Danganronpa V3 is the Greatest Lie Ever Told

[@GentleIceZ]

I think the twist at the end being "Danganronpa is actually a long running reality game show" might have seemed silly in 2017, but in a post "let's make Squid game a real thing" world I completely buy it

[@codebreaker3007]

Very true if this came out now people would be like “damn that’s crazy”

[@hika8538]

@@codebreaker3007 Not sure if it would be that surprising, I'd view it would be more meta if anything but at the very least would not have nearly the same negative reception now

[@e_eyster]

Yeah. In a world where you could have high school aged people sign up for a killing game, get their minds wiped, assigned an ultimate talent, and then be in the killing game... there would be thousands of people signing up for it.

[@alphawilliams7923]

Especially, with the fan games

[@AMudkipAmongUs]

The only thing that takes out of it, is that all these people auditioning are so fanatical and believe they’re gonna win and commit the perfect crime, when after 52 seasons they oughta know the whole thing is rigged from the start. And it really makes more sense for most of the fanatical fans to essentially be suicidal. And it does make it more interesting and tragic for them to basically be at the end of their rope and ready to throw it all away, just to get a will to live implanted in them.

[@clydu91]

The fact that the second they get the first Flashback Light at the beginning is actually the moment their real personality dies is disturbing af. This entire game, when examined truly, is extremely disturbing. The Shuichi we know ISN'T the person, he will now stay as someone with a detective mindset while his actual personality is erased forever, like a save file. It's the most insane thing.

[@frutianodevante]

WHAT (I'm sorry I did not watch the vid)

[@Chaki21]

@@clydu91 Actually, it's either a lie or their personalities were already washed out as there are a lot of contradictions between the twist and the prologue (the cast not recognizing the monokubs except rantaro, Kaede and Shuichi having their fake names instead of their real one, etc.)

[@lilemont9302]

Considering who they used to be Maybe for the best lmao

[@Hlast1]

One interesting aspect about Tsumugi I rarely see people talk about is how she acts during the prologue. She's just as terrified as everyone else despite having no reason to if she was always in on it. Her surprised scream is also notably different there versus every other time in the game where she screams. She is just as much a victim of the Flashback Lights as everyone else. It just so happened that she was chosen to be the secret mastermind for the season.

[@ma_cherri]

Holy shit this is so good

[@emissary8071]

EXACTLY!!!! She was kidnapped too!!!

[@youtubechanel363]

I don't think that it makes sense for TDR to use the flashback lights to turn someone into the mastermind, since the mastermind is someone who has behind the scenes knowledge of the fact that they are on a TV show, and the mastermind knows the show's plot and has the ability to write in new plotlines when needed. Tsumugi even shows that she has knowledge of the auditioning process and claims to have been involved in writing decisions for some of the characters. I don't think there is any reason for why TDR would put all of that into fake memories for a flashback light just to make some random participant think that they worked on the show, when it's more logical for the mastermind to actually be someone from TDR. If they were going to brainwash someone into being the mastermind it would have been better to make that person genuinely believe that they were an evil person, rather than brainwashing them into thinking they were a writer and actor playing a part. The whole premise of why they use the flashback lights to give people new memories is so that the game becomes as real as possible. The difference in how she acts in the prologue can be explained by the fact that we are told the Monokubs basically messed up the prologue and were doing things out of order. It's the difference between her rehearsed scream for when the Exisals were supposed to appear, and her actual surprised scream when they showed up too early from going off script.

[@MelonHere20]

Oooooh good point!

[@dangerface300]

@@youtubechanel363 I also feel like it's a bit of a stretch to assume Tsumugi must be lying about the outside world simply because it's something a known liar said once and everyone ran with it. Is it wise to take it with a grain of salt? Sure, but the sad reality is that the DR writers actually write scenarios like this all the time. From my own perspective, I played the games out of order: 2, 1 and then V3. In the second game there is a long running plot of suspecting a cabal of evil organizers and a traitorous insider among the players, despite that none of the players actually discuss a satisfying theory that proves or almost proves these things. They too are instantly taken at face value and then run with for the entire duration of DR2's story, going on to influence even further assumptions like the slow discovery of DR1's Hope's Peak Academy and the involvement of Byakuya/ Imposter Byakuya. When I was reading this for myself, out of order, and I watched the characters desperately piece together the new evidence using their old assumptions it just came across as pathetic. The story they were working out, the plot of DR1 and how it relates to DR2, is just so damned ridiculous and unbelievable that I couldn't at all imagine being on the island and coming up with such a harebrained theory. Tragically, it turns out it was all canon anyway. That stupid-ass theory they were all invested in turned out to be right at every turn, despite how badly constructed it was. Then I played DR1 of course, which does a much better job of making its own story believable. It really is a case of "never start from where you want to end up and work backwards" unless like in DR1's case, the plot you're working out in reverse is both the plot OF the work you're writing, and also that it's the entire point. DR2's exploration into working out DR1 in reverse fell flat for me because the characters were more interested in working out a completely different story to their own one. So what am I saying? What's the point of bringing up the story of how I read DR2 out of order and it gave me a better unbiased view of it than all the brainwormed fans that swear it makes sense? Well the point is simple: Danganronpa's writers have a really bad habit of writing really bizarre scenarios, having a character introduce an explanation in throwaway dialogue, and then that's justification enough for everyone to know that it's supposed to be canon. The Cospox is probably supposed to be canon despite being ridiculous (Like goddman, the ultimate cosplayer can't cosplay a skin condition?) and the setting outside, with the 53 installments in Danganronpa, are probably supposed to be canon too, even though we get no evidence to prove it. It wouldn't be the first time the devs had played so loose with establishing canon and I would not at all be surprised if this video's (valid) critique of the ridiculous plot twist is just... wrong, because it's just all canon and the writers are just kinda shit at establishing canons well. What the writers may be saying with the ending's themes, the bit about *don't be this*, rather than *why are you like this*, yeah I can actually buy that may have been the intention. What I don't buy is that Tsumugi's convoluted plot is a lie for the sake of a lie. I reckon it's far more likely that she really is just as badly written as she appears to be. I reckon the world outside the game is real, and that bloodthirsty fans do actually line up to be in a killing game and have their memories, and consent, erased after the fact.

[@pizzad1005]

I think your idea that V3 was meant to be entertainment and a purposeful copy of Junko's killing game is right on the money. It explains why she, when backed in a corner, willingly decided to break the fourth wall for the characters. The only reason I can think she would reveal the true nature of the killing game to the contestants would be to spread despair amongst them, and the only reason I can see her interested in that is if she was trying to copy Junko.

[@drooprtroopr6969]

Really great video. And, yeah, what you have said is basically why I don't like when people say that "V3's ending makes the other games have no meaning." The whole point Shuichi says in the final trial is that, even if it's not a true story, even if it is made up, even if it's just fiction, it can have meaning. Whether it's the resolve the cast got by being in the killing game, or the emotions you felt from watching a movie, reading a book, or, hell, playing Danganronpa, it was not nothing.

[@ramenbomberdeluxe4958]

If I may counter back, the reason we’re so invested in the fiction is largely because it’s still real FOR THE CHARACTERS. It’s not like I pick up Lord of the Rings and at the end it’s revealed to be a stage play. I don’t play Fallout only for it to be revealed to be an in-universe TV series. Dragon Ball isn’t a fake kung fu adventure being filmed in China in-universe. This game may be mechanically well written, but the initial concerns about its wish washy nature and rushed sudden twists were largely warranted.

[@wizardkumaanimations9984]

But the thing is Danganronpa (the game/anime) IS already fictional All it's saying is that the fictional characters that you've grown attached to, storylines you've watched, triumphs you've faced, the deaths that happened, the WORLD you know Wasn't even real And yeah you already know that seeing it's a fictional game/it's an animal But now you're being told it wasn't even fictionally real And at that point why should i even care

[@shabootiqui5136]

I​@@wizardkumaanimations9984 it uses our meta understanding that we know these stories aren't real but says that it doesn't matter if its real or not because its impact on you is real and thats whats important. Fiction is worth experiencing because it can inspire and change your life. V3 is genuinely so peak

[@drooprtroopr6969]

@@wizardkumaanimations9984 Even if Danganronpa 1/2 are fiction in fiction, doesn't mean you shouldn't care about it. Just because a movie you're watching didn't actually happen doesn't mean it didn't have worth. Just because a story a character reads inside a book is fictional doesn't mean that you can't grasp something from it, whether that be foreshadowing, parallels between that book and the actual story, or a theme that you find in the story. All (if not, most) pieces of fiction matter at all because we decide to give that piece time and make it mean something.

[@teo00907]

That argument in particular really pisses me off because DG2 made the same point of "fiction still has meaning if it manages to affect you in any way" with Chiaki, and "She didn't matter!" is not an argument you see thrown around because people understand she impacted the cast and Hajime in particular. If anything, I've seen more people argue that making her a real person in the Despair Arc lessened the impact she had in DG2. Even in THH it's not clear if Junko was telling the truth. It's left open-ended (until later additions to the franchise anyway). That's something the cast even ponders before opening the door. We never get to see the outside world because it doesn't matter. What the characters experienced, even if there wasn't a bigger motive behind it than entertaining a twisted despair-loving girl, mattered.

[@bananasplit3132]

I kinda believed Tsumugi for most of the things she said when I first played the ending. When rewatching the series over the years I've uncovered that most of the things she said aren't true at all, but now watching this video I'm beginning to see that even more I believed wasn't at all true! Kinda crazy how characters/people can just say stuff and if you you're expecting them to explain what's going on you kinda believe a lot of what they say even if there's no proof.

[@Luggician]

Ever since I played V3 I became a lot more aware of the "unreliable narrator" trope and it's one of the coolest elements of storytelling you can implement into any work when done right. It's in human nature to lie to cover for yourself or get what you want, but I never really thought of a video game character doing that without the game eventually pointing out that they're lying until this one. It forces you to play detective and look deeper into earlier segments of the game, so much of Tsumugi's dialogue takes on a new meaning after the ending.

[@cragl3yman343]

​@@Luggician Like people need to replay V3 after their first playthrough. The amount that changes due to having knowledge of the twist just makes everything so much better.

[@Lexithepoptart]

Siffrin pfp

[@SamA_Csparks]

Funny detail is how each protagonists have an ahoge. Both of the Neagi’s, have an ahoge. Hinata, has an ahoge. And when we meet Keade she also has an ahoge. Then meeting Shuichi as a sort of side-protagonist but *he* always wears a hat.. but as Keade dies and Shuichi gets over his fear of making eye contact with people like a normal person. He takes off the hat and reclaims the role as main protagonist with an ahoge hidden underneath

[@Stelthily]

And Keebo! He has one and is the protagonist to the in-universe audience.

[@soraideso4020]

It's the funny antenna-hair

[@keithster4343]

no shade but hasn’t everyone known this for years

[@hellomitchell]

1:03:10 THANK YOU I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE TALK ABOUT HOW KAEDE LITERALLY GOT KIDNAPPED AT THE START OF THE GAME I HAVENT EVEN HEARD ANY THEORIES ABOUT IT

[@godzilla4189]

Apparently, Kodaka has said that the upcoming The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, is going to be his most Meta game yet, to the point where there's a gameplay style that won't be revealed until the game comes out, and is so balls to the wall that Aniplex was the only company that would fund it. With how meta V3, I can only imagine how Meta Hundred Line is going to be.

[@peplo101]

I saw it as a send off to fans. They made a whole set up for 50 blank games for the gameshow. People were already making fan games. They made them all cannon with flashback lights

[@louie.4047]

my favorite detail is that the death road of despair IS possible. extremely hard, but possible. and it provides the same amount of despair for you as it does the cast. your only reward for all your effort is an early bad ending.

[@izreal7772]

ok unironic comment time, you did a genuinely amazing job deconstructing this game, while I definitely have voiced my complaints about this game in the past (mainly in terms of the ending, though I've definitely grown more appreciative of it throughout time) this game still genuinely has so many interesting and beautiful ideas and you've laid them all out perfectly when it comes to that vision, you did genuinely such a fantastic job and I'm really happy to see how it turned out, love you man I genuinely do

[@gdassspar6nar]

I understand why people dislike ending of this game,but i love it.Maybe that's because i've got tired of hope vs despair.(I wrote before watching the video)

[@DeezN464]

Honestly V3 should've leaned more on lies being the main way of resolving cases since that seemed to be the core idea for that game

[@emissary8071]

True

[@travisreedii9974]

Look you called Kokichi the goat, and that's all you needed for me to say this video is peak. No notes

[@FireflyOnyx]

I'm so happy to watch a video from someone who genuinely understands this game. If there's anything that truly inspired me as a writer, it was V3. My first experience with it was the fifth trial coming up in my recommended and I soon realised I had found something special. I watched through the videos from that point until the ending and that ending felt so unique. I loved it. It hit. I must also mention how much it means to me for someone to talk so positively about Kokichi. There was a point in time where I could find nothing but slander online, people who wouldn't take the time to understand a character I love. A character that I saw myself in, I understand why he did what he did. Thank you for looking beyond the lies, because people who put up masks like that can be good people underneath.

[@V1G4M1]

I feel this comment a lot😢

[@etam8099]

Aeris did irreparable damage to him

[@V1G4M1]

@@etam8099 yup… someone with way too much reach and what feels like 0 reading comprehension… I remember watching them years ago… until the drop of either the character tierlist or class trial ranking video… both were atrocious

[@Chaki21]

@@V1G4M1 The class trial ranking video hurt so much to watch genuinely, 1-2, V3-5 and 2-5 being at the worst was so... so weird

[@Hyp3rSonic]

@@V1G4M1 Avoid speaking to Aeris. They did some terrible things.

[@lunarfloure]

Amazing video! As a certified Danganronpa V3 defender, I think it's easily the DR game that stuck with me the most and this video basically summed up all the reasons why. The only things I might disagree with are the cast being weak (I like pretty much every character, Tenko included, and would actually rank the cast above DR2's overall) and some aspects of the ending interpretation (I think DR1-3 were still videogames/anime in V3's world with Ultimate Real Fiction coming about due to a growing obsession with the series).

[@wolfywonder8480]

Yeah DR2’s cast is, imo, the most polarizing. On one hand you have Chiaki, who’s universally liked, and on the other hand, you’ve got Teruteru and Mikan, who are… there. Then there’s Nagito, who’s either adored or dispised (personally I hate him, but good on his fans for doing what I can’t), characters like Sonia and Kazuichi who are kind of nothing burgers, what I’d argue is wasted potential in Peko and Nekomaru… I could go on. I baseline liked everyone in V3, and I also did in DR1. DR2? It’s like fifty-fifty

[@MiyaoMeow588]

@@wolfywonder8480 one of the core issues with DR2's cast is that in the main story, most of them just kind of come across as caricatures - but their Free Time Events contain some of the best character writing in the franchise bar none. But the disparity between the two is a problem in and of itself. Like I'm sorry, but Kazuichi just feels like he was written by two different people. And the characterization of say Akane and Hiyoko are just flat-out incomplete without their FTEs. Ironically I think Mikan is one of the best for this, because while her FTEs provide helpful details that give further context, even without them you have a pretty good idea of why she turned out the way she did. I can't really say the same for many others.

[@etam8099]

​@@MiyaoMeow588 What about Nagito?

[@etam8099]

​​​@@wolfywonder8480 Nagito as a character requires a lot of screen time to develop, this without using his FTE that become locked if you don't hang out with him, as a result the others just feels like absolute nothing burgers, sadly Kodaka didn't use chapter 3 to develop those that needed it due to the absence of Nagito in it. I feel like here is where the plot shifted from having Fuyuhiko surviving instead of getting wacked. He is controversial for sure, but most agree on the quality of his writing. Kokichi due to Aeris, doesn't get this luxury, despite being equally if not more controversial, this is due to him being a character more mysterious and thus the info about him are way more scarse, this in terms helped Kodaka putting focus on everyone, while Kokichi suffered from it and a result he became known as a false deep character, a null void, the embodiment of the FNAF lore lol, some even stated Celeste had more depth than him. He is a byproduct of the way V3 was written as a whole, a game where every answer is not given or granted. And thus a lot felt unsatisfied. Again Aeris did irrepparable damage to him still to this day, i fear he may never recover.

[@ma_cherri]

​@@wolfywonder8480 I love mikan sm im so sad her own game mischaracterized her

[@janehoonsan1340]

Damn, the last time I saw the ending of V3 it was like 4 years ago and I definitely didn't have the brain capacity to think what it was actually telling. Revisiting it with your commentary in mind makes so much more sense, like yeah, why would the game devs make fun of their audience for liking the games they made, or the fact that Tsumugi IS an unreliable narrator and lies without hesitation, so it makes complete sense that the ending told through Tsumugi's mouth is not what it seems to be. Honestly, I love this analysis of not just the ending but the entire game, coming back to important points that many might have glossed over or didn't give much thought. I was surprised on how the entire premise of the game is truth vs lies, yet most people including myself got completely owned by the lies told by the game. This video has given me a new appreciation for Danganronpa games as a whole, especially V3 and it's ending. To think that a game's ending which seemed the most stupid, boring and lazy way to end the franchise, was actually lying while holding in so much meaning and a strong message not to sway in the direction the actual world in V3 universe did. Thank you, I really loved this video man (love your honesty with everything and bravery to stand up against a not so bright or nice fandom).

[@MrFusion]

This is by far the best essay on v3 I've seen, you actually understand the game. Keep up the good work bro. Also don't dog on P5, that game slaps.

[@connorharnage6697]

It really is. Easily in my top three Persona games

[@okamiseele8614]

Love to see someone review this game in 2024, especially when they echo all my opinions on the game! But in all seriousness, great analysis. I appreciate that the entire thing was "this game would've been better if xyz happened." You give merit to what the creators were attempting without writing off the flaws or attempting to distract with what could have been. A+ video!

[@ghadlydevastated2067]

I think the fan games had been booming with the way they capture Danganronpa’s charm. Project Eden’s Garden, a new fangame of DR, just released their chapter 1 and I have never been this invested in a cast so unique and a case so devastatingly intriguing that I won’t mind if it is the Danganronpa 4 just how good it was. I think you should check it out.

[@PikaTyler_]

i think this video made me fully realize why v3 is amazing, as i played through it i thought it was the best in the series just inherently from scope of the trials, how good the good characters were and all that other junk, but its only through retroactively looking at this narrative where you can truly appreciate it this game is proof that visual novels are lowkey one of the best ways to tell a story because of how much they can ground you in the story, everything happens around you and you just have to sit and watch, but this game also actively rewards you for taking on the role of shuichi and piecing things together yourself v3 is on another level, and the way you articulate why you feel as such in this video is unparalleled, like genuinely this is some of the best analysis ive seen on the website and even if it flies under the radar i think you can rest easy knowing that the people this does reach will be affected in some way by it great job luggo, this video was a treat

[@V1G4M1]

42:30 rn and THANK YOU for understanding kokichi so well! (I‘d personally even go as far as to say that him dying in chapter 5 was out of Suuicidal idiations after he got gonta of all people killed (especially considering that his whole organisation is a group of harmless pranksters that *despise killing* ) buuut that might be a bit more on the speculative side. )

[@V1G4M1]

43:47 is that dramatic music meaning that he dethroned ibuki from that spot for you? Damn are we the same person? LMAO

[@V1G4M1]

49:59 small detail I‘m just noticing. Tsumugi is practically hidden by the text box, almost looking like an ominous shadow… that is 100% deliberate, I‘m sure!

[@emissary8071]

I agree with you tbh

[@laraechesney]

My husband actually mentioned this to me today (I'm replaying while I wait for GG to finish chapter 4). It made complete sense to me. I think you're right. Kokichi legitimately mourned Gonta, and his "it's a lie" bullshit he went ham on was to cover up his legitimate pain, to keep the facade going.

[@suli0wik641]

I disagree with the idea that kirumi is a flat character. The dichotomy between Kirumi and Ryoma is the whole thematic basis of the second chapter, and her diligence points to a really interesting character study of someone who is unable to lose control. The whole point between both characters is that Ryoma has lost any volition to live, giving in completely to his circumstances as he requires someone out there waiting for him to gain hope, meanwhile Kirumi is extremely controlling despite the fact she is the ultimate servant. She gives to others in order to remain relevant and to satisfy a clear need to always be on the move, and her breakdown post-trial is the clearest depiction I've ever seen of fear of death as a lack of control. She can't fathom the idea of giving up, of not working, she's completely devoted to always getting away with her tasks, and even if these aren't her own desires, it shows a personal need and learnt behaviour. Her punishment is the rawest and most brutal one this series has done, and reveals her as the really interesting character she is.

[@beatziegraham6928]

I suspected Sumigi as the main villain at the beginning. She kept mentioning how plain she was. And yet she kept living after each chapter. I knew she was an important character the whole time. It was so obvious.

[@viennasavage9110]

Raincode is very much its own thing. I think you can appreciate it as something new and familiar at once. I certainly did. And I think everyone should give it a chance. To want something to stay buried, you have to be willing to move forward and try new things. Raincode is one of those things. It stands alone and it makes me sad that plenty of people aren't even trying it because they're afraid it'll be a worse danganronpa. It isn't going to be danganronpa at all. It's Raincode.

[@Luggician]

Yeah I'm sorry I didn't elaborate on that more. I didn't really like how many of the same beats Raincode seems to hit according to its marketing, however I have always had interest in giving it its fair chance. Though I'm personally more interested in Last Defense Academy since it's a tactical RPG. Regardless, I'll save my judgement of whether or not they can carve out their own identity for after I've played them. Thanks for the comment, it gave me a slightly more positive outlook on both.

[@YotaXP]

I thought it was called V3 because V is the roman numeral for 5, and the ending reveals this to be Danganronpa 53.

[@Chaki21]

Yeah that's why it's called liked that, it's explicitly stated too

[@MelonHere20]

Yeah that would be correct lol

[@Onyxicality]

lol i assumed it's "version 3" when playing it blind 😭

[@AAAAHHHHhhH]

@@Onyxicalityyea thats the whole point too at first you think V3 stands for version 3 but then at the end you realise it stand for 53 😭

[@ZomgyLand]

This is it. The one based review of V3.

[@shredjward]

Hey thanks for making my life a little bit better with this video. Nice to see a similar conclusion to my own on V3, and what you said at the end resonated with me

[@theonetrueblue1]

FINALLY, AN ACTUALLY GOOD VIDEO ABOUT DANGANRONPA V3!!!!!!!!! Ive been in the minority of people who loved and understood v3’s ending since it came out in 2017. And it’s been endlessly frustrating to see people shit on the game’s ending for SEVEN YEARS because their reading comprehension is so bad they cant actually understand the ending. Thank you Op. I can finally rest

[@TheBadDeadFox]

27:49 Shuichi is bisexual actually as inidcated by his thoughts in one of Kaito's free time events

[@Elion-c8t]

🤪

[@bonzey9895]

Fantastic work man! Even if i don't agree on everything you said, you really did succeed on changing my perspective on the games ending since it makes a lot more sense. Especially during the last few years where we get nothing but a soulless cashcow rather than proper piece of art, V3s message hits even more so and it makes me appreciate the 3 games a lot more, since yeah we probably wont see this series come back ever again, but well always appreciate the experiences we had with these characters. Again, props to you man. you really did a good job here!

[@WhoEustace]

a danganronpa fan capable of media literacy and critical thinking? i seem to have found a shiny pokemon today :D

[@SHSL-forgery]

Babe wake up dr fandom is alive again

[@MagicPotato06]

V3 is actually my favorite game of all time, this video perfectly explaines why I love it so much. Great work!

[@alexhirsch5738]

In my opinion, the purpose of the necronomicon is to get you, the player, to question whether it's possible to resurrect the dead. Monokuma *insists* that it is possible, which is meant to give the player pause. And using the mechanics of how we know the world works, "resurrection" would likely have meant that the producers of the show would grab a fresh body off the street, update them with the resurrected student's memories, and send them back into the game in their new body. It's meant to make us as players question the nature of the game world they are in.

[@MrTherandomguy42]

41:10, I should inform you, I do believe the part of Kokichi wanting to end a game you are forced to play, is something that is rather different in the Japanese version. I don’t remember what it says in that version, but I think it puts Kokochi in a better light?

[@The1andonlysharpshooter]

Sí

[@proudtobeme1ashkente]

I think so. Iirc, he states that the game being about murder is the bad part.

[@wolfywonder8480]

Yeah he says something like, “What kind of game that forces you to kill others could be fun?” Paraphrasing

[@misirtere9836]

They also make it more clear that DICE, which he is the giant rat who makes all of da rules for, has a strict no-killing policy he personally enforces, further solidifying his stance on the game's entire nature. Although it also puts more weight behind his reaction in trial 4. If Gonta doesn't confess, if Gonta can't explain why it was Gonta who did it, Kokichi has to own up to the fact that he *did* kill someone, even if it was by an order he gave to someone else. He's losing it not just because it's not playing out how it was supposed to, but because that's a responsibility he doesn't want to bear, doesn't want to admit he resorted to.

[@etam8099]

​@@misirtere9836 But Kokichi literally was trying to make Gonta think of ways he could NOT have done it lmaooo

[@Tree_Flower]

The most underappreciated part of V3 is the forced lie in the class trial. It's really good at showcasing what the character thinks and believes. Also it leaves things in a uncertain state with the player if they don't blindly go along with the narrative. Causing them to think such things as "What if Shuichi really keep the sensor on him like Ryoma said." or "Maybe this was all a setup by Shuichi." Lets take Kaede's lie in chapter 1 for example. If she used a line of logic such as: The Monokuma file say that Rantaro died at 9:10 pm, so 50 mins before the deadline. However Shuichi returned before the promotional video BGM changed to Monokuma stating that one hour remained, so he cant be the culprit. While that is true and would continue the class trial just like the lie would. It however robs us of showing that Kaede truly does trust Shuichi. It really allows for showcasing a character and disrupts the narrative in a way that telling the truth and using logic just doesn't do.

[@thanatoast]

0:19 Such a strong opening line that I have to like this video just out of respect, dear god.

[@szkieleton]

15 minutes in and i gotta stop watching this and move it from my "shit to play while i'm bored at work and want to have something to listen to half-heartedly" playlist to my "shit to play when i wanna attentively watch something actually good" playlist

[@genericyoutuber8098]

45:22 Actually I had a theory that the real killer for case 5 would be Monodam. I thought he faked his death in chapter 3 and came back to help Kokichi and Kaito overthrow his father. After Kaito was declared culprit I was genuinely waiting for him to pop out and say it was him, successfully completing the plan to ruin the killing game.

[@futureartist9]

That ending speech was beautiful bro. I didnt think anyone appreciated this game’s art direction like I do.

[@TheExaltedOne]

This is a fantastic video. I just recently beat V3 properly and overall, I have to say the game was such a wild and chaotic ride. However, I was never bored and by the end I finished the game, I grew an appreciation for this game. This game is actually the best entry in this game and you easily showed why. So many points that I strongly agree with and overall this was a great video. I never thought I would become a big fan of V3 and I did, and this video shows my feelings about this game as well.

[@battledroid8240]

I have always loved V3 and I felt very outcasted when I heard people spit on this game which I found moving and emotional. I’m happy V3 is getting the rep that it deserves, cause god damn is it hated more than it needs to be!

[@TorosAndMakis53]

I can tell you've heard "Danganronpa 2 is the best game ever made!!" a lot like I have huh?

[@PikaTyler_]

hearing that danganronpa 2 was the fan favorite after playing it and thinking it was easily the weakest in the trilogy made me feel like something was wrong with me, then i played v3 and realized oh no its not me its the fandom, catches so much shit for the stupidest reasons

[@codebreaker3007]

This video is so good, im so glad that someone has made this video, i love v3 and it makes me so excited to see what happens with this franchise

[@mintssu2843]

Found you through this video and can I just say how refreshing it is to finally have a good analysis and breakdown of DRV3 and it's amazing ending while also acknowledging its flaws. A lot of the opinions I've seen re: this game is that everyone likes how cases 1-5 played out but then that opinion gets completely discarded the moment the final twist is revealed. It's frustrating that the final message of "fiction can have meaning even if it isn't real" is overlooked to the extent that what they enjoyed in the game can be overwritten this fast. Super amazing video and I hope to see more regardless of whatever topics you decide to touch on !

[@dextrosefather]

i have awoken from my 6 year danganronpa slumber for i have heard another kokichi enjoyer has been born

[@tehluckylucario]

Honestly, the "cospox" thing I feel has a very simple explanation for how it was done - Tsumugi takes Kaede to the very same bathrooms which house a secret passage. She just hid a makeup kit in the secret passage, then went "oh I'll just change in the stall because I don't want to undress in front of you", and applied the makeup to fake the rash - something a cosplayer would have no issue with. Like I know it doesn't really matter because cospox is so obviously an excuse but it did have me wondering how she would've pulled that off in-universe

[@Starpotion]

1:12:24 Honestly teared up a little reliving this ending and remembering how much Shuichi chose to honor the love of his friends by continuing to fight for them instead of accepting a truth that would tarnish their memory, going so far as to beg Tsumugi to give him a reason to still consider her one. In a way, I saw it as him relinquishing his fictional identity from Danganronpa as the Ultimate Detective and reclaiming his original identity, not as someone that seeks the truth but one who will care for others at all costs so he can repay their kindness. And it's genuinely depressing seeing so many people's reading comprehension prevent them from seeing what is undoubtedly a positive and beautiful message. One about engaging with fiction on a deeper level and deriving personal meaning from it, rather than solely as an outlet for escapism and dopamine. In a world where access to media and art has become so easy that it's become a commodity, we grow ever closer to the medium becoming a completely disposable form of human expression. V3 going on an unprecedented level of meta and asking its audience to challenge that future, and having it fall on so many deaf ears, is the real despair. Thank you so much for making this video and the amount of work put into it. Your message during the epilogue could not sound anymore heartfelt and from a place of authenticity, and I have no doubt that speaking from the heart like that was not easy. You easily deserve more subs.

[@genericyoutuber8098]

31:49 Nah. You did not just say that. I love Tenko. Unironically best V3 girl. From what I remember from her free time events, her hatred of boys literally only exists because her master didn’t want her to date anyone yet so he made stuff up about men. I genuinely think he didn’t know she would take it so seriously and that she would grow out of it like believing in Santa. If you look past her saying she hates boys, you’ll find she really doesn’t. She very kind and supportive to Shuichi most of the time.

[@Luggician]

@@genericyoutuber8098 The whole “degenerate male” thing doesn’t bother me, I mean it’d be silly to get offended over something a video game character says. I just think aside from that bit and her Himiko glazing she has barely anything else going for her until chapter 3. I don’t really dislike her though, she’s just not very interesting to me.

[@genericyoutuber8098]

@ Fair enough.

[@OnlyTAS]

​@@genericyoutuber8098no, she's nasty

[@sawa2754]

I think your interpretation of the ending makes a lot of sense. I just wish that shuichi or the characters had come to that conclusion instead of the game pulling twist after twist. At the end I just didn‘t know what the actual canonical truth was and that bugged me. But also- it‘s danganronpa so I didn‘t take it too seriously lmao

[@sawa2754]

also the V3 thing is so silly sorry.

[@Savex3]

Not having a " canonical truth " is the point actually, it's like the same message of umineko if you have read it

[@mikeceej827]

Unfortunately for me I clocked Shuichi as the secret protagonist almost immediately. His hat was just so poorly drawn and clearly slapped onto a pre-existing sprite, so I was suspicious. Then Kaede asked him to take it off and I considered what he could have to hide under there… about ten seconds later I realized he was hiding the protagonist hair spike. So the first trial fell totally flat for me 😅

[@Savex3]

I was kinda suprised when i found out that ending wasnt so well received because isnt just existentialism, i mean the ending is literally just saying that the value of your existence doesnt come from an objective truth but rather from personal engagement and interpretation of the world and it also explore some other themes like stoicism

[@SalvationKH]

Videos like this are what KZbin is for! Someone sharing their thoughts and feelings on what matters to them. Really puts the YOU in KZbin. Okay, on the subject of Danganronpa, I haven't played any of them, but Ive watched retrospective after retrospective, timeline after timeline, and I've seen the Game Grumps LP of D1, D2, and the currently running V3. Of all 3 of those games, I've always found myself enthralled by V3. D1 and D2 are fun, edgy, and extremely anime, but there's something special about V3 knowing the identity of Danganronpa so well that it can parody itself. When it pulls the anime trope, when it shows the deaths, when it dangans its ronpa, it feels off, artificial, within the context of the game, and once you get to the end, you find that it was all intentional. I love the ending meditation on the constant consumption of art and the refusal to think critically about the art you consumed. Art is great because it has a message and makes us feel, but too many people refuse to accept the message and thus reconsume to feel the feelings again. But the hit isn't as good as the first time around, so people go back again and again, getting less and less each time, leading to a greater craving. V3 is a reminder to me that art is as important as the consumer makes it.

[@fasbear_candybros1208]

The emotional speeches you made throughout is what i needed

[@seriesofironicevents9648]

I probably won’t get to sitting down and watching this video in full for awhile but your thumbnail has already convinced me that this is the best dr analysis video of all time. v3 truly is the best game of all time.

[@gdassspar6nar]

Well that was just amazing.I'm glad that i found this gem of a channel.

[@lackules]

no because it works in tandem with the SDR2 ending too, my god it's genius

[@zeFanciestBard]

I just finished V3 for the first time after marathoning the entire series and i was super nervous about this because of all the word on it shitting on the franchise. I'm so happy to see how wrong the hate was and honestly your video was such a perfect explanation of why it's so damn good. Genuinely my favorite of the bunch. Also as a certified despair girls enjoyer... I love how much you ragged on it. That game is so uncomfortable in the worst ways.

[@Starpotion]

I enjoyed my time with Despair Girls as well, but it's absolutely criminal how uncomfortable that game gets for the sake of being uncomfortable, and then ultimately ends up becoming completely inconsequential to the overall narrative 😭

[@Leppy1]

no glaze ur the right mix of funny n insightful bro this video was amazing

[@LISA-qj2bw]

loved the video, can’t even begin to imagine how hard it must have been to edit this, you deserve a lot more views!

[@ms.watakamis947]

Beautiful video essay. I can also relate to the hyperfixation of V3 during the pandemic, and the weird indescribible feeling the epilogue brings. It’s really comforting knowing someone else went through the same motions I did. Keep on creatin man, your vids are funny, genuine, and they really speak to the soul. Thank you for making this :D

[@sachitechless]

I think the thing that gets me with the ending of V3 that I interpreted it all as saying that you're not weird for getting attached to fictional characters, caring for them and rooting for them. That fictional characters can and should matter, that you should allow yourself to get invested in their struggles. I also think Himeno is a character who kind of mirrors Shuichi in the way that she was also pulled up by the people around her. She was constantly framed by people because she was seemingly the weakest link, the most forgettable one, and she still managed to find people to live for. The idea people don't think she's worthy of being a survivor is crazy.

[@tuw-001]

Best explanation and analysis I've seen. Thank you 🙏

[@night_mare_1172]

I never thought about the ending of Danganronpa v3 the way you put it. A critique on people clinging to something that SHOULD at some point have an ending, pretty cool way of thinking of it. I honestly changed my thinking on the ending, now I feel pretty satisfied about it.

[@s0niKu]

Fucking thank you. I clocked most of this when the game first came out, and watching the fanbase online explode was a real "hoo boy here we go again!" moment.

[@Vearru]

Wtf you playing that music at 43:45 literally had me tearing up. Like I didn’t even realize why at first. You just attacked my soul.

[@jaydenlobbe7911]

Danganronpa V3 AKA The Truman Show but with murder

[@BaselardFE]

Fantastic video! I love V3 and its ending, and I was surprised to learn that so many people hated it. Turns out I wasn't missing the point, just that people took what was said a bit too literally.

[@Nhi_12]

Thank you for making this essay..I’ve recently come back to v3, and I wouldn’t have expected to get my perspective on the ending enlightened by such in-depth analysis and hard hitting themes… This is the kind of work and reflection that I enjoy watching the most, and I have much respect for the work and thought put into bringing this video to life!! You’re definitely a living example of what you’ve preached, so let me do the same and tell you that you’ve made me love v3 all the more…and I’ll keep thinking of this essay when I rewatch the gameplay. Thank you!!!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you, and take care man

[@momochi5325]

Thank you for making this video. I think V3 is the most misunderstood game in the whole series. It was excellent and too many people took the ending at face value. Thank you for FINALLY setting the record straight!

[@nightlight8305]

The game's ending literally wants you to ask "well what was the point?" at the end and people treat it like its the decisive reason for why its a terrible ending. Yet the game literally answers the question with the ending sequence only a few minutes after. Its about how the fiction you consume affects you in a very real way.

[@Savex3]

People wanting answers is just human nature lol , but v3 actually giving you a definitive answer is what would be a terrible ending , I find the author Givin you the free will to interpret the ending and engage with fictional media on a deeper level is surely better than the author forcing a one answer on your throat that you may or may not like , v3 works really well in a metafictional way

[@Starpotion]

​@@Savex3 People give V3 flack for not having a definitive outcome and then conveniently forget both DR1 and then DR2 were also not written with one intended either. It was only until DR3 did we get a conclusive "Yep this is exactly what happened to the characters and is the one and only true canon", completely erasing everyone's agency in how they felt and interpreted the original stories of DR1 and DR2, all for the sake of spoon-feeding an ending to the series. Which ironically, is what they accuse V3 of doing when it actually leaves the original canon intact by barely acknowledging DR3.

[@MrTherandomguy42]

58:45, I dunno, I perhaps could place the DR3 anime in the so bad it’s good category? I try to pretend it isn’t canon.

[@nagiseku]

thank you so much for understanding kokichi and the ending of v3 & the overall plot of the game.. i felt insane defending v3 and the way i interpreted the plot wasn’t ever really discussed everywhere else. i feel so free. i feel so vindicated.

[@MelonHere20]

Oh also a neat detail in the japanese dub of the game is that Shuichi uses honorifics for every culprit except for Korekiyo and Tsumugi. Meaning that even though they killed someone, he still had respect for for everyone else.

[@twonio]

I'm so glad I came across your video! Thank you for putting into words so many of the reasons why to this day V3 is so dear to my heart despite my having largely moved on from the DR franchise. The message of it just felt so impactful, unique and relevant to me, increasingly so in this day and age - perhaps controversially, I think more so than the other two. It really taught me to have more respect for emotions and perspective, and to value my own experiences more, at a time when I sorely needed that

[@IPerry8]

My best friend's motto is "You Change One Life, You Change the World" and you clearly understand and represent that

[@twilightpearlio3518]

I think the cruel irony of the 5th trial was that Shuichi was too good and only realized he wasn't supposed to solve the case until after he solved it make kokichis sacrifice and planning to mean absolutely nothing.

[@genericyoutuber8098]

3:44 I actually think Mikan is a great character who gets absolutely RUINED by her fan-service moments. Like I find her story so compelling but the game she first appeared in did NOT give her a break outside of parts of her free time events.

[@miigi-p4939]

Genuinely why did they give fan service to the character who most likely got SA'd

[@M4m4.]

sorry it took me a WEE LIL BIT to watch this video, but i did watch it all the way through. while im not like into danganronpa (at least anymore) or even familiar with the specific events in any of the three games, i will say, from the standpoint of analyzing a piece of media, this is easily one of the best ive seen. im really impressed. you did an incredible job at actually deconstructing everything and like that last section discussing the ending was chock full of stuff i just never took the time to even think about when i did first "experience" (watch) v3. i was probably too young i was like 14. also not to mention that last message you left at the end was incredibly potent. but anyways uhh yeah like an actual masterful job with this dude, seriously.

[@victowave7066]

You know, now that 7 years have passed since V3 dropped, and the fact that the entertainment industry nowadays cares only about remakes and continuations of old IPs, makes Kodaka the biggest cook ever.

[@twodents]

What's funny is that they already had a legit reason for calling it V3 from a marketing perspective, because there already was a Danganronpa 3 in the form of a dogshit anime that acted as both a prequel and sequel for the 1-UDG-2 saga (and failed miserably at both). The actual reason for the title being revealed towards the end was just the icing on the cake.

[@kalekoi]

V3 my beloved. it’s wild to see how much our histories and opinions overlap, go off twin

[@TorosAndMakis53]

Same

[@rob3433]

Great essay. Lots of people really hated the ending, but I always saw it as the first two games being their own canon, and V3 in another layer of canon.

[@etam8099]

Kokichi is a character far easier to understand, people overblow his complexity to the point it harmed the character beyond repair. I think he is the testament of how to write a character using the show don't tell rule, with Nagito Kodaka had to make sure you would understand him as easily as humanly possible, with Kokichi he straight up forces you to pay attention to what he says and what he does, which sometime may not allign everytime. The only thing that Kodaka wanted us to be 100% sure of, is his talent...and that’s for a good reason, his talent is the key to solve his character, his motive and his actions not just on 3-5 but the whole game, and that motive was fair easier than what people would think of, which pushed him wanting to end the killing game... But that’s a comment for another day.

[@times2die]

finally a v3 support video

[@koroligames1822]

The fact that a video about Danganronpa of all things made me actually feel something profound is crazy 💀 (thank you)

[@excalibur717]

For me, if they do a secuel, I would love if is more like a spin off were Maki, Shuichi and Himeko are trying to stop the producers, so they can't do another season, and maybe saving people who are already kidnapped, probably would flop, but could be interesting since they don't have any one in the world (that they remember) other than temselfs

[@emilanogarcia505]

Excellent video, you truly capture the emotion and message behind the game, you have put into video my thoughts of the game, and it has left me with more to appreciate, I thank you Luiggician.

[@FokaAlighieri]

It's like youtube essay.. but funny! And very personal. I think you did a great job! At some points I was dead laughing ("5 monokumas!.. and 5 More monokumas!"), then at the end I almost cried, just how genuine it was. Thank you for this video, it was amazing. And just have to add - dude, great job on the structure!!! Never it felt like someone's ramblings without the script. You were making points and doing it in entertaining way. Cool •

[@Starpotion]

0:15 This line hits hard for me because obviously we stuck with the series for a reason to make it to V3, but the most vocal haters of V3 often refuse to acknowledge just how glaringly awful the actual series can be and why V3 is so good at criticizing itself and drawing attention to its own flaws and fanatic audience.

[@omegaphoenix7085]

Bro I know I barely watch interview ship with the epilogue man it literally felt like you were cheating to get into my heart strings and it works, Don’t worry bro I’m here for you and I love you too. Because I always love watching these type of videos especially at the end because for me those points always hit the hardest when you feel some personal connection with between the viewer and the creator because in the end we’re all truly just the same we are completely different ball so completely the same. Anyway I don’t know this is pretty late and I probably should’ve watch this video long time ago but I feel way better now so thanks man I appreciate it

[@Pikachuness]

As someone who has not and will not play this game or series, and as someone who watched this video on a whim, the idea of "things going on longer than they should" does resonate with me a lot. As a fan of pokemon, it really does hurt seeing games be so undercooked/made for money, with pokemon swsh being generally the worst game in the series in most aspects, or pokemon s/v being so buggy and really deserving of more time in the oven. I also see this in another, more personal thing i worked on, and it still pains me seeing something I care about degrade due to mismanaging and poor decision-making outside of my control, and choosing to leave. In relation to the closing part of your video, I really do respect the idea of learning about something I will never play, from somebody I will never personally know, and may never see again. I appreciate the idea of something knowing when to end, to let something else take a step forward and try something new. Great video!

[@Olivia-lx9tq]

I think DR1, 2, and UDG are inplied in Shuichi's ultimate room to be video games (perhaps the anime is in there as well), with the rest of the DRs in V3 to be "real fiction." But absolutely agree with everything else. What a good articulation to the game.

[@Juledropsify]

this was a wonderful video! i just finished this game a month ago and as a lifelong dr2 fan, i heard about this game and stayed away from it for SO long because of the reputation it had. i finally played it this past fall and i haven't stopped thinking about it since. i played through chp 4 with a friend who knew nothing and she was hooked! i really love this game and i really liked the ending. it blows other dr games out of the water for me.

[@bruhderp]

V3 was actually my favorite even back when I played it for the first time. But back then, (and still until just now), the message behind the ending kinda flew past my head for the most part, this video genuinely changed how I viewed this game's little details and hints towards the ending, and really made me enjoy what the game ends up on even more. Was considerinh to revisit the game soon, and I think this is video is what is gonna make me do it.

[@Honeymoon4400]

I cant believe I cried in a danganronpa video in 2024

[@snivelill4457]

I did the impossible and played all three games with my grandmother. I somehow got away with that with no repercussions.

[@chexmixkitty]

Was she awake?

[@snivelill4457]

@@chexmixkitty Very funny, she was actually interested in what happens next. She also audibly celebrated Angie's death.

[@jedakki]

​@@snivelill4457 goated grandma

[@Harukaluin19]

1:02:26 i agree with most of your points abt the ending and i was pleasantly surprised to finally find someoen else talking about them but this ones is simply incorrect, in the art book when it was describing pregame kiibou it said he was still a robot underneath all'at. And yes the pregames are pretty much mostly similar to the ingames , atleast in terms of personality, so really tsumugi probably was lying about rewriting all of them too, especially since getting it projected into your brain that you are athletic isn't gonna suddenly make you capable of seeing minute stuff or tackle people into ground. Infact tsumugi might've been an innocent civilian too , since her reaction to the exicals before and after the first flashback light was actually different. Another thing i would like to point out as well is that the flashback for shuuichi's classmates ingame had the same uniform for pregame shuuichi,so in-game shuuichi probably had some pregame memories. As well as the fact that the pregames do not at all question "what's an ultimate" when they first hear about it or call it a fictional concept, infact pregame kaede says sadly that she's just a normal highschooler , which implies ultimates are real people in this universe.

[@lemiru]

59:54 it's actually more probable that they were indeed games and anime in that world as if you examine detective's room you'll find cabinet with cases from previous entries (as there were 52 files in there) and it is described that first few were drawn and later ones were more realistic

[@ciano3751]

You actually made me like the ending with arguments, made me think of a whole thing I just couldn't understand, that everything that happened, actually happened, but inside THAT world, it just hits different, now I actually like the ending