This is an accepted version of this page
| Danganronpa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genres | Adventure,murder mystery,visual novel |
| Developers | |
| Publishers |
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| Creator | Kazutaka Kodaka |
| Platforms | PlayStation Portable,Android,iOS,PlayStation Vita,Windows,OS X,Linux,PlayStation 4,Nintendo Switch,Xbox One |
| First release | Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc 25 November 2010 |
| Latest release | Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp 4 November 2021 |
Danganronpa (Japanese:ダンガンロンパ;lit. "Bullet Refutation"[a]) is a Japanesevideo game franchise created byKazutaka Kodaka and developed and owned bySpike Chunsoft (formerlySpike). The series primarily surrounds various groups of apparent high-school students who are forced into murdering each other by a robotic teddy bear namedMonokuma. The gameplay features a mix ofadventure,visual novel,detective anddating simulator elements. The first game,Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, was released for thePlayStation Portable in 2010.
The original scenario was written by Kodaka, who aimed to create a twisted adventure game. The original concept was rejected for being too gruesome, but it was later approved after retooling. The series has morphed into a franchise that includes manga, anime, and novels. The franchise became one of Spike's most successful works since they previously outsourced their works.
The series received many positive reviews from critics, praising the series' characters, tone, and atmosphere.Rui Komatsuzaki's character designs became popular for cosplay. Kodaka's work also inspired staff members from the studioPierrot in the making of an anime titledAkudama Drive. By 2025, theDanganronpa series reached 8.5 million copies sold worldwide.[2]
The series revolves around an elite high school, Hope's Peak Academy (希望ヶ峰学園,Kibōgamine Gakuen;lit.Kibogamine Academy), which, every year, scouts "Ultimate" students (超高校級,chō-kōkō-kyū;lit. Super High School Level), talented high school students who are at the top of their field, along with one "Ultimate Lucky Student" who is chosen by lottery. The three games,Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (2010),Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (2012), andDanganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (2017) have similar premises. Sixteen talented students who stand out in different fields are trapped by a bear-like machine,Monokuma. The cast is trapped for the rest of their lives in an establishment and the only way to return home is by killing another person and avoiding being found guilty during the class trials.[3] The video games's narratives are connected by related media, expanding the story between titles.[4]
The first game was ported toiOS andAndroid in August 2012, with new features such asretina display support,touch screen controls, and a new image gallery.[5][6] Two smartphone games,Danganronpa: Monokuma no Gyakushū (ダンガンロンパ モノクマの逆襲;lit.Danganronpa: Monokuma Strikes Back) andAlter Ego (アルターエゴ,Arutāego), were released for Android devices on April 27, 2012, and iOS devices on May 23, 2012.[7] Following the Japanese release ofDanganronpa 1-2 Reload, aPlayStation Vita port of the game and its sequel,Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, NIS America released the Vita version ofTrigger Happy Havoc in North America and Europe in February 2014.[8][9] Spike Chunsoft later released the game onSteam in February 2016.[10] NIS America also releasedDanganronpa 1-2 Reload forPlayStation 4 in North America and Europe in March 2017,[11] and Japan on May 18, 2017.[12] Another compilation for theNintendo Switch titledDanganronpa Decadence was released in 2021. Besides the trilogy, the compilation offered a new title calledDanganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp, expanded from the two extra modes ofDanganronpa V3.[13]
The spin-off,Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, takes place between the events of the first two games,[14] follows series protagonistMakoto Naegi's younger sister,Komaru Naegi, accompanied byToko Fukawa, as both of them trek through a city overrun by murderous Monokumas, and fighting against a group of children calling themselves the Warriors of Hope. This game was also adapted into themangaGenocider Mode.
Gameplay in the mainDanganronpa games is split into various chapters which each consist of three sections: Daily Life, Deadly Life, and Class Trial. Daily Life follows a standardvisual novel style as players explore the school grounds, converse with characters, and progress the story. During designated "Free Time" sections, players can interact with a character of their choice, learning more about them through intimacy events and earning new skills that can help them in the Class Trial. Deadly Life is the post-murder investigation part of the story, in which players search for clues and gather evidence for the Class Trial.[15] The Class Trial is the main section of the series, in which the students attempt to determine the culprit. This involves various types of mini-games, the most common of which is the Nonstop Debate. Here, the characters discuss the case in real-time, and the player must spot contradictions in their statements and shoot them using "Truth Bullets" containing the corresponding evidence. These sections are broken up by assorted minigames including spelling out clues, rhythmically fighting against suspects, and piecing together comic books depicting the case.[15]
The spin-offsDanganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls andDanganronpa: Unlimited Battle use different types of gameplay. The former is a third-person shooter in which the protagonist,Komaru Naegi, uses a megaphone to issue commands at most of the electronic objects in-game, including Monokuma Robots and switches.[16]Unlimited Battle is an action game where players use touchscreen controls to fling a team of four of theDanganronpa characters at enemies.[17]
"It was originally a basic visual novel, but visual novel games are not that popular in Japan anymore, either. So we figured that ifDanganRonpa were to be just a visual novel, it would not be as popular we wanted it to be, these days. So that's why, to show that the game is really interesting, we decided to add a lot of different features -- after the scenario was written."
While at Spike, Kodaka proposed an idea to the company that was known asDistrust.[19] The concept was similar to that ofDanganronpa, abattle royale style death game in a closed environment between high school students, but the idea was too gruesome and was consequently scrapped. After tweaking the concept, Kodaka successfully pitched it to the company and the game went into production, becomingDanganronpa.[19] The word "Danganronpa" originated from character designer Rui Komatsuzaki which was first written inkanji but it was later taken tokatakana for the logo.[20] Kodaka citesDavid Lynch as a major inspiration when making the games. He stated "As opposed to being about death, these are games about playing for your life, since killing is much less purposeful without a motive to justify it. This is something you can really see with all his titles.".[21]
The first game in the series, titledDanganronpa: Kibō no Gakuen to Zetsubō no Kōkōsei, was produced by Yoshinori Terasawa, who was inspired by movies such asSaw andCube. The game uses a distinct "pop art" style featuring fluorescent pink blood. The game's scenario was written by Kodaka, with character designs by Rui Komatsuzaki. In February 2014, Kodaka revealed on hisTwitter account that the story ofDanganronpa was inspired by theSega Dreamcast gameIllbleed, as he loved how "crazy" it was.[22] The game was originally conceived as a basic visual novel but, as visual novels were growing less popular, new gameplay elements were added to make it stand out.[23] Due to budget issues, some lines were not given voice acting which left voice actressMegumi Ogata with the desire to make some important lines in retrospective. She felt a similar feeling with the anime adaptation as she felt it was too trimmed. Kodaka claimed some lines were not befitting to protagonistMakoto Naegi such as when the player is exploring an area. As a result, he also felt they would have added more fitting lines if Spike had the budget for the game.[24]
The game was originally released onPlayStation Portable in Japan on 25 November 2010, and was later ported toiOS andAndroid devices on 20 August 2012. Prior to the game's release, the company released various promotional material, including a playable demo and trailers, which depicted a different victim from the final game.[25] Two smartphone applications,Danganronpa: Monokuma no Gyakushū (ダンガンロンパ モノクマの逆襲;lit.Danganronpa: Monokuma Strikes Back) andAlter Ego (アルターエゴ,Arutāego), were released for Android devices on 27 April 2012 and iOS devices on 23 May 2012.[26]
After the making of the firstDanganronpa game, there were no plans for a sequel. However, the team split up into different groups to make other projects. Initially reluctant, Kodaka was attracted by the idea of creating the novelsDanganronpa Zero. Terasawa approached Kodaka with the idea of a sequel in a few months. Kodaka wrote bothZero andGoodbye Despair at the same time. In retrospect, Kodaka considers the novels as needing more structuring work when comparing it with the game. He wrote elements he was doubtful from the first game into the novel as well as more hints towardsGoodbye Despair. As a result, Kodaka recommends gamers first readZero before playing the sequel.[27] A sequel,Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, was released for PSP in Japan on 26 July 2012, featuring various gameplay additions.
On 10 October 2013, Spike Chunsoft releasedDanganronpa 1・2 Reload (ダンガンロンパ1・2 Reload), a compilation of the first two games, for thePlayStation Vita. Along with higher resolution graphics and touch-screen controls, the compilation added an additional 'School Mode' to the first game, based on the second game's 'Island Mode'. On 6 July 2013,NIS America announced they would be releasing the Vita version of the first game in English under the nameDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, featuring both English and Japanese audio.[28] This version was released in North America on 11 February 2014, and in Europe and Australia on 14 February 2014. The Vita version of the second game, titledDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, was released in North America and Europe in September 2014.[29] Both games were later ported toSteam in 2015 and were released forPlayStation 4 in 2017.[30]
On 9 September 2013, Spike Chunsoft announced a spin-off title of the series,Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, which was released on Vita on 25 September 2014 and was released in North America and Europe in September 2015.[31] A free-to-play spin-off game,Danganronpa: Unlimited Battle, was released foriOS in Japan on 7 January 2015.[32] In March 2015, writer Kodaka Kazutaka revealed thatDanganronpa 3 was in early development.[33][34] The game was revealed in September 2015 asDanganronpa V3: Killing Harmony forPlayStation 4 and Vita, which was later released in 2017.[35] ASteam port ofDanganronpa V3: Killing Harmony was also in 2017. The game was developed at the same time as the production of the anime seriesDanganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School, which Terasawa and Kodaka described as being difficult; they still try to develop both projects without making any compromises, as such an opportunity does not arise often. The "V3" in the game's title was chosen to differentiate it from the anime. Terasawa and Kodaka described the game's production level as being much higher than that of previous games in the series.[36] WithKilling Harmony completed, Kodaka claimed that he would take a break from the franchise in a similar fashion to theBack to the Future film series, which consists of three installments.[37]
A freevirtual reality technical demo based on the first game, titledCyber Danganronpa VR: The Class Trial, was released forPlayStation Plus users in Japan for thePlayStation VR on 13 October 2016.[38][39] Acrossover prequel withOtogirisō to the first game, titledKirigiri Sou, was released forPC users in Japan on 25 November 2016. In 2017, Spike Chunsoft started hiring staff for a newDanganronpa game.[40] In July 2020, it was announced that the franchise's publishing rights outside of Japan will be transferred from NIS America to Spike Chunsoft.[41]
As part of the 10th anniversary celebration, enhanced ports ofDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc andDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, titledDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition andDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition respectively, were released on smartphone on November 25, followed by Nintendo Switch in December 2021.Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition was also ported to Xbox One and Microsoft Store on January 17.[42] These versions contain a gallery where players can listen to character voices, as well as view character expressions, in-game illustrations, and character references. On Nintendo Switch, the publisher also released an Anniversary Edition ofDanganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, as well asDanganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp, a brand new exclusive game for the Switch.Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition,Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition,Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition, andDanganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp were also collected and sold as a bundle titled "Danganronpa Decadence on the Nintendo Switch.[43]
According to Kodaka, the first two games focus prominently on the ideas of hope and despair. The cast from the first game suffers the latter theme when being forced to kill each other in Monokuma's battle royale. Kodaka stated that the games were intended "to portray the disparity faced when someone has killed another person while at the same time portraying the hope of one day achieving salvation." Although the game shares traits withKoushun Takami's 1999 novelBattle Royale, Kodaka aimed to provide different ideas when writing the script. Originally, the idea was to use adults as protagonists but he instead found high school characters as more suitable leads due to their immaturity through the usage of character development and how would they react to a killing game.[44] Voice actressMegumi Ogata who voicesMakoto Naegi also commented on these themes; Ogata felt Makoto embodies the philosophy of hope as he brings this to the narrative and the setting.[45]
Analyzing these themes further, Ogata saidDanganronpa often touches on the conflicting elements of despair and hope. The characters experience despair while they are trapped in the school and Makoto provides more emotional support to the cast across the story, giving the actress a far more optimistic message that the students are going to survive.[46] InGoodbye Despair a new character namedNagito Komaeda was introduced with the same Lucky Talent as Makoto. However, the staff considered them opposites based on their ideals of hope. In contrast to Makoto's heroic ideals of obtaining hope, Nagito instead embraces the idea of despair, believing that from any corrupted work the cast can find salvation.[47][48] The animeEnd of Hope's Peak Academy introduces a rival to Makoto namedKyosuke Munakata who shares similar ideals but is corrupted due to his friends' death, and thus contradicts Makoto's ideals. Across the story, Makoto carries the "burdens of hope" in the face of persistent obstacles, allowing him to redeem Kyosuke.[49]
For the third and latest game,Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, Kodaka decided to focus on a new theme: lies. Dishonesty is represented through mysteries and surprises the player gets while playing the game. Kodaka claims that games would understand the ideals of lies when presented with the culprits. He was inspired by a mafia-like game where the answers are not provided to the player, and thus wantedDanganronpa to go through this style in terms of writing. This mostly manifested in the new gameplay elements inKilling Harmony as the player can enter hidden routes throughout the class trial by lying at a specific juncture. However, Kodaka had mixed feelings about it, finding that it would come across as forced storytelling. Kodaka also refrained from expanding the theme of romance in the game, as he felt the cast would look weak if this was implemented.[50]
The games were localized by NIS America. Due to the poor popularity of outsourced games by the Western studio-likeDmC: Devil May Cry orDead Rising, Spike wanted theDanganronpa to remain true to its Japanese release, with Spike Chunsoft CEO Mitsutoshi Sakurai saying that Western fans seemed to embrace Japanese games like theFinal Fantasy series.[51] Due to delays with it being made, fan translations of the first game were present on the internet before NIS America handled the project. Minor changes were made to the characters' names but the team felt that the team aimed the project to be as faithful and accessible to the Western gamers. Spike's single request to NIS America was keeping the Monokuma's names intact. Due to the premise involving mystery, NIS America was keeping clues and at the same making the Class Trials as challenging as the original ones from Japan. While the English cast did not cause difficulties,Toko Fukawa's English voice actress was the most challenging to find as the character has a speech impediment. Monokuma was kept intact to make him look funny and at the same time threatening, something the team enjoyed.[52]
Goodbye Despair was more challenging to localize than the original game due to how much longer the narrative is. The original team tried to work together again on the project to keep themselves familiar with the concepts of the series. In regards to changes NIS America made, Spike Chunsoft was supportive of the ideas they provided. The producer and assistant producers were in direct contact with the original creators of the series, making the interaction between the team to be done quickly.Sonia Nevermind's traits were altered due to how in the Japanese version she was using terms from the 1980s and 1990s in Japan. The team was concerned if her catchphrases should be kept intact for the Western version. Fuyuhiko was also challenging to dub as a result of his initial harsh personality. The casting was made with the help ofBang Zoom!. Similarly,Nagito Komaeda was difficult to dub as a result of his multi-faced personality. Since in the Japanese version both Makoto Naegi and Nagito were voiced byMegumi Ogata, in the English version they decided to also use the same actor:Bryce Papenbrook.[53]
The firstDanganronpa has received two manga adaptations. The first adaptation, illustrated by Saku Toutani, was published inEnterbrain'sFamitsu Comic Clear web magazine between June 24, 2011, and October 18, 2013, and is told from the perspective of the other students.[54] The second, illustrated by Samurai Takashi and based onDanganronpa: The Animation, began serialization inKadokawa Shoten'sShōnen Ace magazine from July 2013. An official fanbook and comic anthologies based on both the game and the anime have also been published.[55] A minilight novel written byRyohgo Narita, titledDanganronpa IF: The Button of Hope and the Tragic Warriors of Despair (ダンガンロンパIF 希望の脱出装置と絶望の残念無双,Danganronpa IF: Kibō no Dasshutsusōchi to Zetsubō no Zan'nen Musō), is unlockable inDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair after clearing the game once. The story takes place in an alternate universe where Makoto manages to find an alleged escape switch.[56]
The prequel,Danganronpa Zero, takes place in Hope's Peak Academy shortly before the events of "The Tragedy", following ananterograde amnesiac protagonist,Ryoko Otonashi, while detectiveKyoko Kirigiri searches for its perpetrator, the mysteriousIzuru Kamukura. The light novel seriesDanganronpa: Kirigiri, which takes place before the events of the first game, follows a young Kyoko Kirigiri and her assistantYui Samidare over the course of several years as they set out to become private detectives, rising through the ranks of the Detective Shelf Collection (探偵図書館,Tantei Toshokan).
Kirigiri Sou, which takes place before the first game and after the events of thelight novel seriesDanganronpa: Kirigiri, follows college studentKouhei Matsudaira and Kyoko Kirigiri, as both of them investigate a mysterious mansion ruled by the influence of aplanthybriddoppelgänger of Kyoko (known as Kyoka) created bySanta Shikiba and her "siblings", the Rhinogradentia.
The light novel trilogyDanganronpa: Togami, which takes place before and during "The Tragedy", followsByakuya Togami and his secretary and biographer Blue Ink after he is stranded naked inPrague with her by theUltimate Despair organization, as theUltimate Imposter takes over the Togami Conglomerate and announces worldwide that lest he (the real Byakuya) be assassinated within the following 24 hours, the Ultimate Despair group will "end the world." The second volume also focuses on a younger Byakuya and the Imposter as they compete against fifteen of their siblings in the Togami family competition for the position of Togami heir, which quickly devolves into a killing game. The manga seriesDanganronpa Gaiden: Killer Killer, which takes place between the events of the first two games, follows rookie and veteran Future Foundation agentsMisaki Asano andTakumi Hijirihara, the latter of whom leads a secret parallel life as a vigilanteserial killer obsessed withMukuro Ikusaba, who only kills other murderers.
A short story booklet titledDanganronpa: Makoto Naegi Secret File – The Worst Day Ever (ダンガンロンパ Makoto Naegi Secret File 苗木誠、人生最悪の日,Naegi Makoto, Jinsei Saiaku no Hi), written by Kazutaka Kodaka, was included with special editions of the first Japanese Blu-ray and DVD release ofDanganronpa: The Animation, serving as an origin story relating how Makoto came to be selected as the "Ultimate Lucky Student" of Hope's Peak Academy.[57]
Alongside the next anime, a manga spin-off illustrated by Mitomo Sasako, titledKiller Killer, began serialization inKodansha'sBessatsu Shōnen Magazine from March 9, 2016. Initially released asKiller Killer, in its third chapter, published on May 9, 2016, the manga series was revealed to be a side-story ofDanganronpa 3.[58] The series focuses on Misaki Asano, a young woman assigned to the Future Foundation's sixth branch. She specializes in murder investigations, and is teamed up with fellow investigator Takumi Hijirihara, who, following "The Tragedy", has secretly become a serial killer, known as the "Killer Killer", obsessed with killing other serial killers the pair are tasked with apprehending. Two comic anthologies were released on September 9, 2016,[59] and another was released on October 25, 2016, byKadokawa Shoten.[60]
In December 2012,Kadokawa Shoten'sNewtype magazine announced that there would be ananime television series adaptation of the first game, titledDanganronpa: The Animation, produced byLerche and directed bySeiji Kishi.[61] The series aired between 4 July 2013 and 26 September 2013 onMBS' Anime-ism programming block. The final Blu-ray/DVD volume, released on 26 February 2014, features an extended final episode.[62]Funimation simulcast the series as it aired and released it onBlu-ray/DVD in North America on 10 November 2015, whileManga Entertainment released the series in the UK on 9 November 2015.[63][64] The anime is licensed byMuse Communication in Southeast Asia and aired onAnimax Asia in Japanese audio with English subtitles.[65]
A second anime series, titledDanganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School, aired between July and September 2016. The series is split into two simultaneously airing parts:Side: Future, which serves as a conclusion to the "Hope's Peak Academy" storyline, andSide: Despair, which serves as a prequel to the first two games,Trigger Happy Havoc andGoodbye Despair. Seiji Kishi once again directed the series at Lerche, whileNorimitsu Kaihō wrote the screenplay.[66] TheDanganronpa development staff have stated that, while difficult to work on both titles simultaneously, they are giving it since the opportunity to do something like it does not come up often.[36] Initially, an anime adaptation ofDanganronpa 2 had been planned, but in the end the development staff opted for making an anime that takes place afterDanganronpa 2 instead,[36] as Kodaka felt that theDanganronpa 2 characters' story had ended within that game and that he could not write another about what happened to them afterward very easily.[67] While class trials had originally been considered, it was thought that it would have been too painful for the characters to sit through another one, which was what led to the decision to make the conclusion into an anime.[36]
The series was licensed for simulcasting by Funimation.[68] Despite episodes alternating between the Future and Despair arcs when it originally aired, Funimation groups the episodes by arc on its streaming service.[69] Anoriginal video animation titledSuper Danganronpa 2.5: Komaeda Nagito to Sekai no Hakaisha, was bundled withDanganronpa V3 in Japan on 12 January 2017.[70]
The original soundtracks for both the games and the anime are composed byMasafumi Takada. The soundtrack forDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc was released in Japan by Sound Prestige Records on 14 February 2011, with the ending theme, "Playback -rebuild-" (再生 -rebuild-,Saisei -rebuild-), performed byMegumi Ogata, which is also used as the anime's final ending theme. The soundtrack forDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair was released on 31 August 2012. The soundtrack forDanganronpa: The Animation was released byGeneon Universal Entertainment on 28 August 2013. The opening theme for the anime series was "Never Say Never", performed by TKDz2b withJas Mace, Marchitect and Tribeca, the single of which was included with the first Blu-ray/DVD volume of the anime released on 28 August 2013. The ending theme is "Despairity: A Hero's Treatment" (絶望性：ヒーロー治療薬,Zetsubōsei: Hero Chiryōyaku) by Susumu feat. Soraru, the single of which was released on 4 September 2013. There have also been drama CDs, as well as bonus soundtracks included with limited-edition releases of the games.[citation needed]
Monokuma appears in somedownloadable content for Spike Chunsoft's role-playing game,Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars.[71] Costumes of Monokuma and Monomi also appear in the JapanesePlayStation 3 andPlayStation Vita versions ofTerraria, which are published by Spike Chunsoft in that region.[72] Another Spike game developed for the PlayStation Portable,Gachitora: The Roughneck Teacher in High School, allows a player to wear a Monokuma costume if aDanganronpa save file is present upon playingGachitora.[73] Downloadable outfits based on Monokuma and Monomi also appeared in theSuper Sonico game,Motto! SoniComi.[74] Characters fromDanganronpa appear as downloadable content inFushigi no Chronicle: Furikaerimasen Katsu Madewa.[75] Theroguelikerhythm gameCrypt of the Necrodancer features remixed music from theDanganronpa series, as well as character skins of Makoto Naegi, Monokuma, Monomi, Hajime Hinata,Junko Enoshima, Chiaki Nanami, Ibuki Mioda and Sayaka Maizono.[76] Costumes of Makoto, Kyoko, Junko, Monokuma, Hajime, Chiaki, Nagito and Mikan, as well as a pet of Monomi appear as part of a crossover in theNetEase survival mobile gameIdentity V.[77][78]
The franchise had a theatrical play dubbedDanganronpa The Stage 2016 (ダンガンロンパ THE STAGE 2016). The play follows Makoto Naegi as he and his classmates must kill each other without being caught by the other students. The play features all the characters from the anime and game. The game is localized to Japan only. A stage play based on the animeFuture Arc was made withInnocentSphere'sHideyuki Nishimori directing and writing the scripts. It premiered on 20 July 2018.[79]
| Game | Famitsu | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc | (PSP) 36/40[80] | (PC) 82/100[81] (Vita) 80/100[82] |
| Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair | (PSP) 37/40[83] | (PC) 83/100[84] (Vita) 81/100[85] |
| Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls | (Vita) 35/40[86] | (Vita) 72/100[87] (PS4) 67/100[88] |
| Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony | (PS4) 37/40[89] (Vita) 37/40[89] | (PS4) 81/100[90] (Vita) 80/100[91] (PC) 80/100[92] |
| Danganronpa 1-2 Reload | (PS4) 83/100[93] | |
| Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp | (NS) 54/100[94] |
The series was a commercial success. As of 7 November 2018, the game series had sold over of 930,000 units in Japan.[95] The best-selling Danganronpa game in Japan isDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, which sold a total of 258,250 units on thePlayStation Portable.[95] In Europe and the United States, combined sales of the first two games on PlayStation Vita,Trigger Happy Havoc andGoodbye Despair, have surpassed 200,000 copies sold as of April 2015.[96] Spike Chunsoft reported in March 2018 that the two games each sold an additional 200,000 units throughSteam.[97] By 2021, the series reached 5 million copies sold worldwide.[2]
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USGamer claimed that the popularity behindDanganronpa not only comes from the plot and gameplay but also the "zany, multifaceted characters" who are both expressive and distinctive. The tension provoked by the trials was said to be the most important part of the gameplay,, as the player feels confused about what character could have been the murderer of a case.[99]Hardcore Gamer said the game has an "uncanny ability to leave its players slack-jawed at the sights of the unraveling plot points."[100]Destructoid praised its art style and well thought out story.[101] The media focused on the art style and character designs, which they felt helped to easily tell apart characters and enjoy their interactions with leads.[101][102][103][104][105] A major praise in regards to the narrative are the twists revealed through class trial like Nagito Komaeda's true character inGoodbye Despair or Kaede Akamatsu's last action inKilling Harmony.[106] This also led to articles focused on the game's strongest characters based on intelligence or major role in the series.[107][108] However, the trials have often received criticism for being easy to solve.[109][104] The latest game,Killing Harmony, attracted divisive comments from fans due to its ending which involves the characters being aware of their fictional nature and the emotional catharisis they have suffered as a result of the series' popularity.[110][111][112]
The cast in general was well received with several of them often being the subject ofcosplay based on their distinctive designs, with multiple favoritingJunko Enoshima and series'mascotMonokuma.[98] In November 2019, a Monokuma costume created controversy inAustin, Texas, afterdrag queen Erika Klash was denied entry to aWhataburger while dressed as the character, after performing in-character at the Austin International Drag Festival at the club Elysium for five years. Klash later received an apology from a Whataburger representative over the incident, both in-person and onTwitter.[113][114] The reveal in the first game of one characters' gender, who had been cross-dressing, received mixed reception from some critics, who called the discovery "a cheap plot device".[115]
The series has won multiple awards, including the first one:GameFan asGame of the Year, Best Sony Portable Exclusive Game, and Best Adventure Game.[116]Game Informer awarded it Best Vita Exclusive,[117] Best New Character (Monokuma) whileRPGFan gave it the "Best Story",[118] and "Best Graphic Adventure",[119] whileGoodbye Despair receivedFamitsu'sGame of the Year (Readers),[120]Hardcore Gamer's Best PS Vita Game,[121] "Best New Character" (Monokuma),[122] and "Best Adventure Game",[122] while in theJapan Game Awards it won the "Award of Excellence".[123] In 2017,Famitsu readers votedDanganronpa among the top fouradventure games of all time, along withSteins;Gate,428: Shibuya Scramble andPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.[124]Killing Harmony won the Excellence Prize at theFamitsu Awards[125] and the award for "Best Plot Twist" inGame Informer's 2017 Adventure Game of the Year Awards.[126] In aFamitsu poll celebrating the franchise's tenth anniversary, the series remained more popular within female players than male players. The survey also included the fact thatDanganronpa is mostly popular within young adults despite the magazine claiming the game were created to appeal to older gamers.[127]
In 2014, The 19thAnimation Kobe committee choseSeiji Kishi to receive their Individual Award for the stretch of his career includingDanganronpa: The Animation,Arpeggio of Blue Steel, andHamatora.[128]GamesRadar writer Kenneth Shepard acclaimed theEnd of Hope's Peak Academy series, stating that despite the franchise changing media from games, the narrative was appropriate for the television series. He added that he felt that the anime managed to bring closure to Makoto's story arc and felt his story easy for newcomers rather than just returning players.[129] The finale of the series'Hope Arc earned positive reception for how it handled the respective finales of Makoto's and Hajime's/Izuru's journeys, despite lacking the appeal the original games had in the usage of antagonists.[130][131]
According to Kodaka,Ace Attorney's success in North America was due to how it distinguished itself from most visual novels with its gameplay mechanics, whichDanganronpa later built upon and helped it also find success in North America.[132] He further noted that the team behind the games were surprised by the popularity of the three games, claiming they were not expectingDanganronpa to become popular games. As a result, he found that the franchise was so successful that it approachedAtlus'srole-playing game seriesPersona, althoughPersona still being vastly more popular.[133] Anime directorTomohisa Taguchi was so impressed by Kodaka's work onDanganronpa that he collaborated with him on the animeAkudama Drive.[134]
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