#asakabd

あの「終わったんだよっ！」が印象的でちょっと言葉で表すのが難しいんですが葛藤？対立的な意味で？がすごく見受けられててで私どうしても苗木の葛藤心の迷いも込めた意味で？っていうのには惹かれてしまいます

After you mentioned that, I listened to the line again, and the way he says it really does make it sound as though Makoto’s own pain is seeping through his words too 😭✨ I also think the acting throughout this trial is especially good in the anime adaptation!

Looking back on Chapter 4, I feel that it is especially significant because, in all the previous chapters, the students who caused the trouble, meaning those who committed murder, were executed, so everyone never had to continue living with them afterward. Chapter 4 is different because Aoi, who deliberately misled everyone, survives and remains one of their companions. It also feels like the story’s biggest turning point, as everyone begins to shift toward the idea that the real enemy is not the student who caused the trouble, but the mastermind behind the killing game who created this situation in the first place.

Something I noticed when I replayed DR recently is that the first game spends the most time showing the final surviving members acting together as a group. Their bond is portrayed with a lot of care.

I love SDR2 as well, and I think it tells a wonderful story, but the surviving members only really begin acting together during the final chapter. For most of that chapter, it feels less like everyone is cooperating as a team and more like each of them is individually confused and struggling with what is happening. They do eventually come together during the final part of the last class trial, but the game does not spend much time showing them acting as a united group. Of course, we can assume that the survivors cooperated after waking up from the NWP.

In DR, however, Makoto clearly declares during the Chapter 4 trial that the mastermind is the only enemy they should be fighting. Byakuya also announces that he is withdrawing from the killing game. Then, by the beginning of Chapter 5, he is already taking charge of everyone in the dining hall first thing in the morning. I really like that the game gives them a meaningful amount of time together after they have decided to unite.

So then I feel like the fact that Makoto is empathetic to Aoi throughout the class trial where he even regrets just not having noticed that Aoi would have been the first person to dash to Sakura when she was found is very memorable to me because it also connects well with the way that it wants to show that Makoto understood Aoi's emotions as opposed to Byakuya

Exactly! I also think this is one of the most brilliantly written parts of the story. 🥺💖 Considering Aoi and Sakura’s relationship, Makoto’s observation that it was strange for Aoi not to immediately rush over to Sakura when they found her makes complete sense. It is also easy to understand why he wonders, “Why didn’t I realize that something was wrong at the time?”

From as early as Chapter 1, Makoto believes that Sayaka would never have attempted murder if she had not been placed in such an extreme situation. He consistently views the murders as something caused by the circumstances they have all been forced into. However, Chapter 4 is especially memorable because he explains that Sakura’s death made everyone realize that they were companions who should be working together. Makoto is addressing the other characters, but as a player, I also feel completely persuaded by what he says!

To me, Makoto is genuinely such a cool character. He certainly has plenty of cute qualities too, but there are so many moments when his words make me think, “The fact that he can state something like this so firmly at a moment like this is exactly what makes him so cool.”

Compared with Hajime, who has more human and relatable weaknesses, Makoto can seem almost too emotionally mature for a protagonist, which some people find makes him more difficult to identify with. Personally, though, I feel that Makoto embodies the kind of person I would want to become. When I read his words, I feel as though he is guiding me forward in the same way that he guides the other survivors. Ahhh, he really is such an exceptionally special and beloved character to me. 😭💖

Thank you as well for your kind words to me! Receiving such a wonderful ask made this feel like an especially memorable day. (⁎˃ᴗ˂)

Sdr2's ending is what got me obsessed with the DR games because of how absolutely awesome Hajime is as a character and what happened to him. Of course I also LOVE Chiaki, Nagito and the whole sdr2 cast, but Hajime's struggles with self worth are so relatable and real for so many people. Like a disposable commodity by Hope's peak, and then he decides to abandon who he truly was to become valuable in the eyes of the system, only to realize that this new "worthy" version of him is responsible of his own suffering... I've already said it in a previous birthday post I think, but I relate so much with how he wants to stay strong in the end, even if it means that he will disappear, because fighting the struggle head-on is better to him than staying in Junko's promised fake wonderland... deciding to be courageous and learning to love yourself and keep living, even if it's a broken, fucked-up version of yourself that you'll probably never be able to fully fix due to all the damage you endured, is so touching and strong. I like it because even though I was already saying that a few years back when I said I related to him, I kind of ended up relating to this even more in the meantime due to stuff that happened, so it's really cool to see that this part of the story kept being relevant to me and my vision of my own life overtime. I definitely think that fem Hajime in this other world would also feel that way for different reasons and be a brave person! 💓

1.

Makoto drinking juice and Hajime eating cake → Gabi (@dr2-hell)

The red gift box lid they’re sitting on → Rajaie (@rajaie)

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2.

Makoto and Hajime playing tennis with a cake as the ball → Pomodoro (@dangakkisland)

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3.

Hajime being hugged by Nagito → Castle (@12castle)

Nagito smiling on the monitor → Alcibiade (@elfen-alcibiade) --------------------------------

4.

Hajime playing a Game Boy game against Chiaki → 縺 (Bluesky: @nerimadaco.bsky.social‬) --------------------------------

5.

Makoto dazzled by the sight of meat → @nanomimikan

Hajime giving Makoto a shoulder ride → Winnie (@blondesillyboylover)

Alter Ego scolding Makoto → Alcibiade (@elfen-alcibiade)

Hajime mascot → Pomodoro (@dangakkisland) --------------------------------

6.

Makoto winking → Ren (@rendakat)

Makoto mascot → Pomodoro (@dangakkisland)

Hajime holding Makoto in a princess carry → Alex (@sdrklx)

Makoto losing his shoe → Alcibiade (@elfen-alcibiade)

A herd of hedgehogs → Pomodoro (@dangakkisland) --------------------------------

7.

These letters are inspired by the message I received from Piper on Discord, and another message I received from vic (@vic-11037). --------------------------------

8.

Young Yuma holding a four-leaf clover, with his father Makoto → Pixel (@pixelatedraindrops)

Kyoko watching over Yuma and Makoto → Pixel (@pixelatedraindrops)

Kyoko shown on the monitor → Alcibiade (@elfen-alcibiade)

Hedgehog and clover popping out of a pink box with a yellow ribbon → @koneko-chan-hai --------------------------------

9.

Red gift box and long yellow ribbon → Rajaie (@rajaie)

Colorful paper from party poppers → Jam (@jampdrooze)

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I’m sorry if anyone felt disappointed because their work was only referenced briefly or not as prominently. The extent to which I was able to incorporate each piece mostly depended on how well it could fit into the overall composition, but every single gift meant so much to me and brought me joy.

Also, I apologize to @alan-mezzanotte—I wasn’t able to directly include your Makoto drawing that you sent via DM, but I think at least one of the Makotos here must reflect your version in some way!