidden by the shadows.

The Zen'in thugs were unaware of the predator lurking behind them. They laughed and joked, oblivious to the danger stalking them. Gojo's thoughts were a chaotic mix of anger, grief, and a need for retribution. A need to feel something other than the overwhelming emotions he couldn't drown out. Fumiya's face flashed in his mind, the young sorcerer's potential cut short by a senseless act.

"Toji didn't feel bad about it, huh?" Gojo muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with venom. "We'll see if he feels anything after tonight."

His steps quickened, his heart pounding in his chest. The thugs turned down a dark alley, their laughter echoing off the brick walls. Gojo's smile widened, his fingers itching for action.

The moment they were isolated, Gojo made his move. He stepped out of the shadows, his presence immediately felt by the thugs. They turned, confusion and then fear dawning on their faces as they recognized the infamous sorcerer standing before them.

"What the—" one of them started, but he didn't get a chance to finish.

Gojo's eyes flashed with murderous intent. "You think you can just brush off a life like that? Fumiya was worth more than any of you."

The thugs barely had time to react before Gojo struck. His movements were a blur, fueled by his rage and the cocaine heightening his abilities. He attacked with precision, each blow calculated to inflict maximum pain. As the first thug hit the ground, Gojo felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. This was retribution, not just for Fumiya but for every life ruined by the Zen'in's ruthless actions. He continued his assault, his mind consumed by a single thought: justice.

The alley was soon filled with the sounds of struggle and pain. The stink of fresh blood and death filled the air. Gojo's resolve never wavered, his rage driving him forward. When the last thug fell, broken and beaten but still alive, Gojo stood over him, his breath heavy and ragged.

"Tell Toji," he snarled, "that this is just the beginning."

⤶ Prev Main Next ↪

#fanfiction #writing #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #gojo satoru #geto suguru #nanami kento #alternate universe #yakuza

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lockpickingliar · 1 month ago

Text

Intro—Project Despair

April is the Cruelest Month: Day Four

Falling from a high place-|-Hunted-|-Fever-|- “I’m scared” Geminiv3rse: Project Despair—Intro, the Ultimate Hunt Gemini is open for asks.

It was too convenient.

The timing, the proximity to their hideout, everything, all of it.

Dogs barking in the distance—too close for comfort—haunted the darkness as Kokichi ducked into the crumbling remains of a building. They'd all scattered the moment he'd given the word. It was like clockwork, everyone darting into the night, just like they'd all practiced hundreds and hundreds of times before. The only difference had been the circumstances. Someone had been watching them for a while on their trek home.

This was hardly a drill.

Shouts joined the barking, closing in, and Kokichi clasped a hand over his mouth to stifle this ragged breaths. Why were there so many? What were they doing here? Where did they come from? They'd chosen their location well—not a settlement nor even a camp for miles, deep in the recesses of No Man's Land, far outside of their jurisdiction. Their priorities. Kokichi couldn't wrap his head around it.

Slowly, carefully, he skulked through the darkness. He needed to get to higher ground—no, that would just be a convenient dead end, wouldn't it? He needed to know where everyone was, though. That they were okay. He could figure out the details later.

More than anything, he needed to find Kai and Kii.

Kokichi peered over the sill of a window, keeping low to the ground, gauging the whereabouts of his pursuers. Out in the street, a trio of people convened, a dog straining on its leash among them. The pressed uniforms were unmistakable.

"Did you see where any of them went?"

"Division C followed several into the forest to the west." That must have been Ran with Go and Kei.

"What about their ringleader?" How did they know about that?

"I think most of them fled deeper into the city—"

Kokichi didn't have the chance to learn any more as the dog lunged in the direction of his hiding place. He ducked before its handler could stop him and escaped deeper into the building. They likely wouldn't expect him to go up, would they? He needed a better vantage point. Besides, he knew Kai wasn't the type to creep enclosed spaces like he did.

There was a crash and bang in the room behind him just as he skirted into the stairwell.

Too late to change course, Kokichi made a break up the stairs. As he turned onto the landing, he spotted the dog barreling in through the door he'd entered not seconds before, barking at his heels. His heart pounded in his chest as he swung onto the second flight. The second floor, he just needed to get through the door and he could slam it closed—

Except there was no door on the second floor, collapsed onto the floor after its hinges had given way to rust.

Okay, third floor it was.

His lungs burned as he scrambled up the next flight. He couldn't tell how close the beast was, the barking echoing up and down the stairwell in an ear-splitting cacophony. He didn't risk looking back to check. Slowing down would be his downfall here. He blew past the landing, tearing up the second flight, and he swore he could feel it snap at his ankles.

He wasn't going to make it.

He would make it.

He wasn't gonna make it.

He had to—

The metal door slammed shut in the mongrel's face, and Kokichi collapsed to the floor, wheezing.

He didn't have time to rest at this point. What the hell was he supposed to do now? The door rattled as the dog scratched and pounded against it. Those damn agents couldn't be far behind. Was it too much to ask for a single moment of respite to catch his breath and think?

He coughed and spat as he dragged himself back to his feet. A look around the room told Kokichi that it was an old office building he'd taken as his poorly-conceived refuge of the night. Desks were littered about the open space in disrupted cubicles. He waste no time lunging for the nearest desk and dragging it to the door as a makeshift barricade. It'd buy him some time at least, but as much as it'd keep those agents out, it kept him in.

The elevator door was closed, blocking access to the shaft. Kokichi opened a window and peered down at the street below. The third floor was too high up to escape out here.

So now what?

A jarring screech sent a jolt up Kokichi's spine as the desk budged ever to slightly. They were trying to ram their way in. He didn't have much time, so he would just have to make time.

It was time to do what he did best.

The desk screeched across the floor as the three agents finally forced the door open into the empty office space, and Kokichi thanked every star in the sky that it didn't tip over. He couldn't see them as they fanned out to search, a hand clasped over his mouth to stifled the sounds of his breathing.

"Where did he go?"

"Hey, the window's open."

"You're telling me he jumped from the third floor?"

"Start checking under desks. The brat has to be hiding here somewhere."

The voices got fainter as they made their way to the farthest parts of the room, just as Kokichi had hoped. He peeked around from beneath the barricade desk, gingerly rubbing the back of his head where it'd hit him as it was pushed by the door. The agents' backs were turned from the door, the thought of their target hiding under the barricade itself lost on them. Ever so quietly, he backed up, back towards the stairwell door.

What he'd neglected to account for, unfortunately, was the Doberman they'd left guarding the exit.

#aitcm2025 #kokichi ouma #danganronpa #ndrv3 #danganronpa au #danganronpa ask blog #flash fiction #ouma kokichi #kokichi oma #oma kokichi #ultimate ennuist #ultimate supreme leader #gemini #project despair

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cursedfell · 5 months ago

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boxes have appeared in front of the ten shadows heir's door, unceremonial and plainly labelled, straight from the mailman. inside, a wolf fursuit awaits, wearing a t-shirt reading IT'S MY BIRTHDAY. paid with megumi's own money of course, with his account hacked by none other than kyoto's resident, bored cyberbully. 一 kokichi to megumi

megumi stares at the monstrosity in front of him, his fingers gripping the edge of the box like it might bite him if he lets go. a fursuit. of all things, someone decided that this was what he needed in his life.

the absurdity of it doesn’t soften the blow—it only makes it worse. the wolf's unnervingly cheerful eyes glint back at him in the low light, the ridiculous t-shirt declaring IT’S MY BIRTHDAY as though it has something to celebrate. he can feel his irritation rise, sharp and relentless, like an itch he can’t scratch. his first thought is who the hell did this? followed closely by why does this look kind of cute? and that, that, sends a fresh wave of annoyance coursing through him. he scowls, shoving the thought as far down as it can go.

this isn’t cute. it’s infuriating.

kyoto. of course it’s kyoto. they have one tech-savvy nuisance who’s probably cackling to himself in some dark corner right now.

he pulls out his phone, the smooth motion of his thumb across the screen doing nothing to soothe his mood. mechamaru gets his message soon enough, plain and sharp as a blade: “delete my information. now.” megumi barely breathes before adding more, his fingers moving quicker now as his irritation bubbles over.

“i'm telling utahime-sensei.” he pauses, staring at the screen for a moment before pocketing his phone with a short, clipped sigh. the suit still sits there, its stupid glassy eyes looking far too pleased with themselves. and he hates himself just a little more when he catches his brain trying to tell him that the floppy ears are actually kind of well-made. shaking his head like it’ll rid him of the thought, he leans down, grabs the box, and hauls it inside.

if yuji sees this, he’ll never hear the end of it.

#untoldwithin #muse: megumi fushiguro #happy birthday baby boy!!!!

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irlkomaedanagito · 3 months ago

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Hey hey, I saw your danganronpa asks post, so I was curious:

27, 29, 35

27. You’re placed in a Killing Game as yourself (who you are now, no perks). How far do you believe you’d get?

i would immediately become a blackened. like im sorry theres always one annoying ass motherfucker in each game like... idk maybe if i was in thh or sdr2's game id be good. but if there was like, a tenko in my game, we'd both be toast because she'd be dead and i would be standing there very conspicuously covered in blood. other than that i think my paranoia would make me solitary but not super killable on account of id just spend all my time holed up in my room. idgaf about the motives i will not be coerced into it. i will just be at the monomono and staying holed up

29. Talent swap time! Which two characters do you think would benefit best from a talent swap?

i dont really know about a talent swap per se but i really want to see what would happen if komaeda had a "proper" talent that wasnt just his luck and how that would impact how he saw himself. would he trash on his own talent no matter what it was bc his self esteem is just THAT low? probably yeah honestly. idk i dont really think about talentswaps much, i like the talents as they are

35. What is your honest opinion on the end of V3?

why would you do this to me.

okay so like. i see what v3 as a whole was going for with the metacommentary on danganronpa as a series. i get it, i really do.

but i think they did it badly.

the characters were super interesting but they were a noticeable downgrade from the ones in the other games. none of them really try to escape save for chapter one, everyone seems kind of reactive in relation to the overarching plot of Why Are We In A Killing Game. plots come out of nowhere like angie's cult thing in chapter 3, like, it felt less like a natural progression of events and more like a "its a new chapter, we gotta have the chapter subplot now!" 4 and 5 are the only 2 that dont have this problem and thats because weirdly enough kokichi is one of the only consistently active characters that is constantly doing something relating to the overarching mystery and trying to utilize his talent to do so (see: shadow leading, taking over the killing game) so of course the two chapters where he's a major player would be the best ones

and im talking about the whole game here because the people who wrote the game also wrote the ending. and if most of the game is clunky and poorly executed then so will the ending be

and i swear to fucking god if anyone goes "uuhhhhhh it was season 53 of COURSE it was bad it was bad on purpose" 1) you cant just handwave any writing critiques with "it was meant to be bad" because the game as a work just falls flat because of it, whether it was a genuine artistic choice or bungled writing and 2) DO NOT. refute my doylist critique with watsonian analysis.

though i heard that the monokubs were included because spikechun wanted a monomi-esque character for v3. and that a lot of time was put into utdp because it was a soft launch for danganronpa s, taking time and budget away from the main game. and i know how executive meddling can TANK a series (see: final space season 1 is genuinely amazing, and the creators had total freedom. season 2 is so muddied and bungled and you can SEE what they were trying to do but ultimately it falls flat, and the network got WAY too involved with s2) so like. i dont think a lot of this is Kodaka's Fault it was probably because of executive meddling. at least thats my guess

also just im sorry i dont know what the fuck v3 is critiquing here. fandom culture, with tsumugi? corporate greed, with team danganronpa doing this to everyone? if some people go "v3 is SO GOOD because it critiques corporate greed destroying artists, tsumugi isnt the fandom, she's the underpaid passionate writer being exploited, people just dont GET IT!!!" and some people go "v3 is SO GOOD because it critiques obsessive fan culture, especially with tsumugi, people either are tsumugi and dont wanna be called out, or they just dont GET IT!!!" then maybe the theme of your game is a little bit fucking muddled

if its Corporate Greed, why is the last panic talk action against the fans of danganronpa, not team dangan themselves. if its actually a super deep and profound look on fiction because shuichi says fictional characters make us feel real emotions and are important, why is the final pta against the fans and refuting their Real Emotions On Fictional Characters and treating them as obsessed lunatics?

and im sorry x2 but someone finding the ending bad doesnt mean they """""didnt get it."""" i get what they were trying to do i just think they didn't do it very well. such is life.

#uso janai ka?#im not tagging this shit. just take it

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chihirolovebot · 2 years ago

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this is in no way whatsoever meant to be /neg im just REALLY bad at picking up hints

but how come like quite a few times in the story kokichi says physicist is stupid? i get it in one of the recent chapters cause he was basically saying they were stupid for trusting him, but is that the same for every other time??

i remember one line saying something like “they’re just not ???? or smart enough” i think ????? when they *are* smart

i dunno maybe . ironically . im just stupid

UR NOT STUPID ITS OKAY !!!!

separate from phys i DO think ouma has a tendency to believe he's smarter than other people, as in like... smarter than everyone. it's implied that the only one he considers to be on his 'level' is saihara in the original game ( i've elaborated on ouma's pridefulness / ego here ). so there's already that sense of like... he thinks trusting in people is inherently stupid and to do so makes you at the very least naive. that seemed to be his main gripe with momota, after all.

phys is smart. they're not overly trusting but they do have a tendency to think the best of the people they do trust to a fault, like toujo and even ouma to an extent. ouma probably does this phys is ... not necessarily stupid for trusting people so much, but definitely naive. it's why he tries to steer them away from momota's way of thinking a lot. he probably does think they're ridiculous for trusting him, too, after everything he's done and all the ways he's acted.

and honestly. sometimes he's just being mean. ouma definitely has a cruel streak and he's not afraid to show it. a lot of the time ouma lashes out and gets extra mean when he fears that people are starting to see through his facade. since phys tends to see through it more than anyone else, they often get the brunt of his temper. he constantly throws the deaths of toujo and amami in their face in an attempt to make them too hurt or angry to focus on him. take this scene:

this comes right after ouma tries to subtly warn phys away from going back into shinguuji's lab, and phys rightly calls him out on caring about them. this freaks him out so badly he immediately goes on the defensive, calling them stupid, and right after this implies that they were too stupid to save amami from dying. just . immediately going for the low blow to try and make phys angry enough to make them forget about the revelation they just came to about ouma caring for them.

if he's calling phys stupid to the others, it's likely just to impress upon them that he doesn't care about them and thinks just as less of them as he does everyone else ( even though his care for them is basically an open secret to everyone at this point lol ) .

so . in short. i dont think ouma really means it when he calls phys stupid? if anything he thinks they're naive for trusting people so readily, but that's an opinion he holds for literally everyone who isn't him, so . any other time it's because he's trying to deflect from people realising he cares for phys.

#dear venus.#🏚.sleep awake

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ultimateplaylistmaker · 1 year ago

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Speaking of which, how do you characterize the Pregame bois?

I have a document on this

No one is surprised

I have playlists on them

still no one is surprised

They are named Koharu and Shinichi, you may recognize Koharu because thanks to a convoluted series of event he kinda evolved from pregame kokichi to his own original character so I've been kinda tempted to change pregame kokichis name to something else.

I'll put their information under a cut because im too lazy to turn this out of a list into a paragraph form

Kokichi - Koharu

God complex

Believes himself to be the only real person

Wants to be prime minister

Incredibly dangerous manipulator and near perfect liar

Dresses softly and acts weak and shy to make people trust him

Has his entire school under his command with a puppet king in the student council

Knows everything about everyone, no one moves without him knowing about it.

Views the people around him as toys for him to play with or tools to use

No desire for a relationship as he doesnt think anyone could ever even get close to matching him, so any relationship he did take would be uneven and just for appearances.

Parents died at a very young age so he grew up in a rough orphanage where he learned to never trust anyone or anything

Craves challenge and interesting experiences but no one can adequately challenge him so he’s bored

Doesn’t have many social skills outside of manipulation and as such struggles with emotions, whether it be his own or other people’s, even if he hides it pretty well

No hesitation to ruin lives to get what he wants.

Occasionally has secret breakdowns about being alone and stressed but he represses those and pretends it didn’t have them

Loathes people who hurt animals, views them as the lowest scum. Humans are worthless but animals are soft and loyal. Eating meat is one thing, he doesn’t care about that because that’s just life, but if he catches you throwing a rock at a cat or something, your life is over.

Uses bullies to manipulate people by seeming in need of help or pitiable

Feels like he’s never truly seen, he crushes that down as useless observation, he doesn’t want anyone to see the real him, it’d ruin everything.

Monaca is his favorite character and idol, his facade is based on her “pitiable children are the most powerful” philosophy.

Doesn’t make friends as he finds other people to be annoying and unfulfilling, they all seem very shallow and boring for anything beyond use as a toy or tool. No one would like him if it wasn’t for his facade anyways, its all just superficial tolerance. No one actually wants something that actually goes both ways, everyone just wants a shoulder to cry on, no care about the shoulder itself as long as it’s comforting them. So he’ll give them that, it’s easier.

Tries not to doubt himself but does have a rare moment of crippling uncertainty and wondering why he even tries, no one actually appreciates him anyways and he’s so bored and alone, why does he try?

Acts weak and soft and sad and teary and skittish but it's all a lie to both protect himself and gain power

Joined the game to prove his superiority by ending the world’s so beloved game and also become a celebrity. It’s one of many steps in his very long and detailed plan for world domination. Besides the game had long since grown old and stale and predictable

Shuichi - Shinichi

Manic

Self esteem constantly shifting between highs and lows

Yearning for positive contact and romance and also sex

Shockingly self aware of what a mess he is

Protective of the few people who tolerate him or he likes

Sexual and Violent intrusive thoughts

Resentful but tired

Enjoys really dark subjects

Devoted

Really bad at social cues and knowing whats normal or not

Masochistic and Sadistic

Actually really really good at solving mysteries but easily distracted and easily derailed from his conclusions

Wants to fix himself but a lack of support along with society’s apathy means he’s kinda been left floundering.

Ignores things that make him feel shitty to focus on positives

Parents encourage him to be more assertive and tough, this does NOT help his intrusive thoughts

Honestly just desperate for love and affection, he’d never actually hurt someone for it, but man, sometimes he really wants to.

Smokes to try and keep his chill

Can’t casually get into anything, is either 100% in or 0% in

Reads and writes a lot of fanfiction, actually somewhat a big name for his really well done characterization of more violent or manic characters.

Met Koharu once and saw through him immediately, they never met again after that but he really freaked out Koharu and is honestly lucky he went to a different school.

Danganronpa is his favorite show because it lets him safely indulge in his twisted desires and feels rather cathartic. Plus he loves the mysteries! Joining and finally killing someone for real should be the ultimate catharsis and finally put an end to this sickness in his head....right?

#ndrv3 #anon chaos #bonkichi #kagehara #pregame

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not-bcring · 2 years ago

Text

"Kokichi; holder of my heart, tamer of darkness, melter of the dreaded ice; did you perhaps borrow one of my sweaters recently? This one, to be percise?" Ducked behind his scarf, Gundham pulled at the front of a black hoodie worn under his usual coat with his bandaged hand before letting the fabric go in a slow deflate as it reconfirmed to its typical baggy state. "And did you perhaps partake in a bit of mischief while wearing it? Such as the theft of someone's keys? Motorcycle keys, to be more exact?" Where was he going with this- //once again kokichi gets to face the consequences of his own actions uwu - ✩ 「 @the-ultimate-muses 」 ✩

「 ☆ 」 Kokichi is a notorious thief— allegedly notorious, since he’s never actually admitted to his crimes when cornered about them. Unless comedy required it, but even then he’s prone to flaunting his ill-gained trinket while still neglecting to outright say he ❛ stole ❜ it. Having spewed COUNTLESS confessions about fantastical heists that may-or-may-not have happened, people are more inclined to believe in what goes unsaid when it comes to the little troublemaker. So it’s not strange when he’s questioned about some missing keys… What is surprising is GUNDHAM being the one to mention it. Normally his boyfriends don’t so much as bat an eye to low-stakes shenanigans that don’t concern them.

Interest piqued with a near-missable tension in his shoulders, Kokichi buries the split-second of confusion by donning one of his best neutral masks. Perfect when either having some fun or putting up an instinctive barrier, Kokichi figures its vague purposes will help him stay ahead of whichever direction this conversation goes. Buttered up by sweet nicknames, a round-about method of inquiry, no discernible aggravation in his tone or body language…

Gundham doesn’t seem upset with him.

Then why does Kokichi’s stomach feel sour?

❝ No. ❞ He bluntly chimes, covering all of Gundham’s questions with a blanket denial. However, despite his dry response, gaze is still focused upon his boyfriend. Widened, curious eyes silently urging Gundham to continue even if he’s being vocally dismissive. That taut ❛ no ❜ may as well be a yes as far as Kokichi is concerned and he feels confident that Gundham knows as much. They’re usually good at reading one another. No matter how difficult the two seem determined to make it be at times. 「 ☆ 」

#(( but... Counterargument: he doesnt Want to ))#not-bcring #⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ʟɪᴇꜱ ᴄᴀɴ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏᴘᴇ; ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜꜱ ᴄᴀɴ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜱᴘᴀɪʀ ❞ ¦ 「 Kokichi IC 」#⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ꜱᴏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴏɴᴇ ɪꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟ; ᴄ’ᴍᴏɴ ɴᴏᴡ! ❞ ◌ ᴜʟᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴇᴠ. ᴀᴜ ¦ 「 Kokichi 」#⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ᴜʟᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ʙʀᴇᴇᴅᴇʀ ❞ ¦ 「 Gundham 」#the-ultimate-muses #♡ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇꜱ; ‘ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴀɴɴᴀ ʙᴇ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ ❞ ¦ 「 Kokichi and Gundham 」#⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ᴏʙᴛᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ꜰʀᴀɢᴍᴇɴᴛ ❞ ¦ 「 Answer 」#⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ᴅɪɴɢ ᴅᴏɴɢ; ʙɪɴɢ ʙᴏɴɢ: ᴀ ʙᴏᴅʏ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ! ❞ ¦ 「 Queue 」

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marks-rambles · 2 years ago

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how i do the twst characters voices ;; a very long post

Heartslabyul

riddle :: half british ??? quieter and whispy but like not really

trey :: BASIC. ASS. wHITE BOY IMPRESISON i really need a good fucking trey voice but for now hes just deep and basic

cater :: he slays, he sounds like a fucking popular high school girl from all those movies but like slightly deepr

ace :: essentially my voice but he sounds like a litle shit (as if i dont) he also does not say the g at the ends of words (so he'll be like "well i'm trying to win this game but you're just the master of cards apparently!" i'd read it as "well i'm try'na win this game but you're jus' the master o' cards apparently!") so like a slight accent i guess

deuce :: deeper version of ace basically, but says like g in running or f in of slightly more often

Savanaclaw

leona :: deep as fuck, tired always, raspy, basically just me in the morning

ruggie :: mid pitch and with a slight rasp that igive my kokichi voice to make him sound like a little shit

jack :: deuce but deeper

Octavinelle

azul :: slight musical quality to his voice i guess?? like i raise n lower the pitch a lot, but like in a way that stays consistent with the voice (slightly deeper than my own so like mid-low tone) and is very smart sounding. also slightly whispy

jade :: deep and whispy, but in a way thats different to practically every other deep and whispy character voice i have. sounds more professional and i definitely end up accentuating every sound in words when i do his voice lmao

floyd :: higher pitched than my voice (mid-high, more on the mid side) and drags out EVERY. GOD. DAMN. SOUND. also like ace, doesnt say certain letters / sounds (like g in going (goin') or f in of (lots o' fun) to give him that I Dont Give A Shit quality to the voice

Scarabia

kalim :: mid-high pitch, Excited Always, its literally hard for me to keep my voice quiet when i do his voice cuz hes so RAAAH yk?

jamil :: deep and whispy but this time he sounds more whispy, with just the slightest of british accents i think ???

Pomefiore

vil :: mid-range pitch, whispy as hell, and drags out only certain syllables for HUGE assholeish emphasis (love you vil)

rook :: i try to make him french but it always comes out russian somehow. on the deeper side but not whispy this time

epel :: ALWAYS SOUTHERN FUCK YOU, i just emphasize it a bit more when hes speaking WITH the accent directly. basically just me but southern tbh, if slightly deeper so like directly middle tone

Ignihyde

idia :: VERY quiet, mid-low tone, raspy on occasion, ALSO ALWAYS SHAKY VOICE. NEVER NOT SHAKY VOICE.

ortho :: high pitched and slightly robot-esque but not really, like its only got the slight each-word-has-a-different-emphasis kinda thing, so its hardly noticable. basically just higher pitched theres no robotic quality to how i do his voice AHGJKAHSFJK

Diasomnia

malleus :: just barely british with a hint of REALLY FUCKING DEEP VOICE like one of the deepest i can go. thats it thats the post

silver :: mid-low and whispy, but like a casual sounding whispy with again that slight british but not really

sebek :: deeper and loud, with emphasis on every sound in words like i dont miss the gs in running or the f in of he says every syllable

lilia :: deeper but not deep, he has like a slight british accent too because goddammit why is. why is diasomnia partially british. anyway he has like a grandmother-ish quality to his voice but in like a good way like hje doesnt sound old he just has that really sweet part going for him

Staff / Misc

grim :: very high pitched, gruff as much as i can but turned raspy with how my voice does it, hurts my voice but just imagine like me trying to do a bakugo impression as a tiny litle shit of a cat

crowley :: FULL. ON. BRITISH. on the deeper side and BRITISH ALL THE FUCKLING WAY

crewel :: deeper but definitely like. he sounsd like the snarky dom and has the sweet quality lilia has but this time insincere

vargas :: DEEP voice man. thats the only quality he has my normal accent like a northern indiana accent but like excited

trein :: vargas but if he was depressed

che'nya :: accentuates some letters but not all, definitely mysterious sounding. slightly deeper than my normal voice (mid-low, more mid) and has a roll to it that icant describe as not a roll

neige :: whispy, definitely sounds like the best friend you wish you had AHDSJKAHSFG, he just sounds so sweet honestly. very quiet too tho, slightly higher pitched (mid-high closer to mid) he just sounds very sweet raah

i think thats all the characters ive read in voices other than fuckin. background characters from like backstories or kid versions or whatever. anyway thats it bye this took me like 30 minutes to write out for no one but mYSELF

#twst

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psychopomp-namine · 4 months ago

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the last post I reblogged made me remember this draft had re: dice in V3.

in an "it was all a simulation" AU, I always kinda headcanoned that some of the things the V3 cast say aren't "real" outside of the killing game and the backstory tsumugi wrote for them, but a lot of their personality is based on their real selves, if exagerrated for television and to fit a certain role. obviously there's hints about this with the audition tapes. the most commonly accepted one would be kirumi being president and korekiyo's whole thing with his sister (he's honestly super fascinating even without that bit).

but a more unpopular take, I think, would be DICE. idk, fanon seems to really love DICE. but I kinda think... outside the killing game, or even in an HPA AU, or even in a "killing game setting is real" AU, I don't think there's a universe where DICE ever... existed? at least not in the way fanon portrays them

I also don't really like some aspects of the pre-game personalities fandom gives kokichi and shuichi (whumpy kid and yandere). but one thing I do agree about fanon pre-game kokichi is that he doesn't have DICE. it just does not mesh with kokichi's paranoid, hard-to-trust, hard-to-be-vulnerable personality to me. and sure, he was like that because of a high stress situation, so maybe in a low stress situation he'd be fine. but even then, his leadership style is different from the likes of kaede and kaito. he prefers, even in chapter 1 when he was relatively more chill and passive (way more passive than shuichi, who was very active; they really switched roles by chapter two), to lead from the shadows. he doesn't go for "inspiring, charistmatic, front and center, morale boosting leader" — that's kaede's thing. and kaito's. even angie does this to some extent way more than kokichi does. so the image of kokichi being a self-proclaimed leader of a group that isn't a lie... doesn't mesh with my idea of him? like, I think he values what DICE values (pacifism, pranks, fun, low stakes crime, etc). but I don't think DICE would function with a shadow leader, which is kokichi's preferred leadership style. like, he does exist to be a foil to kaede too, not just shuichi.

and sure, there's the parallel of "kokichi pretending to be the villainous mastermind" and "kokichi being the leader of a pacifist-prank-crime organization of ten that he lies about being super secret evil organization of ten thousand" but see that's the thing. kokichi pretended to be the mastermind because out of necessity. and that role also made him trust absolutely no one (well, except kaito at the last minute, but he was also kinda manipulating kaito to get to that place since chapter 4, so really, it wasn't even 100% trust imo because kokichi still felt he had the most control in the situation, maki's interruption nonwithstanding). that is, kokichi stepping out of the shadows as a supreme leader is like... a last resort thing. and he's gonna be a huge control freak about it because he has A Plan and it Has To Work.

I just can't imagine DICE's leader to function like that.

anyway, I don't really have to justify why I don't like DICE as a "real" concept lol. I think I just don't like it as a preference. but part of it is that when I try to like them, I end up changing aspects of kokichi to fit what kind of leader I think a group like DICE requires. if DICE existed, kokichi would have to be a different person to be its leader. and maybe he is a different person outside of the killing game, but then... what's the point? the kokichi we know is the kokichi I care about, and I guess he only exists in the killing game.

#mine musings #liveblogging dr #clearing this from the drafts #this has been in the drafts since last year lol. i think i finally was able to articulate my thoughts #dice is fine. i just don't see how kokichi can lead it the way he is #anyway so i guess if anyone has read azazel umnm i'm not gonna write dice there. sorry #but he'll still lie about it like usual

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danganronpasurvivoraskblog · 5 months ago

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You mentioned yesterday when answering my 1-3 review-ish that all the Chapter 5s bar one would be quite low down the list so seeing 3-5 here, doesn't really surprise me all that much because this has a LOT of flaws with it.

And given the history behind this chapter its little surprise as out of all the V3 Chapters, 3-5 suffered the most development hell of them all as Kodaka and everyone at Spike Chunsoft struggled really hard to come up with a good Chapter 5, and there were lots of drafts and revisions each with wildly different outcomes. The only recurring theme between each version was that the victim and culprit worked together. So if you are wondering why Kaito and Kokichi feel out of place as a victim/culprit pair, that's why because there was a good chance neither of them were meant to die this chapter but after slamming their heads against the wall enough times, this is what we got. I am curious what the other alternatives we could have gotten were but short out of a data breach I don't encourage under any circumstances, I doubt we would ever find out.

As you mentioned a big issue is this is a reskin of 2-5 but its a way inferior version since Kokichi is not Nagito. Nagito is a creditable threat because we've seen many examples on how willing he was gonna go for his ideals, and he also makes it very clear if he likes you or not. Plus Nagito had just found out the truth about Class 77-B being the Remnants of Despair so there was a motive for his anger. With Kokichi it felt like since everyone hated him after what he did last Chapter he decided to go "fuck it" and go completely crazy.

Another major difference between Nagito's and Kokichi's plan was Nagito had thought out his plan well and made it so it became almost impossible to solve since anyone could have thrown the poisoned fire grenade. The only way there were gonna win is to weed out the traitor which only works because Nagito would view the traitor as the only innocent, and this meant Chiaki had to expose herself to ensure Nagito's plans failed. But all of this can be saved for 2-5. Kokichi's plan though had nurmous holes in it since yes he drove everyone to despair but all the Mastermind had to do was use a Flashback Light to give them hope and that brought everyone's spirits up. Plus kidnapping Kaito was always gonna be a poor move since we all know someone who is very attached to Kaito and who would not hesitate to delete Kokichi from existence if given the chance, so does it really come as a surprise when Maki decides to try and rescue Kaito on her own, and kill Kokichi in the crossfires?

And while Kokichi making a unsolvable crime is a good idea on paper, in reality seeing as Team Danganronpa would do anything to keep the show running, plus there was already a case of the culprit being the wrong person with 3-1, so they would just execute whoever was in the exicel regardless of if its true or false because the producers don't care, they just want a good show. And even if everyone was killed in Chapter 5, there's a good chance it would have made the show even more popular, because there was evidence that Danganronpa was getting stale in the V3 universe as you would expect from such a long running show. So having it so everyone died in one chapter in a unsolvable case, that would have brought a lot of in-universe discussion and it might lead to Team Danganronpa changing the format slightly so that more scenarios like what Kokichi's plan was would come out like making more disruptive characters like him. Far from stopping the Killing Game, Kokichi's plan would have benefitted it more then anything.

I think there should have been more emphasis on Kaito's illness rather then it be a throwaway but once again since 3-5 has been muddled around so much, it could have been that some scenarios would have had the illness be more of a factor and Kaito dropping dead during the trial or something. What's worse is that Shuichi and Kaito have a bit of a fallout in 3-5 due to the previous class trial and while Maki tries to help patch things up, I'm not really sure if this conflict was ulitmately resolved satisfyingly, I know Kaito does apologise to Shuichi when he secretly visits him while being held captive, but given Kaito was under watch from Kokichi at the time, its not sure if its sincere though the fact he gives Shuichi words of encouragement before he dies means I do think the bridges have been mended but I dunno I wish it was done better.

Another thing is due to how confusing 3-5 is, a lot of people have ran conspiracy theories that Kokichi didn't even die, since due to how the whole trial was run and how compliant Kaito seemed to be, it could be Kokichi was just hiding afterwards and him being alive explains the plothole of how the auidence seemed to comply at the end because Kokichi hacked into the broadcast signal and turned it off so nobody could vote. And while people give all kinds of evidence and its a interesting theory, its one I don't buy because I just believe its wishful thinking from Kokichi fans that he is still alive.

The whole Gopher Project fake storyline was also kinda meh as while its revealed to be completely fake, its like how do people not notice a swarm of meteorites heading towards Earth with space COVID in them? I know Bubbles played with this in Starship of Hope by explaining its caused by a rogue planet going through the Kulper Belt which made the astariods go crazy, but still we have eyes on space all the damn time, sure we sometimes miss a asteroid or two but not an entire swarm of them. That's kinda hard to NOT notice and also how come Jupiter doesn't do its job and mess with the flight path of a lot of them? Really you could tell the plan is bogus and fake and really the only logical conclusion I can see is that its terrorism and a group similar to Ultimate Despair hijacked the meteorites and just yeeted them at Earth. Kinda glad it wasn't real in all fairness.

Another issue here is the Maki-Kaito relationship. This is one of the few "canonical" pairings as Maki more or less admits in this chapter she has developed feelings for Kaito and its what drives a lot of her actions since she just wants Kaito to be okay. And that's fine because love can make people do stupid and crazy things, but it wouldn't be what Kaito wanted from Maki. As the entire character arc between Kaito and Maki is the former wanting to show the latter there is more to life then being a merciless monster, and that she is a person with thoughts and feelings. So if the entire character arc is for Maki to learn to be her own person, then why does she decided to go and try to do a dramatic rescue to save Kaito and kill Kokichi in the process? Especially since Shuichi and co already made plans to rescue Kaito and confront Kokichi the following day so why does Maki decide to go rogue when there was already a plan in the works?

And I know the easy way is that Tsumugi made Maki do it, but since we have never seen Tsumugi do something like that in V3 and if anything she was panicking big time during the entire chapter which makes it seem she's lost control and recieving hell from her superiors. Her statement in Chapter 6 it was part of the plan I suspect was an lie to save face because looking how she reacts in Chapter 5, its very telling that she's lost control of the situation.

I am reminded of the fake spoilers of Chapter 5 which gave some interesting alternatives that we could have gotten. One of these fake spoilers is the reveal that Kokichi was born into a cult of Despair and was groomed to be its leader...and all the horrific implications that follows. The characters find out about this in Chapter 5 and they confront Kokichi who goes completely crazy as a result due to the trauma involved as it turns out the reason he lies all the time is as a defensive measure for what he had to endure. So Kaito decides to kill Kokichi because everyone assumes he's the mastermind, but midway through Kaito killing Kokichi, he realises that Kokichi isn't the mastermind but its too late as a fatal blow was dealt. Kokichi though is happy since it means at long last, someone believed him and he dies condent. Kaito then takes Kokichi's body and crushes it under the hyderelic press so in the fake spoiler, he was already dead when the press went down, and then he had to rush to the trial to stop Monokuma from trying to frame Maki as the blackened and then he implores everyone to vote him.

The trial itself is fun because you don't know who the victim and culprit is but the problem and its another plot hole, is that Kokichi apparantely wrote an entire script for Kaito to act like him. Thing is he wasn't able to gloat Kaito into helping him until after Kokichi got fatally poisoned by Maki who if he did, would mean Maki gets killed, and when you are slowly dying from poison you don't have enough time to write 5,000 words on how to speak Kokichi. I mean I probably could do it in about 5 hours, but I use a computer, Kokichi would have had to write this all out which takes longer. You could argue that maybe Kokichi had this written in advance but how was he gonna convince Kaito, who btw hates his absolute guts and was only helping him because if he didn't one of the people he cares about the most would die. And it also implies Kokichi has Ultimate Analyst like abilities which again is something we haven't seen from the character.

Long story short, while the trial had good emotions and it led to a interesting case, the fact that this was apparently a pig for Spike Chunsoft to figure out how to write it shows, because they wound up doing a rehash of 2-5 but missing a lot of its good marks and leaving behind a lot of plotholes and stuff that doesn't make sense. Maybe if Chapter 5 wasn't so much of a brain fart for Kodaka, maybe the case could have had more consistancy and be stronger overall. But as it stands, we are left with a chapter which has a lot of flaws and plotholes and a scheme that was doomed to fail due to the nature of the Killing Game.

Sadly, this won't be the only time a chapter gets slaughtered by edits and changes which wrecks the entire narrative, but I see that one being way more severe as it happened literally at the last minute. But you see which one I'm referring to when we get there.

//First of all, I'm really sorry I didn't answer this yesterday. I always look forward to your reviews, but yesterday I was preoccupied with personal matters.

//I had some friends over for the week to celebrate my birthday that happened at the beginning of the month. And I create all of these posts in advance, so it just uploaded on its own without me needing to do anything.

//But I'll talk my way through this now. To start with, I'm gonna be real, if I ever had the chance to talk with Kodaka and his team, and we got to talking about Case 5, now that I know what was going on at the time, I think I'd have nothing but kind words for the man.

//Yeah, okay, I don't think I would try to hide all the issues that I talked about with V3-5, but if this really was under the constraints as you've described them, I think what we actually got is pretty freaking fantastic.

//Again, I LIKE this case. I just have very prevelant cons with it that kind of balance out the pros. While I do really like the alternate scenarios that you talked about here, if I'm being real, I still think I prefer what we actually got as opposed to them.

//In terms of comparison to 2-5 though, it's very easy to pinpoint exactly why it falls so flat. And the main reasons all have to do with the masterminds behind the plan.

//Let's just say that there's a reason why there are so many videos and posts out there trying to pschoanalyse Komaeda. Because not only is it a fun and interesting thing to do to try and explain the actions of this madman, and debate whether or not it's justifiable to do so, but it's rewarding to as well, regardless of what conclusion you reach.

//Nagito's motivations are flawed and nonsensical, but they are also logical. He's had such a rough life that constantly teeters on and off collapse due to his batshit luck that he cannot control, so the reason why he's crazy is because he tries to ground himself with whatever he can. It's like a coping mechanism, and it makes him do insane things.

//He loves hope because he fears despair, and as stated here, the simple reason why he did what he did in Case 5 is because he had a reason to want to go after everyone else. He found out that the Future Foundation were the good guys, and the students were the bad guys, which is why a switch was flipped that made him set up the trap as intended, and it's genius.

//But Kokichi isn't the case. Psychoanalysing him is almost impossible, because he's both too simple AND too complicated.

//The short version is that he's just a pathological liar, but Kokichi throughout all of his spiels about how lies and truths can change, he never actually gives a reason why he lies; at least not an honest one. And when he dies, even Shuichi says that they will never find out what's really going on through his head.

//And neither do we. And we likely never will.

//On the one hand, Kokichi being left as such an open book for people to make their own interpretations is cool, but at the same time, it just stirs conflict, because everyone can kind of agree that Nagito's psychology comes from a singular place, largely because of how straightforward he is as a character.

//Kokichi is complex for the sake of being complex, and it doesn't really work in his favor for this case.

//But yeah, Kokichi's plan to create an unsolvable crime in Chapter 5 could have made the show more popular, completely going against what he tried to do to end the game. What's worse, as I mentioned, it is really taken away what Kokichi tries to do when Tsumugi stands on ceremony and tells everyone she predicted he would attempt this, because she wrote his character.

//Assuming that's true, which lets be real, it probably isn't, but assuming it is, that really means that this whole trial was just overall worth absolutely nothing. Despite how much they try to play up Kaito's sacrifices as noble, Kokichi was trying to destroy a power that he didn't fully understand.

//Nagito knew, when he was dying, what was really going on in the virtual world, and formed his plan surrounding that. Kokichi had no idea what he was up against, tried it anyway, and played with fire. While that's not out of character to him, Kokichi is more methodical than he lets on. Everything he does means something in the grand scheme of things, as Chapters 4-6 really try to show.

//So it just kind of sucks that it turned out this way.

//What I will say though is that in regards to Shuichi and Kaito's falling out, it does make sense how that one quick conversation was enough to fix it.

//Not only was the situation desperate at the time, but I don't think Kaito was ever THAT mad at Shuichi.

//Kaito, contrary to what people might think, ISN'T an idiot. He KNOWS that if Shuichi hadn't exposed Gonta, they would have all died. But it ties in with his belief that no matter what, he could not believe that Gonta would be cruel enough to commit a murder on his own. And he was kind of right, considering Kokichi masterminded most of Case 4.

//Shuichi is not to blame for what happened to Miu and why Gonta turned out the killer. But that doesn't stop him being angry about it, and just taking it out on Shuichi because he's basically the only one that he can anymore.

//That doesn't make it right, let me just quickly add. It's still stupid of Kaito to do that. I just think it would be in-character for him to realize such himself, but unable to prevent himself from lashing out about it because it upset him that much.

//In his defence, V3-4 was VERY upsetting.

//Next, the Kokichi conspiracy theory, while cool, probably isn't accurate either. Because there would be no reason for him to hide away like he did, because again, he would not have known about V3 being a TV show.

//Also, in regards to Maki, I'm not going to defend her actions, because they were still stupid, but you have to remember that Maki, while agreeing to the rescue, had a few reasons why she went on her own. The most likely circumstance is that everyone agreed to go save Kaito in the hangar, but Maki probably realized that while everyone was willing to fight Kokichi and the Exisals, none of them were probably willing to kill him.

//She on the other hand, for lack of better words, needed that twink OBLITERATED.

//Also, what the hell was she going to do? Go back and admit that she might have killed both Kokichi and Kaito? So yeah, it was stupid, but the reason why Maki went off on her own is because she probably felt she couldn't trust the others, and at this point in time, she didn't care anymore. Kokichi had crossed every line and she wanted him DEAD.

//Also, I really don't think that Tsumugi had anything to do with Maki's actions, because Maki would have SAID so in Chapters 5 or 6. She could have gone "Wait, but that reminds me...Back when I was trying to rescue Kaito in the hangar, it was Tsumugi who said blah blah blah..." you get the idea.

//But we never got that, and come on. Tsumugi doesn't do a single damn thing that's remotely mastermind-like for the entire Killing Game, besides killing Rantaro and framing Kaede, which we don't even discover until Chapter 6. It's pretty unlikely of her to do it now of all times.

//I think there were also other ways that Kokichi could have convinced Kaito of what was going on. All he had to do was show him the proof that he WASN'T the mastermind, and that his tools were created by Miu, and explain that his plan is to end the Killing Game.

//In fact, Kaito even ADMITS at the end of the trial "I was on board the moment he told me he wanted to end the killing game."

//Like, Kaito SAYS this EXACTLY!

//The fact that Kokichi was able to goad him into it with the poison cure was pure luck more than anything. Despite how much Kaito hated Kokichi, and does so until his own death, I doubt it would have taken that much to convince him to help end the game, even if it meant making a sacrifice.

//But yeah, like I said already, it is honestly kind of surprising looking back how people remember Case 2-5 so fondly that they fail to realize just how much greater it is than 1-5, V3-5, and I would argue A-5 and A2-5 didn't really hit that mark either.

//Unlike Case 3, none of them are BAD. Not even this one. It's still very good and very fun. They just aren't universally fantastic. But we have a whole rest of a list for that to get to soon enough.

-Mod

#mod

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tobyisave · 3 months ago

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Omg hey! Thanks for taking the time to engage/share your thoughts even though you don't fully agree, I really appreciate it. And I don’t really disagree with you here, I just want to reply with my thoughts since you raised some interesting points!

Learned behaviors vs experiential gap: Absolutely the empathy/emotions thing is my weak link here, I'd call it a shameless projection that isn't necessarily supported by but consistent with canon lol. The only part I'd be reluctant to concede is the low empathy thing, but ultimately, an alternative interpretation where he's just really damn good at repressing is viable as well!

The learned behavior interpretation as you put it definitely makes sense, and I get the impression that it's more popular too. Kokichi's a really confusing guy and I think the interpretations we find most intuitive are probably going be the ones that relate his thought process to experiences we're familiar with, because that helps us grasp some semblance of humanity within him. All this to say I don't think there's anything that makes my explanation any better than yours; like you said, the truth is ambiguous, and I think it's best to gather as many different plausible interpretations as possible even if they don't lead to an "answer," because it lets us appreciate his writing and our relationship to our own interpretations. So I really appreciate you taking the time to put your version in words!

Gonta: On a similar note, I've basically lost hope that we'll ever know for certain what was going on in Kokichi's head here — and in spite of my giant footnote, I don't actually have a well-formed opinion myself — but I really like your point that his words gave Gonta peace of mind. Ironically I think I overlooked that angle because I didn't see a pragmatic reason to do anything solely for Gonta's benefit, since at this point Gonta's fate is sealed and his emotional state has no bearing on the future (aside from its effect on others, which has pretty much already maxed out with 'pity'). But consideration for the truth Gonta sees in his final moments makes total sense from the perspective of a Kokichi who's more emotionally 'typical,' and your interpretation is compelling; it gives more weight to the specific words he says, rather than just anything plausible to mislead people on why he's crying... I'll definitely have to think that over after this.

Paranoia: Another great point that I completely failed to address. I agree he's a little paranoid, or at least a reasonable amount of paranoid given the game they're in. Subbing that in as the cause of emotional disconnection in my analysis is really interesting... At the very least, I agree that paranoia would definitely add to the impression that these are all sham conversations. Though to confidently form an opinion on this I'd have to go back and look at the lies he tells in the killing game versus everyday life with that lens. My current impression is that his lying is too deeply ingrained to have developed situationally, so if I took his social detachment as a result of paranoia then I'd have to conclude that Kokichi is constantly paranoid. Which is not my opinion, but I'm sure it could be argued. In that case, in an everyday environment, the 'low empathy/emotion' version of Kokichi mostly neglects to tell people about himself because he doesn't care, while the 'learned behavior' + paranoia version actively avoids people knowing anything about him. Neither is an explanation of his lying per se, but the former would facilitate his compulsive lying, while the latter might not facilitate lying but does create a stronger motivation to lie.

Here and in other cases, I think a lot of the difference between these two headcanons just comes down to how good you think Kokichi is at acting and ignoring his emotions. 'Low empathy' Kokichi doesn't actually fight his instincts much, at least until shit really hits the fan, and that’s part of why that explanation appeals to me. Meanwhile 'learned behavior' Kokichi is frequently suppressing his instincts, successfully enough that I almost have trouble imagining someone being able to act that well (grain of salt, that’s *definitely* a blind spot for me - and more importantly, he is an Ultimate so I can’t put any kind of talent past him). My own reservations aside, the interpretation of Kokichi as someone naturally social who constantly has to fight his instincts definitely has its own merit; it’s emotionally compelling (in a pretty unique way that’s very different from mine) and probably more accessible as well.

Well, hope you didn't mind me writing an essay response to your response to my essay here lmao. I'm definitely starting to appreciate how challenging it is to figure this guy out; it's almost the opposite of the SDR2 problem, where Komaeda tells you his mindset from the get-go but the game never gives you a moment to recontextualize his actions after his death. V3 points at Kokichi and goes look, a mystery! we must recontextualize his actions! and then proceeds to give us basically nothing to go off of. All I can really aim to do is propose something with consistent internal logic, and I'm very glad if you think I managed to do that.

Again thanks for the rb, it's a treat to get such a long comment on my analysis!!

Character analysis: Why does Kokichi lie?

I think lying is more than just a means to an end for Kokichi, so this is my personal understanding of Kokichi's habitual lying, centered on the headcanon that he experiences his own emotions very weakly.

In a vain attempt to make this post more streamlined, I've isolated most textual examples into footnotes at the bottom; probably only read them if you don’t buy what I’m saying in the sentence prior. Lastly, if you disagree with something I say here and choose to make it known: probably read the footnotes first, and regardless please just be nice about it :')

"If I wanna become closer to Shuichi, I probably shouldn't lie so much... But that's my shtick... or more like, my way of life..." (Kokichi's inner thoughts from Salmon Team)

Small lies vs Big lies

To start this off, I need to clarify that there's (at least) two very different kinds of Kokichi lies. First are the “big” lies, like being the mastermind or lies about the nature of DICE. Big lies are consistent, told with a “straight face,” and well thought-out, because they usually serve some kind of strategic purpose [e.g. footnote 1]. But those aren't the kind of lies I'm aiming to explain here, because they're already well discussed and follow a pretty understandable logic.

I'm focusing on what I call "small" or compulsive lies: trivial claims & performed emotions that are usually not believed for long, either because they’re too outlandish or because he or someone else disproves them. For example, sobbing that he hates coffee and then asking for a cup of coffee; or telling the seance participants he's "actually super duper strong," despite knowing full well they're about to watch him struggle to carry the iron cage [more ex. in note 2]. Most of Kokichi's lies fall into this category imo, especially in low-stakes environments like Salmon Team and UTDP. Unlike big lies, "small" lies are somewhat unique to Kokichi, he tells/performs them constantly regardless of context, and they don’t serve a very clear purpose.

Masking

I think Kokichi got very good at performing emotions from a young age in order to mask the fact that he doesn't experience empathy or other emotions very strongly. And maybe that sounds like a very specific headcanon, but just stick with me here... [and/or see note 3 for one line of evidence]. Failing to emote convincingly would’ve not only made it difficult to exist in everyday society, but it probably would’ve put an even bigger target on his back as a criminal, too… So yeah, he learned.

But as it turns out, spending an (admittedly very short) lifetime pretending to have emotions you don’t actually have is a fantastic way to:

Start feeling detached from the people around you,

Start seeing everyone else as suckers for buying it, and

Very quickly lose any moral qualms about lying — after all, people would attack him from every direction if he was honest about his feelings towards them (or lack thereof), so how is it fair that they want to punish him for lying, too? There’s just no winning!

My interpretation boils down to this: Kokichi lies compulsively because he is deeply bored, and the kick he gets out of deceiving people is one of the only things he finds consistently rewarding about talking to them. Most social interactions already feel like lies to him because he is constantly forced to mask, so he might as well tell fun lies about being a supervillain instead of boring, easy lies about wanting to be friends with everyone.

(Continued under the cut)

Not all lies are strategic

I think it's easy to assume at first that the only reason to lie is for some sort of material influence: changing others' behavior or hiding undesirable truths, either for your own selfish gain or the greater good. Definitely, there is a purpose like that for most of Kokichi's "big" lies, and even some of his "small" ones (e.g. the kind of short-lived lies both he and Shuichi tell in order to advance the Class Trials). But even in retrospect, not every lie he tells can be explained with an external motivation like that, selfish OR unselfish.

I think telling "small" lies is more of a habit for Kokichi than a strategic choice, something he can't quit even when it becomes an actively bad strategy (hence "compulsive"). But if you’re already with me on this, feel free to just skip to the next section :P

A. Small lies aren't meant to be believed.

I don't think Kokichi tells lies in order to actually mislead people most of the time — because if he wanted people to believe his small lies, then he wouldn't be constantly retracting them. Many (or even most) of his small lies are soon followed up with “It’s a lie!”, either literally or by demonstrating/implying that it’s untrue [e.g. note 2 again]. [For some possible exceptions to this rule, see note 4].

Fig 1: Kokichi struggling not to give himself away after Monotarou believes his outlandish lie (V3 manga anthology). While I think this instance is a bit exaggerated, it nicely draws attention to the fact that he enjoys revealing his own lies.

By Kokichi's own doing, there is often a net 0 change in what people believe by the time they reach the end of a conversation with him. E.g. Kaede doesn't walk away from their FTE thinking Kokichi is her long-lost companion, Shuichi doesn't walk away from Salmon Team thinking Kokichi is obsessed with dumpster diving, etc. This suggests that Kokichi's not trying to change the perceived truth, he's just interested in the momentary act of tricking people.

B. Kokichi doesn’t tell small lies to alter his social standing, for better OR for worse.

I think the first half of this is self evident — I mean, if he was trying to gain status, he's doing a terrible job! He is aware of what behavior is required to make people like you and listen to you, and he is patently not doing that.

You might then argue that he’s doing the opposite: intentionally bombing his reputation to build up to Ch.5 so that people would readily believe he’s the mastermind. While I do think his annoying lies ended up helping on that front, I don’t think his mastermind plan is the cause of this behavior, because...

Firstly, we still see him lie constantly in contexts where there's no clear advantage to being hated (UTDP, Salmon Team).

Secondly: Crying wolf is one of many great strategies to make people hate you... but it is a uniquely terrible strategy to make people believe you. If you were really going to create an evil mastermind persona out of thin air, "pretending to be a lying attention-seeker" is just not the most logical way to go about it; that would only make it harder for you to convince people that you're actually being serious when you do the big reveal that you're the mastermind [for a note on Junko, see 5]. That's why I don't think the compulsive liar thing is an act; instead the evil persona we see in game is just the result of leaning into traits people already disliked about him. The reason he tells so many meaningless small lies during the killing game is just that he already was, and is, a compulsive liar.

Again, there are some "big" lies, lies he doesn't go back on, that he tells in order to tank his reputation (e.g. "The more you suffer, the more I enjoy it"). But those big lies aren't enhanced at all by the fact that he walks around telling people the sky is green, you know? That might make people hate him, but it's not the wisest way to do so while still maintaining control over people.

Finally, regarding the argument that he tanks his credibility in order to mask his own emotions, see note [6].

So, with all that said... Why even tell these lies, if they don't give him more control over the situation, his classmates, or the truth?

Boredom

I believe Kokichi’s small lies are primarily driven by boredom. Yes, his complaints of boredom are probably meant to tie him to Junko (narratively) and justify enjoying the killing game. But I do think he’s also genuinely, chronically bored. Just because he doesn’t have vivid emotions doesn’t mean his brain isn’t expecting him to have vivid emotions, if that makes sense, so there’s just a constant lack of stimulus that leaves him restless.

On that note, I think it's difficult for him to maintain interest in everyday conversations. There's not usually a lot at stake for him, because he doesn't feel much about the people around him, and isn't interested in pretending that he does just so they can feel "connected" to a version of him that doesn't actually exist [but see 7].

It doesn't matter to him which path he takes when navigating everyday social interactions, so if he has to get through those interactions anyway, he's going to take the road less traveled. Pointing fingers, confessing to murder, and spontaneously bursting into tears… it’s not usually to accomplish anything in particular. It's more like doing backflips in an empty prison cell: equally as useless as rotting on the floor, but marginally more entertaining.

Fig 2: Kokichi consciously using lies to entertain himself. His dissatisfaction with the lie appears to be unrelated to whether or not it was believed; I suspect this is because the claim was so mundane that convincing Shuichi of it wouldn't have been very impressive in the first place.

But what's actually fun about lying?

I think this constant need for entertainment is what motivates a lot of Kokichi's social behaviors, not just lying. But he clearly has a special relationship with lies in particular. I think this is partially because of his perception of himself as "fake" (in the literal sense), but more importantly because lies are a versatile, challenging, and (relatively) harmless way to get reactions out of people.

Lying poses creative and intellectual challenges: Introducing lies basically doubles the amount of social calculations required to participate in conversation [elaboration in note 8].

Lying creates artificial stakes by reimagining ordinary conversations as competitions. By playing a game of "how many times can I fool this person in one sitting?" he creates an internal motivation to engage in conversation and perform social behaviors convincingly (at least, for short periods of time). External pressures like “being liked” aren’t usually enough to motivate that.

Lying allows him to emotionally occupy extreme scenarios without actually creating extreme scenarios. If he wants to raise tensions high enough that he can actually feel them, lying is one of the less destructive ways to do so, because it's entirely verbal (including body language, that is) and thus avoids material risk/harm. Now that's not to say it doesn't hurt people [e.g. note 9]. In fact, that's often the point; I wouldn't call him a sadist in the traditional sense, but there is something gratifying about triggering twinges of guilt and empathy in yourself if you don't normally have access to those feelings.

All this to say, Kokichi's habitual small lies aren't driven by a desire to create genuine misunderstandings, or to make people do what he wants [note 10]. I think what he actually seeks from social situations is little bursts of catharsis from witnessing other people’s emotions, and the feeling of control or "winning" that comes solely from being able to deceive them and get those reactions.

Going "it's a lie!" right after is a really important part of this. It's a punchline, a tiny power trip, a kind of "Bingo!" he can use to declare victory. He doesn't necessarily want people to believe what he said, he just wants them to know that he totally got them and he'll do it again. Because what’s even the point of coming up with all these lies if people are just going to believe them and obliviously move on?

Lying as satire

Finally, and I’ll admit my thoughts on this aren’t quite as fleshed out, but I almost imagine Kokichi's lies as a form of satire, given that one of the few things he seems genuinely (?) passionate about is his right to lie. That is to say, it means something to him, in addition to being internally rewarding. He's had to present a false persona of himself from day one, after all — but now that he's a self-proclaimed bad guy, there's a lot less pressure to do it well. Performing those social behaviors in random, nonsensical patterns, and telling lies that feel just as true as the "honest conversation" he's learned to fake... it's like a form of indignant social button-mashing. It doesn't really matter if his performance conveys a coherent image of a person or not, because it was always arbitrary to him in the first place, you know?

….And I think I'm just going to stop myself there before this gets any longer. Tysm for reading!!!! <3

Disclaimer

…Actually that was a lie, let me get on my soapbox real quick. I think it's safe to say this essay hinges on Kokichi having some form of neurodivergence, however you want to label it. Personally I see him as having some antisocial traits, but I didn’t want to make that a silver bullet, and I thought it’d make more sense to just take the specific traits I see in him and work backwards from there. With that in mind, I want to make it abundantly clear that I don’t mean to assign any moral value to emotions. I can’t say this headcanon is entirely based on my own experiences, but there's a reason I connect with it, and I don't think anyone should be judged or labeled inhuman for emotions they do or do not have.

Moreover, while I explicitly take the stance that his emotions are morally neutral, I am explicitly NOT taking a stance on the morality of his behaviors. My intention here was just to explain them logically. Between you and me, just trust that I'm a Kokichi enjoyer and I did my best to consider things from his perspective.

Credits

Game screencaps from justonegamr and JakkHearts on Youtube. Manga screencap from Mangadex.

I also want to plug this analysis by @/g0nta-g0kuhara — I'm honestly not sure how much of my analysis aligns with/borrows from theirs, but it's definitely one of the posts that informs my current understanding of Kokichi, so it'd feel weird not to at least mention it. Consider giving it a read!

Finally, shout out to @thedaythatwas for peer reviewing this meta!!

Footnotes

These were mostly off the top of my head, so if I got anything wrong, feel free to (again, nicely) point it out ^^;

“Big lies serve a strategic purpose” Big lies are also what I'd call the "normal" type of lies, just like Maki's Child Caregiver lie, or Komaeda's fake bomb threat — they're meant to be believed and to influence people's decisions. Examples of Kokichi's "big lies": those he tells in order to impersonate the Mastermind (e.g. claiming he loves the killing game); lies to Miu (being oblivious to her murder plot) and Gonta (believing the Killing Game Busters is a good idea) for his Ch.4 scheme, and debatably DICE lies to protect himself and his Ultimate title (though for these I also think he just gets a kick out of trying to juggle such a big lie for so long).

“Small lies” An example of an "emotional" small lie is the times he bursts out crying; he's not necessarily making false claims, but his actions communicate feelings he doesn't have, and most of the time he'll follow up by reverting to a bored expression thus implicitly confessing to the lie. His claim that he can’t taste food is also a pretty good example of a verbal lie: it’s random, difficult to believe, and he immediately follows it up by saying he likes sweet and spicy things. (That last part was definitely intended to imply he was lying, but whether or not he was lying about lying depends on your hc… I personally choose to believe that he has a weak sense of taste and relies on “interesting” textures like carbonation, because I think it parallels my take on his reduced emotions in a fun way.) +++ For further examples, the majority of Kokichi's Salmon Team events are just him spouting random bullshit and then immediately taking it back.

"One line of evidence for reduced empathy/emotions": His thought process often reads to me like someone with low empathy; and his ability to rapidly switch between extreme emotional performances and total flatness suggests that, in his natural form, his internal reactions are either dull or don’t automatically reflect on his face. For example, when Kokichi "gets real" during trials, his expression often goes blank and he comes off as overly blunt/pragmatic (“Everything you said is total BS… You didn't give two shits about Tenko when she was alive." "How do you expect to find the culprit when you're all worried about each other's feelings?" "Why do you guys hate lies so much? […] And some of them are only white lies, or lies to be kind to people…") They're delivered flatly (voice/sprites, and phrasing to a lesser extent) and express frustration with people's hypocrisy around social norms. To me these are moments when he gets so fed up with the social dance taking everyone in circles that he has to step out for a second and drop the mask, even knowing that his true self will make people see him as inhuman. (I probably shouldn’t have to clarify, but for the record I say all this as someone with low empathy myself.) +++++ALSO: I want to credit @/g0nta-g0kuhara's meta for pointing out that Kokichi's expression goes flat in (different) honest moments - linked in credits above - although I ultimately interpret this in a slightly different way for his character.

"Some exceptions to the 'it's a lie' rule": His own thoughts and feelings, which are often kept ambiguous. Lies he doesn't need to retract because they're obviously false ("I hate liars!" or "I was born from the big tree behind Hope's Peak Academy..."). Small *non-compulsive* lies that serve a strategic purpose, like perjury to further the trials (though you could argue these too are "obviously false" and basically retract themselves after a moment of critical thinking; e.g. claiming he killed Angie (ch3), or debatably telling Himiko she mentioned the brick handrail (ch4) because he intentionally casts doubt over the lie by telling it very badly). And of course, he doesn't go back on his "big" lies or the lies that serve to support them.

“Compulsive lying isn’t the best way to impersonate the mastermind”: Although I think his lying is very connected to his boredom, and his boredom connects him to Junko Enoshima, I want to point out that he is unaware of Junko. To the viewers of Danganronpa 53, his behavior absolutely looks like the behavior of a mastermind… but there’s no reason for Kokichi himself to think that “someone pathologically bored who constantly switches personas” is the most believable caricature of the mastermind. I think that’s a coincidence that was engineered by Tsumugi, and from Kokichi’s perspective it’s just part of his personality.

"Tanking his credibility to mask his emotions": As some have pointed out, being constantly dishonest does make it easier for Kokichi to dismiss his own moments of vulnerability and keep his thoughts/feelings ambiguous (e.g. gracefully backing out of his love confession to Shuichi during the love suite by pretending he was joking. The idea that it's a prank is only believable to Shuichi because he already knows Kokichi likes to pull his leg in other ways). I don't disagree with this interpretation of Kokichi's lies, in fact it's a really fascinating angle and part of what makes interpreting him so challenging. However... I still don't think that's the ONLY reason he walks around telling people the sky is green. Its usefulness is pretty limited to cases like the love suite, where he's trying to 'test the waters' and back out if the first approach fails. A superficially similar example is when he cries for Gonta's execution and then whirls around with whole "I don't want to, stupidhead!" bit — he's not actually testing the waters here, because he never intended to go forward with the story 'I'm really sad about Gonta and I regret doing that;' even if you think the tears were real, the plan was always to retract it. What actually saves face for him here is the fact that he's able to stop crying and go on a straight-faced villain monologue afterwards — and all that was *required* to make that believable was his acting skills (admittedly helped by his "evil" reputation, but not necessarily by his "liar" reputation). In other words, I'm inclined to think it would have worked even if he had presented as 'honest but mean-spirited' up until this point. It's the same way Tsumugi can convince us in Ch.6 that she's evil and her grief for previous victims was an act, despite never having presented herself as a liar until now; Kokichi is lying about being a heartless villain, while Tsumugi (ostensibly) is not, but they have the same effect in the moment because their ability to switch rapidly between 'good' and 'evil' personas proves *in itself* that they're good actors, and that one of those personas must be false, regardless of how their honesty was perceived beforehand.

"Kokichi lacks emotional stake in other people": This is simply a headcanon I am positing because I think it has interesting implications for his relationship with lies. Please don't be mistaken when I say that Kokichi doesn't care about the people around him (all of the English words for "caring" are frustratingly ambiguous, in my opinion). I don't think Kokichi experiences "care" as an emotion very often, no, but that doesn't mean he can't take interest in people, have opinions on them, or "care about" them through his actions. Now, whether or not he actually does that.... is not the topic of this essay either!

"An intellectual challenge": To lie, you have to continually generate a false narrative (rather than just regurgitating the truth), you have to track which routes you've left open based on what you've already said, and you have to assess whether or not they believe you (...which are all similar to calculations you'd already be used to doing if you don't have empathy). If you want to win, you have to do all of this on the fly and do it really, really well. And once people know you're a liar, it not only gets harder to convince them of your lies, it also gets harder to convince them of the truth; once lies are introduced, the pressure to perform well pervades every part of the conversation. Of course, this is way more fun with bigger lies (like DICE lies, in my opinion), but the little ones still take a modest amount of effort (an amount he can afford to expend on a daily basis) and yield a much more immediate reward.

"Lying still hurts people": e.g. Kokichi accuses Kaede of strong arming everyone during the Death Road of Despair, then accuses everyone else of attacking her the following morning. This one is a complicated example because it was such an obvious lie that I really have trouble believing that he wanted anyone else to buy it (I really think the point was to annoy people and raise social tensions), but even though the lie was quickly pointed out, it still actually made everyone gang up on Kaede, to the point she leaves to cry in her room afterwards.

“Lying isn’t to make people do what he wants”: Again, I'm just talking about his everyday compulsive lying here. While he does use DICE related lies to make people do what he wants (e.g. make Shuichi hang out with him), I consider those part of his "big schemes" rather than his habitual behavior, since his claims about DICE are consistent, well thought-out, and long term. Not to mention, the veracity of those claims isn't too important to me, since he's already very transparent about the fact that he's trying to threaten people into doing his bidding in these cases.

#self rb #other #danganronpa #meta #long post #re: your tags - totally feel free to pick this apart more if you ever feel inclined!#as long as everythings civil/respectful which your reply definitely was

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