Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School/Despair Arc

Side: Despair is the second of the two story arcs in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy. It was released on July 14, 2016.

The arc is meant to be watched together with Side: Future and the two arcs should not be viewed separated.

Being a prequel to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, the story of Side: Despair serves as the "prelude" to the series, as it tells the backstory of Hope's Peak Academy's Class 77-B and how they became corrupted Remnants of Despair.

Characters
''From top to bottom, left to right: Hajime Hinata, Chiaki Nanami, Nagito Komaeda, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Ibuki Mioda, Kazuichi Soda, Gundham Tanaka, "Ryota Mitarai", Mikan Tsumiki, Hiyoko Saionji, Akane Owari, Nekomaru Nidai, Teruteru Hanamura, Sonia Nevermind, Mahiru Koizumi, and Peko Pekoyama.

Chisa Yukizome

 * Voiced by: Mai Nakahara (Japanese); Colleen Clinkenbeard (English)
 * Chisa Yukizome (雪染 ちさ Yukizome Chisa) is the former Ultimate Housekeeper (超高校級の「家政婦」chō kōkō kyū no “kaseifu.”) and the assistant homeroom teacher of Class 77-B. Since Koichi Kizakura is often drunk, she became the de-facto homeroom teacher of 77-B. Though she has an air-headed side to her, she has determination and multiple abilities to back it up, and is able to bring all Class 77-B into attendance.

Hajime Hinata/Izuru Kamukura

 * Voiced by: Minami Takayama (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)
 * Hajime Hinata (日向 創 Hajime Hinata) is a reserve course student who aspires to attend the main academy. The ambition-less attitude of the reserve school disagrees with him, and he often spends time alone, his only friend being Chiaki Nanami. After agreeing to participate in a project for Hope's Peak Academy, an alternate identity is created for Hajime, and is named Izuru Kamukura (カムクラ イズル Kamukura Izuru) after the school's founder. Izuru is known as the Ultimate Hope (超高校級の「希望」), and is a super genius artificially created to possess all talents.

Chiaki Nanami

 * Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa (Japanese); Christine Marie Cabanos (English)
 * Chiaki Nanami (七海 千秋 Nanami Chiaki) is known as the Ultimate Gamer (超高校級の「ゲーマー」), meaning that she is good with all genres. Despite that fact, she is often sleepy and not very good at socializing with people. She is Class 77-B's class representative in the student council and the tie that keeps her class together.

Nagito Komaeda

 * Voiced by: Megumi Ogata (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook (English)
 * Nagito Komaeda (狛枝 凪斗 Komaeda Nagito) is the Ultimate Lucky Student (超高校級の「幸運」), chosen to enter Hope's Peak Academy via lottery. He has an aloof, elusive personality. The self-styled "Ultimate Ultimate Fanatic", he believes in the “power of hope” within the talented students.

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu

 * Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke (English)
 * Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu (九頭龍 冬彦 Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko) is the Ultimate Yakuza (超高校級の「極道」), heir to the country’s largest crime syndicate, the Kuzuryu Clan. Because he dislikes crowding and being too familiar, he keeps a bit of distance between himself and his classmates. He’s the type who takes honor and moral codes seriously, and he will open up to someone he trusts.

Ibuki Mioda

 * Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu (Japanese); Brina Palencia (English)
 * Ibuki Mioda (澪田 唯吹 Mioda Ibuki) is the Ultimate Musician (超高校級の「軽音楽部」). She used to be the guitarist for a popular girls' band, yet they broke up thanks to musical differences. She now does solo work. Always excited, she acts as the class's mood maker.

Kazuichi Soda

 * Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya (Japanese); Kyle Hebert (English)
 * Kazuichi Soda (左右田 和一 Sōda Kazuichi) is the Ultimate Mechanic (超高校級の「メカニック」). He has a flashy appearance and an insolent personality but is a surprisingly cowardly person. He’s often playing the straight man in his class full of oddballs. Has an unrequited crush on Sonia.

Gundham Tanaka

 * Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Scott Frerichs (English)
 * Gundham Tanaka (田中 眼蛇夢 Tanaka Gandamu) is the Ultimate Breeder (超高校級の「飼育委員」). He is able to tame any animal and has been successful in breeding endangered species. He keeps four hamsters, called the "Four Dark Devas of Destruction". He claims his real name is forbidden, and cannot be spoken aloud, thus going by Tanaka the Forbidden One (封印されし田中.)

Ultimate Imposter/"Ryota Mitarai"

 * Voiced by: Kanata Hongō (Japanese); Justin Briner (English)
 * Ultimate Imposter (超高校級の「詐欺師」chō kōkō kyū no “sagishi”) is a mysterious student impersonating as Ryota Mitarai, the Ultimate Animator. Their real name, appearance, and gender are unknown, but they are capable of impersonating as others. Their heavy build does not affect their ability to fool others.

Mikan Tsumiki

 * Voiced by: Ai Kayano (Japanese); Stephanie Sheh (English)
 * Mikan Tsumiki (罪木 蜜柑 Tsumiki Mikan) is the Ultimate Nurse (超高校級の「保健委員」). She has no confidence in herself, and her overly valiant nature is her downfall. A clumsy girl who often falls down, she has injuries all over her body.

Hiyoko Saionji

 * Voiced by: Suzuko Mimori (Japanese); Kira Buckland (English)
 * Hiyoko Saionji (西園寺 日寄子 Saionji Hiyoko) is the Ultimate Traditional Dancer (超高校級の「日本舞踊家」). She is the hope of the Japanese Dance Society, who have high hopes for her future. Contrary to her child-like appearance and cute voice, she has an extremely cruel personality and often treats those weaker than her with no mercy.

Akane Owari

 * Voiced by: Romi Park (Japanese); Morgan Garett (English)
 * Akane Owari (終里 赤音 Owari Akane) is the Ultimate Gymnast (超高校級の「体操選手」). Her ability is first rate, but she tends to quit anything that doesn’t pique her interest, making her a bit of a problem child. Her thoughts are almost entirely comprised of eating and fighting.

Nekomaru Nidai

 * Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto (Japanese); Patrick Seitz (English)
 * Nekomaru Nidai (弐大 猫丸 Nidai Nekomaru) is the Ultimate Team Manager (超高校級の「マネージャー」). With his help, any puny school can become champion at the national level. Though he has a lively personality, he has a weak stomach, and often has problems in the bathroom.

Teruteru Hanamura

 * Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Todd Haberkorn (English)
 * Teruteru Hanamura (花村 輝々 Hanamura Teruteru) is the Ultimate Cook (超高校級の「料理人」), although he prefers to be referred to as a "chef" instead of a "cook." His passion for sex equal or greater than his zeal for food, he has a wide range of interests and seems down for men as well. He is in charge of the school kitchens. Behaves like a city dweller, but at times lets a few odd regional colloquialisms slip out.

Sonia Nevermind

 * Voiced by: Miho Arakawa (Japanese); Natalie Hoover (English)
 * Sonia Nevermind (ソニア・ネヴァーマインド Sonia Nevuāmaindo) is the Ultimate Princess (超高校級の「王女」), a study abroad student from the nation of Novoselic. Because in her home country her duties prevented her from having friends her own age, she is enjoying her current school life. She is fond of trendy Japanese dramas, and sometimes uses strange Japanese.

Mahiru Koizumi

 * Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi (Japanese); Carrie Keranen (English)
 * Mahiru Koizumi (小泉 真昼 Koizumi Mahiru) is the Ultimate Photographer (超高校級の「写真家」). She is recipient of countless awards and working as a pro-camerawoman. Skilled at taking portraits, but finds selfies to be embarrassing and so does not like them. A level-headed person who often takes care of her friends' memories, though for some reason she’s very hard on boys.

Peko Pekoyama

 * Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Clarine Harp (English)
 * Peko Pekoyama (辺古山 ペコ Pekoyama Peko) is the Ultimate Swordswoman (超高校級の「剣道家」). She has a taciturn personality and does not engage her classmates, but appears reliable. Even when there is no club practice, she always carries her shinai sword with her.

Junko Enoshima

 * Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English)
 * Junko Enoshima (江ノ島 盾子 Enoshima Junko) is the Ultimate Fashionista (超高校級の「ギャル」) and a member of Class 78th. Her true identity is revealed to be the founder of Ultimate Despair (超高校級の「絶望」) and the person who is responsible for The Tragedy.

Mukuro Ikusaba

 * Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English)
 * Mukuro Ikusaba (戦刃 むくろ Ikusaba Mukuro) is the Ultimate Soldier (超高校級の「軍人」) and a member of Class 78th. A fearless girl willing to do anything to get her sister's praise, she joins Junko and becomes a member of Ultimate Despair (超高校級の「絶望」).