Kiyotaka Ishimaru

**Kiyotaka Ishimaru**(石丸 清多夏 *Ishimaru Kiyotaka*), is a student in Hope's Peak Academy's Class 78th, and a participant of the Killing School Life featured in *Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc*. His title is **Ultimate Moral Compass** (超高校級の「風紀委員」*chō kōkō kyū no “fūki iin”* Super High School Level Public Morals Committee Member).

## Appearance

Kiyotaka has short spiky black hair and very large matching eyebrows. He has intense red eyes. In some official art, he is shown to be very muscular.
He wears white uniform with five golden buttons on each sleeve and six on his chest, a red and gold medal on his chest, a red armband with the kanji (風紀 *fūki*) meaning “Public Morals”, and knee-high black lace-up boots.

The kanji character adorning the lapel of his shirt, 参, actually represents a verb read as 参る *mairu* which means either "to be defeated", "to be annoyed", "to be madly in love" or "to visit a shrine/grave".

He wears pure white briefs, which were his grandfather's favorite brand as well, branded from a Japanese boy's heart's birthplace of Gunyo. They symbolize cleansing and making a boy into a man.
As Kiyondo, his appearance is mostly the same but his hair is pure white and his eyes have a red glowing aura to them.

## Personality

Befitting of the Ultimate Moral Compass, Kiyotaka is righteous and values order and rules above all else. He takes his role as a student very seriously, shown when he gets upset that there are currently no classes going on during the Killing School Life. He also states he has 10 sets of his uniform so he never runs out and so he is able to wear one every day of the year, even on holidays or days off from school. He is shown to be very polite and respectful, as in original Japanese release, he addresses people, even girls with "-kun" honorifics.

Because of his grandfather's tragedy, he considers effort most important and he is a hard worker, believing that one can achieve anything through it. He also considers genius' fate a tragedy and he considers geniuses his enemies, because they don't understand the true value of effort. He also believes that people who are easily provoked to violence are cowards. Described as "enthusiastic to the point of being mad", Kiyotaka believes that your every action must have a purpose and he absolutely hates wasting time.

Fitting his talent, Kiyotaka often takes up and views himself as a leader, as seen when he organizes the morning meeting for the other students. However, he often isn't taken very seriously—due to his extreme dedication to studying and proper conduct, he could not even hold a "normal" conversation with another person, which becomes clear very soon if someone spends free time with him. Furthermore, he is very expressive and intense in his manner of speech, and is almost constantly shouting. Due to his lack of social skills, he often bursts out the first thing that comes to his mind and forces his values and beliefs on others, which he's aware of and feels guilty about. Possibly because of the lack of social interaction in his life, he can also be insensitive toward another at times, as evidenced in the beginning of Chapter 2, when he said that Makoto Naegi would not feel too comfortable sleeping in the same room with Sayaka Maizono's corpse.

Nevertheless, Kiyotaka truly cares about his classmates. He is willing to take pragmatic approaches to avoid murder, such as offering to have everyone, starting with himself, reveal their secrets to avoid Monokuma's second incentive and naively thinking during the first trial the killer would raise their hand and reveal themself to avoid said trial.

Though he acts confidently and is quick to take the role of leadership, he suffers from low-self esteem at times and he is quite sensitive, sometimes crying very easily if he is shocked or touched by something. Inside, he wishes he could make friends and have someone to talk to, but he feels that he might be a nuisance to others, as he is stated to overreact to everything. Some of his other weaknesses appear to be his slight naivety and slow-wittedness, as he sometimes figures things out slower than the most other students and tricking him seems to be rather easy.

One of his unique traits is also his belief that "when the body is naked, so is the soul", meaning that showing each other their naked bodies helps two men form a mutual trust.[5] Overall, Kiyotaka values bonds between men, and during his Free Time Event he asks Makoto to bathe with him in an attempt to become closer friends with him.

In the end, the death of his first and best friend, Mondo, renders him in a state of shock and he becomes almost completely speechless and unresponsive. After adopting the personality of Kiyondo, he becomes more aggressive and very protective of Alter Ego, whom he sees as his Bro. He uses more aggressive language, though refuses to use vulgar language (though he does so in the Japanese version). However, he still sees himself as the Ultimate Moral Compass, mentioning himself that he wouldn't perform criminal activities.

## Talent

### Ultimate Moral Compass

As the Ultimate Moral Compass, Kiyotaka has a strong sense of morality and duty. Even during the Killing School Life he doesn't forget his rigorous beliefs about right and wrong. Kiyotaka often takes up the role of a leader, and tries his best to lead his fellow students on the right path, much to their annoyance.

### Differences Between Talents

In the original Japanese version of the game, Kiyotaka's title is "Super High School Level **Public Morals Committee Member**" (超高校級の「風紀委員」). The "public morals committee", also known as the "disciplinary committee", is a student committee dedicated to the preservation of a proper learning atmosphere and enforcement of the rules around the school (two duties Kiyotaka is very dedicated to fulfilling) that is commonplace in Japanese high schools. It is apparently characteristic for disciplinary committee members to wear uniform armbands.

Due to the concept of disciplinary committees being relatively obscure in North America and Europe, the official English translation of the game came to translate Kiyotaka's title metaphorically as "Moral Compass".

## Free Time

During Free Time, Makoto can choose to talk to Kiyotaka in order to learn more about him. If he gives Kiyotaka a present that he likes, and chooses the correct response during their conversation, their friendship level will increase and Kiyotaka will disclose something about himself. Each successful Free Time conversation adds a page to Kiyotaka's Report Card in the e-Handbookmenu, and grants either a skill that will give Makoto an advantage during class trial battles, or an increase in Skill Points.

1. Mac's Glove
2. Red Scarf
3. Adorable Reactions Collection
4. Chin Drill

### Skills

Becoming friends with students grants Makoto special skills which can aid him during Class Trials. Becoming close with Hifumi grants the following skills:

### Dorm Room

Makoto is able to see inside Kiyotaka's dorm room during Free Time events. The most prominent items in Kiyotaka's room are his collection of dictionaries and reference books. On his walls are pieces of calligraphy and a pi chart. He has an ironing board set up, as Kiyotaka likes to iron his uniform every day. He also has a practice Kendo sword.

## Quotes

*Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc* (English)

**Prologue:**

* "Just a moment! There's something else we must address! Makoto! Your tardiness is unacceptable! Surely you were aware the meeting was to start at 8 a.m. sharp! To be late on your first day is unspeakable! I must report you, and you must accept your due punishment!"
* "Jeez, you guys! How long do you plan to waste our valuable time with this ridiculous back-and-forth!? Self-introductions are for introducing yourself, not bumbling through a bunch of idle chit-chat!"
* "I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru. I believe in bold simplicity! Let's work together on our educational crusade!"
* "Anyway, you can call me Taka. You said your name was Makoto Naegi, right? That's a good name, a strong name! You should thank your parents for giving you such an excellent name. And to keep that name from losing its value, you must devote yourself every single day! Life is worth putting every ounce of effort into it! Right? Right!"
* "A lie, is what it is. All these ridiculous things we've heard... This all has to be fake!"

**Chapter 1:**

* "R-Right... She's right! Sometimes, even if you're nervous or afraid, you just have to step forward! To forget such a simple fact... I can't forgive myself. Please, someone hit me! I can't forgive myself! Somebody hit me! Punish me!"
* "True. We need to find out where exactly we are. Is there any way out? What about food and supplies? There are tons of questions we need to answer!"
* "Ah, Makoto! Sayaka! So you two got here first, huh? Too bad... I was sure I'd beat everyone here. I guess that just means I don't have enough fighting spirit yet! Well I won't give up! Next time, I swear I'll win no matter what it takes! Justice shall always prevail!"
* "The sooner we find out what's going on, the sooner we get out of here!"
* "Darn it, Kyoko! You're really going to be late like this on the first day of school!? Not only is she late, she didn't tell anyone she would be late! A most unbecoming personality trait..."
* "Well what do you want me to do!? Punctuality is everything!"
* "Yes, morning greetings are quite a delight! Such an energizing way to start the day! Now then, let's make sure we both do our very best throughout the day!" (to Makoto)
* "No matter how intensely the stormy seas may batter me, I will not fall as long as my feet are firmly planted! ...Youagree, right? And if you can't do it alone, just find someone to support you, and you can support them back! That's how you can overcome any storm!"
* "I was thinking about it last night, and...I decided we all need to really come together. And that was when I realized... Every morning from now on, after the morning announcement, everyone should have breakfast together! And now is the beginning of that fateful day! Please head to the dining hall at your earliest convenience! That's all for now! I have to go let everyone else know the good news!"
* "Everyone, thank you for making time in your busy schedules to come together. I know I already mentioned this earlier, but... In order to get out of here, it is essential that we all cooperate with each other. And the first step is this breakfast meeting, to allow us to become friends and build trust! So from now on, let's all meet here in the dining hall every morning after the morning announcement! Now then, let's eat!"
* "Certainly is not a conern right now! I'll allow whatever remarks you may have!"
* "Don't put those awful thoughts in our head! That's exactly what they \*want\* us to do!"
* "Let's not jump to conclusions just yet! Save that for the class trial! There we can all reveal the details of Makoto's crime!"
* "Relax! I haven't decided 100% that you're the culprit just yet!"
* "Okay then...everyone close your eyes, and whoever did it, raise your hand!"
* "It IS a problem! A boy and a girl spending the night together!? It's...it's...unwholesome!" (Mistaking Sakura as a guy)

**Chapter 2:**

* "More like a staple food source! Now let's get moving!"
* "But it's also of utmost importance to double-check the areas we already know about, just in case! Aren't I so clever to think of that!? I really impress myself sometimes."
* "An army marches on its stomach, as they say! We must all eat! Eat until there's nothing left to eat! Anyway, now is no time to get discouraged. We must head elsewhere to continue our search!"
* "He's right! In this situation, there's nothing scarier than when an ally turns loose cannon! It's just like when we were kids, and someone would go crazy at sports day or whatever!"
* "You \*are\* a coward! That's why you turn to violence to solve your problems! That's why you can't do what society asks of you, why you walk around dressed like that! You've already lost to yourself, but you're such a coward you don't even realize it!"
* "He'll be done in a matter of minutes, anyway. People like him are, without exception, all talk!"
* "Say wh-whatever you want...I'm still totally...good to go! In fact, I'm starting to feel...kinda cold!"
* "In a true competition...there's no such thing as a tie! You win, or you lose. That's...the only thing that matters!"
* "Come tomorrow morning... ...you'll fall down in front of me...down on your knees. I'll show you where to do it...!"
* "Forget her, bro. A girl like her just doesn't get our manly bond! Friendship between men is stronger than blood! A woman could never understand!"
* "No, bro, you mustn't! Your body is a temple, given to you by your loving parents!"
* "Yeah, don't ask stupid questions! What matters is that we both took apart in it together!" (to Makoto)
* "I don't know what you've got planned, but we're not going to kill each other anymore! No matter what you do, I swear to God we won't!"
* "He's right! Your plan is doomed to fail! No one's gonna murder someone for this kind of thing!"
* "Good news, everyone! I have a brilliant idea! Why don't we all just confess the secrets in those envelopes right here and now!? If we do that, any and all motive for murder will vanish! That's pretty smart, right!?"
* "Having our secrets exposed isn't going to be fun, but it's not like we're gonna die cuz of it! So, you know, um... Don't do anything hasty!"
* "Oh... Uh, okay, sorry. I know it's gonna be tough, but..."
* "Maybe we should have confessed our embarrassing secrets after all..! Dammit! I'm sorry, [[[Chihiro Fujisaki|Chihiro]]... It's all because I wasn't strong enough!"
* "I don't know why the killer did what they did, but... I'm sure it'll work itself out! Justice always prevails! Right, bro!?"
* "I have no idea what's going on anymore...! Could such a heinous villain really be innocent!?"
* "He kept calling this is a game, right? So he'd be totally willing to do something like this to "win"!"
* "Hey, don't just move on without permission!"
* "Do you not have a mind of your own!?"
* "The more I hear you talk, the more I don't understand! I mean, you guys trusted each other, right!?"

**Chapter 3:**

* "If I can go back to the past...then I can... This time I'll stop Mondo for sure—!"
* "It's starting to sink in... The way a bucketful of water sinks into a bone-dry sponge... Those words... Deep within my heart...! They're inside of me! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

**As Kiyondo:**

* "Who the fudge is Taka!? Hey, don't worry about it! Guess I caused kind of a scene, huh? Shoot, man... I'm...a new me... Hraaah! I'm totally stuffed with fighting spirit now! Ya dumbbutt! I AM calm! And don't call me Taka! That's...that's not my name anymore... I'm...me! I! Am! Meeeeeee!"
* "Who the hell's Taka!? Listen up! I'm me! Got it!? Don't bullcrap me! Isn't it obvious!? I'm Kiyotaka AND Mondo. So, like...Kiyondo, I guess... I'm gonna stick a banana up your tailpipe!"
* "Alter Ego! He's an exact copy of the one who gave me my soul back! And I'm not gonna let anyone else have him ever again! Fudgin' idiot!"
* "Well me and HIM have been melded together in the white-hot heat of FRIENDSHIP! Moron! Talk down to me and I'll ram my fist right into al of your vital points!"
* "Who's got a problem with who my friends are!? We're gonna have a little CHAT!"
* "Hey! You! How long were you gonna keep us waiting!? It's almost 10 o'clock, you know that!? Bedtime for all the good little boys and girls!"
* "You're the suspicious one here! You're nothin' but a big, jiggling sack of fat!"
* "How many times do they hafta kill bro before they're happy...? I'll beg, I'll scrape my head across the ground. Just please give him back...!"
* "That doesn't matter. Nothing...nothing else matters... No matter what it takes, I'm gonna get him back! That's my promise as a man!"
* "Who gives a crap about "effective"!? We're talkin' about our FEELINGS here!"

**Free Time Events:**

* "Study, of course! I'm a student, aren't I? A student must be studying professional! And of course my duties as the chairperson of the morals committee keep me quite busy, as well! It's my duty to foster an environment in which we can all focus our studies!"
* "But doing things "just for fun" serves no purpose! There must be more to it... You wouldn't spend your valuable time doing something useless, would you!?"
* "Things like that are more likely to twist the truth than teach you anything useful! If you want to learn about the past, crack open a history book!"
* "Ahh, I'm so ashamed of myself! If there was a hole somewhere around here, I'd totally go hide in it! I let it get to me, I wasted all that time... I never saw the blind spot in my studies! I'm a complete embarrassment! I'm not qualified to even be on the morals committee, let alone lead it!"
* "Well that's not the case here at Hope's Peak Academy! As long as I live, I will protect our morals!"
* "A student should head home immediately after school! Are you saying that you stay out after dark? What are you getting up to, Makoto!?"
* "Students these days are utterly ignorant of proper dress code. It's quite a pain! And frankly, I don't understand youth fashion these days anyway!"
* "School itself may observe holidays, but there's no such thing as vacation for a student! So as long as I live the life of a student, I will always wear my uniform!"
* "I'm just gonna come right out and say it... I'm freaking out! As we speak, we’re being left in the dust by other students our age! I'm totally freaking out! Makoto! What should I do!? If I keep involuntarily skipping class like this, I'm gonna reach dunce status in no time!"
* "I'm no genius. I'm a normal person, just like anyone else. I'm from a middle-class family, you know? Actually they're not even middle-class... That's why I have to push hard! I have to knock down that wall! It's not geniuses that change the world. It's ordinary people who make every effort they can. And to prove that, I have to keep on making effort after effort after effort! So don't call me a genius! Don't lump me in with those lazy clods who don't put in any effort!"
* "But I only said all that because you and me are the same. You and me, we're just normal people. We know what it means to have to make an effort. That's why I want you to know exactly how I feel... And that's why I'm so passionate about my work on the morals committee. I want to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to give it everything they've got. That's why I put all my blood, sweat, and tears into creating that kind of environment. I want everyone else to understand that, too. In the end, you can't succeed if you don't try. Anyone who says differently is selling something. And I have to prove that to all the ordinary people out there so they'll keep on trying! I have to become the ordinary man who can surpass any genius! Those are the feelings I carried with me when I entered Hope's Peak Academy..."
* "I think until you said that just now, I'd totally forgotten what I was here for. The foundation of effort is the will to never give up. You're right. I have to try, no matter the situation. Even without classes, without assignments... I can just look back at what I've learned already and reinforce those basic principles!"
* "Let's work together as fellow ordinary people to show those geniuses who's boss!" (to Makoto)
* "Seeing you get excited is getting \*me\* excited! Let's stack our effort one on top of other and show those self-centered genius jerks what for!"
* "Some consider genius fate's blessing. But I see it as a tragedy more than anything. The tragedy of finding success without understanding the importance of effort. There's nothing worse than a genius who trips and falls. Just like my grandfather... My grandfather serves as in important lesson why you must never be deceived by words like "genius." Relying on my own effort, I will reach greater accomplishments than anything my grandfather ever did! So we have to work hard to build a society where those who put in the most effort are properly rewarded!"

**TMNT X Pokemon:**

* "Don't waste time!"
* "Go for it!"
* "How dare you speak to me in that tone!"
* "I am glad you're safe."
* "Pay attention, you idiot!"

## TMNT X Pokemon

Kiyotaka acts like the second leader and give orders to the group. Leo admires his leadership and constantly ask him advice on how to be a great leader. Taka can go overboard and punish those who don't follow orders.

## Trivia

* Kiyotaka's former high school, Kaiseidan High School (開成灘高校), is a reference to two real-world schools that are two of Japan's top academic schools: 開成高校 (Kaisei Koukou) and 灘高校 (Nada Koukou). The Kanji 開成 (Kaisei) and 灘 (Nada) are combined to make 開成灘 (Kaiseidan).[8]
* In **School Mode** it's revealed that:
	+ Kiyotaka never played video games or watched TV as a student because he would spend all his time studying.
* Kiyotaka is interested in kendoka. He has a practice sword in his room and he is seen using one in an official art piece.
* Kiyotaka was voted the third most popular character in the Japanese fandom.
* Kiyotaka's English voice actor Sean Chiplock is also the voice of Monotaro in the English version of *Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony*.