Danganronpa: The Animation

This massive academy dominated prime real estate in central Tokyo.

It's the private academy, Hope's Peak High School.

Academics, sports, art, performing arts...

It gathers super-incredible high schoolers from a variety of fields

with the intent to level them up.

This government approved school gets some major perks!

Can a normal guy like me survive in such an awesome school?

"We selected 1 average student via lottery."

"We selected 1 average student via lottery." I only got selected out of sheer luck, huh?

Ready to go?

My new school life was about to begin.

My first step onto campus was supposed to be filled... with hope.

Wh-What... gives...?

There was nothing but darkness. That was how it began.

And that was the end of my normal life...

I probably should have caught on right then and there.

It wasn't "Super High School-Level Luck" that brought me to Hope's Peak High.

It was "Super High School-Level Bad Luck."

"PROLOGUE: Welcome to Despair High School"

The classroom...? Why am I here?

"Life is a Battlefield" The classroom...? Why am I here?

A camera?!

"Life is a Battlefield"

Steel plates?!

It won't budge!

Ow! What is with this room?

"Welcome to School. A new semester has just begun."

"Since yer starting new lives,"

"Since yer starting new lives," "Yer"?!

"this school will be yer new world. Gather in the gym at 8 for the welcoming ceremony."

"Gym"

Uh, excuse me...

Hey, you another new student?

"Super High School-Level Fortune-Teller"

Somethin' ain't right about this school.

So there are 15 of us, eh?

"Super High School-Level Fanzine Artist"

Think that's all of us?

You!

The instructions said to be here by 8:00 sharp!

"Super High School-Level Hall Monitor"

You have absolutely no excuse for being tardy!

'Scuse me?! What're you goin' on about?

"Super High School-Level Fashion Diva"

Who cares about bein' late when we don't know what the hell is goin' on?!

Excuse me...

Did you also wake up in a classroom?

Yeah, I was in a classroom...

I thought so...

"Super High School-Level Programmer"

That's true of everyone...

Everyone fell unconscious...

...and upon awaking, we converged in the gym.

"Super High School-Level Gambler"

Most peculiar, is it not?

What's with this place?! Tch!

"Super High School-Level Biker"

It's just like my old juvie.

Do ya think...

...we got kidnapped?

"Super High School-Level Baseball Player"

Like, did someone kidnap the whole flippin' lot of us?

I bet this is some sorta special program!

"Super High School-Level Swimmer"

This is a special school and all! Right?

'Tis hard to say.

"Super High School-Level Grappler"

'Twould be wise to first ascertain the situation.

Yeah...

These... are the super high school students who got admitted into Hope's Peak High School.

He's looking! He's looking right at me!

"Super High School-Level Literary Girl"

All because I'm ugly!

He most certainly is an eyesore.

"Super High School-Level Heir"

What are you looking at?

Uh, nothing!

And then I was outside, right? So then--!

"Super High School-Level ???"

Yes?

Uh, it's nothing!

Um, aren't you Naegi?

We attended the same middle school.

Maizono...?

"Super High School-Level Idol"

I'm so glad to find someone I know!

Huh? Wait... Maizono, you actually remember me?

Yep! How could I forget?

I mean, we went to the same school for three years!

Yeah, but I didn't think that someone as popular as you...

...would notice a run-of-the-mill guy like me.

Eh?! You thought I was a snob? I'm shocked!

I didn't mean it like that...

I'm just teasing!

Don't pull my leg!

How long must you fool around?

We have pressing matters to attend to!

Like what?

Why are we in this predicament?

If someone is behind this, then who?

Aren't we basically trapped in here?

And like, where the heck did they hide my stuff?

My cell is missing!

Wha--?!

--Dude! --No way!

Mine, too, is gone. Does this mean that they were taken?

Don't look so bummed out!

I bet it's all part of the school's orientation.

That's what my readin' says!

For real? And are they ever right?

I've got a whoppin' 30% success rate!

A-A measly 30%?

Ah! Ah! Mike test! Mike test!

This good? You can hear me, can't you?

Hey, new students! I would like to start the welcoming ceremony now!

See? This is how Hope's Peak High welcomes in the new!

No, you are mistaken.

A stuffed animal?

I'm no stuffed animal! I'm Monokuma!

I'm the principal of this school, making me yer principal!

Nice to meet ya!

Gah! The stuffed animal moves!

I'm Monokuma, not a stuffed animal. And I'm the principal to boot!

The principal?

Well, I'd like to move along, so let's get this ball rollin'!

Stand! Bow! Good morning, punks!

Good morning!

Don't play along!

Highly promising high schoolers, just like you guys,

are none other than the hope of the world!

In order to protect our wonderful rays of hope,

yer expected to carry out communal lives here on campus and nowhere else!

What?!

Wait a sec!

What the hell?!

As for the cutoff period for this communal life...

There is no such cutoff period!

In other words, yer gonna spend the rest of yer lives in here!

Wha-What did you just say?

Here, forever...?

Aw, don't worry. The budget is large enough that you'll never go without.

Wait a minute! That isn't the problem.

This can't be legit!

Are the steel plates in the classrooms and halls meant to keep us in?!

Yup! So you can scream all you want, but no one's gonna come save ya!

If what you say is true, that is most disconcerting.

We could not possibly live here forever.

For those of you who wanna leave, I've established a certain rule!

A rule?

You are free to murder whoever you like. Whee!

Only a student who has committed murder will be permitted to leave.

It's a simple rule, and the only one.

Beat!

Stab!

Club!

Slice open! Torch! Crush!

Strangle! Cast a curse!

Salmon and humans can't understand the excitement...

...the endorphins are releasing in my body!

Fellow "rays of hope" are thrown into a situation where they must kill each other!

It's so exciting!

Are you serious?!

Why?! Why must we kill each other?!

What she said! Cut this load of crap!

Now let us go home!

A load of crap...?

How dare you call any of this a "load of crap"?!

Listen up! From now on, this school is yer home, yer society, and yer world!

I'm gonna let you kill to yer heart's content, so kill, kill, and kill some more!

You want a battle royal?!

Yer takin' this sick prank too friggin' far!

What's sick? You don't mean that sick hairstyle, do you?

Why you--! I don't care if you're a remote control toy or a stuffed animal!

I'm gonna flippin' tear you to pieces!

The school rules state not to harm the principal!

What's that sound?

Not good! Throw it!

--What?! --Just do it!

What the heck...?

It blew up...!

Did that stuffed animal die?

I'm not a stuffed animal--I'm Monokuma!

Tada!

B-Bastard!

I'll let you off with a warning this time.

But if I ever see someone break the school rules again,

I will activate another great physical punishment!

Well, that's it for the welcoming ceremony.

Please enjoy an enriching school life filled with gore!

So if we kill someone here, we can leave this facility.

But that is absurd...

Please... Tell me this can't be real.

The issue isn't whether or not this is real,

but rather whether someone takes what he said seriously.