Junko Enoshima

Junko Enoshima (Japanese: 江ノ島 盾子, Hepburn: Enoshima Junko), known as Ryōko Otonashi (Japanese: 音無 涼子, Hepburn: Otonashi Ryōko) in the light novel series Danganronpa/Zero, is a fictional character in Spike Chunsoft's Danganronpa video game series. Junko is featured as the main antagonist and mastermind in the first two games of the series as the true identity of Monokuma (Japanese: モノクマ, Hepburn: Monokuma, Monobear), in the spin-off Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls in the guises of Shirokuma (Japanese: シロクマ, Hepburn: Shirokuma, Whitebear) and Kurokuma (Japanese: クロクマ, Hepburn: Kurokuma, Blackbear), and in the anime Danganronpa: The Animation and the "Despair Arc" of Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School.

Junko Enoshima
Danganronpa character
Junko Enoshima behind Monokuma, as depicted in Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.
First appearanceDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (2010)
Created byKazutaka Kodaka
Designed byRui Komatsuzaki
Portrayed bySayaka Kanda (musical)
Voiced by
In-universe information
Full nameJunko Enoshima
Alias
SpeciesHuman (originally)
Alter Ego A.I.
TitleDespair Sisters (with Mukuro)
The Mastermind
OccupationHeadmaster of Hope's Peak Academy (self-proclaimed)
Student of Hope's Peak Academy (formerly)
AffiliationUltimate Despair (organization)
FamilyMukuro Ikusaba (twin sister)
Junko Enoshima the 53rd (descendant)
Significant others
ChildrenMonaca Towa (heir)
Talent

The identity of Junko is also adopted by her fraternal twin sister and body double Mukuro Ikusaba (Japanese: 戦刃 むくろ, Hepburn: Ikusaba Mukuro), the pair and their cult being known as the Despair Sisters (Japanese: 絶望の姉妹, Hepburn: Zetsubō no shimai). The character has also appeared in manga and musical adaptations of the series, in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony in a cameo appearance, and in the light novel series Danganronpa Zero, in which she is depicted as its amnesiac protagonist.

Conception and creation

Originally conceived as an early murder victim, the idea of Junko as an antagonist was conceived by creator and scenario writer Kazutaka Kodaka as a fully unsympathetic villain with no tragic backstory to explain away her actions, due to his personal dislike for the popular sympathetic villain trope.[2]

"I wanted to create a character who is bad because she is evil, who only desires outright desperation. With no possibility of redemption, [and that] the idea that absolute evil is something desirable and pleasant. As bad as she is, she is so powerful and charming that she draws you in. So one way I thought of showing that was to make a very cute character that was visually appealing to look at." — Kazutaka Kodaka

Kodaka later confirmed Junko's motives to be rooted in her polyamory and love for the entirety of her 77th (and 78th class), seeking to induce more despair on someone the more they meant to them.[3] Early concept art for the character depicts her with smaller pigtails, a white skirt, and an overall golden color scheme with red and black highlights, elements of which were also adopted for the character's fraternal twin sister Mukuro Ikusaba.[4]

Her given name alludes to a shield with its use of jun (盾),[5] while her surname, Enoshima, references the offshore island of the same name Enoshima (江の島). In Danganronpa/Zero, the given name of her amnesiac alias Ryōko (涼子) means “Refreshing child”, while her surnname Otonashi (涼子) means “no sound”, a play-on-words of "demure" otonashī (大人しい).

Characteristics and backstory

At the time of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Junko has Mukuro pose as her so that she may die in her place in a moment of "Ultimate Despair", while she uses her Monokuma persona to embark on her killing game. Upon being exposed as the mastermind, Junko embodies a series of personas revealed in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair to be based on the personalities of her cult of followers, the "Ultimate Despair." Junko additionally manages to cheat her own self-imposed execution by having her mind converted to an artificial intelligence at the moment of her original death.[6]

Appearances

Danganronpa video games

In the first game, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Junko fakes her death by having Mukuro pose as her so she can kill her under her Monokuma guise, using the event to encourage her former classmates at Hope's Peak Academy to participate in a "killing game", both actions serving to feed her desire to fuel an "ultimate despair" within herself and them.[6] Throughout the game, Junko (in the form of a robotic stuffed bear dubbed Monokuma) provides various motives to turn the students against one another, overseeing the subsequent class trials and performing the various executions while broadcasting the events to the world at large, culminating in her presenting Mukuro's corpse in an attempt to frame the "Ultimate Detective" Kyoko Kirigiri without breaking the rules she set for herself for the "killing game", and ultimately agreeing to execute herself after being exposed as the mastermind.

In Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Junko is revealed to have used Chihiro's Alter Ego technology to transfer her consciousness into Monokuma at the moment of her death as an A.I. (explaining their reactivation in the prior game's post-credits scene), hijacking the Future Foundation's attempted removal of her followers' brainwashing by having her top lieutenant and former "Ultimate Hope" Izuru Kamukura download her into their rehabilitation program "Neo World", where she places their younger virtual selves into another "killing game". In the game's climax, Junko's true plan is revealed to be to transfer her A.I self into the bodies of those of her followers whose virtual selves killed each other, their real selves (with whom she shared a polyamorous relationship) having arranged their capture to allow Junko a chance to return in a physical body, and from there to the watching Future Foundation and the wider world at large, to be dubbed "Junkoland". Ultimately, after her followers' virtual selves decide to remain in the program, Alter Ego Junko is deleted by a new manifestation of the program's former operator, Usami.

In the climax of Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, set between the first and second games, the Monokuma variants Shirokuma and Kurokuma are both revealed to be under the control of Alter Ego Junko, with the goal of molding Monaca Towa to become the "heir to despair", before they are both destroyed by Izuru Kamukura so he can transfer her to a USB to bring with him to Jabberwock Island, setting up the events of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.[7]

Junko appears in a cameo appearance in the third main series installment, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, in the bonus minigame "Ultimate Talent Development Plan", with the game's new ultimate mastermind behind Monokuma being a copycat cosplay fan of Junko who seeks to continue her legacy, with the return of the true Junko being teased multiple times throughout the game.

Danganronpa anime

In the "Despair Arc" of Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School, set before the events of the first game, Junko is collected from the airport by Mukuro in a limo after she blows up her taxi. While alluding to their incestuous relationship, the pair attempt to see if they can kill one another and experience the "Ultimate Despair", before Junko explains that the pair have been scouted to attend Hope's Peak Academy, Mukuro as the "Ultimate Soldier", and Junko as both the "Ultimate Fashionista" and "Ultimate Analyst". At their entrance ceremony, Junko sketches a picture of Monokuma. Two years later, Junko and Mukuro slaughter their way to confront and destroy Hope's Peak Academy's "Ultimate Hope" Izuru Kamukura, intending to kill him, only for the pair to be easily defeated. After sharing their love for despair with him and pitching that they join their cause, Izuru deduces the "Despair Sisters" are too bored with the world and share similar analytical abilities to himself, agreeing to join their cause, before knocking the pair out so that he may escape. Later, Junko and Mukuro recruit the "Ultimate Animator" Ryota Mitarai, whom they share as a lover, to develop a brainwashing anime to serve their cause, which they test on the "Ultimate Nurse" Mikan Tsumiki, who pledges herself to the sisters in the name of despair. Contacting Izuru once again, Junko and Mukuro arrange for their first "killing game" with the Academy's student council, trapping them on a floor of the school and providing blackmail on their elite parents' various scandals, with Izuru partaking in the event and killing the final survivor. Junko subsequently betrays Izuru by sending a mass e-mail to the students of the Reserve Course exposing his existence along with the footage of her killing game and how their funding had been used for human experimentation, leading to a mass riot and protest dubbed "The Parade".

After deciding to use her own class for her next killing game, Junko and Mukuro create a new brainwashing video they dub the "Despair Video" with the intent of sharing it with the entirety of the Reserve Course and pull in further support for "Ultimate Despair", drawing in Nagito Komaeda and a class representative who would later serve as the basis for Chiaki Nanami, investigating the cause of the first killing game, now dubbed "The Tragedy". However, after their homeroom teacher Chisa Yukizome comes across the group, creating a diversion by throwing a fire extinguisher, the pair escape, leaving Chisa to be brainwashed and lobotomised by Junko and Mukuro, after firstly demonstrating the loyalty of their followers by having a Reserve Course student commit suicide.

Later, Junko addresses the representative "Chiaki" via a monitor and traps her inside a test course for her "punishment" centre, intended to induce the rest of Nagito's class to her cause via brainwashing. Overlooking the city before the school from its roof, Junko, Mukuro and Izuru stand triumphant as they plan to "infect" the world with despair, before sending a mass text to the Reserve Course students, ordering them to commit mass suicide, to which Mukuro stares at Junko in admiration, loyalty and lust, glad to die for her cause if Junko would ever feel the need to kill them. Sending Izuru to lead her class in bringing despair to the world, Junko prepares for the coming apocalypse.

Several months later, shortly before the events of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Junko and Mukuro assist their class in converting the academy into a bunker to protect them from the chaos outside, while secretly preparing to have them detained to begin their killing game. After Makoto unknowingly displays his "ultimate luck", which Junko realises she cannot predict, she rejects Mukuro's suggestion that they kill him, believing that it would be more despair-inducing for her if someone as "ordinary" like Makoto was able to potentially defeat her, setting up her own end.[8]

In the "Future and Hope Arc" of Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School, set after the events of the second game, Junko makes a cameo appearance in the title sequence and in a flashback to her using blackmail to arrange to have her role in the fall of Hope's Peak Academy hidden from public knowledge. Later, Junko appears in the afterlife, talking with the spirit of Chisa while watching the events of her successor's "final killing game."[9][10]

Other appearances

Junko Enoshima appears in the Japanese manga adaptation of the series, written and illustrated by Touya Hajime and published by Enterbrain, as well as the spin-off Killer Killer. The series was published in the United States by Enterbrain USA. An additional manga series, published by Ichijinsha, was released solely in Japan.[11][12][13] Junko is also the main protagonist of the light novel series Danganronpa/Zero.[14][15] A Japanese musical and series of stage plays based on the series, sponsored by Kellogg's Cornflakes, cast actor Sayaka Kanda as Junko Enoshima, in addition to confirming her incestuous relationship with her sister Mukuro Ikusaba (whom Kanda also portrays) formerly only inferred in previous media, adapting the events of the first two games and the anime series and featuring Nobuyo Ōyama and TARAKO reprising their roles as Monokuma from the video game series.[16][17][18][19][20][21]

Junko is depicted in the 2019 Spike Chunsoft game AI: The Somnium Files, in which protagonists Date and his A.I. Aiba discover an autograph left by Junko in the titular somnium, featuring a drawing of herself with two Monokuma robots. The game is additionally implied to be set in the same fictional universe as Danganronpa in the resulting conversation between the duo.

Junko is included as a playable character in a 2020 crossover event of the NetEase horror game, Identity V, alongside her Monokuma form and fellow Danganronpa characters Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri, where she (in either form) pursues the latter pair with a hammer, with the intent of executing them.[22]

Reception

Junko Enoshima has generally been praised by critics for being depicted as a thoroughly irredeemable character with a realistic profession, praised as "a powerful and dynamic figure [whose] legacy lives on in [all] subsequent games."[23] In 2019, Polygon ranked her as the 35th best video game character of the decade[24] while Comic Book Resources ranked her as the villain with the 3rd highest body count in manga and anime in 2020.[25]

Since the release of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc in November 2010, Junko has become one of its most popular characters, with several memes (such as “Junko posing”) being made about her.[26] Junko and Monokuma were collectively named as the "Most Popular Game Character for Cosplay" in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition in 2018.[27]

References
  1. "Behind the Voice Actors › Junko Enoshima". Behind the Voice Actors. June 25, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  2. "Developer Kazutaka Kodaka talks about creating Danganronpa". Koi-Nya. March 14, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  3. "A chat with Kazutaka Kodaka (Scenario Draft, Overseer) x Yuuji Higa (Animation Producer)". Winter Issue 2016. Otomedia. November 21, 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  4. Moyse, Chris (December 7, 2020). "Danganronpa Decade art compendium looks back at ten years of murder 'n' mayhem". Destructoid. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  5. Kalata, Kurt; Sotenga. "Hardcore Gaming 101: Trigger Happy Havoc: Danganronpa / Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  6. Spike Chunsoft (2012-07-26). Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (PlayStation Vita). Spike Chunsoft. Level/area: Chapter 6 – This is the End, Goodbye Academy of Despair. Junko: For me, despair is not a goal or a set of principles or a lifestyle or even an instinct." "It's what defines me as Junko Enoshima! It's just my characterization!" "That's why I'm able to pursue despair with such purity!
  7. Schwartz, William (2015-08-27). "Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls Review". Attack of the Fanboys. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
  8. Ho Sang, Narelle (2016-08-21). "Danganronpa 3 Is Killing It So Far". Kotaku. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  9. Chapman, Jacob (2016-09-25). "Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Despair Arc Episode 11". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  10. Chapman, Jacob (2016-10-01). "Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Future and Hope Arc Episode 12". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  11. "Killer Killer Manga is Revealed as Danganronpa Spinoff in 3rd Chapter". Anime News Network. May 9, 2016. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  12. Amazon. "ダンガンロンパ3 -The End of 希望ヶ峰学園- 未来編/絶望編 電撃コミックアンソロジー (電撃コミックスEX)". Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  13. Amazon. "ダンガンロンパ3 -The End of 希望ヶ峰学園- コミックアンソロジー (DNAメディアコミックス)". Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  14. Amazon.co.jp： ダンガンロンパ/ゼロ(上) (星海社FICTIONS): 小高 和剛, 小松崎 類: 本. Amazon.co.jp. ASIN 4061388126 .
  15. Eisenbeis, Richard (2014-09-13). "Danganronpa Zero Is The 'Ultimate' Danganronpa Novel". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-09-13.
  16. Ressler, Karen (2014-05-27). "Danganronpa Stage Play Casts Junko Enoshima". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
  17. A, Asuk (2014-05-28). "Sayaka Kanda cast as Junko Enoshima in Danganronpa play". koi-nya. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  18. Sherman, Jennifer (2016-04-30). "Danganronpa Stage Play's Video Previews Cast in Costume". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  19. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (2015-08-01). "Danganronpa 2 Stage Play's Video Reveals Full Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2015-08-01.
  20. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (2016-10-26). "Danganronpa 2 Stage Play's Cast Message Video Streamed". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  21. Vincent, Brittany (2015-08-03). "VIDEO: New "Danganronpa" Stage Play Video Shows Off The Whole Cast". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  22. Moyer, Phillip (2020-05-28). "NetEase's Horror Game, Identity V, Announces Crossover With Danganronpa". The Gamer. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
  23. Baker, Benjamin (2019-04-19). "Ranking All The Main Danganronpa Characters". The Gamer. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  24. "The 70 best video game characters of the decade". Polygon. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  25. "10 Anime Villains With The Biggest Bodycounts, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. February 21, 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  26. Haasch, Palmer (2020-01-21). "Anime is for everyone in the joyful world of TikTok memes". Polygon.
  27. Kurland, Daniel (2020-09-04). "Why Is The Blood In Danganronpa Pink? (& 9 More Cool Facts About The Series)". Game Rant. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.