Danganronpa 3: 10 Things Fans Missed In The Series

Danganronpa 3 was the anime season conclusion to tie off the game series. In the conclusion, the last of the Remnants of Despair are defeated, a new principle is picked for Hopes Peak Academy, and we get to meet other students and staff of the academy.

Unlike the rest of the series, Danganronpa 3 did not have any trials because it was never meant to be a game. Instead, the characters are in a final fight for their lives as a Remnant of Despair seeks to complete Junk Enoshima’s dream. By the end, the characters from the first and second game meet and conclude the epic story of Danganronpa. Of course, that is until Danganronpa V3. So here is a list of some details you might have missed from the season and it’s two arcs.

10 Opening Changes In Despair Arc

Danganronpa is far more famous and popular for its games than the anime, so a lot of fans were amazed at the beautiful and symbolic opening of Danganronpa 3’s Despair Arc. Unlike the Future Arc which goes right into the murder game, the Despair one starts off on a lighthearted school life where everyone is having a good time. The opening reflects that in their pastel colors and airy song.

However, if you keep watching the opening as you go further into the Despair Arc, you may notice that the eyes of the students and their teacher are eventually red and the once pastel colors are darker. There is also Hajime, who switches places in the opening with his Ultimate Despair self.

9 Pink Versus Red Blood

Fans were surprised to see that Danganronpa 3’s Future Arc actually had crimson blood. All Danganronpa content is typically recognizable from the bright pink blood. So what was the reason that the blood color suddenly changed? Originally, the reason for pink blood was to chill out some of the more intense imagery. It also made sense from a style standpoint, since a lot of black comedy and overall strangeness was a part of the series.

We only have theories from fans as to why the blood color changed. Some fans believe it’s because the characters are no longer students, so they have to face a more brutal reality.

8 Pokemon Reference

This series loves references, especially when it comes to anime and video games. So, of course, there is a Pokemon reference in the Despair Arc. It’s when Chisa is rushing around looking for her missing students.

Like a trainer, she calls on Nekomaru to capture Akane. They lure her with meat and she ends up fainting. Then Chisa completes the video game/anime reference by saying, “We caught a classmate.”

7 We See Saionji Grow Up In The Outro

The Ultimate Dancer Saionji is known to be the smallest in her class. However, in Dangonronpa 2, you learn that she had a growth spurt by finding a picture of her in a newspaper.

Her growth spurt happens in the Despair Arc. However, if you watch the outro at the end of the Despair Arc episodes then you will see her growth spurt happen in the artistic drawings as well. There is even one of the class running on the same track-field as one pictured from the first game.

6 Chiaki Holds Friendship Shards At End Of Outro

While there are trials and murder in the Danganronpa games, another big aspect of the gameplay is making friends with the characters. In the games, you get free time to pick who to hang out with and learn more about. You could max out friendship points in Danganronpa 2 by getting one of six shards for each time you hang out with them.

If you watch the Despair Arc outro to the end, you will see a picture of Chiaki holding what appears to be a star. However, upon closer inspection, it’s the six shards you get through hanging out with friends from the 2nd game!

5 Kodaka Easter Egg

Besides following an entire class of ultimate students in the Despair Arc, we also get to learn how Hajime was transformed into the Ultimate Despair.

At the end of the first episode of the arc, it shows Hajime’s student file. We learn his blood is type A, that he was born on January 1st, and we see what high school he went to. The high school is listed as “Kodaka High School.” This is an easily missed Easter egg, as the creator of Danganronpa’s name is  Kazutaka Kodaka. So Hajime’s high school was named after him.

4 Nagito Art Book Detail Easter Egg

According to the Danganronpa art-book, Nagito loves Go stones. For those that do not know, Go stones are black and white stones used for a Chinese game called “Go.”

According to Nagito’s page in the art-book, he likes the stones because they remind him of the fight between hope and despair. The book reads, “White and black, that is, hope and despair, are in conflict, betting over their survival, which makes Komaeda’s heart beat fast.” This was a detail put into the Despair Arc of Danganronpa 3. In episode 4, you can see two Go stone jars inside his bag along with the bomb switch.

3 Nagito’s Voice Actor Is The Singer For  The Ending Theme In The Despair Arc

Nagito’s Japanese voice is played by Megumi Ogata. She has actually sung songs in-character as Nagito since he is one of the most popular characters in the Danganronpa series.

One of her songs, “Zettai Kibō Birthday,” actually serves as the Despair Arc’s ending theme song. If you did not know this was actually Nagito’s voice singing, the ending theme is definitely worth re-listening to. You can definitely recognize Nagito’s Japanese voice.

2 Mahiru’s Memory Inconsistency

A big part of the Despair Arc is actually a callback to a trial in Danganronpa 2, where Mahiru is the victim and Peko is the killer. This was due to a tragedy during their school life, where Mahiru and her friend Sato were bullied by Fuyuhiko’s younger sister, Natsumi. Sato eventually murders Natsumi which leads to Fuyuhiko killing her for revenge.

However, a small detail we learn in Danganronpa 3 is that Sato and Mahiru were friends in middle school. This is inconsistent with the second game since only their high school memories were wiped and Mahiru had no memory of Sato. This could be framed as a big deal since it’s that lacking memory that was one of the details that lead to Mahiru’s murder and one of the game’s trials.

1 Hajime’s Parents Permitted Him Being Changed

The Despair Arc got fans insight as to why Hajime agreed to change into an Ultimate student. He was insecure and envious of the ultimate students.

However, if you looked at the computer screen information in episode six then you may have been horrified to learn that the school somehow got his parents’ permission for the Izuru project. The text shows that the parents agreed that the school would not be liable for any of the consequences of the project.

That’s crazy, isn’t it? While there is not evidence, it’s very likely that the parents did not know the full extent of the Izuru project. In fact, the school might have openly lied. After all, Izuru was corrupted in an ironic twist for the school’s sins of experimenting on a student.

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