Phantom goofs off

IVE BEEN THINKING

I have some drv3 commentary since I'm bored and I think everyone is a bit harsh on it

ALSO BIG SPOILERS FOR DRV3!!!!

Honestly, when looking into the drv3 plot, it's actually not that bad.

Tsumugi Shirogane and her symbolism
The first point I want to make is that making Tsumugi the mastermind is absolutely GENIUS. I'm not saying this because "oh my god it's not Junko for once." No I'm saying this because of her character. As the ultimate cosplayer, she's supposed to be that "otaku" trope. The kind of character that we relate to. She would be quiet but then pop in every now and then to make a reference and we'd be like "haha I get it!" (I mean fucking hell she made a Touken Ranbu reference in one of her free time events) and so on. We relate to her because she's nerdy and awkward. Now her being the mastermind is genius because it spreads a message. It's making the player look themself in the eye. It's saying practically that "this is you. You're obsessed with media, that you indulge in things such as video games and anime/manga to distract yourself from the real world."

Tsumugi is a wake up call. She was obsessed with Danganronpa, cosplaying the characters in the last trial and so on and was so obsessed to the point that she created her own Danganronpa. She then reveals that there is people watching, also referencing the fans. It shows how people grow an unhealthy obsession with things, saying "is this you?" Or "this can possibly be you" Tsumugi being the mastermind is an amazing piece of social commentary, making the player reflect on whenever or not they could be unhealthily obsessed with something. The pre-game Shuuichi also displayed at the trial only amplified that claim since he was so obsessed with it to the point that he was willing to sacrifice himself to be part of the game. That he was willingly throwing himself away to be part of something he loved.

So in a way, Tsumugi is well written and I have to give Kodaka props for his choice in the mastermind and his commentary.

Kokichi Ouma and his character
Kokichi isn't a bad character. Sure, he's done a lot of unforgivable things and was a terrible person but even so, he was dynamic. I hate it when people compare him to Nagito because unlike Nagito, he actually had depth into him. You see, Kokichi is troubled. He wanted to end the killing game with his plan of pretending to be the mastermind but he didn't trust anyone. He acted evil because he didn't want to work with anyone due to the fear of him being betrayed and killed. He didn't want to die meaninglessly and feared death. He also feared showing any kind of weakness. It's notable that whenever he's sad or upset in any way, he amplifies his evil persona. This is shown in the fourth trial. When Gonta is executed, he notably acts more villainous. This is because he wants to hide his guilt for getting Gonta killed, not wanting to show any weakness by not letting people see his remorse. Also don't forget that he put those hints (horse a, twins b) around the school so the others can access Rantarou's lab, clearly showing that he wanted to help and had a plan to do so but failed by chapter 5.
You see, chapter 5 is my favorite chapter. It's because Kokichi proves his self worth. When he is poisoned, he only fakes to be selfish when really, he offers the antidote to Kaito. He uses Kaito because he knows how Kaito holds Maki close and how Kaito wouldn't want Maki to be executed for killing Kokichi. Kokichi used the time he had left to create his plan and script for the trial.

He didn't die meaninglessly

I say this because he did manage to prove something. While his plan failed, he did manage to make use of his death. With what he did, he managed to trick monokuma into creating a case in which no one knows who killed and who was killed. He managed to prove that Monokuma CAN be wrong and outsmarted.
He doesn't get any appreciation for this and no one seems to mourn him. Everyone in the game seems to hate him (as well as those who played the game. I remembered I hated him at first too when I finished the game, esp chap 4).

No, I don't forgive him what he's done and yes, he's a terrible person but we can't ignore that he's well written. Kokichi is a character filled with tragedy and is very developed.

Shuuichi Saihara as protagonist
(This also includes some Houseki no Kuni spoilers)
I remembered how I and many other fans were devastated when Kaede was killed off in the first trial. A lot of people appreciated her personality and found her fit to be the protag, I agree with that wholeheartedly. I did like her run as the protag, especially with her optimism and her strong will. I would've also found it interesting if Shuuichi remained the sidekick, since it would created a great balance between the two. Kaede would be optimism and emotion while Shuuichi would be pessimism and logic.

However, Shuuichi does not deserve the backlash he gets. I don't like the twist, but I can appreciate Shuuichi as a protag. I appreciate especially his development. He managed to overcome his own emotions and managed to rule Kaede out as the killer. Also his development after chapter 1 reminds me of Phos from Houseki no Kuni. This is because both characters find a character that actually has faith in them and trusts them (antarticite for Phos and Kaede for Shuuichi) and when they both die, they grow. They not only grow confidence but also take a key point from the one they trusted. I'm Shuuichi's case it was both confidence and empathy.

I say empathy because Shuuichi shows great sensitivity and care for his classmates. It was even to the point that he tries to understand Kokichi (unlike everyone else who blindly hates him) and wants to figure out his motives. He is also very two sided but rather in a good way. He's empathetic to his classmates but knows when to shut that off during the trials in order to serve justice (like chap 1, 4 and 5). People say Shuuichi is a coward and is weak but really, he has a lot of strong points. He is very assertive at times and knows when to speak up. For an example, when Kokichi was punched by Kaito, Shuuichi states "you're alone Kokichi, you'll always be" (ouch) and chapter 6 when he openly rejects hope so the game can end. He's very logical and analytical. If it were Kaede, she would pick hope in a heartbeat (I'm merely guessing this since Kaede would probably be a more emotion driven protag if she lived).

Overall, what I dislike is that no one looks into Shuuichi. He is all logic yet is also empathetic, which is why I admire him. He knows how to control his emotions, when it's appropriate to be emotional and when it's not (though he does show remorse at the end of the trials, which is normal). Shuuichi is not a "lame", "weak", or "bland" (bland is the biggest insult imo). He is dynamic and has multiple sides to his character, as a protagonist should have. He has multiple sides to the coin yet no one looks into it. He is a strong character that endures through a lot and pulls through, wanting to make everything right and pursue the truth.

Yes, it took Kaede's death for him to realize his potential. I personally like that growth, since it's
realistic, showing Shuuichi learning from a traumatic experience. It makes him more human.

Conclusion
Sorry for my god damn APA essay on drv3 but honestly, I can't help but to admire it. Sure, I felt hatred for the ending and didn't like it but when I think of it, it's actually not that bad. It's very smart and Kodaka managed to weave in so much to the story and characters.

I don't say it's a masterpiece but it's definitely extremely well done and I have to give props.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk

Also this is proof that I'm more than just a shitlord