Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (or in Japan Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei...not saying that again) is a dystopian thriller with lolicon, horror and even shonen elements added into it. It is probably one of the only visual novel adaptions I quite like, and joins the hall of the honoured like Fate/Stay Night UBW and Persona. It is grim, it is dark, it is grimy but on the flip side it is funny, enjoyable, and it speaks to some of our darkest desires.
Wait, what? I am about to explain myself! Danganronpa is about 16 students trapped in a school by the headmaster, Monokuma (a half-black half-white robot who (and I quote) is your headmaster and not a bear) and the only way to escape is by killing everybody else. But get found out during a 'class trial' you get executed in the most inventive executions I have ever seen along with some of the best animation to acompany that.
The main character is Mokoto Naegi, and together with the mysterious Kyoko Kirigiri, the stubborn schoolboy Byakuya Togami, the shy, but cold Toko and her murderous other-half Genocide Jill, the fortune teller Yasuhiro and the swimmer Hina try to uncover all the secrets in the school to find out who is the mastermind.
During the series, we see other character like Junko Enoshima and Mondo Owada who we all think might be the mastermind. I won't spoil who it is, but the brain f*** at the end will leave you itching...that is my ONLY complaint. The rest is very well packed; great characters including an anti-hero, a cold killer (who kills nobody...), a perv and a robot bear, what more could you ask for?
I enjoyed it very much, and I can't say that I did not! The only thing was that clusterf*** right at the end...I mean, come on! And now...the pros and cons!
Pros:
- Original, stunning artwork (especially the executions)
- A great cast of characters, who are more fleshed out in the game, but are great nevertheless
- Each episode leaves you gripping the edge of your seat...you really want to know what happens next!
Cons:
-You should really start on the game(s)
- WHAT THE F*** WAS THAT ENDING???
- It is over? :(
Approval:
- Over the categories of Story, Art, Sound, Character, and my overall Enjoyment factor, I will give it a skip, stream, buy or ++ rating.
My approval for Danganronpa is BUY. It is a great lil story, but it lacks that X-Factor to make it into the best of the best...not to mention that horrible ending.
Danganronpa is available for streaming in the US and UK or at least was late 2015. It may be worth checking Daisuki and Crunchyroll to see if they stream it, if not you can always purchase the series! I don't condone other methods, but if you really want to watch this...then, go ahead.
Recomendations:
High School of the Dead
Fist of the North Star
Helsing
