Danganronpa - Episode 3 Discussion / Poll

[Klashikari]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Danganronpa, Episode 3.

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[Klashikari]

Okay, color me disappointed by this episode. Frankly, I wasn't expecting something as engaging as in the game considering the time constraint and the lack of gameplay, but it wasn't exactly well directed in term of anime standards.

In general, the episode was fine in term of content because it generally kept the strict minimum of the said trial. In fact, they had the luxury to use some references as a nod to game players.
However, the said references will obviously fly over the head of the anime watchers (for instance, Makoto and Leon "MTB" debate, with that weird *shaking* focus on them, which is what is used with chara sprites when they yell or get really heated up), although they didn't over do it with the non stop discussion interface. But that aside, it may look quite obnoxious in term of anime standards, and I wouldn't be surprised if anime watchers would complain about these.
As a game player, I found these references lazy because the director seems to think that showing the game UI is enough. It is however not the case when it actually downplays the mood (only 1 assertion flying, no "chaotic debate" impression whatsoever).
For those who don't know, Dangan Ronpa plays differently than Phoenix Wright as the game shows characters giving their assertions / proofs / testimony onscreen and you have to break through the contradiction/lie with evidences (which is why evidences were shown as bullet in ep2).

Now the major problem with the trial was the pacing having weird instances of momentum breaks. But the real issue was the panning which hardly gave a sense of urgency/trouble since it was generally stuck, with very rare close up on Makoto.
Aoi's testimony was awkward as well: did they really make Sakura and Aoi look to the knives RIGHT after Sayaka left? That screams suspicions no matter how you look at it.
Another directing issue was the use the climax logic comic: they cut it into 3 parts and made it spread over the trial...? What's worse is that they have shown Sayaka being disarmed right before Yasuhiro claims the sword attack was preemptive.
I think the climax of a trial is exactly when you expose the full course of events after confirming all evidence, before calling someone guilty. In fact, this should have been the crowning part of Makoto's statement before Leon's fit. And I think it was possible to animate it instead of copy pasting the game but that's just me...
If you add some seiyuu performance being a bit tame (especially Sakurai's for Leon), it doesn't really sound like an explosive debate whatsoever (even if the case was easy as hell).

The execution was... censored for no damn reason: it isn't like it is shocking on the initial start of the execution, but that utter close up on the baseball machine basically prevented you to see anything (and that really dampen the shock factor, despite there isn't any guro).

Finally, the post execution part was really weird: like the OP, the decision in skipping the ED sequence was a good call. However, they KEPT the ed song despite it doesn't fit the mood. It is a godamn tragedy no matter how you look at it, yet they let Monokuma rambling with the ED playing in the background.
Furthermore, they didn't let Makoto's full rant over Monokuma, which actually bring a nice characterization + an emphasis over the other characters, who are basically left with just few "why did you do that" /end. In fact, the lack of reactions from the characters is baffling, especially Kyotaka's crying on this matter.

At least, they kept Kyouko and Makoto's discussion in the end. I was really afraid they would skip that after that debacle.
Anyway, I'm really concerned for the other chapters, because if they really couldn't hit home with the mood of the first case, I have trouble imagining how it will perform later...

Also, just in case I expect people condemning characters right on the get go

TL;DR…

Insight regarding Sayaka and the murderer

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[MisaoFan]

Spoiler for Episode 3:

Third episode feels very sickening for many reasons. Naegi and the rest of highschool survivors are sent to the trial by Monokuma in order to learn clues and the mystery behind Sayaka's death. Leon turn out to be the guilty suspect, and is accused by Naegi and Kyouko thanks to the helpful information they have bought during the investigation. The real meat of the episode is Leon's execution, which was handled in a much horribly scary manner with the involvement of cannon shooting, and everyone (including myself of course!) felt shocked by the death. I really cannot imagine this show to have a good ending since very few characters (such as Naegi and Kyouko) will have a high survival rate, and even though Sayaka was killed, there's at least one comfortable moment between our protagonist and Kyouko, and my hopes for a possible romance is greatly diminished after the last episode. Hope the next episode will pass on the next steps by showing a new case, but I have the feeling that it will get darker over time.

[serenade_beta]

Putting aside the logic and all of that, I hear the movie was a complete reuse of the game's?
Plus clear censorships (not sure if that was in the game).
And while I haven't played the game, considering the use of the movie, I have a bad feeling that those weird manga komas or other parts that stood out were from the game too? I wonder if this low-budget anime was made just to advertise the game...

As for the AHOAHO thing.... Ah~ Well~... Un, Nougami Neuro does it better.

But well, the good thing about horror(?) movies is that no matter how bad it is, you won't fall asleep because of the blood and killing, you know. In a way, you can say these types of shows have an advantage in that area.

[melina_putri]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Putting aside the logic and all of that, I hear the movie was a complete reuse of the game's?
Plus clear censorships (not sure if that was in the game).
And while I haven't played the game, considering the use of the movie, I have a bad feeling that those weird manga komas or other parts that stood out were from the game too? I wonder if this low-budget anime was made just to advertise the game...

The censorship most likely because they had to comply against TV airing rules in Japan. Violence scenes which involves blood or people dying as the result are censored or shown off-screen.

The manga komas were also taken from the game.

[Dirty_Harry]

I wonder if this low-budget anime was made just to advertise the game...

Bingo. Advertising for the psvita game.

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Putting aside the logic and all of that, I hear the movie was a complete reuse of the game's?
Plus clear censorships (not sure if that was in the game).

No, it wasn't censored in the game.
For reference.

As for the AHOAHO thing.... Ah~ Well~... Un, Nougami Neuro does it better.

More reference
Although it also show what was the deal with Makoto and Leon and their static debate with the MTB (that rythm mini game stuff).

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by melina_putri

The manga komas were also taken from the game.

Figures.

The producer thought about how to animate a game.
He became a mixed being of the Thinker and Producer, and forever brainstormed on how to animate the game.
But even if he wanted to quit the job, he couldn't.
And eventually, he stopped thinking.

[Dengar]

I will not lie. I'm not very pleased by this episode. Not enough to drop it, I'm interested in seeing the whole thing through, and not as a chore, but because I want to. I -am- a fan of the franchise, after all. No doubt I'll get -some- enjoyment out of it.

That said, I'm disappointed that my suspicions were confirmed. The trials just don't work that well in anime form. It just becomes a bunch of kids standing in a circle talking to eachother. The game references did not help spice things up.

The trial's main saving grace was Kuwata flipping his shit near the end, claiming random things and being refuted every time. I loved that part.

The execution... I can't say much about that. I've seen that a few times already.

I will say that while the base for the animation probably WAS pulled straight from the game, the animation is slightly more detailed.

As expected from a game-based anime, it will never be perfect, but at least I can enjoy the overall story and the characters in animated form.


On a side note, I disagree with people downplaying Maizono's intentions. Don't get me wrong, I think she's a victim, but focus on the part where she was driven to despair. To graduate means to forsake everyone else. Just because she didn't know about the trial rules doesn't mean she wasn't about to betray everyone, because she was.

If you really want to defend her, focus on the fact that she was driven to despair by Monokuma's machinations, and ditto for Kuwata, who clearly saw his own chance to escape and killed Maizono for it.

[hamazura]

whos the queen of tsundere seiyuu who do "BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA"? Kana hanazawa?
the otakus should make leon's seiyuu the king of tsundere for "AHO AHO AHO AHO AHO"


waiting for subs...
dont care about outcome of this adaptation, animated togami n kirigiri >>>> animated everything

[marvelB]

Yeah, after checking out the raw, all I can say is..... too much Ronpa, not enough Dangan.

I will admit that I was a bit disappointed by how the trial was handled in episode 3. But once again, I accept that it had to be that way due to the low episode count. Still, even more than the trial, there was one other little thing that bothered me:

Spoiler for Episode 3:

Leon's execution. The anime version copied it almost scene for scene from the game, but it omitted one particular moment that I felt was really important: The one baseball splattered with blood that you see rolling away from Leon's corpse. I dunno about anyone else, but that small moment was exactly what made the execution so chilling to me in the first place. So for the anime to omit that makes the whole scene have less of an impact on the gravity of Naegi and co.'s despair-inducing situation, IMO....

And that makes up my little rant. I still won't drop the show, of course. But I do admit that I feel a twinge of trepidation in regards to how the future trials will be handled....

[AC-Phoenix]

Did my ears fool me or did they give the 'who is sakura-chan' question to Celes?

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by AC-Phoenix

Did my ears fool me or did they give the 'who is sakura-chan' question to Celes?

They did. They also missed that jab to Kyotaka as well so you can say anime watchers don't have the "official" statement that Sakura is a girl yet.

[marvelB]

Speaking of other game comparisons, one thing I actually did like about the episode is that Naegi managed to figure out the "11037" message all by himself. It's not at all like how the game handled the scene:



Naegi: Hmm, dying message "11037", what could it possibly mean?


*thinks hard*


.....Damn! I can't figure it out!


Kirigiri: .....Turn it upside-down, stupid.


Kinda wonder if that means we'll see other characters grow a brain in future trials?

[maplehurry]

Originally Posted by marvelB

Yeah, after checking out the raw, all I can say is..... too much Ronpa, not enough Dangan.

what do "dangan" "ronpa" mean anyway ?

[Iby]

Originally Posted by wikipedia

danganronpa: Trigger happy havoc (ダンガンロンパ 希望の学園と絶望の高校生 danganronpa: Kibō no gakuen to zetsubō no kōkōsei, lit. bullet rebuttal: Academy of hope and high school students of despair)

Well, that was as lazy as possible. I guess I'll put it on hold until I finish the game and then decide if it's worth to watch other episodes.

[gecd]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Also, just in case I expect people condemning characters right on the get go

TL;DR…

Insight regarding Sayaka and the murderer

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

wow
I didnt realised that even in the game
now I feel bad for disliking Maizono

[novalysis]

As an anime original viewer, the closing scene between Naegi and Kyouko has nearly brought me to ship those two together.

[White Manju Bun]

Trial felt like Phoenix Wright to me...

As an anime only viewer it basically felt like every other "death by locked door" reference I'd seen. I do like Kirigiri a l though, hoping she makes far.

Now that everything is "reset" kinda, Im interested to see how the next set plays out. Also I loved the animation for the death scene

[Gundamx]

Naegi psychic joke will mean a lot more if they show Sayaka social link event
(She always made that joke with Naegi)