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The First Issue: Performative Activism

Although Danganronpa is a fairly old game (it’s having its 11th birthday this year), it gained a “cult following” in mid 2020. The subreddit doubled in size over the course of that summer, and it gained even more popularity when big youtubers, such as the GameGrumps, Kubz Scouts, and Bijuu Mike did let’s plays. I myself followed the games through CinnamonToastKen’s let’s plays when I discovered them in January 2020 (and yes, I’m still subbed to Ken). Because of this radical and exponential growth, as well as the emergence of TikTok, the fandom became all the more diverse. People of all ages partook in it, and more people began to raise awareness in regards to properly representing underrepresented demographics, such as the LGBT community, individuals with disabilities, the neurodivergent community, and so forth.

Now, make no mistake. This is a wonderful thing. As a woman of color, I love seeing the fans come together and push for positive representation. It’s wonderful to feel included, especially when most communities are unwilling to accept you. I have no doubt that the fans certainly care about the groups for which they advocate; it’s very noble to educate yourself on an issue and use your platform to raise awareness. However, there’s a thin line between speaking *with* a marginalized group and talking *over* a marginalized group. It’s easy for activists to forget that it isn’t necessarily about them, but rather the group for which they are advocating. There are many instances of the fandom’s “activism” doing more harm than good, and I’ve dedicated the following section to the many instances of performative activism within the Danganronpa fandom.

Homophobia

A large portion of the fanbase identifies as LGBTQ+, and as such, have integrated it into various elements of the game. I myself am a part of the LGBT community, and I see absolutely no issue with this: Japan isn’t necessarily known for its progressive attitude towards LGBT folks, and it’s great to see that the fandom is inclusive! Representation in fiction can be a huge source of solace, especially when an individual feels as if they’re alone in their demographic. While this has, for the most part, stayed positive, I’ve noticed an increase in “homophobia” allegations being levied at other fans, most of which is entirely unwarranted.

I have seen numerous people claim that shipping Tenko Chabashira, Nagito Komaeda, and Kokichi Ouma with members of the opposite sex is somehow “gay erasure” and as such, a form of homophobia. Now, it is neither my right nor my place to harass other fans for simply thinking or saying this, but I’ve seen people harass other shippers for it. I’ve specially seen this with Komanami, Chabahara, and most recently, Oumeno. In fact, I’ve seen a select group claim that simply interpreting them as bisexual is a form of homophobia and warrants significant backlash.

Please understand: this mentality in and of itself is not only incredibly bi/panphobic, but also implies that the very existence of bi/pan/MSPEC people threatens that of homosexual individuals. Bi/pansexual people may have a bit more representation in media than exclusively homosexual or asexual people, the representation isn’t always positive. In “cheating” storylines with same sex relationships, the bisexual character is almost always the unfaithful one.

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Even Danganronpa itself doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to portraying the LGBT community in the positive light. A good number of the characters (who have been confirmed/heavily hinted to be LGBT) are portrayed as sexual deviants or other negative stereotypes:

*In the anime, it’s shown that Mukuro Ikusaba is deeply in love with her sister (anime only), and engages in mutual sexual acts with her

*Teruteru Hanamura, who by his own admission “swings both ways” makes multiple unwanted sexual advances on his classmates, even going as far as to drug a dish he made for Hajime Hinata.

*Miu Iruma groped both Kaede Akamatsu and Shuichi Saihara during their free time events, and even attempted to “baby trap” the latter during a love hotel event.

Even if bi/pansexuals are arguably more represented, the representation isn’t always positive.

If a person finds comfort in interpreting a character as bi, pan, or MSPEC, *let them.* Preventing them from doing so isn’t “punching up,” but instead depriving a community that still struggles to be accepted from finding solace; in addition, it further drives a wedge between members of the LGBT community as well as its allies.

Members of the LGBT community and allies alike ought to stand together. We’ve struggled enough as it is, and the last thing we need is infighting in our community. Not only are we isolating our allies, but we are making our *own* community feel targeted, attacked, and alone.

Racism

The fandom has a similar issue with claims of “racism.” I have seen people say it’s racist to make weed jokes about Yasuhiro Hagakure, one of the few black/biracial characters in the series. There are a lot of inside jokes in regards to Hiro being a stoner, and he has even been dubbed “weedman” in the fandom. Like Hiro, I am biracial (only black and white as opposed to black and Asian).

As of recent, a portion of the fandom has claimed that these types of jokes are racist, as they perpetuate negative stereotypes about black people, and that simply making these jokes can warrant being labeled a racist.

It’s okay to dislike or feel uncomfortable with the weed jokes, as Hiro certainly has a character outside of that. I have neither the right nor the authority to tell people what they should and should not be comfortable with. Likewise, we as fans have no right to tell other fans what they should and should not joke about. There are some people of color, including myself, who aren’t in any way offended by the weed jokes. Please don’t be offended on behalf of the group for which you are advocating, and please refrain from referring to other people as “racist” for making those kinds of jokes. If you truly believe that they were wrong in their actions, why not politely point it out via the ask box for comment section? If they respond in a hostile manner or refuse to come to an agreement, you can always block them and move on.

And for the record, Hiro isn’t the only character that the fandom labeled as a stoner. Rantaro Amami is also on the receiving end of those types of jokes, even if it’s not quite as often as Hiro. I don’t think it has anything to do with race, and moreso to do with their personalities.

Offensive Humor/Remarks

Now, if someone personally stops asking you to make a joke with/around them, then that’s a different story, and I believe that their wishes ought to be respected. For instance, if you were in a DM with someone and you made a dark joke and they asked you to stop, then it would be best to simply respect that and move on. Otherwise, you don’t have to interact with people who are making the jokes in general, and that goes for anything controversial (in my personal opinion). I believe that jokes and genuine beliefs, while not mutually exclusive, are very distinct in nature.

The fandom has levied various accusations against people who make dark or otherwise questionable jokes, which include but are not limited to abuse apologists, racists, pedophiles, abusers, and ableists. I’ve seen this quite a bit with “Alabama” jokes about Korekiyo Shinguji and his sister, to the point where fans sometimes go out of their way to hurt the person making the joke.

That’s not to say that the fans have no right to be offended. Just as you can joke about whatever you want, you are allowed to feel uncomfortable or even offended by anything. Nonetheless, there’s no reason to dox, harass, or otherwise harm an individual/group of individuals simply because their jokes are upsetting or offensive to you.

Also, please don’t take offense on behalf of another individual or demographic. As person belonging to various minorities, I find it uncomfortable and even a bit irritating, even if I know there’s good intent behind it.

No one should have to be so fearful that they act offended on behalf of another demographic in order to avoid having the aforementioned accusations levied at them. I think we ought to break the cycle and start by handling disagreements and disparities in a more mature manner.

If some content truly causes you discomfort, you can do one of two things.

1. Block the user.

The block button does wonders; I wish we had one irl.

2. Download Tumblrsavior.

There’s an extension, tumblrsavior, that allows the users to “blacklist” certain tags so that they’re less likely to come across any uncomfortable or triggering content. While I don’t personally use it, I’ve known about it for quite some time, and I’m happy to see that it’s still on the chrome store. I’m not sure if it’s accessible on the mobile version, but the block button is always a great idea.

TumblrSavior for Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tumblr-savior/oefddkjnflmjbclpnnoegglmmdfkidip?hl=en

TumblrSavior for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tumblr-savior/

Failure To Distinguish Fiction and Reality

Furthermore: This fandom fails to distinguish the line between fiction and reality. While it’s true that fiction and reality can mirror one another, it’s important to remember that they’re ultimately different mediums. What one finds acceptable in fiction rarely matches what they find acceptable in the real world, and I feel that the fandom tends to forget this. Even worse, they take the accusations mentioned in the previous section, apply it to people who they feel are worthy of it, and even go out of their way to “cancel” these people. The following paragraphs discuss the importance of recognizing the boundary between imagination and reality.

“Abuse Apologists”

Korekiyo Shinguji is a controversial character to say the least. In chapter 3, it was revealed that he had an incestuous relationship with his late sister, and has since dedicated his life to meeting 100 “worthy” women and murdering them one by one so that his sister could have 100 worthy friends in the afterlife; Angie Yonaga and Tenko Chabashira were his unlucky victims. While little is known about Korekiyo’s sister in canon (including her name), there are various hints that she may have been a controlling person, and that her relationship with Kiyo was unhealthy to say the least. As such, it is a widely accepted notion that the relationship was abusive, and that Korekiyo was the true victim of chapter 3.

If I’m being honest, I think that this is a viable theory, and had it not been hammered home so haphazardly, I might have explored/accepted it. What put the icing on the cake was that the fandom accepted this as canon and was quick to label anyone who disagreed or even joked about the relationship as an “abuse apologist.” I have seen various people on the receiving end of harsh criticism and even harassment for simply making a *joke* about the situation. Now, it’s one thing to dislike or feel uncomfortable with that type of humor, but we as an audience have no right to tell others what they can and cannot joke about, especially if it wasn’t directed at us personally. But at the same time, it’s incredibly presumptuous to assume one’s moral code or past based on a snarky comment they made on YouTube.

You don’t know these people or what they have been through. And they’re in no way obliged to disclose their experiences, especially not to a group that was willing to cast judgement on them for a single opinion on a fictional character. You can’t necessarily judge one’s character based upon their fictional preferences, but the way they treat other people certainly says a lot.

Vigilantism

In a similar vein, youtuber Bijuu Mike received harassment because he was *suspected* of shipping Byakuya Togami with Toko Fukawa. While I personally dislike the relationship for a variety of reasons (and think that *both* parties were in the wrong), that in no way justifies what Mike and many other people in this fandom had to endure for simply liking a ship.

What a person ships in a fictional series rarely, if ever, reflects what they believe to be ethical in reality. The majority of shippers understand that fiction and reality are two entirely different mediums, and as such, don’t necessarily condone in real life what they might explore in fiction. That’s not to say I support certain ships or characters’’ actions, but the people who do shouldn’t have to face harassment, doxing, or even death threats for it.

Doxing is in no way warranted, and it has the potential to ruin a person’s livelihood for years to come. If you see something that you believe is questionable/against a website’s terms of service, report it, perhaps block the user, and move on. If you see something illegal or believe that there are actual people/animals being harmed (and not just fictional ones), report it to the proper authorities. It’s easy to forget that carrying out justice over the internet does very little for the actual victims/potential victims. The justice system rarely, if ever, takes internet vigilantism seriously, and behaviors like the aforementioned can jeopardize a potential court case. When reporting a crime (as a third party), it isn’t about you, but rather the victim(s) and those close to them. You have to act with their best interest in mind; otherwise, you could have potentially stopped a victim from getting the justice they deserve.

In addition, reporting something like a drawing or fanfiction to the police only wastes their time. Several organizations have asked

Also- do you really think that this behavior is going to change someone’s mind? If anything, they’re more likely to oppose your idea, as they’ll associate it with the harassment they endured.

We don’t have the right to control what other people post, so long as they don’t violate the TOS, harm other people, or violate any laws. If someone ships Toko and Togami, you’re entitled to dislike it, but they’re entitled to discuss it without having to fear harassment or being called an “abuse apologist.” Once again, if it truly upsets you, you’re more than welcome to blacklist the tags via tumblrsavior and block the user.

Chihiro Fujisaki

While I’ve discussed Chihiro discourse in the past, I’d like to raise a few points here that I failed to mention in that post. Another great example of this is the Chihiro discourse. As some of you may know, two trans artists ended up being on the receiving end of some harsh, unwarranted, and quite frankly asinine harassment for headcanoning Chihiro as a transgender woman. Someone even used the “t” slur against one of the aforementioned artists. On the flipside, I myself have received flack for referring to Chihiro with male pronouns (though it isn’t nearly on the same level as what Plumb1tes and especially Tea0-0stache dealt with), and I’ve refrained from discussing Chihiro frequently for fear of getting caught up in unnecessary drama. I quite frankly think that most everyone in this debate is in the wrong simply because they refuse to listen to any opposing arguments, but that’s simply my viewpoint. So long as you go about it respectfully, I have no problem with interpretations of Chihiro’s character.

People can interpret Chihiro however they choose. I see Chihiro as a boy with Klinefelter Syndrome (discussed here), but that doesn’t necessarily invalidate other interpretations. A lot of trans men/AFAB people on this site identify with Chihiro because his dysphoria was, in their words, quite similar to theirs. Some trans women identify with Chihiro and his struggles. We as the public have no right to take that comfort away from them, especially when they’re already a marginalized group. I understand that it may not necessarily align with canon, but the beauty of it is that *your* interpretation of a character or arc does not have to be the same as someone else’s interpretation. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to share ideas, discuss, and perhaps come to an agreement while celebrating our difference.

Oh wait-

When you attempt to force your personal headcanons/interpretations on other people, that’s exactly what you’re preventing them from doing.

For instance: I identify a lot with Mondo Owada’s character (even if our upbringings, principles, and personalities are incredibly different) because his survivor’s guilt. It’s highly personal to me, and I don’t feel comfortable disclosing the details on this platform. Imagine if I found the courage to finally share this story only to be shot down because it doesn’t fit someone else’s interpretation. That would suck, right?

That’s exactly what some of you guys are doing to each other. It’s as if protecting a fictional character’s feelings are somehow more important than a real person’s wellbeing/emotional state. As I mentioned previously, we are in no position to dictate what content another user can and cannot post, and we ought to cease this behavior.

When integrating fiction and reality, it’s easy fo forget that fictional characters are merely the byproduct of imagination. You won’t hurt their feelings, but you can certainly hurt someone else’s feelings. I frankly find it asinine that numerous people have been bullied off of this platform for the sake of a character who, while endearing and sweet, isn’t real.

To Conclude

Some of the behavior i have witnessed in this fandom is nothing short of abhorrent, and this is simply scratching the surface of it all. I’ve merely addressed the points that I believe are understated.

If you are partaking in these behaviors, just stop. Instead of writing that caustic comment or publishing that “callout” post, why not just try to have a discussion with that user? If nothing else, please think before you post.