Danganronpa: A Spoiler Free Review
I will admit I was a bit skeptical when I first was recommended this Anime. I knew that Danganronpa is based on a video game and usually Anime and Video Game Adaptations of each other tend to turn out sub par. But thanks to the urging of a friend, I took a leap of faith and watched this Anime.
I am pleased to say that the Anime went above and beyond my expectations. This whodunit thriller takes on psychological aspects quite quickly. A bunch of high school students find themselves suddenly trapped in their education establishment. And thanks to the machinations of a terrifying mechanical bear known as Monokuma, things become dangerous quickly.
The rules for this madhouse school are simple. Despair is the name of the game. To escape, one must simply kill another student. That sounds easy right? That’s because there is another facet to this little cruel contest. Once a student has been killed, the remaining student body gets to have a trial to determine the culprit. If the correct person is accused, they are killed and no one gets to leave. If an innocent student is accused of the crime instead, then the student body except the criminal is killed, allowing the remaining student a chance to escape.
What really drives the story of Danganronpa is the colorful cast of characters. Each of them have a unique personality and specific set of expertise that makes them seem less like characters and more like real people. And with shocking twists and a very well written pacing, the Anime does a great job at helping one get attached to each of these individuals.
Care is especially paid to detail to make sure that none of the characters exist just to be hung out to dry. Every character in Danganronpa has a part to play in the plot which is a nice change from standard battle royale and other similar anime where everyone has the possibility of dying.
For those looking for murder mystery meets battle royale, this anime will not disappoint. Remember that there is also a video game adaptation that some would argue is even better.
