Oh dear, I do believe I have the vapors.

This page contains content that is not safe for work or other locations with the potential for personal embarrassment.

Such as: Ishida using some creative language to give thanks. Also knife-in-gut action.

To do:

Full-body sprites of Togami without glasses, Class Trial discussion and Nonstop Debate mugshots for Maizono and Ikusaba, Machinegun Talk Battle/Bullet Time Battle sprites for all characters, and a bunch of unused art.

The game has a debug menu somewhere.

Comb through and document unused\duplicate script files. Blank dummy rooms used to contain several scripts for elsewhere in the game are present too.

Prototype page on graphical differences between demo and final. See here, here, here.

Danganronpa: Academy of Hope and High School Students of Despair is a visual novel game for the PlayStation Portable. The game has captured both Tumblr and Something Awful with its lurid graphics and absolutely barmy story, in which sixteen "Super High School Level" students have to partake in what's essentially a giant game of Cluedo (known to American audiences as Clue) while locked inside their own school.

This page owes its existence to the hard work of BlackDragonHunt, who discovered and translated all of the content here.

Unused Graphics

Concept Images/Test Graphics

The first image here shows Kuwata and Maizono fighting side-by-side holding guns, which is quite a radical difference compared to the final game. The next two images are early logo designs.

These images are a variation on one of the proposed box art designs. The subtitle reads 希望学園と絶望高校生 (Hope Academy and Despair Students), whereas the final is 希望の学園と絶望の高校生 (Hope's Academy and Despair's Students). Based on the file names (title_image and test_icon), these were likely used as placeholders during development.

An early design for the PRESS START button graphic, found among various test graphics.

Early Final

A file labelled test_title_bg_monokuma. This is a screenshot from the earliest known execution scene, which can be seen in the Spike in-house presentation video. The image on the right is taken from the final cutscene for comparison.

Scrapped Murder Case

These are graphics for an unused case where Enoshima is murdered. The costume design is a cross between the real and fake Enoshima, so this was likely from before her character was fully developed.

Chapter 3 Early Designs

There are early designs for a fraction of the Chapter 3 murder artwork. The majority of these designs are slightly rough, uncolored versions. Act 1's early font shape was used for Act 2 in the final game.

Early Final

Movie Thumbnails

These execution movie thumbnails seem to be from work-in-progress renders – in particular, the executions of Mondo Owada, Celestia Ludenberg, and Jin Kirigiri.

The following thumbnails are from a Spike in-house presentation video, used to demonstrate the general gameplay and theme. The video was included on a bonus disc with the PSP The Best re-release of the game.

The first thumbnail here is of a piece of bonus art. The full image can be unlocked in the Extras section of the game. The second thumbnail is one of several images from the scrapped murder case. The third thumbnail appears to be SMPTE color bars.

Placeholders

Chapter Labels

These placeholders use an early render image from Jin Kirigiri's execution, and feature handwritten labels.

Dithering Test

Twenty-one placeholder images for both case overviews and evidence. These were also used to test different dithering techniques (which is why they're numbered). The various levels of dithering are more prominent in the evidence images.

Miscellaneous

A generic placeholder for cutscene images. This image appears fourteen times in the game's files.

Demo Leftovers

The demo allowed players to go through the first chapter, but to maintain a sense of mystery the actual victim was replaced with Hagakure. The sprites used to replace dead classmates in the game includes one for Hagakure from the demo, as well as shots of his death. The cutscene revealing Hagakure's corpse can be viewed in the Extras section of the game for three Monokuma Medals.

There's also an alternate design for the logo, release date and pricing images, and a demo-specific save icon. The yellow release date line translates to Classes Start November 25, 2010!!, and the blue/green pricing lines translate to UMD® Edition: MSRP ¥5,229 (tax incl.) Download Edition: ¥4,200 (tax incl.).

Miscellaneous

There are Japanese and English graphics for a Short Story mode, as well as an Ad Hoc feature. What these would entail is unclear.

A transparent Monokuma holding a knife and axe. This image closely resembles Monokuma in an early concept image, which was revamped and used as the splash page for Spike's logo in the final game. The file name load_anime2 suggests it was meant for a loading screen.

An early back image of Naegi, presumably meant for class trials or cutscenes.

An early Class Trial discussion mugshot for Junko Enoshima.

Frames depicting a walking animation for Kuwata. Animating them gives undesirable results, as it looks like Kuwata is limping.

An unused cutscene where everyone is approaching the door to the academy.

Early (EVENT_FLA_070.png) Final (fla_770_pak_001.png)

A sketched out version of a cutscene where Naegi and Fukawa ineffectively spy on Togami. The purpose of this cutscene is to emphasize the extension cable, so the camera angle was adjusted accordingly in the final version.

Full-Length Sprites

Every character in both the demo and retail game has a complete set of standing, full-body sprites for Class Trials with reactions and emotions. This includes Mukuro Ikusaba (posing as Enoshima), Maizono, and Ishida. Their default emotion full body sprites can be seen at various points during Free Time events, however those are only the half-size versions. The demo changed several events that occur in Chapter 1 to maintain a sense of mystery. This leads to both Maizono and Ikusaba appearing in the class trial as Hagakure is murdered in place of Maizono, and Ikusaba's murder does not occur in the demo. All of the unused full body sprites can be seen below. Some of Maizono and Ikusaba's full body sprites were eventually used for "Trigger Happy Heart" events in School Mode, which is included in re-releases of the game.

Mukuro Ikusaba

Sayaka Maizono

Ishida (Kiyondo)

Ishida's last sprite is almost identical to one of Ishimaru's, except this one has tears.

Togami without Glasses

Togami has unused sprites without glasses.

Early Designs

Every character (except for Yamada) has an early full body sprite. These sprites were used as placeholders, and there are still multiple copies of each for certain characters (For example, there are seven copies of Ogami's early sprite following her final designs). Except for Naegi, Kuwata, Maizono, and Enoshima, these placeholder sprites are identical or nearly identical to the character's concept art in the in-game art gallery. There are even earlier prototype designs in a Spike in-house presentation video.

Makoto Naegi

Early Final

Kiyotaka Ishimaru

Early Final

Byakuya Togami

Early Final

Mondo Owada

Early Final

Leon Kuwata

Early Final

Yasuhiro Hagakure

Early Final

Sayaka Maizono

Early Final

Kyoko Kirigiri

Kirigiri's placeholder sprite is missing part of her hair ribbon, which is in her concept art.

Early Final

Aoi Asahina

Early Final

Toko Fukawa

Earliest Early Final

Sakura Ogami

Early Final

Celestia Ludenberg

Early Final

Chihiro Fujisaki

Early Final

Mukuro Ikusaba

Ikusaba's tie is solid white without the bear head pattern.

Early Final

Junko Enoshima

Early Final

Monokuma

Early Final

Unused Text

Scrapped Murder Case

Six pieces of evidence for the scrapped murder case go unused.

Japanese English モノクマファイル 被害者は江ノ島盾子。 死亡時刻は午前１０時～１３時までの間。 死体発見現場となったのは、２組の教室。 Monokuma File Victim: Junko Enoshima Time of death: between 10:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. The corpse was discovered in classroom 1-B on the first floor of the school zone. 掃除道具 ２組の教室にあった掃除道具。 雑巾やちりとり、ほうきなど。 Cleaning Supplies Cleaning supplies found in classroom 1-B. Brooms, dustpans, cleaning rags, etc. 現場の見取り図 ２組の教室の現場見取り図。 Map of the Scene A map of the crime scene in classroom 1-B. 花瓶の破片 現場に落ちていた。 割れた花瓶の破片。 Shattered Vase Found at the crime scene. 舞園の目撃証言 桑田が１人で廊下を歩いていたのを見た。 なんか妙にコソコソしていたらしい。 Maizono's Testimony Maizono claims to have seen Kuwata sneaking around the halls by himself. 霧切の証言 ２組の掃除道具の青いちりとりに小さなガラス片が付着していた。 その材質は現場にあった花瓶の破片と同じもの。 Kirigiri's Testimony A small shard of glass was found in the blue dustpan at the scene. Kirigiri says it is made of the same material as the broken vase.

Ishida Free Time Events

There are also two sets of Free Time dialogue specifically for Ishida. Character names are not part of the unused text and are only included below to distinguish who is speaking.

Japanese English そのプレゼントは渡す事ができません。 “重要アイテム” ですので… Sorry, no can do. Key items don't make great presents... 渡すプレゼントを選択してくださいませ。 Please select a present. 石田: …いちお、貰っとくぜ。 Ishida: I'll take it. 石田: サンキューな… Ishida: Thanks... 苗木: 少しは喜んでくれたかな…？ Naegi: He seems to have liked it a bit... 石田: おーし、気に入った… タイマンしてやんよ… Ishida: Not bad, not bad... Whaddya say we duke it out, man-to-man? 石田: やってやんぞォ！！ ひき肉にしちまうよ？ ダボッ！！ Ishida: Let's fuckin' do this! I'll grind you to dust, pipsqueak! 苗木: 良かった。 どうやら喜んでくれたみたいだ。 Naegi: Thank goodness. It seems like he's satisfied with it. 石田: 上等上等上等… Ishida: Excellent, excellent, excellent... 石田: 上等なモンくれやがって！ クソありがとうございますだゴラァッ！ Ishida: This is fuckin' excellent! Thank fuckin' God for you, muthafucka! 苗木: ここまで喜んでもらえると、あげたこっちも嬉しくなるよな…！ Naegi: With a reaction like that, even I'm feeling a bit of the joy! 石田: オレはよォ… “ダチ”笑われてヘラヘラしてらんねーんだよ… Ishida: Lemme tell ya a little secret... Bros ain't yer bros just so you can jerk 'em around... 石田: 気合い入れろ、オラァ！！ Ishida: Put your fuckin' heart into it, beeotch!! 苗木: しまった… がっかりさせちゃったみたいだ… Naegi: Crap... Didn't leave a great impression with that one... 石田: テ、テメェ… Ishida: Y-You bastard... 石田: なめてんのか！？ コラァァァァアアッ！！ Ishida: You fuckin' with me?! 苗木: 怒らせちゃったみたいだ… 印象が悪くなっちゃったな… Naegi: He looks mad... Not getting any brownie points for that... プレゼントを渡さなくてもよろしいですか？ やっぱり渡す

渡さない Are you sure you don't want to give Ishimaru a present? Actually...

Positive

Japanese English 石田: さてと…始めんぞ… Ishida: Let's begin, then... shall we? 苗木: 始めるって…何を…？ Naegi: Begin... what? 石田: ゼロヨンか？ タイマンか？ テメーは、道具アリでもいーぜ？ Ishida: You race? You fight? You down with weapons? 苗木: あ、あのさ…石丸クン… 大和田クンの事がショックなのはわかるけど… Naegi: U-Uhhh... Ishimaru... I know you're pretty shaken up about Owada and all that... 石田: 大和田か… Ishida: Owada... 石田: あいつは…ハードラックとダンスっちまったんだよ… Ishida: He... had a date with misfortune... 苗木: …え？ 何？ Naegi: Huh? 石田: 月がよぉ…狂ってんだよ… Ishida: The moon... is disturbed... 石田: おい、いつまで“そこ”にいるんだァ！？ あんまチョーシくれてっとひき肉にしちまうよ！？ Ishida: Hey! Whatchu standin' there for?! Keep fuckin' with my mojo and I'll fuck with your face! 石田: オメーは“仲間”だけどよぉ。 “ダチ”じゃねーんだ… Ishida: You're a companion. But you're no bro... 意味不明な言葉を残して、 石丸クンは僕の前から去っていった。 After spouting a bunch of gibberish, Ishimaru wandered off. 苗木: 石丸クン…大丈夫かな… Naegi: I hope he's all right... 苗木: …いや、大丈夫な訳ないよな。 どう考えたって… Naegi: No, no matter how you look at it, he is not all right... 石丸清多夏の 通信簿 に、今の情報を追記致しました。 Kiyotaka Ishimaru's report card has been updated. おめでとうございます。 “スキルポイント” が上がりました。 Congratulations. You earned a skill point . 苗木: 石丸クンと別れたボクは、 いったん自分の部屋へと戻る事にした。 Naegi: After parting ways with Ishimaru, I returned to my room for a little.

Revisional Differences

The Observation and Running skills are unlocked from Kirigiri and Asahina's first Free Time Events respectively. They allow the player to see what objects can be investigated and run faster respectively, abilities available by default in the PSP The Best re-release, though the skill names and descriptions are still in the files. This would carry over to later ports and subsequent games in the series.