At the end of the Hide and Seek Arc, it was revealed by Umeko that there are two other time travelers in Japan. One is located in Kumamoto. The other is primarily located in Shiojiri, but constantly travels back and forth between Shiojiri and the outskirts of Tokyo (it is speculated that this time traveler is the one responsible for the prison escapes of Kanade Otonokoji and Maverick Storm). The question is, who are these two mysterious time travelers, and are they friends or foes?
I think it's possible that A.I. Mikado is one of the two travelers. Just like Sora, they were transported back in time and is residing in someone's head via brain implant. It would also explain how Kanade received access to such advanced technology despite being found only in the black market. His motivation is to reunite with Master Utsuro while also getting rid of his enemies.
Further credence to this idea can be found in the most recent post as of this writing. The time traveler is shown moving straight towards the island at 72 km/h or about 45 mph. The fact that they are travelling in a straight line means it is likely an air vehicle. It can't be a helicopter as it is far too slow for that, but it happens to fit in the range of commercial drone speeds.note 40 to 50 mph This means only an AI can be the time traveler. Of course, it could be another AI from the series but signs point to an actively malicious one. Meaning, the only other suspect would be Junko's Alter Ego.
I suspect that a member of Class 78 will be the time traveler in Kumamoto (the one who isn't actively attempting to cause problems).
It could also be Kyoko, who is moving back and forth between the two locations to coordinate an investigation while also staying out of the line of fire.
Kyoko is officially jossed as of The Storm Dissipates. However, she is working with someone who knows about the future.
With Shirogane having been revealed, it wouldn't surprise me that whoever Kyoko is working with is a survivor from Shirogane's Killing Game who time traveled (my money's on Shuichi)
All of the above are Jossed. The fourth Time Traveler is Sayaka Maizono.
Junko is going to brainwash Class 78 instead of Class 77
Given how all of Class 77 is fully informed about the original timeline and how they converted into the Remnants of Despair, they won't fall for Junko's manipulations so easily. In a case of Swapped Roles, Junko will decide to make do with her class in the hopes of turning them into world-destroying subordinates to fight against Hajime and the Quantum Crew. Although not everyone will be included among the Neo Remnants, such as Toko Fukawa.
The Crew discovers in the Connections Arc that Mikako can see into the future. So they'll try to search for Yasuhiro, a young man who has more experience and success with predicting the future, to see if they can expand their chances of seeing what events await them. And if he tries to chicken out of helping them, then Fuyuhiko can step in to "persuade" him to stick around and help.
Alternately, Yasuhiro might be one of the two unknown time travelers and thus join the Crew that way. He was on Umeko's list of Class 78 students who were in the same location as a time traveler.
Sonia will be called to return to Noveselic to become Queen
Something tragic will happen to both of Sonia's parents which would force her to leave Japan in order to manage the affairs of her kingdom. Because of this turn of events, Sonia, and possibly an escort or two, would be unable to help the Crew with their missions while overseas.
Semi-confirmed. Sonia gets called back home, but because her parents were worried about her well-being, not because something happened to them.
It has been made clear several times that as soon as Junko is defeated, the Quantum Crew will expose Hope's Peak to the world (most likely via an article written by Nikei), which will then result in the school's permanent shutdown. Something tells this troper that the Steering Committee won't let this happen without some sort of a fight...especially considering that the Kamakura Project has yet to be completed.
Kana Ise is going to die
Yes, yes, I know that this is supposed to be a story where everyone earns their happy ending, but hear me out: I don't think that newly introduced Danganronpa Blowback character Kana is going to make it through the Puppetmaster Arc.
The mod said specifically that this arc will contain "what’s probably my hardest decision as a writer to date, and I’ve decided to commit to it, even if it hurts to think about." Apparently, suffering is involved. Permanent character deaths have not at all been the norm in ASOOT, and it would make sense that the mod would shake things up by permanently killing off a character in order to raise the stakes for Hajime and Co (and prove how evil Maverick Storm truly is, if he's the one who kills her).
Furthermore, Kana is the only Blowback character that has been (or will be) introduced. She's the odd one out, so it makes sense for her to be the Sacrificial Lamb in this case.
To make matters even more dire, Kana shares a first name with Hajime and Chiaki's future daughter. What if this naming decision will be the Cuddle Puddle's way of honoring their fallen friend?
She's also had a critical role in helping them take down Storm, giving them information and helping direct their mission efforts behind his back. It's not hard to see how she'd be killed if she proved to be the final nail in his coffin, perhaps pulling a Heroic Sacrifice.
if it means anything, in her origin game, she was murdered by the ultimate puppeteer
Sadly confirmed. Due to complications from Maverick shooting her, Kana dies in The Storm Dissipates arc.
Nikei is going to end up with Setsuka
Might be an odd thing to claim, but there was a point where Nikei admitted that he had a crush on her and Setsuka found it flattering, even stating that she'd date him if the two of them were the same age and both single. She even brings up how, in other timelines, the two of them might've ended up together, since they'd both be in their twenties. Perhaps foreshadowing that they'll eventually get together at some point?
While it seems unlikely given that she's already with Umeko, polyamory as proven to be very prevalent in this setting. It's unlikely, but not impossible. Alternatively, if Umeko and Setuka want a child of their own in the future, maybe Nikei will offer to be a sperm donor?
Jossed. The sperm donor thing is still up in the air, though.
Makoto is going to end up with a "Cuddle Puddle" of his own.
Hear me out on this one! I know that Makoto is already in a relationship with Iroha, but considering that Hajime was able to add new people to the Cuddle Puddle and Makoto married both Kyoko and Aoi in the original future, I don't think it's that much of a stretch to see Makoto ending up in a Polyamory relationship of his own.
Iroha canonically hopes that she and Makoto will enter such a relationship with not just Kyoko and Aoi, but Sayaka and Mukuro as well. So not only is this theory possible, it's incredibly likely.
Confirmed in the Die Free Or Live Hard arc, where a visit to the future reveals that Kyoko has four wives (three of which are confirmed to be Iroha, Sayaka and Mukuro) and a husband (Confirmed to be Makoto since her last name is now Naegi).
The Good Future is going to play an important role in fixing things.
Just a possibility, but maybe the glimpses we've gotten courtesy of Mikako, showing a better future where the Cuddle Puddle has children and where everyone seems to be doing better. Based on in-universe estimates, this is set only about a decade into the future and maybe, courtesy of a Predestination Paradox, events that take place there will have an influence on the events of the story? Maybe they'll even find a way to send someone forward in time and learn what they need to do?
Confirmed as of the Before and After Arc.
At least one member of the Cuddle Puddle is going to end up pregnant soon.
Given that the better future Mikako has shown is set around 2020-2022 and they have kids around that age, it raises the possibility that Chiaki, Hibiki, Hiyoko, maybe even Sonia or Mikan are going to end up pregnant within the next year in-story. Doubly so considering the group has agreed to only start having sex once they turn 18, which isn't too far off for them. The timeline suggests Itsuki, Sayuri, and Kana Hinata would all be born in 2014 at the latest.
I know that this one is most likely not going to happen, but considering what the butterfly effect has changed, who's to say that this is impossible. Hell, they might have real talents this time rather then them being fake.
Confirmed. Tsumugi is revealed to be working for Junko.
Because of Maverick Storm's recent ultimatum, somebody will try to kill one or more members of the Quantum Crew.
Storm has given the country a window of forty-eight hours to find and kill Kasugano (or for Kasugano to reveal and kill himself) before he starts killing his hostages one by one. On top of that, Juu Kinjo has declared Kasugano to be Public Enemy Number #1 and says that anyone who brings in either his body or those of his followers will receive a full pardon. With the tide of public opinion turning against the Quantum Crew, this troper is genuinely afraid that somebody (or multiple somebodies) will snap under the pressure, and if that somebody happens to gain information on the Quantum Crew's identities...
Confirmed. When a riot begins outside of Hope's Peak, both Sonia and Nikei attempt to stop the events, only to end up attacked.
The final member of Makoto's future Harem is not Aoi.
As revealed in the Die Free Or Live Hard arc, Makoto ends up with four wives in the future, with three of them being confirmed to be Iroha, Kyoko and Mukuro. Naturally, most would assume that Aoi, who married Makoto in the Tragedy timeline, would be the unseen fourth. However, recall that Sakura would still be alive in this future and considering how Aoi and her are a Fan-Preferred Couple and Mahiru did not join the new Cuddle Puddle, it is not impossible to assume that Aoi will end up dating a different person as well. As for who the final member could be, Celeste is a possibility.
Aoi's partner will not be Sakura. Word of God has mentioned that they aren't invested in Sakuraoi as a ship and prefers to ship the World's Strongest Fighter with her canon boyfriend/rival Kenshiro.
The V3 kids are going to play an active role in the future.
With Tsumugi Shirogane showing up some time in the near future, it's very possible that the V3 survivors might somehow get into contact with the Quantum Crew to help take her down. Especially now with Sunako saying they might have to kill Shirogane I imagine they would also greatly jump at the chance to prevent the events of the killing game before they ever have the chance to start
as of this writing. The time traveler is shown moving straight towards the island at 72 km/h or about 45 mph. The fact that they are travelling in a straight line means it is likely an air vehicle. It can't be a helicopter as it is far too slow for that, but it happens to fit in the range of commercial drone speeds.note This means only an AI can be the time traveler. Of course, it could be another AI from the series but signs point to an actively malicious one. Meaning, the only other suspect would be Junko's Alter Ego.