Why Danganronpa 2 Is (Almost) A Perfect Sequel 

Pinned comment question: what is _your_ favorite game sequel of all time?

Fun fact: If you replay Chapter 4 knowing that Gundham is the blackened, you'll notice that during the trial he was trying to nudge the others into the right direction by making the right questions and even laughing at completely wrong assumptions. Also, in his Closing Argument sprite, Gundham is smiling, but the Four Dark Devas look worried about him. Naturally, they're hamsters, so they couldn't possibly know what was going on. That implies that they were worried because they could feel that, under his villain persona, Gundham was actually scared.

Fun fact: the original English special edition of Danganronpa 2 came with an actual "I'm sorry, I was born stupid" sticker.

I know it’s supposed to be sad and sweet but having 11037 be the password is so funny to me. Like I just imagine Leon’s ghost going “cmon man! One mistake!”

One neat detail that's worth noting about chapter 5: By forcing you to choose one of 6 people to be the one who killed him, he puts you into a 1/6 chance just like the Russian roulette he played in chapter 4

Mikan being the ultimate nurse and not wearing the proper PPE when dealing with a communicable disease, interesting

I wanna just point out a little fun fact for those that might not be aware, but the use of the repeated "Hello World!" in the chapter 6 pre-trial is a reference to the most basic of beginning coder examples, which almost always create a simplistic program that spits out the phrase "Hello World!"

Fun Fact about Teru-Teru's portrait after he'd been executed! Many will notice and point out that instead of the regular cross, he was given a knife and fork crossed over eachother. However, what some may not know is that in restaurants and the such, if a customer finishes eating and crosses their cutlery over eachother in an X like fashion, this means that they found the meal unsatisfactory and disgusting, while simply setting the cutlery side by side means that you enjoyed the meal. I don't know if this was added in on purpose, or if they just wanted to use cutlery as a reference to Teru-Teru's talent, but I think it was pretty neat ^^

Sdr2 feels like, a more mature older sibling to dr1. It feels like thematically, dr1 was the setup for dr2's punchline, like 2 was the answer to 1's question. In dr1, the cast were all kids with mostly okay lives. In 2, theyre all explicitly from backgrounds that traumatized them in some way- pressure, poverty, abuse, neglect, etc. I think you put it very aptly when you said that dr1 was the graduates, while dr2 was the dropouts. I think thats why many people find the second cast more likable- theyre more relatable, in so far as such cartoonish characters can be. And I think that while hope and despair are considered the universal theme of the games, dr2 made a point of rejecting that dichotomy. The power that pushes Hajime isnt *hope*, necessarily- hes a little too cynical for that. His power is just straight up Determination. Makoto's philosophy is, "I believe things can be better than this," but Hajime's was "Fuck you, things are GOING to be better. I wont accept anything else" Dr1 pushed hope and optimism. Dr2 shook that off, and decided that no, sometimes you cant be optimistic. Sometimes shit is just awful. But thats when you double down and refuse to stop, when you push twice as hard, and you just keep Living, because thats the one thing you cant ever give up on. Sorry that was kind of a tangent. Anyway, loved the vid!!

Actually by Schaffrillas’s definitions I think DR2 is a perfect sequel - It expanded the universe - it continued the story - it continued and expanded upon the themes of the previous entry - and it left an undeniable impression on the franchise

The 3rd chapter could’ve been made so much better if her motive was more: “I’m going to put the sick out of their misery” and then her disease kicks in during the trial once she is actually called out, the accusation triggering the disease to bring her memory back. Also it wouldve benefited from a completely different execution, or at least tweek it to have it fit her more (maybe have her be forced to OD or be fried by a defibrillator or something medical like that) Idk just some ideas

As holistically cruel and manipulative as Junko is... She STILL really serves that look, Ultimate Fashionista indeed.

fun fact: when you interact with the dead students mailboxes and they show the glitched text, Chiaki’s text shows the Konami Code, but I find it interesting when she said the A and B in the wrong order Idk if this is meant to say anything, but I personally interpreted it as Chiaki sacrificing herself to save the remaining students, but put in the code wrong so she didn’t end up saving everyone until everyone saved themselves in the final trial but that’s just my theory o>o

1:25:58 - I think the key in-universe difference that causes the DR2 cast to feel like a group of friends more so than the DR1 casts is the circumstances in which they first meet. The DR1 cast all wake up lost and confused locked inside of a school, and have barely been able to say hello to each other before they are told that they've all been kidnapped to kill each other. Meanwhile the DR2 casts wake up lost and confused on a tropical island resort, where they get to spend almost a full day getting to know each other after being told that their stay at the island is a trip made to make them all become friends with one another. And only as the day is going to conclude does Monokuma show up and do his hostile takeover and turn it into a murder game. This all sets up two very different expectations for each group. With one, they are all perfect strangers who are kidnapped for the explicit purpose to kill each other in a killing game. With the other they were all enjoying a school trip together with their new classmates they had just met when they were all *collectively* kidnapped and told to kill each other in a killing game. This means that the DR2 cast would be immediately inclined to have a "Us vs Monokuma" mentality as they were all taken as a group instead of as individuals, whilst the DR1 cast would have a "It's me vs Monokuma vs possibly everyone else." mentality.

Thank you for pointing out the analogies between the SDR2 cast andhighschool dropouts/social outcasts. All of these character's are outcasts in some way, and as a social outcast who dropped out of highschool.. it really goes to show that people who drop out can still be happy! (Also thank you for dispelling Nagito slander because I personally have done research on how his illnesses have effects on developing minds.)

something I've been thinking about with the end of the game: one of Junkos last temptations is pitting Hinata's individual interests against the interests of the group. However, after he awakens, he makes the choice to care for others, definitely not what we would call "selfish", yet he still claims "it's not for anyone except myself!". I think it's a good display of how individual and group interests don't necessarily have to be at odds with one another. Hinata IS being selfish, but that still doesn't mean he disregards his friends or what they want. He synthesized his individual interests with the groups interests rather than seeing them as completely separate.

Can’t wait for The V3 Retrospective, but take your time patiently and don’t exhaust yourself please.

I think the reason Chiaki seemed a little flat is because the program made her from the class’s memory: a sweet gamer girl that kept them together and comforted them in times of need. So that could be why she wasn’t as varied as others in the cast.

I’m sorry but the “on the bone meat” joke made at 43:28 made me laugh a little more than I think I was supposed to 💀

While I agree that Hiyoko's death being so soon is a massive loss on a big character arc, I also agree that that is the entire point; she was just collateral damage, hell, even damage control. And her dying before her character could really develop is what makes it so sad to me. In my first playthrough, I spent quite a lot free time with Hiyoko, and her free time events really suggests that, had she lived through the rest of the game, she could have gone through major character development - but then she doesn't. She just dies. And she wasn't even the one that Mikan wanted to actually kill. I personally thought that aspect of the chapter was really well made, as it personally hit me really hard, but I can also see why people wouldn't be fond of it, as it really can feel like a cop out.

You know, I gotta be honest... I hadn't really considered the angle of the struggles of the first two Danganronpas to be related to the struggle of transitioning from a childhood defined by school to adulthood before. I think I can even chalk that up to the fact that they both came out long after I'd already graduated and had already been through a lot of heartache as a result of HOW I entered adulthood. I had dreaded the future, but plunged into it anyway. And I ended up in the Failure bracket for a long time-- arguably, I'm still there. The "Dropout". The one who was never really going to make it. These games came out after I'd already dropped out of college, and while the premise intrigued me (this being back before they were easily accessible to an English audience, never mind through the likes of Steam), I hadn't really put my finger on why, precisely, until you pointed it out. Leaving High School as one of the Talented People expected to have some kind of future- even if I struggled to graduate due to other circumstances- I remember being terrified to fail as an adult. So DR1 felt familiar to my psychological state back then. But DR2 hits closer to my experiences for EXACTLY the reasons you outlined here. Staying in school isn't appealing when you're already failing at it. Graduating doesn't appeal when you're convinced that you're going to fail at adulthood, either. You get stuck in a cycle of despair, a limbo in a chasm too wide to have made it across, that others seem to barely have to hop over. The jealousy that can come from that can lead to a lot of destructive, toxic behavior; self-destructive, and destructive to others. Attitudes like "Kids younger than me are succeeding at stuff I'm still struggling to do" are really easy to fall into, and while I never particularly felt the temptation to tear other people down, I understand the jealousy all too well. Junko isn't just some master manipulator. She's the voice in your own head telling you to give up, to become empty, to conform to a status quo, to let someone else dictate what you do. When you're afraid of messing up, following someone else's direction absolves you of the responsibility of failing. You can languish in a comfortable prison and let yourself get swept up in a sea of apathy alongside everyone else around you who ALSO emptied out and became numb. Junko represents a particular kind of infection, one that people who have been wounded by trauma have to be more diligent at treating. And knowing that there are more paths to living your life, finding your own way, can be the neosporin under the bandage-- it doesn't fix everything, but damn if it doesn't give you a better chance at healing. ....Anyway this overdramatic, overwrought essay is brought to you by You Make A Good Point I Hadn't Considered Before. Thank you for making these retrospective videos; I feel like they're a retrospective of more than just the games, but certain things a good chunk of us who flock to these games go through, too. Great job!!

Nagito that has the LIERS DISEASE: Hajime go away, i hate you, I don't want you to ever be near me at all, leave me a lone. Hajime who is taking his lies seriously and being a dumbass: okay geez.. I'll leave

This is a great retrospective, even more so than your _Trigger Happy Havoc_ one, and I adore just how much emotion you put into it as well. That grand finale is really just as beautiful as the actual final act itself. Also, the analogies about the cast being dropouts is a really neat touch, one that I definitely wouldn't have considered alone. I eagerly await the rest of the franchise - but I won't be impatient about it. Just... thank you for all your hard work.

Anyone else notice that pretty much all the talents in SDR2 are all talents that can be cultivated WITHOUT schooling. Think Gamer, Yakuza, Musician, Imposter. A lot of these are skills that don’t need the school environment to be maximized, or actually benefit from being cultivated OUTSIDE of school. It better fits that idea of them being the “Dropouts”.

If you're wondering why (Improved) Hangman's Gambit earns much ire from fans, here's a weird explanation: The reason why this minigame is probably the hardest to beat and takes the longest to beat is disgustingly linked to how Danganronpa was brought overseas. Spike Chunsoft didn't translate the DR games themselves, instead hiring NIS America to publish the games outside the west. As a result of this method of translation, the keywords got extended by a hefty amount of boxes. For example, "Under The Floor" was once conveyed as “ゆかした“, which was four Hiragana characters; it became a sizable thirteen English letters after conversion. This is to be expected, since the Japanese language, in any form, sometimes convey similar ideas with a less amount of characters than English letters. However, what was _not_ expected was that Spike Chunsoft programmed the difficulty (i.e., the rate at which orbs spawned) around the original Japanese version. So, using the first (I)HG as an example, the reason why the letters slowly spawn in was because it was designed around a word with four boxes in total to fill, not thirteen. By that notion, it should've been an easy start, but because of how this game was localized, the time it took to beat and the difficulty were artificially bloated. So, there you have it. 80% of Hangman's Gambit's difficulty come from the unfortunate consequences of localization from an outside party. I don’t know if NIS were allowed to test the game against their translations or not, but I think the lack of that led to what we got. The reason why the "Cause Of Death" section in trial 5 was an orb-spawnning hell was because the original Japanese keyword was “しいん”, literally three characters long. _THREE._ Here's a link to the Japanese playthrough of DR2 if you're interested in how the other keywords faired in length: ru-vid.com/group/PLTAgn8difgab8Epqxj8ARTfdzR5-iVDop Edit: edited the comment to add the original words. Turns out, it’s real easy to find a Hiragana keyboard online.

SDR2 is my favourite ensemble in the franchise, and I've been (with full affection) calling the cast "problem children" in my head for years, so I'm glad that subtext was picked up on ^^

With talking about Chiaki’s character, I feel like the flatness of her character adds to her in hindsight? Like, as you watch the anime of the past, you see the personality that Chiaki displayed and how it’s similar, but different, to her game personality. Then, you see SDR2 Chiaki much more muted, almost like she’s not the real one. Almost like she’s robot. It also goes with how no one programming her would know much about her personality, so they only have the little data on her and added that she was to help with the rehabilitation. This is just me stating my perception though.

Am I the only one that noticed that fanservice scenes were important to all three cases? 1. The Mikan panty shot scene being used to implicate Teruteru in the crime 2. Peko being the only swimsuit girl that was soaking wet implicating her in the murder 3. Mikan trying to use Hajime as an alibis in yet another fanservice scene where she's cuddling up next to him

1:25:25 Something that makes it even funnier, Nagito has the money to pay it right on the spot. He's insanely rich, probably not quite rivaling Byakuya's assets, but certainly within his top five successors. Thank luck! ...oh, wait, his parents died to leave him with those assests. Nevermind.

I can't believe you have me crying over Gundham Tanaka well done! On a side note it would make it all the more bittersweet that the angelic animals taking him to heaven where his past animal companions that he took care of and even made sure in their last moments felt safe, loved, and not in pain.

I remember being a highschooler, before the series was localized, watching a semi-badly translated video series of SDR2, and even then, the message struck me. Despite how nowadays people, including it's fans and even myself, meme on the DR series, it will always be near and dear to my heart, because it has powerful messages like this. It has been many years since I've played this game, so Thank You for reminding me what this game taught me

I legit forgot how, like, intense the reveal of Hajime's backstory was to me when I was younger and first watching a playthrough of this game. I paused this video just to go rewatch that part of the trial. His confusion and breakdown hurts even harder all these years later. I love it.

Something brilliant about Chapter 4 I have never seen anyone point out is how the Funhouse itself contributes to the motive. Monokuma could have chosen anything to theme the two houses around, but what did he choose for the motive where everyone is slowly starving to death? Strawberries and grapes. Just an extra layer of insult to injury seen in executions like the firetruck in Celeste's.

How good the finale for SDR2 was really just solidifies my dislike for how they retconned everything interesting about it in D3 Despair Arc. Demolishing each character's personal culpability for the atrocious acts they committed on behalf of Junko Enoshima, to make it solely the fault of "anime brainwashing". In fact, everything was the anime brainwashing. Who cares if that completely obliterates the message the first two games spent so much time setting up? JFC.

Simply amazing. While I don't agree with every take entirely, your assessment of the Danganronpa 2 cast being analogies for outcasts and drop-outs alike really struck close to home and finally explained to me /why/ they resonated to deeply so me. I first played the Danganronpa games in the midst of the pandemic when I had to end up dropping out myself, and now it finally clicks in why I care so deeply for the cast of the second game thanks to you. I'm excited to see your take on the rest of the series going forward, and only ask that you go at your own pace as to not burn out. Much love to you.

2:29:05 I wasn't aware at all about the distorted final messages from the deceased characters. These make their murders and comedic style executions heart wrenching. You have amazing analytical skills. Great video.

I have some nitpicks and small disagreements with certain parts of this retrospective. When it comes to such a sweeping character drama as Danganronpa, I think the experience becomes personal in such a way as to make any broad commentary almost impossible. But that's why it's the heart of the piece that matters the most, in the end. And also why all my little grievances pale in comparison to the masterwork that was the Chapter 6 analysis. It's apparent how much exploration, critical thinking, research, and heart was put into that segment. I've played this game to death, over and over. But it wasn't until today that I feel like I truly understand why. Thank you.

what you said about danganronpa 2 hitting you in your senior year got to me because something really similar happened to me i got into danganronpa in my junior year of highschool, and i was into it throughout my senior year, primarily focusing on danganronpa 2 because of how much i liked the characters. i was already doing pretty bad in school due to my mental health, and i just also happened to have the pandemic hit at the tail end of that. i feel like i only even graduated on a technicality because *nobody* was able to do their work properly. genuinely if they didnt give some extra leeway due to the pandemic i think i wouldve ended up being held back or dropping out. so just like.... everything about the games ending, and everything you said about it, really really hit me hard. thank you for making this video, both this and your video on danganronpa 1 are some of my favorite videos about this series and some of my favorite videos of yours in general!! honestly everything you said about the game here mirrors my feelings on it so strongly its insane (chiakis words at the end of the game also made me cry ;v;)

berleezy choosing kazuichi twice when it was obviously chiaki will always be funny

It's interesting to also compare Junko's motives between the first and 2nd game. In the first game, it seems the Junko their, while wanting despair, wanted to make the game as entertaining as possible and was a bit more 'fair' in it. She only resolved to cheating when she felt Kyoko wasn't 'playing fair' either. In the 2nd game however, she definitely tried making the motives much more unfair, with the exception of Trials 1 and 5, since she wanted to kill off as many chars as possible. Thank goodness for that rule that the 'teacher' couldn't interfere with the students directly.

About the "rich people watching people kill each other for fun" When I played dr2 4 years ago I thought it might've been meant as a twist on the JP classic film Battle Royale

Before the video comes out, here's my take on this game. It has my favorite: Cast in general (Chiaki is my favorite character in the series, period.) Main Character (Hajime was such a good protagonist.) Investigation theme I did like the setting a little bit less than Hope's Peak, because HP felt more claustrophobic.

You perfectly summarized why I love the 4th case. The motive is incredibly cruel, enforcing the purest and most raw form of survival vs morality. All of that mental and especially physical pain and exhaustion having to be dealt with in a place that is supposed to be giving the complete opposite feeling: a fun house. A place that's supposed to be source of laughter and joy, turned into a weapon against happiness. Danganronpa is very sadistic sometimes, but these types of motives truly make you think "what would I have done if I was in such a situation?" and in return, it makes the characters even more redeemable in certain aspects.

Even someone just mentioning DR0 makes me ridiculously happy! Ahhh, DR0 is my favorite DR installment! I am just so happy you're even briefly talking about it!

I'm gonna say it. This, as well as your other DR videos, are THE ABSOLUTE BEST video essays for the series I have EVER seen. Watching these videos gave me the exact same feelings I felt when playing the series for the first time, something I thought I would NEVER feel. Hats off to you, NezumiVA, you outdid yourself thrice, and probably twice more when those DR3 and V3 videos inevitably release

Thank you so much for pointing out how Teruteru trying to trick people into that sort of stuff is SO NOT OKAY. I've been saying this for years, as his introduction completely killed any sympathy I was supposed to have for him.

1:23:00 i have a unique stance regarding 2-3, i absolutely hate the trial especially as someone who really adores all three who got killed in that case and the fact that its stuck between 2-2 and 2-4 which are two examples of how to handle both a victims and killers death it really sticks out like a sore thumb, but the daily life might actually be my favourite in the series, it really does a good job at exploring grief and guilt in both Fuyuhiko and Hiyoko's case and rare for the series actually does seem to have a real aftermath to the previous chapter, in particular a stand out moment for me was the seppuku scene because both Fuyu and Hiyoko come across as very sympathetic throughout that moment, we could have had a good relationship between the two but no, she dies, because of shock value, I'm still salty about that

this was a really well made video that definitely did dr2 justice. not only that, it was incredibly comprehensive and entertaining throughout. the emotions of the game were almost perfectly reflected in the video, which really speaks to your ability to write and create videos. this was a fun watch, can’t wait for the next one. (and the shadow the hedgehog video, of course)

I never saw Nagito as sarcastic or pompous just unhinged and misguided except in trial 4 where I think his sassy and sarcastic attitude and tone was on purpose after learning about the remnants of disspare P.S:Your Tanaka voice is amazing

one small detail i havent noticed till recent was monokumas movie from chapter 3 actually doesnt only predict saionji’s and mioda’s death but also nidai’s death aswell which is a cool small detail to add

I feel like the spotlight on Koizumi as a whole was probably my favorite part of this retrospective, giving attention to Koizumi is something I don’t see often, especially considering how many first time players seem to find her annoying for her singling out of men, though it’s not very often you find someone that goes into depth about the reason behind the way she acts and speaks how she does, or why her death actually deserves as much of an impact as any of the others death in this series, she was far from my favorite character when this game first came out but as of late I’ve found that she is my favorite from SDR2 and the series itself, haven’t felt this much raw dread since I first started playing these games, Something about losing a character you really enjoy just hurts a lot,,

Chapter 6 hit me like a truck due to my Oudenophobia. Seeing Hajime’s panic over ceasing time exist combined with Chiaki’s speech about how she’ll never truly be gone freaking hurt. Especially the “I don’t want to disappear” line from Izuru.

I think someone has pointed it out before but chapter 4, he draws he circle not for his protection, but his animals, as is revealed, his animals are completely safe by the end.

It's a little strange to hear an English speaker with an English audience cover the English localization of the game all while accommodating the Japanese terminology, including referring to characters by the last name, but it doesn't take away from this video being very well put together. I especially appreciate you pointing out translation dissonance, such as with Ibuki's talent and Kazuichi's pervy nature.

2:31:43 I have to wholeheartedly disagree. She’s a program who’s design is to be everyone’s friend and not to reveal her purpose. I’d say her nondevelopment is intentional cause she’s not human

Something I thought was cool was the hinting at the cast's potential to be corrupted. At first, when I saw the Twilight Syndrome murders, the edginess to everyone's character (the Ultimate Princess' fascination with serial killers, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer's desire to step on ants, etc.), everyone's natural dislike of pure Monomi, I was under the impression that the writers were simply making a choice to make their characters a bit dark like the world around them, and had no idea that it was all intentionally different from the original cast. I also always assumed Nagito was originally meant to be Makoto but was changed in rewrites, so it's really funny to know it was intentionally there just to mess with people.

On the subject or Chapter 3, I think the chapter rewrite video by TinyLeaf is a wonderful fix to an awkward and odd trial. The video tries to change very little about the outcome of the trial, but fixes most of the big problems in the trial. Such as: the second victim, despair disease, and the killers execution/final moments. Highly recommend giving it a watch to anyone curious!

honestly, I really appreciate you giving me a new perspective on SDR2--I think i'm just a contrarian in the larger DR fanbase b/c i hardly ever come across anyone else whose favorite of the mainline games is THH. Idk what it is--a combination of nostalgia and my affinity for the portrayal of proximity based friendships in media? I 100% agree that the camraderie between the group is way more believable in sdr2--and while I think the thinly veiled distain everyone seems to have for ppl who aren't makoto in THH is frustrating in its own way, i can't explain it, I think it has its own funny appeal. Like... the v3 kids feel like strangers, the SDR2 kids feel the most like friends, but the THH kids feel the most like *classmates*, if that makes sense? with all the baggage, thinly veiled contempt hidden behind civility and temporary "this is good enough for now" friendship that implies. The fact that the THH kids have more archetypal talents probably doesn't hurt--their dyanmics are a bit easier to map onto the politics of high school than SDR2 having, like, literal princesses. They're all parodies of existing japanese archetypes, but also, they do just kinda feel like regular high school kids dialed up to 11. I never had a classmate who was a nurse or an animal breeder, but i definitely knew some jocks, a student council president, a delinquent, etc etc. While I stilll have my bias, I've always been aware of the belief (a belief i agreed with despite my bias) that the 2nd game is probably the best of the three, and I think this video is a strong persuasive argument toward this game being the strongest of the bunch. I always appreciated you giving THH a fair shake in your last video--i really do think it does get neglected in the fanfair abt this franchise (SDR2 being viewed as the best, ndrv3 being more polarizing but also being an entry point for so many new fans and invigorating new life into the series means its a lot of ppls favorites too), so i was hesitant about this one, but you've really sold me. Tbh, i think the mystery element is even more compelling than the first game--there's a lot of fun reversals in comparison to the expectations you go into it with and the way it further develops the world feels super organic. And the ending really got to me--reframing SDR2 as a story about the droppouts and underdogs gives the story new meaning in a way that kinda glanced over me the first & even second time i played it. Even tho I always had a fondness for SDR2 & its characters, I think the escalated absurdity kept from feeling quite as bought in (still cried like a baby during ch 2 & 4 tho, i'm only human!), but now i understand. Everything is a feature, not a bug. Didn't mean to get so longwinded, but i just had to put my thoughts out to feed the algorithm with this one. Great work!

Trial 3 isn't my favorite but one thing I've notices after watching many playthroughs (from streamers and friends) is that the trial is only difficult if you care for Mikan, if you are (like me) someone who really liked her you end up ignoring all the red flags and very obvious evidence because "she obviously couldn't have done it" while others who weren't connected to her at all managed to solve it during the investigation with ease. This is not a fools proof basis but i have noticed that being so attached to the character does help blind you from the mystery.

I think it's worth mentioning that apparently Kuzuryu was originally going to be killed in Part 3 instead of Hiyoko, which would have been an even worse choice and rendered Pekoyama's death almost entirely meaningless, especially what's effectively her sacrificing herself to save him from her own execution. Hiyoko was basically the last minute replacement, such to the point that the murder weapon used for her was never found because the writes forgot about it.

Love the voice acting. Whenever you voice excerpts, I keep expecting them to be clips from the actual dub. Such great subtle variation in voice and excellent emotion 👍

Just to point something out in the comments that NezumiVA doesn't seem to know: in the original script for the game, it was Kuzuryuu, not Saionji, who was supposed to die during Chapter 3. However, it was noted during the production process that, were Kuzuryuu to die, it would make Pekoyama's sacrifice meaningless, so they switched the two's fates. This is why Saionji's death seems so sudden and seemingly cuts off her character arc before it can fully blossom: because there was, in fact, a character arc that was cut off. Now this is where things get subjective: I personally think the story would have held more meaning and had better character arcs were Saionji and Kuzuryuu to both survive, and someone else to die in their place. Now here's where it gets reeeaaally subjective, and if people hate me for it, that's ok, cuz everyone has their own opinions: I think the person who should have been tragically and suddenly cut down in lieu of both Kuzuryuu and Saionji...the best choice would be Sonia Nevermind. Now before you Sonia lovers yell at me, here are my reasons, and they mainly revolve around Souda's character: *1.* With the final survivors being Hinata, Souda, Owari, Kuzuryuu, and Saionji, they would all be tied together poetically by one theme: loss of a loved one. Saionji lost Koizumi, Kuzuryuu lost Pekoyama, Owari lost Nidai, Hinata lost both Nanami and, some would say, Komaeda, and Souda would have lost Sonia. So Souda would have been the one to benefit (character-wise, anyways) from her loss, because as the canon ending is, he's the odd one out. *2.* This is based purely around the fact that I played the game's localization, not the fan-translated version, so my knowledge of Souda's character is based on his dialogue there, ok? Souda, as the game progresses, gets creepier and creepier in his infatuation with Sonia, much to her displeasure. Taking her out of the equation would either allow that side of his character to fade away, or force him to grapple with it and overcome it, along with his obvious paranoia that would really be brought out by the trauma of her death, which allows for some interesting routes for his character to take. *3.* This may open up an avenue for Tanaka and Souda to get past their grudge on each other (mostly one-sided, but Tanaka does eventually get very annoyed by Souda) and perhaps find a bond in their loss of Sonia. If they were to develop a friendship of sorts, even if it's low-key and begrudging, this would make case 4 more devastating (and interesting) to Souda, since he lost the one he was attracted to, and now he was low-key betrayed by the friend he thought he'd never make, and whom he had only just started to trust. However, Tanaka's reason for being the case 4 culprit is grey enough that perhaps it would cause Souda to rethink some things and be able to grapple with his paranoia. Perhaps not completely overcome it, but also perhaps not let it rule him either. Now, as for Sonia's development: The main thing that could potentially suffer on her end from her early death is her relationship with Tanaka. The main fix for this? Just speed it along a bit. Make Souda perhaps a tad more simpy while she's alive (as unbelievable as that sounds), which'll cause Sonia to cling to Tanaka quicker (since she already liked his sense of style, his tastes, and his hamsters), and we'll get just the right amount of romance-hinting cuteness to satisfy to the same extent as the canon story. If anyone has alternate ideas, or even reasons for why the canon story works best despite its flaws, feel free to comment below. I love hearing other people's points of view :)

Chapter 5 of SDR2 is my favorite in the series. It perfectly combines a good mystery, insane tragedy, the talent of the blackened playing into their crime (because let's be real, Komaeda is the blackened of his case despite what Monokuma says), and a setup of things to come. It's the perfect Danganronpa chapter in my opinion. Also Nanami's death made me bawl like someone I actually knew and loved had died. It was awful. She's my favorite character in the series and it hurts like hell to see her go. But I wouldn't have it any other way. It's so much more special like this. and tbh I love that Komaeda's intentions were for everyone but Nanami to die and was counting on his luck that Nanami would be his killer and also that they wouldn't be able to pin her down. Nanami was the traitor and the blackened. Good luck. They found out. Bad luck.

MAN. ive practically moved on from dr but it had a grip on me in high school and this video made me so emotional. it had a grip on me for all those years for a reason

I totally agree with your conclusion! I've always said this, but Danganronpa is a game of hope, not despair, despite how Junko tries to make it out as such. This game and its message is honestly so comforting to me as a drop out as you put it! Quite literally for me, as I am a legit high school drop out, aha... Overall, it's definitely the game I come back to the most, and is probably my favorite game of the series (though DR0 is my favorite installment). Everything about it is just so comforting to me messaging wise, and I think you articulated really well why! This is all why SDR2 itself is my favorite sequel to a game, I think ever. It just really spoke to me, despite its flaws!

Danganronpa has some of the highest highs I've ever experienced with a videogame while simultaneously having genuinely unfun, sloppy, and blatantly terrible moments in the same breath. Watching this has only reaffirmed why the games, especially so for SDR2, have been emotionally resonant for me despite everything. Hope vs. Despair, as stupid and corny as that sounds. It takes a more discerning eye than mine to look past a game that constantly wants details clashing over all else, to question everything and solve some fun videogame mystery, to get to the real emotional struggles that come with being a teenager and growing up at large. Everytime something I deemed an important pseudoscience question left unanswered was seemingly "handwaved" when in actuality it was boldly, blatantly dropping all pretenses and trying to direct me to the actual heart of the story it completely passed me by. "Oh how Danganronpa! How wacky! How on-brand! "They're not gonna explain it? Cool!" I thought upon moments like that, not really caring to deeply analyze something framed as a sorta meta joke upon first glance. Guess I don't feel so weird for really liking Junko now that the themes got laid out so throughly. She's great because you can see people following her taken to the most heinous extreme. It's not subtle. At all. But there was way more there than I ever considered on a first playthrough. Biggest takeaway is that I NEED TO READ DANGANRONPA ZERO NOW.

Finally finished the video, and.... I can't believe I almost never got into this series purely out of stubbornness. Even if I experienced this through your narration, I felt every single emotional punch and investment into this game, it was almost overwhelming at times where I legitimately thought I was going to shed tears, especially with that ending. Even if the timing was on pure coincidence, Nezumi, thank you for an amazing birthday gift, especially from a series I originally intended to ignore.

Spoiler I hear that Sonia was useless, but they never bring up her diligence in testing the bombs, only for it to be a firework. Kazuichi was also useful when he was chapter 3 & 5, with the camera chat and investigating the 5th island

I had this playing in the background while I worked in class and suddenly hearing Mr Krabs shout "UNDER THE FLOORBOARD" almost sent me into hysterics, i love it when videos have this kind of humour

God I love this video, I don't have much to say There's a couple times I wish the localisation audio was used because it's so iconic, like Komaeda's 'true nature' reveal

Just like DR2, you outdid yourself in all the ways that truly matter. This video is great and you did such an amazing job!! Gundham is one of my top fave characters, so I nearly teared up as you described him and his final moments. Thank you for doing right by my boi. :') You've also given me an understanding for characters I never thought to before, and I really appreciate that! The way this game relates to high school and dropouts is also a connection I didn't think of before, and man that just really makes me admire this game more. You got me to tear up a few moments in this haha Despite its (at times really major) flaws in writing and character treatment, this game's got a funky li'l place in my heart. Thank you for this vid and I look forward to the next! Tho do take your time and take care of yourself ❤

3:05:27 This is a great summary of why Danganronpa could never escape Junko as the Mastermind. She’s just too perfect of a villain in a game series where the main premise are sad teens killing each other.

51:50 "Kira kira" is a homophone for "killer killer", which would later be the subtitle for a Danganronpa spinoff manga.

I'm so glad you took the time to explain Mahiru's character. I love her so much and it pains me that people doesn't want to take the time to properly know her.

My little opinions~ As a sequel, DR2 does a lot right. The gameplay in trials is better, the writing is really good, and I honestly love the cast, premise and general setup. Some standouts I love is- - The 1st trial - Nagito as a whole - Hijime being a more interesting protag than Makoto - Chiaki is best girl, dont @ me For nitpicks and problems - The 3rd Case was REALLY bad. I already didn't like the 3rd case of DR:THH but somehow, DR2's 3rd case was worse. It felt more random and meaning less. (Also, Ibuki deserved better). - Sonia being irrelevant most of the game bothered me. I loved her chr tho. - The humor. It could be really funny at times but some jokes just... Examples: - Nekomaru's potty jokes - Akane's "front tail" joke - Soda being a simp - Mikan being sexuilzed for no reason, made worse when we learn her backstory (This I hated the most. The only thing I can compare it to from DR:THH was the handle of the whole 2nd case's plot twists.)

super long form videos on videogames i love are the pinnacle of the internet. pathologic for those who'll never play it and this danganronpa retrospective come to mind. absolutely great job, the massive amount of work behind it really paid out!

Great review. On the hangman’s gambit I first played DR2 on iOS on my iPad and found it super fun because as a touch screen it was easy and worked well but sadly that wasn’t the same for the original console which is annoying. Also with gundams execution the spell he was writing was to protect his animals not save him which really digs in deeper his sacrifice

3:09:46 wow, this entire part was beautifully stated and brought me to tears hearing you talk about it. Although you usually try to keep personal things out of your essays, its honestly one of my favorite parts of your analysis videos. I also played sdr2 at the second half of my senior year (which was only in early '21), which was a turning point in my life for so many reasons. Going into adulthood, the start of transitioning to a different gender, going into a changed world that feels like it has suddenly become much meaner. Breaking out of a shell that reached its end point right when I am entering the cusp of adulthood, and metaphorically being shoved in the water and having to learn how to swim (for lack of a better word.) Although I did well in school, I missed out on some on some of the most integral parts of growing out of adolescence, which were my latter 2 years of high school. I never really got to naturally form new friendships (which felt like torture bc I was finally beginning to find out and work on who I was), never really got to learn much of anything, never had the time to slowly develop into things like getting a first job, learning how to get to school on my own, getting to hang out with people I cared about before we split up for college. I still have never even gotten my yearbook. I would have likely felt lost without the aforementioned changes, but with them, it made it a thousand times worse. I had no idea the world I was going into, and I still don't know. I don't think I was ever ready to. I'm incredibly grateful for your analysis, because at the time I never really understood why this hit me so hard. Its very beautifully stated, and I hope both your words, as well as the game's, stay in my mind as I finally do begin to slowly forge a future for myself. Thank you NezumiVA for the amazing video!!

I heard that Akane was originally supposed to be the master mind or the rival but was changed as in one of the gifts you can give her in the game we have now is a painting of Junko herself

I don’t know if I can’t properly articulate my thoughts about the story itself and the way you presented it but it can’t hurt to try. This video essay about the sequel really hit me harder than the last one you did. The timing of this was just where it needed to be- at least for me. I’ve been going through it for the past week or so and I was stuck in this crisis that I wasn’t sure what a future even looks like; I was paralyzed by this defeatist attitude and indecision. Seeing this especially it’s ending really resonated with me. I’ve always loved it when creators get a bit personal because it feels like something so precious and dear. I find it to be some of the most respectable things to share something like that in order to help others understand their own feelings. The whole senior in high school part was very fitting in this time because I am that senior going to “Oh god what am I going to do with the rest of my life” and the message that if given by the end is comforting. Knowing that despite all the pitfalls I might face that there is still a way further. That I can carve out my own path and pursue it. It’s things like this that make me appreciate life a little bit more. It’s nice to know that you’re not the only one terrified and that there will always be others who feel the same way. All of this is to say thank you for making these analyses of Danganronpa because they mean so much to me.

Well now i can't wait for the V3 retrospective, easily my favorite dr game.

One neat clue in Mikan's trial is when she gets backed into a corner and everyone starts believing she's the killer, suddenly she goes rigid, looks up and goes "Huh? Huh? Huh?" Then suddenly she "remembers" the Hemp Bag. She didn't remember it. Someone we couldn't hear told her about it and she was listening. It's the first clue of Alter Ego Junko controlling this world. Mikan's "Beloved" gave her a clue.

Hat's off!! You have made one of the best Retrospective I have ever seen!! You deserve mad respects for making this absolute amazing video!! The ending of this video made me tear up a little. this video's ending and the game's ending truly was Beauiful!! Thank you very much for making this video. You have really made me respect the game more, and made me more knowledgable about the contents in this game. Thanks a bunch!! And I cannot wait for your future DR retrospectives and content!! You're a very good youtuber!! And I will for sure watch more of your content!! You make very enjoyable and insightful content!!

ngl this video made me hella emotional. I didn't have the privilege of first seeing Danganronpa the series back in my formative years, also because I didn't even know about the existence of said series until 2013 when I graduated hs in 2012, and only saw the actual gameplay when a youtuber I follow played in recent years. But I feel like Danganronpa, mainly DR2, was very formative to my present mentality, alongside with some other more mature media that also have such uplifting messages despite their heavy content, such as Night In The Woods, Life Is Strange, and Sailor Nothing (a fanfiction that is deeply triggering and yet has one of the most realistic and well executed messages on the actual power of friendship and support systems as a fundamental way to get through and overcome trauma I've ever seen in media). Not to play my own small violin but life... Has not been the best to me, and in between struggling with a myriad of personal problems, traumas and a streak of bad luck, I am at this point 27 going 28 this year, struggling through a 5 years turned at least 7 years long bachelor's program. And it sucks, mainly when I can feel the palpable disappointment in people around me at my constant failing and struggling, coming from family and beyond. I never was a dropout because I always powered through things at my own expense to keep myself from reaching that level out of sheer fear of the anger and rejection I'll get from others, but I still relate strongly to the dropout outcast experience. And also I relate to the whole shindig of being tempted by doomer mentality, coming from within me, as it feels like regardless of effort, I only fail and get people disappointed in me, which leads me to question what's the point of caring or putting effort at all when people only care about the outcome, and also coming from people all around me and around the same age as me, who all see the world as beyond fucked, the system as beyond broken, and why should they personally care about anything or put effort into anything if "we're all going to die from climate change after all?" Watching the gameplays of DR1 and DR2, I saw that mentality being personified into Junko, and how ridiculous it all sounds when you solidify those thoughts into a more cohesive picture, and I also saw people who were not exactly like me, but felt very similar to me, confront said thoughts, which are difficult to argue against when you're on your own head, but become almost comedically simplistic when they are quite literally embodied by a hedonistic and sadistic high schooler whose main motivation is to plunge the world and people into despair. And also, with DR2 comes the idea of despite one's past history, despite one being quite literally a villain the past (like the cast were), who literally harmed and killed people and influenced others to do the same, they still have that potential of rescuing themselves from said position and becoming the better person. Obviously it is not put as simply as for example MLP:FiM or Steven Universe, whose similar message is undermined by how quickly and easily the characters on those shows accept villains as good without any work or attempt at further reconciliation or reparation besides perhaps an "I'm sorry," and also by the fact that it's usually the main characters on those shows who do the rescuing from villainhood instead of the villain themselves (which also brings forth a whole myriad of questions about the morality and truthfulness of said rescues). I don't think DR2 is a show that woobifies the villains, yet another annoying and perhaps harmful trope where the villain's actions are supposed to be forgiven because "uwu look at this sadboi he only harmed people because he's sad uwu," no I think that the game still put enough severity into their crimes against others and even themselves that makes it plenty clear that their original present selves were very horrific people. But yet, they are still people, and everyone should be at least given a running chance of redeeming themselves, not by erasing their past and in their case quite literally erasing their memories and wiping the evil out of them, something that is quite the common shortcut on redemption stories in modern media, but by giving them a choice to work on themselves and create a better life, moving past their own mistakes. And that's, at least in my honest opinion, the best part of DR2's message, because it's so mature, and I feel it's so lacking in modern storytelling, I think the only other time I've seen being done was with Prince Zuko on Avatar. Bottom line, Danganronpa is such a hopeful story, not only because of its message, but also because it pulls its punches to reach that conclusion, to pass that message wholeheartedly and without sugar-coating, making it very powerful. And, I'm so glad I got to experience it, despite its flaws and its questionable writing at times.

The worst thing is, those things junko said that made hajime break down are logical. His hope is different, he doesn't know those people that tell him to sacrifice himself, and sacrificing himself for other people seems like too much of a price if he wants to keep himself as he is now. She says things that hit him because she uses things that do make sense if you see it from his view. So he doesnt know what to do. Wow.

Ngl I subbed after the content warning. Not a lot of YTbers do that - at most they'll be pretty vague about the dark content and possible triggers, so it's nice to see someone lay it all down there. Also I like your voice and adore super long videos like this one! I like Danganronpa, not too fond of the overarching lore, it's a bit too absurd even for me, but I love the individual games and characters... Yet I've found myself watching a lot of videos about the series' lore and DR in general, the longer the better. Its entertaining despite it's weirdness! XP Will definitely check out the one on the first game after this.

Seeing this right after finishing the game myself, I wanna say that, to me, nanami being a flawless character fits with what the FF would realistically want for an observer that works as, essentially, a bridge between the students, kinda like when you make friends with your friend’s friends If anything, I’d say that her flawless personality is her biggest flaw, since it’s also what would prevent her from coming out as the traitor as far as chapter 1

i like what you said about how it’s reiterating on all the same things as the first one did, because i’ve always seen this series as “what if a bunch of character archetypes got put in a killing game together”, to the point where they even start riffing off of the tropes that they themselves established

Very excited to see your take on this, I loved your first retrospective, and DR2 is my personal favorite game for a whole bunch of personal reasons

sorry for commenting twice- i just finished the video and your personal experience with the game informed your thoughts and commentary to such a wonderful extent it brought tears to my eyes. i relate a lot, i spent most of my final few years in high school moving schools, skipping classes, deep in the throes of mental illness and i only managed to graduate by the skin of my teeth. sdr2 is one of my fav games ever and you did it justice. tysm for capturing exactly why this is such a wonderful, meaningful game to so many people because i feel like its so often misinterpreted. great work

Hey, I just got around to looking into the franchise (been putting it off in fear of the Fandom killing my like for the games before I truly got into it), and I gotta say, this is brilliant. Game two was really rough to me, a beautiful mess that hit hard. Some context, I myself am a dropout, just threw in the towel last week, actually, and Nanami's future pep talk reduced me to a crying mess. Frankly, we all still have room to grow, struggling teens, grown adults, and innocent kids alike. Junko's right in a sense, the world isn't kind. It wants to swallow us whole, to tear us down. The future of pain isn't one we have to take though. If we create our future, choose what we want to instead of what the world wants to, we'll survive. It will be rough, but even if you fall, remember to pick yourself up and keep moving.

Something i find super funny and also ironic retroactively is, on my first playthrough i did Pekos free time events first, and then started Mahirus to see what was up with her.... aaand then guess who?? None other thaaaaan Mahiru dies. And i had high expectations for Pekoyama lmfao. I just realized i had the same problem i had with Peko in DRV3

That senior year story, quite literally made me realize the exact same thing and in the same situation too??? Thank you for adding that because you might’ve just saved the last few months of my senior year. I literally got into DR at the beginning of my senior year and have been fixating on it this entire time (mainly DR2 of course-). I never took the time to appreciate that ending and it might be exactly what I need right now.

loved this video, looking forward to future parts covering the rest of the series. just make sure to pace yourself and not let the process weigh you down

Don’t worry Teruteru isn’t the only lgbt representation we have! We also have… Nagito…

The quality and frequency of your essays is amazing. Keep it up!

These retrospectives are a blast from the past to me. Thank you for making them :)

58:38 I really love how in Project Rewrite (Spoilers) Hajime takes a bat from the convenience store and smashes the Twilight Syndrome game to prevent anyone playing it.

I personally adore Tsumiki. She was one of my favourite characters until her being caught in Chapter 3 and her later execution. I related to her in a way, as when I was in highschool, I was shy, overly apologetic for things I didn't even need to apologise for, I was extremely sensitive and easy to make cry and I was bullied a lot, including by someone who I thought loved me at one point. Said person used my insecurities to pressure me into uncomfortable sexual situations, and it's affected me for life. These all helped me relate to and love Tsumiki more, and it only heightened the level of disgust I felt in regards to how she was handled, especially with her execution and all the cheesecake shots of her. I only wish they handled her better. Looking back, it's almost as if they just put her in for the nurse fetish and it makes me sick. I wish they just did betterm

I think I enjoyed this retrospective even more than the first one, it was so good! Having not played the game myself and only watched playthroughs, I was happy to learn a lot of new things about the game and the characters and the stuff I didn't notice. Brilliant video, thank you for making it! :D