The Double Standard: Why Kaito’s Flaws Are Forgiven And Tenko’s Aren't

The Possibilities of Two Blackends in Danganronpa V3: The Transfer Student Beyond The Grave and the First Come First Serve Rule

This is a rant/speculation about the addition of a second blackend in the Transfer Student From Beyond the Grave, especially with the implications of the first-come, first-serve rule.

"A lot of people talk about the missed opportunity and the idea of having two killers for Tenko and Angie in V3 Chapter 3, and yeah, I agree—having two blackends would’ve been cool.

It would’ve shaken up the trial, with the group debating when (or if) they should even bring up the second victim.

But the thing is, the real interest doesn’t come from the trial itself.

Sure, it might’ve made that useless scrum debate a little more intense, but the real draw for me is what happens after—when one of the blackends gets away scot-free."

Seeing the others having to live with a murder.

Now, you've seen how they treated Maki when she was revealed as an assassin they were nervous scared on edge and she was murdering people they never met.

Imagine how they would act if that were their friend, someone they cared about.

That's the part that would really mess with them. It's one thing to lose your friend, but it's another to know their killer is sitting right across from you.

The blackend might be alive, but socially, they're dead.

Every interaction would be laced with paranoia—the fear they will do it again—and infighting between people trying to pretend everything is normal and those being openly hostile.

Imagine the tension, the ostracization.

Of course, some people would try to make amends, but others would still see them as a potential second killer.

And the blackend, (seeing that with the rule only the first murder counts,) would probably realize they've just killed someone for no reason and are now being isolated from the rest of the group, being labeled a murderer and untrustworthy.

Maybe they would lean into their role as a villain, or maybe they would genuinely try to reach out and apologize, only to be shut down time and time again.

Even worse, what if the real danger isn't the blackend, but the others?

Someone could snap under the pressure and decide that if Monokuma won't bring justice, they will. Because who would care if a previously confirmed killer died?

They're a threat, and they killed somebody someone else cares about, so it's a win-win, right?

And the next murder—before no one had gotten away with it, but now it's been proven that it can work. You have the road map to get away with it.

You wait until someone murders, and then you kill someone who's a threat to you, someone you hate, and get away with it just like the murderer before you.

It turns the situation into not just a killing game, but a discussion about morality, ethics, and motives. Of course, these themes are in place throughout all the blackends, but it's different when you're condemning someone to an inescapable death versus them sitting across from you at the dining table, eating breakfast.

Of course they're still human but what if they killed someone you loved, someone you truly cared about, your only friend in the game.

(The arguements especially between Kaito Maki and Kokichi. chefs kiss)

In the end, having two blackends with the addition of the first come first serve rule would turn the game from a simple survival battle into a psychological minefield, where trust is shattered and the lines between right and wrong blur beyond repair.

The real danger wouldn't just be the killers, but the fear of betrayal, the crumbling of morality, and the weight of survival, forcing everyone to confront their choices of whether to forgive or forget and what they're truly willing to sacrifice.

The true impact of two killers is the emotional fallout—the fractured relationships and shattered trust. It's the heart of what makes the killing game devastating.

Why Do We Love Seeing Our Favorite Characters Suffer?

It’s like an unspoken rule in fandom: if you have a favorite character—a “blorbo”—you want to see them suffer. Not in a mean way (we love them!), but in a put them through hell and watch them break kind of way. And then, once they’ve been completely emotionally destroyed, we turn around and say, “Actually, I want them to be the happiest person alive.”

We’ll write fics where they get to be safe, loved, and thriving… but also fics where they’re barely holding it together. We’ll create AUs where the worst never happened, only to still find ways to make them suffer. It’s the duality of fandom.

But why do we do this? Why does suffering make our favorite characters better in our eyes?As a Danganronpa fan, I’ve seen this in action a lot. We’ll create non-despair AUs, but will that stop the angst? Nope. We’ll write post-game fics where the survivors try to move on, but the trauma still eats them alive. And yet, we also turn around and make content where they’re happy, together, and free.

It’s this weird push and pull between wanting them to heal… and wanting to drag them through the worst imaginable pain first.

So what is it about suffering that makes characters so compelling?

1. Emotional Growth and Development

Let’s be real: watching a character go through hell makes them more interesting. A character who’s just happy all the time? Kinda boring. But a character who’s been through the worst and still keeps going? Now we’re talking.

There’s something about seeing them struggle that makes them feel more real. You get to see their vulnerabilities, their breaking points, and how they react under pressure. And when they do manage to grow from it, it feels earned.

Take Shuichi, for example. Seeing him go through all the weight of his friends dying then taking down the game that caused their suffering that's the good stuff. It feels so much more meaningful because we saw what it took to get there.

2. Relatability and Humanity

Characters who suffer just feel more real. Nobody’s life is perfect, and when fictional characters go through tough times, it makes them feel more human. Their emotions—whether it’s grief, fear, or desperation—make them easier to connect with.

Even if we haven’t been through the exact same things, we get the emotions behind them. Seeing them struggle can feel like looking in a mirror sometimes, and that connection is what makes us latch onto them so hard.

Ryoma is emotionally distant and initially refuses to get involved with the other students, but as the story progresses, his humanity shines through. His struggles with loneliness, despair, and his desire for redemption mirror universal feelings of wanting to escape the weight of loss while still searching for a meaningful connection.

His suffering, especially in dealing with his personal guilt and past trauma, can make him a very relatable character for some, as many of his emotional challenges are reflective of real-world emotional battles people face. Ryoma’s journey throughout the game embodies the theme of human vulnerability and the complexities of trying to find hope in the face of overwhelming darkness.

3. The Contrast Between Pain and Joy

The reason we love to make our faves suffer and be happy is because one makes the other hit so much harder. If a character’s just happy all the time, it doesn’t feel as impactful. But when a character has been through hell and finally gets a moment of peace? That’s when we feel it.

Think about it: watching Maki smile after everything she’s been through? That is what makes it powerful. If she was just happy from the start, it wouldn’t have the same weight. The suffering makes the happiness feel earned.

4. Catharsis (AKA, Glorified Therapy)

Let’s be honest, sometimes we just project a little too hard. Watching characters go through emotional breakdowns, trauma, and existential crises is basically free therapy at this point. We put them through pain, watch them survive it, and in some weird way, it helps us process our own emotions

It’s like, “If they can make it through this, maybe I can too.” Their suffering feels familiar, but their healing gives us hope. It’s weirdly comforting, even if we’re the ones making them miserable in the first place.

Take Kokichi underneath all his lies and pranks, there's a longing for genuine connection and understanding, but he’s terrified of being vulnerable.

Kokichi's journey through deception and eventual emotional exposure offers a deep form of catharsis. Fans can project their own feelings of vulnerability, fear, and longing onto him, and when he finally allows himself to show his true emotions, it’s a bittersweet release that resonates on a personal level.

5. Projection (We’re All Guilty of It)

Let’s be real: we see ourselves in our favorite characters. Whether it’s their insecurities, their struggles, or just the way they react to things, we latch onto them because we relate. So when they suffer, it feels personal.

And when they finally win—whether that means healing, finding happiness, or just getting a break—it feels like a win for us too. Seeing them overcome their struggles gives us the tiniest bit of hope that maybe we can too.

Many people can project onto Kaito because, despite his loud personality, he struggles with feelings of inadequacy and fear, particularly surrounding his health and the pressure to be the "Ultimate Astronaut"—a title that weighs on him heavily.

Kaito represents the idea of pushing through hardship while trying to maintain an outward appearance of confidence, which is something a lot of fans can relate to, especially when dealing with their own struggles while trying to appear strong or capable to others. The way Kaito allows his insecurities and fears to be buried under his bravado speaks to the way many people carry their own emotional burdens while trying to stay positive for others. When fans project onto him, they might see aspects of themselves, their own struggles with self-doubt, or the desire to be a source of support and strength for others.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, we love seeing our favorite characters suffer because it makes their stories deeper, more emotional, and more relatable. Their pain makes them feel more real, their growth makes them more compelling, and their happiness—when they finally get it—feels earned.

It’s not just about watching them struggle or giving them a happy ending—it’s about the journey in between. And that’s what makes storytelling (and fandom) so addictive.

So yeah, I will continue to put my favorite characters through hell… but only because I love them. (Sorry Tenko.)

Why do you love "torturing" your favorite character is it one of the reasons above or do you have your own reason?

(No sound)

Sakura shows a little parlor trick, based on that one DRS interaction.

Happy I finished some animation already, trying to really keep to it :]

Hope vs Despair and How Danganronpa Shows the Fine Line Between Them

In Danganronpa, Hope vs. Despair aren't just opposing forces—they’re intertwined like yin and yang.

You can’t have one without the other. Each moment of hope carries the potential for despair, and each moment of despair can give birth to a new form of hope.

The series doesn’t just explore this dynamic; it forces the characters to confront it, shaping their growth and evolution throughout the story.

Take Makoto Naegi, for example. As the Ultimate Hope, he stands in direct contrast to Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Despair. But Makoto’s hope isn't simple optimism—it’s been tested and shaped by the despair surrounding him. His journey shows how hope can survive even in the darkest circumstances. On the flip side, Junko manipulates despair, using it as a tool to corrupt and reshape hope into something sinister. She twists the idea of hope, showing that it too can be warped when exposed to extreme despair.

Despair is often depicted as the absence of hope, like the color black, while hope is like white—full of aspirations, dreams, and ambitions. But, just as there are varying shades of black and white, hope and despair are not as clear-cut as they might seem. There are nuances, shades of gray that blur the lines, making it harder to see where one ends and the other begins.

In SDR2, the pattern continues, but with more complexity. It’s still hope vs. despair, but with the added layer of past vs. future. The characters' pasts represent despair to them, but through confronting their dark pasts, they create new hope. Their stories show that hope isn’t just about looking forward—it’s about confronting the past and using that pain to forge something better.

Then there’s Nagito Komaeda, who’s obsessed with hope. His view of hope is twisted because he believes hope can only arise from despair. For him, creating despair is the means to achieve his ideal hope, showing just how tangled these forces can become. Nagito represents the extreme, where hope and despair bleed into each other in the most disturbing way.

In V3, the lines between hope and despair are even more blurred. Monokuma’s Death Road of Despair is a perfect example of this cycle. The characters are given hope—a potential escape that’s always within reach—but as they fail repeatedly, their hope turns into despair. They begin to believe that escape was never possible, that they were wasting their time from the start.

The constant cycle of hope and despair leaves them trapped in their own feelings, forcing them to reevaluate what hope even means.

Then, we have characters like Kaede, Kaito, and Tenko, who embody hope for those around them. When they die, the survivors are filled with despair, but instead of succumbing to grief, they use their deaths as a source of strength. Their deaths become a new form of hope for the survivors, pushing them to continue the fight. The cycle isn’t over; it’s reborn from loss and pain, showing that hope can arise even from the darkest moments.

Ultimately, Danganronpa isn’t about choosing hope over despair or vice versa—it’s about understanding the complex relationship between them. Both hope and despair are essential to the human experience.

One cannot exist without the other, and each gives rise to the other in ways we may not fully understand. The characters are constantly forced to confront this reality, evolving in response to the ever-present pull of these two forces.

By rejecting the notion that hope and despair are opposites, Danganronpa teaches us that life isn’t about simple binaries. It’s about the messy, complicated truth that both hope and despair are necessary for growth, and in the end, it’s the balance between them that gives life meaning.

The Sun That Never Truly Sets: Kaito Kaede and Tenko's Legacy in the Survivors

Kaede Kaito and Tenko are the as I like to call them counterparts to the v3 survivors their confidants their supports their extroverts that pratically adopted them building them up until they eventually have to die for plot relevance and character devolpment.

And they are as I believe I have compared them to before the sun- bright, radiant, lighting up every room they walk into (hot?)

Untill the sun goes out and it's not immediate but the after effects are felt strongly cold dark unforgiving. It's not as drastic as what would happen if the sun went out in real life but to the survivors it is like the end of the world like there is no life left living.

And yet, even in death, Kaede, Kaito, and Tenko leave something behind. Just like the sun transfers its warmth through radiation, they passed their energy onto the survivors, carrying them forward to the end of the game. Their presence lingers—not physically, but in the lessons they left behind, in the strength they instilled in those they cared about.

Or, if you prefer another analogy: Maki, Himiko, and Shuichi are plants, and Kaede, Kaito, and Tenko were the sunlight that helped them grow. They transferred their energy, their warmth, their unwavering belief, and that’s what gave the survivors the strength to keep going.

In conclusion: Maki, Shuichi, and Himiko are plants, and no one actually died.

Why Tenko Chabashira is a Great Character pt. 2: Chapter 3, Relationships and Conclusion

Chapter 3

In chapter three Tenko’s loud hyperactive layers are pulled back to reveal her caring serious intelligent nature which was there the whole time just focused more on, in chapter three.

In the chapter she died no less, I will never stop talking about how Tenko was so close to getting her character development reaching her full potential and becoming a beloved character in some people's eyes but no she just had to be killed off.

Since Tenko has a lot of moments in chapter three I will just go over the main ones and the ones I think are most important in showing her development and the other side of personality.

Student council

Angie creates the student council and has Himiko Tsumugi Kiibo Tenko and Gonta join. Tenko is not under Angie’s brainwashing as she calls it.

She joined only to try to get on the inside and protect Himiko believing that Angie’s way of trying to help Himiko was unhealthy.

Tenko decides she needs help so she recruits ⅔ of the training trio and survivors Maki and Shuichi to help her (one of my favorite scenes in v3) after not only becoming distrusting of Maki after Kokichi revealed her as an assassin and wanting to perform a sneak attack on her and not really liking Shuichi because he's a guy.

When Tenko asks them to help, Maki asks if Tenko wants her to kill Angie and Tenko says that murder strongly goes against her morals so as much as she thought about it she would never go through it Tenko along with Maki and Shuichi go to Himiko’s dorm.

Tenko tries to convince Himiko that’s she being brainwashed and they have an argument in which Tenko insults Himiko’s status as a mage proving that at this point Tenko cares more about helping Himiko than her crush on Himiko itself.

Angie finds out that Tenko isn’t a part of the council but doesn’t kick her out Tenko tells Shuichi and Maki thank you for their help but that she’s going back to her room and that she’ll apologize to Himiko in the morning because she believes she was too harsh and is sorry for yelling at her.

This shows Tenko's logical side, her caring nature, loyalty, and intense morals.

Research Lab

In Kaede’s second FTEs with Kaede, Tenko has Kaede look for a dojo which they are unsuccessful in finding, and in chapter three she finally gets her research lab.

Tenko flips Himiko and Shuichi is able to read them like an open book and invites them to try Neo aikido as a way to improve themselves.

The last important thing that Tenko says in her time at the dojo is:

“Aikido is not about competing for fun to see each other’s strengths and weaknesses. By working together and using techniques that make full use of your mind, body, and breath… you can measure your physical and mental growth. That is the true purpose of Aikido. You do not compete for superiority in Aikido. In fact, in Aikido you do not compete at all. Aikido is not a martial art for inflicting harm, but a way to improve yourself!”

This shows Tenko's profound thoughts on self-improvement, her intelligence, and her caring nature. It shows Tenko’s true love for Aikido, how she views it and her trying to improve her friends' mindsets and well-being.

Her Death/ Sacrifice

Tenko’s death itself shows how much of a sweetheart she is because she’s just that great. I think the only other person’s death that does that is Kokichi's (which is ironic because both their deaths include elements of self-sacrifice).

Now some people especially Tenmiko shippers like to think that Tenko knew she was going to die when she volunteered as cute as this would be I’d say from a logical standpoint she was oblivious now, I’d like you to remember that before this Tenko had a massive argument with Himiko.

Would you volunteer for something not knowing the consequences for someone you argued with?

Tenko is a protector by nature she was raised that way from a young age and it’s in her personality so I believe that Tenko just volunteered to take Himiko’s place without even thinking just like she jumped to protect Kaede before her execution it’s not about her knowing she would die or not it’s about putting herself in a vulnerable situation where she could very well be hurt or worse for someone who has expressed no interest in her all game.

Tenko’s last words are also important, especially since they are repeated about three times during the trial.

Tenko tells Himiko to:

“Keep your chin up and live life facing forward, survive with me and everyone else” as well as “Expressing your feelings is perfectly natural. You shouldn’t feel ashamed at all. So… if you feel like crying your eyes out when you’re talking to Angie go ahead and cry your eyes out you’ll feel better when you do. Well, I mean… laughing makes you feel better too... And venting your anger onto something can cheer you up! Train your heart by laughing, crying and venting your anger, Himiko.”

Tenko’s final words to Himiko bring back up a point expressed in the dojo Himiko’s emotional suppression now I will get to Tenko’s and Himiko’s relationship and what it does for Himiko’s character development later but all you need to know is that it shows how much Tenko cares about Himiko both of these instances do they show that their relationship (in some aspects) isn’t superficial and has some genuine meaning behind it Tenko wants to help Himiko overcome her emotional suppression and improve her self.

Which shows how great Tenko is as a character not just some ‘I hate men’ gag but a character with real depth compassion intelligence and morals.

Relationships

Shuichi

Shuichi becomes one of the only men Tenko likes she invites him to practice Neo Aikido with her and treats him as one of the good men as she does with her master.

Proving that Tenko actually had character development.

Himiko

A lot of people compare Himiko and Tenko`s relationship to Souda and Sonia and Byakuya and Toko from the previous games which were also an unrequited relationship but I would like to give reasons for why this is not true.

Of course at the beginning of the game Tenko`s advances on Himiko are creepy especially since Himiko is shown to not feel the same but as the game progresses it`s shown that Tenko cares about Himiko and is trying to help her she continually puts herself in danger for Himiko and is shown to be the only one who is concerned about her or believes in her interests.

I don't really even ship Tenmiko anymore I lean way more to Tenmaki and Tenkaede nowadays but I can still see that from chapter two onwards Tenko’s goals and reasons to be around Himiko change from a pure obsession to a genuine intrest in helping her grow and develop.

Tenko made it a mission of hers to help Himiko with her emotional suppression because it was unhealthy for her Himiko was scared and stressed out about the killing game and Angie`s god wasn`t helping the problem just giving Himiko a temporary coping mechanism.

Suppressing our feelings can lead to exacerbated depression, anxiety, panic attacks and other mental health issues.

So Tenko and Himiko`s best interests were in mind but Himiko wanted the easy way out Tenko was too loud and hyperactive and using Angie's god was easier than expressing her emotions which created their conflict, but Tenko caring about Himiko`s well-being and trying to help her improve herself mentally makes their relationship so much better than just a stalker-stalkee relationship.

Himiko completely shuts down during the trial but after being reminded of Tenko’s final words she decides to keep going to avenge both Tenko and Angie’s deaths after the trial she finally breaks down releasing all the emotions she had locked up and after the third trial she decides she’s no longer going to suppress her emotions and live life to the fullest for both her friends.

Angie

Tenko and Angie are rivals in the game both representing the themes of logic and emotion with Tenko representing emotion and Angie representing logic they also fight over the correct way to help Himiko with her stress and fear about the killing game with Angie trying to get Himiko to believe in her god joining the student council etc and Tenko trying to get Himiko to express her emotions.

Tenko thinks Angie is weird because she is constantly happy, and is also jealous that Himiko has taken a liken to Angie and her ‘handsome god.’

In chapter three Tenko reveals to Maki and Shuichi that she is afraid that Himiko has been brainwashed by Angie and that she has thought about killing Angie but has strong morals against killing.

When Angie is found dead Tenko feels bad and guilty about it despite their rivalry even volunteers for the seance to become the medium for Angie’s spirit.

Tenko also had much more animosity which Angie than any of the guys sooo.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Tenko Chabashira is a great character and one of the best characters in NDRV3 for her personality, character design, development, and crucial role in the game which is imperative to the narrative.

She is an influential part of Himiko’s development and subsequent survival, as well as a portrayal of one of the main themes in the game, (logic vs emotion.)

She supports and befriends men and women alike, provides profound thoughts at beneficial times, and genuinely cares for her friends' safety and development.

Tenko Chabashira deserves more appreciation and hopefully over time more people will recognize the depth of her character beyond surface level jokes and criticisms.

I love this supportive sweetheart who is just like a big kid and I hope that this essay helped you to understand why and maybe cause you to start loving her too.

Thank you so much for reading my ridiculous rant

The impact of Tenko’s ability on Maki and Kokichi's character arc: a continuation of me rewriting Tenko’s flipping ability.

This is a more indepth analysis of Tenko and Maki and Tenko and Kokichi's relationships. It might not make sense without the first part, but you don't have to read it to enjoy this.

Introduction

Tenko is the sun, bright, loud, beloved, and emotional, Maki and Kokichi are the moons, the liars, the ones who build up walls to hide their true selves, the loners.

Realistically, that analogy was supposed to be with Kaito, but we’re not talking about him, and I think Tenko could in some ways be a better mentor figure for Maki (Kokichi and Shuichi.)

Tenko is like Kaito but soft in the ways he is rough, less abrasive. Tenko relates to Maki and Kokichi in a different way than Kaito, of course. Kaito Maki and Kokichi are like three peas in a pod, but Tenko would be able to listen to help to heal in a different way than Kaito can.

Tenko’s flipping ability doesn’t take away from Kaito’s role; it adds to it and gives more time for Kokichi and Maki to flesh out before or during their development with Kaito.

Kokichi’s mask doesn’t have to break like it did in chapter five, but we can see him become more defensive and isolated.

Maki doesn’t have to shed her stone-cold assassin behavior and break down like in chapters five and six, but she can start to become more vulnerable.

Maki's growth with Tenko

Maki and Tenko could spar together and have chats about Maki’s past that even though Tenko didn’t agree with murder, she knows that Maki was forced into it and is still a good person deserving of love and affection and would be like a second Kaito there for her, especially since Kaito is deteriorating because of his illness.

I believe that Maki could also help Tenko, especially since their backstories are so similar, talking about her crime and opening up about her distrust for the men she saw on the streets and the ones her master told her about, and Maki would help keep Tenko grounded and help her open up more.

I always thought it was a missed opportunity only giving Maki and Tenko one interaction in the game.

I love the parallels between her and Maki's backstories and their characters as a whole.

From the get-go, both didn’t really have a say in their lives; their childhoods started out similar with both getting abandoned but then had two separate paths: a savior and a killer, one embracing their role and the other rejecting it.

I want Maki and Tenko to have long, profound talks about strength and being vulnerable. I want Tenko to flip Maki and give her a whole new outlook on her life.

I want them to talk about Tenko’s vigilantism, Maki's childhood friend, the burden that they both place on themselves to protect those they care about even if it means harming others.

I want Tenko to grab Maki's hands, which have been coated with blood countless times, even with her strong morals against murder, and tell Maki she trusts her and cares about her.

Kokichi’s arc with Tenko

With Kokichi after flipping him, making him vulnerable and out in the open, Kokichi runs away at first but soon realizes the strength of Tenko’s ability and has her help him with his plans, he being the one that suggests she flip Tsumugi.

They would hang out, even though the others give them weird looks, especially since Tenko knows Kokichi’s true intentions. But like everyone else, Kokichi pushes Tenko away, putting back up his facade as a villain, betraying Tenko before her death, leaving him to run right back to Himiko.

Who she still cared about helping but took her mind off the jealousy of Himiko gravitating to Angie more than her by hanging out with Kokichi.

Kokichi would also tell Tenko that she’s lying to herself and too concerned about the others to care about herself and that mentality is going to get her killed.

(While he holds his script to his chest, knowing what’s coming two chapters from now.)

After Tenko died, Kokichi felt regretful but chose to keep it away from the others, still knowing that Tenko was one of his only true friends in the game, the only person who truly understood him (until chapter five), but that having friends in a killing game was a mistake and would only make him more weak and vulnerable.

Kokichi and Tenko’s friendship

Outside the narrative I have created, I want more Tenko-Kokichi shenanigans.

I like the fact that both sacrificed themselves to help/save someone else, and both died in a dark, claustrophobic environment alone.

I also like how they're more like each other than they both realize.

I think Kokichi could point out Tenko's altruism as a flaw and also call her out as a hypocrite, and he would definitely bash her for her relationship with Himiko, and I think Tenko could start to crack the mask, the facade that is Kokichi Oma.

I love their dynamic so much I just don't know how to explain it:

Two people who actively hate each other but have good chemistry and are constantly hanging out with each other to the confusion and expense of the others.

They insult each other all the time, but if anyone else insults either one of them, they would beat that person up.

They're normally making jokes at each other's expense but sometimes get serious with each other and actually give good advice and comfort.

Probably my second, maybe third favorite Tenko-male friendship (my first is Tenko and Shuichi).

They would be so chaotic together; I wish they would have gotten more time to hang out.

Tenko's missed opportunities

Tenko should have hung out with more people who weren't Himiko (and Shuichi) in the game. Her flipping ability and emotional depth could have allowed pivotal shifts in the narrative as well as doing work for her and many others' character arcs and developments.

(And just be really cool; give my girl more screen time, damn it.)

Why Post Game AUs Hit Different

Hear me out, okay? Post-Game AUs in the sense of Danganronpa hold a special place in my heart. They’re what first brought me into the fandom space, they’re some of the first fics and fanart I made, and yeah, I know it’s kind of weird, but there’s just something about them that I can’t shake.

When I first sat down to write this, I stared at a blank screen for hours. I really wanted to talk about this topic, especially since no one else seems to have tackled it in depth before. But I was stuck. At first, all I could think was, "I want the V3 cast to be happy and alive," and, "I love angst."

However, after re-reading some of my favorite post-game fanfictions and really reflecting on them, I realized there’s so much more to this AU than I initially thought.

Post-game AUs are so compelling because they dive deep into themes like healing, found family, rediscovering happiness, self-identity, and the truth about fame.

These themes are what make the stories emotionally impactful and really connect with readers. They make you think, and they allow the audience to resonate with the characters and the world they inhabit.

For example, when I read about Kaede digging her nails into her neck, desperately trying to pry off the chain that dragged her to her execution—a chain she never actually wore—it makes me stop and think. It makes me feel something.

Or when I read about Maki having nightmares about killing people and being tortured, even though she never actually did. Those moments resonate deeply, and I find myself thinking about them long after I’ve finished reading.

Then there’s Kokichi, atoning for his past mistakes and opening up, allowing himself to be vulnerable. And when I see Ryoma discovering that there are people who genuinely care about him, it hits so hard.

It’s like watching that final, epic battle in a movie that everything’s been building toward. It’s satisfying, and it gives you an ending you can feel content with.

I know a lot of people complain about V3’s open ending, but honestly, if there had been a definitive conclusion, we might not have gotten all the creativity that’s poured into post-game fanfics and fanart. The beauty of that open ending is that it left so much room for fans to craft their own narratives—nothing feels too absurd because there was no ending at all.

And I’m not going to talk about every single post-game fan art or fanfic that’s completely changed my view and perception of post-game, but some of these fics have inspired thoughts that go beyond just the post-game world For example, It’s Just Showbiz got me thinking about the reality TV side of fame and made me start headcanoning Tenko as a trans woman, which I hadn’t considered before.

Here Comes the Sun shifted my perception of Kiyo, showing me a different side of him that I hadn’t thought about in the context of the original story.

The Friends We Used to Know led me to a rabbit hole of exploring platonic Chabahara, which opened my mind to new dynamics between characters.

These fanfics didn’t just change how I think about post-game—they expanded how I view the characters and their potential after the events of the original game.

There are so many vastly different takes on what happened to the V3 cast after the events of the game. (Well, all the casts, but V3 is the most prominent in the post-game space, followed by SDR2.) Some interpretations focus on the survivors struggling with guilt, forced to carry the weight of everything that happened. Others bring back the dead students in different ways—some with injuries reflecting how they died, some as puppets controlled by Team Danganronpa for publicity, and some just living happily together in a one-bedroom apartment.

Some fics depict V3 as the final game, while others frame it as just the beginning of something even bigger. Some characters signed up willingly; others had no idea what they were getting into. Post-game AUs are completely open to interpretation, with no right or wrong answer. Sure, you could say the same for Hope’s Peak, non-despair AUs, or even pre-game stories, but there’s something about post-game that just hits different. Maybe it’s the characters. Maybe it’s the themes. Maybe it’s the perfect balance of angst and healing. I can’t fully explain it—but it works.

Post-game AUs are more than just a way to keep the story going—they’re a way to explore what happens after the cameras stop rolling, after the killing game ends, after the characters are left to pick up the pieces. They allow for healing, for growth, for alternate interpretations that make us rethink everything we thought we knew. And maybe that’s why they hit so hard.

No matter how many versions exist, no matter how different the interpretations may be, post-game AUs will always be special to me. They take everything I love about these characters—their struggles, their resilience, their ability to change—and push it one step further. They remind me why I fell in love with Danganronpa in the first place, and why I keep coming back.

I love post-game aus so much and I can’t wait to see what other incredible stories and art will come from this space, because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that post-game AUs aren’t going anywhere.

The ending of Danganronpa V3: Not the cliché twist people think it is.

Probably the most controversial part about V3 is the ending. I love it. I love it so much I have a shirt of it. I can see why others don’t somewhat but at the same time I’m like why?

Many people say the fact the game is fiction makes it meaningless, but I strongly disagree. I understand that an 'it was all fake' or 'and then they woke up' ending is annoying and overused and, depending on what happens in the piece of media, just bad writing, but DRV3 isn't one of those endings.

And if you do believe the game was meaningless, then congrats you fell for Tsumugi's lies, hook line and sinker.

In the sixth trial, Shuichi talks about how even though the game was fiction, it still hurt him to see the people he cared about die.

Even though they are being told that everything they went through is meaningless, it is real to them; if they feel sadness and anger and love, it’s just as real; it’s just as meaningful as in the real world.

Another thing is the theme of the whole game is truth vs. lies, so wouldn’t it make sense for the final twist to be that what they thought was the truth is a lie?

In the first two games, the final trial ends with a battle of hope vs despair where hope always triumphs and despair is crushed, but in V3 it’s different.

Tsumugi wants them to continue the game. The fans want them to continue the game.

Choosing hope—sacrificing someone to go on to the next killing game—will just cause the cycle to repeat, but choosing despair is also bad; it causes people to give up and lose everything.

Shuichi doesn’t want Maki (and Kiibo) to have to go into another killing game, but they also don’t want to fall into despair. So he refuses to vote, and as much as Tsumugi begs and pleads, he stands his ground.

The viewers also refuse to vote, proving that fiction does have the power to change reality, a powerful message that is one of the main reasons this ending is so great.

Even though Shuichi Maki, and Himiko were fictional characters, they changed the outside world and stopped a whole franchise, a whole movement, and in real life, fiction can spread ideologies, beliefs, and concepts, and these things can spread to people like wildfire and bring people together in ways that normal methods, (like by mouth,) cannot.

That's why artists try to put messages in their art, musicians in their music, and directors in their movies and TV shows. They know that's the type of media that will have the most reach and spread the fastest.

Or even social media spreading information; it might not be the best source, but it still spreads rapidly.

Media has influenced our way of life for years, influencing our speech, thoughts, and cultures because of what it says; this is what V3 is trying to show.

Shuichi also talks about using his friends deaths and the lie of the killing game to change the world.

This is why it matters; this is the power of fiction.

Shuichi using his friends' deaths, which may have been seemingly useless anyway, to take down the show that has trapped them in a cycle of deceit and forced them to play their game.

It’s also great when you remember that Shuichi was afraid of finding the truth, and Kaede and Kaito helped him gain more confidence.

He vowed to Kaede he would end the killing game, and this man not only found the biggest truth ever, he not only ended the game, but ended the whole franchise.

If that's not character development, I don’t know what it is.

Another reason people hate the ending is the portrayal of the fans, the fans are portrayed as Danganronpa obsessed, and they are shunned by watching the senseless killing of people for entertainment.

It’s a world where everyone has become so desensitized to kids getting killed on TV that they gather around screens all over the world eager to watch the next installment; that’s why there are 53 seasons.

The fans in the ending are an exaggerated view of what Kodaka feared would happen.

It's not trying to bash the fans of today but the fans of the future if this continues and we don’t care about the deaths anymore, and we just want more because you can have too much of a good thing.

It also has good messaging about fans (and corporations) tearing a TV show or game series apart in compensation for more, deriving it from the original message.

For example, Squid Game a show about the flaws of capitalism and exploitation for entertainment, was remade into a reality show by Netflix, Mr. Beast, and Amazon Prime to capitalize on the success of Squid Game when it first came out, actively hurting real people in the process, just for the sake of making money.

The ending of V3 reminds us that the connections we make and the experiences we have give our lives meaning. And even if we only affect one person with our actions, it will be all worth it, and that's the greatest truth of them all.

It’s about freedom, the problems of beating a piece of media to death just to have more, using deceased loved ones' wishes to help move forward, and finding meaning in the things that seem meaningless.

The V3 ending is a roller coaster of emotions and a masterful experience. It serves as a great ending to a great series that keeps you on the edge of your seat, makes you feel sympathy for some fictional characters, and still holds up even eight years later.

I don't think this rant/analysis will fix the wedge in the fandom this ending has caused (we've argued about much more ignorant things in the past.) But I hope it at least resonated with you and re-kindled elements you remember loving about the ending for people who did enjoy it; and for those who didn't I hope this gives you some insight into why I and many others appreciate the ending.

So before your start to conclude that V3's ending was meaningless think to yourself-is that the truth or just the lie you were meant to believe.