Nagito Komaeda

**Nagito Komaeda** (狛枝 凪斗 *Komaeda Nagito*) is a character featured in *Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair* and a participant in the Killing School Trip.

Nagito has the title of **Ultimate Lucky Student** (超高校級の「幸運」*chō kōkō kyū no “kōun” lit.* Super High School Level Good Luck). However, his luck can be a curse, flipping between wildly extreme good luck and bad luck. He shares this title with Makoto Naegi.

Nagito's first canonical appearance is in *Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School* as a student in Hope's Peak Academy's Class 77-B. After being brainwashed by Junko Enoshima, Nagito and his classmates succumbed to despair and became part of Ultimate Despair.

Nagito appears in *Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls* referred to only as "**Servant**" (召使い *meshitsukai*). He has both antagonistic and supporting role, as he transforms Komaru Naegi's surrounding areas to resemble a real game and gives her items through Monokuma Kids.

After discovering the horrible truth behind the Neo World Program in *Danganronpa 2*, Nagito sacrificed himself in order to kill the Remnants of Despair. He set up a "suicide" to cause Chiaki Nanami, the traitor and not a Remnant of Despair, to unknowingly deal the killing blow, and therefore become the blackened. However, the remaining students discovered his plan, and Monokuma executed Chiaki instead.

After his death in the Neo World Program, Nagito's status remains being comatosed due to the killing game taking place in Jabberwock Island, along with his classmates who also "died" on the Killing School Trip. He and the other comatose students were eventually revived. His illusory counterpart appeared as the protagonist in a 30-minutes long OVA called *Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of the World*.

In *Side: Hope*, he and the former members of Ultimate Despair helped Future Foundation in stopping Ryota Mitarai's effort to brainwash the world with his brainwashing Hope Video at the Future Foundation headquarters. With his classmates, Nagito decided to atone for his sins as the former Ultimate Despair and resides in Jabberwock Island.

## Appearance

Nagito is a tall and skinny young man in his early twenties, around 22 at youngest. In *Danganronpa Another Episode*, he is around 20 years old, while his virtual avatar in the Neo World Program appeared as around 17 years old.[2]

He has messy, off-white, shoulder-length hair, light grey-green eyes, and sickly pale skin. His hair is described as resembling that of a corpse's,[3] lacking highlights (that normally suggest a healthy luster) and appearing whiter as it gets closer to the scalp.[4] He has mostly white hair, with some reddish/brown hair at the tips. By the events of *Danganronpa Another Episode,*which is several years later, his hair looked longer and messier. In *Danganronpa 3* - Side: Hope, it appears to be neater.

Nagito wears a knee-length dark green zipper hoodie with a jagged-cut tail. His hoodie has red squares across the right shoulder, and a large red '55' on the back. Underneath, he wears a white scoop-neck T-shirt with a red design on the front. He wears plain black jeans, and a wallet chain with a skull charm. Each of his brown shoes has two zippers.

While attending Hope's Peak Academy, he wore a uniform with a red and green striped sweater vest.

In *Danganronpa Another Episode*, as the Servant and Ultimate Despair, he wears a cropped black jacket, with three white buttons on the right and one red button on the left. Underneath, he wears a dark-red and olive-green scoop-neck shirt, with long sleeves that are folded over the cuffs of the jacket. Under this is a long beige undershirt. He wears black jeans with black low heeled shoes, tied with red shoelaces. He has a striped mitten on his left hand, to hide Junko's hand with long, red nails, sewn in place of his real hand. He also has a collar around his neck, given to him by the Warriors of Hope, with a chain hanging down the front to his knees. The Servant is described to be constantly smiling, no matter what treatment he receives. He is also said to have "a rather attractive face", and Genocide Jack even calls him "a pretty boy". His skinny build is also mentioned when she calls him "a skinny white-haired guy".

After awaking from a coma on Jabberwock Island and his brainwashing is undone, he replaced his non-functional left hand from Junko's corpse with a robotic forearm and hand. The prosthetic is white on the outer side, and black on the underside. The palm is black, and the backs of his fingers are white. His thumb is white as well. The sleeve of his coat has been ripped where the new arm is.

## Personality

### First impression

Nagito first comes off as a polite, friendly, and easygoing, yet somewhat insecure boy. Hajime Hinata even mentions that his bright smile is very comforting. He was the only one that stayed with Hajime while he was unconscious, and expressed concern for his well-being, even after Hajime told him to go away. Though friendly with everyone, he is mostly interested in spending time with Hajime, and can be quite clingy. Hajime considers him a little annoying and not the most reliable, but still a kind person.

Nagito attempts to be the team's conflict mediator and a poster boy for optimism, often encouraging others to be hopeful and to cooperate. However, he isn't taken very seriously. Hiyoko Saionji makes fun of him, and considers his dramatic pep talks about hope and friendship embarrassing and tiresome. He is generally quite submissive and has a self-deprecating attitude, even agreeing with Hiyoko and the other's snide remarks.

Although though he claims to be a pessimist, Nagito often appears unusually carefree. He lacks tact and occasionally says awkward, strange, and unsettling things without realizing it. At times he can also be more forcefulーhe is quick to scold Hajime when he's being too pessimistic or when he thought he was bullying Mikan Tsumiki. He is also notably annoyed by Teruteru Hanamura's treatment of girls and decides to keep an eye on him to make sure he won't harass anyone.

### Beliefs

During the first Class Trial, Nagito is revealed to have a twisted obsession with hope. As a result, he often begins to ramble on about hope, sometimes rather abruptlyーjust talking or hearing someone else talk about hope or in hopeful manner can render him in a state of bliss, causing him to sweat, and hold himself in order to contain his excitement. Furthermore, he sometimes has sudden outbursts in which his eyes darken and start to swirl (Hajime describes the look "a crude mix of hope and despair") while he rambles even more enthusiastically, but he usually snaps out of it fairly quickly and seemingly isn't aware of what happened.

He believes hope is absolute good, and any deed done in the name of hope is righteous, even murder. He feels no guilt for hurting others in the name of hope, as he believes that hope will always win in the end and justify the means. He believes there are constant clashes between two or more hopes, and that "strong hope" will devour "weak hope" (adoringly, he calls this process "poetry in motion"). Ordinary untalented people, despair, and weak hope are just stepladders for creating stronger hope. He considers these things necessary, while simultaneously having aversion to them. Nagito believes that the Ultimates are chosen at birth, and are capable of strengthening their own hopes by facing and defeating despair, instead of being broken by it like weaker, ordinary people. Like Hope's Peak Academy, Nagito strongly associates hope with talent and talent with worth.

Nagito desires to help to create the absolute hope that can overcome any despair, and he believes that the Ultimates can become embodiments of hope. However, he doesn't consider his luck to be a true talent, and thus doesn't consider himself an Ultimate (despite this, he has also mentioned that his luck is the only good thing about him, and he sometimes finds it very useful). Instead, he desires to be a "stepladder", and sacrifice himself so the other Ultimates can shine. Considering himself a lower being, he often feels shame just for being in their presence. He confuses his obsession with the Ultimates' hope with pure, platonic love for his classmates and he genuinely believes he's doing good for everyone's sake. He has a strong desire to be useful and he is very self-sacrificing, but his ways of helping are often very wrong, harmful and potentially very dangerous, as he is willing to cause temporary despair in order to have hope born from it. He has little regard for his own well-being and doesn't care for his own life, and encourages the other students to kill him to achieve their own hope. He believes that dying for the sake of hope is an honor and the only way for "someone like [him]" to be useful to the world. In his Island Mode ending, Nagito reveals that he wishes to die so he can finally be free from the suffering caused by his luck. However, he is strongly against dying a meaningless death or dying for the sake of despair.

After discovering that he and his classmates were the Remnants of Despair, Nagito began to act arrogant, impatient, and disrespectful towards his former idols. He had particularly little patience for the slow-witted ones, including Kazuichi Soda and Akane Owari. Nagito realized that by killing his classmates, and therefore destroying the Ultimate Despair, he could himself become the Ultimate Hope. Though he claimed it was for the sake of the world's hope, it's also implied he wanted to become Ultimate Hope so he could finally be appreciated, even if only after his death.

Nagito believes his views on hope are logical and extremely obvious, and has trouble relating to others when they disagree. Though he is very stubborn, he has changed his ways of thinking during the series. He is sometimes conflicted between his extreme beliefs and his own feelings. He calls himself "worthless trash" that doesn't deserve any kindness from others, but at the same time, he desires to be appreciated, loved and understood. In his fifth free-time event, Nagito revealed that his true, biggest wish is to be loved by someone at least once in his life, and to not die alone. Furthermore, even though he greatly admires and claims to love all of the Ultimates for their talents and capability to embody hope, he doesn't really care about them as individuals. He isn't truly saddened by their deaths, and even appears to dislike some of them as people. Similarly, he may not have anything personal against the talentlessーin fact, the only student Nagito genuinely cared for is Hajime, a talentless reserve course student.

In *Super Danganronpa 2.5*, based on what the World Destroyer said about his illusionary world reflecting his desires, Nagito may actually have a hidden hatred towards talent and wishes for a world without talent because he believes the world and its people would be better if talents were taken away so everyone can become equal and free. For example, Kazuichi's illusion form reflects his insecurities about not being good enough for some people's company. In *Danganronpa 2*, Nagito is seen showing interest in Hajime *because* he doesn't feel like an Ultimate to him and thus they're more similar and equal in his eyes. His wish to live an ordinary life with someone is also mentioned in Zansakura -zanka-, which is a song about his inner feelings. In the OVA, Nagito was both shocked and embarrassed to realize that he may actually have such emotions and thoughts, as he usually claims that only those with great talent can bring great hope. Naturally, he was relieved that nobody else saw this side of him during his comatose state. Despite learning about this hidden side of himself, he refuses to accept it and instead continue with his desire for hope. In the end, he is shown taking Hajime's hand and deciding to move towards hope, implying that being with Hajime is his hope.

It also should be noted that Nagito genuinely respects ideals such as love and friendship, and often emphasises the importance of team-work and helping each other. This became more noticeable after he came out of the NEO World Program with his past memories restored.

### General behavior

Nagito has a laid-back and quite calm demeanor, and he is often smiling or laughing. However, his cheerfulness may not be entirely genuine, as his calmness is more akin to apathy and he tends to feel strong self-hatred. He remains cheerful even during his self-loathing rambling, and acts disturbingly optimistically toward horrible things such as death, as long as it's for the sake of hope.

Nagito likely suppresses any real feelings of sorrow or fear as a coping mechanism, because he experiences tragedy often due to his luck. He has also seen very unlikely and strange things due to his luck, which is why he is not easily surprised. As a result of everything he's been through, he has become more emotionally numb and he is rarely openly angry or scared. He often lacks appropriate emotions in situations where most people would be afraid, like threats of violence. Even so, he once mentioned that he feels fear every day of his life, most likely because of his luck. Furthermore, he can be very angered by despair and other things he considers insulting toward hope. When he does express anger, he becomes notably more serious. When displeased, he is very passive-aggressive.

Nagito is capable of feeling some guilt and care for others, and he does not truly enjoy the suffering of others, but the hope born from it. Still, he is typically very emotionally cold and doesn't seem to feel much remorse or grief neither. He's shown to be fine with tricking, manipulation and stealing, though it should be noted that he does these for the sake of a bigger goal rather than his own ends. He has been described as a very honest person, though he will lie if he finds it necessary. While he prefers to do things on his own, he is very lonely and often tries to join the other Ultimates in their activities and becomes really happy if he's given attention, even if just a little bit. It's also implied that he intentionally keeps his distance from others because he wants to protect them from the disasters caused by his bad luck.

Nagito is also one of the most intelligent characters of the second game, being very cunning and smart. He often solves a case long before the others, but he doesn't want credit for this. Instead, he often acts ignorant during the trials, manipulates the conversation by giving (often unnoticed) hints and then praises the others as if they're the ones who figured it all out. He does this because he considers himself too unimportant to take a more openly active role, wants to see the other Ultimates figure things out by themselves, and he wishes to remain neutral until he can determine which side has the stronger hope.

### Social Impairment

Overall, Nagito appears to be somewhat out of touch with his own feelings. He tries to be polite, but he can be overly harsh and insensitive, often without realizing it. He has a lack of social awareness and insight into his own behavior. Because of this, he has problems understanding how his own behavior can affect other people and he may not understand or pick up on social hints. He struggles with expressing himself in a socially appropriate manner and this often leads to people misunderstanding what he's trying to say, and vice versa. During Chapter 1's additional dialogue, Nagito explains that he says dubious things without meaning to and that he realizes this, but can't stop it from happening. However, he also adds that he always sincerely means what he says.

In Chapter 4 of Danganronpa 2, he accidentally offended both Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuーin Fuyuhiko's case, he understood that he said something wrong and quickly apologized, but remained quite confused, and misunderstood *what* he said wrong. For Kazuichi, he was completely oblivious and only noticed that Kazuichi seemed angry *for some reason*. Other examples of this type of behavior include his odd and awkward sense of humor, often making jokes at inappropriate times, like soon after someone's death. He usually backs off if the others explain to him that his behavior is rude or he tells them he wasn't being serious. Similarly, when he tries to compliment someone, it can come across as an insult. His gauge of sarcasm is quite poor, too, as he sometimes mistakes mean comments for compliments. He also doesn't understand *why* the others are paranoid, angry and afraid of him. He's often confused by the others' behavior, thinking that *they're*strange for acting so suspicious of him, to the point that *he*sometimes worries about *their* mental health. He thinks that the others hate him because he's a lower human being.

In his final free-time event, Nagito claims to have Frontotemporal Dementia, a neurodegenerative disease that affects their personality and social cognition, and thus may account for some of his strange behavior. He claims he was lying immediately afterward and it is unknown whether this was a lie or not. Nevertheless, it is clear that he has some type of psychological disorder.

It should be noted that Nagito's strange luck affects his condition as well, seemingly allowing him to live much longer than he should have, and likely giving him unusual symptoms.

### Island Mode

In Island Mode, Nagito is calmer without a Killing School Trip to set him off. Though he looks forward to such a situation, he doesn't do anything dangerous. Instead, he genuinely wants to entertain Hajime and spend time with him. He is often quite nervous due to his inexperience in many social situations, for example, sitting and talking in the park with someone. He's afraid he will bore or say something weird to Hajime, and worries that might cause Hajime to hate him, which is something he really doesn't want to happen. He is also constantly paranoid and has a habit of listing bad things that might happen (in a disturbingly personal manner), as he fears that his bad luck might harm or even kill Hajime. However, despite all this, he also mentions that he feels much more peaceful and relaxed on the island. In the end, he still appears depressed, but his way of thinking began to change after spending time with Hajime and realizing that he's been clinging to false hope, and that the true hope has been within him from the very beginning.

### Ultimate Despair/The Servant

In *Danganronpa Another Episode*, as the Servant and Ultimate Despair, Nagito is even harder to read and rarely lets his true intentions and emotions show. The official limited art book describes him as "quiet, soft-spoken and effeminate".

Despite being Ultimate Despair, he doesn't seem directly dangerous and appears non-violent, rather he manipulates and works behind the scenes. He is also mentioned to be in rather high spirits despite being essentially a slave, smiling most of the time and having a carefree, sometimes disturbing laugh. He receives the mistreatment from the Warriors of Hope with a smile and sometimes even seems to enjoy it (his official profile states that he might be a masochist). In general, he appears unusually calm to the point of being apathetic, and is rather unfazed by the disturbing things happening around him (however, he does appear to feel uncomfortable when Monaca Towa forcibly kisses Nagisa Shingetsu.) He is generally polite and collected, but he may appear insensitive at times or lose his composure when talking about hope. He has a habit of forgetting how he is supposed to act as a servant and he seems to misunderstand orders quite a lot, though these may be passive-aggressive acts done on purpose. All the food he makes is inedible with very nonsensical ingredients (for example, in 2014's Christmas tweet, he is asked to make Bûche de Noël, but instead, he makes some sort of cake out of nothing but whipped cream and pinecones).

The Servant calls the story's situation a game several times, such as calling Komaru a "generic game protagonist" and mentioning game-balancing and defeating of the final boss. This may seem like breaking the fourth wall, but it actually refers to the Demon Hunting, which according to the Servant is also a game to incite Komaru's growth. Unlike his past self, the Servant believes in the potential of the talentless, because such "weak" people succeeding and rising up from despair would create even more hope. It's possible that his opinion changed after Makoto, a "mere" Ultimate Lucky Student, defeated the true Ultimate Despair and became Ultimate Hope.

The Servant's main goal is to help to create a happy, hopeful world, but one born from absolute despair, going so far as to assist his own enemy and start a war for the sake of this goal. As a result of brainwashing, he has a twisted disturbing obsession with Junko Enoshima. However, it seems the brainwashing affected him differently than everyone else, as he also retains his hatred for Junko and his love for hope. He also seems to be more aware of what he is doing while being brainwashed, which ironically seems to make him the most sane out of the class. Though, it should be noted that while he is still doing everything for the sake of hope, his plans are even more dangerous than before. However, after his brainwashing was undone, he appears to have abandoned his harmful ways and is shown to be in peace with his classmates.

## Talent and Abilities

### Ultimate Lucky Student

Nagito got his title as the Ultimate Lucky Student by winning a lottery out of completely ordinary students, which led to him joining Hope's Peak Academy. He at first declined, saying that he didn't deserve it, but they insisted that he should attend. Nagito possesses a cycle of consistent good and bad luck. Whenever something extremely lucky happens to him, something extremely unlucky is bound to happen soon after. While the talent seems to protect him from death, it can cause him great suffering and has killed many people around him. The only person whose luck matches his own is Izuru Kamukura, and later Hajime.

Nagito's birthday (the 28th day of the fourth month) heavily references his talent, with his birth month representing bad luck and death while his birth day represents a double amount of wealth and fortune according to old Japanese and Chinese beliefs. Considering some of the supernatural elements seen in the series, it's possible that his unusual birthday might have an impact on his unusual luck.

## Free Time

### Presents

Obtained from the MonoMono Machine.

* Kokeshi Dynamo
* Hope's Peak Ring
* Memory Notebook
* Mukuro's Knife

### Choices

During Free Time conversations, the player will occasionally be given a choice on how to respond to something that is said. These are the 'right' choices.

* Hope is absolute good
* Absolute power

### Skills

These will aid you, usually during Class Trials.

* Trance - Even low combos will increase the tempo. Effective during the Panic Talk Action.

## Island Mode Choices

These are the right choices for Island Mode if the player wants to respond to this character correctly.

#### Jabberwock Park

* Let's sit down for now.
* If we move that statue...
* This looks like a great spot for napping.

#### Beach

* I guess we could go fishing.
* Let's make a sand castle!
* Let's split a watermelon.

#### Library

* These books might burn well.
* Shall we study?
* All right, let's look for hidden treasure.

#### Movie Theater

* Never mind. Let's leave.
* I rather leave film movies than watch them...
* I'm in the mood for mystery...

#### Amusement Park

* Let's ride the carousel.
* We could get lost here.
* Let's climb that castle.

#### Military Base

* Let's look for some food.
* Where's the warship?
* This is a little exciting.

## Quotes

*Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls* (English)

* "I had heard this town would be safe, so I came here to seek refuge. But then, the riots... And on top of that, I get captured by *them*. I've seriously got no luck at all. But because I pleaded for my life, they allowed me to live...as their servant."
* "Either you truly are completely exhausted, or you're simply afraid to wake up and face reality."
* "You were asleep for a full two days. More than enough time for the world to change completely. Even our world can change just that quickly. Like a watercolor painting caught in the rain."
* "Ahah, you honestly...don't have a single unique characteristic. Well, no need to be depressed about it. This world is filled with unremarkable people. And the only one capable of empathizing with common, boring people... is a common, boring person like yourself."
* "Do your best, Miss Protagonist... With your lack of distinct characteristics. So common, so dull, so boring..."
* Thanks for waiting! Here you go, some nice, freshly-made milkshakes. My sincerest apologies. I didn't know how to make them. And of course, I couldn't look it up... I did make sure to add the sugar and the rendered fat..."
* "Komaru Naegi... Though you are "normal," not an Ultimate, or even a part of Future Foundation... I really do think quite poorly of the idea that you would abandon your friend and run off alone. Are you really going to just run away like this? Is your conscience clear?"
* "That's right... People who are not needed in this scene should go and make their exit."
* "When you first arrived at the hospital on your parachute, did you know why Toko turned up there? She came to save you because she was told where you would be landing. How else could you possibly explain such a contrived encounter? The reason Toko has been your companion through all this was because of her deal with me."
* "Consider it "game balance," as they say. You've thought about it before, I'm sure. Why enemies conveniently drop items, why the path you must travel on to advance is always clear... The game began as a way for the children to have fun, but it was also a game to help you grow."
* "Why was I so particular about choosing you? Well, that is all yourbrother's fault, of course. He defeated Junko Enoshima, the one I truly hate... And I wasn't there to witness it. That's why, this time around... I wanted to see the action up close."
* "Her brother, a hero, the Symbol of Hope. The little sister, utterly boring by comparison... If someone like you were to stand against despair...that would bring hope to the people."
* "Hope is exclusively found on the side of the weak. The losing side. People are touched by underdog stories. Slaying Goliath, the weaker team winning a game... The majority of society is made up of the weak and untalented. They are inspired by such tales. If my assumptions are correct... You will release a light even brighter than his."
* "Please! Save this town from despair! Show me your dazzling light of hope to crush despair!"
* "No matter how big the despair... Hope will always win in the end. That is why I feel no remorse becoming despair myself."
* "No matter what kind of despair awaits you, hope will overcome it. The deeper and darker the despair... the brighter and more powerful the hope born from it.
* "In order to get rid of all the despair, you first must let it flourish. Wait until the despair has grown to its largest size, and then burn it, all the way to the roots. And after that, only hope will remain. That is the world I seek."

*Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair* (English)

**Prologue:**

* "...I'm Nagito Komaeda. Nice to meet you."
* "I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student... At least, that's what I'm called anyway."
* "Hope's Peak Academy is amazing if they can actually research something as vagues as "luck."
* "It's completely accurate to call him the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. He's the epitome of "exceptional."
* "Don't be such a pessimist... You should look at this situation with a bit more hope, you know? Optimism is essential for people to live satisfied lives."
* "As long as we live here peacefully, we'll be able to leave this islandsoon enough."

**Chapter 1:**

* "Ah, sorry! Looks like my fear is contagious...!"
* "This is what I believe... As long as the Ultimates work together, there's nothing we can't accomplish... You'll be able to create a hope that can overcome any despair. That's why...if we want to escape this island, we need to promise each other that we'll work together!"
* "It's true that Byakuya may be a little forceful, but given our current situation... I believe it's a leader's duty, under circumstances like this, to be forceful to a certain degree..."
* "All right then. We should listen to Byakuya and not waste our energy thinking about pointless things! It's true that we're not in the best situation, but it's also not the worst. Because we're not alone. We have friends we can count on to support each other."
* "S-Stop it, you two. Fighting among friends isn't good!"
* "I've never...thought about having to overcome anything before... It's not like I'd run away from my problems, but... It's more like, I was just living my life without even thinking about them at all. Even so, I was still able to live... ...But this is different. Being loners won't get us anywhere. That's why I think we should all help each other out. Also...I think we need to get stronger. An ordeal like this is what'll make us cling to hope..."
* "I agree with Byakuya... It doesn't do us any good to stay bummed out like this... In fact, because of the situation we're in, it's probably best if we all stregthen our friendships with one another."
* "Even though it took me the entire day just to clean this hall... I'm glad everyone's so happy."
* "There's no need to deceive or doubt each other. What we need to fight is not ourselves... ...but that which is trying to crush us... This despair!"
* "Going through each grain of sand on a beach just to find a clue would be a waste of time. So...let's first rely on our intuition. We'll start from there and prove that none of us could have killed Byakuya."
* "It's all right. You don't have to worry. Because...they're just a petty killer, right? They can't defeat symbols of hope like you guys! There's no way everybody will lose now. This little incident will just be a stepping stone for you all. In the end, hope always wins! That's what I believe!"
* "Instead of surviving by doubting others, isn't it better to get killed for believing in others?"
* "Haha... You guys only think there's something wrong with me because there's something wrong with \*you\*. Suspecting each other like this... There's no way that's healthy behavior..."
* "Let's stop this already! We don't have to find out who the killer is! I can't stand this anymore! I don't want to do this to my friends! We're all friends...aren't we? There's no way one friend would murder another..."
* "The Ultimates are working together to combat the despair of their friend's death! Ah, how wonderful, how beautiful it is!"
* "Me, lie? That's outrageous! There's no way someone like me could ever lie to you guys!"
* "I understand better than anyone else that I'm ultimately worthless. I'm too arrogant to have dreams or cling to hope... I'm too disdainful to actually try at anything... I've made peace with the fact that I'm a lowly, stupid, insignificant human who can't do anything right."
* "I think...somewhere deep in my heart...I was probably hoping to find someone who would stop my evil deeds. ...Well, I bet if that really was my reason, at least some of you would feel sorry for me."
* "It's not \*just\* luck... It's true my talent sucks, but I'm still the Ultimate Lucky Student, you know?"
* "Byakuya was a very capable leader... For someone like him to get killed... Oh, the despair it brings... It's only fitting that you symbols of hope should use his death as a stepping stone to shine even brighter. That was my only motivation!"
* "Nobody can see in the dark... No matter how hard you think about it, the truth is beyond your sight... Don't you think that's a pretty clever metaphor, despite the fact that it came from me?"
* "Meaningless... What other word is brimming with so much despair? But you can't give up! You need to have hope, do your best, and move forward! Rising to the challenge again and again is why you guys are the symbols of hope!"
* "It appears...we're getting close to the final stage... The blackened or the spotless... Which is superior...? I think it's time to settle this."
* "Whatever conclusion you Ultimates arrive at, I will accept it, no matter what it is."
* "If you fall to aspersions like this, who will be there to support the future of the culinary arts? That's right. For the future of the culinary arts, you must face this and fight it fair and square."
* "You should be so proud of yourself, Hajime. You're just progressing toward the hope you believe in... Now Hajime...show me more of your hope. Will that be enough to crush Teruteru's hope?"
* "Something like this shouldn't be decided by gut instinct. People's lives are at stake."
* "As expected of Teruteru! Such a fantastic weapon from

the Ultimate Chef!"

* "If you stop me now, it doesn't matter. I will never give up. Whether it's tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, or the days beyond that... I'll definitely start the killing."
* "I love everyone here. That's why I want to be of good use to them. I love all of the Ultimates...and I admire them for being symbols of hope. That's right... In the name of hope, I love everyone's talents from the bottom of my heart. That's why... I don't want them to lose against something like killing. I want them to prove to me that hope will never lose, no matter how daunting the despair they face may seem. I want everyone to prove to me that "hope will never lose to despair"! See, isn't it typical that if you face a strong enemy, you will become even stronger yourself...? Which means...the stronger the despair you face, the stronger everyone's hope will become, right? I...want to see that brightness. And in order to see it, I'm going to become everybody's stepping stone. I want to make your hopes shine... It's as simple as that..."
* "That's right, I yearn for a powerful hope that can overcome any kind of despair! I'm just an obsessed fanboy so it's all right that this love of mine is unrequited. I suppose...I can be called the Ultimate Ultimate Fanatic!"
* "Really? Do you really think so? Do you really think...there's something wrong with me? But...isn't that what love is?"
* "You see, if you have a favorite boxer, don't you want him to fight against a strong opponent and win? It's a given that trials are necessary to become strong, and the harsher the trial, the stronger you become, no? For mere humans, killings are simply a tragedy, but... ...for worthy humans, a trial such as this can elevate their status to an even higher level. It's amazing to me that someone as untalented as myself can become that trial! There's no point in someone like me surviving... It's far more significant for me to die as everyone's trial. There's no greater honor than becoming the foundation so hat your values may ascend to brave new heights!"
* "I see... Byakuya is amazing... To keep his promise to protect everyone, he actually threw his own life away... And yet... I never expected an ending like this... Such despair! But...we shouldn't let him die in vain. I'm sure everyone will become even stronger by overcoming this despair... but in order for our hope to grow, this trial was absolutely necessary."
* "But you should be proud of yourself. You will not die in vain! You will become a splendid sacrifice for everyone else so their hopes can grow even more powerful!"
* "An ending like this is just full of despair... A seriously tragic despair... But still, at times like this... As the symbols of hope, you guys need to keep doing your best!"
* "From the bottom of my heart, I truly love you all. You Ultimates who inspire hope...and your splendid talents. There's no way I can be happy when we've lost such a talented individual."
* "If you hate me, I don't mind you killing me! I've already prepared myself to become your stepping stone! If absolute hope can be born from that...then my life is nothing special. If you're students of Hope's Peak Academy... If you're the symbols of hope who possess the chosen talents... Then it shouldn't matter to you guys at all if I cooperate with the killer, right!?"
* "In actuality, thanks to Byakuya, I'm starting to feel a small desire to live. Mostly, I just want to watch everyone destroy all the despair that comes for you, one after the other...! Ahaha, just kidding!"
* "No, if it's true that our school memories were stolen, it's the same as not knowing our true selves, too."

**Chapter 2:**

* "For a long time, humans have been taught that if you try hard enough, you can accomplish anything. Even if we weren't told this directly, you'd know it just by looking at the world around us. The internet, TV, and newspapers are overflowing with hopeful messages that say exactly that... But people who can't win...people who don't try to win...people who try their best and still can't win... ...They are all worthless trash."
* "There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who are born with worth, and everybody else. No matter how hard a lowly human tries, they will never be the same as someone who was born worthy... They say that "effort breeds success"... But that's a complete lie. The world is not that accommodating. No matter how hard a small dog tries, it will never become a large dog... No matter how much a penguin tries, there's no way it will ever soar through the sky... Which means...unworthy humans will never become worthy, no matter what they do. People with talent don't become talented... They're just born with their abilities right from the start. That's right...just like you guys. That's why I have so much respect for you all. Ah, just so you know, what I feel is different from admiration. Admiration is...wishing you could be like the object of your admiration. But what I feel is not so self-serving. How should I put it? What I feel is...more pure... More like a selfless love that wants nothing in return... So...I want you guys to believe me when I say... ...I don't mind if you kill me, but if that happens, I want you to let me help. I don't care if the killer survives, or if everyone but the killer survives. I just...want both sides to do their very best. I want to see with my own two eyes...the abosulte hope that lies ahead. Yep, I'm really lucky! Someone as insignificant as me will be there when hope and despair collide, and unleash their energy... So please...let me help you... If you're planning to kill me, I would be honored to help you carry out your plan. I want you to use me as a stepping stone so everyone can shine. I want you to kill me in a way that befits—"
* "It's not like you Ultimates to ignore the threat that's standing right in front of you. You guys should confront it... After all, hope springs when you confront despair."
* "Well, there's no need to worry about a loser like me..."
* "She was the heart of our group, always spirited and very eager to talk... For her to be killed... If only I could have taken her place, I would have gladly done it... But still...you guys will be able to shine because this outcome is full of despair, right!? That's right, no matter how dark the despair, hope can shine much brighter and stronger! Hehe! Though I do feel bad for Mahiru, this is quite exciting! How will everyone overcome despair this time?"
* "But now's not the time for friends to fight. There's going to be a class trial for Mahiru, right?"
* "I will always be on the side of hope."
* "No...maybe I'm being a little too conceited. A guy like me thinking similarly to you guys..."
* "There's no way her feelings would change just because a useless guy like me tempted her. At that time, she was already considering giving that game a try. All I did was give her a little push..."
* "Hajime and Chiaki, what a coincidence. If something happens twice, third time's the charm, so they say."
* "So it's finally starting. The class trial where our hopes and the killer's hope will finally clash... But it's all right! Either way, hope will win in the end! Now then, let's go prove it!"
* "Now then, let's keep our spirits high! So we can one day find that shining hope!"
* "A mystery that easy would make me feel sad. It wouldn't be good enough to serve as everyone's stepping stone..."
* "Yep, an understandable explanation! Just as expected from the Ultimate Gamer who excels at clearing games!"
* "Really...this is really terrible... I've offered to help so many times...but the killer this time didn't discuss their plan with me at all... It's all my fault! I'm so ashamed of being unreliable!"
* "You're wrong, Fuyuhiko... We aren't supposed to doubt each other here, we're supposed to work together. The class trial is where we cooperate with each other, work hard, and aim for victory. The killer and everyone else... Two hopes attempting to grasp the one, true hope... Two hopes clashing with each other is poetry in motion! That...is what a class trial should be!"
* "I'm on the side of the absolute hope that can overcome any despair. And I believe that absolute hope...exists at the point where two hopes clash."
* "It's going to be all right... If you guys have come this far, I'm sure you can discover that answer, too. Now, let's start the argument, shall we?"
* "I see... So for Peko, Fuyuhiko himself is your true hope, then? On his behalf, you killed Mahiru...and now you're trying to sacrifice us so that you can protect him. You would only go that far because he's your one and only hope..."
* "Is Peko a tool to you? Using that tool... Surviving by sacrificing Peko and the rest of us... Is that your hope!?"
* "Huh? You seem distressed. A mere tool doesn't panic like that, right?"
* "Fuyuhiko...this could be considered your ultimate choice. Regardless, either way you'll still lose Peko but... If you insist you're the killer just as she said, you can sacrifice us and survive alone. Or...would you rather reject Peko and fight alongside us against despair? Which one will be your hope? Let's hear what you have to say."
* "For heaven's sake... This is just the worst...jeez, what a waste... This conclusion...what a waste... This is why...she should've just discussed it with me... It was supposed to be a clash between two hopes, but it was crushed into something so unpalatable... I am pissed...and I even feel sad and hopeless... But still... It's going to be all right! This despair is worthless! Even this despair...is just a ladder to a bright shining future that awaits us! The higher the ladder, the brighter we can shine... That is the unmistakable truth!"
* "Anyway, I shall make a declaration! We will definitely destroy you! Haha, the hopes of all the Ultimates here will definitely, completely, utterly destroy you. There won't even be a strand of cotton left when we're done with you... That's your future."

**Chapter 3:**

* "But we must move forward, no matter what despair stands in our way! That's what hope should be!"
* "Then it's decided. Let's explore and search for a new hope! Anyway, let's begin! Let's open the way to a hope-filled future with our very own hands!"
* "Miss Sonia... As expected from the Ultimate Princess... She cordially asked me to come... She's very much in touch with the feelings of us common folk. Nevertheless...I know my place, and I'm not reckless enough to go along with her."
* "Since it's going to be such a touching scene, a worthless thing like me would just be a nuisance, right?"
* "Hajime...I'm jealous of you. You don't know what your talent is, but you're showing no distress and you're even opening up to everyone... That must mean you have a lot of confidence in yourself, right?"
* "It's probably just another one of Monokuma's pranks. There's no way Hope's Peak Academy would fall. But...even if it is a prank, it's not something he should be allowed to do... A symbol of hope getting destroyed... It's not something you should even joke about...!"
* "Even if you ignore me, I'm already happy that our eyes have met You really are a kind person."
* "Fuyuhiko involved himself in Peko's execution... I did say that it felt unpalatable to me... But Fuyuhiko returned to us alive... He used Peko's death as a stepladder so he could shine even brighter, and cling to an even stronger hope! But it's decided that's what hope should be... That's why you and the others progressed forward."
* "At the very least, we should...overcome the despair of Akane's death, and use it as "fuel" to bolster our hope. ...Like Fuyuhiko did, you see."
* "I'm not messing around! I always speak the truth!"
* "Weird? What's weird? I'm always normal! I always speak the truth!"
* "It's not a lie. I never tell lies."
* "We're all done for! There's no such thing as hope! We all have to die from this Despair Disease..."
* "Thank you, Akane! Helping each other is such a wonderful thing!"
* "Aww...I'm not siding with the killer, you know. I'm just on the side of whoever acts in the name of hope... That's all there is to it. That's the main reason why...this case is really special. ...But I can't say for certain, though."
* "That's not true... I'm doing this because I believe it's for everyone's sake... Oh well... For the sake of everyone's hope, I'd gladly become the enemy, and I won't even mind when I die... That's the main reason why...I can't overlook this case this time..."
* "Who knows...? Maybe I'm just looking forward to seeing poetic justice prevail."
* "D-Don't get mad... I just think warming up is really important, especially since this isn't a game."
* "Did I confuse you...? If so...I wish I could die from self-loathing..."
* "Oh, I'm so happy I'm getting goosebumps! Everyone actually needs help from scum like me!"
* "Y-You noticed such a small detail, how amazing! This is truly the talent of a chosen Ultimate!"
* "That's amazing, Chiaki! All that gaming has given you incredible deduction skills... Is it okay to say that?"
* "Well...I know I'm being intrusive and all. And I mean, I have no place to say this... I missed all of the critical parts and I doubt I have anything worth saying at an important time like this... But still...there's definitely no way I can overlook the killer this time. I thought it was suspicious all along. From the very beginning... Investigating with a suspect in mind creates a different result than investigating with no leads... Well, thanks to that... I was able to discover a truth that nobody else knows."
* "Not everyone cooperates at a class trial... Those who lie and conceal the truth will obviously be here too..."
* "But even a drunk medical student can notice the difference between a hanging and strangulation."
* "I'm sorry, but there's no way I can forgive you. I just can't forgive this crime at all."
* "Hmm, I see... You guys are kind... Well, if that's the choice everyone makes, then the only thing I can do is back off, I guess... But is that really okay? Is that everyone's hope?"
* "Taking your stubbornness this far... Such despair."
* "My consciousness kept drifting but even so, when I did catch a glimpse of her, her expression was... Full of despair. A despair so devoid of hope that not even a single fragment of it remained. The symptoms that she surely felt must've been deserving of the name, Despair Disease. Losing all hope...and harboring despair for all hope... Because of the Despair Disease, she was likely overcome with despair. That's the reason...why she can still laugh in such a hopeless situation. Which means the Mikanstanding before us is no longer the Ultimate Nurse. She's a completely different person now that she's infected by the Despair Disease... She's a human who deserves to be called the Ultimate Despair! That's the reason why...I cannot forgive this. I mean, killing someone for the sake of despair, instead of for the sake of hope... There's no way I can forgive that."
* "If she ended up like that just from "remembering"... Then all along, Mikan was never worth being a Symbol of Hope. Even if her words were influenced by the Despair Disease, if the disease turned her into that... If she lost herself to a simple disease, she was definitely unworthy of being a Symbol of Hope. So...let's just move on. C'mon, let's take all this despair and change it into hope!"

**Chapter 4:**

* "Ah, I'm sorry... I should know my place and not speak out of turn when everyone's gathered together like this..."
* "Even a childish organization blathering about ending the world wouldn't accept someone like me. Nobody wants a worthless human like me to join their group... You guys should know that feeling well, right?"
* "You shouldn't raise your voice like that. We might become even more suspicious of you, you know?"
* "I will never forgive those who try to trample hope... They should all be destroyed...!"
* "A-Amazing... A heart that refuses to give up until the very end... That must be hope..."
* "Everyone is a symbol of hope. They're all completely different compared to a quietter like me. I'm terribly sorry...that someone like me is forced to be with everyone like this...!"
* "Well, being loud here isn't gonna help us, so for now, we should explore the inside of this building too. After all...if you don't give up, you're sure to find hope... Isn't that right, Fuyuhiko?"
* "Hey, are you okay? Have you...stopped trusting other humans?"
* "Since I'm the one who made this discovery, it's just as important as I am. Which means...it's not that important at all."
* "Normally, all you do is stare into space, but at times like this you really pull through for us."
* "I didn't know she drew portraits for the guys... For a princess, Sonia's very dilligent. Drawing a portrait of a lowly human like me... I might be drown from such undeserved honor...! Sonia's merciful heart might be Ultimate-level, too!"
* "You're right...even if you guys fight, our situation isn't going to change."
* "Which is the true hope...? I'll just follow what everyone else decides... If you're going to choose, you should hurry. The longer we keep waiting, the closer we get do death!"
* "True... There is no doubt that the killer is responsible... But it seems as though they made a huge mistake. There's no way the "Symbols of Hope" will give up because of this little setback... There's no way everyone will just...cross their arms and wait for the class trial to start... We need to do everything we can on our end to prepare for the class trial, right?"
* "Ah, I'm so glad! I knew you guys were pumped up from the start! ...How beautiful. Even though you guys are suffering from despair, I can see that you guys are still fighting for hope... Ah, such beauty. There is no higher honor for me than to investigate this murder with you guys. So...we need to be grateful toward Nekomaru for becoming the foundation of this hope... Well, regardless... Whose side should I be on for this case? The killer...? Or the rest of you guys...? I must make sure I face this case's mystery properly if I'm going to find out which side is the true hope. Aha...hahahahaha..."
* "You're so kind, Kazuichi. Thank you for actually taking the time to explain it to me!"
* "There's only one thing I can do for them... I can go to that place for everyone's sake. I can't let them face danger... I must be the pariah who goes in their place."
* "Ahaha, looks like I'm disliked... Oh well, it's understandable. I mean...compared to you talented fellows, I'm just a piece of trash..."
* "If we're going to explore a new island, it's essential to bring this kind of equipment, right?"
* "Also...unlike everyone else, I don't mind dying at all. That's all the more reason why...I should go."
* "Well, not that I care... Just make sure you don't get in my way. The Life-Threatening Game is going to start soon, right? It'd be annoying if you got in my way."
* "...Are you sure you're not just excited? You know, isn't it exciting to think that I can finally be useful for the sake of those who shoulder hope?"
* "That sounds like something a teacher would say...but I shouldn't expect too much form her."
* "It's not much of a talent, but...even I have an Ultimate-level talent, you know. I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student... But if I can't win when there's only a one-in-six chance of success, then what kind of Ultimate talent is that? I mean, if my luck gets me killed like this... There's no way you can really call that talent. If I'm truly the Ultimate Lucky Student, I need to survive here! ...Isn't that right?"
* "But after all this time... I still can't believe it... I mean... A no-good person like me actually spent time with everyone else at Hope's Peak Academy...? No, that's impossible! If that's true...how did I feel...? Surely...I would've spent my time feeling ashamed of myself for being in the presence of such greatness..."
* "So if I look at these profiles, I'll be able to find out what Hajime's hidden talent is, too. He'll probably be happy about it! Yay! Someone like me was finally useful!"
* "Something called "Ultimate"...should make my heart dance with joy."
* "As expected of a place that cannot be reached unless you clear the Final Dead Room... Thanks to how I arrived here... All the separate pieces seem to have connected together in one fell swoop. A chain reaction culminating in the truth, all thanks to just one clue... Haha...I know that now's not the time to enjoy things but... ...This is definitely a good feeling! Especially that window... That's right, everything became connected from there. Thanks to that window... I realized the mystery of the Ultimate Weapon and the Funhouse."
* "But I'm still alive... After all, the only good thing about me is how lucky I am."
* "Like I said, I'm not on the killer's side... That hasn't changed since this began. How many times must I repeat myself...? I just want hope to shine even brighter."
* "I find it extremely boring to read about the deaths of people that I don't even know. ...Besides Byakuya, of course."
* "Listen carefully... The only humans worthy of becoming hope possess amazing talents and a strong will. And...the moment you're born into this world, you either have that or you don't. It has nothing to do with effort! You must be chosen by hope to become hope! That's why...it's not even worth admiring... Or...were you so blinded by your admiration for Hope's Peak Academy that you couldn't even see that? You're just some nobody from the Reserve Course who never had a talent to begin with. A nobody who forgot he was a nobody... That's all. That's right, you were never an Ultimate! You had no talent whatsoever!"
* "Aww, I feel sorry for you... Are you shocked to learn that you were the only one who didn't have a talent...? But still, if you think about it positively, it looks like there's no more reason to doubt you. Now that we know who you are...a normal, average, utterly unremarkable high school student... There's no way you could be associated with the Future Foundation."
* "Now's not the time to get sentimental. C'mon, we need to hurry up and investigate."
* "Been through enough...? We need to perform this investigation so we can find out who the killer is. Or perhaps you don't want to know, Akane? Maybe you don't care what happened to Nekomaru... If you suck at using your brain and you really want to know the killer is, try not to interfere so much."
* "C'mon... Are you guys feeling okay, too? Now's not the time to be staring into space."
* "Now's not the time to be staring into space. Don't make me repeat myself."
* "Jeez... This is the worst... You guys overlooked an important clue. I swear, you're just the worst... As I thought...there's no way I can leave this to you guys."
* "It's called "recycling!" It's a much better alternative than disposing itwith the rest of the junk, right?"
* "Hajime...you're going to come later too, right? It'd be really bothersome if you didn't. I mean, if there's someone in the tower, the door won't open at all... So you should at least make sure you're not pulling my leg."
* "You have a bad habit of relying on others when you don't understand. Why don't you try investigating first?"
* "Huh... Did you get even more confused? No need to worry. Just one clue will change everything... All the mysteries will be solved, as if everything were linked together, if you can reach it... Just like I did."
* "We're the same... The same...stepladders... You and I...are just stepladders. For everyone who holds the title of Ultimate... I always believed that I didn't mind... Unlike you, I know my place. That's why I was prepared to become a sacrifice at any time. And from that, true hope would be born... I always believed that the talent that survived would be true hope. But it wasn't! There is no hope amidst all this killing!"
* "Hm? Really...? Are you suggesting...that sacrificing others for hope isn't real hope...? But...you're wrong. It's only natural and extremely obvious that strong hope devours weak hope. After all, that's what it means to live, right!? Oh well... It's not like that's what I wanted to say to you anyway. There's this one novel I like... It's a peculiar mystery story... The story is told from the point-of-view of a high school girl involved in a serial killer mystery... But when you get to the end... Surprise, surprise! The girl was actually the killer! Of course, the story is written carefully so the reader doesn't learn the ending in the middle of the story... The protagonist is just a projection of the reader... And this projection turns out to be the killer... Which means the killer you were looking for the whole time was inside you all along... How do you feel about novels like that?"
* "...Such a normal answer. I should've expected that from a talentless Reserve Course student like you. But... I know that you don't matter at all, so why do I care about you? You admire hope... I love hope... In some ways we're similar, but maybe that difference is what's making me so emotional."
* "Everyone, huh...? So you still believe you're just like everyone else... Reserve Course students are so full of themselves! Heh, heh...hahahahahahaha!"
* "You guys...are the same as usual... You're unable to clear a path to the future with your own powers, so you just stand there and falter... What a waste of talent! And you all intend to fight the Future Foundation? You make me laugh! Regardless...it's not like I want to die with the rest of you, so I guess I should lend a hand."
* "I've learned a valuable lesson: ignorance is by far the greatest lame..."
* "You still don't realize it? Jeez, get it together... You're supposed to be the "Symbols of Hope", aren't you? Ah, I forgot... Except for Hajime, of course."
* "...From this point on, do your own thinking. Now that you've finally met the same requirements as me. If you guys are truly "Symbols of Hope'"...you can easily solve a simple mystery like this. It might be possible for Hajime to solve it too, even though he's just a normal high school student... Despite the fact that you don't have a real talent, you already know about the other clue."
* "I didn't expect you to know that. For a substitute Reserve Coursestudent, you're quite knowledgeable."
* "That's why the killer tried to keep us from learning the mystery of the building... But more importantly, using the building itself as a weapon...such a spectacular crime! Ahahahahaha! It truly deserves to be called the Ultimaye Weapon!"
* "There's no way I'd lie at such an important moment. I don't want to die either..."
* "He's right... There was a time when I thought I could become a stepping stone for your hopes, but... ...I will sincerely retract that remark. I'm disappointed too, you know... If this was a murder for the sake of hope, I'd happily sacrifice myself..."
* "You actually noticed that... Nice catch, Hajime. Are you using your "Ultimate Reserve Course Student" talent?"
* "...You know, Hajime. This class trial...this killing... It's merely the opening act, you know. Perhaps I should say...it's just a farce? Just a boring farce... So boring, so stressful... I'm so painfully bored that I might develop stomach ulcers... Seriously! Let's just hurry up and finish this before I collapse from poor health!"
* "Normally, we'd end up listening to Hajime lecture as with a veeeery long summary of the case... But there's no reason to waste anymore time on this opening act, so I'm going to end this right now!"
* "Hmph, no matter what he says, it won't change a thing... Well, I have no right to stop you either...so do whatever you like."
* "I can't forgive this... This...should never be forgiven... There's no way I can let this run loose... I'll be the one who stops this once and for all. Even if it costs me my life... For the sake of hope...I cannot ignore this!"
* "No matter what situation I find myself in, my core way of thinking will never change... In order to create absolute hope that shines brightly, stepladders such as myself and despair exist..."
* "I don't know who you're talking about, but if someone as worthless as me reminds you of some other person... ...they must be extremely unlucky."
* "Am I? I actually think I'm very lucky. Wouldn't you say that coming across this much despair is a rather rare opportunity? I can't rely on anyone on this island... That's why I have to be the one who does it... If I can eliminate despair from this island, I won't be a stepladder anymore. I'll become...true hope... I'll become an existence that could even be called Ultimate Hope!"

**Chapter 5:**

* "Weak...how weak... Instead of facing the problem directly and overcoming it...you're desperately trying to run away... That weakness...is hopeless!"
* "I wonder where your thought process wandered off to... As usual, you guys just keep running around in circles... What are you, hamsters? Oops. If I compare you guys to hamsters, will I get yelled at by that weakling who dropped out?"
* "Aww...it looks like I'm being hated... Well, that's understandable. There's no way you guys can even comprehend my suffering... Knowing the truth...can be pretty painful in its own way. You guys don't have to worry... I'll weed out the traitor, even if it costs me my life!"
* "If I'm able to wipe out all the despair on this island, will I...? Will I become...the Ultimate Hope?"
* "When we first arrived at this island, we were friends who explored this place together! So let's go already!"
* "You guys are really disappointing... How long are you going to continue behaving so shortsightedly? You gotta look at the big picture, you know..."
* "It's fine if you don't understand... You can just see the end without knowing. Now then, let's begin! The beginning of the end of Jabberwock Island!"
* "Haaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! It's amazing! These amazing fireworks surely befit the beginning of the end! It's over. This is the end. The killings are done for good! Scapegoating the weak in the name of "justice," while fearing when the others will stab you in the back... This game of self-righteous hypocrisy ends now! And to do that...I will destroy Jabberwock Island!"
* "Of course, I doubt we'll walk away from this unharmed... But...there's no other way. The actor is expected to leave the stage during the finale."
* "After all the time we've spent together, I believe in you guys. And more than anything...I believe in my Ultimate Luck! So...it's definitely going to be all right..."
* "But even if this does depend on the traitor, your attitudes aren't admirable at all... I mean...real hope is when you confront a hopeless difficulty that's standing before you, right? And despite that, you guys are already ready to give up. What does that mean? Or...is this your limit? If so, it makes me laugh to think I ever called you symbols of hope."
* "Oh you finally have hope? That makes me happy."
* "If you really want me to spit it out... You should try torturing me or something. Maybe...you can stab my fingers with that fork over there, or scoop my eyes out with that spoon... If you're not willing to fill me with despair, there's no way my hope will ever bre...gh....ghhhh"!
* "Anyway, I guess it was right for me to move them. They were about to be found before the traitor confessed. Well, it's not like it really matters... In fact, that might be better. ...To make hope shine even brighter!"
* "Looks like you're in a hurry...well, that's understandable. After all, time runs out today. Then let's begin the final battle. The final battle between the traitor...and everyone else... The final battle between hope and despair...! As long as everyone cooperates...it should be easy to find out where the bombs are."
* "It's going to be fine... I'm pretty sure everything will work out in the end... After all...there's no way hope can lose... Absolute hope that can break through any despair can never lose in a place like this! And not only that...I believe in you all. I believe in the time we spent together. And more than anything...I believe in my Ultimate Luck! So it's going to be fine... As long as you believe in hope with all your hearts, the path should open..."
* "Why hello everyone. Great work... So you really found the bombs, huh? Believing in you was completely worth it."
* "So this is going to be your last chance, traitor... What are you going to do? Everyone's life depends on you... Whether or not you save them is up to you. Now then, I wonder how this is going to end? Will the traitor's identity finally be revealed?"
* "I shouldn't have made fun of Hajime. Deep down, I always wanted to become a protagonist myself..."
* "By giving us information about the island's mystery and the Future Foundation, he's raising all your hopes... But only so he can lead you to unimaginable despair..."
* "I feel like I've been talking forever but...that's all for me. With this, my duty is finished... I believe my actions will become the foundation of this world's hope. And...if that really happens... Praise me. Tell others what I've accomplished. Erect a bronze statue of me. Respect me. Please call me...the Ultimate Hope."

**Chapter 0:**

* "Hahaha! I'm definitely lucky! I can't believe I'm speaking with someone as amazing as you!"
* "Then...will I be able to see her again? Will I be able to see the person I hate with every fiber of my being again? And this time... Will I be able to kill her time? The person I hate so much?"
* "Hahahahahahahahahaha! ...Isn't it amazing? I can't move it, of course. I mean, it's not my hand after all! But...even now, it still hasn't rotted... Hey, maybe that means it's becoming one with me! Isn't it amazing? I have successfully become one with Ultimate Despair, my sworn enemy!"
* "Because she's my sworn enemy... Because I hate her so much... That's why I took her power. And for that I..."

**Free Time Events:**

* "No...I haven't done anything to receive your thanks. But...for someone like me to be useful to you, and to even receive your words of gratitude...makes me happy."
* "I mean...my talent is just having good luck. It's not like it comes from hard work, and it's not like I can use it to do anything amazing. Regardless of how lucky I am, or if that luck even exists, I'm just too unimpressive to truly matter. Haha, unlike you guys."
* "I understand the pain of having nothing to do... But this is just despair that we have to overcome! In the end, everyone's hope will shine bright!"
* "That's a problem. I don't want you guys to lose sight of yourselves because you doubt and hate me. I just...want to see you guys embody hope!"
* "Oh...why am I so misunderstood? I just want to believe in hope, you know?"
* "Of course not! Despair isn't something as grand as hope! Despair...is so small and inconsequential, just like me when I'm around you guys!"
* "Do you understand? Hope is a positive force... Everything created by it is an absolute good! As long as the seeds of hope have been planted, I will gladly kill someone...or be killed in return. The fact that I'm alive right now is already hope!"
* "Huh? Are we done talking, Hajime? That's disappointing...but we can still talk anytime, right? After all, we're both friends who yearn for hope!"
* "Seeing my beloved embodiments of hope trapped on this island and forced to kill each other so pathetically... It's all just a preparation for the good luck that will arrive in the end... I'm going mad from excitement!"
* "Personally, I think it shows great courage to try to understand something you don't understand. You are definitely someone who embodies hope."
* "It's impertinent of me to burden you with all this because of my pointless situation."
* "I just want to feel grateful for this good luck. I want to be thankful that there's someone who's interested in trash like me."
* "As soon as my life entered the final round, it quickly became a rollercoaster ride! But it's going to be all right... No matter the bad luck that happens, good luck always lies just beyond it. The reason I'm alive is because I always believe there's hope...no matter what."
* "I was fine with that while I was still healthy, but it's quite lonely to die alone... Now that I'm on the verge of death, I've finally realized what I wanted all along: somebody's love."
* "Hahahahaha! Let's commit the crime together so despair can become the foundation of hope! You can do it! I believe in you! After all, you tolerated someone like me this entire time! I'm sure a bright hope is sleeping inside you, too!"
* "Please, don't forget... From the bottom of my heart...I am truly in love with the hope that sleeps inside you."

**TMNT X Pokemon:**

* "This is extremely unlucky. I got captured by aliens and in this cage as well."
* "Of course. We all have been chosen to work together to stop great evil!"
* "We are the Symbol of Hope."
* "This has become a great war between Hope and Despair. I know Hope will win for sure."
* "Hm..."

## TMNT X Pokemon

Nagito believes that the reason everyone is here because they have been chosen to work together in order to stop great evil. He praises everyone and believes he wouldn't stand a chance against their strength even with extreme luck.

## Trivia

* “Nagito” (凪斗) as a name means “Calm Below the Dipper”, as in the big dipper constellation, while “Komaeda” (狛枝) translates as “Lion-Dog Tree Branches”. Lion-Dogs are statues that protect and guard shrines in Shintoism. The kanji used are rather old and classical, which may allude to an old family line or an upper class background (of which Nagito does have).
* Nagito is born in the 28th day of the fourth month. In Japan, 4 is considered very unlucky because one of its pronunciations (shi) is similar to how you would pronounce "death." In China, 8 is a very lucky number because it is pronounced similarly to the word "fortune" (ba or fa). The word is also phonetically similar to the word for a "hundred" (bai), alluding to greater wealth, and the laid down 8 is a symbol of infinity. 28 equates to "double luck", meaning that his birth month represents bad luck while his birth day represents the double luck which cancels the aforementioned misfortune.
* Nagito's Free-Time Events reveal that he was diagnosed with stage 3 malignant lymphoma and frontotemporal lobe dementia. While it is left ambiguous in the game, his illnesses and backstory are confirmed in the side materials as well as in his school profile in *Danganronpa 3*.
	+ He appears to suffer from *behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia(bvFTD)*, which symptoms may include changes in social and personal behavior, loss of insight into the behaviors of oneself and others, inappropriate social behavior, poor impulse control and judgement, apathy, loss of empathy, mental rigidity, repetitive compulsive behavior, a decline in self-care and personal hygiene, changes in food preferences, delusions, euphoria and lack of awareness of any thinking or behavior changes. Needless to say, this explains a good deal of Nagito's unethical behavior and emotional instability.
	+ Other indications of his sickly state include his complexion, hair color and breathy voice. In Island Mode, it's mentioned that he has poor stamina, very sensitive skin and he seems to dislike running. His character profiling describes his "pallid skin of the diseased" as well as his hair color, which "doesn't look like it belongs on a living person".
	+ The Despair Disease had a much worse effect on Nagito than anyone else and almost killed him, presumably because he was already very ill.
	+ Izuru Kamukura mentions that Nagito has a scent of someone who is "already finished", referring to the fact that he should already be dead, but his luck is keeping him alive.
* Nagito is a dark parallel to Makoto. It should be noted however that the two characters are not actually connected (save for Makoto being Nagito's successor to the Ultimate Lucky Student title).
	+ According to the official *Danganronpa 2* artbook, the idea of a darker version of Makoto began with Nagito's third beta design. According to Kazutaka Kodaka, one of the ideas Nagito is based on is "a Makoto that took a step down the wrong path". He states that Nagito and Makoto are the exact opposite of each other yet still extremely alike.
	+ His name is an anagram for “Na-e-gi Ma-ko-to da” (苗木誠だ), which translates to “I am Makoto Naegi”.
	+ Nagito and Makoto's appearances are fairly similar, they are both deemed the Ultimate Lucky Student and share the same voice actor in both Japanese and English. While Makoto was eventually deemed the Ultimate Hope, Nagito only ever aspired to gain this title.
	+ Monokuma himself mentions more than once that Nagito is definitely reminiscent of "him".
* One of Nagito's hobbies is reading. This is implied in the main story, as Nagito likes to spend his free time in the library and later Hajime and Chiaki find several books inside his cottage. In Island Mode, he mentions that he could stay in a library for hours. He explains that reading is possibly the most peaceful way for him to spend time, because he isn't affected by his luck cycle that much while doing it. It's also mentioned that he enjoys very different kind of books.
* He enjoys unrealistic horror movies (like ones with ghosts and zombies), but he dislikes realistic horror movies with serial killers and certain action movies because they remind him of his past experiences.
* In Island Mode, Nagito expresses intense fear towards fighter jets and it's strongly implied that he may suffer from the fear of flying because of his past trauma. While he is generally paranoid about many things, he appears to be extremely paranoid and afraid of plane crashes as just thinking or talking about it makes him very anxious. The idea of people being trapped inside, with no way to escape and just waiting to crash, terrifies him a lot.
	+ Despite this, he was seen on an airplane which crashed in *Danganronpa 3 - Side Despair*. It's possible that he feels more comfortable while traveling alone, as he doesn't put other people's lives at risk. Considering his wealth, it's likely that he can afford to travel all by himself.
* All of his designs include clothes with red and green colors, implying that they might be his favorite colors.

* His favorite ride is the carousel, because it's relaxing and feels safe.
* He likes salty things and dislikes sweets.
* He really likes go stones and has a habit of carrying them with him in jars, because the black (dark) and white (light) stones remind him of the battle between hope and despair. In a manga, he is seen fiddling with and staring at them with intense fascination.
* Nagito is very good at cleaning, but he's also implied to be a terrible cook.

* In an interview from the Otomedia magazine, it's implied that Nagito sees meteor showers quite often thanks to his luck, to the point that he considers the shining more of an annoyance than a beautiful thing. Apparently, it happens every time he feels like reading outdoors.
* Nagito is a good singer and he has sung three songs (performed by his Japanese voice actress, Megumi Ogata). He has his own mini album due to his popularity.
	+ He has his own character song called Poison -gekiyaku-.
	+ *Zettai Kibō Birthday*, one of the two songs on the album, is also the ending theme of *Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc*.
	+ The other song on the album is titled *Zansakura -zanka-*.
* The Servant appears as a guest character in *Chain Chronicle: Brave New Continent*. His Max ATK and Max HP are 7300. His weapon is an army knife and its ability is doubled attack power. His deathblow is called "Sacrifice for Hope". The death blow attack gives maximum damage to any enemies on range, but also takes the half of Servant's own health.
* Nagito is included in the collaboration of *Danganronpa 3 x Hōkai Gakuen*.
* Edmond Dantes from the Fate/GrandOrder series has often been compared to Nagito, due to their similar appearances and their status as servants.
* Nagito is revealed to be attracted to people of the same gender.
	+ In his fifth free-time event, he gives an aborted declaration of love to Hajime. In the original version, he uses the Japanese word "aishiteru," which has very strong romantic connotations.[7]
	+ In the official drama CD, Nagito states that he loves Hajime for being willing to spend time with him despite knowing what kind of person he is.[8]
	+ In the Island Mode, he calls a cottage his and Hajime's "love nest"[9]and he states that he doesn't mind getting naked in case Hajime wants to see that.[10]
	+ In his character song 劇薬 Poison, he mentions his love for an ambiguous "him".
	+ In *Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc*, he is shown to be attracted to Izuru Kamukura.[11]
	+ In *Super Danganronpa 2.5*, he considers his head accidentally ending up between Mikan's legs bad luck (unlike in the real world, he has only bad luck in his imaginary world). This is despite advertisement describing the event as "a lucky accident," implying that Nagito is uninterested in women.
	+ As a result of brainwashing, he both loves and hates Junko, though these conflicting feelings haven't been shown in an explicitly romantic and sexual manner, unlike Mikan's feelings.
	+ This is lampshaded in *Danganronpa Another Episode* by Kurokuma who asks Nagito if he's finally going to come out of the closet. In the original version, he compares him to Hard Gay, a Japanese comedian's character dressed in leather gear who is based on a common stereotype of American gay leather subculture, probably because of Nagito's black clothing and the chain around his neck.
* Interestingly, the events of self-harming leading up to Nagito's suicide in Chapter 5 mirrors certain details of the deaths in the first game; Sayaka was stabbed, Chihiro was tied up, Sakura was poisoned in a locked room setting, and Mukuro was speared. Given that he knows about the murders during the Killing School Trip, as he tells Hajime in Chapter 4, it is very likely this is intentional on his part.
* Nagito, like Nekomaru, had a fatal disease that would prevent them from living no longer than 20. Seeing however that they would be 22 by the events of *Danganronpa 3*, it has shown that both surpassed the illness.
	+ In Nagito's case, it was most likely due to his luck.
* In the Danganronpa V3 bonus mode Ultimate Talent Development Plan, Celestia challenges him and Makoto to Mahjong to test their luck. She then suggests they add the headmaster to even things out. This is likely a reference to the art where the same event happened.
* Even though he is 180cm (5'11") tall, the English localization gives his height as 5'9", which would make him 175cm tall.