Dangan Ronpa Part #5 - Super High-school Level Update #3C

Part 5: Super High-school Level Update #3C

Finally, let's talk to these 4 kids.

I'm Sakura Oogami.

Super High-school Level Wrestler: Sakura Oogami

Sakura is played by Kujira (Wakako Matsumoto), famous for playing deep, hoarse female voices.
"Sakura" is, of course, often then name of prototypical delicate Japanese girls.

“You’re a man, aren’t you.” ...I came very close to blurting these dangerous words.

If a time comes when I can't stop saying things like that in time, I will surely be turned into a meatball in seconds.

She’s an expert martial artist and wrestler, who made champion in an international competition held in America...
She played 400 matches and never lost. A “Super High-School Level Wrestler”.

The following was written about her in the Hope’s Peak Academy thread:
“Sakura Oogami... AKA “The Ogre”. Scientifically the closest female alive to a neanderthal.”
“If any new student at Hope’s Peak Academy is reading this, heed this advice.”
“If you value your life, try to stay away from this girl.”

Now that the real person is in front of me, I can’t help thinking that wasn’t an exaggeration...

You.

In the original, Sakura speaks archaic Japanese, or at least the stereotypical version thereof that consists of archaic personal pronouns and some fancy verb conjugations.

Eh...!? Y...yes!

I straightened my back without thinking.

Suddenly, she started grabbing and touching all over my body.

Um, what are you...

It seems the number and quality of your muscles are merely mediocre for the average high-school student.

Unfortunate. If that is all you have you will not be able to serve as my sparring partner.

At last, something to be thankful for.

Next.

I’m Byakuya Togami.

Super High-school Level Heir: Byakuya Togami

Togami is played by Akira Ishida. Judging from the number of languages his Wikipedia page comes in, he is one of the most popular voice actors in the cast. It seems he was super successful in one of the Gundam series, which I never watched, so I can’t contribute much.

Pleased to... meet you...

.........

I have never seen someone so reluctant to introduce himself in my life.
But I guess that’s easy to understand.
That guy... he’s special even among all the Super High-school Levels.
Byakuya Togami... He’s the heir to the financial giant Togami family. Since he was young, he was enrolled in nothing but the most exclusive schools.
It’s told that he already holds several management positions at the company, and already managed to acquire a considerable personal fortune of his very own.
An extraordinary high-school student, worthy of being called a “Super High-school Level Heir”.
...that’s what was written in the Hope’s Peak Academy thread.

My self introduction is over. How long are you planning to stand here?

You’re an eyesore. Go away.

That “you’re beneath me” stare... is that the outcome of going to all those exclusive schools?

Next.

M’name is Yasuhiro Hagakure. Let’s take it easy, ‘right?

Super High-school Level Fortune Teller: Yasuhiro Hagakure

Hagakure is played by Masaya Matsukaze. He was also in a bunch of popular anime series (some of which I actually watched).
Hagakure ends a lot of his sentences with -be, a feature of the Touhoku Japanese dialect. This is so prominent in his speech that I chose to make it “‘right?” in English. It doesn't carry the exact same connotations but somehow sounds just right to my ears.

Yasuhiro Hagakure... Crowned the rising star of the fortune telling world, he’s a “Super High-school Level Fortune Teller” with his very own unique style.
To tell the truth, the fortune telling business doesn’t impress me all that much...
...but I can’t help but wondering how often his predictions turn true.

Ahh... that’s really troublesome, isn’t it? Really.

Eh? What’s wrong?

I’ve seen it. I could see it. I’m saying I could really see it, ‘right?

See what?

The guardian spirit with a perm head chasing a Bigfoot who was cursed by sky fish.

That’s your very own guardian spirit!

Ha ha ha! Just kidding, ‘right?

Anyway, let’s go for a drink sometime. I’ll tell you all about Lemurian culture, ‘right?

I don’t think high-school students are supposed to drink.

I’m 20 years old. All sorts of things happened and I got held back 3 grades, right?

Three grades... those must have been some major things.

Next.

Delighted to meet you. My name is Celestia Ludenberg.

Super High-school Level Gambler: Celestia Ludenberg

Celes is played by Hekiru Shiina. She’s more often a singer than a voice actress, but she has some notable video game related credits under her belt. Most noticably, she’s the voice of Rock/Mega-man and she voiced Tails in some Sonic the Hedgehog cartoons.

Celes is the successor of such famous manga gamblers as Kaiji and Akagi, but most of all she seems to be a direct reference to the popular series Liar Game that also had live-action television and film adaptations a couple of years ago. That series involved a high-stakes game that's a battle of minds and manipulation. It’s pretty entertaining.

Celestia... Lude... what the...?

It is my name. You may call me Celes if you like.

Aren’t you... Japanese?

What if I am?

Er, can I get your real name?

Heh heh. I’m afraid I can’t give you that. Celestia Ludenberg is the name I go by.

I beg your pardon, just call me Celes. It’s fine!

Her speech is polite but you can feel strength through it. In addition, from what I can tell...
She’s exactly like the rumors said on the Hope’s Peak Academy thread.

Taking the alias Celestia Ludenberg, she’s a “Super High-school Level Gambler” who doesn’t know how to lose...
In addition to her love for gothic-lolita clothing, she’s a mysterious high-school girl wrapped in a veil of lies.
When she plays a game, she always manages to rob everyone of all their money. The ultimate gambler, the “queen of liars”.
There are many scary rumors about how she ruined the lives of many men and women who dared trying to challenge her to a game.

Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Heh heh heh heh...

Her scary smile contrasts heavily with her words... She’s a person I must be careful around.

And with that, we were done with personal introductions.
Even though everyone here is a “Super High-school Level” something or other, they’re really nothing alike.

And that's the game's cast (minus one). It's a nice one, I think. Some of these characters are exactly what they seem to be. Others aren't.
In interviews, Kazutake Kodaka boasts that he wrote a game with 14 NPCs of equal importance to the story. None of them are "minor" or "major" characters. In reality, that's a slight exaggeration -- some of them get to do a lot more than others and one of the girls is clearly the Main Heroine. Nevertheless, it's still quite a feat having 15 characters who are nothing alike and still feel like they belong in the same game.

We should get back to the problem at hand.

Now is not the time to go around smiling and making friends.

Ah, that’s right. Someone mentioned this before --

What’s up with this situation. What’s the meaning of all this?