So here we go! Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei The Animation, mostly known as Danganronpa The Animation, or simply Danganronpa!
Story: 7
As you probably know,this show is based on a game,that goes by the same name (Danganronpa). In fact, this show uses the same plot as the game, and that plot is really interesting and complex. The concept is preety good and the mistery side of it really keeps you interested. Here's the catch: The plot is so complex and so big that the producers couldn't make it fit on 13 episodes, and so the plot feels somewhat rushed and gets a little underdeveloped, which is a real shame, since the plot IS very good. So good that being underdeveloped still earns a 7 on my board.
Art: 7
The Art for this show is good, not great, but good.And here's why: It uses a lot of the art and scenes of the game, which makes it a little sketchy. I feel like it could have used more original art, as some art sequences didn't make as much sense on the show as they did on the actual game. Other than that, the show improves on the art of the game while staying true the designs and scenarios,which is really good!
Sound: 6
Let me say this: I found the choice of the English opening really interesting, it's not something you see everyday as the original opening. And in my opinion, it was very good, bravo. It was a risk, but they did a very good job. The voice casting was great and I felt like the voices really suited the characters. They ARE the same as the ones in the game,so they couldn't really mess up there as long as they kept the voices,which they did (Keep in mind that I've watched the Japanese audio version). As for the music: it's okay, it doesn't really stand out but it doesn't get in the way either. All of this results in this grade for this subject.
Character: 8
The characters are very,VERY, interesting. The whole idea of gathering students with different talents is a cool thing,and the development of them is very good...for some of them.And that's why this category doesn't score any higher.It suffers from the same problem as the plot:it's rushed. The character development could have been better and it would have made the show much better. Some characters do get some development, but others are just kind of there. For some of them, we don't even see them using their talent or, you know, attempting to.Which is shame, because the characters have good designs and ideas behind them and could have been great with some more work.
Enjoyment: 9
All this categories aside, I really liked the show. The concept was solid, the characters were likeable and the show is enjoyable to watch. I was on a run of more happy shows so this came in a very good moment for me to like it, so maybe that influenced my enjoyment, even tough I think this grade wouldn't change much if I watched it in another period. There isn't really much to say when trying to explain "personal enjoyment",so this is all I can really say (sorry!)
Overall: 7,4 -> 7
Danganronpa is a good show for people who like violent shows and/or mystery shows. It is under developed,yes,but it still does a good job on delivering the overall plot and entertaining the viewer.So I still recommend you watching this show, especially because the new seasons are supposed to be very good!So give it a try,it IS only 13 episodes long.Chances are you'll end up liking it!
