#and his ftes are adorable

[starfirexuchiha]

Danganronpa 2 Flower Language Symbolism During Chapter 3

I’m not sure if anyone else noticed this but, when I was playing Danganronpa 2, I noticed that the flowers are different in each hospital room during Chapter 3. I immediately recognized that these different flowers are associated with the respective patients, because of my knowledge on 花言葉 (hanakotoba). My knowledge is thanks to an old P5 Royal post I made regarding flowers. 😊

So I decided to go over each flower I saw for each patient!🙏

Ibuki Mioda - Sunflowers

In Ibuki’s room, there is a sunflower on the cabinet. 

Sunflowers are called 向日葵 (Himawari) or in katakana ヒマワリ in Japanese. 

In Japan, sunflowers are well-known for being a happy flower because the kanji “向日” means “facing the sun” as if they are always chasing the sun. They usually symbolize brightness, sunshine, and happiness!

In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Sunflowers mean:

私はあなただけを見つめる (I only have my eyes on you)

あなたを幸福にする (I will make you happy)

崇拝 (Admiration / Adoration)

光輝 (Brightness)

あなたは素晴らしい (You are amazing)

This connects well with Ibuki’s personality because she is usually cheerful, carefree, and happy. She is also loud and full of life and energy, something that sunflowers also represent. 🌻🌻🌻

Not only are sunflowers full of sunshine, they also produce some tasty seeds! Sunflower seeds are my favorite seeds to eat. 😄

Nagito Komaeda - Red Spider Lilies

In Nagito’s room, there are red spider lilies on the cabinet.

Red Spider Lilies are called 彼岸花 (Higanbana) in Japanese. 

In Japan, red spider lilies are well-known to be associated with the themes of death, departure, and the afterlife. The kanji “彼岸” (Higan), can mean “the afterlife” which is why this flower is referred to as the “Death Flower”. The bulbs of these flowers are also poisonous, which adds on to the ominous and dangerous symbolism it holds. In Japanese media, these flowers would usually appear when someone dies or when someone goes through a new transformation. In addition to that, these flowers are also often seen in graveyards as a way of mourning the dead.

So these flowers usually symbolize “Death”,  “Rebirth from Death”, and “Change/Metamorphosis”. 

In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Red Spider Lilies mean:

死と再生 (Death and Rebirth)

生と死 (Life and Death)

変化 (Change)

悲しき思い出 (Sad memories)

諦め (Resignation)

It’s not surprising that Nagito represents this ominous flower, because it actually makes sense for his character. It can also portray his near-death experience when he had the Despair Disease, because those red spider lilies were there during that time. Nagito has always been dancing around life and death due to his Ultimate Luck. In his FTEs, he mentioned that his Luck can bring death to others, and it also gave him a life threatening illness. It’s as if his Luck is a curse that poisoned him like a poisonous red spider lily. 😔

and well what do you know? Red spider lilies are actually my favorite flower because I love red, I love its beautifully creepy shape, and I love the foreboding symbolism it holds! 💖

Akane Owari - Bananas

In Akane’s room, there are bananas on the cabinet.

Bananas are called バナナ (banana) in Japanese.

Bananas are not flowers so there is no Hanakotoba (花言葉) for them. It can just mean that Akane loves food, but I think there is some symbolism behind them. 

Bananas can symbolize transformation and personal growth, because the ripening process of bananas, from green to yellow to brown can portray that. This can probably symbolize Akane’s growth as a character after witnessing Nekomaru’s “first death” during that time, and her willingness to get stronger. Bananas are also good to eat after a good workout to prevent sore muscles, so maybe that can relate to Akane’s athletic nature. 🍌🍌🍌

Bananas were actually my favorite fruit back when I was a kid, and nowadays I usually eat them after going to the gym too! 😊

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu - Pink Carnations

It’s hard for me to tell what kind of flower is on the cabinet in Fuyuhiko’s room, so I’m guessing that it is a pink carnation flower with white tips. Please correct me if I am wrong! 😣🙏

Carnations are called カーネーション (Carnation) in Japanese. 

In Japan, pink carnations are the most commonly found color and they can symbolize gratitude. Although carnations, usually the red ones, are used to represent a mother’s love, a pink carnation in particular can represent a woman’s love in general. 

In Hanakotoba (花言葉), Pink Carnations mean:

感謝 (Gratitude)

あなたを決して忘れません (I’ll never forget you)

女性の愛 (A woman’s love)

温かい心 (A warm heart)

美しい仕草 (Beautiful behavior)

気品 (Elegance)

I think these flowers represent Fuyuhiko’s feelings towards Peko after her execution. He must have been grateful for all the things she did for him, and for saving his life during her execution. What happened to her had made him change into a better person with a “warmer heart”. He of course will never forget her, in fact Peko was the first thought in his mind when he learned that his “dead” classmates are actually not physically “dead” in reality. As for the “woman’s love” meaning, it’s pretty obvious that it is regarding Peko. It was revealed in her FTEs that she has feelings for Fuyuhiko, which means that her actions and her desire to protect him, stems from that as well as her duty.

If I am correct that the flower in Fuyuhiko's room is a pink carnation, then I am once again hitting myself in the feels with the KuzuPeko angst 😭😭😭

—---------------------------

I can never look at flowers the same way anymore in anime/video games after delving into Hanakotoba years ago. I might end up making another flower-related post in the future at this rate. 🥴

[monkey-overalls]

Project: Eden’s Garden Daily Life Thoughts

Okay, I just finished the Daily Life walkthrough—here are my thoughts so far:

Eva. Eva Freaking Tsunaka. I did not expect her to go from a character I’d basically forgotten about since the prologue to my current favorite. She’s literally everything—it’s hard to put into words how much I love her in all her geeky glory. The fact that her “Ultimate Liar” talent was, in itself, a lie was something I somehow didn’t see coming, but her real talent is definitely more intriguing. Thanks to the let’s-player only choosing her FTEs, we get to know so much about her backstory and how unfairly she was treated by her school, teammates, and the UTP. Of course, some—or even all—of that could also be a lie, but for now I choose to believe she only lied initially to protect herself. Besides, she really doesn’t have much to gain from continuously venting about her past to Damon. I’m pulling a Kaito and believing in her simply because I can!!!

Kai. You bet I’m already attaching myself to the pink-haired, crybaby sidekick. I have a type, and my type is incredibly obvious to literally anyone who’s spent at least five minutes on my blog. He’s obnoxious, whiny, and I can’t help but want to give him a fidget cube and cradle him in a weighted blanket. He’s sopping wet and perfect. I also already shipped him and Damon from the start and boy do I feel vindicated!

Wolfgang. I know he’s the fan-favorite, and it’s easy to see why, but I can’t bring myself to like him all that much because the dude is just so unbelievably shady. Before chapter one, I thought there was a good chance he could be the first victim, especially when he’s so clearly set up as Damon’s narrative foil, but after a while my suspicions turned to Eva (no matter how sick that made me feel). Sorry Wolfgang fans, I actually breathed a sigh of relief when he was revealed to be dead because I was so certain it would be Eva. Hopefully this isn’t me seriously jinxing myself and she turns out to be the killer or something. Also damn his death artwork is brutal.

Uhhh lightning round… Ingrid is so sweet; Applejack is one of my highest kins so you know I’m keeping my eye on this hard-working Southern belle. Toshiko is adorable and her secret made me laugh out loud, though I immediately felt guilty about it. Grace continues to be loud and antagonistic, you go queen. Jett has done nothing of note so far but he’s still at the top of my list for his unmatched Scooby Doo goofiness alone. Diana inviting Eva to be her roommate makes her an automatic winner in my book (and I lowkey ship them) but her questioning of Damon makes me a tad suspicious. My thoughts about Jean can basically be summed up in that one meme that goes something like “I’m gonna be honest, I’m only focusing on your titties right now.” Cassidy’s cool, and I’m almost certain her blackmail picture was a reference to the Jerma onion ring clip. Eloise, Mark, Desmond, Wenona, and Ulysses… exist. Sorry, I don’t have much to say about any of them.

TDLR; Eva Tsunaka lovers unite, Kai sucks but in a lovable way, and RIP Wolfgang I guess lmao

[s0raz]

Rating pj:eg ships woah??

Im really bored and feel like ranting. This will include some of my personal favorites, and some that are pretty popular from what Ive seen! (Plus some rarepairs I wanna mention.)

spoilers ahead :3

Evamon: Not a fan. Eva was extremely cruel to Damon in the trial, and I understand she was stressed, but yk. Id like them under any circumstance that isnt the killing game, because I think their prologue relationship was cute. 5/10

Kaimon: I feel so basic for absolutely adoring them. Their dynamic is so funny to me. Kai being absolutely terrified of bunking with Damon and splitting the room is comedy gold to me. 10/10 teehee

Diamon: Its chill, I guess. Theyre fun. I can see them becoming closer in the later chapters because of their common care for Eva. 7/10

Evana/Diava: No. 0/10

Wenoses/Ulyenona: Theyre so goofy. Theyre both pretty calm characters and I like to think they talk about random facts they learn from their jobs. I just wish they had more screentime together and alone in chapter 1. 9/10

Gracegang: MY DOOMED STRAIGHT PARENTS. THEY MAKE ME ILL. Grace’s care for Wolfgang from the get-go was so adorable. Wolfgang not telling Grace about where he was going in chapter one, likely because he didnt want her in danger, is also such a cute detail to me. Grace being so determined to find his killer was really sweet. 10/10

Wolfmon: THE ship when the prologue came out. A classic, I fear. Theyre cool, I have no strong opinions. 7/10

Bladebow: I LOVE THEM CRIES. Their established friendship in chapter 1 is so cute. Also them threatening to tell on Grace to Tozu together in the investigation felt so hilarious to me. 9/10

Jettskii: THEYRE SO FUNNY. I ADORE THEM. I love relationships like theirs, with Jett just annoying Mark trying to be friends with him and Mark is clearly not having it, but doesnt say anything because he cant be bothered. +1 point for their ship name being JETTSKII. 10/10

Now. Its time for the main event. You guessed it.

MAITHALL. : I could go on and on for DAYS about Desmond and Damon. Desmonds FTEs are so goofy to me because they play out like Desmond is the one trying to talk to Damon and not the other way around. Ive said it before, but they seem like two characters who you wouldnt usually pair together, but when you see their one-on-one convos, they are just a great pairing, platonic or romantic. Also, that one mess up dialogue in the trial is hilarious to me. Desmonds “remarkable charm” being an option on that question is my roman empire, actually. 28 stab wounds/10

[tobyisave]

Introducing nagito music, my 4 hour long chronological birth-to-death Komaeda playlist!!!

For anyone willing to subject themselves to that, I recommend listening in order — I tried to make the narrative clear even on a first listen, so hopefully most of it should come across without explanation??? That said, I'm also putting a summary of the different plot beats of the playlist under the cut for anyone who's curious!

Precanon

"I Don't Wanna Die" - "Rejoice": Early misfortune & realizing he has a luck cycle

"Dear Life" - "Waiting42moro": What I call the "descent into madness" arc, trying to hold on to hope that his luck will change for the better.

"Happylucky" & "Congratulations": His luck finally flips and he tries to pretend it was worth it. Basically sitting on a throne of money he didn't want covered in the blood of people he loved because it literally cost him everything.

"No More Shame, No More Fear, No More Dread" & "Just a Fan": Radical acceptance of his place in the world, especially upon entering HPA and receiving his diagnoses.

SDR2

"Ready to Die" & "Problems": Entering the killing game and planning his own suicide (by Teruteru's hand) + Revealing that during the trial and taking the role of antagonist thereafter.

"I Wanna Be Your Dog 2" - "Caroline, Please Kill Me": Increasingly intense fixation on Hajime, more and more overtly asking Hajime to kill him.

"Gross" - "Shihatsu to Kafuka" (n-buna): Reaching an impasse with Hajime, realizing they will never be able to see eye to eye despite their best attempts (around Chapter 4).

"We Will Commit Wolf Murder" - "Ghost (of 7th street)": Reading the file from the Final Dead Room and resolving to do his Chapter 5 scheme.

"Rhinestone Eyes" - "RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES": Blowing up the hotel, making bomb threats, telling people to torture him --- generally going villain mode.

"#2" & "Kill Command": He just wanted to be loved before he died................

OVA

"Trouble Awful Devil Evil" - "entotsu" (mitsume): Being brought out of his coma, rejoining other Remnants, reorienting himself to the new Hajime.

Postcanon (it's all Komahina)

"You've Got a Gift" - "the same things happening to me all the time, even in my dreams": Realizing he still admires, and has feelings for, Hajime. Immediately assumes those feelings will go unreciprocated for the rest of his life, and is more or less fine with that.

"Struck by Lightning" - "Un See Through": At Hajime's insistence, Komaeda chooses to be "selfish" by letting Hajime in. At this point he still fully believes that it will get them both killed, hence the songs about blissfully dying together.

"Happy Unhappy" - "Self Control": Very very painfully questioning his beliefs in light of his luck never retaliating.

"Gods of the Good Shit" & "Wishing Well": He manages to avoid losing his mind by reframing his relationship with Hajime as a final stroke of luck, the Ultimate Hope everything has been leading up towards. Much like his example in FTE 3, the Tragedy and the killing game were necessary precursors to him meeting Hajime.

"Everyone Adores You" - "Ball Cap": Trying to help Hajime through his own insecurities.

"Doc" - "Paul": Despite having sorted through the fear that his luck will kill Hajime, Komaeda still feels unworthy as a person and believes he's dragging Hajime down. In other words, he sees this as finally coming down from the irresponsible fantasy life he's been letting himself live with Hajime. He lets Hajime know it'd be fine if he wanted to leave... Then admits Hajime probably should leave him. Then begs Hajime to leave him. Finally, upon realizing Hajime is too stubborn to give up, Komaeda takes some drastic action to push him away.

"Heart for Brains" - "OK" : Hajime insists that Komaeda is what's important to him in life, and basically talks him off the edge — he'd basically spend every waking moment of his life making Komaeda feel better if that's what it takes, and he's not taking no for an answer. Komaeda truly cannot accept that he's not a burden, but eventually gives in and allows Hajime to love him anyway. He's too weak to keep putting up a fight, after all.

"Don't Go": Komaeda finally becomes selfish enough to ask Hajime to stay with him. This song parallels the lyrics "You can go if you want to / You should go if you want to" from "I'll be Alright" earlier in this relationship depression arc.

"Possession": Eternal commitment to each other, basically a montage of their life up until...

Death

"Putting the Dog to Sleep": Years later, Hajime's health starts to decline (ultimately due to the Kamukura project). Komaeda is convinced it's his fault, probably on account of his luck, and begs Hajime not to die first - "Prove to me I'm not gonna die alone." Outliving Hajime is especially cruel irony since Komaeda was never even meant to survive to this age. This song mirrors the first unlucky death, Komaeda's dog, which was a net loss.

"You Swan, Go On": Hajime dies, and Komaeda follows soon after. He feels unspeakable levels of gratitude towards Hajime in his final moments, never feeling entirely worthy even at the very end but so, so happy that it happened to him anyway.

"Last Words of a Shooting Star": Komaeda is grateful that his own body self destructs fast enough that he doesn't have to live too long in a world without Hajime. This song mirrors the second unlucky deaths, Komaeda's parents, who died with each other at the exact same time.

[the-sol-eater]

very, very cringe self-ship rambling below the cut. (and spoilers for Ulysses' FTEs if you haven't watched them)

I just finished watching Ulysses' free-time events and I am in absolute shambles

I remember I commented once that he must be quite affection-starved due to the fact that he's basically glued to his office when he is not at the museum, but I did not expect that thought to ever follow through to anything more than that. More than that, I didn't expect to learn just how lonely he is, how lonely he's always been, how...afraid he is of that fact, of being alone. How badly he wants someone who will not just talk to him, but listen to him. Someone who will actually care about what he says unlike his parents and peers.

I would love to be that person for him. That person that looks at him with wide eyes when he's rattling off about history or some random trivia, who asks him questions about it so he can talk even more in that damn nasally-ass voice of his. I want to hold him close to me and tell him just how much he matters to me, how much I care about him, how much I adore him and his stupid little face, and that though the future might be unpredictable, we'll be there for each other the whole way through. I hope I make him as red as the brightest rose. He is so fucking cute when he's embarrassed

just look at him. I wanna make him look like that more often. And also just...smile more often. I like it when he smiles. This is all going to bite me in the ass later I know, because if these FTEs taught me anything else, it's that his story is absolutely going to end in tragedy. But whatever, I'm going to ignore that for the time being lmao

[deltastra]

My Thoughts on Project Eden's Garden Chapter 1

Back in 2022, I was excited for the release of Project Eden's Garden prologue. And it didn't disappoint. Sadly I was too lazy to make a post at the time, haha. So here's a list of how much I liked the characters back when the prologue released:

^ For the record, just because I "dislike" the character, doesn't mean they're badly written. It's just a personal preference and it didn't change the way I viewed the story whatsoever. A disliked or hated character doesn't mean a bad character.

Anyway, 2 years later, chapter 1 has finally been released. It took me a few days but I finally finished it and I must say, I absolute loved it.

This post will be about my overall thoughts on what transpired in the chapter, my thoughts on the characters, and the story as a whole.

SUPER LONG POST INCOMING

SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 1 BELOW

We start off with a reminder of how much Damon fumbled 2 years ago lol. To be honest, I LOVED Damon for that rant at the end of the prologue. Was he mean? Yes. But it was so refreshing to see an asshole protag. I look forward to see how he develops.

After we see his room and check our surroundings. We were told by Cassidy to meet everyone in the dining hall. On our way there we can talk to Diana and I swear I love the conversations those two have. It's so much fun seeing someone has cheerful and kind as Diana deal with someone who is cold and logical as Damon.

Eventually we learn about the pharmacy and were even given a new update in our tozu tablets where we can learn more about eachother. Eva immediately told us to stop looking at them because it exposes our weaknesses and that's what Tozu was planning. I believed her right away because my impression of her during the prologue was that she'd be our 'Kirigiri', basically the cool-headed smart partner. I would've trusted her.

NOPE. TURNS OUT, THE ULTIMATE LIAR LIED ABOUT HER TALENT.

This was when I started seeing Eva for more than a 'Kirigiri' character. There was nothing wrong about her in the prologue, but she never clicked with me back then because everything about her felt 'on the nose'. I mean come on, "Ultimate Liar"???? That sounds so strange, but I liked the game so I didn't mind too much. With the reveal that she was actually a mathlete, I began opening up to her character more.

Like I genuinely started feeling for her character when everyone started making fun of her. You could feel the personality she built in the prologue shatter. And the more we learnt about her and why she lied about her talent, the more I began liking her and even relating to her a bit.

Anyway, we got freetime events and my first instinct was to run to Diana. I love her conversations with Damon and think they bounce off eachother well, even better than with Eva. I was excited to see more of that. And I'm glad I did.

I love how her free time event is just her teaching Damon to not be a jerk. Like, "Don't glare" for example. She also gives him praise where praise is due, such as him reaching out to her.

She is so good at talking to him that it's kind of adorable. I was interested in seeing if she can actually help Damon open up but that would also mean she would be most likely to die and I really didn't want that to happen so soon. Either way, she will definitely be my focus for FTE.

I wanted to talk to Grace and know more about her but it wasn't letting me because she locked herself in her room.

So I went to Eva instead. She was alone downstairs avoiding everyone and talking to her made me so sad. I understood her talent more and why she hid it.

Afterward we went for our private one-on-one with Tozu, forgot to mention but I find Damon to be very smart but also very stupid. Smart that he found a way to contact Tozu and discuss the blackmail he got of Wolfgang, but dumb in a sense that he is already under suspicion by everyone. If they found out he did this, everyone would suspect him more.

I love Tozu as a host and "mascot". He is so eccentric but also pretty scary when he needs to be. Like when he said "Go on. Leave first." at the end of their conversation. But to be honest, I felt as though this conversation was kind of useless...

Afterward we see that Grace and Wofgang are living together now because they switched roomies. Damon was too scared to sleep alone so he went to Kai's dorm. I was excited because I didn't really like Kai in the prologue, this was a chance to see him in a full chapter which can properly showcase his character to me. After that scene, I started liking Kai a little more but I was also suspicious of him because since Damon came late, Kai could tell the others and it would be terrible. Kai seems to have a habit of throwing Damon under the bus lol.

(Took me a while to combine those two screenshots to get the full image lol)

Afterwards, there was a cute scene with everyone doing laundry and it was nice seeing a more relaxed atmosphere. Damon and Kai chilling together, Ingrid singing (she has such a nice voice omg), and Grace yelling at Wolfgang because he doesn't know how to use a washing machine. Overall, a very wholesome scene.

We meet Eva and learn she has Desmond's blackmail. At first, I fully trusted her and why she told Damon. Desmond is a marksman, he has weapons. Meeting him personally to tell him something private abt him that he doesn't want people to know seems scary. Hence why I was so against Wolfgang's idea.

Eva's conversation with Damon was one of my favourite scenes in the game. It felt nice she noticed Damon's fruitless effort during the trial and how no one thanked him. She noticed that they are the only two against Wolfgang. As they talked, I thought about how I don't know if I could enjoy this scene as much as I do right now if Eva kept her "Ultimate Liar" persona. At this point, I was an Eva fan 100%. I might talk about her more one day in a post, but we'll see.

I felt like Damon finally made a friend. Well, the closest thing to one in a killing game at least. Eva had all the qualities that Damon could work with. A decent amount of trust and no naivety. They both are constantly on-guard.

Her reasoning to why she chose to be a 'Liar' was kind of reasonable, I was surprised. On paper, it sounds ridiculous to call yourself that in a killing game. But when taking Eva's whole character into perspective, everything falls into place perfectly. As Damon puts it, everything she did felt self-destructive. Little did I know how true this will be later.

When we make it to the dining hall, Wolfgang questions us on why we were late. Damon counters him. I like to believe Damon's open-willingness to argue with Wolfgang in front of everyone now is mostly due to learning more about Eva and having a sense of camaraderie with her. He doesn't feel alone for once, in terms of thinking.

Cassidy wants to hold a gaming tournament. It's sweet and I started opening up to her character cause of it. Wolfgang is unsure of attending and Diana said she would be "busy". I was scared. Why would Diana be busy and HOW could she be busy. She's been acting strange. It was making me think that she will die or be the first killer. The way she acted around Damon was a bit too suspicious. I wanted to do her freetime event again but she wasn't available, which made me more worried.

I did Eva's instead to learn more about her, I'll save my thoughts about it for another time. But the general reaction I had was "Yup. Someone tell 2022 me that he will become an Eva fan"

Other than Diana, I really wanted to know more about Desmond. So, I did his FTE next! He's lowkey a chill guy. I really hope he'll be our "bro" character but I feel like the signs are leaning towards Kai fulfilling that role. Unlike Wolfgang, Desmond's kindness doesn't feel calculated to me. He's just casual about everything. I liked how he claimed that Damon and him are similar and as to why he believes so, he even offered to debate with Damon. Overall, a neat conversation. I love Desmond in a sense that, he's just pleasant to be around. I hope to see more of his character shine in future chapters.

We meet Diana again and she seems to be back to normal, but the sinister music kicks in when she asks how we are. I was VERYYY concerned. I assumed someone had severe blackmail on her and thought she murdered someone. Before it felt sweet when she wanted to know more about Damon and Eva, but in this scenario, it was very suspicious. Tozu even said, "Tonight could be the night which changes your life forever." which implies that he saw someone get murdered.

After a funny scene with Damon and Kai sharing a bed. We wake up and head to the gaming tournament!

At the time, I was so happy to see Eva choosing to go to the tournament and even bonding with Cassidy over a niche game. I thought Eva no longer had to hide under a false talent in order to feel powerful. She could be herself. Man...

She goes on explaining that she used to eat lunch in the bathrooms which made me feel for her even more. Part of me disliked Damon for making a joke at her expense when she was being vulnerable, but I can't help but think that it is also his way of showing that he does not pity her and treats her like an equal (somewhat). Hell, Eva even laughed at the joke.

The tournament begins and I love how seriously Damon was taking it. I actually believe he was having fun. I love Damon because while he may be an ass, when he's focused on something, he gives it his all. This includes a silly gaming tournament too.

Then a blackout occured and I KNOW someone's getting killed. So time to lock in. And man...let's just say I am GLAD I never got spoiled because...

MY JAW DROPPED.

A million thoughts flowed through my brain. Was this a fake-out? Was this death merely shock factor? He was meant to be the rival and main obstacle to Damon and Eva, HOW?

I was looking forward to seeing trials with Damon and Wolfgang going head-to-head.

I was both shocked and worried about where the writing will go. Wolfgang had so much potential in the story.

But I also thought "let them cook". With the main guy who encouraged everyone that no one would resort to violence was killed. Ultimately, his death disproved everything he believed in. His death WILL kickstart the killing game for sure.

My prediction was that it was Diana who killed him.

I really hoped it wasn't Diana but she was too suspicious.

As we investigated, we had to convince Grace to let us in Wolfgang's room. Honestly this was when I started to actually dislike Grace because why on earth did she think this was a good idea. I guess she had a connection to Wolfgang, but it was still irritating how much she hindered the investigation. This situation did let me see more of Eloise and man, she can be pretty scary. I heard her FTE is no different, I should look it up sometime.

Then, we had around 20 minutes remaining for the investigation, so we had to rush. Even though there was no time limit for the player, I could still feel the tension. I desperately wanted to know Diana's testimony. She feels completely different, like all the light in her eyes is gone and for good reason. Just like the others, she looked up to Wolfgang and believed no one would kill eachother. I love how you can feel the stakes rising. This isn't like the prologue. Your life is on the line and there is no time to grieve. And with Damon and Eva leading the investigation, two people who struggle with emotions and were outcasted by Wolfgang, it gets harder.

This scene is kind of why I like Diana, some may find this type of behaviour annoying and naive, but to me it showcases how much she's willing to believe in people as opposed to Damon. It hurts that Diana is STILL trying to see the good in people. But without Wolfgang, no one wants to play nice or believe in eachother anymore. Hence Grace's declaration of anger towards the killer enjoying their death penalty and Mark's agreement. Although I was also thinking how much this scene would hurt if Diana was the killer.

You know it's funny. Back when I was younger and a huge DGR fan, i would watch the class trials and think, wow the MC and partner carries these. Damon kind of reflects that. He believes in his own talent THAT much and he has seen how the students participate in the trials. Damon isn't necessarily right about how he is the only one who can carry this trial, but he is right that without him, its very hard to believe that the class can solve the murder of Wolfgang.

I love Damon's internal monolgues because it shows the type of person he is. He can be bitter and arrogant, but he is not heartless.

Either way, the trial begins and Grace is IMMEDIATELY questioned by Eloise for good reason.

I liked Grace in the prologue because she's a very outspoken person who takes no nonsense. But throughout this trial, I was getting irritated with her attitude. I hope her character actually goes somewhere in later chapters because if it stays like this, I doubt I will like her as much as I did in the prologue.

We eventually reach the part where Cassidy asked the person with Wolfgang's blackmail to speak up and explain themselves if they're innocent and DAMON WAS SWEATING BULLETS. However, Eva had our backs and explained why that information would not be useful. I can see why Damon stayed silent, if someone like him spoke up, who knows how everyone will react. ESPECIALLY Grace.

Also an interesting thing I've noticed is that everyone seems to be genuinely helping and contributing to the class trial. No one is just needlessly making quips. Cassidy makes jokes time to time, but she still helps.

Then when the suspicion hit Diana, I WAS SCARED. I was genuinely believing that she was the one who killed Wolfgang. But...how? She doesn't seem like someone who can kill and I doubt the writers would make her suddenly evil. So I assumed she killed out of self-defence.

What I loved a lot as a Damon and Diana fan was how Damon was starting to feel sympathy towards Diana. DAMON of all people. I wish I remembered how to use Pathos bullets so I could see Damon speak from a more emotional perspective, it feels more fitting for his development in my opinion.

We learn that the reason why she was crying with guilt was not because she killed Wolfgang, it was because she watched him die and couldn't do anything.

I'm skimming through the events of the trial as this post is getting long.

With Diana's suspicion cleared, I had no idea who would kill Wolfgang at this point. I started assuming Wenona did it or maybe Ulysses. However, looking back at it, it seems Eva still suspected Diana. I was too blind to see why would she even after Damon cleared it up.

As the trial progressed and we learn that the suspect could be anyone in the tournament. I was trying to hard to think who it could possibly be. Everyone had the realistic reaction of freaking out and yelling their alibis. I thought so hard. Who could it be? Who's position can Damon not remember? And then it hit, and I still doubted myself...

Eva. Of course, she started defending herself. As she started claiming that Damon was saying nonsense and that he's the killer, I could feel the friendship between these two die. I wonder if there was truly any sense of friendship between them to begin with. I believe that Damon genuinely thought there was whether he would admit it or not.

I was worried that just like with Wolfgang, Eva being the killer so early seems like wasted potential. But no, its perfect. Because of her character throughout the chapter and what we learn about her. I'll save it for a future post. I want to talk about Eva more.

As Eva claimed that she only pretended to be friends with Damon, his internal monologue was heartbreaking. Eva's words SHOULDN'T matter to him. He's close to solving the murder. But sadly, they do affect him. He judged others for being too trusting, while he blindly followed Eva's words.

As Damon gave his speech about how he did respect Wolfgang and how he doesn't want to see bloodshed, Kai vouched for him which I LOVE. It shot Kai up on my list cause of that. I was afraid he would be the guy to always point fingers at Damon, but thankfully it wasn't the case.

Eva broke down and we see her true nature. And to no one's surprise, all of this could've been avoided if people didn't give her too much shit for being a mathlete. Of course it isn't that simple since Eva had issues before that. But I genuinely believe that Wolfgang shouldn't have put too much suspicion on Eva and Damon and make them outcasts, it came back to bite him as Eva was obsessed with proving herself.

Seeing her cry after her defeat was hard to watch. The character I thought would be the "Kirigiri" of this game is now standing here, sobbing, and about to be executed.

Her rant about Wolfgang and how they blindly followed him is something I somewhat agree with.

I agree with Diana as well and it solidied my love for Eva and Diana's character. Diana genuinely tried to keep her part of the group. SHE TRIED. Wolfgang was okay with just throwing them to the side. That's where I think Diana is better than Wolfgang. But Eva was too wrapped up in her hatred that she couldn't see that someone was genuinely helping her. A mindset that is understandable for someone who has been bullied and outcasted for all their life. This was out of Diana's control.

But Eva isn't wrong either. Could she really trust Diana's intentions? No, not when Diana would also believe Wolfgang's word, the same word of the man who treats her like an outcast.

We learn about the traitor's perk. And I know people say Tozu threatened her to take it, but I feel like saying that she was treatened and thats why she killed Wolfgang kind of goes against all that we were shown? We didn't properly learn of the traitor's perk and its consequences until AFTER her rant about everyone in the class and her life. The traitor perk's consequences seemed more of an after-thought to her. Eva is very complex and I love that.

As she pointed out their hypocrisy, Grace yelled at Tozu to get on with the execution. I know she's upset and I understand that. But I would be lying if I said she didn't fall down my list immensely after saying that. Tozu announces the execution and Eva cries. Her execution was..intense. I wanna go into it deeper one day but to keep it short for now, I love how the execution wasn't just themed after her talent. The execution felt like an insult towards her story as a whole. She will always be a mathlete. Now with both Wolfgang and Eva dead, the killing games will finally begin. There is no one to guide them. Unless..

I know this scene is cringe to some people, but this made me love Diana and feel confident regarding what they'll do with her character going forward. She will follow Wolfgang's footsteps, and who knows, maybe have a more 'healthy' version of leadership than Wolfgang's approach. She genuinely believes in everyone, even Eva. I love that. I feel like her character losing hope as the game progresses seems off. This was a nice speech of hers but she should've picked a better time. Because unfortunately, no one took her speech seriously.

Except for one.

At this point, it seems obvious that Diana act as Damon's foil for the upcoming trials. Damon, who relies on logic. Diana, who relies on emotion. I'm cautiously optimistic because I thought it would be Wolfgang when I finished the prologue but I was dead wrong. I cannot wait to see how both of these characters develop their rivalry throughout the trials.

-------

And thats a wrap! This post took me like 3 weeks to write cuz I've been busy lol.

This chapter was so good and I was at the edge of my seat! I'm so happy I never got spoiled!

It's amazing how in just one chapter, Eva became my absolute favourite. It feels like just yesterday I was sold on everyone's character in the prologue except for her. I thought she'd be the know-it-all, cool-headed partner. But the reveal of her true talent was a nice surprise! And her whole character was well-written and complex.

With how well the motive for murder was written in this chapter, I really hope the later chapters don't get too crazy. Like no 'despair disease' type of motive please. I hope the kills don't get too unrealistic as well, keeping them grounded helps maintain the atmosphere for this story in my opinion. As for the executions, I'd be amazed if they centered around the characters' journey instead of just their talent, like with Eva for example. It played on her insecurities.

Finally, it seems the main theme for this chapter was 'hypocrisy' as the title of the chapter suggests.

Damon, who thought everyone was naive for trusting eachother and especially Wolfgang, blindly trusted Eva.

Wolfgang, who believed no one would kill and that everyone should stick together, outcasted Damon and Eva and urged everyone to keep an eye on them just because of some rude remarks they made.

Eva, who claims no one cared for her and hates her, screwed over Damon and Diana who did care about her and had multiple opportunties to befriend people like Cassidy in the gaming tournament.

I'm sure theres more that I'm missing but this is all I got for now. Here is my updated tier list after Chapter 1:

Overall, fantastic chapter. I'm so excited for the next!!! Keep cooking Eden's Garden team! You're all doing great!!!! anyway sorry for the long yap session

[anonzentimes]

Hi! I also adore Hajime so much and have some additional thoughts on things you mentioned that I'd love to offer for your consideration:

1. Why he doesn't like Sakuramochi. It's my pet headcanon that he's also trans - fairly common one, though the textual support for it is accidental, if there. Sakuramochi is traditionally part of Girls Day celebration (Hinamatsuri) and, just... Him having an uncomfortable association with it because of that.

2. Hinata and sweet things. My own personal hc is that he's not a sweet tooth (there's this one scene in the exploration time of one of the chapters (2 maybe? I think it's in the beachhouse) where he finds a vending machine or fridge and gets all judgy about it being filled with sweet drinks and sodas. (Sakuramochi is also typically sweeter than kuzamochi)

2. a. THAT SAID, I actually have an unsupported side headcanon where Kamukura likes sweets a lot more, and while I'm personally fond of them cohabitating in the brainspace postgame, it's the sort of thing that works well even with merged hajizuru that bc postgame Hinata just having this uncharacteristic hankering for sweets especially whenever he's bored or utilizing his talents. (Komaeda's a fan of salty foods himself)

3. Related to my trans headcanon -- some accidental canon support for it: His chest size + Komaeda's "you look thinner in clothes" comment. The way one of the CGs in chapter 4 where he's dying from working out and his shirt is soaked through in sweat Except for a band around his chest that stays solid. Nanami's weird comments about how hard his chest is in one of the FTE and the level to which he was stressing about it. That boy binds I'm telling you!! (I know its only a pet headcanon and not intended, but i love finding support for it like that in the text lmao)

Anyway, this is all just for fun and sharing thoughts, not for trying to sway you one way or another!

OOOO!!!! thank you for sharing your thoughts !!! :D

TRANS HEADCANON WITH THE MOCHI GOES SO HARD NO WAY??????????

tbh to clarify my headcanon for him isn't that he's entiiirreely a sweet tooth, but more like he will want sugar sometimes and will get it strictly from drinks like juices or teas because he finds actual sweet pastries overwhelming (me when I project me when I project)!!!! Which was what I was thinking about the mochi like "hmm maybe he just doesn't like too many physical pastries and has a sugar limit but likes sugary juices and teas, LIKE ME!!!" and then boom silly interpretation thats probably very biased formed. BUT SO REAL!!!!! This interpretation is fun too, I like hearing other people's thoughts :D! Soda stinks ngl he's honestly real for that LOL.

Izuru having different tastebuds compared to Hajime is sooo interesting that's a really fun idea ahhh!!! And then they mix when he's both that's so fun my gosh.

trans hajime headcanons are silly and precious i think <3

[yakool-foolio]

okay hit me with your impeccable kaede ships opinion

You've got it, boss! Ranking Kaede's ships with all of the V3 students!

Kaede x Shuichi: 10/10; the protags should kiss I think. Their interactions in canon, however brief, are incredibly sweet and carry a ton of weight throughout the entire game. Ya can really tell how much they mattered to each other. I want them to have a happy ending so bad!

Kaede x Rantaro: 6/10; ah yes, the chapter 1 fellas. I never really got any romantic vibes from them personally, but I can see the potential. The bonus nail painting scene is super cute (with Tsumugi tagging along being comedy gold), and I can imagine their adventurous spirits melding well together!

Kaede x Ryoma: 4/10; Ryoma needs a light in his life, and I do think that Kaede would fit that bill. They feel like a different flavor of Saimatsu to me, but I do think her relationship with Shuichi would pan out a lot better in the end. Ryoma seems like the type who needs friends that have his back more than a love interest in my opinion.

Kaede x Kirumi: 8/10; the more I think about this pairing, the more I like it. Just imagine them playing the piano n cello together. May I win you over with the duet scene from Electric Dreams as their dynamic, perhaps?

Kaede x Angie: 3/10: I can see it, but it isn't really for me. I haven't seen much content of them together, but I could be swayed into liking the pairing more if I stumbled upon it more often. Ah well, that's the common tragedy of rare pairs.

Kaede x Tenko: 9/10; I'm a sworn Tenmiko shipper, but I can't deny these two are also really adorable. The duo that will slap the most sense into anyone that crosses them. Tenko soaks up all of Kaede's compliments n flirtations like a sponge, n Tenko will always be around to fiercely protect Kaede.

Kaede x Korekiyo: 1/10; not for me. I could be persuaded to be neutral on it, but for now it just isn't my cup of tea. They just don't have anything going for them that I can positively imagine. Don't get me wrong, I think Kiyo's interesting, but he would just not pair well with Kaede in my eyes.

Kaede x Miu: 6/10; I'm surprised at how much chemistry they have. In Miu's FTEs, Kaede genuinely wants to help her out with her communication issues, which is pretty sweet. If Kaede has the patience to help Miu, that's gotta count for something. Miu being a flustered mess is always a treat.

Kaede x Gonta: 6/10; definitely has potential to be a really cute pair. Given enough time, I think Kaede could come around to appreciating bugs as she spends more time with Gonta. I think she'd love orchid mantises especially.

Kaede x Kokichi: 5/10; never really gave this ship much thought, but it makes sense why people like it. It's standard protag x rival protocol, but with extra silliness. I imagine Kokochi would ask Kaede to compose a 'villain theme' for DICE, but he'd appreciate whatever she comes up with.

Kaede x Kaito: 7/10; the morale boosters! Their combined optimism and enthusiasm is highly contagious. You wouldn't wanna miss their exciting training sessions! Meshing music n astronomy together also just sounds awesome. And Kaede wearing Kaito's jacket is a very cute image I just conjured up.

Kaede x Maki: 10/10; Kaimaki but for lesbians! If Kaede survived longer, I really do think they would've eventually gotten along. I'll be at my happiest with Kaemaki n Saimota happening at the same time methinks.

Kaede x Himiko: 5/10; another ship with some good potential. They'd host the best performances together. They just wanna see everyone happy and I think that's cute.

Kaede x Keebo: 7/10; let Kaede teach Keebo music theory and help him improve his singing! I know she's not a singer herself, but I think her piano skills could assist him practicing matching notes with his voice. I think I'm just really hooked on the idea of Keebo singing Daisy Bell (the first song sung by a computer) with Kaede playing along, the idea makes me melt.

Kaede x Tsumugi: 9/10; may I interest you in some toxic yuri? In a world where Kaede survives to the end, their dynamic would pop tf off I think. Imagine this girl you've been crushing on is actually the mastermind trying to frame you for murder. Ouch. But you bet Tsumugi was also dealing with some feelings for Kaede by basically writing her to be so complimentary towards her. I can see through your lies Tsumugi you can't fool me.

[shsl-writer]

sorry for accidentally dming you this but I find you very interesting and got too excited and pressed the wrong button and stuff so uh yeah

Opinions on Kiyo? (I’m very very normal about Kiyo and definitely relate to him to a average degree)

Heslo! Don’t worry, I totally get it, I’m horrific with technology. I’m just glad you wanted to talk!

Kiyo! God, I adore Kiyo. I haven’t gotten to the third game yet but I’ve watched all the ftes and am obviously pretty deeply entrenched in fandom stuff so I know a good deal about him, he’s genuinely one of my favorite Danganronpa characters.

To me Kiyo reads as an abused person who hasn’t yet realized they’ve been abused. Other people can probably articulate it better than me but from what I’ve seen his Sister has dictated most everything about him from his clothes to his interests. Everything he does is for her and from the sounds of it this is still the case years after her death, that’s how deeply she’s influenced (and manipulated) him. I’m assuming that his parents were either absent or not there entirely which is why she had so much control over him. It makes me so angry about what they did to him in the 3rd trial not only because Kiyo’s character was then completely villainized but because it’s an absolutely disgusting way to paint someone who’s so clearly been abused. There’s a difference between recognizing that a character doesn’t realize they’ve been mistreated and writing them to be a goddamn serial killer (Danganronpa has a history of turning heavily traumatized characters ‘evil’ tho, just look at Toko and Syo).

Anyway, I also think Kiyo is super autistic. So many of his sprites are self-soothing positions (which could also be related to the abuse but yunno), he’s covered pretty much head to toe which could be to protect from sensory issues, and most importantly: this man infodumps like no one’s fucking business. It’s kinda all he talks about unless prompted otherwise? And there’s implication he doesn’t have a lot of control over it because he’ll cut himself off sometimes realizing he’d been talking for too long and dominating the conversation. All of his ftes with Shuichi are about essentially acting as a teacher for different anthropological subjects. That is a special interest, you can’t convince me otherwise.

Overall I think Kiyo is just a really tragic character who was completely fucked over by the writing. As someone ND myself I find him so fucking relatable. He’s seen as weird and typically keeps to himself and has a hard time holding a normal conversation. He keeps trying to just stay in the background and observe but not only does his stature make that difficult he’s also got so much to say, so much knowledge he wants to share, and he just wants someone who will listen. I hold him so dear to my heart <33

[hiruko-shizuhara]

hey look ma im famous LMAOOOOO but srsly thank you for enjoying the contents of my brain <3333 i agree w pretty much everything on your list!! also the recent takemaru vid from today has boosted him v favorably bc of his adorably bad taste & how takumi is clearly into him despite how lame he is and i now ship them a bit,, thinking of fic ideas as we speak shhh 🤫🤫 -☠️

lmao yeah as someone who's looked at all those mini FTE things, takemaru's bad taste is quite evident there, too. i think it's also mentioned if you try to talk to him when takumi is tasked with exploring the school. takemaru x hiruko is the 2nd biggest hiruko ship, and i'm intrigued to see how it could play out (i think there's a good chance it could happen canonically), and i wonder if them bonding over their weird art tastes would be part of that. (also hiruko gives motorcycle girlie vibes to me so possibly that too)

but yeah, i saw someone else mention how takumi's response to the leopard print underwear isn't 'that's strange/stupid', it's 'that's kinda sexy'. i need more info to ship em, but i will Keep An Eye Out for it, because i think it could be nice. it gives me vibes of mondoXmakoto except with more of ishi/mondo's 'bro' element

[mars-ipan]

mars i read this fucking crazy ass line of dialogue from nagito in ch4 and i have a screenshot on my steam but it refuses to let me view it so i will have to quote from memory but its in the same string of dialogue as the fte just before nekomarus death where nagito talks about being okay with being eaten and its the line before hand which ive never seen anyone talk about and i HAVE to bring this to your attention before i draw it AND make a tumblr post ab it once i get my fuckinh screenshot

and this is me loosely quoting because again, cannot find it and my pc is back at home but nagito essentially says something along the lines of:

“i think im starting to lose it, your face is blurry, hajime.”

and i just want to also put forward that it says when you hang out with him that him and hajime had delayed/slow conversation which implies JUST how hungry they are and i find something about this so incredibly upsetting because asides from a music choice that i ALSO plan to make a post about its the first time it rlly hit me like “yo wait theyre like starving” because idk what ab it didnt affect me so deeply but after OPTIONAL DIALOGUE showed off those sort of symptoms from my SHAYLA nagito i almost cried because WHAT.

theyre both just so hungry that talking is hard, and nagito mentions his vision being blurry and im like ughwhwhwjwj holyyy shitttt. my shaylas my shaylas i love tjemmwm BUT had to yap ab that in an ask soz 🫶🫶

OH I KNOW THOSE LINES !!! i actually adore them so much it really hammers home just how desperate the situation is

[stillthewc]

YEAR OF THE FANGAN - MARCH EDITION

ꕥ DREADNOUGHT DESPAIR ꕥ

The TV Tropes Fanworks page officially strikes again! Because I lean towards fics advertised on there with character pages (as usually that indicates the characters aren't solely there to be picked off), Dreadnought Despair's been on my radar for a while. And, unsurprisingly, it exceeded expectation.

Now, in terms of the cast, I love these guys. Due to the "cozy" way of telling the story (aka focusing moreso on building relationships amongst the cast than an overarching plot about the killing game Hope's Chains style), there's space in the narrative to explore different character dynamics. Because of that, the class bounces off one another super well, and allows my faves more time to show off their fun personalities without having to keep up with a fast-paced story.

However, despite the strong cast and chill vibes, my favorite part of this fangan is easily how it presents itself.

I think the best place to start off with is the visuals, because the blog for this story looks damn gorgeous. Each character is given really nice character portraits that can even indicate in-the-moment actions the characters are taking (for example, Ishi being held back from doing something by Vash), the textboxes are colour-coded to each character, and there's even gifs for small things like maps during FTEs.

But my admiration for the presentation doesn't end with the visuals alone. The fic takes on a Last Resort / Apex Academy style of navigating (something that makes FTEs a lot funner imo), mixed media like videos and audio clips are sprinkled through the story, and foreign lines from characters like Gugalanna and Seigfried have pop-up translations if you hover over them. Hell, apparently there was a viewer poll for a decision made in the story at one point!

All of this culminates in what's easily my favorite part of this fangan: the trial segment. Now, I've played through my fair share of fun interactive trials in my hayday (aka Eden's Garden and Apex Academy, and that's literally it so far), but this has got to be the most impressive one imo. Alongside incorporating several of the things mentioned above, it also has somewhat-branching routes, fun pieces of dialogue when you get something wrong, and full-on minigames!?!?!? Seriously, the author deserves an actual prize for that Anagram Argument / Panic Talk Action segment (even if I wished the latter didn't kick my dumb ass back to the start of it when I got a choice wrong, rip 😭)

Seriously, go read it and experience everything first-hand! I promise you won't regret it!

FORMAT: Written

WHERE TO FIND IT: The hellsite itself, Tumblr

FAVORITE MOMENT: The library meeting, where most of the class discusses their motive. A lot of small pieces of insight are given about the secondary characters, it allows for more fun dynamics to blossom, and one character gets a pretty interesting reveal.

FAVORITE CHARACTER: Jurou Takahashi, a guy with a shitty mall goth aesthetic who's actually a good ol' country boy who makes flower arrangements as his talent. An absolute sweetheart just doing his best, and I adore him for it 💖

OTHER STANDOUT CHARACTERS: Tiffani Fairfax, the cranky, sarcastic technical support specialist whose cynical take on things is a blast to read, and Nikola Ragnvaldsson, a TV pitchman who does his best to mask his panicky nature with a smile, something he's really, really bad at doing.

[phantom-rats]

Ok, so- (said with intent to infodump)

Teruteru is such a performance of a person. I think a pretty integral part of his character is his tendency to self-aggrandize, if not outright lie about his upbringing and accomplishments. I often wonder if he’s actually ashamed of his background at all, or if he just knows that a certain subsection of people would think less of him for it. Because, at the moment, it seems they only want him around when he’s providing something for them… Food, primarily. And I think he would tell himself that he’s content with that, with embodying this persona and proving himself through his talent, but his desperate bids for attention through his weird and creepy behavior would say otherwise. He’s fun to dissect, because how much of what we’re seeing is really him? What would you find if you managed to get past that?

His arc in the simulation, short as it is, is very fascinating to me. Primarily because I don’t think Teruteru is stupid. He’s in such deep denial, from the very beginning, and the paranoia he’s doing a piss poor job of pushing down eventually bubbles over until he can’t take it anymore. But maybe if he didn’t feel the need to hide so much of himself, including his completely understandable levels of terror and concern for his mother, he wouldn’t have needed to do what he did… I wonder if he could’ve been talked down, if only he wasn’t so deathly afraid of emotional vulnerability… But then again, I do think he was genuinely looking for a way to get back home to his mom, no matter the cost. 

His mom seems to be the only person he truly allows himself to be genuine with… And, in some ways, the only person he seems to really deeply care for. His dad left him and he openly dislikes his siblings. I don’t think he has any friends and his classmates don’t seem to care for him too much (in canon, at the start, at least). It adds a whole layer of tragedy to his story both in the simulation and during his time as a Remnant, given that he… Well, he very likely killed her himself, if not cooked and ate her too. I really adore this part in his FTEs where he’s asked what his dream is, he gets so confused and just throws out some random answer that he thinks aligns with his persona (“My real dream is-! Having a cute, sommelier wife… maybe…?”). I think the culmination of his FTEs and arc in general is that, in the end, he wanted to make his Mom smile, and I think this desire extends to others too. But he wraps it up in so many layers of grandiosity and bullshit that it can easily come off as arrogant and attention-seeking. 

He wanted to make people happy, and he still does, but he’s not doing such a good job of it anymore. He hopes his cooking makes up for everything everyone hates about him, and it does, but he can’t possibly be satisfied with that. He acts like he is, because he knows it’s better than nothing. And they don’t have a choice but to keep him around. But he has to want more than that, doesn’t he? 

Sorry for the extremely long reply! As a massive Teruteru fan of several several years, I’m probably overanalyzing him a little bit- 

inauthentic

[dreamsy990]

yknow you've got a really good point there. I think i kept bouncing off of the intro to case 2? because once i got into it I agree it's pretty damn good. my brain just did Not want me to get to that point for some reason. peko and fuyuhiko are just... ah i'll cry. they really did that.

and yeah nagito is very interesting. i'd always seen a lot of discourse over his character and figured i wouldn't like him much but once i finally got into the game it was like. Woah. what a unique character.

GOD I LOVE PEKO AND FUYUHIKO and yeah i thinkkkkkkk the intro to that case was a bit boring? i say this because i dont remember much about it besides hajime rickrolling kazuichi. and i guess theres a sweet mahiru and hiyoko scene? but the fuyuhiko and peko stuff was so fucking tragic. i adore fuyuhikos character arc hes so amazing

and YEAH i genuinely dont get why people dont like nagito???? a lot of it feels like hating him because hes popular. hell even i pretended i hated nagito (and also komahina) for a little bit just because he was popular. but hes???????? so interesting?????????? hes the embodiment of a guy i want to dissect to figure out exactly whats wrong with him. i think its easy to hate him if you dont do his ftes and have no idea whats going on with him. like without them hes far less interesting because he just seems insane about hope, and then a condescending and malicious asshole later on. but with the context of his ftes hes way more interesting. his ideology and mentality are so well thought out, and the narrative of hajime hating him but still feeling the draw of trying to figure him out, so he keeps coming back despite it all? its so good okay. i am NOT ashamed to say i love nagito

[yakool-foolio]

Hello, give me one for Danganronpa, Ace Attorney and Rain Code of that character ask. (angel wants to know if Yomi anf Kristoph go to super hell)

A package deal! You've sold me on the chance to ramble about so many characters. You opened the floodgates, now you're in the splash zone!

Danganronpa: Blorbo - Shuichi Saihara (No surprises here) Scrunkly - Kiibo (He's so cute man, every time I think about his blushing sprites or him wanting to be a singer I crumple up like a napkin) Scrimblo bimblo - Tenko Chabashira (She deserves so much more love, the writing did her so damn dirty by hiding all her motivations in FTEs. I will never forgive Kodaka for this) Glup shitto - Tsumugi Shirogane (She's my favorite mastermind I don't care what anyone says about her! Anyone who calls her 'one-dimensional' talks like they're stuck in the killing game behind the screen! But I know better! MY DAD WORKS AT NINTENDO!) Poor little meow meow - Nagito Komaeda (Only considered controversial because of what the fandom has done to this poor guy. He's no doubt one of--if not the--best character Kodaka's ever written, and yet I must helplessly watch as he's reduced to 'haha I like hope and I'm crazy,' which is a huge disservice to his complex and well thought out story. Sadly it's a symptom of him being dragged outside of his context by pop culture.) Horse plinko - Junko Enoshima (I dunno, she probably wouldn't mind it) Eeby deeby - Nagito Komaeda again (I had to look up the exact meaning of superhell for this. And honestly he kinda did that to himself. Now wake up Nagito and go get your man so ya can live on that island together!)

Ace Attorney: Blorbo - Kazuma Asogi (Whoops he stole the top spot from Apollo, but believe me I think about him a lot too, especially cause he wins the relatability category; social anxiety go brrrrrrr. Yet no character has had me go more feral than Kazuma and I still have a TON on my mind about him that I really need to put to written word someday.) Scrunkly - Ron DeLite (MY SWEET LIL GUY! I'd let him steal all my valuables cause he's just too darn cute!) Scrimblo bimblo - Bobby Fulbright/The Phantom (The best final case culprit for the best final case in the entire series, I will not waver in my opinion! Bobby is such a fun detective, nearing the heights of Sholmes, while also being revealed to be the identity-stealing assassin I've always dreamed of. I will run in circles forever thinking about this amalgamation of a character. Now if only he was given any official merch...) Glup shitto - Satoru Hosonaga (If Hosonaga only has one fan then that's me! If there's ever a TGAA Investigations game, he better make a cameo someway somehow!) Poor little meow meow - Matt Engarde (This could've also gone to The Phantom but it fits Matt thematically cause he's very orange cat coded to me. My first 'uh oh my favorite character is a murderer aren't they' moment in Ace. And it would not be the last.) Horse plinko - Mael Stronghart (I hate this dude I hope Klint and Genshin are beating him up as ghosts.) Eeby deeby - Kristoph Gavin (If I had a nickel for every time I turned a dynamic between a mastermind antag and a mentor figure into bitter exes cause it somehow makes their relationship more interesting than it already is, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.)

Rain Code: Blorbo - Yakou Furio (What blog do ya think you're even lookin' at right now?) Scrunkly - Shinigami (She's really adorable in her blob form with how she emotes, and she's a sweet person under all her snark!) Scrimblo bimblo - Melami Goldmine (The more I think about my personal interpretation of Vivia's backstory, the more I love Melami by association since she's got a lot going on with her as well. I'd kill to learn more about her history and if she's had any canonical affiliation or interaction with Vivia. I need them to be business partners!) Glup shitto - Nun (What's not to love about a cat-eared nun who runs a death metal choir at the church? I'd go to one of her performances any day!) Poor little meow meow - Hitman Zilch (I got real sad over him dying because I thought we'd lost the best antag in the entire game AND WE'D ONLY JUST BEGUN. This hitman has altered my brain chemistry forever and there's no cure.) Horse plinko - Dr. Huesca ("It's what he deserves," I say calmly and rationally through gritted teeth as my fist clenches and trembles with rage.) Eeby deeby - Yomi Hellsmile (If I had a nickel for every time I turned a dynamic between a mastermind antag and a mentor figure into bitter exes cause it somehow makes their relationship more interesting than it already is, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.)

[thenuggieking]

AAA luv you dude ur so cool. Time to respond to every section/hj

His pomp is rlly annoying to draw lmfao, i tend to do it differently every time, i love seeing diff interpretations of it!! Dangan did him so dirty tjo giving him a literal corncob THATS NOT HOW THEYRE SUPPOSED TO LOOOOKK

ALL OF HIS INTERACTIONS WITH GONTA R SO FUNNY i adore a lot of his lines tbh theres no way i could choose just one, but his interactions with chihiro in summer camp and stuff r so sweet :(

ALSO AAA YES HIM AND KAITO WAAAHH he says kaito is like a brother to him in the UTDP thingy and it makes me ILL

Ima be real im a bigger fan of chimondo than ishimondo, but thats a good portion because of the way people have mischaracterized the two of them SO BADLY that a lot people literally dont even view them as their own characters anymore, especially not mondo. Hes seen as an add on to taka alot of the times and it bothers me SO bad

For the random headcanon, there is actually a bit of info on that!! In his last fte with makoto he says he wants to become a carpenter after they get out because hes spent so much time destroying things, he feels its time he tries building them instead :(( thats where the whole thing of him building Ishi and him a house comes from.

ALSO UR UNPOPULAR OPINION IS WIDELY SHARED BY MONDOBLR i fucking hate when people water him down to "big dumb tough guy", but some people also make him insanely mushy too when hes neither of those things. He deserves to be soft sometimes, but hes stuck in this mindset of toxic masculinity, hes not gonna allow himself to be anything other than what he considers "manly" around people until he breaks that mentality down

AND THAT PIXTURE IS WONDERFUL. This is one of mine

For the send me a character thing!! Mondo? 🤨 (obligitory ask hes my favorite)

Mondo and Taka are my favs from the first game so I’m glad you asked about him!!

- favorite thing about them

I’m always a sucker for characters with tough guy facades with soft spots for other characters/animals so I suppose that!!!

-least favorite thing about them

As an artist his pompadour 😭 it’s so hard to draw I was drawing him last night and it was rough.

-favorite line

It’s not a specific line nor is it directly canon but I like his conversation in the ultimate talent development plan he has with Gonta where he gets kinda peeved at Gonta for implying that bugs are better than dogs like ?? Unstoppable force meets immovable object or something

-brOTP

I love love LOVE his interactions with Kaito as well and I like thinking about them being best friends, as well as him and Leon and Chihiro they are all best friends.

-OTP

ISHIMONDO STAYS 🔛🔝 no competition (I saw someone say on here there was like an ishimondo to saimota shipper pipeline and it called me out actually)

-nOTP

I don’t think I have any?? I guess there’s some I just see and don’t understand and to be fair I really can’t see him with anyone else personally but I don’t think I’ve seen a ship romantic or platonic with him that made me react negatively?

-random headcanon

I’m not sure if this is rooted in any canon dialogue but I don’t think there’s any that I can remember off the top of my head so I’ll consider this a headcanon currently but I like the idea that he does a lot of wood working/building things in his free time, maybe mechanic work? He and kazuichi are mechanic buddies in my head.

-unpopular opinion

Not sure if this is unpopular but I think the fandom mischaracterizes him more than not,,like, they either make him too mean or too sweet and it drives me crazzyyyyy especially with non despair fics where they’re essentially still starting from before any of his character development. Drives me BONKERS. otherwise I don’t really have negative opinions on him I see this man through rose tinted glasses

-song i associate with them

I just know an edit of him to Punk Tactics by Joey Valence and Brae would go so fucking hard

-favorite picture of them

If mondo would just lean forward a liiiittle bit and tip byakuya over with that pompadour I think a lot of problems would’ve been solved /hj