#another episode

[crystaldoesmeth]

guys i've been admiring this picture and just zooming in to see his features and I'm admiring EVERYTHING. this can't be real and i just realized this can't be normal

[goodgrammaritan]

SAM

You can’t seriously be okay working for such a shady organization!

ALICE

Sam, we already know we work in a global atrocity factory. It’s called the British government?

The Magnus Protocol, Episode 20, Social Stigma

[nonbinary-kaede]

🔥 about Danganronpa (can be anything).

I have SO MANY danganronpa hot takes, but I've been on an Another Episode kick, so how about something from that game?

I actually think the game has some of the best writing in the series. I understand why it gets a bad rap, as it also has some of the most egregious stuff, but thematically, while it is cramped in pacing at times, I think that it is actually the most solid.

Danganronpa on a whole has a few series wide themes, and I think this game deals with them very well, and I'd say makes the best case for them, too.

1. Talent isn't the end all be all.

This theme is exemplified with Komaru Naegi. She is the epitimom of a "normal girl," even more than someone like Makoto is - since Makoto has his luck, but Komaru has nothing. Through Komaru, you have a message of talent not being the end all be all - just like Makoto and Junko, in the bad ending she can become (the adults) "Hope" and (the rest of the world's) "Despair." For that matter...

2. Hope isn't always a good thing.

We see this very clearly through the game, and I think most clearly in this game. The Warriors of Hope fight for, as their name suggests, hope. Their hope that Junko gave them. The adults become violent after Komaru gives them hope. The bad ending has Komaru proclaiming that she became hope. This is a game that perfectly illustrates how hope can be dangerous, much more effectively than any DR property then and since.

3. Rehabilitation.

In my opinion, this game shows the WOH being a type of remnant of despair - shows you how the SDR2 cast likely acted in despair, shows you these kids at their worst, and still asks, "Can you sympathize with them? Do you think they still deserve redemption?" And the game quite obviously takes the stance that they do. It's taking DR theme of redemption, and expanding upon it. Showing you every reason why someone would be against such a thing, and asking you "can you still say they deserve redemption?" And it wants your answer to be yes. Even with that, yes.

4. The cycle of violence.

This game illustrates that perfectly. It shows how Junko radicalized these kids, taking advantage of them, and shows how that violence spawned more violence, fueling the tragedy. The adults hurt the kids, so the kids hurt the adults, so the adults hurt the kids. Over and over again.

5. Despair isn't inevitable.

I think this is shown most with Komaru and Monaka. Monaka thought that Komaru's despair was inevitable, a natural conclusion, and it wasn't. I'd argue that DR3 further this theme with Monaka (for all of its faults regarding that). Monaka gets out of her abusive household and suddenly, despair is boring to her, no longer holding the appeal. Even for her, despair wasn't inevitable. There was better for her, too.

6. Community is what saves you.

This is a theme that was (imo) present in SDR2, but it's turned up to eleven here. What directly prevents the bad end is Touko being your friend and choosing to save you. Choosing to help you. Your bonds are what save you, when everything looks hopeless. And that's why Monaka failed — she never had that community.

I also think it is a great game for characterizing Junko. Both through how the WOH talk about her, AND how Kurokuma and Shirokuma act and manipulate things. Shirokuma: white despair. Manipulating the adults by showing them their loved ones tortured, plunging them into despair with a kind facade. Kurokuma: black hope. The violent hope that Monaka found in the Successor plan, and the rest of the kids found in the idea of paradise. The kind of hope you slaughter hundreds for. At her core, Junko uses both to manipulate the people around her. Shirokuma is a highlight during replays of the game.

I've always said that Another Episode had some of the highest highs in the whole series. Unfortunately, it... also had some of the lowest lows.

I understand completely why people wouldn't be able to look past the games numerous flaws, because damn those lows are low. But I still love the game, even if there are things I would... definitely tweak. (Cough, how they handled Kotoko, cough.) I stand by my statement, though, that despite having some of the worst writing in the series, this game also has some of the best.

[chikin-lol]

i love this guys :33

[desthen]

HAPPY DEATH BLART EVERYONE

[rajaie]

Slowpokemaru~

Happy Birthday to everyone who share the same birthday with  Dekomaru !

[rizpilaf]

The best girl :3

[moltenmutt]

Shredded.

I saw this idea a friend had about doing push-ups every time they feel sad and getting ripped and you know what, if I could make that happen that would be such a good idea. I WOULD get ripped.

i should fucking do it.