Dangan Ronpa

Recently I was referred to this new anime/game series that I had not heard of before, Dangan Ronpa. I was told that it is interesting and unique, and so I decided to check it out. I watched a good portion of it so far, and although I can't really say that I'm a fan now, or consider it one of my top fav animes or video games, but I will say that it is certainly rather good and enjoyable.


Well, here's what it is about, for those of you who haven't known, I'll tell you a little about the plot (but not too much).
Dangan Ronpa starts with a bunch of kids getting accepted into this high school that has been said to be a really top quality high school, and one of the ones who is chosen is this boy named Makoto. However, shortly after arriving, they find that the High School is actually nothing like that, but far more worse. Turns out, that the High School is more of like a psycho-living quarters governed by a mysterious individual, and once you join, you are trapped inside and can not leave. The person who runs the school does not show herself, but rather "talks to them" using a black-and-white, remote-controlled, animatronic Bear that he calls "Monokuma," and she puppeteers and communicates with the mechanical bear in a manner that I would compare to Jigsaw when he'd use that creepy puppet of his. Through Monokuma, the "Headmaster" of this hellish prison that he calls a school, tells them that they shall be trapped forever unless one of them manages to "Graduate."

The Headmaster then leaves about the school various things that the students can use to kill others with. In order to "graduate," one of the students must kill another student and not get caught. Whenever a student is found dead, they are all then taken into a trial, where they go to determine who is guilty of killing the student. If the culprit of the murder is proven guilty by the others, then he or she is "Sentenced to Death" by the HeadMaster, in one of many different, over-the-top, crazy and wacky and cartoonish Death Sentences. However, if the true murderer is not determined during the trial, then the one who killed the student is allowed to finally leave the school alive, while all the remaining others get killed by the headmaster.
So after that, the "students" of the school now are faced with a massive challenge. They all must each find a means to kill their classmates without being revealed, and stay on the lookout for others who wish to do the same to them. They have become drawn into a vicious strive for survival. They soon become paranoid and insane, and one-by-one they start to fall. Soon, the students start to also try to look into the mysterious identity of the School Headmaster, and the reason behind his murderous games.


So far, from what I've seen of it, I find Dangan Ronpa to be rather funny and crazy, but also very mysterious and suspenseful. Despite their being a lot of characters dying, there's no blood and gore from what I've seen in it, which is good. Believe it or not, It is just so hilarious!

The most funniest and hilarious part of the series are the "Death Sentences" for the murderous students. These Executions for those who are proven guilty during the trials are ridiculously, but humorously over the top, with them being killed in some of the most silly and cartoonish and Lulzy ways that I've ever seen. I was literally laughing so hard at those Execution Scenes that it made my throat hurt afterwards.

Like for instance, one "death sentence" involved Monokuma tying a boy onto the side of a Corny-Looking Rocket Ship and then launching him into space, then the rocket crash lands back down with the boy now being reduced to nothing but charred bones due to burning up in the atmosphere.
Then there was a Death Sentence where one of the girls is getting tied up onto a pole and it looks like she is going to get burned, when suddenly Monokuma comes in, driving a huge Monster Truck, and crashes straight into her.
Another "Death Sentence" involved this one "Student" who is really an advanced Computer AI who presents herself as an image of a girl's face on a Monitor Device, is put up on a stage for everyone to see, when suddenly MonoKuma drives a Backhoe onto the stage and repeatedly pulverizes the AI with the Backhoe.
And there's plenty more ridiculous and goofy ways that the murderers are executed when they are found guilty.

The executions are almost like something I'd see in Happy Tree Friends, or South Park's Killed Kenny, or Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons, or something else like that, but thankfully without blood, which makes it not so gruesome and way more hilarious.
Also, The art style during the Executions always turns into an art style that reminds me a little bit of the weird and ridiculous Art Styles used in the Witch Barrier from Maho Shoujo Madoka Magika. I dunno what the reason for that is though, but it makes it look a lot more funny and outrageous to me.

I haven't seen an anime that makes me laugh this hard in a Long Time, and I will definitely watch the rest of it when I have the time to. Although sadly, it has no cuteness or cuddlyness or moe' and no actual Battles or Mechas or cool monstrous entities to fight though, which isn't very good and why it isn't on my favorites list now, but it's still notably decent.


I am not sure if everyone would enjoy what Dangan Ronpa has to offer, it's not really for everyone, but the mystery and suspense might be enjoyable for some of you too. Watch the Anime or play the video game, and see what it is like. It's certainly a very "interesting" and unique anime, to say the least, and it made me laugh so much too! And check out Monokuma too, he's so awesome!

Only read the manga, kinda interesting story, not really my kinda thing though. But if you can laugh at that stuff, I think you're a pretty sick minded person. The deaths were pretty brutal and a normal human being wouldn't consider it as 'funny'. Unless they're not shown as badly in the game as they are in the manga. Or if you're a fan of shit like Saw.

Shai wrote:

But if you can laugh at that stuff, I think you're a pretty sick minded person. The deaths were pretty brutal and a normal human being wouldn't consider it as 'funny'. Unless they're not shown as badly in the game as they are in the manga. Or if you're a fan of shit like Saw.

Um, no. You don't understand.
I personally thought that the Saw movies really were frikkin scary, but they weren't deaths like Dangan Ronpa had, and isn't funny.


Seriously, the Death Sentences for the students when they are charged as guilty weren't "Brutal." It's not like they were getting killed in some serious way, like being gunned down in a Firing Squad or having their organs ripped out or something like that.

They were more silly and funny ways, like the ways that Peacock in Skullgirls attacks her foes, and those are funny. I mean like someone getting killed by being pelted with baseballs, or being put on a motorbike driving around at super fast speeds inside a sphere. That's not serious or brutal, that's ridiculous and silly, and that's what makes it funny.
Not to mention, the art style that it would switch to at those parts is a goofy art style that I don't know of anyone who can take it seriously, and that just made it even more humorous to me.

Have you ever seen Killed Kenny on South Park? The Killed Kenny scenes in South Park are known to be funny, and not because Kenny gets murdered, but because of how outrageously over the top his demise is, and Killed Kenny wasn't very sick now, was it? In fact, I have heard of loads of level-headed people who find Kenny's Deaths in South Park to be rather humorous.
That's what the Death Sentences in Dangan Ronpa were like, and that's why I find the series to be ever so funny. There you have it.

I can't compare South Park and Dangan Ronpa together, but maybe it's 'cause the manga gives a different view on it. Imo there it has a lot more serious view or perhaps I just look at it in a more serious way.

Either way I find Dangan Ronpa in no way funny. It was a good idea and it was pretty well done, but I can't see the comedy in it.

Also, having hundreds of baseballs at high speed hit your body so you basically get bruised all over and eventually start bleeding... I don't know if I can consider that a humorous dead. If you think about it, that's a horribly slow and painful death.

The only thing I found funny were some of the extra scenes in the game. (played it. hate the trials)
Otherwise, like Shai said, the story was well done and that's all I have to say.
Gave the anime 3 episodes, it kinda disappointed me with that watered-down execution compared to the game though.
Errr maybe I'll look around for gameplay videos of the second game to pass my time ._.

damn it, i hate that Mono Bear !!!!!!!!  

+ Pink Blood for lulz.

Cobra76 wrote:

+ Pink Blood for lulz.

Oh God, they're bleeding Cotton Candy! Oh the Horror!

I think this may be one of the reasons why I can't take it seriously.

galaxina wrote:

Cobra76 wrote:

+ Pink Blood for lulz.

Oh God, they're bleeding Cotton Candy! Oh the Horror!

More like pepto bismol blood. But the Beta version of Dangan Ronpa has red blood.

I love Corpse Party.

That_Wiesel_Guy wrote:

I love Corpse Party.

What does that have to do with Dangan Ronpa?

Finished the game yesterday. It was pretty good (not as good as Ghost Trick or 999, but still damn good).

Spoiler:

While comparing the game and the anime...the anime kinda rushed. Well, fast forward. Quickened investigation, trials, etc.
It's still enjoyable, but since I have seen the game, the enjoyment tarnished a bit.

I played and finished the game awhile ago.

Spoiler:

The only thing I find funny is the music when Monokuma appears. The rest are just...

my favorite game scenes:

It's like phoenix wright turned into a boy who doesn't even look like he should be in high school.

And has time manipulation powers so he has enough time to actually investigate and think through his evidence

I mean what the hell?

I finished it recently too.

I thought it was so hilarious at the end when after they find out who the headmaster really was, how she is then put through all of her silly and wacky "Death Sentences" All At Once! Not only hilarious, but she really got what she deserved.

But after that, it was kind of sad. When they exit the school, they are now in a ruined society where anarchy runs free, and in a way, is somewhat worse than what they had to go through in the school, not to mention that the Headmaster mind-wiped them and kept them in there so that they wouldn't have to experience all of that.


Also, I'd like to mention. My personal favorite character in Dangan Ronpa has to be "Alter Ego." Alter Ego is cool in that he's the only one who isn't human, but he's an Advanced Computer AI who displays himself as a teenage boy. He's so much more futuristic than all of the others, but unfortunately, less mobile than them as well, and is also shows how Dangan Ronpa is supposed to be set in the future too. He's almost like a teenage boy version of Cortana from Halo or something.

galaxina wrote:

I finished it recently too.

I thought it was so hilarious at the end when after they find out who the headmaster really was, how she is then put through all of her silly and wacky "Death Sentences" All At Once! Not only hilarious, but she really got what she deserved.

But after that, it was kind of sad. When they exit the school, they are now in a ruined society where anarchy runs free, and in a way, is somewhat worse than what they had to go through in the school, not to mention that the Headmaster mind-wiped them and kept them in there so that they wouldn't have to experience all of that.


Also, I'd like to mention. My personal favorite character in Dangan Ronpa has to be "Alter Ego." Alter Ego is cool in that he's the only one who isn't human, but he's an Advanced Computer AI who displays himself as a teenage boy. He's so much more futuristic than all of the others, but unfortunately, less mobile than them as well, and is also shows how Dangan Ronpa is supposed to be set in the future too. He's almost like a teenage boy version of Cortana from Halo or something.

Spoilers here

Spoiler:

Also y u spoil the plot. Some people might not know yet

My apologies. Didn't mean to.

And technically, she would be considered the new one, since after she got rid of the old Headmaster, she essentially took over his position.

Now play the sequel.

Or if you can't, the Let's Play is on the somethingawful forums

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3522115
Thread for the 2nd game. First game's there too

Also another thing that I'm reminded of after seeing this, something a bunch of you said to me a while ago (and I'm mentioning this since I just saw the newest Saw movie).

I fail to see how you people here compare Dangan Ronpa to Saw. Honestly, the death scenes in Saw are nothing like Dangan Ronpa, and are more funny like the death scenes in Itchy and Scratchy, or Happy Tree Friends, or Killed Kenny in South Park! They aren't scary and gory like the death scenes in Saw.

I mean let's compare them. Here's typical Death Scenes in Saw (which are not funny and are just plain terrifying).
-A guy has a Venus Flytrap-like mask with spikes on the inside of it attached to his head, and must cut into his own eye socket in order to get the key, or else the mask will slam on his head like a Face-only Iron Maiden.
-Two people are trapped in a cage with devices shackled onto their heads that will drill into their skulls, and must cut off their own flesh and put it into a scale so that whoever among the two "pays" the most flesh will not get drilled into their brains and die.
-A woman is put into a device with bolts in her chest, and she must reach into a container of corrosive acid to get the key, or else the device will tear her ribcage open.
-A man is stuck in an old car with his back literally stuck onto the back of the car, positioned too far away from him to shut the car off, and his friends are positioned in areas like in front of the car, or bound beneath the car's tire. Now he must literally rip off the skin on his back in order to reach the switch to shut off the car, but once he fails, the car falls down, smashes his one friend's head, drives right into his second friend, then it crashes into a thick wall sending him flying out and he dies like he was in a car accident.
-A guy gets impaled to a wall by spikes that begin spilling acid into the wounds, until it completely burns him in half and his guts fall out everywhere.


Now here's examples of Death Scenes in Itchy and Scratchy (which aren't so gruesome and scary and are funny).
-Scratchy is in a hearing recovery ward, then Itchy attaches the tubes to his ears, then extends the tubes all the way to a nuke testing site. When the bomb goes off, the super loud sound travels through the tubes, and then causes Scratchy's head to explode.
-Scratchy is in a barbershop, and then Itchy pours barbecue sauce on his head instead of shampoo, then puts flesh-eating ants on his head and the ants eat his face till his head is just a skull. Then Itchy sends Scratchy sailing through a roof when he crashes through an Elvis-looking guy's TV. The Elvis-looking guy says "I hate this show" and shoots Scratchy.
-Itchy extends Scratchy's tongue and ties it to a rocket, which launches into space and gets tied around the moon. Then the moon gets pulled by Scratchy's tongue all the way down to Scratchy, and then it crushes him.
-Scratchy goes bungee-jumping, but then Itchy makes it above a volcano, and then a plume a fire burns up Scratchy until he's nothing but bones.
-Itchy shoves scratchy down a cow's throat, then milks him out as a pale yellow liquid and then churns him into butter.


Now which of those seem more similar to a Dangan Ronpa execution? Because to me, the Itchy And Scratchy ones (which are more funny) are more similar to a Dangan Ronpa Execution, but I fail to see the similarities to a Saw Death Scene. Dangan Ronpa deaths don't involve stuff like someone getting their ribcage torn open or being impaled by spikes and then having acid spurt out into the wounds, or other horrifying stuff like that!


THIS does not look like a Death Scene I'd see in Dangan Ronpa.


But THIS does. And I'm pretty sure it's not "sick" to find the deaths in Itchy and Scratchy funny. It's no different.