Danganronpa 3: Despair Arc - Episode 1 Discussion / Poll

[Klashikari]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Danganronpa 3: Despair Arc, Episode 1.

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[SilverSyko]

Considering the opener of the episode I guess Future arc and Despair arc will be somewhat connected after all. Even though Chisa died very quickly in Future arc it seems like we're gonna see a lot of her here. The episode mostly served as a reintroduction to all the characters from Danganronpa 2, so no plot progression just yet.

I was curious what they were gonna do with the Ultimate Impostor. So he's mimicking a character from the future arc this time eh? Guess him getting a real name isn't gonna happen.

I'm also interested about what is gonna happen with Chiaki and Hajime. Perhaps the Chiaki we knew in Danganronpa 2 was an AI designed around this real person? And even though Hajime is in the reserve course how is he gonna intermingle with the characters from the main course?

Getting a double dose of Danganronpa every week is pretty awesome.~

[Kakkou]

Originally Posted by SilverSyko

Even though Chisa died very quickly in Future arc it seems like we're gonna see a lot of her here.

More than that, she was announced as the main character of the Despair side after the episode aired.

[ninjastarforcex]

that sexy teacher will revealed to be mastermind before final episode of both series i'm calling it

[Jestersage]

Originally Posted by SilverSyko

Considering the opener of the episode I guess Future arc and Despair arc will be somewhat connected after all. Even though Chisa died very quickly in Future arc it seems like we're gonna see a lot of her here.

accordign to Weekly Famitsu Interview, Kodaka stresses that, while you could enjoy either Mirai-hen or Zetsubou-hen on their own, it’s really best to watch them together. When he was writing the plot, he chose to interweave things, such as a showing in Zetsubou-hen the pasts of characters who appear in Mirai-hen (source: http://jinjojess.tumblr.com/post/147...famitsu-report)

This actually made it far more liekly the Chisa is the mastermind

[ninjastarforcex]

chiaki's death probably gonna trigger the despair

[Jestersage]

Question: Who in SDR2 stated that Chiaki is an AI? Because if it's Junko/Monokuma/Fake Naegi that stated it... can you really trust her explaination is real? (What I mean is: if the explanation is offered by Junko, Chiaki may never be an AI)

[Klashikari]

It was Chiaki herself that indirectly explained that (huge mention regarding Chihiro and Alter Ego). It is quite apparent considering her relationship with Usami.
Thereafter, I think Makoto who did that, I should check again though.

That being said, it is very likely the real Chiaki died, triggering Hajime's rampage and transformation into "dark izuru" and the AI Chiaki was designed based on her.

EDIT: Actually, it was Hajime who figured it out due to the presence of 2 observers to the Neo World Program, then further confirmed by Monokuma.

[R.LocK]

NANAMI

Goddamit, Kodaka. This is unfair.

[Jestersage]

Okay, I have re-read it from some playthrough of SDR2 Trial 6.

What happened is that, after realizing Usami is an observer, they realized that Chiaki is the other Observer, and due to Neo World program being not real, and Usami/Monomi is not real, the 77th class guess that she is not real -- then and only then did Monokuma call her a game character, in the same sentence that call FF the "World ender".

Then he said nothing else while Fake Naegi appeared, and that topic was actually dropped to talkabout the 77th class as UD, and then they can graduate, until Hinata realized Monokuma did not try to stop them and questioned Fake Naegi. Chiaki as an AI was never brought up again until Hinata encounter Chiaki again in his BSoD, and though she claimed herself be part of the game, Hinata himself questioned whether she's "real" or just a memory of his, in which she did not answered.

In short, SDR2 never explicitly stated by trustworthy narrative that she is AI. Just implied to be one.

And damnit, even though both chiaki are technicallys eperate entities, they both say the samething to Hajime about talent. Chiaki the best waifu no matter what.

----

On a sidenote, if we are to watch them together, then I think it's possible that Chiaki, Chisa, or even BOTH are the traitor are possible.

[Hiss13]

No music! No hormones!

Never change, Ibuki. Chisa. Keep on being best girls like you are~

Looks like we'll be seeing the birth of Kamukura Izuru soon~

[AC-Phoenix]

So why is the blood suddenly Pink again when it was rred just recently in Future ><

[Nayim]

Originally Posted by AC-Phoenix

So why is the blood suddenly Pink again when it was rred just recently in Future ><

Future arc = Darker and edgier

Despair arc = Soft and lighter

Both arcs have different art direction and atmosphere. I suppose future arc follows how darker the story was while despair arc follows your usual Dangan Ronpa's atmosphere of psycho, wackier and cool.

[jeroz]

Sentimental values played a huge part here, but this OP is definitely my favourite this season

[MeoTwister5]

I'm glad that the cast is pretty much the same as they were in SDR2, which will make their eventual fall into absolute despair all more intriguing to watch.

On the other had dayum they're doing the Hajime/Chiaki ship even on the first episode. This is going to be rather painful considering how it all ends up in SDR2, and the revelation that the original Chiaki was a real member of the class suggesting that she probably really did die before they became the RoD.

Also... is that Monaca's shadow at the end of the OP?

Edit - Also for those wondering how their future dead teacher narrates all that at the start, one has to remember those Monokuma Theaters between story segments in the game that usually break the 4th wall. It's likely nothing more than that.

[Klashikari]

Pretty sure the shadow at the end of the OP is Chiaki's considering she is the only character with cat ears hood.
It isn't surprising she appears like that at the end of the opening considering her role will be quite important as she isn't part of the remnants of despair.

[MeoTwister5]

Yeah I forgot Chiaki had a cat ear hoodie.

One thing that had always intrigued me was as to why Chiaki, specifically, was in the simulation. At least now we know she was in that class. I was actually slightly surprised that Hajime apparently isn't part of the original class, at least not in the pilot anyway. I guess he'll join them down the line.

The depressing deduction in this of course is that the likely reason it was an AI and not the real Chiaki is because Chiaki is probably dead, and as other posters have surmised it is very likely a major catalyst for the class to transform into the RoD. ESPECIALLY Hajime, since they're kinda shipping them already.

I'm calling it now: Junko kills Chiaki.

[R.LocK]

Oh, by the way, poor Mikan.

...Is it a hope shard that Nanami holds in ED, by chance?

[Kanon]

My waifu Chiaki is real!!!!!

... and I'm going to have to watch her die a second time
A story of hope that ends in despair, indeed. I really didn't expect her to show up here. Like pretty much everybody else, I'm guessing her death is what will trigger the class's fall into despair, hence the reason the AI that was supposed to help rehabilitate them was modeled after her.

[Traece]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

That being said, it is very likely the real Chiaki died, triggering Hajime's rampage and transformation into "dark izuru" and the AI Chiaki was designed based on her.

Spoiler for DR3 Zetsubou-hen Speculation:

That was the conclusion I came to as well. Given what we know about Hajime and the project, and how Junko is supposed to fit in with all of this, I'm assuming she'll kill her.

The way they approached both arcs is very interesting. I like how the tone of each arc contrasts both their labels, and each other. It was also nice to see how Zetsubou-hen is styled more closely with SDR2 in terms of the animation, music, and the direction as a whole. Mirai-hen feels very dramatic and plot driven, because it's intended to be, but Zetsubou-hen feels very much like an anime of SDR2 would feel at the beginning.

Seems like Chisa from this episode along is already going to war with Chiaki for the top waifu spot for Danganronpa. Can't wait to see where this goes.