History Literature / DanganronpaTogami

* ProsceniumReveal: [[spoiler:Everything before Volume 3's epilogue was actually written by the [=K2K=] System. The '''''only''''' confirmed details after its interference has finished is in said epilogue: Togami and his classmates went to Prague. High-ranking WHO official Orvin Elevator, pretending to be Togami, tried to take over the world using a "Despair Novel" but was stopped by Togami. Togami and his classmates had many of their memories stripped by Ultimate Despair, also leaving his talent handicapped, and returned to HPA shortly before the Parade. Togami still has Blue Ink's fountain pen and vague but fond memories, but he no longer remembers her.]]

*** [[spoiler:The Ketouin twins and the Hasegawa Institute aren't what they appear to be. As in, Blue Ink's Borges is giving her misinformation that distorts her worldview. Who the Ketouins really are, though, goes unrevealed.]]
*** [[spoiler:Blue Ink isn't Shinobu, she's the Kudan. Orvin Elevator isn't Kazuya, either, and Suzuhiko is actually Minoru Oe. ]]

** Blue Ink is not exactly an unbiased observer when it comes to Byakuya. In addition, [[spoiler:it’s revealed in Volume 3 that her entire worldview is deluded because of the [=K2K=] system, a story-writing AI that controls Borges.]]
** The Mole isn't entirely reliable, either, as we learn when it's revealed that [[spoiler:his entire character is a facade hiding his true identity from the audience]].
** In Volume 2, [[spoiler:Kazuya turns out to be the culprit behind several of the murders.]]
** In Volume 3, [[spoiler:”Kazuya”/Orvin is revealed to be a cyborg whose prosthetic eyes have the [=K2K=] System installed, making him just as delusional as Blue Ink.]]
** At the end of Volume 3, it’s revealed that [[spoiler:all three volumes of the novel were written by the [=K2K=] System]], meaning everything that happened outside of Vol 3’s epilogue is potentially false.
%%The only events known to be true come from Vol 3's epilogue, after the [=K2K=] System's interference has finished: [[spoiler:Togami and his classmates went to Prague. High-ranking WHO official Orvin Elevator, pretending to be Togami, tried to take over the world using a "Despair Novel" but was stopped by Togami. Togami and his classmates had many of their memories stripped by Ultimate Despair, also leaving his talent handicapped, and returned to HPA shortly before the Parade. Togami still has Blue Ink's fountain pen and vague but fond memories, but he no longer remembers her.]]
** It’s also revealed in Volume 3’s third chapter that [[spoiler:the person speaking through notes and intermissions between volumes, who was assumed to be Yuya Satou by the audience, is actually [[NarratorAllAlong the K2K System/Borges]].

* {{Hikikomori}}: The Mole fits into this trope, having tried and failed to qualify for Hope’s Peak. Now he’s just bitterly jealous of everyone who successfully got in.

** [[LightNovel/DanganRonpaKirigiri The Detective Library]] is explicitly mentioned by the The Mole in reference to Genocider evading them.

** Junko references [[LightNovel/DanganRonpaZero Matsuda]] while talking with Togami and Blue Ink.

* DarkSecret: One alluded to about the Togami family. [[spoiler:According to the chief of the Hasegawa Institute, it concerns all of the Togami siblings besides Byakuya and Shinobu being murdered, as well as the Kudan, a cow with a human face that can predict the future.]]
* DeathOfAChild: One of the victims of the Mystery Club's "handiwork" the Mole and Satomi find is a baby ''cooked in a microwave''. Earlier in the attack in Prague, child victims were also explicitly mentioned, both infants and children in general.

* DoomedByCanon: Given that Byakuya is the only surviving Togami as of the main games (at least according to Junko), it's all but a given that his siblings get removed from the scene [[spoiler:while certain others like Kazuya and Shinobu receive more complicated endings]].
* DrivenToSuicide: Several of the deaths at the conference ''appear'' to be suicides, though naturally it's unclear at first whether or not this is really the case.
* EverybodyDiesEnding: What the Worst Incident in the Togami Conglomerate entails. The incident involves [[spoiler:Kazuya, driven psychotic by pressure, murdering Wasuke when the competition is about to begin, followed by Asagao committing suicide. Thanks in part to Hiru and Takaya's machinations, the Togami siblings end up slaughtering each other until it's just five of them left, followed by Takaya setting the castle on fire, killing himself, Sabarou and seemingly [[NeverFoundTheBody Kazuya]], leaving everyone but Shinobu, Suzuhiko, Byakuya and Pennyworth dead]].

** The Mystery Club is a group of young children, just like the [[VideoGame/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls Warriors of Hope]]. Though they're enrolled in the Academy's junior high rather than elementary.
** Most of the Togami siblings in the Flashback have loose counterparts in Byakuya's future classmates. Ichirou is straight-laced and tries to keep order like Ishimaru, Jirou favors brawn over brains like Oowada, Saburou is a [[FatBastard creepier]] Yamada, and so on.
* ForegoneConclusion: Anyone with knowledge on the franchise knows that, inevitably, Byakuya will end up with his classmates in Hope's Peak Academy, survive the School Life of Mutual Killing and join the Future Foundation. What else happens is another question entirely.
* GainaxEnding: The end of Vol 2. Key points include revealing that [[spoiler:the Ketouins and the Hasegawa Institute aren't real]] and [[spoiler:Kazuya]] suddenly showing up at the very end without explanation.

* HatePlague: Anyone who reads the Despair Book comes down with "Despair Fever", a mental ailment that drives the victims insane. [[spoiler:In the end, it's revealed that this is completely false and anyone who acted out because of the book was just using it as an excuse.]]
* {{Hikikomori}}: The Mole fits into this trope: A secondary viewpoint character who stars in his own arc, who's bitterly jealous of everyone who got into Hope's Peak after trying and failing to qualify.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: In Vol 3, Blue Ink encounters an old man named "K" who reveals the truth behind her Borges and explains the [[spoiler:[=K2K=] System]]. "K" is implied to be real-world writer Creator/MilanKundera, who is an alumni of Hope's Peak in this universe.
* JustBeforeTheEnd: The story tells the opening days of the Tragedy itself, something only alluded to in other installments.
* LateArrivalSpoiler: As always. Here, the plot practically ''runs'' on one knowing the plots of the first two games.

** Near the end of Vol 1, it's revealed that [[spoiler:Suzuhiko Ootsuki]] is so skilled at deception that they can completely fool the reader, and that [[spoiler:everything we'd seen concerning the The Mole's identity]] was a complete lie.

* LockedRoomMystery: The Mystery Club's shtick, murdering people in locked room cases based on those of actual mystery novels.
* ManBehindTheMan: As Byakuya finds out, [[spoiler:the Impostor and even Sonia are merely acting on behalf of some greater mastermind from his own class at Hope's Peak (cough cough, Junko.)]]
* MeaningfulName: As it turns out, [[spoiler: [[TheMole The Mole]] was a far more literal nickname than most people would have imagined]].
* MeaningfulRename: In Vol 2, Kazuya learns that [[spoiler:Kijou changed his name, and trades away his own to Kudan. He then claims the name Byakuya]].
* MediumAwareness: Blue Ink and Hiroyuki at least seem to be at varying points aware of the narrative they're in. Made even more confusing by the fact the beginning implies the story is written is past tense, which possibly means it's being meta ''to itself''.
* MindScrewdriver: The book finally sits down and provides the answer to one the franchise's biggest questions, namely how the entire world fell into the despair that caused the Tragedy. [[spoiler:And then revokes it: the Despair Book doesn't work that way.]]
* MoodWhiplash: Lots of it, the absurdity of many of the situations encountered makes the gruesome stuff all the more jarring.

** Whoever stole Byakuya's identity at the start of the first novel also stripped away all his clothes, leaving him with just a pair of glasses. Blue Ink quickly gets him a towel to cover himself with, but he shows no particular inclination to find more clothes, and tells her that she's stepping out of line when she asks those helping them if they can spare any pants.
** During the competition, [[spoiler:Saburou]] offers up a bizarre alibi as to his whereabouts when a crime was being committed: he's been busy dancing around his room in the buff.
* NebulousEvilOrganization: The Hasegawa Institute, a mysterious organization owned by American group {{Macguffin}} Computers who are rumored to be involved in spying and human experimentation. What they exactly want isn't clear, but it apparently involves the secrets of the Togami family.

* NoNameGiven: Many new characters lack names, including two of the main characters, who are only called "Blue Ink" and "The Mole" for most of the first volume. [[spoiler:At the very least, the end of the first volume reveals their names respectively to be Shinobu Togami and Suzuhiko Ootsuki.]]

* OddFriendship: Celeste and Hifumi in volume 2--apparently, the reason Hifumi's in Prague in the first place is because Celeste was going and he wanted to go too. Celeste doesn't seem to mind that much, and the two team up to help Byakuya out during their time in the story.

** Vol 2 averts this to add to the MindScrew through [[spoiler:Kazuya renaming himself Byakuya]].

* PaintingTheMedium: The scenes presented as info from Borges is written in an alternate font.

* PlotHole: In Vol 2, the candidates to become the next head of the Togami are met by guards upon their arrival and immediately escorted to the dining hall for a meeting, without being given any time to themselves. Later, we learn that a key part of [[spoiler:the triplets']] plans involved [[spoiler:passing themselves off as the same pair of twins on both boats]]. It is never explained or even ''hinted'' how they dealt with the escort situation.
* RapeAsDrama: While not stated, it is ''heavily'' implied in Vol 2 that [[spoiler:Kazuya rapes Shinobu after she's been mutilated]]. It's also heavily implied that [[spoiler:Shinobu was routinely abused by her older brother Suzuhiko for the first twelve years of her life]].

** One given only at the end of the first volume. [[spoiler:Blue Ink is actually Byakuya's older sister Shinobu]].
** Vol 3 gives an entire truckload's worth.

* RoyallyScrewedUp: Kazuya worries about the potential for this to befall the Togami family, as most of the candidates seem more concerned with their own petty desires. Eyumi even declares her desire to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. [[spoiler: Granted Kazuya isn't exactly one to talk.]]
* SadisticChoice: Near the end of Vol 3, [[spoiler:the Impostor reveals that Byakuya has been playing into Ultimate Despair's hands the whole time and gives him two options: one, take over the world just as Orvin Elevator had wanted, but they will murder Blue Ink. Two, end the World Domination Proclamation and return to Japan. Blue Ink will be spared, but everyone will be made to forget her and her personality will be rewritten into someone else. Byakuya chooses the latter, refusing to accept an outcome given to him by someone else and believing (correctly) that he will still be able to take down the mastermind even if his talent is handicapped.]]

* ShownTheirWork: Evidently it seems Yuya Satou researched Prague going in, given the numerous bits of trivia given about the country. Case in point, [[RealityIsUnrealistic that tower with the babies on it is actually real]].
* SophisticatedAsHell: Blue Ink usually speaks and narrates in a formal tone, however plenty of curses slip into her vocabulary.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: As of Vol 2, the title of the novel seems to be more a case of ExactWords, with most of the page time going to [[spoiler:Shinobu, Kazuya and Suzuhiko, who all happen to be Togamis]].
* TakeOverTheWorld: What Byakuya's imposter declares he'll do should the world not kill him or the "pitiful cow" elsewhere. [[spoiler:At the end of Vol 1, Byakuya decides to do the same himself.]]

* TomatoSurprise: [[spoiler:Shinobu Togami's perception of the world is heavily distorted thanks to the nature of the [=K2K=] System, making it so she becomes unable to distinguish fiction from reality, something all the other characers are aware of (and in Byakuya's and Gundham's cases, directly try to hint at her, albeit with vastly different approaches), but she remains oblivious to thanks to Borges' censoring of information that would otherwise clash with her worldview.]]

* TwoLinesNoWaiting: The story alternates between Byakuya, Blue Ink and the Kenhouin's adventure in Prague along with what occurs with the The Mole and Satomi in Japan.

** Blue Ink is not exactly an unbiased observer when it comes to Byakuya. In addition, [[spoiler:it’s revealed in Vol 3 that her entire worldview is deluded because of the [=K2K=] system, a story-writing AI that controls Borges.]]

** In Vol 2, [[spoiler:Kazuya turns out to be the culprit behind several of the murders.]] And in Vol 3, [[spoiler:it’s revealed his prosthetic eyes have the [=K2K=] System installed, leaving him just as delusional as Blue Ink.]]
** At the end of Vol 3, it’s revealed that [[spoiler:all three volumes of the novel were written by the [=K2K=] System]], meaning everything that happened outside of Vol 3’s epilogue is potentially false.

** It’s also revealed in Vol 3’s third chapter that [[spoiler:the person assumed by the audience to be the author himself, Yuya Sato, speaking by notes and intermissions between the volumes, was actually [[NarratorAllAlong the K2K System/Borges]], who is heavily implied to be distorting the events seen in the novel [[VillainsLoveEntertainment in an attempt to make the story more interesting]].]]

** During the WholeEpisodeFlashback to the Most Despairing Incident in the History of the Togami Family,[[spoiler:Suzuhiko arrives and starts fighting Jirou]].
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Despite being major characters in Vol 1, [[spoiler: Suzuhiko]] and Aoba vanish completely from the main story in Vol 2. The former does return in Vol 3, however.

Released in late 2015, ''Danganronpa Togami'' is a three-part LightNovel set in the ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' universe, written by writer Yuya Satou.

* AnyoneCanDie: As is the norm for the franchise. Over the course of the first volume, [[spoiler: ([[NeverFoundTheBody possibly]]) Hiroyuki, The Mystery Club, The Director and very nearly Satomi all bite it.]] By the end of Vol 3, [[spoiler:Hiroyuki and Yuika are dead for real, as is Suzuhiko.]]
* AscendedExtra: Satomi Aoba was just a nameless member of Maizono's idol group. This series has her as an important character.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Near the end of Vol 1, Yuya Satou breaks the fourth wall in order to brag to the reader about how his writing is going to change the way they view light novels forever.
* BrotherSisterIncest: A very, very messy case between [[spoiler:Kazuya, Shinobu, and Suzuhiko]]. Emphasis on messy.

* CanonWelding: In the first game, Byakuya talked about competing with his 15 siblings while, in the second game, his Imposter talked about 108 siblings and a ranking system. The novel melds this together by stating that Kijou Togami had 108 children and that the 15 were the ones involved in the competition.

* CrapsackWorld: Not quite there yet, but the propagation of the Despair Book is certainly causing it to get there.

* DeathOfAChild: Done in the worst of way possible. One of the victims of the Mystery Club's "handiwork" The Mole and Aoba find is a baby ''cooked in a'' '''microwave'''. Earlier in the attack in Prague child victims were also explicitly mentioned, both genuine infants and children in general.

* DoomedByCanon: Given that Byakuya is the only surviving Togami as of the main games (at least according to Junko), it's all but a given that his siblings get removed from the scene [[spoiler:while certain others like Kazuya and Shinobu receive more complicated endings.]]

* Unperson: The fate of [[spoiler:Blue Ink, deemed too dangerous by Ultimate Despair to continue existing because of her status as the "Kudan". All memories of her are erased from Togami and everyone else who knew her, and she herself has her identity erased and a new one implanted in its place. Togami is left with just her blue fountain pen and a vague feeling that it means something to him.]]
* TheUnreveal: In Vol 3, [[spoiler:Hiroyuki reveals he is not Hiroyuki, but is someone else important to Blue Ink's journey. He gets unceremoniously shot in the head before he can tell her who he is.]]
** Volume 2 reveals this to be why Byakuya wants Blue Ink to write his biography: so he can cover up the true circumstances behind [[spoiler:his inheritance]]. Namely, the fact that [[spoiler:he wasn't meant to participate at all, and exploited the Incident to let his half-siblings slaughter each other]].

* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: Byakuya outright ''refuses'' to explain to Sakura what is going on when she first appears, leading to her falling for the Imposter's ruse. When she later learns the truth and [[LampshadeHanging asks why he didn't even ''try'' to explain]], he brushes her off with further insults.

* DeathOfAChild: Done in the worst way possible. One of the victims of the Mystery Club's "handiwork" The Mole and Aoba find is a baby ''cooked in a'' '''microwave'''. Earlier in the attack in Prague child victims were also explicitly mentioned, both genuine infants and children in general.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: In Vol 3, Blue Ink encounters an old man named "K" who reveals the truth behind her Borges and explains the [[spoiler:[=K2K=] System]]. "K" is implied to be real-world writer Creator/MilanKundera, who is an alum of Hope's Peak in this universe.

* MeaningfulName: As it turns out, [[spoiler: [[TheMole The Mole]] was a far more literal nickname than most people would have imagined.]].

* TomatoSurprise: [[spoiler:Shinobu Togami's perception of the world is heavily distorted thanks to the nature of the K2K System, making it so she becomes unable to distinguish fiction from reality, something all the other characers are aware of (and in Byakuya's and Gundham's cases, directly try to hint at her, albeit with vastly different approaches), but she remains oblivious to thanks to Borges' censoring of information that would otherwise clash with her worldview.]]

* TwinSwitch: Used by [[spoiler:Asu, ''Hiru'' and Yoru]] to considerable effect during the Competition.

* UnreliableNarrator:
** Blue Ink is not exactly an unbiased observer when it comes to Byakuya. In fact, apart from Byakuya, her entire worldview has been deluded because of [[spoiler:the [=K2K=] System, a story-writing AI that controls Borges.]]

** Vol 2 adds in [[spoiler:Kazuya, who turns out to be the culprit behind several murders]].
** Vol 3 adds to this on more than one level. First, [[spoiler:Blue Ink's entire perspective is revealed to be compromised because Borges actually uses the [=K2K=] System, which is pretty much a fiction-writing AI.]] Second, [[spoiler:Kazuya (or Orvin) is a cyborg whose prosthetic eyes had the [=K2K=] System installed, leaving him delusional.]] Third, an end-of-story WhamLine reveals that [[spoiler:the entire story — all three volumes of the novel — were created by the [=K2K=] System,]] and so cannot be fully trusted. The only events known to be true come from Vol 3's epilogue, after the [=K2K=] System's interference has finished: [[spoiler:Togami and his classmates went to Prague. High-ranking WHO official Orvin Elevator, pretending to be Togami, tried to take over the world using a "Despair Novel" but was stopped by Togami. Togami and his classmates had many of their memories stripped by Ultimate Despair, also leaving his talent handicapped, and returned to HPA shortly before the Parade. Togami still has Blue Ink's fountain pen and vague but fond memories, but he no longer remembers her.]]
** To further add to complication, as revealed in Volume 3's third chapter, [[spoiler:the person assumed by the audience to be the author himself, Yuya Sato, speaking by notes and intermissions between the volumes, was actually [[NarratorAllAlong the K2K System/Borges]] itself, who is severely implied by the intermissions to be distorting the events seen in the novel [[VillainsLoveEntertainment in an attempt to make the story more interesting]].]]

* KillEmAll: What the Worst Incident in the Togami Conglomerate entails. The incident involves [[spoiler:Kazuya, driven psychotic by pressure, murdering Wasuke when the competition is about to begin, followed by Asagao committing suicide. Thanks in part to Hiru and Takaya's machinations, the Togami siblings end up slaughtering each other until it's just five of them left, followed by Takaya setting the castle on fire, killing himself, Sabarou and seemingly [[NeverFoundTheBody Kazuya]], leaving everyone but Shinobu, Suzuhiko, Byakuya and Pennyworth dead]].

** [[LightNovel/DanganRonpaKirigiri The Detective Library]] is explicitly mentioned by the {{Hikikomori}} in reference to Genocider evading them.

* DeathOfAChild: Done in the worst way possible. One of the victims of the Mystery Club's "handiwork" the {{Hikikomori}} and Aoba find is a baby ''cooked in a'' '''microwave'''. Earlier in the attack in Prague child victims were also explicitly mentioned, both genuine infants and children in general.

** The Hikikomori is effectively a SpearCounterpart to Fukawa, [[spoiler:complete with murderous alter ego]].

* {{Hikikomori}}: A secondary viewpoint character who stars in his own arc, who's bitterly jealous of everyone who got into Hope's Peak after trying and failing to qualify.

** Near the end of Vol 1, it's revealed that [[spoiler:Ootsuki Suzuhiko]] is so skilled at deception that they can completely fool the reader, and that [[spoiler:everything we'd seen concerning the Hikikomori's personality]] was a complete lie.

* NoNameGiven: Many new characters lack names, including two of the main characters, who are only called "Blue Ink" and "The {{Hikikomori}}" for most of the first volume. [[spoiler:At the very least, the end of the first volume reveals their names respectively to be Shinobu Togami and Suzuhiko Ootsuki.]]

* PlotHole: A rather glaring one occurs towards the end of the first volume in how the two plotlines converge. [[spoiler:Either Shinobu somehow ran from the island to Hokkaido in under two minutes, or Suzuhiko somehow drove from Hokkaido to Czechoslovakia while searching for a hospital.]]
** In Vol 2, the candidates to become the next head of the Togami are met by guards upon their arrival and immediately escorted to the dining hall for a meeting, without being given any time to themselves. Later, we learn that a key part of [[spoiler:the triplets']] plans involved [[spoiler:passing themselves off as the same pair of twins on both boats]]. It is never explained or even ''hinted'' how they dealt with the escort situation.

* TomatoSurprise: [[spoiler:Shinobu Togami's perception of the world is heavily distorted thanks to the nature of the K2K System, making it so she becomes unable to distinguish fiction from reality, something all the other characers are aware of (and in Byakuya's and Gundham's cases, directly try to hint at her, albeit with vastly different approaches), but she remains oblivious to thanks to Borges' censoring of information that would otherwise clash with her worldvie.]]

* TwoLinesNoWaiting: The story alternates between Byakuya, Blue Ink and the Kenhouin's adventure in Prague along with what occurs with the {{Hikikomori}} and Satomi in Japan.

** The Hikikomori isn't entirely reliable, either, as we learn when it's revealed that [[spoiler:his entire character is a facade hiding his true identity from the audience]].

* TheReveal: One given only at the end of the first volume. [[spoiler:Blue Ink is actually Byakuya's older sister Shinobu]].

** Vol 3 adds to this on more than one level. First, [[spoiler:Blue Ink's entire perspective is revealed to be compromised because Borges actually uses the [=K2K=] System, which is pretty much a fiction-writing AI.]] Second, [[spoiler:Kazuya (or Orvin) is a cyborg whose prosthetic eyes had the [=K2K=] System installed, leaving him delusional.]] Third, an end-of-story WhamLine reveals that [[spoiler:the entire story — all three volumes of the novel — were created by the [=K2K=] System,]] and so cannot be fully trusted. The only events known to be true come from Vol 3's epilogue, after the [=K2K=] System's interference has finished: Togami and his classmates went to Prague. High-ranking WHO official Orvin Elevator, pretending to be Togami, tried to take over the world using a "Despair Novel" but was stopped by Togami. Togami and his classmates had many of their memories stripped by Ultimate Despair, also leaving his talent handicapped, and returned to HPA shortly before the Parade. Togami still has Blue Ink's fountain pen and vague but fond memories, but he no longer remembers her.]]

* AnyoneCanDie: As is the norm for the franchise. Over the course of the first volume, [[spoiler: ([[NeverFoundTheBody possibly]]) Hiroyuki, The Mystery Club, The Director and very nearly Satomi all bite it.]]

** When talking about Aoba, the Mystery Club Vice-Prez mention [[VideoGame/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls Ayaka Hayama]], even noting her to be the least popular member of the group as her profile implied.

* HatePlague: Anyone who reads the Despair Book comes down with "Despair Fever", a mental aliment that drives the victims insane.

* MindScrewdriver: The book finally sits down and provides the answer to one the franchises biggest questions, namely how the entire world fell into the despair that caused the Tragedy. [[spoiler:And then revokes it: the Despair Book doesn't work that way.]]

** Blue Ink is not exactly an unbiased observer when it comes to Byakuya.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Despite being major characters in Vol 1, [[spoiler: Suzuhiko]] and Aoba vanish completely from the main story in Vol 2.

* ShipTease: Surprisingly enough, Celes and Yamada get some near the end of Vol 2--the two show up to help Byakuya out and Byakuya expresses annoyance at the fact that Celes brought Yamada along when he does something weird. Celes reveals that Yamada simply joined in of his own accord, to which Yamada responds "Where Celes-dono goes, I follow! I would die for the ones I love!" Whether he means romantic or [[PlatonicLifePartners platonic]] love is unclear, but Celes doesn't seem to mind him tagging along either way and the two end up [[OddFriendship working together surprisingly well]].

* WhateverHappenedToTheMouse: Despite being major characters in Vol 1, [[spoiler: Suzuhiko]] and Aoba vanish completely from the main story in Vol 2.

* ShoutOut: While DR has always had this, this entry is downright ReferenceOverdosed:
** Starting off, Byakuya's biography is named ''Journey to the Midnight Sun'', a reference to the well-known Japanese mystery novel. [[LampshadeHanging Blue Ink even ensures the reader it isn't the same book]].
** Sonia's introduction has her directly refer to {{Ecchi}} manga ''Harehachi Gauken''.
** Hiroyuki makes references to both ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'' and Creator/HarukiMurakami while rescuing Byakuya.
** While talking to Aoba, the {{Hikikomori}} makes reference to ''Literature/WhereTheWildThingsAre'' as his favorite book.
** The climax to the first volume explicitly discusses [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Manual_of_Suicide The Complete Manual of Suicide]] in reference to the Despair Book.
** The butler Aloysius Pennyworth is almost certainly a reference to the butler [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Alfred Pennyworth]].

!!Tropes:

* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are a number of references to a cows present in the Byakuya side of the story, with the deceleration mentioning a "pitiful cow" somewhere in the world and Taeko's title of "Cow Killer". It's revealed at the end of the first volume that [[spoiler:the Togami Conglomerate's DarkSecret is tied the Kudan, a cow that can predict the future]].

** Sakura's IllBoy boyfriend Kenichiro is also given an explicit mention during [[spoiler:her fight with Taeko]].

** The butler Aloyicius Pennyworth is almost certainly a reference to the butler [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Alfred Pennyworth]].

* ShipTease: Surprisingly enough, Celes and Yamada get some near the end of Vol 2.

* DarkSecret: One alluded to about the Togami family. [[spoiler: According to the chief of the Hasegawa institute, it concerns all of the Togami siblings besides Byakuya and Shinobu being murdered, as well as the Kudan, a cow with a human face that can predict the future.]]

* KillEmAll: What the Worst Incident in the Togami Conglomerate entails. The incident involves [[spoiler:Kazuya, driven psychotic by pressure, murdering Wasuke when the competition is about to begin, followed by Asagao committing suicide. Thanks in part to Hiru and Takaya's machinations, the Togami siblings end up slaughtering each other until it's just five of them left, followed by Takya setting the castle on fire, killing himself, Sabarou and seemingly [[NeverFoundTheBody Kazuya]], leaving everyone but Shinobu, Suzuhiko, Byakuya and Pennyworth dead]].

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Whoever stole Byakuya's identity at the start of the first novel also stripped away all his clothes, leaving him with just a pair of glasses. Blue Ink quickly gets him a towel to cover himself with, but he shows no particular inclination to find more clothes, and tells her that she's stepping out of line when she asks those helping them if they can spare any pants.

* MindScrewdriver: The book finally sits down and provides the answer to one the franchises biggest questions, namely how the entire world fell into the despair that caused the Tragedy.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are a number of references to a cows present in the Byakuya side of the story, with the deceleration mentioning a "pitiful cow" somewhere in the world and Taeko's title of "Cow Killer". [[spoiler: It's revealed at the end of the first volume that the Togami Conglomerate's DarkSecret is tied the Kudan, a cow that can predict the future.]]
* GainaxEnding: The end of Vol 2. [[spoiler: Key points include revealing the Ketouin's and the Hasegawa Instuite aren't real and Kazuya suddenly showing up at the very end without explanation.]]
* GoneHorriblyRight: [[spoiler: According to the Mystery Club, the Despair Book was a weapon made by Hope's Peak to foster hope. Only it worked a bit too well and was then promptly stolen.]]

* KillEmAll: What the Worst Incident in the Togami Conglomerate entails. [[spoiler: The incident involves Kazuya, driven psychotic by pressure, murdering Wasuke when the competition is about to begin, followed by Asagao committing suicide. Thanks in part to Hiru and Takaya's machinations, the Togami siblings end up slaughtering each other until it's just five of them left, followed by Takya setting the castle on fire, killing himself, Sabarou and seemingly [[NeverFoundTheBody Kazuya]], leaving everyone but Shinobu, Suzuhiko, Byakuya and Pennyworth dead.]]

* NoNameGiven: Many new characters lack names, including two of the main characters, who are only called "Blue Ink" and "The {{Hikikomori}}" for most of the first volume. [[spoiler: At the very least, the end of the first volume reveals their names respectively to be Shinobu Togami and Suzuhiko Ootsuki.]]

* PlotHole: A rather glaring one occurs towards the end of the first volume in how the two plotlines converge. [[spoiler: Either Shinobu somehow ran from the island to Hokkaido in under two minutes, or Suzuhiko somehow drove from Hokkaido to Czechoslovakia while searching for a hospital.]]
** In Vol 2, the candidates to become the next head of the Togami are met by guards upon their arrival and immediately escorted to the dining hall for a meeting, without being given any time to themselves. Later, we learn that a key part of [[spoiler:the triplets']] plans involved [[spoiler:passing themselves off as the same pair of twins on both boats]]. It is never explained or even ''hinted'' how they dealt with the escort situation.

* TheReveal: One given only at the end of the first volume. [[spoiler: Blue Ink is actually Byakuya's older sister Shinobu.]]

* TakeOverTheWorld: What Byakuya's imposter declares he'll do should the world not kill him or the "pitiful cow" elsewhere. [[spoiler: At the end of Vol 1, Byakuya decides to do the same himself.]]
* TeensAreMonsters: [[spoiler: Hiru, Takaya and Kazuya are among the youngest Togamis and easily some of the most psychotic.]]

* TookALevelInJerkass: Byakuya manages to be even more arrogant here than in the main series.

** Vol 2 adds in [[spoiler: Kazuya, who turns out to be the culprit behind several murders.]]

** The Togami Conglomorate frequently engages in this, such as covering up what caused the [[spoiler:Kuchinashi Village Fire]].
** Volume 2 reveals this to be why [[spoiler:Byakuya]] wants Blue Ink to [[spoiler:write his biography: so he can cover up the true circumstances behind his inheritance.]]
%% * {{Yandere}}: [[spoiler: Kazuya for Shinobu.]]

* KillEmAll: What the Worst Incident in the Togami Conglomerate entails. [[spoiler: The incident involves Kazuya, driven psychotic by pressure, murdering Wasuke when the competition is about to begin, followed by Asagao committing suicide. Thanks in part to Hiru and Takaya's machinations, the Togami siblings end up slaughtering each other until its just five of them left, followed by Takya setting the castle on fire, killing himself, Sabarou and seemingly [[NeverFoundTheBody Kazuya]], leaving everyone but Shinobu, Suzuhiko, Byakuya and Pennyworth dead.]]

* InfantImmortality: Averted in the worst way possible. One of the victims of the Mystery Club's "handiwork" the {{Hikikomori}} and Aoba find is a baby ''cooked in a'' '''microwave'''. Earlier in the attack in Prague child victims were also explicitly mentioned, both genuine infants and children in general.