The Danganronpa universe tells the story of the prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy and the talented students who wind up in a killing game initiated by the bizarre Principal Monokuma. However, while there is an overlap in the story between the Danganronpa games and anime, some key chapters and expansions of the narrative are only available in one of these media forms, rather than both. If you’re looking to watch or play the Danganronpa series, we’ve got you covered with the best order to do so.
Are The Danganronpa Games & Anime the Same Story? Explained
The Danganronpa timeline can certainly be confusing with so many characters and titles to keep track of and work your way through. Don’t worry though; there’s no need to have too much despair, as we’ve got all the information you’ll need to jump into the universe and enjoy all of Monokuma’s murder mystery chaos in full swing.
The Danganronpa games and anime for the most part are not the exact same story, which is why fans tend to find the most enjoyment through both playing the games and watching the anime to completion. The only exception to this is Danganronpa: The Animation, which is a direct anime adaptation of the first game in the series, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.
The rest of the Danganronpa narrative and twisted adventures take place over a mix of games and anime series, with each having a slight difference in plot, characters, setting, or other key features and mechanics. Some key parts of the story are only expanded upon through the anime, while other game titles may be important to understanding the whole Danganronpa tale in its entirety.
How to Watch the Danganronpa Anime in Order
The Danganronpa games aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay! If you find yourself intrigued by the unique cast of characters and mysterious plotline, then the anime may prove to be an enjoyable viewing experience. To help get the most clarity from the story, here is the best order to watch the Danganronpa anime:
- 1: Danganronpa: The Animation
- 2: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School – Future Arc
- 2: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School – Despair Arc
Note: For Danganronpa 3: Future Arc + Despair Arc, the episodes are split into two different timelines, the ‘Future’ and the ‘Despair’. To watch this series, viewers will need to alternate episodes, beginning with Future Arc Episode 1, followed by Despair Arc Episode 1, and so on. All of these episodes are complementary to one another, and won’t make as much sense if viewed in entirety of Future Arc and then Despair.
- 3: Dangnronpa 3: Hope Arc
- Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of the World
How to Play the Danganronpa Games in Order
There are several different Danganronpa games in the franchise, each having a slightly differing cast o characters, and perhaps even a new location here and there. While there are a few spin-off titels, most games follow the traditional Danganronpa formula. If you’re looking to play through these titles, we’d recommend doing so in the order below:
Main Danganronpa Titles:
- 1: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
- 2: Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
- 3: Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
- 4: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
Optional & Spin-Off Titles:
- Danganronpa: Unlimited Battle (Japanese IOS/Android exclusive, now removed from official stores, but may be accessible via programs such as Bluestacks)
- Cyber Danganronpa VR The Class Trial
- Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp
How to Watch & Play All Danganronpa Content in Order
If you’re looking for the complete Danganronpa experience including all games and animated series, then we’ve got you covered. For the best storytelling experience, fans will need to swap back and forth between a number of Danganronpa game titles and anime. This may sound a little daunting at first but is more than worth the commitment in the long run. After all, we’re all here to get as much of that hope and despair madness as possible, right?
Here is a complete listing of the order in which you should play and watch these titles:
- 1: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (Game)
- 1: Danganronpa: The Animation (Trigger Happy Havoc anime adaptation)
Note: For Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa: The Animation, these are essentially the same story told through different media, so you can choose to only watch or play one of the two, if you wish.
- 2: Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (Game)
- 3: Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (Game)
Note: Technically, Danganronpa Anotther Episode: Ultra Despair Girls takes place between the events of Danganronpa 1 and Danganronpa 2. However, due to spoilers, it is best played third overall.
- 4: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School – Despair Arc (Anime)
- 4: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School – Future Arc Future Arc (Anime)
Note: For Danganronpa 3: Future Arc + Despair Arc, the episodes are split into two different timelines, the ‘Future’ and the ‘Despair’. To watch this series, viewers will need to alternate episodes, beginning with Future Arc Episode 1, followed by Despair Arc Episode 1, and so on. All of these episodes are complimentary to one another, and won’t make as much sense if viewed in entirety of Future Arc and then Despair.
- 5: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School – Hope Arc (Anime)
- 6: Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of the World (Anime)
- 7: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (Game)
That’s everything you need to know about how to watch and play all games and anime series in the Danganronpa franchise from start to finish. Now that you’re all set up to experience the crazy story of Hope’s Peak Academy, why not check out the rest of our content here at Twinfinite? We have a variety of Danganronpa topics that are sure to send you into a frenzy of hope and despair, such as 14 games like Danganronpa if you’re looking for something similar to play following your adventures in Monokuma’s creepy killing games.
