Fanganronpa: Village of Despair
is a completed fanfiction story written by the user Luke_Storyhammer and is inspired by the visual novel series Danganronpa. The story follows an original cast of sixteen students who have been held captive by Monokuma and forced to participate in a "communal lifestyle" indefinitely. The only way of escape is to kill someone and get away with it; standard within the Danganronpa universe.
The story is written in a script format which mimic the features of playing the original game which include: puzzle-solving, character expressions, stage directions, cut scenes and free time events, just to name a few. This fan-fiction is told through the voice of the protagonist Umeko Hirayama.
There are major spoilers for both Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. The author has stated in the first chapter that there will there will be no spoilers from the installment Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony. However there are game mechanics from that instalment which are present in this fan-fiction.
Beware, spoilers may be unmarked.
Fanganronpa: Village of Despair provides examples of:
- Anyone Can Die: Standard procedure.
- Badass Adorable: Fukumi. Despite her cute loli-like appearance, she has the talent of the SHSL Daredevil.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Some of the culprits qualify for this. Nagatomo while dangerous and mysterious was generally amicable with the others until accused. Taro is generally kindhearted and timid throughout, yet when accused acts very aggressive and condescending to others.
- However this could be attributed to Monokuma's motive in the third in-game chapter where certain students had they personality shifted due to an injection of drugs. Taro was on of the students affected, so it wasn't clear whether his change in personality was because of himself of Monokuma.
- The real mastermind Kenji takes the cake as the biggest BISC of the fic, being nothing more than a sociopathic, crazed and utterly insane member of the Copycats of Despair.
- Breaking Old Trends: There are more than a few times when this fanfic subverts from the tropes found in canon. Examples include:
- Taro, the chapter 3 killer being a sympathetic killer.
- The muscular characters Mordecai and to a lesser extent Samira, both surviving past chapter 4 and chapter 5.
- Yoshihiki, who went rouge and antagonised the rest of the cast in chapter 5 did not become the victim of chapter 5. It is revealed he is not the culprit and is one of the final five survivors.
- Challenging the Chief: This is constantly happening with Eizo. The general consensus amongst the students is that Eizo is an incompetent leader unfit for any sort of leadership role, which is really quite unfortunate given his SHSL talent. This is further exacerbated when Eizo is revealed to have a dangerous alter ego: Eisuke.
- Clear Their Name: Much of the second trial is dedicated to proving that Eizo, the prime suspect, is not the culprit.
- Companion Cube:
- Miyumi with her puppets: Ms. Shortcake, Dr. Creeper and Nico.
- Ichiro and his cactus, named "Charlie".
- Cruel and Unusual Death: The executions.
- Death by Irony: Fukumi dies by means of roller coaster, which she is absolutely frightened off after Monokuma's motive. This is unfortunate as she dies frightened off one aspect that made her the SHSL Daredevil.
- Eizo is hit and killed by a moving vehicle, similar to his childhood friend being hit by a car.
- Ichiro was originally meant to be the first victim, before Kenji took his place. In the end he is not spared from the killing game as he becomes the final victim.
- Dead Person Conversation: The deceased students reappear once more during the chapter 4 daily life much to the dismay of the surviving students. This is done by Monokuma drugging the students with hallucinatory drugs.
- This phenomenon occurs again in the trial including the most recent victim, making it difficult for the surviving students to focus on the trial.
- It's revealed at the end of the trial that these hallucinations are what caused Hanako to commit murder, after conversing with Eizo's hallucination and deciding to commit herself to sacrifice.
- Dwindling Party: As the story progresses, more and more students end up dying.
- Everyone Can See It: Practically all the other students notice that something is going on between Umeko and Azuma.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Yoshihiki and Ichiro fall into this category, with the former doing it intentionally, whereas the latter believes that he is destined to be unlikable.
- Luckily for Ichiro this changes throughout the story as he opens up more. Unluckily The few he does genuinely consider to be his friends meet an unfortunate end. Taro is executed for killing two students and Wakako is electrocuted and becomes the 5th victim.
- After Taro's execution and Wakako's murder Ichiro states that he sees Umeko as a friend and is coming around to viewing Miyumi as a friend as well. However he ends up being killed shortly after, making this all for nought.
- Because of his uptight nature, general incompetence and lack of any real skills, Eizo arguably gets this the worst as he is scorned and even outright hated by quite a few of the students. This is exemplified when most of the students were unconcerned, vindicated or indifferent to Eizo's injuries after Kaori died. This is made even worse when he has to ask someone to help him to the trial grounds and when no one, not even Hanako would stand by his side in the school trial.
- Further exemplified is after his and Fukumi's death the remaining students were more concerned with Fukumi and the culprit, Taro. Some students even seemed to be relieved that Eizo and by association, Eisuke had passed.
- A distinction is made when Eisuke is revealed. Some of the students directed their hate towards Eisuke, although most of them still generally disliked both Eizo and Eisuke.
- Hot-Blooded: Samira.
- Hyper-Competent Sidekick: Azuma is this to Umeko and other students are quick to point this out.
- Lights Off, Somebody Dies: A variation. Hanako and Miyumi are kidnapped in the Dark Rooms while their classmates are blinded.
- Kick the Dog: Literally. Buddy is killed in the second in-game chapter to spite Kaori. She is also killed soon after.
- Madness Mantra: At the end of the second trial.Shizuko: Where's the evidence, Umeko? Where is it? Where is it where is it where is it where is it…?
- My God, What Have I Done?: Taro, after the personality-altering drugs wear off and his conscience returns, as he realizes he is guilty of murdering two people.
- Mythology Gag: During the Chapter 4 trial, Taro's ghost believes that Mordecai is the culprit because "it just feels right," referencing how Gundham Tanaka, another hammy chuunibyou, was the Chapter 4 culprit in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.
- Obviously Evil: Shizuko. Even before her accusation, her arrogance and superiority complex frequently puts her at odds with the rest of her classmates.
- Ship Tease: Much like in canon, relationships between the students are only hinted at.
- Shrinking Violet: Taro and Miyumi. Fukumi also counts when she's under the influence of Monokuma's drug.
- Stalker with a Crush: Wakako. Her infatuation with Azuma leads her to go to several lengths to spend time with him, ignoring any reluctance or unwillingness on his part, even going as far as to blackmail Ichiro to get his help in setting up a date with Azuma.
- Strictly Formula: As this fanfic is directly inspired from the Danganronpa franchise, it often follows similar themes and tropes, just like the canon games.
- Chapter 1 A character who would appear to be important within the story is killed off early. In addition the student who ends up becoming the victim was not the original target.
- Chapter 2: A murder takes place and the culprit's tragic backstory serves as the motive for the kill.
- One of the students is revealed to have a dangerous personality trait and or alter ego to them that ends up being revealed. More often than not this person and their newfound identity is not the culprit, thus posing a threat to the surviving students going forward.
- Chapter 3: This time a double murder takes place with one of the victims being the comic relief . An element of bad luck also plays a part in the death of one of the students; killing to keep a witness silent.
- It can be argued that one of the student had their character arc and character development cut prematurely.
- The culprit's personality and attitude completely changes when accused of murder.
- The murderer in this chapter killed not for themselves, but for someone they loved.
- Chapter 4: The more animated boisterous character becomes the victim and dies a very painful death.
- The characters are trapped in a locked-room scenario.
- One of the students has some negative character development, which appears to set them up as an important character for chapter 5.
- The concept of suicide and sacrificial killing is brought up throughout the chapter. In the end it is revealed that the culprit committed murder in order to save everyone; sacrificing themselves and the victim. This is lampshaded when the students found out about the previous killing games and their respective patterns.
- Chapter 5 A student who had negative character development from chapter 4 ends up going rouge and distancing themselves from the rest of the group.
- An unsolvable wild card is introduced in this chapter: the identity of the body Umeko found in the church.
- A character who has been prominent in the story is killed and their cause of death is shrouded in mystery.
- Monokuma has all but stated throughout the chapter that the murder, trial and execution this time are of far greater importance than the previous 4 incidents.
- The prominent character and usually the love interest and or best friend of the main character is the culprit. Their subsequent execution is the most devastating.
- Major revelations to the plot and character development occur in this chapter. This is usually explained after the culprit is discovered.
- Team Pet: Buddy up until he was killed in Chapter 2.
- Tiny Schoolboy: Yoshihiki, much to his annoyance.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Taro only becomes a killer to save his parents. In doing so, he ends up murdering two people.
- Wham Episode: Everything about Chapter 54, to re-iterate.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- During the fourth trial, almost everyone calls out Hanako for triggering Yoshihiki's PTSD on abuse. The only exception is Samira who even admits that Yoshihiki had it coming. Further exemplified in the fourth trial when it was revealed that Hanako was the one responsible for kidnapping Wakako and Miyumi and for killing Wakako via electrocution.
- The most prominent example being in fifth trial when Azuma, who is respected and looked up to by almost all of the remaining students, commits the final kill, taking Ichiro's life.
