Back to SpiritH0shi's Profile SpiritH0shi's Profile

As a enthusiastic Danganronpa fan, I had to visit this anime again after replaying some of the main games. And I must say, watching the series for the first time while being completely hyped for the series clouds one's judgement for the series. From my first time watching I remember the series being really fresh and a good way to explore Danganronpa stories and lore. Unfortunately, it really isn't any of those.

Story: 6
Danganronpa 3: Zetsubou-hen goes back to the past, before any of the happenings of the main games/anime adaptation. We follow the future-to-be main cast of the Super Danganronpa 2 game [SDR2 SPOILERS] turned ... into the Remnants of Despair, which is revealed in the final chapter of the game [SPOILER END]. Generally the anime is to be watched after beating SDR2, since the anime would be even more confusing without the original experience, so to say. All characters are generally introduced in the beginning, but all the totally wack first episode probably turned off any watchers who aren't familiar with the SDR2 cast. But really all the series is, is over-explaining plot points from the SDR2 game and giving fanservice to SDR2 fans, who were desperate to see the game get an adaptation like the first one did. After re-watching the series, I realized that that's all it can give. On top of that, the series also introduces unnecessary characters, plotpoints and -twists to give the series more depth and a longer runtime in total. In conclusion, the story isn't very good, but that doesn't mean that it isn't entertaining to watch. I will address some of the plotlines and reasons a bit later.

Art: 7
Lerche is actually one of my favorite animation studios, but the animation in Danganronpa 3 is average compared to some of their other works like Assassination Classroom or the more recent Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun. Both series had high-quality, smooth and interesting animations that Danganronpa unfortunately doesn't really have. The designs are mostly faithful to the original game, only a couple of things like appearance or clothes have been matched to the correct time (where the series sits in the DR timeline). The new characters the series introduces are mostly a bit boring with a few exceptions like Ruruka and the other new students that the series gets more into in Mirai-hen. The animation is mostly smooth, if you don't look at the background characters too much, which is enough to make it enjoyable.

Sound: 9
One thing that Danganronpa and Studio Lerche both usually nail is voice acting and soundtracks, and this series is no exception. Most of the voice actors from the original SDR2 game are back to voice their characters, and all the voice performances are really solid. If I had to point one specific voice performance out, it'd be the amazing Megumi Ogata who came back to do Komaeda and Naegi's voices. Her performance is the most notable in the series, and she continues to nail both the determined, optimistic Makoto Naegi and the more calm, cool but crazy Nagito Komaeda. The soundtrack is a solid one combining some new tracks but also some older ones that were used in thew original games and the first anime adaptation. Both the opening and ending are fresh and unique, especially the opening, which I didn't skip even once while watching.

Character: 9
What really keeps me from giving the characters of this anime a 10 are mostly two reasons:
1. The new characters
Most of the new characters added don't give anything fresh into the series to the point where every time the series tries to focus into these new characters and make them go through character development, I am not interested in any way. The new characters, especially the Ultimate Animator, are unnecessary for the experience of the most Danganronpa fans. We don't necessarily need a plot line explaining how Junko ended up making the Despair videos, since most people accepted it as a fact when it was first introduced in the games. Second of all, the whole plot line involving Chiaki. [SPOILERS] the purpose of bringing Chiaki back was mostly, again, probably fanservice and filling plot holes. When it was first revealed in the game that Chiaki was the traitor of the Future Foundation and a computer AI, it was presented as a fact, not necessarily needing a detailed explanation, at least for me personally. Still, even though I'm not too fond of this whole plotline and how it linked into Hinata and the teacher, I understand the series' reason to address this plotline-slash-plothole and make Chiaki even more of a lovable character. Her death is one of the most despairful of the series, and definetly bittersweet when you watch it for the first time. [SPOILER END]

2. The amount of stereotypia and lack of character development the older characters are given
I would assume that most of us watched this series because of the fact, that it would let us see our favorite SDR2 character on screen and to know the full story of how they became the Remnants of Despair. And yes, the series gives us mostly what it promises. But what it had given to the unnecessary development of the new characters, it lacks in the development of the older characters. Since most of the characters does "die" during the SDR2 game, it would've been awesome to see the characters that maybe had a little less development in the game to go through some development in the anime series. Personally would've liked to explore Fuyuhiko and Peko's relationship more, since I felt like it had more potential that it was given. Also Mikan's plotline made sense for her character, but was in a weird way, disappointing and unsatisfying. Chiaki is one of the only SDR2 characters to go through very solid character development and a good arc that manages to give everything it needed and had. Even Hinata's whole plotline was addressed in a lackluster way compared to the influence it ended up having in the end. Also, to address the fangirl in the room, one of the other most popular characters is absent for around half the series, and existed solely to give more content and fanservice. It literally goes like boom, the character is gone, and six episodes later, boom, he comes back. It made no sense at any point , and probably was one of the reasons the creators gave the character a special later.

Enjoyment: 9
Even with all its flaws, the series is still a fun watch and especially when you watch it for the first time, very satisfying. Even when watching for the second time, I enjoyed the experience and even laughed out loud a couple of times. Sadly, while watching, I had this thought in the back of my head that I couldn't brush off the whole time I was watching it. It went somewhere along the lines of "why am I enjoying this so much when it clearly isn't very good in actuality", and I feel like it sums my feelings pretty well. The series is worse than what you think while watching, which can really either be a good or a bad thing. The series manages to pull the heartstrings and fangirl/boy heart of every Danganronpa fan, even though in conclusion the series is rather lackluster. And in all honesty, what else do you need? If one enjoys the series even though it has a lot of wasted potential, that means that the series managed to use its best qualities to the fullest.

Overall: 8

This series is a bit hard to explain and watch, but it's worth it.

Durarara!! is a pretty long and complicated series to recommend. The 'main' character is Mikado Ryugamine, a student moving to Ikebukuro. The main story wraps around the people living in the city. The students, the mafia, a few gangs and a couple of other people, including an information broker and his enemy. Durarara!! has so many characters to choose from and almost every introduced characters gets at least an episode related to him/her.
The first season has 24 episodes, and the second season is in three pieces; Durarara!! x2 Ketsu, Ten and Shou. ... So it's over fifty episodes of pure drama and kids getting into the local gangs. Yey.

The amount of names and people the show wants you to remember is massive, a character that you saw talking in the first season might re-appear twenty episodes later. The show has a lot of dialogue. Some of the characters communicate in the internet, so you have to just to try to remember, who is who.

The show tries to be realistic except a few (incuding a headless biker dullahan and a man strong enough to throw a vending machine). The logics and relations in the series are based around the fact that at least one character knows everybody else in the city.

This show has a lot of potential and it uses it pretty well. Fifty episodes can't mean anything bad, can it?

Well. Took me long enough to gather the courage to watch this show. I had seen some clips from the second season, and thought it looked boring. I didn't even bother to try it. But finally, I started the series and really it was worth it!

It tells a comedic, exciting and well-plotted story of people, who have supernatural abilities. You know that's the industry is full of supernatural series, but this is easily one of the best of the whole bunch. It is really special and beautiful series that deserves a spot on my favorites. Every character feels so alive with their creative past and ... abilities. And there's a lot, I mean A LOT of characters to choose from. Some of the characters relationships and past are twisted and related to each other. And there is even jokes and weird humor put into the episodes! How much can this anime do in only twenty minutes?

And of course I recommend it. I was truly an outstanding supernatural & mystery series.

Oh. My. God. I love this series. Maybe it's only my opinion, but this series has everything: characters, intense plot twists, action and comedy. I personally think they kinda messed up the anime adaptation.
Let's talk about the main characters (spoiler freely): creativity gets some extra points. There are about three main characters, but Maka Albarn takes the spotlight, in a good way. They tell every detail from their personality to fears and relationships, but still make enough time for action and epic battles. Almost every character is at least okay. 25 volumes isn't too much, but is just enough for good plot movement and little ... side stories at the end of the manga (I read the physical copies, so...)

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOILERS, STOP HERE!
So, I just had to clear my mind about the difference between the manga and the anime. I watched the whole anime just to see DTK to turn into an evil character for a few chapters, but in the anime, it didn't happen! I was so disappointed and almost ended that there. No, actually I watched it to the end. The manga's final battle was also so much more epic. So please, read this manga!

I hope that you read this after finishing season 1. This might include some spoilers from the first season.

This anime is my favourite! If you are not sure, should you watch the second season (if the first season left you with a kinda "meh..?" - feeling), I recommend it so much! The second season is almost the same, funny, exciting and lovely Assassination Classroom that the Season 1 was. It just finished what the first season started. Also... character fights! Romance! Holidays! Koro-sensei! Teaching! Tests! Beating the A-class! The second season also tells the student's (and even Koro-sensei's) background.

So, what are you waiting for? :3