Line #34 TearJerker/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony


1	[[WMG:[[center:[-''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' '''[[TearJerker/{{Danganronpa}} Main Tear Jerker Page]]'''\
2	'''''Main installments:''''' ''TearJerker/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'' \| ''TearJerker/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' \| ''TearJerker/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'' \| '''''Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony'''''\
3	'''''Spin-offs:''''' ''TearJerker/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls''\
4	'''''Adaptations:''''' ''TearJerker/DanganronpaTheAnimation''-]]]]]
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6	!Per wiki policy, Administrivia/SpoilersOff applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.
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8	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himiko_crying.png]]
9	[[caption-width-right:350:What happens when BreakTheCutie meets NotSoStoic? EverybodyCries. That probably includes you.]]
10	[[foldercontrol]]
11	[[folder:Game]]
12	!![[AC:Chapter 1: My Class Trial, Our Class Trial ]]
13	* Shuichi's backstory. When the culprit of his first murder case was captured thanks to the detective, the killer's eyes were full of hatred and malice as he looked at Shuichi, and the boy never forgot that gaze. Shuichi heard later that the culprit had killed the victim to avenge his family and [[AssholeVictim the victim was a horrible person who had tricked the culprit's family and driven them to suicide]]. Shuichi felt guilty for "siding with" the victim and felt everything was his fault because he exposed the truth. He gained a fear of exposing the truth, considering himself a pathetic detective, and he began to wear a hat because he couldn't look at other people's eyes anymore.
14	* Kaede's execution at the end of Chapter 1 is, without a doubt, one of the most brutal and agonizing executions in the whole franchise. Several of the students even tried to save her. The aftermath of the execution is especially heartbreaking.
15	** Made retroactively worse by the reveal in the final Class Trial that she ''didn't even kill anyone''. Tsumugi was the one who hit Rantaro with the shot put ball after Kaede's attempt missed him entirely, and she tricked Kaede into believing that she had killed him.
16	** It is noteworthy that after Shuichi exposed Kaede as the 'culprit' in Chapter 1, he starts crying, not once, not twice, but ''four times'', all of them equally heartbreaking.
17	*** Upon defeating her, he starts blaming himself for Rantaro's murder. And he says it again after the Class Trial, too. He tearfully asks her why she's still encouraging him when she herself is on the verge of death, and why she's giving up and facing her execution without even trying to defend herself, when she had told ''him'' to have more faith in himself and survive to the end of the Killing Game with everyone. Really drives home how much she means to him...
18	*** In addition, during the Scrum Debate for this chapter, note that Shuichi isn't saying anything despite the debate being about him, look at the ''troubled'' look on his face, and take a step back to realize that the reason he's not saying anything is because ''he knows'' who the supposed culprit is and ''he knows'' he has no choice but to convict her, the one who encouraged him throughout the chapter, the one who believes in him as a detective and the one who's currently defending him without a shred of doubt.
19	** It is also noteworthy that while Kaede could have walked of the school alive without having to deal with the class trial, but she decided to hold a class trial in hopes to find out who the mastermind was instead. It's sad that she was unable to figure their identity out.
20	** Even worse is when you replay/rewatch the first trial with the knowledge that Tsumugi is the true killer and mastermind behind the killing game. [[YouCantThwartStageOne There isn't enough evidence to convict her for being the culprit, and you can't save Kaede from being executed.]] If you vote for Tsumugi anyway, everyone else will vote for Kaede, making your efforts moot.
21	** Speaking of replaying the first chapter, some scenes are far more heartbreaking with the knowledge that Kaede isn't the culprit. Like her reaction to seeing Rantaro's corpse for the first time and how distraught she looks because she thinks she killed him. Also, during the trial, she at one point says she will never forgive Rantaro's killer and that they are "a low-life scum". The line is far sadder once you realize she is talking about herself.
22	** Once the end of the trial arrives, you need to finish the Closing Argument minigame to condemn Kaede, and hear the new Climax Reasoning theme for the first time. In the previous Danganronpa games, the Climax Reasoning themes were [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0dZnWkzv2U tenser than anything]]. But in ''V3'', the Climax Reasoning music is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXI2gWR_fo8 wistful and calmly sorrowful]]. It really drives home how tragic every single murder is, and how happy everyone could have been together if it weren't for the killing game.
23	** After Kaede dies, the other students are devastated, with Gonta, Tenko and [[AntagonistInMourning Tsumugi]] even openly weeping. As Angie prays for Kaede's soul to move on in peace, Miu has this to say:
24	--->'''Miu''': H-how's anybody supposed to rest in peace after being killed like '''that'''?!
25	!![[AC:Chapter 2: A Thin Line Divides Heaven And Hell]]
26	* In Chapter 2 Shuichi will have different reactions if the player interacts with elements related to Kaede:
27	** Monokuma Statue - Temple of Judgment:
28	-->“...Kaede... When we all came to the trial grounds, what burden were carrying with you? If I had known, I... I might have...”
29	** Kaede's dorm room:
30	-->“Kaede... I wanted to hear you play the piano... even just one time... But... I’ll never be able to...”
31	** Shot Put Ball - Warehouse:
32	-->“... If I had only realized it at the time...”
33	** Air Vent - Classrom A:
34	-->“... Kaede...”
35	** Video Rack - A/V Room:
36	-->“... The movie that Kaede said she wanted to watch... The Legend of 1900. I'll watch it one day... It's just... Too hard right now...”
37	** Air Vent/Cluttered Books - Library:
38	-->“If only I realized that Kaede was acting strangely... Maybe things wouldn’t... have ended up this way...”
39	** Moving Ladder - Library:
40	-->“I wonder when Kaede came up with her plan. How long was she carrying that burden?”
41	** Lockers - Classroom B:
42	-->“... These are the lockers Kaede and I were in. Meeting Kaede... made me so...”
43	** Piano - Ultimate Pianist Lab:
44	-->“... I wish I could have heard her play. Just once... I wanted to hear it.”
45	** CD Rack - Ultimate Pianist Lab:
46	-->“Kaede... I'm going to... keep the promise I made to you.”
47	** Speakers - Ultimate Pianist Lab:
48	-->“I... can do this... I’ll believe in myself and prove I can do this!”
49	* After the second chapter's motive is revealed, Kokichi and Gonta are often seen together in Daily Life segments, with Gonta seeming notably afraid of Kokichi to the extent that he asks Kokichi's permission to converse with Shuichi, most likely fearing that Kokichi would do something rash to him if he randomly disconnected from their bond while Kokichi clearly shows that he lacks any respect for Gonta and doesn't care about him besides using Gonta for his own ends, even verbally berating him when he wants to spend time with Shuichi. Their overall dynamic in those little dialogue bits reads harrowingly similar to real-life abusive relationships and certainly can hit close to home for any player that had ever suffered through such situation.
50	->'''Gonta''': O-Okay. Gonta like spending time with Shuichi, but...
51	->'''Kokichi''': Yeah, yeah, I get it! I'm not wanted here! I don't care, so do whatever you want!
52	->'''Gonta, using a scared sprite''': S-Sorry, Kokichi. Gonta come see you later...
53	* Kirumi's attempt to escape her execution is painful to watch. When all else fails and it's clear nobody else will be able to save her from execution, she begins sprinting away as fast as she can whilst [[SuddenlyShouting screaming her lungs out]] [[NotSoStoic and destroying any semblance of the composed and cool maid she always presents herself as]]. Seeing one of the most dignified and maternal characters be forced to take such drastic and unpleasant measures, all so she can get back to her job and helping her people, is a heartbreaking kind of desperation not a single prior blackened displayed.
54	** Kirumi's story and everyone's [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone subsequent reactions]]. As it turns out, she became the prime minister of Japan in all but name, and her motive video tells of an "unprecedented crisis" befalling the country while she's trapped in the school, causing her to become desperate to escape. Gonta, and consequently several other students even ask Monokuma to execute them in her place. Kaito manages to talk them out of it, and Kokichi proceeds to expose Kirumi for attempting to manipulate their emotions so she could make a getaway, but even after this, Kaito angrily defends her desperate attempt at survival and several of the group still plead with Kirumi to keep running once she begins to run. Even after she tried to [[TheNeedsOfTheMany weigh their lives against the country's]] and sacrifice them, they still fully wish for their friend to escape and live.
55	** For that matter, Kirumi's execution as well. Her desperation continues as she climbs up a thorny vine which causes her to bleed even from the first grip, narrowly makes it past active buzzsaws while being sliced, and actually manages to reach the ceiling. Finally, she appears to have reached the light of the outside... only for her to reach out and [[SuddenlyObviousFakery discover it was a childish drawing courtesy of Monokuma]]. No doubt hit with the reality that there was never a chance to escape and she's failed ''everyone'' she believed was depending on her as the vine breaks and she plummets to her death. [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/danganronpa/images/7/7c/Danganronpa_V3_Kirumi_Tojo%27s_execution_%2841%29.png/revision/latest?cb=20180325074047 The look on her face says it all.]]
56	*** The state of Kirumi by the end of her execution in general. She makes true on her statement that she would debase herself for her country, as by the time she reaches the top of the vine, she's ''covered'' in gashes [[FanDisservice and her elegant clothing has largely been ripped to shreds]], leaving her looking like a poor shadow of the dignified and proud maid she always acted as. It's easily both one of the most physically and symbolically cruel executions in the franchise, and it's horrible to see this fate met by someone who acted as nothing but a genuinely selfless TeamMom for most of her time in the group.
57	** What is worse is that Ryoma, the victim, allowed Kirumi to kill him. He was already [[DeathSeeker very suicidal]] because of his past as a DeathRow inmate and is implied to be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but after seeing his completely empty motive video that tore away his last shred of hope and desire to keep fighting, he was pushed over the DespairEventHorizon and willingly lets his guard down for Kirumi to murder him.
58	*** The motive video itself is [[MoodDissonance horribly cruel]] in its presentation - around the point the others' videos begin to showcase their important people, a cartoonish "ERROR" screen with a silly image of an ashamed-looking Monokuma in a construction hat is shown while he gives a blatantly put-on apology. Ryoma's video doesn't just tell him something awful, it makes sure to do it in just about the most mocking way possible, and it makes the thought of him having to see it even harder to stomach.
59	----> '''Monokuma''': This message is for Ryoma Hoshi, the Ultimate Tennis Pro... Unfortunately, there is no one in the world who is important to you. I'm so sorry. [[BlatantLies Really, I am.]] You have my deepest sympathies. (in a progressively less sincere and increasingly snide tone) Sorry, sorry, sorry!
60	* [[BrokenAce Ryoma Hoshi]] in general. Every Danganronpa game has a tough character with a criminal lifestyle of some kind, and this game's is a stark contrast to his foul-mouthed, bad-tempered predecessors. The thing is that Ryoma is already past his days of being a hot-headed badass - once a world-renowned athlete, Ryoma had a promising future until he ended up crossing the wrong side of a mafia organisation who pestered him to play in an underground tournament. They killed his ''entire'' family and girlfriend, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge pushing him to seek vengeance and murder their entire mob with a steel tennis ball]], which ultimately caused him to receive the death sentence, leaving the person left by the time of the game as a self-loathing DeathSeeker who looks on his former sport with a wistful apathy.
61	** Ryoma ''repeatedly'' makes it clear that even being stuck in a killing game isn't so bad compared to prison, and several bits of dialogue thoroughly imply he was a victim of PrisonRape and is still suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from his experience. This is ''not at all'' helped by the fact his Ultimate Lab specifically includes a prison-style bathroom, likely put there only as a taunting reminder of what he's had to go through.
62	** And the absolute worst part about all of this? Ryoma is shown over and over again to be a kind and selfless person, moreso than most other students of the series. He's a Stoic, somewhat standoffish loner who is nonetheless just about always a supportive and wise NiceGuy, giving sage advice and looking out for his less jaded peers in his own way, and both his profile and Free-Time Events put a lot of emphasis on [[KindHeartedCatLover his love for cats]], with him having to give his beloved pet away to a colleague before he was imprisoned. He offers his life to the group in order to let them escape in the first chapter, and he's ultimately killed after he intentionally lets his guard down in front of someone he saw as having more reason to live.
63
64	!![[AC:Chapter 3: Transfer Student From Beyond the Grave]]
65	* Checking Ryoma and Kirumi's room doors after Chapter 2 gives us this:
66	-> "Ryoma... You... had no one. You found out that awful truth and gave up your life for Kirumi. But I... Ryoma, you wanted to fight with us, didn't you? Was that not enough reason to live? You could've fought with us, we could've fought together... then you could have lived. We... couldn't have been your reason to live? Maybe I'm just being arrogant."
67	-> "Kirumi's final moments... I can't get the image of her running for her life out of my head. I can still hear her... Her scream of defiance. Perhaps running isn't so bad... Perhaps we aren't strong enough to face it. In order to live until the end..."
68	* When Shuichi is speaking with Korekiyo about the Caged Child Ritual in his research lab and Shuichi shows hesitance about the seance, Korekiyo asks if he's never wanted to speak to the dead. Shuichi's sad sprite appears and he says this in his internal monologue:
69	-->'''Shuichi''': If it were possible...I suppose I'd like to speak to [[TheLostLenore her]] one more-
70	* Poor Himiko does ''not'' take the deaths of Angie and Tenko well, although she [[StepfordSmiler initially doesn't seem too upset because she was bottling up her emotions.]]
71	** It gets worse in the post-trial, when she finally takes Tenko’s last words to heart and cries until she drops, which ends up making [[EverybodyCries everyone else around her cry as well]]. Thankfully, the mood is abated slightly by Gonta [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments giving her a piggyback ride back to her dorm while she sleeps.]]
72	* Korekiyo in general, in a rather terrifying sort of way given just how broken he really is. He genuinely believes his deceased sister, who in life was also his lover, has started possessing him after her death. This only started after he had been captured and tortured to near death on one of his "field studies", and is also why he started enjoying bondage and pain play. After his sister "returned to him", be it as an actual spirit or just his mind trying to find a way to cope after everything that's happened to him, Korekiyo started to think he needed to give his sister the friends she never had in life, given how she was often hospital bound, by sending them to her himself. Now he's willing to kill any girls he comes to care about at all so his "sister would not be lonely in death." As screwed up as he is, Korekiyo appears to genuinely care about the people he's become closer to, even if they often rather obviously don't return the sentiment. Upon being proven as the culprit of the third chapter's murders, he even attempts to give the rest a comforting speech, but because his crimes are so heinous his words can't reach them anymore, and he can't recognize it or see how messed up he really is. The way his sister persona seems to control him, combined with the fact that he's explicitly younger than her and is clearly extremely unstable also raises the question of how consensual the whole thing was.
73	** In the middle of the trial he breaks down, which is rather unnerving given how calm he usually is. His sister persona proceeds to object and encourages him to engage in another rebuttal showdown. Besides being unsettling, this really shows how his true self is just an entirely broken person at this point.
74	** At the end of his execution it looks like he’ll be reunited with his sister in death... Only for Monokuma to destroy his soul. Imagine how horrible that must be.
75	!![[AC: Chapter 4: Live and Let The Languid World Live]]
76	* Shuichi's interaction with Angie, Tenko, and Korekiyo's lab doors:
77	-> "Angie... You had strange methods, but you rejected the killing game and wanted us to live in harmony. But all that was taken away for some stupid reason. I never knew your Atua, but I will never forget you."
78	-> "Tenko... It's not embarrassing to express your feelings, it's only human. Himiko has changed, just as you wanted. She's not so lazy anymore... She's working hard, trying to live well. But... you exchanged your life for that. It's not fair..."
79	-> "Kiyo... You said how you come to terms with death determines how you live. Perhaps... I understand what you mean. By facing Kaede's death... I was able to embrace my talent and move forward. But I don't know if I would truly understand your answer."
80	* Gonta's predicament during the fourth trial. While in the virtual world, he ended up helping Kokichi murder Miu in a misguided attempt to save everyone. Because Gonta mixed up the two wires when he plugged them into his headset, he had no memory of anything that happened within the virtual world. So when Kokichi eventually reveals that Gonta was the one who murdered Miu during the trial, poor Gonta has no idea what he's talking about.
81	** There is also the fact that he crossed the DespairEventHorizon in this chapter by learning the state of the outside world. When learning about that state was able to drive a NiceGuy to murder someone as an attempt to mercy kill them '''and all of his other friends''', you know how fucked up the state of the outside world is.
82	** It's a bit sad that even Kokichi, who orchestrated Gonta's death in the first place, eventually starts crying for him just before he's taken away to be executed. Until Kokichi swiftly reveals that he knew that wouldn’t happen and only lied to avoid Gonta’s wrath.
83	** K1-B0’s reaction to Miu's death is sad given how he was Miu's OnlyFriend. He's very close to crying upon discovering her corpse, only for him to be UnableToCry.
84	*** Added to this, K1-B0 honestly seems to be one of the few to actually [[TheFriendNobodyLikes be sad for her death at all,]] as everyone else notes that, if it weren't for the killing game forcing them together, none of them would have had anything to do with her and certainly wouldn't have been her friend. Gonta's the only other person to be upset, but that's more for DramaticIrony.
85	** There's also Shuichi's refusal to believe someone as nice as Gonta could willingly commit murder; even during the closing argument (where the culprit's identity is in no doubt) he suggests the error that caused Gonta's memory loss also corrupted his personality, because [[AwfulTruth the alternative]] is too much for Shuichi to bear.
86	** The lead-up to the Closing Argument section is absolutely heartbreaking for this reason. Kokichi's doing his best to [[{{Jerkass}} make this uncomfortable for everyone]] by aggressively insisting that Gonta confess all, driving Gonta to tears as he still doesn't understand what happened. Shuichi steps in to tell Kokichi to be quiet, and suggests they do the Closing Argument so that he can go over everything one last time and make Gonta understand - and he tells Gonta that they can stop at any time. Gonta agrees, listens to the argument, and still doesn't understand...but accepts that it must be the truth, because it's Shuichi who's telling him. It's both heartwarming to see how kind Shuichi is trying to be given the circumstances, and also horrible that they even have to do this at all.
87	** In the Japanese version, Kaito calling Shuichi by his last name in the end of the trial. From Chapter Two up until the end Chapter Four, Kaito had referred to him as [[FirstNameBasis "Shuichi"]]. At the end of the fourth trial, he goes back to calling him "Saihara", which shows just how much their friendship took a hit.
88	** Capping everything off is the fact that Creator/KaijiTang absolutely nails it in the English dub - listening to Gonta crying and being genuinely frustrated over everything is honestly uncomfortable.
89	!![[AC: Chapter 5 - Voyage Without Passion or Purpose]]
90	* Shuichi's reaction if the player makes him interact with Miu and Gonta's room doors:
91	-> "Miu... You were so troublesome, even at the very end. But still... you didn't have to die. You didn't deserve to die like that, Miu..."
92	->"Gonta... You were so kind... You always tried to help us in your own, strange way. But I...sacrificed you... The secret of the outside world you discovered... A horrible truth. To save us from that, you were willing to kill..."
93	* Chapter Five in general. When everybody thought Kokichi was the mastermind, Maki went on to kill him but Kaito blocked her sight and got himself poisoned. Afterwards, Kokichi gave Kaito an antidote to the poison in order to blackmail him with Maki's life into crushing him to death in order to create an unsolvable murder, which means Kaito is going to be the one who is executed for murder.
94	** All of this makes the twist that Kaito auditioned just to kill and get rich even harder to take.
95	** In addition, Kokichi also decided to kill himself in hopes that his death would make a murder so unsolvable that even Monokuma couldn't figure out who the victim was and remained unsure on who to execute. He was willing to go that far to stop the killing game he despised so much.
96	*** Kokichi gets even more depressing when you realize he didn't just die horribly, he effectively died alone. Because of his master plan to usurp the role of mastermind, plus his general paranoid disposition, he isolated himself. Shuuichi points out he's alone in chapter four, because he is. Except now he's dying, and the only person in the room is a guy who hates him, and that was all part of his plan. To be hated and alone, but he's dying like that, to destroy this killing game and screw over the mastermind that put him in this game. A self-made tragedy.
97	* Maki's [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove crying declaration of her love]] for Kaito. The Danganronpa games aren't very overt when it comes to characters admitting love. It's only happened once before in the games; in ''Danganronpa 2'' where Fuyuhiko begged for Peko. In either case it was either a detail that was only recently developed or something that was stated by a third party as a matter of fact. In V3 though, Maki explicitly admits that Kaito's persistence, his stubborn nature and all those days they'd spent together, had caused her to fall in love with him, and the moment is so powerful simply because we've seen their relationship grow together, as well as the many moments where she can't maintain a stoic nature when Kaito's life is at risk. It's a heartwarming and beautiful culmination of her development but also an incredibly saddening moment when we know Kaito is at the verge of death.
98	** And then in the final trial, Tsumugi coldly reveals to her that falling in love with Kaito was all part of the script, and her character. All those feelings were just the result of Team Danganronpa's brainwashing. Not only that, she's shown footage of what the ''real'' Kaito was like: an AttentionWhore who wanted to murder everyone and become famous for it. Just imagine how she must have taken all that.
99	* The "reveal" of the Gofer Project and the outside world. Armed with Miu's electrohammers, the remaining survivors fight their way through the underground passage and make it all the way to the exit. What's waiting for them on the other side? An utterly devastated wasteland. In many ways, it's an even worse reveal than in [[VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc the first game]]. There, it was clear people were still around and society was at least somewhat functioning, leaving some room to fight back. Here, the Earth has been ''[[ApocalypseHow/Class6 utterly devastated]]'' by [[ColonyDrop asteroid impacts]]. There's no life, no oxygen, and no hope anywhere. The sixteen students were selected to carry on the legacy of mankind, placed into cryonic suspension and sent to colonize a new planet, but were guided back to their ruined home world by the last of the Remnants of Despair. So not only have they been killing each other for nothing, but everyone they knew and loved, the rest of mankind, has been dead for ''hundreds of years.'' The revelation hits them all so hard that most of them fall into [[DespairEventHorizon utter despair]] and [[DrivenToSuicide begin to contemplate suicide.]] Almost makes you glad to learn it was all just a huge lie.
100	** What's worse is that we don't know if this is what Kaede and the others still see if you do manage to beat it without the hammers making the minigame ''reasonable''. All that work for a "golden" ending where everyone lives and what the 16 of them could find is still the set of that lifeless wasteland. And who even knows what could happen to them after that, particularly if they need to face the "truths" chapter 6 gave about being "fictional characters"...
101	!![[AC:Chapter Six: Goodbye Danganronpa]]
102	* Shuichi's thoughts if you interact with Kaito's room door.
103	->"The impossible is possible! All you gotta do is make it so! Kaito... Your words inspire me, even now. Thank you... so much."
104	* Shuichi's HeroicBSOD in the final chapter.
105	-->'''Shuichi''': Everything is a lie... Everything is meaningless... Everything I've done so far and have been trying to do... Even my thoughts.
106	** This deserves elaboration. Shuichi's CharacterDevelopment relied on finding strength in the encouragement of his friends. He admits it's the only reason he survived this long. And now he learns that all those encouraging words were just lines written by the producers for the sake of adding drama. Kaede's heartfelt speech to him? Kaito's last words? All fake. And worse, his friends were just manufactured personalities. The people he cared about so much were all fictional.
107	** He's so far gone past the DespairEventHorizon that when K1-B0 tries to talk the cast into moving forward with sacrifice to end the game, Shuichi interrupts K1-B0's rallying speech with a Rebuttal Showdown to dissuade K1-B0 from holding on to hope. Unlike every Showdown before this point, it features SadBattleMusic -- Clair de Lune, the same track used when Shuichi grieved Kaede's death.
108	--->'''Shuichi''': What do you mean hope?\
109	'''K1-b0''': What?\
110	'''Shuichi''': ''I reject that hope!'' I... I refuse. I won't accept that hope!\
111	'''K1-B0''': Shuichi... What's the matter?\
112	'''Shuichi''': It's because of hope that this whole thing is happening! I reject that hope!\
113	'''Shuichi''': Hope itself is the villain here, we suffer because of hope. Tsumugi isn't trying to make us Despair... She wants us to trust in hope! So I say no! I reject that hope!\
114	'''K1-B0''': Tsumugi wants us to trust in hope? What does that mean?\
115	'''Shuichi''': The reason this madness has gone on for 53 times... It's because of hope. It's because the audience wants hope. They want to see hope defeat despair in the end. [[HistoryRepeats It's Hope's Peak Academy all over again]]. So if we fight for hope, We'd just be giving them what they want! [[HistoryRepeats And the killings will never end]]. [[DespairEventHorizon Don't you see, Despair is the only choice!]]
116	* His speech, while awesome in its declaration, is absolutely heartbreaking. It really hammers in just how much Shuichi has suffered across the game, and even though he's overcome it, you can hear every bit of agony in his voice as he recalls all the pointless death that has been wrought as a result of the killing game. Creator/GrantGeorge in particular sells absolutely every single line in the dub.
117	--> '''Shuichi''': When Maki said she was going to sacrifice herself just now, I thought... Why? So many of our friends have sacrificed their lives. Why Maki? Why now? Why do we have to go through it again? The sadness of losing Kaede... and Kaito... Why do we have to feel that sadness over and over and over again? Why do we have to bear that burden...? Well, I don't care how much the audience wants it, I'm not gonna feel that way anymore! I don't want anyone to feel that way anymore! Even if this is fiction, even if we're all fictional... The pain in my heart is real! The sadness I feel when I lose the people I love is real! I won't forgive this game that treats us like toys. And if this is what the world wants...then I reject that world! I'll fight the world that inflicts suffering for entertainment!
118	* Keebo's last words before fully getting hacked by the outside world.
119	-->'''Keebo''': I... can barely... control it... looks like this is the end.\
120	'''Keebo''': I'm sorry... I could not fight with you... until the end... But... your choice is not wrong... The real... enemy... is... the outside world who is enjoying this... killing game... So please... use me... t-to change... To change... the... world.
121	* While [[UnreliableExpositor there is evidence]] that the audition videos are fake, it still really hurts seeing [[AllLovingHero Kaede]] again, only to hear her say that [[HumansAreBastards she has zero faith in humanity]].
122	* K1-B0 self-destructing himself to destroy the facility is tear-jerking, especially if you thought he was going to be a survivor thanks to the fake spoilers.
123	* In a sense, the message of hope and despair got lost on the viewers leading to not 10, not 20, but '''''53''''' iterations of Danganronpa, with people voluntarily going onto a killing game reality TV show just to outright kill others make it feels like this Universe is one where despair won.
124	* The Mastermind's death in the True Ending final cutscene. There is no glory, honor, nor dignity in her death. She's just standing outside the premises while [[TrashTheSet everything's being destroyed by K1-B0]], waving silently and sadly before she and Monokuma are crushed under rubble. It's a stark contrast with how other Masterminds go out, such as Junko's utter glee until the moment of truth, or Tengan getting some upper hand on Munakata and leaving seemingly inspiring words to Makoto.
125	* This killing game easily becomes the most tragically pointless with TheReveal. There's no grand plan to drive the world into despair by showing their shining symbols of hope killing each other, no rehabilitation plan for horribly dangerous criminals gone awry, not even the supposed scenario with the last survivors of the human race being tricked into killing each other courtesy of a cult leader. So what is it all these kids have been fighting and dying for? [[TrumanShowPlot Reality show entertainment.]] That's it.
126	!![[AC:General]]
127	* Generally speaking, all of the students attempted to save everybody who received an official execution (except for [[AssholeVictim Korekiyo]]). It is sad to see all of those attempts failed.
128	** Gonta, Tenko and Kaito decided to take on the Exisals even though they fully knew they could die trying to prevent Kaede from being executed.
129	** When Kirumi tries to escape, most of the cast wants her to escape from Monokuma's punishment, yelling her to run and escape.
130	** They refused to let Gonta die even though all evidence appointed that he was the culprit and he didn't remember killing Miu.
131	** Maki decided to take Monokuma and the Exisals at once only to protect Kaito from being executed.
132	* As epic as the Scrum Debates are, it's sad to see Shuichi's side gradually shrink as the truths he has to expose in each chapter become more and more unpleasant, to the point where even K1-B0 (who always sides with Shuichi) opposes him in Trial 5, leaving Maki the only person left on his side for this debate. The truth will set you free, indeed.
133	** Of course, knowing in hindsight that Kaito was actually the one in the Exisal, K1-B0 was actually on the side of the truth here...
134	* A minor case compared to the others, but the fact that [[DwindlingParty the Monokubs' numbers drop one by one,]] chapter after chapter, until they're all gone by Chapter 4's end. Say what you will about them, but it is a bit depressing that, irritating though their entrance and departure catchphrases may be, the unison in their voices diminishes until only Monophanie is saying "Rise and Shine, Ursine" and "So Long, Bear-Well" consistently.
135	** Also seeing three remaining Monokubs beg both the students and Monokuma to save their lives can be truly heartbreaking, doubled by the fact that nobody really cares about them and perceives them as mere comic reliefs. And then they get mercilessly exploded one by one.
136	** Additionally, Monokuma gave zero shits about his kids as he considers them annoying and a waste of his time. All these combined make the Monokubs very depressing characters in the series as it can hit too close to home for someone who has experienced child abuse and child neglect.
137	* Maki's Love Hotel event shows that her "ideal" is being in a ChildhoodFriendRomance with Shuichi, while both of them have been at the orphanage for years, strongly implying that a part of her wishes she had a normal life instead of being the Ultimate Assassin.
138	* The fact that all of Kaede's Free Time Event chains end after the second event (when, for the most part, the protagonist is still getting to know their friend). Considering that Kaede was serious about becoming friends with everyone, and made a surprising amount of progress with even some of her more difficult classmates, it's a sad reminder of what Kaede could never accomplish with her life cut short.
139	* It's easy to feel sorry for [[JerkassWoobie Miu]] at times. She may be crude, abrasive, and generally obnoxious, but underneath all this is a very [[ShrinkingViolet meek]] and lonely girl with an InferioritySuperiorityComplex. Kaede herself notes that Miu [[FriendlessBackground did not have anyone to call a friend before becoming a part of the killing game]] (something which Miu is embarrassed to admit), and because of this, Miu has NoSocialSkills and [[InnocentlyInsensitive says whatever comes to mind without filtering herself, often without realizing that she's acting in terrible taste]]. She would try to lighten the mood by cracking a dirty joke, like [[ShipperOnDeck suggesting that Shuichi and Kaede get some condoms from the warehouse when seeing the two walking together]], but the others would typically get angry at her and chew her out, causing her to revert to her meek self and point out that she really did not mean any offense. The sad part is that if Miu were to drop her crass act, she'd probably be a lot more liked by her classmates ([[IJustWantToBeLoved and she clearly wants people to like her]]), but nobody ever told her that because she never had a real friend before.
140	** It may be abruptly derailed into BlackComedy shenanigans at the end, but Miu's Love Suite event is sadder than it is romantic or sexy. Miu's fantasy is a ChildhoodFriendRomance, in which Shuichi has been caring for her, supporting her, and staying by her side ever since they were kids. She states that he is the only one who can see past her arrogant perverted façade and knows what she really is like, and had he not come into her life, she would "prolly be in a gutter or something". Miu wants to give something to Shuichi to thank him for his continuous support, but since he would not accept her inventions and suggested that she use them to help others instead, she could not think of anything else to give him except herself, so she decides to give Shuichi permission to have his way with her. Later, she reveals that [[BabiesEverAfter she wants to make a baby with him]]; [[PleaseDontLeaveMe she is afraid that Shuichi will abandon her]] and believes that [[TheBabyTrap having his child is the only way to keep Shuichi from doing so]]. It is evident that Miu is lonely at heart, but her Love Suite Event reveals that she has severe abandonment issues, [[HatesBeingAlone making her loneliness worse]], and the fact that she believes that being pregnant with Shuichi's child is the only sure way to keep him from abandoning her is heartbreaking.
141	--->'''Miu:''' You don't...want that future with me? You won't let me be your girlfriend, Shuichi? C-Cuz you don't need me, is that it? N-No! I don't want you to abandon me, too! S-So we...we gotta make a baby! I have to make sure you won't abandon me! This is the only way!
142	* Part of the reason [[VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair Hajime volunteered for the Izuru Kamukura project]] was because of his lack of confidence in himself and feeling that he was inferior to the Ultimates. The fact that Izuru appears in the Talent Development Program at all shows that, despite being appreciated by his classmates(See the Heartwarming section), he still wasn't confident enough to stand among them.
143	* In Rantaro's free time events with Shuichi we find out that Rantaro travels constantly because he's looking for his lost sister. She followed him on one of his trips, and he lost sight of her and hasn't seen her since. And he completely blames himself. Calling himself the Ultimate Worst Older Brother. Shuichi agrees to help him find her only to be told Rantaro has TWELVE sisters and he doesn't know where any of them are.
144	** Even worse Rantaro implies he learned how to do nail art because he was surrounded by sisters. Which means at one point they were all together and happy enough to beg big bro to paint their nails. Something terrible clearly happened to his family to separate all of them.
145	[[/folder]]
146	[[folder:Fan Content]]
147	* [[https://milkakira.tumblr.com/post/633244042346561536 This]] AU fancomic depicting Shuichi as a second Mastermind. He gleefully taunts the others for trusting him and like Tsumugi, mocks them with the fact that none of them had free will or personalities of their own (pointing out to Kaito that half of his cool big brother lines were written by him, while Kokichi only survived in this AU due to fan demand). Kaito and Himiko are both clearly devastated, Kokichi can barely speak and Kiibo is furious.
148	[[/folder]]

Context TearJerker / DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony