It was decided, by chance, that I should enter the place I had been longing for so long; Konoe Shimatate, with her heart pounding from excitement, finally passes through the school's gate. At that moment, however, she lost consciousness, and upon coming to, she found herself in a certain classroom. And thus, together with 14 "Super High School Level" students, who will be her classmates, She gets caught up in the "despair" she didn't expect...
Danganronpa TheAfter: Mirai of Despair School (ダンガンロンパ TheAfter 絶望学園のミライ Danganronpa TheAfter: Zetsubō Gakuen no Mirai), commonly titled as simply Danganronpa TheAfter, is an on-going Japanese video series created by Kurono Pencil.
The fangame is currently in progress and has already finished it's second Chapter. The official website can be found here
and videos of the storyline can be found on Youtube under the channel 黒野鉛筆
Tropes in Danganronpa TheAfter include:
- 20 Minutes into the Future: The era that this killing game takes place seems to be a few years after the canon games as the students perfectly remember the events of The Tragedy.
- Ambiguous Situation: The context of the previous Killing Game is unclear. While it is known that the siblings of the TheAfter cast were victims of the game, it's unknown as to whose siblings were involved or when it took place.
- And Now for Someone Completely Different: In the start of Chapter 2, Tachihaki takes over as the POV protagonist. Though Konoe still continues her role as the primary protagonist.
- Angry Collar Grab: Tachihaki does this to Ryohei in Chapter 2 after being fed up with his constant supervision.
- Breaking Old Trends:
- This is the first fangame to not include a Machine Talk Battle-esque segment during the trials.
- The Closing Argument for the first murder is only displayed in 3 Acts instead of the standard 5.
- Starting in Chapter 2, the story is shown through the perspectives of two protagonists instead of one.
- The Reveal of the second victim does not feature the iconic ''Despair Pollution Noise'' OST.
- During Konoe's penultimate monologue before the class trial begins which features headshots of the students in grayscale, the headshots of the victims and culprits are depicted as how they were in their final moments.
- Ryohei ends up being the student who has a twisted and more disturbing personality that's revealed during the class trial. Unlike the standard examples however, Ryohei reveals himself during the second trial and isn't the culprit.
- In the third chapter, a new living student is introduced to the main cast.
- Call-Back: The fangame takes multiple cues and plot points from the canon plotline.
- The killing game takes place in Hope's Peak Academy, just like in the first game.
- During the prologue, there is mention of a survivor of a previous killing game who is hidden among the TheAfter students.
- Hold Nova mentions "Princess Buko" when describing the weapon kits to Konoe and her group.
- The first motive involves the students receiving videos of their family members/loved ones along with the grim implications of something bad happening to them.
- Relating to the first game, the first victim of the killing game is a girl who was murdered in a bedroom by a boy.
- The body of the second victim is found in a locker room.
- The second case also mentions a mysterious killer who left a graphic crime scene, much like the first mention of Genocider Syo.
- While the chapter differs, a formerly friendly student is revealed to have concocted an elaborate murder plan only for someone else to use that plan to commit murder.
- Regarding minigames, Konoe has her own Logic Dive segment that features a paper airplane in space and a Scrum Debate segment called Sovereignty Fight.
- Just like in V3, the main female lead shifts control as the POV protagonist to the male lead so they can finish the trial for them.
- At the end of the second chapter, Hold Nova is shown speaking to the mastermind about the events of the case. Much like how the Traitor was speaking to Monokuma/the mastermind in the first game.
- While investigating the school grounds in Chapter 3, Konoe and Tachihaki discover a sixteenth student lying hidden in the school who is also the sister of one of their classmates.
- Chapter 3 also features a double murder.
- Continuity Nod: In Chapter 1, the students openly discuss the history of Hope's Peak Academy: from the incident with the Reserve Course and the rise of the great Tragedy to the first official killing game in Hope's Peak and Junko's demise.
- Cosplay Café: In Chapter 3, Konoe and Chisa are recruited to serve as maids for a cafe themed portion for the Golden Festival.
- Disney Death: This ends up happening to Seiha after he's knocked out after someone pushed him in front of a paint shelf which resulted in pink paint splashing all over him.
- Driving Question: In regards to the survivor of Killing Game's Past: if they supposedly won the right to graduate after winning a class trial, why did they end up in another killing game?
- Everyone Is a Suspect: Thanks to the disturbing secrets revealed by the Anti-Box, a majority of the students decide to break apart from the group believing that it'll be better if they were alone instead of together.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Once they finish their maid cafe segment, Konoe brings up to Chisa how strange it was that the food delivered to them by Marin was warm on arrival but the tea served near the end was cold. Konoe realizes that something was wrong for Marin to let that happen which leads to her running downstairs to check on her.
- Fanservice:
- In the second Chapter, we're treated to a scene of Konoe and Chisa bathing naked together in the bathhouse. Unlike the canon examples, no one is spying on the girls and their private areas are heavily covered by bath steam.
- At the start of Chapter 3, the two girls are shown dressed up in elaborate maid outfits, courtesy of the resident Meido Marin.
- Frame-Up: In the first case, Issei impersonated Chisa as a means of framing her for Yukime's murder.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: In Hold Nova's bar, the chalk board features head doodles of the killers and victims of the previous chapters.
- Greek Chorus: Segments called Hold Nova Theater would show up and feature the titular character providing random lessons to the viewing audience.
- In Chapter 3, Hold Nova's scenery changes from a classroom to a bar lounge.
- Happier Home Movie: In Chapter 3, Konoe and Ryohei play a CD video that features the Ultimates of the previous killing game goofing off in class as they're being recorded.
- Instant Sedation: Miharu drugs the coffee at the all-girls pajama party as a means of incapacitating them so she can carry out her Batman Gambit with Ryohei.
- Mood Whiplash: The All Girl Slumber Party starts out really well with the girls enjoying themselves and Marin getting hyper on coffee. But things take a turn for the worse when each of the girls start to fall asleep and deduce that someone drugged them.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The talent of Ultimate Unlucky Student is considered to be a dangerous one and is now associated with being a potential murderer. This is the reason as to why most of the students are suspicious of Tachihaki.
- Off with His Head!: In regards to the past killing game, the mass execution inflicted on the past Ultimates resulted in everyone having their heads cut off.
- Open Secret: The second motive is a phonograph-like device called an "Anti-Box". With Hold Nova's help, the Anti-Box contains a variety of recorded messages from the students that reveal personal secrets and dark desires. All of this is meant to inspire distrust among the students and break their friendships.
- Recurring Element: As to be expected for a killing game, several of the students follow familiar archetypes from it's canon predecessors.
- Konoe is the lucky everyday protagonist.
- Chisa is the token dark skinned girl of the cast and is also an athletic girl.
- Coco is the student with the Non-Standard Character Design.
- David and Koin both share the role of the "Magical Weirdo".
- Additionally, David is the Ultimate with a foreign background and Western first name.
- Retsu is the "Big Hearted Muscle" student.
- Tachihaki is the Ultimate ??? and later becomes the Solitary Protector.
- Ryohei can be considered The Rival of the game.
- Hold Nova can be considered the "Tech Princess" on account of her connection to Hope's Peak's technology as its A.I.
- Kinji is akin to the "Hot Useless Dork King" archetype.
- Rule63: As part of April Fools 2019, a promo video was released for a Side Story that featured all of the characters with opposite genders, complete with new appearances and talents to suit their new identities. The only exception is Seiha who turns into a pink, fluffy creature.
- Sensory Overload: While investigating the waiting room, Hatami, Ryohei and Koin are overwhelmed by loud music playing.
- Shout-Out:
- One of Marin's sprites feature her doing the iconic In the Name of the Moon pose.
- At one point, Chisa compares Hold Nova to the TARDIS.
- During Issei's execution, Monokuma dresses up as The Phantom of the Opera.
- The second execution is titled Ghostbuster!
- Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism: One of the core themes in this fangame with Konoe wanting to believe in her friends and hope for the best which contrasts Tachihaki who believes in the worst in others and prefers to stay alone.
- Slumber Party: Marin decides to hold an all-girls slumber party in the second chapter in the hopes of rebuilding trust and camaraderie among the female students.
- Super Wrist-Gadget: The E-handbooks are now tiny colorful wristwatches that can display holographic screens.
- Take That!: During the second trial, after Ryohei reveals his dark side to the students, Marin comments how his positive demeanor was just a front that police officers are obligated to uphold when in public.
- Talent Contest: Monokuma organizes a Golden Festival during Chapter 3 where several students are tasked with collaborating on making entertainment segments. The main ones that are planned involved a magic show by Koin and a maid cafe by Marin.
- Villain Protagonist: Downplayed. During the second trial, Ryohei takes over as the POV protagonist during the Rebuttal Showdown against Konoe and completely obliterates her.
- Wins by Doing Absolutely Nothing: The second killer intended to do this to win the trial. Thank to David learning of Ryohei's vendetta against Tachihaki and how Miharu was tied up and unconscious, the psychic student decided to take advantage of the situation by killing the girl himself. During the trial, he would stay in the background letting the drama between his classmates distract themselves which would allow him a shot at victory.
- A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: During the prologue, Monokuma declares that someone among them is a survivor from a previous killing game who survived by killing someone and getting away with it.
