#mastermind Himiko

[spittyfishy]

DanganWLWeek 2023 day four: Mastermind

I decided to use todays prompt as the perfect excuse to show my Mastermind Himiko design! As you can see I designed one in 2021 (which I also never posted lol) and I redid it earlier in the year… and then also forgot to post that one. So here she is! Himiko Yemeno; Ultimate Sorceress! I’ve got (most of) a fic to go with her so I’m hoping to possibly get it ready to post around Halloween!

@danggirlronpa

[quinns-art-box]

"and then... be friends after you escape, okay? i think you'll all be the best of friends."

finally done with this piece i've been messing with for a really long time :] just something about kaede's impact on everyone else and all their attempts to get out of there

[kholouz]

Extra Q&A with Mastermind!Korekiyo Shinguji | Favorite Trial🕯️🌹 I answered and illustrated these questions for the Danganronpa Mastermind AU Q&A 'Killing Harmony' PDF from the pov of MM Korekiyo, which was part of the 'I AM the Mastermind' zine package @mastermind-zine Main Illustration & Design 🕯️🌹

[thatstroubling]

presenting the students of The Ultimate Academy for Gifted Weapon Meisters

(inspired by this post (and my love for Soul Eater))

[g0nta-g0kuhara]

Isn't there like a dialogue option (or maybe it's a fan comic who knows) that points out all the bugs in Gonta's lab die after ch4 because no one was taking care of them? Sad face. I think at some point if you go into his lab during ch5 and click on the wall, it prompts that, but I may be misremembering.

I believe that if you look at the bug box item you get after ch4 the description says something like “with its owner gone, there’s no one to look after the bugs anymore” I’m not sure it ever explicitly says the bugs are going to die, but it is implied

[4aceclover]

I didn't forget about you guys how could I ever it's thanks to you that I'm even a part of this crazy fandom

A Forgotten Promise [V3 VR AU] (Spoilers!)

Please read right to left

Source: https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=61938473

[shinymoonbraixen]

Why do I

Always imagine Izuku and Liko meeting each other, along with Kirishima and Roy, and Dot and, like, Amajiki. When the Explorers teleport into the League's base. Toga and Sango are definitely vibing. Onyx and Dabi are just staying quiet in the corner and Amethio and Shigaraki are yapping it up.

So just imagine this, Amethio and Shigaraki running after Izuku and Liko. Just picture it okay?

Amethio and Shigaraki actually have a lot more in common than I thought. Same with Izuku and Liko. Like, wow.

I mean, they [Shigaraki and Amethio] are both related to like, the master villain (I haven't watched Pkmn Horizons in ages leave me alone) of the show, want something from the main character, and I am too lazy to think up anymore.

Maybe that's just it.

But the only difference is that Amethio actually discovered chapstick and skin moisturizer.

[watermelpm]

A "little" Kokichi Ouma analysis

WARNING - Spoilers for LOTS of V3

As a character, Kokichi Ouma is smart, skeptical, arguably selfless, absolutely obnoxious, and someone who would do anything for the greater cause. His forced role as the “antagonist” paired with Shuichi’s forced role as the “protagonist” makes for an intriguing, tragic dichotomy between the two that enhances his own descent into villainous extremities, up until the deadly climax of chapter 5. He is a fantastically complex character, partly due to being one of the most intelligent and forward-thinking in the entire franchise, despite how he seems on the surface.

Kokichi’s intelligence is evident from multiple elements of the game, even just as simple as his room (enhanced analysis abilities in particular are evident from the whiteboard and his ability to predict, anticipate, and plan for future room invaders). Additionally to his room, he also knew/predicted the Monokuma cameras that were around the campus WAY before anyone else noticed; kept track of all the events that were happening/things being said, placing importance on Gonta’s brief mention of “seeing little bugs”, asking Miu to make the BugVac for his suspicions; wrote the Horse A message, meaning he knew or at least hypothesized Rantaro’s perk before anyone else; and made every single move under the assumption the mastermind was one of them, which he was correct about!. Kokichi had a fantastic, well-rounded understanding of how he was perceived and meticulously planned every move he made around how others would react.

Another important aspect of Kokichi is his unrelenting skepticism, which I firmly believe was the crux behind every move he made in DRV3. He kept track of all the murders— hoarded pieces of each trial—, firmly doubted his own memories (which was almost unanimously accepted by everyone else, even the Ultime Detective), and was extremely careful around every other person in the game. His unexplained disappearances and generally less rambunctious, loud attitude at the beginning of the game makes me believe he was observing the actions of his classmates, getting to know their character, and analyzing their chances of becoming killer/victim, which informed his later attachment to classmates he deemed safer (i.e. Gonta in particular). My belief is a lot of his earlier lies were meant to paint himself as not vulnerable, lowering his chances of being killed, and his more innocent, earlier lies eventually grew into the astronomical falsehoods they became because he realized the survival advantage of no one knowing when he was telling the truth.

However, the most crucial reason I think Kokichi’s lies got as out-of-hand as they did is because his classmates immediately and unquestionably treated him like a villain. It’s practically confirmed in-game that Kokichi played up his sinisterness the entire game (playing the mastermind, acting like he was going to “win” the game, both of which are disproven by the end) and I believe it’s because all the other characters expected him to be that way. Everything he said was treated like something wicked and malicious because he phrased it playfully/mischievously, but his intention was almost always (at least until chapter 4) non-malicious. This can be easily seen from the very beginning, when he’s “getting on Kaede’s case” about forcing everyone to keep trying the manhole escape minigame when they were clearly unable to continue, and from him encouraging Himiko to let herself feel upset after the chapter 3 trial. Yet, from almost the first words out of his mouth, Kokichi was seen as the antagonist. Not to say he wasn’t sly, mischievous, playful, and a fucking smartass, but no one could see past the surface of undesirable speech characteristics to understand the intention beneath.

It’s my theory that, by chapter 4, Kokichi fully realized that no matter what he said, it would be perceived negatively. However, as stated, Kokichi was smart, and he ultimately used this epitome to his advantage— wrapping himself up in lies, going completely crazy with it, because it truly no longer mattered what the truth was in the eyes of everyone else. He was willing to lie, cheat, and let everyone else think he was a terrible person for one reason and one reason only: to end the game.

Kokichi hated the killings, as evidenced by D.I.C.E. 's rules about murder and his later confessions/efforts in ch 5. There were many other smaller motivations he practiced throughout the game (surviving was one of the biggest ones, but I’d argue discovering the truth about the game was just as important) but his hatred of the game was the biggest driver of every single action he made. This, in my mind, is the most important reason he “became the villain”: not because he wanted to, but because his classmates wouldn’t listen to him any other way, and he needed to have relative control/understanding of their actions to carry out his own efforts to end the game. None of them (except maybe Gonta, and Shuichi near the beginning) picked up on his ulterior motives, or even had general curiosity about why he acted the way he did. It’s this unfortunate perception of him that prompted Kokichi to intensify his behavior in an effort to reach his goal. Even if he wanted to stop the villain act, Kokichi had gone too far by chapter 4 to pull himself back out, so his lies only grew.

It’s impossible to talk about Kokichi’s character without talking about Shuichi’s because their arcs are so beautifully intertwined. Their separate journeys inform both their development throughout the game.

Kokichi gravitated toward Shuichi from the beginning. This is evidenced by his whiteboard (trustworthy?), his efforts to befriend him in chapter 4, and the general “togetherness” of their viewpoints during trials (99% of the time being on the same side in debate scrum and Kokichi’s lies almost always serving as a way to further the truth both Shuichi and him were seeking, even if they were seemingly at odds). Shuichi was different from everyone else, expressing curiosity about Kokichi rather than immediate resentment like the other classmates, and Kokichi clearly wanted him on his side. Yet, Shuichi, much like Kokichi, was forced into a role by his classmates: the protagonist. While Kokichi’s talent was immediately perceived negatively, Shuichi’s was perceived positively (due to the nature of the killing game, having an Ultimate Detective on your side was likely a factor). As the game progressed (and he grew more confident in his abilities) he proved himself as someone capable of investigating the murders and coming to the correct conclusion.

By chapter 3, everyone had begun to rely on Shuichi to get them through the trials. Even when he was shocked and sad about the deaths, he immediately jumped into every investigation because everyone else’s lives were dependent on him doing so. This ultimately just perpetuated him being driven into the role of the protagonist because he couldn’t stop doing what he was or everyone would die.

Shuichi’s “rivalry” against Kokichi was fabricated completely by the roles they were pushed into. Shuichi was led away from Kokichi the entire game by his friends (Kaito and Maki especially, who both despised Kokichi and vice versa) and Kokichi was isolated, the only person who could stand hanging around him being Gonta. The rest of his classmates’ hatred toward Kokichi also turned Shuichi’s feelings for him into resentment by chapter 5, with Shuichi often feeling like a villain for “siding” with Kokichi in trials. Shuichi was curious/skeptical about Kokichi’s motives the entire game, but it transformed into dismissal (ignoring Kokichi being hurt after he fell through the floorboards in ch 3) and irritation (how Shuichi acts in ch 4’s trial) because he began to perceive Kokichi as everyone else did: a villain.

None of these roles ultimately benefited them, in the end. Even Shuichi, who we usually see as someone who gained more self-confidence due to the uplifting of his friends, really didn’t come out of the killing game better off. He was stuck carrying everyone else through trials, pressured to perform under his intense anxiety/fears, which only made him more scared about making a mistake and inadvertently being the reason for everyone’s deaths, if he was. Kokichi put on a mask of lies to protect himself, not seem helpless, and to achieve his goals, but was pushed into decisions he never would’ve made otherwise in order to play the villain (sacrificing Gonta and using him to kill Miu, for example, discussed later.) Thus, they both suffered for the situation they were put into, forced to butt heads but just as trapped as the other was.

Their similar yet completely opposite directions in the game, as dictated by the people around them rather than themselves, is what makes their relationship so tragic, yet also that much more interconnected. It’s one of the reasons I’ve really started to grow fond of saiou. Here are two people, neither of whom wanted to be protagonist vs antagonist, but, because of the situation they were thrown into— a scenario dictated by fear— and the surface-level perceptions of their talents/personalities by people who didn’t really know them. Kokichi wanted to get closer to Shuichi because he knew Shuichi could help him end the game; his and Shuichi's smarts working together was sure to help them figure out a plan, or at least something to stop the killings from happening and end the game. But Kaede, Kaito, Maki, and everyone else made Shuichi steer clear from Kokichi (though Kokichi was at fault for this too by a certain point because he deliberately pushed others away by chapter 3) but he knew that if he could get Shuichi on his side, they could end the game. And maybe they would’ve.

It’s even more tragic to know that they were incredibly similar not just in their character arcs but even just at a characteristic level. Shuichi wanted to find the truth so badly in every single trial, much like Kokichi, but at the end of the game he CHOOSES TO LIVE A LIE— chooses to be Shuichi Saihara and defy the game even though he knows he’s not a real person anymore. I think that’s profoundly beautiful when we think about Kokichi, who was living a lie the whole time— who already had an understanding that being a lie was less painful and often more advantageous than the truth. Yet he was just like Shuichi, seeking truth even if he had to lie along the way.

Two truth-seekers, two liars, extremely similar characters on a soul-level who would’ve made such a good team had they not been forced apart.

By chapter four, Kokichi’s villain persona was solidified, but what he did was not inherently evil. Kokichi was smart— smart enough to figure out Miu’s plan (when even the Ultimate Detective didn’t). He understood, even without knowing exactly what Miu was planning, that if he let her murder him, everyone else would die, too. I believe he felt the work he made up to that point and the entire killing game itself would be useless if it ended the way Monokuma wanted. He desperately didn’t want that, and so he sacrificed Gonta for this reason: to keep himself and everyone else alive.

This is another aspect of Kokichi’s character I feel isn’t as easily seen on the surface-level: his selflessness. Even if his jokes/lies made the others mad, he was still thoughtful and would try to help them. For example: giving them those electro hammers that Miu made to everyone and telling Kaede to stop using toxic positivity to get everyone to keep on trying to escape through the tunnel they found in Ch 1. Even him telling them about the outside world was meant to act as a mercy— to stop the killings from happening to them. But Kokichi’s ultimate act of selflessness was killing himself in the end— giving his life so that the others could live on.

I believe Kokichi felt like a shitty person for doing that to Gonta— selfish, hopeless even, just because he decided to prioritize the majority. Gonta was the only person that actually trusted Kokichi; he believed in him. That love and appreciation from Gonta made Kokichi tell Gonta about his plans; he’d bring Gonta with him everywhere, tell him what he was trying to do, and Gonta always helped him. This proves to me that if someone else had just been nicer to Kokichi, he would have probably opened up more and much of Kokichi’s more extreme, desperate actions could have been prevented. I can’t even imagine what that was like for Kokichi, tricking the only person that had actually cared about him into killing someone. And it likely made his hatred for the killing game grow even more.

I personally think Kokichi was breaking down really really hard at the end of ch 4. Even if he acted like he didn’t feel bad at all after the execution, it was just that: an act. When he tries to go with Gonta to his execution, I don’t think his feelings were lies; and, if they were, it was a kind lie, meant to help Gonta feel cared for before he died. Kokichi was hurting on the inside while watching what was happening to Gonta, you could just tell, the one person that trusted him and believed in him, he screwed over and betrayed. Kokichi even went full-mastermind mode because he felt like the villain, felt like he was evil because he sacrificed Gonta just to save himself, and realized it was the only way to truly end the game.

Kokichi was an absolute asshole and smartass that knew exactly what was happening and what to do about it. No one listened to his ideas because he put on the villain mask. The others felt like they couldn't trust him, which is what he needed, so that he could pose as the mastermind. Kokichi probably figured out Tsumugi's secret at one point during the game and that's why he played as the mastermind, which is part of the reason he acted like he drank the antidote but gave it to Kaito instead. It was part of his plan to stop the game and expose Tsumugi for breaking the rules that SHE made. He tried to make an unsolvable murder, but he hadn't expected Maki to come into the hangar, which is part of the reason Shuichi was able to solve it.

I know that Tsumugi knew that if Kokichi and Shuichi had been friends, the game would have ended earlier. That’s why I believe her/Spikechunsoft wrote them to be the Protag and Antag duo. Which is sad because they would have been a great team. And yes, Shuichi did end up having to live a lie at the end of the day, which shows great resemblance to Kokichi. They both wanted the truth, they both wanted to end the game and figure out the truth to the trials, but they both did it in separate ways. Kokichi would often question Shuichi during the trials or just in general, that made Shuichi think harder about the situation, which helped all of them find the truth. Kokichi lied to find the truth. Others may think that his lies were useless and bad, but Shuichi had also lied to find the truth. Shuichi lied to everyone else during the trials just to get the truth out of them, and it worked. They both lied to find the truth, but they both would still tell the truth. Kokichi told more lies than Shuichi, and that's what helped him find the truth. Shuichi told more truths than lies, which helped him. Meaning, both Kokichi and Shuichi had different ways of getting the truth out of others. Kokichi lived in lies, he lied to himself about how everything was going to be okay, that the game would end soon, that if he just kept his jig up for a little while longer, he would find the truth of the killing game. Kokichi didn't like lying to himself, but it made him feel better about the situation, more positive, he even lied to himself so much that I could imagine he sometimes couldn't tell whether or not he was telling the truth. Which is one of the reasons I mainly believe he went through with his plan in ch 5.

Shuichi was more emotional than Kokichi, and that's why he couldn't lie to himself. Shuichi wanted to feel better about the situation, he wanted to feel like it would get better, but it was harder for him to lie to himself like Kokichi did. No matter how hard Shuichi had tried, he just couldn't.

I couldn't figure out where to include the last 3 paragraphs but I really wanted to include them lol. Also thank you so much to my sister @kiwi-luminaryofthestars for helping me edit this silly little thing! And an extra shout-out to @starredskys for being so nice and excited to read this thing!

[lizzietoons]

‼️Miu and Kiibo’s Mastermind AU: The Reveal‼️

The death order in this comic is different from cannon! This AU follows a “dual protagonist” system, which basically means the player would switch between Kaede and Shuichi throughout the game. Instead of characters like Tsumugi, Maki or Himiko being alive for the mastermind trial, Miu, Kaito, Kokichi and Kaede are alive. @swolfyxd and I have most of it planned out (even though we’ll never actually write it ��).

Focus for the last panel is on Kokichi, because he would be the one that underestimated and dismissed them the most due to his own biases.

The idea for this entire AU came partially from the some “Red Flags” by Tom Cardy, so Miu’s mastermind outfit is an homage to the cocktail style dress worn in the music video.

Hope you guys enjoy!

[delu-lusional]

no bc why arent we talking about how ndrv3 has so much potential, ESPECIALLY in their antagonists and plots?? Sure, they tried to do something with them with the emotion v logic and reality v fiction, but like... they're such large concepts that it's kind of hard to fit both of them into a plot, let alone a game.

[ndrv3 spoilers btw]

lets talk about emotion v logic bc i can split the foils up really nicely with this plot:

LOGIC: Rantaro, Kirumi, Angie, Kokichi, Maki, Kiibo, Shuich

EMOTION: Kaede, Ryoma, Tenko, Korekiyo, Gonta, Miu, Kaito, Himiko, Tsumugi, Shuichi

here, everyone has at least one (1) foil. Kaede has Rantaro, Kokichi has Gonta, Miu, and Kaito, the list goes on. With these characters being next to each other, they highlight their own stance while also showcasing the complexity of said stance (like how both Kaede and Rantaro and united in defeating the mastermind, but it was Kaede's worry of the time limit expiring that incentive her to set her plan into motion).

With emotion v logic, there isn't a clear line of 'good and bad' like hope v despair or future v past, both of these qualities are good in a person. v3 is really grey in it's messages, which makes it one of the best dr games in my opinion (i like to be ignorant to some of the.. other problems it has). It's not bad that you are emotional, but when your emotions cloud your judgement, that is bad. It's not bad that you are logical, but when your logic overweighs your autonomy, that's bad.

This by itself could be an entire game: how can we have a balance between compassion and cynicism? Trust v safety. Of course, that is the A plot for v3 and I think they handled it somewhat well. (of course, it could've done better if Angie wasn't killed, making Angie a foil to Shuichi instead of that role being put on Kokichi [who i find more so Kaito's foil], but a girl can only dream).

SPEAKING OF ANTAGONISTS, LETS TALK ABOUT REALITY V FICTION!! -- i'll also separate the characters, though this is a little more difficult to pin down.

REALITY: Rantaro, Ryoma, Kirumi, Kokichi, Shuichi, Kiibo, Maki

FICTION: Kaede, Tenko, Angie, Korekiyo, Miu, Gonta, Kaito, Himiko, Tsumugi

This, alike the emotion v logic, is grey. Reality hurts so finding comfort in fiction is bad-- however when your entire reality becomes fictional, something's awry. This is, unsurprisingly, shown in the last chapter the best: the world is crumbling away, the people are conscious, and the fiction someone is living in is peeling away to show the hideous reality. It's stated that the outside world is peaceful since they get their violent tendencies by voyeuristically watching danganronpa (which, no, that likely wouldn't happen.), so people are immersing themselves in fiction. IGNORING reality.

There are some implications to this B plot: Korekiyo talking about 'seeing his dead sister' which is not based in the reality that we know, Himiko talking about magic outside of magic tricks, and Tsumugi being more infatuated with cosplay than being herself. Meanwhile, Kiibo doesn't shy away from understanding that he's a robot (and actively tries to help), and Kokichi straight up makes a script for someone to mimic him once he dies to mess the game up.

and yet v3 is kind of... bad. The conclusion doesn't feel right, it doesn't feel like they worked for this, that's bc throughout the game, they were contesting against grey matters. There's no villain, there's no 'the worst, most tragic event in human history', just a company writing fiction. That's why I think people don't like this ending.

The game is like an essay that ends up no where without a firm foot hold because of the topics they chose to convey. They didn't exaggerate it enough (which is saying A LOT for the 'youre fictional' game), leading the a and b plots to fall flat.

Not only with their plots, mind you, but with their antagonists.

Kaede is perfectly written for plot a, kirumi is perfectly written for plot a, Korekiyo is (semi)perfectly written for plot a, gonta is perfectly written for plot a, kaito is perfectly written for plot a, but tsumugi is only written for plot b. She's forgotten by her creators just like how the audience forgets her.

Angie, Korekiyo, Kokichi, and Tsumugi are the main 'bad guys' for ndrv3-- but... are they?

Angie is a devote believer in her deity who has gotten everything handed to her, so of course she's going to be erratic in keeping everything under her control.

Korekiyo is a boy who's sister tragically died and is being TORTURED just to see her again, so of course he's mind is twisted with thoughts of sacrificing people to her.

Kokichi is a scared trickster who always manages to slide his way in and out of trouble, so of course he's going to hide his emotions and harm others so he can win.

And Tsumugi? She's trapped in a fictional world that she has no way of escaping, so of course she's going to be forgotten-- she isn't made for this world.

But, these characters are reduced to 'religious cult leader', 'serial incest killer', 'insane clown', and 'who?' This is another effect of having too many plots going on-- these characters aren't allowed their time to shine bc the plot is constantly throwing them around,

but idk, those are my thoughts. sorry for this being really scrambled I just have lots of feelings about ndrv3.

[ririabeam]

Danganronpa V3 Animatic

Might finish it into a full animation (not anytime soon)

IT'S DONE, I'M SO EXCITED THAT I FINISHED IT AS FAST AS I CAN I felt like I was having a Danganronpa V3 open book exam as I kept rewatching certain scenes to figure out what to draw ejfnend

I once said that my dream is to make a long animation one day- I feel I'm one step closer to that dream! 🥺💖

I'm really happy with how this turned out, I'm posting to mark my improvement from Kaemugi animatic (which had too many close ups)

I've been studying animations I like and some anime scenes frame by frame to improve-

I'm not good at storyboarding, I actually tried and gave up- So I just jumped directly into making the animatic

I feel I planned really hard scenes to do for final as there are a lot of dynamic and perspective poses ekfjejd ESP THE FIGHT SCENE that part is my favourite wkfjd I RILLY LOVE ACTION IN ANIMES I didn't think I could pull it off, it looks really cool in the end! I feel I'm not able to do those hard poses now, but maybe in the future? >:3

Just gotta keep working hard and be patient and one day I'd reach my goal!

-

Ending: After getting crushed by a rock, Tsumugi reflects in her final moments about everything that happened

The mirror flashes back to her pregame self where she is forgotten by everyone for being too plain, all she has is Danganronpa to keep her going

It changes to Junko to show how Tsumugi was so lost in fiction that she copied Junko completely and forgot about herself

The mirror then changes to Tsumugi herself in her current state to show that Tsumugi finally accepts reality

The reality is she is herself and the fact that the killings were all real so she doesnt smile and dies together with her regret

^I know this is not a popular fandom view but if I'm going to pour my heart into something that could possibly take years to do, I'm going to do something that I truly want for myself and not just what is most popular and most welcomed I hope there will still be people who enjoy this though, thank you for all the support!🥰💖

-

Thoughts:

-I want Tsumugi to lipsync the lyrics "I designed this rhyme" as it feels fitting of her role, the mastermind

-Himiko pulling down her hat before revealing she is crying is to symbolise how much she had repressed her feelings till now

This was inspired by a Warrior Cats animation btw! It's called "Swiftpaw AMV - In The End" by NekoVocalNote

I came up with all the scenes in this animatic myself (which I'm proud of akdjdj) but I was inspired by that Swiftpaw animation's action and how one can finish a full animation- I used the same song as it! My final is a bit similar to the ending of the Swiftpaw animation too!

[ndrv3expert1]

How I would rewrite the utilization and timing of Tenko's flipping ability (That also slightly changes the narrative.)

Tenko's flipping ability had the power to change the entire narrative of DRV3 but the game barely used it here's how it could have made a really impact.

This is an excerpt to a 25 page essay I wrote inspired by @whattheskyknows' post about the underutilization of Tenko’s flipping ability. Check out their original post below.

https://www.tumblr.com/whattheskyknows/766230450261884928/i-wish-drv3-utilised-tenkos-flipping-technique?source=share

The first reveal of Tenko’s ability

The first time Tenko’s power will be revealed is late chapter two early chapter three. Here she will flip Shuichi and Himiko just like in the original game, but this time instead of being the only time her ability is ultilized it will be used to give the player an inclination of Tenko’s power with characters that we already know enough about to deem Tenko’s analysis correct making her ability seem reliable and trustworthy.

The next time Tenko’s power will be utilized is in the middle of chapter three.

Maki's flip

Here she would flip Maki. I know you probably think I don’t know if that would work out, etc., but at this point, Maki is getting closer to Kaito and Shuichi, and even though Tenko was one of the many people who were wary of Maki after her talent reveal she did eventually come around and had a nice chat with Maki in chapter three.

Tenko could guise it as sparring, especially after her dojo opened up and flipped Maki telling her something along the lines of:

“You hide from us because you believe that we’ll all hate you, but Tenko can tell, deep down, you’re a caring girl, Maki. You’re afraid, just like the rest of us, afraid of hurting your loved ones, which is why you lie to build up walls. You don’t want us to shun you, and you don’t want any more blood on your hands, at least not if you don’t have to.”

And then Maki would obviously (and understandably) be shocked, probably asking Tenko how she knew that just by flipping her.

I think the two would grow closer and make that conversation between them before Angie’s death a bit more impactful.

Either Shuichi would have to be in the room or Maki would have to tell him (and Kaito) after the fact since Shuichi is the protagonist and we find out all the information through him, and then he would do that thing where he has a thought or an internal monologue, but it pops up as text that reads:

‘It’s nice that those two are getting along with their combined strength; we might be able to find a way out of here.’

Kokichi’s flip

Next would be Kokichi, which wouldn't be an on screen moment like Maki's because Kokichi dropping his mask is a big reveal for the end of the game.

Tenko would either flip Kokichi out of pure annoyance or reluctant curiosity, then say:

"Tenko can see you're putting up a villainous facade, but she can tell that there’s more behind it."

And Kokichi gets so scared that he’s vulnerable and just runs away.

Maybe he even writes on his little whiteboard an insult under Tenko’s name, then erases it and writes interesting or useful under it.

They can then have little interactions where they talk, combining their skills to try and figure out the mastermind or the truth of the game, and we see them getting closer to each other.

Then I wrote two separate storylines because I love Tenko so much I created two alternate universes for her ability to be used correctly, and I wanted to make this harder for myself because I can't take the easy way out.

Here's how Tenko’s flipping ability could play out in two possible narratives option being closer to the canon and option two deviating further from it.

Option one:

Tenko dies like she was supposed to and all the secrets die with her. Kokichi and Maki are upset, but of course, in typical fashion, don’t show it in front of the others.

After Tenko’s death, Tsumugi looks happy/relieved, and Kokichi gets suspicious, but it’s not enough evidence to determine anything yet.

In late chapter three or early chapter four, before everything happens, Kokichi finds out that Tsumugi was happy Kiyo killed Tenko because she found out too much and goes into his plan even more determined to end the killing game and get revenge on Tsumugi for everything she's done to them (and Tenko).

Option two:

Kiyo kills Angie locked room mystery style, he then tries to kill Tenko but it fails (it still hit her in the arm or a non-vital part of the neck.) Tenko still dies, though, and everyone believes that it was from blood loss.

Later Kokichi discovered that Tsumugi killed Tenko using the power of the first-come, first-served rule to save herself because Tenko flipped her and found out way too much.

Kokichi would then find out and confront Tsumugi in a confrontation that would go something like:

“You did it, didn’t you?” Kokichi said, his voice filled with emotion, Tsumugi turned around, confused and angry. "You killed her."

Here bits of Kokichi's mask would start to drop , the usual mischievous smirk replaced with a rage-filled scowl.

Tsumugi would walk closer, their faces almost touching.

“She was learning too much, sticking her nose into places it didn’t belong. The game wouldn’t have been as fun if there was a reveal so early… I had to get rid of her; she was a threat to me. You understand, don’t you, Ouma?” (referencing chapter four).

Kokichi would then curse her out and say something along the lines of he'll ruin Tsumugi's game for her and everyone watching, either Tsumugi directly or the cameras, and continue his plan to end the game.

Tsumugi would then either be amused that Kokichi would try or genuinely concerned seeing Kokichi as a threat and trying to stop him herself, once again changing the narrative.

This one is especially nice because it shows the parallel of Kokichi and Tsumugi as a sheep in a wolf’s clothing and a wolf in a sheep’s clothing and also them both having scripts and doing whatever is necessary to make their narrative happen.

Kokichi is manipulating Gonta to kill Miu and Tsumugi killing Rantaro and framing it on Kaede.

This also gives Tsumugi more of a role as the mastermind in the game, also allowing Tenko to use her power multiple times without the consequences of an early reveal or boring game.

Then for either one or two, the ending would pretty much go the same except for maybe Tsumugi subtly mentioning that Tenko (and Kokichi) already found out a while ago, but the rest of the ending is perfect and wouldn’t be affected.

Conclusion

And that is a rewrite of how I think Tenko’s flipping ability could have been used to its full potential.

Of course, there were a few things that I couldn’t stress as much as I wanted to, like Tenko and Maki and Tenko and Kokichi's friendship, and the others would be like:

“Tenko and Kokichi/Maki are close these days, aren’t they?”

But this is getting long, so maybe I'll talk about it in another post.

Tenko had a really amazing power that had the chance to change the narrative and be a really cool arc, especially since she's a character that expresses her emotions wholeheartedly and wants others to do the same, but it instead was just like so many other things about Tenko's character overlooked, underutilized, and forgotten about, during and after its reveal.

Tenko deserved better. We deserved better and it's a shame to see such a great opportunity go to waste.

And if anyone wants to read the full essay if requested I will make a comment or another post (unlikely though it's very long 😅)

[smooshednetwork]

Question out of curiosity which character in v3 would be the better mastermind instead Tsumugi?

Personally, I feel like it would be Gonta, because like he would fake that calm gentle attitude so people would trust him

But I was wondering, who would be the better mastermind in your opinion?

Me personally I loved tsumugi as a mastermind I didn’t expect it but looking back on it now it should’ve been obvious.

I do think gonta would be a good fit and would create alot of despair. but if I had to choose I think Himiko would be a really interesting pick, since mages and stuff are usually tied to witchcraft and that is commonly seen as “evil”. Also I’m just imagining her in the courtroom standing on some sort of block thing to make herself taller after the reveal, honestly I’m picking her for more humorous reasons but still. Also more childish nature in a mastermind is almost exactly was Junko originally was (in the first game) and it would fit to kinda match the energy. (Also I think her evil laugh would be cute lol)

[foryoupeko]

Random Miu quotes from media I’ve been watching lately:

Miu about (redacted): BTW our mastermind is a predator, AND I LOVE IT

Miu about KIIBO: Our relationship can only be described by tags on porn hub

Miu about the monokubs: Hard to love, but even harder to hate

⚙️

Random Miu quotes based off my DND character:

Korekiyo: Will you stop calling me a beta male cuck sucker?

Miu: I thought you were going by masc pronouns today, you genderfluid fuck

Korekiyo: the gender was not the problem

—

Kaede: (fucking dies)

Miu: how long does a mourning period last, because I got other shit to talk about

Maki: is it about you?

Miu: what else would it be?

—

Miu: (takes off her skirt)

Gonta: why?

Miu: because it would be embarrassing to have an unintentional panty shot

Kaito: so you’re solving the first half of the problem… but not the second half

Miu: thanks for explaining it to the kids in the back

Kokichi: I wish there was kids here, then we could file this under a criminal offense instead of unnecessary fanservice

—

Miu: I’m literally gonna just stay outside for the whole fucking time. Good luck with your plans, DM!

Tenko: Who is she talking to?

Angie: God.

—

Shuichi: Does anyone have any insight on this?

Miu: You know how Dog’s heaven is Squirrel’s hell?

Himiko: Where are you going with this?

Miu: Well I was just thinking, if I wanted to suck God’s dick, would he enjoy it? Or would it be that my heaven is God’s hell?

Himiko: I think you just described a crime

Miu: ITS GOD. I can’t do shit without his consent.

Tenko: why are we assuming God is a man?

Miu: That’s not the conversation we’re having here!

Shuichi: I’m gonna go back and solve this murder.

—

Kirumi: I appreciate your enthusiasm but you’re being overzealous

Miu: Did you just call be a jealous bitch

Korekiyo: Do you even know what a book on your skin feels like?

Miu: I don’t fuck books? Why did he say it like that?

Ryoma: As much as it pains me to agree with Miu, why did you say it like that

[humblefryingpan]

Ngl I'd love to see what Tsumugi was thinking after Kokichi announced he was the mastermind. And like in the chapter 5 trial when Himiko mentioned it and Tsumugi IMMEDIATELY agreed with her

Himiko: It was the mastermind! Kokichi!!

Tsumugi: yep yep the mastermind that is Kokichi and nobody else

[shsl-hubris-guy]

The V3 Survivors Mirror Image Danganronpa's Previous Game Protags. Here's Why

Idk if this was intentional or a happy accident on behalf of the crew behind V3, but in replaying that final trial once again, a few distinct points about each of the 3 survivors stuck out to me as being very reminiscent of their predecessors- Shuichi with Makoto, Maki with Hajime/Izuru, and Himiko with Komaru. So I wanted to yap about it a little bit, because that's just so cool to me, and v3 has always had my fav surviving cast anyway so this just makes them a million times better

Shuichi -> Makoto

Shuichi, first and foremost, grows into the protagonist role during chapter 1, in which he's believed to be the killer for most of the trial and the player has to prove his innocence. This is a direct parallel to Makoto, and it's not difficult to see. In addition, the one who made it look like he was guilty was the one musical girl he'd gotten attached to in the early game, and it was her plan failing and being revealed that led to his proved innocence, similar to that of Sayaka's failed murder plan.

At the end of the game as well, though, he's the one who gets the rest of the cast one by one to reject the game and choose to end the cycle, rather than vote the way that the mastermind wants. This is a deliberate deviation from Makoto, defined by K1-B0's presence acting as the SHSL Hope Robot, and that's just as important to note, because the V3 survivors are mirror images and grow in a similar but reverse imaged way to their predecessors. Where Makoto chose to become hope no matter what, Shuichi chose compassion no matter what, and broke the system entirely by appealing to the outside world, rather than acting in spite of its despair.

Maki -> Hajime

Maki starts the game in a position similar to Izuru. Playing her backstory especially assists this, but she's living a life inherently disconnected from her peers because of what she was made into by the people in power over her. Like Hajime, she was approached while in a vulnerable state to be remade into something new and dangerous that the system she was raised within could use. She accepted this offer and became an assassin for the sake of someone she loved- a childhood friend that cared deeply about the others in their orphanage and protected them over herself. This has a lot of interesting similarities to Hajime's agreeing to become Izuru for the sake of Chiaki in DR3, but the distinction here is that the childhood friend was the one being targeted. Maki taking on the role of assassin was her choosing to shoulder the burden knowingly rather than being tricked into it, but still for the sake of sometime that ended up dying to save another orphan, like how Chiaki died trying to save her teacher and classmates.

Maki's arc is also the immediate inverse of Hajime's, to a tragic degree. Whereas Hajime's arc ends in him losing to choose himself and refusing to back down and sacrifice either his memories of freedom, Maki's arc is in learning to open her heart to others and thus, in the V3 final trial, her arc projects into her choosing to be the sacrifice so that Shuichi and Himiko can escape the game. Rather than break the cycle like Hajime does, she chooses to be an active participant in it, and become the next SHSL Survivor. Were it not for Shuichi's deduction, this would have been the outcome, and she would've entered a new game with no memory of her previous identity, mirroring how Hajime entered the sdr2 game as its mastermind without knowing he set this up for himself.

Himiko -> Komaru

This was actually the character that made this whole mirroring thing stick out to me, despite being perhaps the least obvious of the 3. It started with just me seeing the back of her head in the epilogue and going "haha that's funny, she has the same fuckass bob as Komaru lol :)" but then I kept thinking about it and more mirrored traits between Komaru and Himiko started to stick out to me.

Himiko and Komaru both have a character arc that primarily centers on expressing their emotions. For Komaru, she does nothing but cry for the first couple chapters, only barely surviving with the help of Toko and Syo, and is a total open book. She's easily excitable, way too trusting, and all-around joyful when she's not under immediate fire. Himiko is the exact opposite, being totally closed off from her emotions and writing off any and all efforts as 'just a pain' out of a depressed laziness. Similarly to Komaru, however, she's pulled through this and helped to grow with her two female "friends" with very differing beliefs- Angie and Tenko. Both Komaru's and Himiko's relationships with these women inspire them to face what they fear with more emotional strength, and bring them to the conclusion that, regardless of how it hurts them, they owe it to their "friends" to try. Komaru chooses to stay in Towa City, and Himiko chooses to help in the trials from here on out. While both these girls start on opposite ends of emotional imbalance, they both get brought to a point of stability through their love of their fellow girls. Yuri stays on top. Anyways

This is more of a meta point as well, but both Komaru and Himiko are the most underrated of their respective groups. Komaru isn't nearly as popular of a protagonist as Makoto and Hajime, and Himiko is the least popular of the V3 survivors in comparison to Shuichi and Maki. This makes sense; she's not as focused on as Shuichi and Maki were(for obvious reasons), and while I doubt that was intentional, it is another funny little connection that's there.

Anyways, that's kind of it. Idk if any of this rambling makes sense, but I saw it and thought it was cool so I had to share :D