also sometimes called Dang Ropes, Dingle Romps, Dangit Grandpa, and whatever else is out there I have lost track of all the ridiculous nicknames
...ah.
Dangan Ronpa (which can be translated as "Bullet Refute" or "Bullet Rebuttal") is a PSP mystery game that was originally released in 2010. The game originally had no presence at all outside of Japan, and was believed would never gain much of a western following outside of niche imports... that is until about a year and a half ago, when a user on the Something Awful forums, orenronen, decided to do a Let's Play of the game, all while translating it single handedly. From there, the rest is history.
The constant comparison made about the game is that it's a mix of Battle Royale (or even the Hunger Games) and Phoenix Wright, although tbh I would compare it a bit more to Umineko no Naku Koro ni, with a big heaping dash of Madoka Magica (as the game's main theme is in fact HOPE vs DESPAIR). The premise is 15 kids with different exceptional talents (Idol, Programmer, Gambler, Baseball Player, Fortune Teller, etc etc) are invited to a school that only accepts the most talented in their fields: Hope's Peak Academy. However they find themselves trapped in the school instead, with all the doors and windows bolted shut with steel panels, and security cameras watching their every move. A sadistic robotic bear called Monokuma/Monobear soon appears, claiming to be their headmaster, and tells them that there is only one way to escape the school.
Kill one of your class mates and get away with it.
Whenever a murder happens a trial also occurs, where the students have to try and figure out who the murderer was. If they guess right, then the murderer gets executed in a very elaborate and personalized manner. But if the students are wrong then all of them are killed while the murderer escapes to the outside world.
Dark premise aside, the game's true strength is its cast of quirky characters, many of whom subvert a lot of tropes and expectations and who also HAVE A TENDENCY TO RIP YOUR HEART OUT AND STOMP ON IT (DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT MONDO OOWADA AND KIYOTAKA ISHIMARU OR SAKURA OOGAMI OH MY FUCKING GOD). Some of them are as two-dimensional as they initially appear but most of the cast may legitimately surprise you. It also has a FANTASTIC mastermind.
A vita updated version of the first game has now been officially been licensed for American and European release by NISA (AND I AM EXCITED AS HECK) so expect that in early 2014! If anyone who has a vita could please buy the game I would greatly appreciate it as it was previously believed this game would never make any money AT ALL in the west and we want to prove that wrong in order to eventually get the sequel over here!
Speaking of, Dangan Ronpa has a sequel game called Super Dangan Ronpa 2, a prequel novel called Dangan Ronpa Zero, and an alternate universe novel called Dangan Ronpa IF (an alternate scenario where NO ONE DIED). Earlier this month the anime adaptation of the first game also began airing (done by the same director who did the Persona 4 anime).
WHERE TO GET INTO THE DANGLES: If you don't want to wait for the official release (or don't have a Vita), here's where to get into DR!
The Let's Play that started it all. Now archived on the LP archives so no more pesky paywalls! Oren's translation is far from perfect (Hacker for Chihiro is off for instance) but at its base level it's sufficient and pretty darn good for a guy whose first language is neither English or Japanese. Project Zetsubou's Fantranslation Patch. Would rather play the game yourself? WELP THERE'S A FAN PATCH FOR THAT (that was released only a few days before the official localization announcement I should add). It's... okay I really hate this translation HAHA there's a lot of awkward and stupid liberties taken and some of it is actually kind of OOC for some characters. There's a lot of effort put into it though??? IF YOU LIVE IN AMERICA you can watch Funimation's official subs of the anime for free right here!! (if you're not in america i recommend unlimited translation works' fansubs)
Dangan Ronpa
...ah.
Dangan Ronpa (which can be translated as "Bullet Refute" or "Bullet Rebuttal") is a PSP mystery game that was originally released in 2010. The game originally had no presence at all outside of Japan, and was believed would never gain much of a western following outside of niche imports... that is until about a year and a half ago, when a user on the Something Awful forums, orenronen, decided to do a Let's Play of the game, all while translating it single handedly. From there, the rest is history.
The constant comparison made about the game is that it's a mix of Battle Royale (or even the Hunger Games) and Phoenix Wright, although tbh I would compare it a bit more to Umineko no Naku Koro ni, with a big heaping dash of Madoka Magica (as the game's main theme is in fact HOPE vs DESPAIR). The premise is 15 kids with different exceptional talents (Idol, Programmer, Gambler, Baseball Player, Fortune Teller, etc etc) are invited to a school that only accepts the most talented in their fields: Hope's Peak Academy. However they find themselves trapped in the school instead, with all the doors and windows bolted shut with steel panels, and security cameras watching their every move. A sadistic robotic bear called Monokuma/Monobear soon appears, claiming to be their headmaster, and tells them that there is only one way to escape the school.
Kill one of your class mates and get away with it.
Whenever a murder happens a trial also occurs, where the students have to try and figure out who the murderer was. If they guess right, then the murderer gets executed in a very elaborate and personalized manner. But if the students are wrong then all of them are killed while the murderer escapes to the outside world.
Dark premise aside, the game's true strength is its cast of quirky characters, many of whom subvert a lot of tropes and expectations and who also HAVE A TENDENCY TO RIP YOUR HEART OUT AND STOMP ON IT (DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT MONDO OOWADA AND KIYOTAKA ISHIMARU OR SAKURA OOGAMI OH MY FUCKING GOD). Some of them are as two-dimensional as they initially appear but most of the cast may legitimately surprise you. It also has a FANTASTIC mastermind.
A vita updated version of the first game has now been officially been licensed for American and European release by NISA (AND I AM EXCITED AS HECK) so expect that in early 2014! If anyone who has a vita could please buy the game I would greatly appreciate it as it was previously believed this game would never make any money AT ALL in the west and we want to prove that wrong in order to eventually get the sequel over here!
Speaking of, Dangan Ronpa has a sequel game called Super Dangan Ronpa 2, a prequel novel called Dangan Ronpa Zero, and an alternate universe novel called Dangan Ronpa IF (an alternate scenario where NO ONE DIED). Earlier this month the anime adaptation of the first game also began airing (done by the same director who did the Persona 4 anime).
WHERE TO GET INTO THE DANGLES:
If you don't want to wait for the official release (or don't have a Vita), here's where to get into DR!
The Let's Play that started it all. Now archived on the LP archives so no more pesky paywalls! Oren's translation is far from perfect (Hacker for Chihiro is off for instance) but at its base level it's sufficient and pretty darn good for a guy whose first language is neither English or Japanese.
Project Zetsubou's Fantranslation Patch. Would rather play the game yourself? WELP THERE'S A FAN PATCH FOR THAT (that was released only a few days before the official localization announcement I should add). It's... okay I really hate this translation HAHA there's a lot of awkward and stupid liberties taken and some of it is actually kind of OOC for some characters. There's a lot of effort put into it though???
IF YOU LIVE IN AMERICA you can watch Funimation's official subs of the anime for free right here!! (
if you're not in america i recommend unlimited translation works' fansubs)