It was over a decade ago that fans of the murderous bear Monokuma would first set foot in Hope’s Peak Academy. When the firstDanganronpareleased in 2010, it was to a curious crowd that soon wouldn’t be able to get enough of the dark adventure. TheDanganronpagames utilize visual novel and dating sim-style mechanics based in a dark high school, where assembled teenagers are forced by Monokuma to murder their classmates in trial format. When one student gets murdered, the others are given a brief period to search for evidence before they are called to a trial. The class finds the guilty party and that person will be put to death in front of everyone by Monokuma.
In order to commemorateDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc’s10th anniversary, developer Spike Chunsoft released a video last year. The video showcases a short compilation of past games before transitioning into Monokuma’s face saying “Come on!” and a quote appears. “There’s still tons of fun left for you to enjoy…” Kazutaka Kodaka appears, explaining he’s the creator of theDanganronpauniverse. There are many surprises in store for the 10th anniversary in 2020, he promised. However, when 2020 ended, many fans were curious why there wasn’t a bigger hurrah like what was promised. As it turns out, fans might have something to look forward to in 2021.
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Danganronpa’s 11th Anniversary
In the video, Kodaka informs the audience how much he has and will continue to rely on his international fans. After showing his appreciation, he announces the ports of theDanganronpafranchise to mobile devicesand invites his audience to install the games on strangers' phones to help spread the word about the game. However, what’s most important is what he says next. “There’s still a lot more coming for the 10th anniversary ofDanganronpa!” The 10th anniversary came and went, and the best fans got was some new merch. Many fans have been curious and inquired if there was more in store.
In a recent interview with Japanese video game magazine Famitsu, Spike Chunsoft explained that many of its 10th anniversary plans didn’t materialize. This makes sense, as Covid-19 put a halt to a wide variety of plans in 2020, especially in the video game industry. The publisher goes on to say that many of its 2020 plans would spill over into the 11th anniversary, and that fans should all look forward to announcements regarding those plans. This has come as a surprise, as many have assumed the series to be done after therelease of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony.
What’s Next For Danganronpa?
Recently, creator Kazutaka Kodaka has reportedly been more open to creating anotherDanganronpagame, more than he has since the release ofDanganronpa V3.With the ports to mobile platforms, its clear that the series' cult following hasn’t died down in the decade since the original’s release.
Although there has been no hard evidence, fans on social media have pointed to job postings as evidence another game could come in the next few years. On April 9th, 2020, Spike Chunsoft announced to Famitsu that it would be releasing a lot of new information on “games, goods, tie-ins, monthly commemorative programs, etc.“While the mobile announcement came early last year, many of these promises didn’t come to light. It’s very likely players will continue to hear information on the legacy and future ofDanganronpamoving into 2021.
It should be stated that this is all speculation, of course. There is a portion of the fanbase who think thatDanganronpa V3: KillingHarmonyplaced a firm cap on the end of the original trilogy. That part of the base has been clear that another entry would only complicate how Kodaka had foreseen the series ending. That doesn’t mean fans would turn their nose up at a spin-off, like a sequel toDanganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls.However, with theDanganronpaseries publishing being handled by Spike Chunsoft, one has to wonder how that will affect development of a new game or anime.
