Peko Pekoyama

Peko Pekoyama (辺古山 ペコ Pekoyama Peko) is one of the characters featured in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.

Peko has the title of Ultimate Swordswoman (超高校級の「剣道家」chō kōkō kyū no “kendō-ka”).

Peko killed Mahiru Koizumi in Chapter 2 in order to protect her master, becoming the culprit of the second murder case.

Appearance
Peko is a tall, young woman, who wears a black/dark turquoise schoolgirl uniform with a red tie or ascot. Her skirt is somewhat short, and wears dark tights underneath with white shoes. She has long, silver hair that she ties up into two braids on each side of her head with white ribbons holding each braid at the sides of her head, and two red ties hold each braid together at the bottom. Her eyes are also bright red.

Peko wears thin framed rectangular glasses. Based on what Hajime Hinata experienced, Peko does has a sharp, intense stares. She is constantly seen carrying her shinai (bamboo sword) around with her in a dark turquoise sheath/wrap with a silver/white design on the back.

At one point in the game, Peko admits that her appearance has been mistaken for cosplay before, and strange cameramen have tried to take pictures of her. Nekomaru Nidai also experienced this and they were seen to talk about their 'striking' appearances.

Personality
[Warning: Several spoilers follow this section!]

Peko comes off as a very serious and stern woman who shows little to no emotions. She speaks with an authoritative tone of voice, and she is mostly business. However, she is not antisocial or unwilling to stay around the other students, even agreeing to attend Byakuya Togami's party in Chapter 1.

In her first Free-Time Event, Peko reveals that she has a strong affinity for animals, though they themselves do not share the same feeling. It also revealed that she was not able to smile because she thought she never really needed to smile and because she completely neglected it, she eventually forgets how to smile. She thinks hard and tries to smile after Hajime advises her to do so, Mahiru notices that Peko was the only one who never smiled in her taken photos, and afterwards Hiyoko Saionji taught her how to smile "in her way".

In her final free time event, Peko wanted Hajime to teach her by asking someone to go out on a date. Peko wanted to ask her childhood friend (which is highly implied to be Fuyuhiko) to go on a date after they succeed in escaping from Jabberwock Island. She finally learned that,  “Smiling is not something you have to force. When your heart gets warm, smiles come to you naturally.”

Near the end of Chapter 2, it is suddenly revealed that Peko is the personal bodyguard and hitman of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, having been taken in and raised like so by the Kuzuryu family. She sees herself as not a human being, but rather as a tool, with her only purpose in living being to protect and follow the orders of Fuyuhiko.

Prior to the Tragedy
As a baby, Peko was given away by her own family and taken in by the Kuzuryu Family, a known yakuza group. From a young age, she was raised alongside the family's young son and eventual heir, Fuyuhiko, and trained to be his personal hitman and bodyguard. She became extremely loyal to him, eventually coming to see herself as a tool meant only to follow her young master's orders.

In one of her Free Time Events, Peko told Hajime that she and her childhood friend (which is highly implied as Fuyuhiko) had been kidnapped, but they both succeed in fleeing and get lost in a mountain. Peko desperately tried to cheer up her friend, but she ended making him cry because he could sense Peko's fear and anxiety. However, they were finally saved using Peko's ability as a swordswoman.

In her last Free Time Event, Peko told Hajime that she and her childhood friend (which is highly implied as Fuyuhiko) went to the zoo at one point when they were kids. At that time, Fuyuhiko challenged the king of the monkeys to a fight. Peko had no choice but to join in the fray to protect him. She mentioned that Fuyuhiko had a handsome smile at that time.

Peko is an extremely talented swordswoman, able to beat grown men in kendo.

Prologue - Welcome to Dangan Island! Panic at the Heart-Throbbing School Trip!?
Peko was one of the students who did not panic when the class was transported to the Jabberwock Island. She, along with everyone else, went exploring after Usami dismissed them.

Before speaking extensively with anyone else on the island, Peko is pulled aside by Fuyuhiko, who orders her to keep their relationship a secret from the other students. Peko complies and acts as though she and Fuyuhiko have never met from then on. This action was revealed later on the second trial.

Peko first introduces herself to Hajime in the lobby of the Hotel Mirai; Hajime is immediately taken aback by her intimidating aura. Peko later joins her classmates in relaxing at the beach at Usami's suggestion. When Monokuma appears and introduces the rules of the School Trip of Mutual Killing, Peko expresses concern over the safety of the group.

Chapter 1 - Tropical Despair
In Chapter 1, she expresses support for the idea of promoting Byakuya as the appointed head of the students.

During the party in the old building, Peko volunteers to guard the duralumin case full of items confiscated by Byakuya. She takes the case to the office along with a plate of food and intends to stay there for the duration of the party, but she is forced out of the office to use the bathroom when she is struck by inexplicable stomach cramps (confirmed by Nekomaru in the Class Trial). While Kazuichi Soda initially doubts Peko's innocence during the Class Trial, she is eventually cleared of suspicion in Byakuya's death.

Chapter 2 - Sea and Punishment, Sin and Coconuts
Monokuma's motivation in Chapter 2, the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case, caused Peko to murder Mahiru in order to save Fuyuhiko who had sought to avenge his younger sister. Fuyuhiko had been angered at Mahiru when he went to talk to her, but before he could do anything, Peko turned up and attacked Mahiru instead, killing her instantaneously by blunt force trauma to the head with a metal bat.

Before Peko killed Mahiru, she brought Hiyoko to the crime scene, then drugged her in order to frame her for killing Mahiru. After ushering Fuyuhiko away, she left the bat and a mask of a cartoon heroine at the scene, along with some red herrings to turn the suspicion to Hiyoko.

After removing Mahiru's corpse, Peko was covered in Mahiru's blood, and was forced to remove it by washing off using the mineral water from the Beach House, since the shower is broken. She returned to Sonia Nevermind's party soaking wet, and claimed that she had just recently went for a 3 hour swim.

Despite her efforts, at the Class Trial, Hajime manages to single out Peko as the murderer, against Fuyuhiko's protests. She doesn't try to defend herself, but rather, she suddenly 'reveals' herself as Sparkling Justice using the mask of Sunny Witch ♪ Esper Itou-chan, a serial killer who revolves around justice and murders criminals, which Sonia had previously mentioned.

Peko goes on a long-winded (and somewhat comical) rant about how murder to preserve justice is justified, causing the students to hastily vote her out as the culprit. However, Sonia, though late, provides evidence as to why Peko couldn't possibly be Sparkling Justice, as the serial killer was not Japanese in the first place.

As the voting had already ended, it is revealed that Peko had actually known Fuyuhiko prior to the Island Life of Mutual Killing, being his personal hitman and bodyguard. She had everyone vote for her on purpose as in her scenario, she was only a tool and Fuyuhiko was the true culprit, and he was able to escape alive which was her sole goal from the beginning. However, Fuyuhiko refutes this and denies Peko's existence being a mere tool, instead saying he wanted her to stay as a true human being and his friend. Though seemingly somewhat disappointed, Peko expected that it would happen.

Resigned to her fate, Peko is taken to her execution. Fuyuhiko was brought into the middle of the execution, and Peko accidentally attacks Fuyuhiko with her sword, blinding his right eye, and knocked him down. She then shields his body in order to protect him from being killed in her execution.

Afterwords, Fuyuhiko was brought by Monokuma to the hospital on the third island. Starting from that point, he wears an eyepatch to cover his right eye. In his many Free Time Events, he would mention Peko, the person who always stood by his side.

Execution

 * Main Article: One Woman Army

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu
It is revealed at the end of Chapter 2 that Peko was raised in the Kuzuryu household, and was assigned to be Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu's personal hitman and bodyguard, meaning she was always around him since youth. She orchestrated Mahiru's murder in an attempt to save Fuyuhiko from the Island and send him back home.

In the Dangan Island alternate ending and in her last Free Time Event, she revealed to have feelings for Fuyuhiko. In the main story, she's still very close to him, willing to protect him at all times and it proved in her execution when she immediately protects Fuyuhiko from the wooden warrior monsters trying to attack him. In the Sixth 'Trial', Fuyuhiko heard Peko's voice speaking to him to snap out of despair, similar to Chiaki Nanami's voice that Hajime heard.

Presents
Obtained from the MonoMono Machine.
 * Apron Dress
 * Antique Doll
 * Gold Coated Sheath
 * Century Potpourri
 * Secret Wind Sword Book

Choices
During free time conversations, the player will occasionally be given a choice on how to respond to something that is said. These are the 'right' choices.
 * Akane and Nekomaru
 * Panda
 * So what do you want?

Skills
These will aid you, usually during Class Trials.
 * Lightning Flash - All counterattacks will become "raging". Effective during Rebutal Showdown.

Quotes

 * “My name is Peko Pekoyama. It is nice to meet you, too.”
 * “I'VE SEEN THROUGH IT”
 * “Killing is foolish... There must be a way to escape this island. We must find it by any means possible...”
 * “I have no such aim. My destination has already been decided. Protect who I must protect, cut who I must cut. That alone is the original purpose of the sword. Wielding a blade in its truest sense in my aim... That is my reason for existing.”
 * “All animals can sense my menacing presence and run away from me. I just...want to touch their soft fur and fluffy feathers to my heart's content...”
 * “Leg strength is crucial for all things, and there is never a downside to training.”
 * “People cannot be judged by the appearances...”
 * “Just as you said, you do not have the presence of a warrior. Even if you lost your actual memories, you would not easily lose your muscle memory. Which means...you are not suited for battle in the slightest.” (to Hajime Hinata)
 * “I, too, would prefer avoid any senseless killing.”
 * “However... there are times when swords must be drawn whether you want that...or not.”
 * “Every human being has a duty to fufill their destiny... That will never change, and...there is no need for it to ever change.”
 * “So we don't get lost...? Is this island really so big?”
 * “However...Pandas are nice. Their white and black fur is very adorable and fluffy... Someday...I would like to try to touch one...”
 * “I can't really smile that well. I've been like this ever since I was young.”
 * “So...just as I thought, there is no way for me to make someone smile since I'm incapable of smiling.”
 * “I learned that smiles give people power.”
 * “My sword is a tool to protect people.”
 * “Smiling is not something you have to force. When your heart gets warm, smiles come to you naturally.”
 * “Thank you. Thank you for making me remember... that which is most important to me.” (to Hajime)
 * “In order to...protect the justice of this world. I do not sully my hands to satisfy personal grudges...”
 * “There is only one reason I kill... For the sake of protecting justice!”
 * “Justice is what makes humans human... It's a virtue that human beings should be proud of.”
 * “Justice is the eternal sun...and the enduring moon... The protective father...and the smiling mother...”
 * “If justice ever disappeared from this world... The world would immediately freeze, and people's smiles would vanish... I... will not allow that...!”
 * “Justice must always be there to guide us, to shine bright above our heads! So I must fight! I must continue to fight to protect justice!”
 * “As the light of justice shines upon my mask...I expose the hearts of malevolent evil...”
 * “Justice Complete!”
 * “The center of justice that is pierced by justice! The lead star of justice that shines in the night sky! That would be me...Sparkling Justice! (｀⌒´)”
 * “I am Sparkling Justice... In the name of sparkling, shining justice, I have come to deliver justice!”
 * “Just like various idols... The sun is revered because it lies beyond your grasp... Justice should also be the same!ヾ(｡｀Д´｡)ﾉ彡☆”
 * “This world must always be bathed in the light of justice. I must not allow even one shadow... Evil must be eliminated immediately! ヽ(｀Д´)ノ”
 * “No matter what, I must not overlook evil! ｀⌒´)”
 * “In order to protect justice...I have become its merciless sword! And...executed justice!”
 * “Hmph, I have already forgotten who I am... It's just shows my determination! My determination to protect by throwing away what's most important!”
 * “I'm willing to become anybody to shower this world with justice! ヾ(｡｀Д´｡)ﾉ彡☆”
 * “I punished evil in the name of justice! There's no reason to condemn me! (O’n’O)”
 * “There's no way...you can kill me... Justice can never be killed! You should all know that as well!”
 * “To protect what's most important to you, you must be prepared to throw away something equally important.”
 * “Justice must carry on!”
 * “In order to keep justice, to keep me, alive, you all must give up your lives!”
 * “If I fall here...who will combat the evils of this world!?”
 * “Now...follow your hearts of justice that reside within you all...and save my life to protect justice...!”
 * “For the sake of grand justice, a few sacrifices are unavoidable!”
 * “Don't worry... The justice that you give your life to protect will never go to waste...”
 * “My duty...has already been finished. My duty as a tool...has already been completed in full.”
 * “I have no purpose... I am just a mere tool...”
 * “A tool cannot do anything on its own.”
 * “I exist as nothing more than a tool...”
 * “I was simply used as a tool. As long as I am a tool, I cannot defy my orders.”
 * “You just don't know that there are people who only exist to be tools... People such as myself.”
 * “They gave me a reason to exist. I am to fultull my duty as my young master's property.”
 * “If my young master is attacked, I must defend him as his shield... If he intends to kill, I must be his sword... That is my only reason for living.”
 * “Before I am human...I am my young master's tool, first and foremost.”
 * “Until this body of mine can no longer move... I shall fulfill my duty until the very end...!”
 * “No matter what I am told, I am nothing but a tool for killing...”
 * “A tool is not defined by its will, but by its actions.”
 * “There is no way I cannot worry about you...” (to Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu)
 * “I am...my young master's tool... A tool to protect my young master... Without an owner...a tool serves no purpose.”
 * “Young master... You have a kind heart, despite being a yakuza...” (to Fuyuhiko)
 * “For you to sacrifice someone else just to escape by yourself... I believe you wouldn't accept that so easily.” (to Fuyuhiko)
 * “I wanted to protect you...” (to Fuyuhiko)
 * “I am terribly sorry I will not be able to serve by your side until the very end...young master... Good Bye.”
 * “Please do not cause a senseless killing such as this...ever again...!”
 * “Just so you know, I will never feel despair. As long as I am a tool...I am fully prepared to die.” (to Monokuma)
 * “I want you to remember... the tool, Peko Pekoyama, who used to stand beside you... I would like it if you remembered that... That's it.”
 * “If you think humans cannot be tools, try telling that to all the men and women out there destined to only ever be means to an end.”
 * “Anyway, until now, I tried to think of myself as being just a tool. I thought it would be fine just as long as I was his tool. But now, I want to accompany him to his destination. I want to see the scenery he sees. Not as a tool… but as a comrade.”

Trivia

 * Peko's first name, (ペコ), is written in katakana (one of two Japanese syllabaries usually used to write loanwords and foreign names) and so doesn't have any special meaning. Pekopeko (ペコペコ), however, is a sound effect (onomatopoeia) often used for bowing. The repetition effect is reflected in her name.
 * “Pekopeko” can also mean “obsequious” or “servile” - befitting the fact she was raised by the Kuzuryu family to be Fuyuhiko's “tool”.
 * Her last name, Pekoyama (辺古山), is composed of 辺 - “border” or “vicinity”, 古 - “old”, and 山 - “mountain”; making the meaning of the name “Pekoyama” something along the lines of “around the old mountain”.
 * Peko's voice actress, Kotono Mitsuishi, also voiced Sailor Moon. She was one of the few voice actors specified by the creators to portray a specific character.
 * She also shares the same birthday as Sailor Moon, June 30.
 * Her report card states that:
 * She likes the color black and hates candy,
 * Her bloodtype is O,
 * Her chest is 33 in.
 * Her free time events reveal that despite her fondness for animals, they always seem to run away from her.
 * She presumably learned about the serial killer Sparkling Justice from Sonia, since she heard Hajime and Sonia talk about the serial killer in the library when the group investigated the second island for the first time.
 * The mask she claims to don in the second trial shares characteristics with one of Japan's most prominent mascots, Peko-chan of Fujiya Co., including the outward sticking tongue.
 * Peko's mask, known as Sunny Witch ♪ Esper Itou-chan, is blond and wears a golden tiara with aquamarine gems - making her somewhat similar in appearance to Sailor Moon.
 * Her death poster in the trial room is crossed out with two blades, in reference to her Ultimate talent.