Danganronpa watch order
Elite students at Hope's Peak Academy are locked in by Monokuma, a sadistic robot bear, who tells them the only way out is to murder a classmate and get away with it in a class trial. Based on Spike Chunsoft's visual-novel games; the anime adapts the first game and then concludes the Hope's Peak saga in Danganronpa 3.
First time? Watch Danganronpa: The Animation (or play the first game), then play or watch a playthrough of Danganronpa 2, which has no anime. Then watch Danganronpa 3, alternating Future Arc and Despair Arc one episode at a time, and finish with the Hope Arc.
First-timer order
Play Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (or watch a full playthrough) between The Animation and Danganronpa 3. Then watch Future Arc and Despair Arc alternately, one episode each, starting with Future Arc episode 1 and ending with Future Arc episode 12, then the Hope Arc. They were written to be watched that way.
- Danganronpa: The Animation
Adapts the first game, Trigger Happy Havoc: Makoto Naegi and his fellow elite students are trapped in Hope's Peak Academy and forced into Monokuma's killing game. Reviewers call it a rushed adaptation that cuts much of the game's character building, so reviewers often suggest playing the game instead.
- Danganronpa 3: Future Arc
Set after Danganronpa 2: the survivors of the first game and the leaders of the Future Foundation are caught in a new killing game. Aired on Mondays, alternating with Despair Arc; watch the two one episode at a time, starting with Future Arc episode 1.
- Danganronpa 3: Despair Arc
A prequel set at Hope's Peak before the first game, following Danganronpa 2's cast in their school days and their teacher Chisa Yukizome, and showing how the Tragedy began. Aired on Thursdays; alternate it with Future Arc (Future 1, Despair 1, Future 2 and so on).
- Danganronpa 3: Hope Arc
A one-episode TV finale that aired three days after Future Arc ended, bringing Future and Despair together and closing the whole Hope's Peak saga. Watch it last.
- Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of the World (optional)
A 25-minute side story in which Nagito Komaeda, from Danganronpa 2, wakes up in a strange dream world after his death in the Neo World Program. It came bundled with a limited Japanese edition of the game Danganronpa V3 and needs Danganronpa 2 to make sense. Optional.
- Danganronpa 3: Monokuma Theater (optional)
Three very short comedy skits bundled with the Japanese Blu-ray volumes of Danganronpa 3. Non-canon gags. Optional.
Story order
In-world order: Despair Arc is a prequel set before the first game, then come the first game (The Animation) and Danganronpa 2 (game only), then Future Arc and the Hope Arc. The two arcs were made to be watched side by side, so for a first watch use the alternating order instead. Sources disagree on where 2.5 sits, since it happens in a dream; it's listed after the main story.
- Danganronpa 3: Despair Arc
A prequel set at Hope's Peak before the first game, following Danganronpa 2's cast in their school days and their teacher Chisa Yukizome, and showing how the Tragedy began. Aired on Thursdays; alternate it with Future Arc (Future 1, Despair 1, Future 2 and so on).
- Danganronpa: The Animation
Adapts the first game, Trigger Happy Havoc: Makoto Naegi and his fellow elite students are trapped in Hope's Peak Academy and forced into Monokuma's killing game. Reviewers call it a rushed adaptation that cuts much of the game's character building, so reviewers often suggest playing the game instead.
- Danganronpa 3: Future Arc
Set after Danganronpa 2: the survivors of the first game and the leaders of the Future Foundation are caught in a new killing game. Aired on Mondays, alternating with Despair Arc; watch the two one episode at a time, starting with Future Arc episode 1.
- Danganronpa 3: Hope Arc
A one-episode TV finale that aired three days after Future Arc ended, bringing Future and Despair together and closing the whole Hope's Peak saga. Watch it last.
- Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of the World (optional)
A 25-minute side story in which Nagito Komaeda, from Danganronpa 2, wakes up in a strange dream world after his death in the Neo World Program. It came bundled with a limited Japanese edition of the game Danganronpa V3 and needs Danganronpa 2 to make sense. Optional.
- Danganronpa 3: Monokuma Theater (optional)
Three very short comedy skits bundled with the Japanese Blu-ray volumes of Danganronpa 3. Non-canon gags. Optional.
Release order
The Animation aired in summer 2013. Danganronpa 3's Future Arc (Mondays) and Despair Arc (Thursdays) aired side by side in summer 2016, with the Hope Arc on September 29. The 2.5 OVA followed in January 2017.
- Danganronpa: The Animation
Adapts the first game, Trigger Happy Havoc: Makoto Naegi and his fellow elite students are trapped in Hope's Peak Academy and forced into Monokuma's killing game. Reviewers call it a rushed adaptation that cuts much of the game's character building, so reviewers often suggest playing the game instead.
- Danganronpa 3: Future Arc
Set after Danganronpa 2: the survivors of the first game and the leaders of the Future Foundation are caught in a new killing game. Aired on Mondays, alternating with Despair Arc; watch the two one episode at a time, starting with Future Arc episode 1.
- Danganronpa 3: Despair Arc
A prequel set at Hope's Peak before the first game, following Danganronpa 2's cast in their school days and their teacher Chisa Yukizome, and showing how the Tragedy began. Aired on Thursdays; alternate it with Future Arc (Future 1, Despair 1, Future 2 and so on).
- Danganronpa 3: Hope Arc
A one-episode TV finale that aired three days after Future Arc ended, bringing Future and Despair together and closing the whole Hope's Peak saga. Watch it last.
- Danganronpa 3: Monokuma Theater (optional)
Three very short comedy skits bundled with the Japanese Blu-ray volumes of Danganronpa 3. Non-canon gags. Optional.
- Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of the World (optional)
A 25-minute side story in which Nagito Komaeda, from Danganronpa 2, wakes up in a strange dream world after his death in the Neo World Program. It came bundled with a limited Japanese edition of the game Danganronpa V3 and needs Danganronpa 2 to make sense. Optional.
Explained
What about Danganronpa 2?
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, the second game, never got an anime, but Danganronpa 3 is built on it: Despair Arc stars its cast, and Future Arc picks up after its ending. Creator Kazutaka Kodaka has said newcomers can follow Future Arc, but Despair Arc needs knowledge of Danganronpa 2. Play it or watch a playthrough before Danganronpa 3. Danganronpa 3 also spoils the first game's twists and references the spin-off game Ultra Despair Girls.
How do I watch Future Arc and Despair Arc?
Alternate them: Future 1, Despair 1, Future 2, Despair 2 … Despair 11, Future 12, then the Hope Arc. That's how they aired in Japan, a new episode of each every week, and the two arcs reveal things to each other as they go. Reviewers widely agree they only work watched together.
Should I play the games or watch the anime?
For the first game, several reviews recommend playing it: The Animation squeezes a long mystery game into 13 episodes and loses much of the investigation and character time. The anime works as a summary if you won't play. Danganronpa 3 is an anime-original story and is only available as anime.
What about Danganronpa V3 and newer games?
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony starts a new setting and cast after the Hope Arc, and has no anime. Danganronpa 2×2, a remake of the second game, was announced in 2025 as a game, not an anime. No new Danganronpa anime had been announced as of October 2026.
Is there an English dub?
Yes for The Animation and Danganronpa 3, both licensed by Funimation (now part of Crunchyroll). Danganronpa 3's dub brought back most of Danganronpa 2's English game cast. Super Danganronpa 2.5 was a Japan-only bonus with no official English release.