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Danganronpa Community Thread: Thrills! Chills! Kills! Despair!
- Thread starter Vylash
- Start date
lazyproblems
Member
I'm mixed. I sometimes go back and forth, as I think both games have strong characters. That said, I think the overall cast of 2 is superior to 1. Some people in 1 just never ended up working for me. That said, 1 definitely has some excellent standout characters.
Werewolf Jones
Member
All the characters who survive in the first game aren't all that particularly interesting. The only boring survivor in DR2 is
Sonia.
ShadowSoldier89
Member
I dont think I could disagree with this more
but I'll only list two things, Aoi is a far better character than Akane, and kirigiri is the best character in the series
lazyproblems
Member
Pretty much agree with this. I vastly preferred the survivors in 1 compared to 2.
Werewolf Jones
Member
Aoi and Akane are the same character though except one of them can actually fight.
Kirigiri is also a really boring anime trope, while Chiaki wasn't much better she was more of an interesting character.
Kirigiri is also a really boring anime trope, while Chiaki wasn't much better she was more of an interesting character.
She really wasn't, to me. Chiaki was less interesting to me than Kyoko because of how arbitrary the former felt, in comparison.
When it comes to the casts, I preferred the DR1 group of characters to DR2's, mostly because of how fundamentally different the group dynamic was between the two. I'm not necessarily looking for likable characters in these types of games (Byakuya and Nagito are two of my favorites), and I liked how there was always this constant sense of distrust among the DR1 characters, while the DR2 cast mostly got along. It made for a good contrast, though:
those who opposed despair are those who gave into fear and distrust, while those who gave into despair are those who cooperated and got along.
The kind of "lighthearted" atmosphere DR2 had in comparison was a good way to differentiate it, tonally, from DR1. I'd want DR3 to go back to the more claustrophobic and oppressive feel, though. Or, at least, go for something totally different.
lazyproblems
Member
Yes please. I much prefer the dark, hopeless and oppressive feel of Hope's Peak Academy to Jabberwock Island. Obviously the latter fit the theme and characters of DR2 nicely, but for these types of games I prefer a darker feel as opposed to a bright, sprawling Island paradise.
But, yeah, something new and creative for DR3 would be welcome too.
Werewolf Jones
Member
If anything I'd like DR3 to be less formulatic.
Such as:
Things that I'm okay with staying:
I was gonna say I'd be cool with a female MC in DR3 but now Another Episode is happened I think we'd just get another boy.
Such as:
Stop bringing back Junko, god damn.
Traitors/spies are cool but you've done it twice now.
Two characters growing close together in one chapter with one of them dying then the next chapter the other friend dies. ie Kiyotaka/Mondo and Hiyoko/Mahiru.
Traitors/spies are cool but you've done it twice now.
Two characters growing close together in one chapter with one of them dying then the next chapter the other friend dies. ie Kiyotaka/Mondo and Hiyoko/Mahiru.
Things that I'm okay with staying:
The amnesia as long as it's done okay.
Athletic strong but stupid characters.
That token strong support character alongside the MC.
Monokuma, obviously.
Athletic strong but stupid characters.
That token strong support character alongside the MC.
Monokuma, obviously.
I was gonna say I'd be cool with a female MC in DR3 but now Another Episode is happened I think we'd just get another boy.
you can't have Danganronpa without Junko, she's the reason that everything's happening, she's the center of the problems the world is facing, she needs to be there because she's the main antagonist
Nope, nope, nope. Disagree with all of that. I'm throwing this series in the garbage if
Junko ever appears again,
She was responsible for shit going down, but that has absolutely no bearing on a reason for her appearing again. She doesn't even have to equal Monokuma.
They proved that they could pull off an awesome antagonist that wasn't
Junko Enoshima with Nagito Komaeda. Straight up, having Junko reappear would be a creative dead end that I wouldn't be into at all.
I can just imagine this justification applied to the Ace Attorney series with AA1's big bad, and I shake my head. Despite the first trilogy being narratively connected—
with the first big bad being responsible for a lot of what is going on—there were always different major antagonists behind the whole thing. Ace Attorney didn't rely on some recurring mastermind.
Junko's reappearance
Hours Left
Member
Sonia is the only DR2 survivor that I actually like. Hajime is alright, Akane and Fuyuhiko are meh and Kazuichi is awful. (Though if you support my Minimaru theory, Nekomaru survives too, and he's incredible.)
The survivors of the first game are pretty bleh too IMO. Aoi and Kyoko are cool, but I don't care for any of the others.
The survivors of the first game are pretty bleh too IMO. Aoi and Kyoko are cool, but I don't care for any of the others.
ShadowSoldier89
Member
For DR2:
For DR1:
even looking at the characters that died, in 2 I only really liked
Akane was awful, hajime was meh, sonia was a fun character so I liked her even if she wasn't very important, kazuichi was terrible, and Fuyuhiko was excellent.
For DR1:
Kirigiri is easily my favorite character in the series, byakuya was a perfect asshole, Aoi I really liked as they had used her to demonstrate the mindstate of the characters, makoto was alright, hiro was pretty terrible, and toko was pretty awful though entertaining at times
even looking at the characters that died, in 2 I only really liked
Ibuki, she was awesome. Nagito gets a mention for just being a great character, even if hes a pissant
Fuyuhiko is probably my second favorite character in the series though. The scene where hes confessing to Peko as Monokuma announces the execution. The back and forth between him and the bear there was fucking painful
lazyproblems
Member
On the topic of Survivors:
For DR1
For DR2
With each game I probably would've chosen different survivors if I had my preference, but if we judge them as a package, I prefer 1's survivors to 2's. But I also accept that in these types of stories, there always seems to be a few people you don't like who make it to the end.
Regarding what is and isn't a series mainstay, I heaven't followed that conversation completely, because it seems like people might be discussing AE spoilers, but I think the only constant this series should have is Monokuma. That doesn't necessarily mean
For DR1
Kyoko is a great character. Perhaps a bit tropey, but I enjoyed her nevertheless. I liked Hina's kindheartedness and didn't her stupidity as grating as a lot of other people. Byakuya was a great asshole, and a good survivor to help the series move forward. Toko/Jill are supposed to be unlikable, and they are, but I actually like their zaniness. And the Free time events really helped me grow sympathetic to Toko and really helped me like her. Makoto I was fine with. He didn't grate me and he's a good representation of hope, so I was fine with that. Hiro was the one who I mainly disliked.
For DR2
Hajime was a great character, I thought. I enjoyed his growth and development. Fuyuhiko grew on me, and by the end I liked him a bit. He probably had one of the largest character arcs in the series, and arguably grew the most, so I do appreciate that. Kazuichi was fine for laughs, but I wasn't a huge fan. I liked Sonia, but she was a bit vanilla. Akane was Hina with fighting capabilities. I liked her, but I also thought her character was a bit lazy.
With each game I probably would've chosen different survivors if I had my preference, but if we judge them as a package, I prefer 1's survivors to 2's. But I also accept that in these types of stories, there always seems to be a few people you don't like who make it to the end.
Regarding what is and isn't a series mainstay, I heaven't followed that conversation completely, because it seems like people might be discussing AE spoilers, but I think the only constant this series should have is Monokuma. That doesn't necessarily mean
that Junko has to be there. However, her influence on the series will probably be felt for as long as it goes.
Well, to be fair... (Massive DR1/2 spoilers)
Monokuma IS Junko, technically speaking, so Junko is the main antagonist of the whole series. She/it will be around until Spike Chunsoft wraps things up in DR3. It's more than just an influence; she was an Ultimate Despair, after all. Even though she kicked the bucket and her body parts are... places (shudder).
No,
she isn't. Monokuma is the avatar Junko uses, not Junko herself. Anyone could embody that avatar, despite it being a Junko creation. Junko is dead, but Monokuma could easily live on through other means. I wouldn't even be opposed to the concept of someone else using the Monokuma avatar, but it having a different personality as a result.
Again, I'm going to be the polar opposite of thrilled if the big bad in Danganronpa: Another Episode is who it could be.
lazyproblems
Member
This is exactly what I'm thinking.
We know for a fact that Junko has had a massive influence on the world at large. She created a whole cult dedicated to her ideology. It's not a huge stretch to think someone else takes up the helm and tries to take over for her in her absence. Or that someone becomes fanatical and tries to copycat Junko. Anyone can use Monokuma. In fact, the ending scene of DR1 sorta teases that fact.
All that said...
I don't think we're done with Junko. Whether it be in AE (which I doubt), DR3 or somewhere down the road, I feel fairly confident we'll see her at least one more time before the series is over.
Throw a spoiler tag on it explicitly saying DRAE, spoiler the spoilers, and it should be fine. For the"spoiler-free" part, just keep it separate and spoiler tag that as well while noting its technically spoiler free. Let people decide what is good for them.
I'd just suggest for people to keep the AE spoiler talk on the down low for now. No need to have pages of black bars each time we jump into this thread.
I'd just suggest for people to keep the AE spoiler talk on the down low for now. No need to have pages of black bars each time we jump into this thread.
lazyproblems
Member
Yeah, please put spoiler tags on it. I'm trying to go into AE as "clean" as possible.
Alright. General spoiler-free thoughts on DR:AE's antagonist(s) without any sort of plot or character details:
I think if people want to do spoiler talk for AE, they should probably use the impressions thread.
I felt DR:AE was very strong in the antagonist department - certainly more genuinely unnerving than DR1 or DR2.
I think if people want to do spoiler talk for AE, they should probably use the impressions thread.
Ganzlinger
Member
Yeah, my bad.
It is Ultimate Despair, not World Ender. I thought their organization was still conducting the rioting and the cast from DR2 was only a part of it.
phoenix296
Member
This case 5. WTFFFFFF (DR2)
Everything about this sentence I disagree with in degrees I never felt possible. DR1 survivors were awesome.
Byakuya, Kyoko, Asahina, and Toko. Pretty much every character in the game I thought 'deserved' to make it to the end (minus Chihiro ;_
. Except for Yasuhiro, which admittedly, was the worst thing ever, but the good far outweighed the bad in terms of characters.
. Except for Yasuhiro, which admittedly, was the worst thing ever, but the good far outweighed the bad in terms of characters.was Sonia. Well, aside from Fuyuhiko, who was damn amazing in every facet, and arguably the best character in DR2 period. But Sonia was an incredibly funny, charming, and shockingly intelligent character and a character that really stuck with me, ultimately. The relief I felt when the game closed after spending the entire experience convinced she was doomed to die, or be a culprit, was immense. And the fact that Kazuichi survived while Ibuki or Peko didn't will never cease to anger me. Fuck him.
Yeah, that was the highlight of my playthrough, especially when I went back in the original OT for DR2 & read reactions.
SerTapTap
Member
Finally finished Dangan Ronpa 2 so I can step foot in here--fantastic. Loved the ending too--I can see why some wouldn't like that sort of stuff but I love it. I do think it was better than DR1 as well, though it was more of a ramp-up. Initially it felt way too similar to the first but over time I started to appreciate the changes, then (chapter count spoilers?)
happen and it's amazing.
I wish I could get my sister to play games, I think she'd love this sort of grim/mystery stuff. It's the sort of game I want about everyone to play really--and I don't think watching/reading it is the same either. Especially in DR2 there's a lot that wouldn't hit as hard without that.
chapter 5 and 6 happen
I wish I could get my sister to play games, I think she'd love this sort of grim/mystery stuff. It's the sort of game I want about everyone to play really--and I don't think watching/reading it is the same either. Especially in DR2 there's a lot that wouldn't hit as hard without that.
phoenix296
Member
Half way through case 6(?). I think I've gathered all the clues now.
We've been in the matrix the whole time. Kinda figured with the weird text thing at the beginning of the game.
Werewolf Jones
Member
Seems I'm the minority in DR GAF too. Kazuichi, Akane and Peko were my favourites of DR2. For DR I liked Asahina, Sakura, Kiyotaka and Hifumi.
Also Sonia isn't really bad but she has no real chemistry with any of the cast, she was always the strong, independent type but not really that interesting.
Also Sonia isn't really bad but she has no real chemistry with any of the cast, she was always the strong, independent type but not really that interesting.
SerTapTap
Member
How's she not bad? She's incompetent, knows about pointless things, seemingly
racist (she makes an ultimately irrelevant but highly suspicious "this place would even surprise an Indian" remark about the funhouse in chapter 4)
fetishizes serial killers
Regarding survivors,
I've come to terms that most everyone I like will die and the people that live will be super boring and/or terrible for the most part.
Ganzlinger
Member
Everything about this sentence I disagree with in degrees I never felt possible. DR1 survivors were awesome.DR2's best survivorByakuya, Kyoko, Asahina, and Toko. Pretty much every character in the game I thought 'deserved' to make it to the end (minus Chihiro ;_was Sonia. Well, aside from Fuyuhiko, who was damn amazing in every facet, and arguably the best character in DR2 period. But Sonia was an incredibly funny, charming, and shockingly intelligent character and a character that really stuck with me, ultimately. The relief I felt when the game closed after spending the entire experience convinced she was doomed to die, or be a culprit, was immense. And the fact that Kazuichi survived while Ibuki or Peko didn't will never cease to anger me. Fuck him.
I agree completely.
DR1 survivors > DR2 survivors. From DR1 only Hiro I disliked. From DR2 only Sonia I liked. Can't believe we lost Gundham, Ibuki, Mahiru, even the evil but interesting characters like Nagito.
SerTapTap
Member
People suggest taking a break before playing DR2...but honestly I took less than a week's break and aside from the very beginning I don't really think playing recently was a problem. Can't hurt I guess.
Personally, I believe DR2 is this times 3
Werewolf Jones
Member
I started DR2 like two days later. Depends on how much despair you can handle.
Sonia is far from incompetent. Out of all the characters in DR2's cast, only Chiaki, Nagito, and maybe Mahiru and Mikan (although both of them obviously don't get to add much ultimately) contribute as much or more than her. Out of all the characters in the cast, you 'affirm' her statements the most. Out of the survivors, she's the most 'useful' strictly in terms of how important she is towards progressing the case.
Her talent being 'completely useless' is hardly even relevant, in any case. How often do talents really matter in the DR-verse except for highly specific situations? They're a basic archetype used to inform the audience about the character's gimmick (and sometimes not even that), and that's all. If you're going to blast her for being the Ultimate Princess, might as well blast the Ultimate Moral Compass, Ultimate Doujin Writer, and the Ultimate Gymnast while you're at it. Almost all of the characters in DR knows about 'pointless things' or are talented in something completely irrelevant, since that's sort of relevant to their Ultimate schtick. I don't really understand this idea that the only things a character should know/be talented in are things specifically related to being 'useful' to the case, plot, or whatever it is.
And you're jumping pretty far ahead in your conclusions when you go 'racist' at that statement Sonia makes. It's a non-sequitur, one of many that Sonia makes throughout the course of the game, because of course, Sonia is weird. Immediately assuming 'racism' and 'she's a racist' strikes me as fitting it into a preexisting assumption more than anything else. 'Fetishizing' is also another huge misrepresentation. She's, yes, kind of creepy about Sparkling Justice, but she doesn't morally approve of her actions. It's just a weird fascination. And in the context of a highly sheltered princess who's scarcely been in the real world, a lot of this seems perfectly consistent.
I don't really see what's so hard to see in Sonia, to be honest. At least anything to warrant utter incredulity at the thought that she's not a bad character or something. Even if we put aside her usefulness to the cases, she's an affable, patient, and caring character and a great example of how to play around with Ultimate talents in a character - much of our perception and her attitude is informed by it (including her bizarre use of idioms and formalities), but they use that in equal measure to play around with our expectations to put either play up her crass or less patient side (the Vault incident, and her evolving attitude towards Kaz, respectively), or the queenly, regal demeanor she takes on to take command of certain situations. She's really funny and fairly interesting.
Her talent being 'completely useless' is hardly even relevant, in any case. How often do talents really matter in the DR-verse except for highly specific situations? They're a basic archetype used to inform the audience about the character's gimmick (and sometimes not even that), and that's all. If you're going to blast her for being the Ultimate Princess, might as well blast the Ultimate Moral Compass, Ultimate Doujin Writer, and the Ultimate Gymnast while you're at it. Almost all of the characters in DR knows about 'pointless things' or are talented in something completely irrelevant, since that's sort of relevant to their Ultimate schtick. I don't really understand this idea that the only things a character should know/be talented in are things specifically related to being 'useful' to the case, plot, or whatever it is.
And you're jumping pretty far ahead in your conclusions when you go 'racist' at that statement Sonia makes. It's a non-sequitur, one of many that Sonia makes throughout the course of the game, because of course, Sonia is weird. Immediately assuming 'racism' and 'she's a racist' strikes me as fitting it into a preexisting assumption more than anything else. 'Fetishizing' is also another huge misrepresentation. She's, yes, kind of creepy about Sparkling Justice, but she doesn't morally approve of her actions. It's just a weird fascination. And in the context of a highly sheltered princess who's scarcely been in the real world, a lot of this seems perfectly consistent.
I don't really see what's so hard to see in Sonia, to be honest. At least anything to warrant utter incredulity at the thought that she's not a bad character or something. Even if we put aside her usefulness to the cases, she's an affable, patient, and caring character and a great example of how to play around with Ultimate talents in a character - much of our perception and her attitude is informed by it (including her bizarre use of idioms and formalities), but they use that in equal measure to play around with our expectations to put either play up her crass or less patient side (the Vault incident, and her evolving attitude towards Kaz, respectively), or the queenly, regal demeanor she takes on to take command of certain situations. She's really funny and fairly interesting.
phoenix296
Member
Finished DR2. I don't know what to believe anymore.
1) Not really. Next to Chiaki, Sonia is one of the characters that Hajime agrees with most. If she doesn't let herself get carried away, she's actually proactive when it comes to solving mysteries (such as when she snuck off to the military base to conduct her experiment or when she saw through Peko's disguise). Her logic is pretty sound for the most part.
2)Sonia Nevermind: That Monokuma ... yes, his sense of humor would surprise even someone from India.
This doesn't sound remotely racist to me. It strikes me as a ridiculous Soniaism. She is full of ridiculous Soniaism's.
3) So are most of the talents? That's kind of the point? With the exception of Nagito, Kazuichi and TeruTeru, the DR2 talents are largely unhelpful.
4) Okay, 'll concede that her serial killer fetish is weird, but as fucked as it is, that trait helps her subvert expectations. She pretty much looks like an archetypal "waifu" type character on the surface, but she certainly doesn't act like one. It's another Soniaism.
I'm with Moonlight; Sonia is a great. She's compassionate/friendly but honest and frank. Legitimately tries to help and understand others, even if she is a little weird.
2)Sonia Nevermind: That Monokuma ... yes, his sense of humor would surprise even someone from India.
This doesn't sound remotely racist to me. It strikes me as a ridiculous Soniaism. She is full of ridiculous Soniaism's.
3) So are most of the talents? That's kind of the point? With the exception of Nagito, Kazuichi and TeruTeru, the DR2 talents are largely unhelpful.
4) Okay, 'll concede that her serial killer fetish is weird, but as fucked as it is, that trait helps her subvert expectations. She pretty much looks like an archetypal "waifu" type character on the surface, but she certainly doesn't act like one. It's another Soniaism.
I'm with Moonlight; Sonia is a great. She's compassionate/friendly but honest and frank. Legitimately tries to help and understand others, even if she is a little weird.
Ganzlinger
Member
I don't see anything racist in Sonia's statement. I actually thought she was implying that Indians know about almost everything mysterious, as India is indeed a millennial culture with a rich mythology and folklore. Sounds to me that she meant with "The funhouse would surprise an Indian" that even them could be tricked with its secrets. Actually sounds like she admires them as she is into that kind of stuff.
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How do you all think DR3 will play out? Tbh, I feel like its gonna be pretty hard for them to expand on it unless we find some more loose ends discovered in DR:AE.
Yeah I felt the same at first about DR2, but in the end it was better than DR1 and
DR2 really wrapped up everything well to where I don't see how another killing school life could happen.
If I had to guess, I feel like going even further down the Scfi genre would be there best bet at this point. Something like time travel, or idk.
Yeah I felt the same at first about DR2, but in the end it was better than DR1 and
the ending had even more of a twist than DR1
XxSlasherMcGirkxX
Member
I have a question about DR2.
How does Nagito have Junko's hand and how the other ultimate despairs did things to her body when she was completly crushed in the first game. There shouldn't be any parts left?
DR1 and DR2 end spoilers:
The bottom of the crusher brick was a thin, gray rubber membrane holding back a large volume of pink paint. Junko drowned, she wasn't crushed.
...seriously, though, I think it's probably best to take the final execution of Junko as somewhat abstracted and that there was enough of her left to salvage the appropriate body parts.
...seriously, though, I think it's probably best to take the final execution of Junko as somewhat abstracted and that there was enough of her left to salvage the appropriate body parts.
I wouldn't think about this too much, tbh.
Her execution was kinda off the wall anyway, I think it was more symbolic than literally "SHE GOES THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PREVIOUS EXECUTION."
Werewolf Jones
Member
The Bankslammer
Member
In regards to the DR2 question above:
edit: Found it, I was talking about this.
I'm pretty sure it's been said that the executions happened exactly as they appear. I don't have the source, but I remember an official statement regarding DR1's executions and their cause of death or something like that being posted in one of these threads.
That being said, I still wouldn't worry about it too much, lol. Junko's hand (and potentially other body parts) remaining intact after being compacted isn't the most unbelievable thing that's happened in these games. Plus, for all we know, it might not even actually be Junko's. Perhaps in a despair-induced frenzy they mistook Mukuro for her, or something like that.
That being said, I still wouldn't worry about it too much, lol. Junko's hand (and potentially other body parts) remaining intact after being compacted isn't the most unbelievable thing that's happened in these games. Plus, for all we know, it might not even actually be Junko's. Perhaps in a despair-induced frenzy they mistook Mukuro for her, or something like that.
edit: Found it, I was talking about this.
Christ at Mondo.