Danganronpa: The Animation (Trigger Happy Havoc)

This is a 13 episode anime that was originally a video game on PSP. It's a murder mystery story about a group of kids who are enrolled in this elite high school, based on a skill they specialize in, only to find that they may never be allowed to leave there for the rest of their lives. The school is abandoned except for the students, and this malicious talking bear. The bear tells them that the only way they'll be able to leave the school will be if they are the only person alive. If ever there is a death in the school, all of the students will meet as a council to try to figure out who the murderer is. If they guess correctly, the murderer will be killed. If they guess incorrectly, everyone except the murderer will be killed, and the murderer can walk free.

This was a surprisingly good show. When the rules of the school were being discussed at the beginning of the show, I initially thought that this plot sounded suspiciously similar to Battle Royale, but we quickly find out that there are some differences that make the two-story lines distinct. Another thing that made me kind of hesitant to get into this show were the character drawings. All of the characters are drawn in a way that is so stereotypically cliché that I almost didn't want to continue the series, thinking that the story would also be just as cliché. While the character artwork is definitely not my favourite, I was able to get past it by appreciating the actual plot.

The story was surprisingly intricate and well thought out. Murder mysteries can by kind of difficult to do, because it's a challenge to come up with a good plot that the audience won't be able to guess right away, but this show does it brilliantly. With each event that takes place, we are shown the evidence that the characters see as they inspect the crime scene, and then go with them to the trial and hear them deduce what they will. The first couple of murders are pretty straight forward, but as they go on, they become increasingly difficult to figure out. Also, as another person is murdered, a different section of the school is opened up, and typically the next murder will happen in the new wing of the school. All the while, the students are simultaneously trying to figure out how they will be able to escape this place and who is behind this torturous game.

It's a fast-paced story that keeps you guessing until the very end. They also play with a few different styles of animation, which keeps things fresh. I know it looks kind of cheesy, but give it a try. You will enjoy it.

You can watch the first episode here for the time being.