Danganronpa 3: Despair & Future Arc

I couldn't find a thread on this in this section and it is it's own standalone thing apart from the video games, so I thought it'd be appropriate to make a thread for it now that both first episodes are out.

Can't say I was surprised about the first death in the Future arc as I called it, but it sets up the murder game quite nicely. It's interesting how the setting differs and there's no actual pressure to kill for escape, instead, there's a traitor who's killing and they need to find out who they are and murder them.

For the Despair arc... Well. I can't say it was anything special aside from near the end. It's nice to see how the students were before the incident, though, and I genuinely look forward to see what happened. Also, Chiaki being an actual student surprised me. It made me feel kinda sad about DR2, now.

edited 15th Jul '16 4:42:03 AM by Nickpws

I wonder what crazy method will bring Junko back to harass everyone this time.

Junko Nanomachines? Junko Androids? Junkozilla?

I think Chisa is the mastermind... or sorts.

There was a nice WMG on the page about the traitor having Junko's mind uploaded on them. I really liked that one.

I've been livetweeting both episodes. Here are my comments for Side:Future and Side:Despair + a minor cultural note.

By the way, Killer Killer comments go here or the Dangan Ronpa main thread?

edited 15th Jul '16 9:32:17 AM by Comun

Calling it now. CHISAS!

It would be cool if Junko A.I got one of the students to upload into.

There is a thread for the original anime we could have renamed and used.

That said, how was the start of the Despair arc? I'm not watching it because I'm an anime only viewer and thus more invested in the gang from the original visual novel but I've heard that it's recommended that you watch both the Future arc and the Despair arc simultaneously so I'm curious.

So as I understand it, rather than do a third game, they decided to do an anime divided into two parts: one telling the story of the "Part 1" kids and what they did following Part 2, and one following the new "Part 3" kids, with a more typical, Monokuma-influenced plot?

Both sides are definitely communicating. There are minor character moments for Chisa, Kizakura and Munakata on Side:Despair (mainly for Chisa of course, as she is their teacher and the most important character of the episode). There's also a heavy Mind Screw moment on the first five seconds, that might be foreshadowing to the traitor's identity on Side:Future.

edited 15th Jul '16 1:57:06 PM by Comun

There's one arc that follows the first game's survivors in addition to new characters and another that's a prequel that follows the second game's cast. There is also a third game coming out that doesn't have a connection to Hope's Peak Academy.

edited 15th Jul '16 1:57:25 PM by LordVatek

I fully expect the traitor in the Future arc to be SHSL Imposter disguised as the SHSL Animator because from what I've heard the SHSL Animator we see in the Despair arc is actually the SHSL Imposter. I could be wrong though. Chisa could easily be the traitor as she is the teacher of the main characters of the Despair arc and the first death in the original was also working with the villain.

edited 15th Jul '16 2:16:01 PM by Chariot

Chariot, if you'd played the second game, you'd know that would be impossible. Just FYI.

Second game spoilers: He was the first victim. Further spoiler context (massive endgame spoilers): Everyone who didn't survive is comatose, the survivors are still on the island the game takes place on, waiting for them to wake up.

On the note of what exactly's going on in the Future arc, some unresolved plot threads from the games may be related. Ultra Despair Girls endgame spoilers (also indirectly spoils the end of 2): The second Junko AI is unaccounted for, as well as whatever Monaca's plan to become Junko's successor is. But Monaca is unaware of the AI, so one or the other...

edited 15th Jul '16 6:32:45 PM by burnpsy

The future clash of hope and despair. The past hope that will be devoured by despair. The End of Hope's Peak starts now!

A nice way to kick things off. The Remnants of Despair truly looked radical, but Teruteru takes the craziest cake!

The old man kinda looks like Kyoko's grandfather to me.

Looks like Hagakure won't be taking part in the despair-inducing festivities. Unless he'll be everyone's unlikely savior.

Poor Chisa. Well, at least I'll get to know what kind of person she was in the past! Wait, that doesn't change her despair-inducing fate at all!

Anyway, Chisa must've felt a good amount of despair, seeing her cherished students become the Remnants of Despair.

But the biggest surprise to me was Chiaki! She was actually a student!? Not just an AI!? What does this mean!? Seeing that she wasn't a Remnant of Despair makes me think of some conclusions.

Also, a small observation. In the Future Arc, the blood is red, while it's the traditional pink in the Despair Arc. Wonder if the contrast is intentional...

edited 15th Jul '16 8:38:02 PM by Diamite

This sucks. How are Juzo and Hagakure still alive while Asahina is dead?

edited 18th Jul '16 11:30:04 AM by Hobgoblin

So Great Gozu is the prime suspect in my eyes right now. The way those security guards died last week, and Asahina this week both point fairly clearly to him. Might be a bit too obvious, though.

Okay, they should make the one who's going to die slightly less obvious. It aint gonna be fun if I'm going to predict every death before they happen.

Who is the next death in your predictions?

Here are my comments for this episode btw, along with a link to my traitor theory on the first tweet.

I was talking more about how they gave Asahina a moment right before they died. It's no fun if the character who's going to die off gets a heartwarming scene with Naegi right before the reveal.

It's twice in a row they've done that now.

Also, something I'm calling now but have no idea if it's going to be correct, every murder is going to happen close to Naegi. Whoever is with him right before time runs out is dead.

Also, Kirigiri, Naegi and Kyosuke are going to survive guaranteed. I don't see them killing off the latter two and I just have a nagging feeling they don't have the guts to kill Kirigiri. If they DO, though, color me pleasantly surprised.

That's about all I'm going to predict in advance. Don't want to get ahead of myself and have the overwhelming majority of them be proven wrong.

Kirigiri is the character I feel as being the least safe. My prediction is that she will die around week 7~10, with Nanami dying on the same week on the other Side, only for the next Monday reveals that Nanami just faked her death and became Miaya.

I just finished watching the two episodes and... I don't even feel the urge to see Sakakura die a horrible death. Am I just that overly patient?

They actually offed Asahina. Surprising in that it happened earlier than my estimation, unsurprising because she triggered a death flag. I also kinda feel bad for the Bandai, who died because of Takakura being a colossal jerk.

Speaking of death flags, the forbidden actions are an interesting way to spice up the murdergame. Kirigiri looks like she can't talk to Naegi, SHSL Blacksmith isn't probably allowed to eat candies?

The prime suspect seems to be the Great Gozu so far. Fits with how the guards were disposed of. Hell, who knows if that's really him under the mask? It's kind of too obvious, though, and frankly at this point I don't really care about the identity of the killer.

I trust the Gozu completely because his profile says he has a gentle nature. As I already said in one of the tweet threads I linked, I believe all evidence is pointing to Kimura so far.

Kimura's too obvious. So is a bait-and-switch with Chisa.

Gozu is a doubtful case, but it's not quite right. I don't think it's the animator either.

My biggest suspicion is Kizakura, the scouter, though it's just a hunch. He doesn't feel quite right.

That's if he really is the Gozu.

At this point the answers are either too obvious or lacking impact, so yeah.

Side: Despair is so cheerful yet it makes me so sad.

Dear lord.