Korekiyo Shinguji

**Korekiyo Shinguji** (真宮寺 是清 *Shingūji Korekiyo*) is a character featured in *Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony* and a participant of the Killing School Semester.

His title is **Ultimate Anthropologist** (超高校級の「民俗学者」 *chō kōkō kyū no “minzoku gakusha” lit.* Super High School Level Folklorist). He has seen many places and people, and as a result, he has formed his pet theory of "humanity's unlimited beauty."

## Appearance

Korekiyo is a tall, slim student with rather pale skin and long blackish blue hair. He has rather narrow golden eyes, and his mouth is covered by a black mask with a zipper on it, giving him an outlandish appearance. He wears a mask wherever he goes, and he even owns different masks for eating, showering, and other daily activities.

He wears a dark green military-style uniform with matching knee-high black boots. The uniform consists of a white shirt underneath it, a dark green button-up, a red band around his left arm, a dark green cap, and a decorative chain dangling from it. In his Free Time events, he states that his sister tailored the suit for him while she was sick. He wears what appears to be some kind of locket around his neck. Both of his hands are notably completely covered in bandages.

In the prologue, he wears the uniform of his original high school. He has the up-to-date adolescent attire composing of a jacket coordinated and adjusted on the knitted vest, totally different from the uniform he wears during the Killing Game. His neat face and the positive parts of his style stand out, and he might be very popular. He still wears a mask.[4]

## Personality

Korekiyo is an aloof and somewhat creepy person, but he is also very cool-headed and intelligent.[5] He has the experience of having met to a huge variety of human beings for his cultural anthropology research and because of that, he can keep himself composed even under the confinement circumstances and believes in facing things with calm and rational approach rather than an emotional one.[6] He has a vast knowledge of different cultures and ponders different subjects in deep and complex manner, with him occasionally starting lengthy anthropology speeches even though nobody asked. He is greatly interested in topics he does not necessarily agree with as well, as he states he does not believe in any gods, but he finds them interesting from the point of view of studying the human nature and cultures.

Thanks to all of his knowledge, he has formed a pet theory of "humanity's unlimited beauty" and he has a deep interest in it. He believes all human beings are great, and that even their ugly sides are extremely beautiful and beauty can be created from hardship. During the killing game, he observes other students with great interest in seeing what kind of beauty they will display as humans under such circumstances, seemingly not caring about their safety. His morals are stated to be a bit off and he can say unsettling things rather openly, like randomly mentioning that Gonta could use his immense strength to crush a child's skull easily. In Chapter 1, he openly states he has no problem with killing and wonders why the others do, stating that killing is perceived as wrong only because of laws made by humans and such laws do not exist in the killing game. He is aware that his appearance and behavior cause him to come across as a potential murderer, but he does not appear to care what other people think of him. He claims the others should not fear him as a potential murderer, as he merely wishes to observe.

Korekiyo usually speaks in calm and polite manner, but he nevertheless comes across rather off and makes others uncomfortable due to his strange and sometimes morbid thinking. While he is most of the time very collected, with his voice staying the same tone, he occasionally gets very excited about some topics and his voice turns notably more high-pitched. He also tends to stay calmer than the others during bad situations, as for him it's an opportunity to observe, though even his spirit begins to break during the Death Road of Despair and Gonta's Insect Meet and Greet. In Chapter 3, there is also a moment when his tone changes to more a panicky one when Kokichi touches his ancient katana without permission and he fears it might get damaged. He then disturbingly threatens to tear out all of Kokichi's nerves in anger, though his voice still remains creepily calm. In general, he tends to find noisy and vulgar people annoying, often asking them to be quiet. Furthermore, he also has a unique and somewhat creepy laugh, which sounds like "kehehehe". In the original Japanese, "kukuku" is his unique laugh's sound.

As another strange trait, he is quite fixated on keeping his mask on. During his free time events, he claims he has a different mask for different activities, like eating, bathing, sleeping and exercising. However, they all appear exactly the same and do not seem to have any kind of hole in them, yet he is somehow capable of eating and drinking. According to Korekiyo, he takes his mask off only in front of people his sister deems trustworthy. He occasionally speaks on behalf of his sister, for example, by telling someone that his sister is pleased with them or that she doesn't trust them yet. The other students either do not understand what he is talking about or do not notice it.

It's later revealed that Korekiyo is a serial killer whose goal is to kill a hundred women he takes to his liking, believing that they will become "admirable friends" for his deceased older sister in the afterlife. After suffering from traumatic torture and a near-death experience in the past, he developed a female split personality, or tulpa, based on his sister, which serves as a coping mechanism against feelings of exceptional distress. While normally very calm, stress can cause him to have a panic attack, rendering him hyperventilating and unable to talk properly. The sister persona acts reassuring towards him, but also gives orders which Korekiyo seems to obey without any questions. The persona also seems to dislike other people in passive-aggressive and condescending manner, referring to the other students as "such a sorry lot". In the end, Korekiyo does not seem to mind his death that much and seems to enjoy extreme suffering, as he believes that both are ways to be closer to his deceased sister. Notably, he feels no guilt for his terrible actions neither and he seems to genuinely and unironically consider the other students his *friends*, not seeing any contradictions between this and his own actions.

Korekiyo is obsessed with his sister and appears to be in love with her, with many of his mannerisms like his hair and clothing inspired by her. Because of these traits, he is perceived as very effeminate by the other students. Korekiyo even claims that he and his sister were in an incestuous relationship, and because of this he only kills women, as he refuses to let other men close to her even if he deems them good people. In his Love Suite event, it's implied that he is willing to have physical relationships with other people "out of curiosity", even if it's not consensual, but he states he would never love them as he considers his sister his only love. He is sadomasochistic, enjoying the pain of others because he considers the raw emotions beautiful, and enjoying his own suffering because he believes it makes him closely connected to his deceased sister. However, he is also shown to be very romantic and strongly believes in the "power of love", which can make even the impossible possible. He is very fond of romance and love stories, especially ones centered around forbidden love.

## Talent

### Ultimate Anthropologist

Korekiyo's talent as the Ultimate Anthropologist is a fabrication made by Team Danganronpa. Due to that fact, it is unclear whether Korekiyo traveled around the world as an anthropologist in the past.

Korekiyo is an anthropologist, to be precise, a cultural anthropologist that researches customs, legends, folklore, poetry, etc. His particular field of study is culture and ethical customs whose historical origins have yet to be made clear, like shichigosan or setsubun. He tries to inspect and elucidate those kinds of traditional customs from a rational perspective and states that cultural anthropology is like a science that tries to observe humanity itself.[7]

Korekiyo is very knowledgeable about folklore and customs across the world, as he stated that he had done a lot of field trip by traveling around the nation to study various culture, tradition, and custom in various places. As shown in his Free Time Events, he is very familiar with folklore from Indonesia (Hainuwele) and Grece (Medusa), as well as many folklore from his home country Japan. Myths, folklore, and legends are all inform anthropology, that is the reason why he extensively studies them as an anthropologist. He studies nursery rhymes, lullabies, and traditions and events expressed in song as well.

In his opinion, fieldwork is very important to anthropology. Hearing legends recounted firsthand, recording tools or lifestyles are examples why it is very important to do a fieldwork. Because culture is constantly changing, as an anthropologist, Korekiyo said that he must keep the present in mind while he learns about past customs.

He is shown to be a great teacher and story teller. Korekiyo managed to pique Shuichi's interest in learning a lot of stuff related to anthropology after he got involved in extensive discussions with the Ultimate Anthropologist. In his Fifth Free Time Events with Shuichi, the two of them promise to do a fieldwork together someday, and Korekiyo is pleased to make the Ultimate Detective as his first disciple.

## Free Time

### Presents

 **Likes:** | 004. Cleopatra's Pearl Cocktail, 009. Astro Cake, 021. Bondage Boots, 028. Nail Brush, 032. Cufflinks, 035. Book of the Blackened, 036. Feelings of Ham, 037. Travel Journal, 038. Dreams Come True ☆ Spell Book, 049. Hand Mirror, 051. Japanese Doll Wig, 053. Sewing Kit, 055. Tattered Music Score, 064. Sketchbook, 067. Proxilingual Device, 069. Potted Banyan Tree, 083. Earnest Compass, 084. Semazen Doll, 085. Weathercock of Barcelous, 086. Pillow of Admiration, 087. 46 Moves of the Killing Game, 106. Dangan Werewolf, 109. Cosmic Blanket

## Quotes

*Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (Demo Version)* (English)

**Introduction:**

* "You wonder, "Who is this?" Yes... I shall make that clear first. My name is Korekiyo Shinguji... I am called the Ultimate Anthropologist."
* "Anthropology... studies customs legends, folk tales, songs, and much more. There may even be customs in your daily life, the origins of which you do not know. For example... certain aspects of birthday or new year celebrations. Anthropology sheds light on traditions and customs such as these through rigorous analysis. It is a study that examines the thought behind culture, faith, and customs."
* "I believe... that human beings are creatures who possess infinite beauty."
* "I find all aspects of humanity, even the ugly parts, to be beautiful. Our present situation is rather... intriguing. What beauty will I be able to witness here?"
* "Kehe... Kehehehe... People are wonderful..."

**Class Trial:**

* "As long as there is room for debate, it is rash to decide upon the culprit."
* "You wished to protect Makoto... There is beauty in such a wish... But Kaede...your lie is far too fragile and fleeting to protect anyone."

*Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony* (English)

**Prologue:**

* "You should find the answers to such questions on your own...The moment your hopes are shattered...That, too...may be beautiful..."
* "Kehehe...risking our lives for some silly game is absurd."

**Chapter 1:**

* "Kehehe...what wonderful strength. You could likely crush a child's skull with ease."
* "Aaah, humanity is \*truly\* wonderful. The way you all confront adversity is beautiful."
* "We've no time to be indecisive. We are being urged to make a decision...To die fighting...Or die from the time limit."
* "Hmmm...so everyone feels that killing is wrong...But why is that?. Of course I know it to be against the law. But laws are simple rules people decided upon. This is a space removed from those rules. Therefore, we've no need to follow them."
* "We are as guinea pigs upon a lab table...We cannot be picky about our means of survival."
* "Kehehe...I only wish to observe the beauty of humanity and witness the depths of its sins. So you've no need to fear me."
* "A corpse is not simply a dead person. That is just an assumption made by the living. Yes! By coming face to face with the corpse, you will learn a great many things!"

**Chapter 2:**

* "Our cooperation is the number one factor in our suffering, is it? Kehehe... How, I wonder, will this turn out...? I will observe with great interest..."
* "Kehehe... Faith as intense as this can be quite terrifying."
* "I cannot ignore that comment. Do not relegate luck to the realm of superstition."
* "Yes...and words have the power to grant or rob someone of such confidence. Words are powerful. Truth or lies may both be fired as powerfully as a bullet from a gun."
* "He's been reduced such that he can be carried in one hand... How fleeting and fragile life is..."
* "Your disingenuous tears mark you as the liar right now..."
* "Kehehe... Himiko is committed to her act. But those who deal in dreams are oft liars."
* "Aah! Beautiful! Your spirit of self-sacrifice is just too beautiful!"
* "Wanting to believe in someone is a beautiful act, yes... However, it is a sentiment that has no place in a class trial."
* "Yes... if his lie leads us to the wrong culprit, he will join us in eternal sleep. Unless he wishes for death, we should be able to believe him."
* "Personally, I find this culprit frighteningly thorough. Such a bold, beautiful plan! I never even imagined there was a ropeway! Aaah! Respect begins to bloom in my heart for this wonderfully cruel culprit."
* "Kehehe... There is such absolute beauty in trying to fight against the truth."
* "Hearing you speak of "everyone's sake" is the least believable lie I've heard yet..."

**Chapter 3:**

* "Every part of every human being—even their ugly sides—is beautiful. There is no limit to beauty."
* "Kirumi... She, too, had her own exceptional beauty. A crime that was bold, yet calculated... A battle against the truth... Brutally killing others for her beliefs... Unfeelingly sacrificing the few for the many... And her attachment to life and determination to live! Her attempt to escape was so very ugly! It was pathetic! Pitiful! Wretched! But it was beautiful! I had never before seen such beauty in a human being before!"
* "Kehehe... Merely a jest. Yes, this world is full of jests."
* "It's so wonderful, my face contorts with glee. Not even university labs are so well-stocked. Having all this to myself gives me some complicated feelings, as I am a researcher." (about the Ultimate Anthroplogist's Research Lab)
* "Kokichi...that is an extremely precious relic. Please do not treat it so lightly or... ...I will tear out your nerves."
* "Now, now... You musn't dismiss it as simply the occult... Some matters you refer to as the occult are of the utmost importance to anthropology. Dismissing things you don't understand as the occult is a defilement to all cultures, yes?"
* "Kehehe...that determination is beautiful. Perhaps you are correct. Calling on the dead out of curiosity would only be a blasphemy. One must call on them...only at the appropriate time."
* "Disbelief due to a lack of scientific merit...is simply the hubris of a scientific society."
* "Dead flesh cannot be restored, just as broken glass cannot be mended..."
* "No, I have no interest in gods. But I have great interest in their creators... Humans are the ones who created gods...and I am very interested in humanity. I wish to know the causes and reasons why human beings create gods. In that sense, this school is more interesting. Because it is during times of great crisis that human create gods... Kehehe... Maybe a god shall be created here as well."
* "The fear of a death that cannot be avoided... Cults are born from a desire to escape that."
* "Even so, we cannot defy her right now. Extreme faith is frightening, indeed."
* "Kehehe... We need to use all our effort to discover the culprit, lest our lives be lost."
* "Do not let your emotions hasten your judgment. There may be two killers."
* "The true terror of class trials is that you shouldn't believe everything said."
* "So this is how each blackened must have felt. What an intriguing experience this is."
* "Kehehe... Not yet. Nothing is clear at all. It's full of doubts! Of mysteries! Of a dense, impenetrable fog! Nothing is clear at all!!!"
* "Kehehe... No matter how loudly you protest, this is a trivial matter... I will never acknowledge your allegations. Not a single one of them. I will only acknowledge facts, true events. I won't acknowledge fiction, mystery. I won't acknowledge...your deductions or guesses."
* "Because we're friends, I'll tell you... I never once believed in the ritual. I would never kill someone over such a silly thing as that."
* "Yes, we vowed an endless love to each other...forever bound by fate. None can come between us. We are bound by an intense love... No matter what anyone says."
* "If you asked I did it to escape this place, my answer would be... "No." Because I have no need to escape this place. The one I love...is inside."
* "The fact that we were siblings...meant nothing to us. They called it "forbidden love," but none could stop the love we shared..."
* "Her noble, earnest heart made her a perfect friend for Sister."
* "Yes! She stood up against the darkness of school all by herself! All for her beloved friend! I was so touched by that! Wonderful! She was a perfect friend for Sister!"
* "I wanted to kill for Sister! I cannot deny that overpowering feeling!"
* "Death only changes a person's form. The soul lives on as a ghost."
* "Kehehe... The nature of this killing game is yet shrouded in mystery... But my role in it is over. I have finished my explanation to you, friends."
* "Like I said, there's no such thing as a death that can be accepted. Why do you think so many different cultures have funeral rites? Why do you think rumors of ways to resurrect the dead never cease? The living must find a reason, however forced, to accept death when it happens. How you come to terms with death also determines how you live, yes? That was the answer I reached. How about you? How will you live a life that faces death?"
* "I will watch over you all as a ghost! As your friend, I will watch over you! Kehehe... I'll be watching to see how you face the death of your friends. I'll be watching...forever and ever..."

**As his Sister's tulpa form:**

* "Sweet Korekiyo, calm yourself... Their words are all hollow. There is no meaning to any of them... You must teach these ignorant children a lesson."
* "Calm yourself, Korekiyo. You mustn't raise your voice. You mustn't stutter. You mustn't lose composure. You mustn't become flustered. You mustn't waver. Look at their horrid faces. This sorry lot is not worth agonizing over."
* "Come on, apologize. Apologize, apologize. Apologize apologize apologize apologize."
* "Sweet Korekiyo, there are times when it's necessary to admit defeat."
* "That's wonderful, Korekiyo. Your love made the impossible, possible."
* "Hmhmhm... What a sad girl who can't even believe in the power of love..."
* "Korekiyo, you're such a thoughtful little brother. But it was bad to get greedy."
* "That's right. Even though I'm a ghost now, I am always by Korekiyo's side."
* "Yes... From now on, no one will try to stop us. We can be together without having to hide our love from others..."
* "It won't be just me and Korekiyo... All those who died will be watching."

**Free Time Events:**

* "Oh? I am disappointed that you would judge something based solely on your impression of it."
* "I see... So you've chosen to think in such a positive way. Kehehe... That, too, is beautiful."
* "That's quite alright... That determination of yours is a bright shining light that draws others to you..."
* "If you think of humanity at the core of anthropology, it should be clear. From people come feelings, those feelings intersect and become tradition. At least, that's my stance on the matter."
* "With the proper knowledge, such things can help you understand a work more deeply... Without it, such clues go to waste."
* "An ancient fear was changed over many years into a creature we can identify. Culture is constantly changing. Anthropology chases those changes. Thus, I must keep the present in mind while I learn about past customs."
* "If you are vexed by such trivial things, then your world is still very small. I will open up your world through anthropology...if you so desire."
* "Living things turned to stone... This clearly represent death, yes? In other words, all human beings will one day perish. So even if we overcome nature, we cannot overcome death..." (About the myth of Medusa)
* "We merely live our lives distanced from such knowledge."
* "Well, you may have a fear of entering unknown lands. But knowledge will cause your curiosity to overcome that fear. People are creatures of greed. At times, that inner ugliness is visible. But that, too, is just another aspect of the beauty of humanity."
* "Field work places you among the unknown, but it is not some adventure. Being killed in some secretive mountain village is mere occult novel fiction."
* "Shuichi... To tell you the truth... Even if it isn't for field work, I wish to travel the country with you. I want to show you the beauty of humanity as I know it."

**TMNT X Pokemon:**

* "Shredder had turn himself into a mutant. I must examine his body a little more."
* "The Kuro Kabuto... I have heard of this before. Let me tell you a little story about that helmet Shredder always wear. The Kuro Kabuto is an ancient relic and symbol of the Foot Clan. It was created by the clan's founder, Koga Takuza, about 1,500 years ago. To forge it he used the totems of his defeated enemies, creating a helmet stronger than steel. You can't physically destroy it no matter how many tools and weaponry you have. It's *that* strong."
* "You let them stole the Mystic Dagger and now April and Irma is kidnapped? How disappointed. I have read stories about that dagger. Let me explain it. In c 987 BC. the Emperor was so fed up with Ho Chan wreaking havoc, that he paid the members of the Sorcerer’s Saucer Sauce to join their powers and entrap Ho Chan in the Mystic Dagger. They lured him into a cave by having a young girl play his favorite song, My Darling It’s Only A Stain on the Guqin. Once in the cave, it is recounted that the sorcerers joined their powers through magical rings, and forced Ho Chan into the Mystic Dagger. Upon sheathing the dagger, Ho Chan was trapped. Though the whereabouts of the dagger are not yet known, it is believed that it was thrown in the Yangtze River long ago. And according to legend, the only way to defeat Ho Chan is to use that dagger and stab him through his heart."
* "This is a strange book. Obtraculum Somniorum... I wonder what that means."

## TMNT X Pokemon

Korekiyo likes to tell others stories about the past and is an expert on ancient items such as the Kuro Kabuto and the Mystic Dagger. Though mysterious, he will give them stories that could help them during missions.

## Trivia

* Korekiyo's voice actor, Kenichi Suzumura, is married to Maki Harukawa's voice actress Maaya Sakamoto.
* In a poll hosted by MyNavi, fans voted Korekiyo the 13th most popular *Danganronpa V3* student.[10]

* Korekiyo's design seems to strongly draw inspiration from a character from Japanese musician hide's music video for his song *Dice*. This was most likely intentional as series creator, Kazutaka Kodaka, is a fan of hide's music.[11]
* Korekiyo shares his English voice actor, Todd Haberkorn, with Teruteru Hanamura.
* Korekiyo has romantic feelings exclusively for his sister and claims they were in a relationship, but this is not confirmed and could be a delusion caused by his mental state. It's also possible that all of these memories were created by Team Danganronpa and his real relationship with his sister, if he even has one, could be very different.
* Korekiyo is the second character in the series to have a split personality, the first being Toko Fukawa. Unlike her however, his split personality is more like a tulpa than a multiple personality disorder. He also only kills women, which is somewhat similar to Genocide Jack, who only kills men.
* Korekiyo has shown some similarities to Norman Bates from *Psycho*, including being in love with a female family member and having a split personality based on said female family member.
* He appears to be sadomasochistic and has a strong liking of BDSM, explaining why he likes straw rope. Even his mask resembles a bondage hood, or a Gimp mask.
* Korekiyo is implied to have attraction to people of the same gender. In his Love Suite event, he states that all human beings are "extremely beautiful" and he is willing to have strictly physical relationships with other people regardless of gender. He claims he does this "out of curiosity" and the desire to see what kind of beauty his partners will show.
* He is the only blackened who's called out by Monokuma for his crimes.
* He is the first blackened whose ghost is shown in the execution.
* His favorite myth is the *Medusa*, knowing her original status as a mother goddess who was later depicted as a hideous monster, and believing that this is because developed human society begun to think about overcoming nature instead of being dependent of nature goddesses. He also likes the story because it shows that people can't run away from death no matter how much they overcome the nature.[12]
* In the bonus mode, Ultimate Talent Development Plan, he mentions that fortune telling is an interest of his as an Anthropology.