History ShoutOut / Danganronpa

** One of the BigBad's poses is a dead ringer for [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Dio Brando]].

** Mondo's biker gang is called [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Crazy Diamond, and during Makoto's introduction he mentions that he doesn't have a Stand.]]

* Some have noted that the T in the "Monokuma '''T'''heater" segments is basically the Website/{{Tumblr}} logo.

** Not quite anime, manga, or video games, but still worth mentioning: In the official English version, Hifumi cries out [[Literature/CthulhuMythos "Ia! Ia! Cthulhu Fhtagn!"]] prior to encountering Alter Ego. One of his Free Time Events mentions author J.G. Ballard. His last words also include him asking if [[Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire winter is coming]].

** Chapter 3 is full of references and can be translated in many different ways, but [[https://danganronpa.wordpress.com/dr1/tl-notes/ch3/ the Project Zetsubou translation translates it as]], "Anime/{{Neon Genesis|Evangelion}} [[Manga/Cyborg009 Super Vortex]] Redux: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Rise, Armored Hero!]]"

* In the official English translation, early in Chapter 1, Toko yells something about not wanting to be dragged further into a [[VideoGame/{{Persona4}} "meat dimension."]]

* Calling the fact that Sakura Oogami is called "the Ogre", along with the fact that she is a "Ultimate Martial Artist" a shout out for {{Manga/Baki the Grappler}} would not qualify alone, as "Ogre" is too general a title for a fighter, but this along with the fact that you get to see her back is the peeking scene, which looks so much like Hanma Yujiro's (actually, the whole Hanma family's) back, sells it.
* The official English translation [[DubNameChange changed the name]] of Sakura's boyfriend from Kenichirou to Kenshiro, thus naming him after the main character of ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar''. It's highly likely that Kenichirou was always meant to be a reference to Kenshiro due to how similar they look.

* In the official translation, Celeste quotes ''AliceInWonderland'' when describing their situation as "curiouser and curiouser."

* In the official English translation, Yasuhiro says: "It's totally a man-eating plant! [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros "I'm pretty sure it's different from the one that lives in the pipe, though"]]

* Genocider Syo at one point uses the phrase [[Franchise/AceAttorney "blacker than a moonless night"]].

* In the official English translation, Yasuhiro says: "It's totally a man-eating plant! [[SuperMarioBros "I'm pretty sure it's different from the one that lives in the pipe, though"]]

* Two of Monokuma's OhCrap declarations in the final trial are [[DragonSlayerIIXanadu "Xanadu!"]] and (in the original Japanese) [[{{Faxanadu}} "Faxanadu!"]]

* The gas mask pattern on Naegi's hoodie is a reference to ''Franchise/ZeroEscape'''s masked mastermind Zero, and in the dub, he describes the fourth investigation's LockedRoomMystery as "Zero Escape" for the culprit. Furthering this, two of the English trophies are named "[[VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors Nine Coins, Nine Purses, Nine Bears]]" and "[[VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward Despair's Last Reward]]."

* In the official translation, Celestia quotes ''AliceInWonderland'' when describing their situation as "curiouser and curiouser."
* Before opening the trash room shutters, Yamada says it reminds him of the first episode of ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar''. The official translation turns this into a ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'' reference.
* Nearly all of [[TheNicknamer Monokuma's nicknames]] in the dubbed anime contain a reference, such as calling Kirigiri "[[Series/MurderSheWrote Jessica Fletcher Junior]]."

* Two of the English trophies are references to the ''Zero Escape'' series: "[[VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors Nine Coins, Nine Purses, Nine Bears]]" and "[[VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward Despair's Last Reward]]."

* According to the SomethingAwful LP, Celeste is a walking reference to series like ''Manga/{{Akagi}}'' and ''Manga/LiarGame'' that deal heavily with extremely high-stakes gambling and competitions. In fact, she apparently won the "Liar's Game" and some of her gambling anecdotes are taken straight out of series like that.

* Several presents, including the voice-changing bowtie from ''Manga/DetectiveConan'', [[VideoGame/PunchOut Mac's Gloves]], [[Franchise/MetalGear Rations]], several gadgets from ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'', the [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Chin Drill]], and the [[Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun Golden Gun]].

** A more blatant example: Sakura's boyfriend Kenichiro (who is outright Kenshiro in the localization), heir to a legendary clan of assassins.

* The official English translation [[DubNameChange changed the name]] of Sakura's boyfriend from Kenichirou to Kenshiro, thus naming him after the main character of ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar''.

* Upon waking up from his near-murder, Hifumi claims that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portopia_Serial_Murder_Case the culprit was Yasu]]. What he ''really'' meant to say was that the culprit was Taeko Yasuhiro, aka Celestia Ludenberg.

* Sakura's corpse is found in the exact same pose as the ending of ''AshitaNoJoe'', and one of the presents is "Tomorrow's Boxing Gloves".

* When Monokuma first breaks out the bear puns, Celes notes that [[VideoGame/{{Persona4}} it's been done already]].
* Hagakure, while praying to numerous deities for help, invokes [[Franchise/DragonBall King Kai]].
* And if Yamada can get a manga/anime/video game reference in somewhere, he'll probably do it. On that note, [[VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry his name is written as 1-2-3]], just like Miyo's adoptive father. Also, he mentions three characters from a manga and refers to them as the [[Characters/{{PokemonEliteFour}} Elite Four]]. He says it sounds cooler that way, even though there's only three characters mentioned.

* While discussing a [[DyingClue dying message]] left by Maizono, Kirigiri references ElleryQueen.
* Ogami's corpse is found in the exact same pose as the ending of ''AshitaNoJoe'', and one of the presents is "Tomorrow's Boxing Gloves".

* Upon waking up from his near-murder, Yamada claims that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portopia_Serial_Murder_Case the culprit was Yasu]]. What he ''really'' meant to say was that the culprit was Yasuhiro Taeko, aka Celestia Ludenberg.

* Owada is trapped in a tiger-themed cage and swirled into butter (or pancake batter); in ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Little_Black_Sambo Little Black Sambo]]'' a bunch of tigers chase each other around a rock until they're turned into butter, which is made into pancakes. Taken to another level in the new School Mode, which reveals his ''underwear'' has a tiger print.
** Owada's biker gang is called [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Crazy Diamond, and during Naegi's introduction he mentions that he doesn't have a Stand.]]
** In the Project Zetsubou translation, Naegi wonders if the "thing" the Puppetmaster did to their bodies was to plant a bomb in their stomachs. [[VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors He dismisses the idea because they're not on a boat.]]

* According to the SomethingAwful LP, Celes is a walking reference to series like ''Manga/{{Akagi}}'' and ''Manga/LiarGame'' that deal heavily with extremely high-stakes gambling and competitions. In fact, she apparently won the "Liar's Game" and some of her gambling anecdotes are taken straight out of series like that.
* When discussing an incident in middle school during which Naegi helped get a lost crane back into the wild, Maizono invokes a folktale about a man who helps an injured crane, casting herself as the crane who returns as a young woman to repay her benefactor. Her birthday, July 7, also falls on the first day of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanabata Tanabata]], a festival centered on a story of star-crossed lovers.
* In the Project Zetsubou translation, while Naegi is watching a DVD in the AV room, the whole system turns off suddenly. When asked why it had to happen then of all times, Monokuma replies with [[Film/LordOfTheRings "Technical difficulties are never late, nor are they early. They occur precisely when they mean to."]]
** In the ''official'' localization, after Kirigiri steals Monokuma's special key, he proclaims "Myyy PRECIOUSSS! They stole it!" ala Gollum.
* Possibly in Trial 6 when Togami asks if Hagakure is suggesting that Mukuro arrived at the school [[Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar already dead]].

* In the Project Zetsubou translation, when Naegi is investigating the burnt sleeve next to the incinerator, Yamada asks if he has a thing for burn victims and that he had [[VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo just the game for him.]]

* Would-be punk rock star Kuwata wears a padlock on a chain around his neck like the one worn by [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]]. Also, in the original game he's mentioned to have previously attended a prestigious school with a top-ranked baseball team, which in [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary information for Reload]] is revealed to be named "LL Gakuen"; ''PL'' Gakuen is a RealLife high school in Osaka with just this reputation (and speaking of [[MeaningfulName Meaningful Names]], it's also the RealLife ''Masumi'' Kuwata's alma mater). Similarly, Ishimaru attended a prominent school called "Kaiseinada," a combination of two RealLife high schools named Kaisei and Nada.

** One of the possible chalkboard drawings is a drawing of [[Manga/AttackOnTitan a gigantic version of Monokuma peering over a gigantic wall into a village where Naegi stands, holding dual swords]].
*** Veers right into HilariousInHindsight territory, considering that Naegi and Eren are both voiced by Creator/BrycePapenbrook in English.

* Calling the fact that Sakura Oogami is called "the Ogre", along with the fact that she is a "super duper high school fighter" a shout out for {{Manga/Baki the Grappler}} would not qualify alone, as "Ogre" is too general a title for a fighter, but this along with the fact that you get to see her back is the peeking scene, which looks so much like Hanma Yujiro's (actually, the whole Hanma family's) back, sells it.

** This tropers fav from hagakure was in the third trail, before hand, hagakure states that the illuminati put him in the robojustice suit, and in the trial, you are asked who was really in the robo suit (you have to choose hiro, but then it's revealed that the suit has nothing to do with the murder) you can choose the illuminati(I always do) and hagakure says that they are working behind the scenes.
*** also, going into fridge, the illuminati is related to mlg, related to smoke w33d everyday. Perhaps hagakure is high...
*** blew up the school 3 times making drugs in the chemistry lab.

* Mondo Oowada is pretty much a direct reference to [[JojosBizarreAdventure Josuke Higashikata]] up to having a gang named after Josuke's Stand.

* According to the SomethingAwful LP, Celes is a walking reference to series like ''Manga/{{Akagi}}'' and ''Manga/LiarGame'' that deal heavily with extremely high-stakes gambling and competitions. In fact, some of her gambling anecdotes are taken straight out of series like that.

** Kiyotaka: [[TheDevilWearsPrada The Devil Wears a High School Uniform]]

* During the conclusion of the fifth chapter on the English translation of Danganronpa 2, the glitched text for Chiaki's door quotes the Konami Code.