Upupupuuu!
I couldn’t be more excited to see Danganronpa finally return!  After playing all three games, I’m still revved up to know, “What happens next?!”

Danganronpa 3: Future Arc premiered yesterday, July 11th, on Funimation.  So far, the series is taking on a much darker tone compared to other seasons and games.  Danganronpa is known for its eye-catching, psycho-pop theme that contrasted the content of the story.  Future Arc, however, is very grim and muted. To further the theme Future Arc blood and violence is no longer toned down by bright pink blood – a staple of the Danganronpa series. This is only the first episode, however.

We are introduced to 12 new characters, all former Ultimates and leaders of the Future Foundation, on top of the four we know (Hagakure, Kirigiri, Asahina, Naegi).  It doesn’t seem like Hagakure will play a major role in this series, and Toko and Byakuya are visibly absent.

New Characters 
Kazuo Tengan – Former Director of Hope’s Peak High School – Future Foundation Chair Branch 1
Great Gozu – Former Super High School Level Wrestler – Branch 12 Officer
Kohichi Kizakura – Former Super High School Level Scout – Office 3 Director
Miaya Gekkogahara – Former Super High School Level Thrapist – Branch Office 7 Director
Juzo Sakakura – Former Super High School Level Boxer – Branch Office 6 Director
Seiko Kimura – Former Super High School Level Pharmacist – Branch Office 4 Director
Ruruka Andoh – Former Super High School Level Confectioner – Branch Office 8 Director
Daisaku Bandai – Former Super High School Level Farmer – Branch Office 11 Director
Sohnosuke Izayoi – Former Super High School Level Blacksmith – Branch Office 9 Director
Chisa Yukizome – Former Super High School Level Housekeeper – Branch Office 5 Director
Kyosuke Munakata – Fomer Super High School Level Student Council President – Vice Chairman Branch Office 2 Director
Ryota Mitarai – Former Super High School Level Animator – Branch office 10 Director

On top of the dark colors and new character introductions, we also get to see the characters from Goodbye Despair in their Ultimate Despair forms and just a small taste of them in action.  Goodbye Despair is my favorite of the series, so far, so I had a lot of feels during their screen time.

The biggest change is Monokuma’s voice.  While it might just be the original voice actor didn’t want to continue voice acting Monokuma (contracts or whatever **note: I don’t know why the change was made**)  I think a new voice actor taking on the role of Monokuma works well in that the original Monokuma (Junko Enoshima) died and someone else has taken her place. It gives a sense of a new monster and final battle.

I won’t let out any spoilers, but I think Future Arc (though changed and dismal) will make a compelling end to the series.

Are you a Danganronpa fan? What do you think of Future Arc so far? Did you notice anything? Let us know in the comments!