Danganronpa (video game)/Characters

Makoto Naegi
Super High-School Level Good Luck (Bad Luck?)

"Voiced by Megumi Ogata"

An altogether Ordinary High School Student, with the exception of his less-than-stellar luck. Things appeared to be looking up for him when he got into Hope's Peak Academy alongside his childhood crush, Maizono Sayaka, but Monokuma's games quickly turned the blessing into a curse. Heavily suspected of being behind the first murder, he ends up taking charge during the investigations and trials so that no innocent students are executed.


 * Amateur Sleuth: As the main character in a mystery game, he tends to be the one pulling the students through the trials, with some help from Kirigiri whenever he gets stuck.
 * Born Lucky/Born Unlucky: The reason he was accepted into Hope's Peak; he was randomly chosen from all the ordinary students in Japan. This is why he is considered to have "Super High-School Level Good Luck", but he himself believes he has super-bad luck.
 * Catch Phrase: "You've got that wrong!" whenever he points out a contradiction during trials.
 * Clear My Name: After 's body is found in his shower.
 * The Dulcinea Effect: He's been pining after Sayaka for a long time, and swears to stay by her side throughout Monokuma's game..
 * The Everyman: Which is why his title is based on Luck: he is so normal that he only got in due to the luck of the draw.
 * Friend to All Living Things: He was in an animal-rearing club when he was younger, and was able to calm down a large crane that ended up in the school pool. While hanging out with Mondo, the options for his favorite animal include bears.
 * Meaningful Name: One meaning of makoto is truth/honesty.
 * Ordinary High School Student: In contrast to all the other students who are at Hope's Peak due to their extraordinary talents, Makoto's "talent" is simply being an ordinary student who was randomly chosen by lottery. Which is what makes him extraordinary in this particular setting, believe it or not. He does note that he's slightly more optimistic than other people as well. "Hope" and optimism are kind of the same thing, too, and it's because he never gives up on hope that he's able to derail Junko's scheme in the end.
 * Ridiculously Average Guy: He thinks this about himself.

Kiyotaka Ishimaru
Super High-School Level Hall Monitor

"Voiced by Kosuke Toriumi"

Ishimaru prizes one thing above all else: order. He's constantly preaching the virtues of exercising, respecting your elders, etc. He takes a role of leadership amongst the students, encouraging them to stick together, but not everybody listens or takes him seriously. He initially has a fierce rivalry with Mondo, but the two end up becoming Blood Brothers over their mutual passion. .


 * The Ace: Subverted and Played for Laughs. He'd probably be spearheading the trials if not for his idealism, which prevents him from really suspecting anyone. And some of the students just ignore him.
 * Broken Pedestal:.
 * Determinator: To the extent that he insists on following school rules and guidelines to maintain order despite Hope's Peak Academy being a school in name alone at this point.
 * Heroic BSOD:.
 * Hot-Blooded: Which is both why he and Mondo's disagreements escalated so quickly and the similarity that allowed them to bond. As Kiyondo, this trait is taken Up to Eleven.
 * Innocently Insensitive: He tries to take Mondo and Chihiro under his wing, not knowing that they have issues about being seen as weak.
 * The Leader: A type III.
 * No Indoor Voice: Often shouts enthusiastically about rules and good conduct.
 * No Social Skills: He confides to Naegi that due to his rigorous dedication to studying and proper conduct, he has never been able to make friends or even hold an idle conversation with someone.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Averted. He's one of the nicest students.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Averted. He's one of the nicest students.

Touko Fukawa
Super High-School Level Literary Girl

"Voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro"

Touko has been writing famous romance novels since before she was ten years old. However, she's never had a romance of her own, much less a friend; she was bullied as a child and has a severe persecution complex, always assuming that people think the worst of her. She's pessimistic and hard to get along with as a result. .


 * Afraid of Blood:
 * Upon seeing Chihiro's body, the blood causes her to faint. But when Genocide Jill takes over, Jill does not have Toko's problem (or stutter).
 * The same happens when Kiyotaka's body is found. Makoto finds her passed out not too far from the crime scene and assumes she's dead too, but Byakuya tells him she's just unconscious.
 * In The Anime of the Game, she faints at the sight of "Junko"'s death by the Spears of Gungnir.
 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: She has a crush on Togami, and takes his neglect and insults as proof that he's secretly concerned about her.
 * Covert Pervert: Sometimes shows hints of being a Nightmare Fetishist.
 * Hates Being Touched: In addition to having problems with people in general.
 * Horrible Judge of Character: She tells Togami that, and is shocked when he tries to use the information to frame her for a murder. He retorts that she should know real life isn't like her romance novels.
 * Inferiority Superiority Complex: Is constantly talking down to others, but also has a lot of self-esteem issues and people-issues due to past bullying.
 * Meganekko: Her glasses suit her considering her bookish nature as a talented writer.
 * Perpetual Frowner: She smiles at most two times during the entire game, including her free time events.
 * Tsunshun
 * Tsunshun

Sayaka Maizono
Super High-School Level Idol Singer

"Voiced by Makiko Ohmoto"

Sayaka is the lead singer of an incredibly popular idol group. She and Makoto were classmates; he caught her eye one day when he freed a crane that was stuck in the school pool, but they've never spoken. Recognizing him from that day, she asks if Makoto will become her partner and protect her during Monokuma's game. .


 * Freak-Out: When she sees Monokuma's "motivational" DVD, which shows her band breaking up and everyone forgetting her.
 * Idol Singer: Self-explanatory—it's even her Ultimate "title" in the Japanese version.
 * Running Gag: She frequently says exactly what Makoto is thinking, claims she can read minds, and then brushes it off as "good intuitions".
 * Freak-Out: When she sees Monokuma's "motivational" DVD, which shows her band breaking up and everyone forgetting her.
 * Idol Singer: Self-explanatory—it's even her Ultimate "title" in the Japanese version.
 * Running Gag: She frequently says exactly what Makoto is thinking, claims she can read minds, and then brushes it off as "good intuitions".
 * Running Gag: She frequently says exactly what Makoto is thinking, claims she can read minds, and then brushes it off as "good intuitions".

Leon Kuwata
Super High-School Level Baseball Player

"Voiced by Takahiro Sakurai"

The star player of Japan's champion high-school baseball team who, oddly enough, doesn't care much for baseball. Leon stays on the team so he can rake in athletic scholarships and attention from girls. His real dream is to become the lead vocalist for a punk rock band, and change his title to Super High-School Musician. .


 * Brilliant but Lazy: When it comes to baseball. In fact, he barely shows up to practice. Makoto outright says that "God gave his genius to the wrong person." He does confess to missing the sport after they've been locked up for a while, though.
 * Chekhov's Hobby: He's a Super High-School Level Baseball Player..
 * Chick Magnet
 * Fiery Redhead: But it's not his natural color.
 * Fiery Redhead: But it's not his natural color.

Hifumi Yamada
Super High-School Level Doujinshi Author

"Voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi"

An Otaku whose work sells in the tens of thousands. He disavows any interest in 3-D women and aims to become a famous sculptor (of anime figures, of course). His dialog is liberally peppered with references to anime and video games. .


 * Butt Monkey: To Celeste, in particular.
 * Cat Smile: One of his default expressions. He looks sort of harelipped, in fact.
 * Idiot Hair: A non-protagonist example, most likely due to his oddball otaku nature.
 * Nerd Glasses
 * Otaku: He interestingly considers this term a compliment.
 * Perverse Sexual Lust: For Hifumi, it's 2-D women only.
 * Idiot Hair: A non-protagonist example, most likely due to his oddball otaku nature.
 * Nerd Glasses
 * Otaku: He interestingly considers this term a compliment.
 * Perverse Sexual Lust: For Hifumi, it's 2-D women only.

Aoi Asahina
Super High-School Level Swimmer

"Voiced by Chiwa Saitou"

A bubbly (pun not intended) girl who takes to water like a duck. She loves donuts, and spends most of her time with fellow fitness enthusiast Sakura. .


 * Ambiguously Brown: Although it could just be a tan.
 * Big Eater: Eats lots and lots of donuts, and still retains a womanly figure. Hanging out with her enough will also reveal that outside of donuts, her eating habits are unhealthy—tonkotsu ramen with lard and butter, for example. The fact that she's an Ultimate Swimmer might involve enough exercise that it could explain how she hasn't gotten fat from all the donuts. The six different sports clubs could also explain it.
 * Blue Eyes
 * The Ditz: She admits to forgetting things a lot, particularly names.
 * Most Common Superpower: Only Sakura has bigger breasts. Lampshaded by.
 * Tomboyish Ponytail: Well, she is a very sporty girl with issues about her own "Femininity".
 * Trademark Favorite Food: Donuts, donuts, donuts.
 * Trademark Favorite Food: Donuts, donuts, donuts.

Chihiro Fujisaki
Super High-School Level Hacker

"Voiced by Kouki Miyata"

A Teen Genius currently developing AI programs for an unnamed company. Chihiro is the smallest of all the students, and ashamed of being seen as weak. .


 * Apologizes a Lot
 * Ill Girl: Chihiro never had the strength to go out and play with others as a child..
 * Innocently Insensitive: Wants to train with Mondo and become stronger, but Mondo doesn't believe he's that strong and is also jealous of Chihiro for working to change..
 * Moe: In-universe, he has a sizable fanbase due to looking like a "small, frightened animal".
 * Techno Wizard: Got into creating highly-complex computer programs as a way to pass time..
 * Teen Genius
 * Techno Wizard: Got into creating highly-complex computer programs as a way to pass time..
 * Teen Genius

Kyouko Kirigiri
Super High-School Level ???

"Voiced by Youko Hikasa"

An enigmatic silver-haired girl who coaches Makoto on conducting investigations. Apparently, she's trying to retrieve something that Monokuma stole from her in the past. .


 * Aloof Ally: Towards the group as a whole but becomes closer to Makoto as time goes on.
 * Defrosting Ice Queen: She warms up to Makoto both in her free time events and in the game itself to an extent.
 * Emotionless Girl: She mentions in a Free-Time Event that all her emotions are working fine and that she actually invokes this, as not only does it make her really hard to read, but also gives others someone to mentally lean on since she comes off as calm and composed all the time.
 * Interestingly, one aspect of her character arc shows her frustrations at not being emotionless enough. Despite her occasional rudeness and doing embarrassing things fairly often, such as marching into the boy's room looking for Yamada and Ishimaru, or her reputation as a dead body enthusiast, it says a lot that the one instance where she blushes outside a Free-Time Event was while admitting to Naegi that she probably got more emotional than was necessary. Later on, she shows inward disgust at feeling such an emotional response to a dead father whose shadow she was supposed to have stepped away from in order to move on with her life. Finally, in her and Naegi's last conversation before the last class trial, she laughs solemnly at having to admit that her hatred for The Mastermind only intensified after learning how much her father suffered, and cynically declares that this haze of emotional confusion will probably never go away.
 * Meaningful Name: Kirigiri is written with the characters for "fog" and "cut".
 * The Spock
 * The Stoic: Most of the time, which helps her seem reliable and rational.
 * White-Haired Pretty Girl

Junko Enoshima
Super High-School Level Fashion Girl

"Voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi"

A kogal who took the country by storm with her extravagant tastes. Junko wanted to be a model ever since she was a child, but is also eager to try new things. She used to be homeless. .


 * Black Bra and Panties
 * Dark and Troubled Past: She used to be homeless when she was growing up, and while being homeless is bad enough, she was apparently homeless in a place where lots of men were around who preyed on innocent and helpless girls, so life was a warzone for her back then. In hindsight, life being a warzone for her was a major hint to her true identity.
 * The Fashionista: Her apparent title.
 * So Beautiful It's a Curse: She attracts a lot of guys who only care about her looks, which infuriates her.
 * So Beautiful It's a Curse: She attracts a lot of guys who only care about her looks, which infuriates her.
 * So Beautiful It's a Curse: She attracts a lot of guys who only care about her looks, which infuriates her.

Mondo Oowada
Super High-School Level Gang Leader

"Voiced by Kazuya Nakai"

The leader of the Crazy Diamonds, Japan's largest motorcycle gang. Mondo is foul-mouthed and doesn't take orders well, but would never hit a girl or break his promises. At first, he and Ishimaru are constantly at each others throats, but they eventually become blood brothers. .


 * Badass Biker: Hence his title.
 * Badass Longcoat: Which is connected to said title, see above.
 * Berserk Button: Do not call him weak.
 * Conflicting Loyalty: Between his friendship with the other students and his promise to keep the Crazy Diamonds together as long as possible.
 * Freak-Out: Monokuma's "motivational" DVD (which shows the Crazy Diamonds breaking up without him) and threat to reveal their darkest secrets (that ) puts him under some heavy mental stress..
 * Hidden Depths: He loves dogs (of any size; he used to have a Maltese) and wants to become a carpenter, so he can build rather than break things.
 * Hot-Blooded: Which led to him bonding with Kiyotaka.
 * I Gave My Word: "A man's promise" is worth a lot to him..
 * Improbable Hairstyle: His pompadour is big enough to get its own towel in the sauna.
 * No Indoor Voice
 * Punny Name: Combined with his brother, Daiya, they form daiyamondo - diamond, the namesake of their gang.
 * Sir Swearsalot: Uses many a Cluster F-Bomb.
 * Wouldn't Hit a Girl
 * No Indoor Voice
 * Punny Name: Combined with his brother, Daiya, they form daiyamondo - diamond, the namesake of their gang.
 * Sir Swearsalot: Uses many a Cluster F-Bomb.
 * Wouldn't Hit a Girl
 * Sir Swearsalot: Uses many a Cluster F-Bomb.
 * Wouldn't Hit a Girl
 * Wouldn't Hit a Girl
 * Wouldn't Hit a Girl
 * Wouldn't Hit a Girl

Sakura Oogami
Super High-School Level Wrestler

"Voiced by Kujira"

An MMA champion whose family has operated a famous dojo for 300 years. Despite her intimidating appearance, Sakura is level-headed and polite. She spends most of her time exercising and drinks a lot of protein coffee. Her size and strength make her a perfect candidate for guarding crime scenes. She's been nicknamed "the Ogre" online. .


 * Ambiguously Brown
 * Badass
 * Battle Aura: She can create these in certain sprites.
 * Boobs of Steel: Not that the player would usually notice, however, since she usually has her arms crossed in front of her chest. During an "Easter egg" fanservice picture of the girls in the hot spring wearing towels, however, you see Sakura's breasts from the side, and they're huge!
 * Dark-Skinned Blond: Though her hair appears more white than a normal blonde.
 * Face of a Thug: Looks scary as hell, is actually quite amiable.
 * Glowing Eyes: Typically as a part of her Battle Aura.
 * Good Scars, Evil Scars: Of the good scars variety.
 * Huge Schoolgirl: Huge is an understatement.
 * Lady Looks Like a Dude: Several characters mistake her for a male bodybuilder.
 * Non-Standard Character Design: In comparison to the other students, she looks like a piece of Street Fighter concept art.
 * The Stoic
 * White-Haired Pretty Girl
 * Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: How her (very formal) speech is rendered in the Let's Play. Makes her sound like she came out of an old samurai drama.
 * Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: How her (very formal) speech is rendered in the Let's Play. Makes her sound like she came out of an old samurai drama.

Byakuya Togami
Super High-School Level Heir

"Voiced by Akira Ishida"

Scion of the incredibly wealthy Togami family, Byakuya has been groomed to become a success from childhood, which includes being enrolled in only the most prestigious of schools. He has no intention of making friends with his fellow classmates, and while he does aim to escape the school at some point, he isn't above screwing around with everyone during a trial to make things "interesting". .


 * Blond Guys Are Evil: Or at the very least, huge snobs with a severe Lack of Empathy.
 * Establishing Character Moment: Introduces himself as bluntly as possible to Makoto, then calls him an eyesore and tells him to get lost.
 * Fiction 500: His family's ungodly rich already, but Byakuya at one point mentions dabbling in stocks to kill time, and making millions more in one day. He only stopped because it was too easy. He casually mentions that he has a personal account with "pocket money" for private use. Said account contains forty billion Yen, or four billion dollars in the English translation (which is even more money).
 * For the Evulz: He just to make a bigger spectacle out of the second trial.
 * Four Eyes, Zero Soul: Though he has a soul, he is very good at hiding it.
 * I'm Not Here to Make Friends: And makes sure everyone understands this, multiple times. To him this is just competition, at least until his Heel Face Turn.
 * It Amused Me
 * Jerkass: Self explanatory at this point.
 * Jerkass Has a Point: He really is one of the only actually sane people in Danganronpa 1's character cast.
 * Lean and Mean: Especially in Danganronpa 1.
 * Rich Bastard
 * Serious Business: Survival of the fittest style competition to be exact, and he plans on winning no matter what. He changes his mind later on, but doesn't really drop the attitude.
 * Smug Snake: On top of being a jerk who thinks he's better than everyone, he isn't nearly as smart as he thinks he is outside of the financial sphere.
 * Smug Snake: On top of being a jerk who thinks he's better than everyone, he isn't nearly as smart as he thinks he is outside of the financial sphere.

Yasuhiro Hagakure
Super High-School Level Fortune-Teller

"Voiced by Masaya Matsukaze"

A big name in Japan's fortune-telling community. He's actually 20 years old, having been held back a few times in high school. Hagakure has made a killing off of his predictions, which he charges top dollar for - even if they only have a 1-in-5 chance of being correct (a figure he takes pride in). He's easily one of the more laid-back cast members. .


 * Anime Hair: States in School Mode that it's his natural hair.
 * Cloudcuckoolander
 * Deadpan Snarker: He starts to become one around the third chapter.
 * Fortune Teller: His talent, though he only gets it right 20-30% of the time, depending on translation and adaption.
 * Phony Psychic: He has shades of this. A 20% success rate? And you still have to pay for it?
 * Verbal Tic: Ends most of his sentences with "right?".
 * Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Despite being a fortune teller, he freaks out at the mention of ghosts, and denies that they exist.

Celestia Ludenburg
Super High-School Level Gambler

"Voiced by Hekiru Shiina"

Also known as the "Queen of Liars", Celestia is renowned for her exemplary luck in games of chance. She's accumulated a sizable fortune by robbing anyone stupid enough to challenge her blind. She speaks softly and smiles often, but in a way that tends to creep out everyone around her. She also hides a surprisingly short temper and will start shouting (usually at Hifumi) if she isn't pleased. .


 * Berserk Button: She has very strong feelings about how one ought to prepare milk tea.
 * Born Lucky: Which is why she is such a talented gambler, in addition to having a great poker face.
 * If you hang out with her, it's revealed that this is most of what her "talent" consists of. She even won a high-level shogi tournament despite not knowing how to play because she got lucky enough. Though, she's also referencing 81Diver. Which makes her breakdown make more sense, because she's used to things going her way enough that she doesn't know how to react when she's clearly cornered.
 * Clasp Your Hands If You Deceive: One sprite has her primly steepling her fingers..
 * Consummate Liar: By her own admission.
 * Dissonant Serenity: She often seems very calm despite being in the middle of a murder game while trapped inside an abandoned school. Ultimately subverted when it's revealed that she's been desperate to escape from the beginning.
 * Elegant Gothic Lolita: So much that.
 * Mega Twintails: Those are some really huge drill-shaped pigtails she's got. The hidden bath scene and a few pieces of character art show her without the pigtails, suggesting they're detachable hair extensions, and the manga also goes with the 'detachable hair extension' interpretation as there's a panel about Celeste fixing her head to make it look like she was assaulted, but then one tail fell off.
 * Only Known by Their Nickname: On top of being a pseudonym itself, her name is almost always shortened to "Celes". Even the game's interface simply uses "Celes" where it would otherwise display a character's full name.
 * Professional Gambler: Her title.
 * The Smart Guy: She references many aspects of game theory, including zero sum games and the prisoner's dilemma, in her speeches.
 * The Spock: Frequently insists that the group's best course of action is to adapt to life in the school as best they can and ignore any incentive to murder..
 * Stage Names: Celestia Ludenburg isn't her real name.
 * Mega Twintails: Those are some really huge drill-shaped pigtails she's got. The hidden bath scene and a few pieces of character art show her without the pigtails, suggesting they're detachable hair extensions, and the manga also goes with the 'detachable hair extension' interpretation as there's a panel about Celeste fixing her head to make it look like she was assaulted, but then one tail fell off.
 * Only Known by Their Nickname: On top of being a pseudonym itself, her name is almost always shortened to "Celes". Even the game's interface simply uses "Celes" where it would otherwise display a character's full name.
 * Professional Gambler: Her title.
 * The Smart Guy: She references many aspects of game theory, including zero sum games and the prisoner's dilemma, in her speeches.
 * The Spock: Frequently insists that the group's best course of action is to adapt to life in the school as best they can and ignore any incentive to murder..
 * Stage Names: Celestia Ludenburg isn't her real name.
 * Stage Names: Celestia Ludenburg isn't her real name.

Monokuma
The Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy

"Voiced by Nobuyo Ōyama"

The self-proclaimed headmaster of Despair Academy. He's very eager to see society's biggest hopefuls start killing each other, so he heaps psychological torture on the students at every turn. There's actually more than one Monokuma; he's a series of highly-advanced robots, and can be instantly replaced if destroyed.


 * Action Bomb: If Monobear is damaged, he'll explode. ...
 * Big Brother Is Watching: And he can teleport. Sweet dreams!
 * Covert Pervert: He'll accuse the students of having dirty motives in the most inappropriate situations and go into way too much detail about his suspicions. At times he even seems to be egging them on, which is really creepy considering that there are cameras everywhere.
 * Dissonant Serenity: They normally sound rather lighthearted about all the despair they want the students to suffer. If you are familiar with his Japanese voice actress it gets even worse; see the "Trivia" tab for details.
 * Everything's Worse with Bears: Considering he is the only true consistency throughout the franchise, you better believe it!
 * Evil Laugh: "Upupu~"
 * Fat Bastard
 * Faux Affably Evil: He speaks in a very easygoing manner (but still refers to the students as "you bastards"), makes a lot of really bad puns, and generally acts like an obnoxiously saccharine principal. It just underscores how incredibly screwed-up his entire game is.
 * Gonk: Due to the right half of his face looking like a cuddly polar bear while the left half of said face looks like what he actually is.
 * Nightmare Face
 * Punny Name: His name is a combination of monochrome (monokuroomu in Japanese) and bear (kuma).
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Invoked with the red eye on his black half with the Slasher Smile.
 * Scary Teeth: Are revealed on the left side of his face whenever he laughs particularly intensely.
 * Series Mascot: And it's the villain of the story.
 * Slasher Smile: The left side of his face.
 * Smug Snake
 * Torture Technician: See the execution methods they choose to use.
 * Troll: Especially in Danganronpa 1.

.



Genocider Syo
Super High-School Level Murderer

A Serial Killer rumored to have killed thousands. Syo's trademark is writing BLOODSTAIN FEVER in the victim's blood and crucifying them with custom-made scissors. When, the crime scene makes it evident that Syo is among them. .


 * Calling Card: She actually has more than one. The second calling card - crucifying the victim with specially-made scissors - has been kept hidden from the media, which proves that.
 * Evil Laugh: Comes with the territory.
 * Hidden Weapons: She keeps her scissors in a leg holster at all times..
 * Improbable Weapon User: Her hand-made scissors.
 * Large Ham
 * Meaningful Name:.
 * Nightmare Fetishist: She loves her job. Let's leave it at that.
 * Overly Long Tongue
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Well, she is more pink when she's in control, but the point remains.
 * Stalker with a Crush: . This is very bad news for Togami.
 * Yandere: For Byakuya. But not to the point of wanting to kill him or anyone else for his sake, which makes him a unique case for her.
 * Yaoi Fangirl/Yuri Fan: She's very quick to point out any possible subtext between her fellow students. They really don't appreciate it.
 * Yandere: For Byakuya. But not to the point of wanting to kill him or anyone else for his sake, which makes him a unique case for her.
 * Yaoi Fangirl/Yuri Fan: She's very quick to point out any possible subtext between her fellow students. They really don't appreciate it.