Ruruka Ando

Ruruka Ando (安藤 流流歌 Andō Ruruka) is a character featured in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy - Side: Future. She is a member of Future Foundation and is the leader of the 8th Division. Her responsibility is to help provide stable food sources.

During her time at Hope's Peak Academy, her title was Ultimate Confectionist (超高校級の「お菓子職人」chō kōkō kyū no "okashi shoukunin.")

Appearance
Ruruka has lilac eyes, short strawberry blonde hair, and a petite, cheerful appearance. She wears a pink jacket with thick fur trimming, yellow shorts, white socks and pink boots with multiple straps. She also has a yellowish hat, where she has pinned her Future Foundation ID. There is also a square pattern on the back of her hat.

Personality
Ruruka is a cunning young woman, who has a strong hatred for people who betray her. She is described to have a mean streak despite her cute appearance. She appears rather manipulative and is not above using her friends to achieve her goals.

Ruruka is a resourceful and skilled negotiator, thanks to her candy which is as addictive as hard narcotics. While she can appear easily annoyed and even mean towards others, she acts very sweet and intimate with her romantic partner Sonosuke Izayoi and often feeds him her candy. It's implied that Sonosuke is addicted to her candy, especially since she once stated that she won't trust anyone who doesn't eat her candy.

Despite being a high ranking member of Future Foundation, she seems skeptical regarding its purpose, at one point stating that, "just like Hope's Peak Academy and Seiko Kimura ", it is rotten to the core. Furthermore, after she learned Seiko's NG Code, she requested her to murder the true leader of the Future Foundation, Kyosuke Munakata.

Prior to the Tragedy
Ruruka has gone to the same school with Sonosuke Izayoi and Seiko Kimura all through elementary, middle and high school. The three met on a road after Seiko failed to save a dying dog in an accident. Ruruka was impressed with Seiko's ability to save the other dying dog with her medicine. Since then, Ruruka and Seiko became friend. Despite being a close friend, she was very disappointed that Seiko always refuses to eat her sweets. Since in the elementary school, Ruruka always relied on Seiko to do jobs for her and appeared quite manipulative towards her, something that constantly annoyed Seiko. Despite that, the two considered each other as close friends. Ruruka is also in a romantic relationship with Sonosuke.

Ruruka is exceptionally skilled at creating candies and other sweets. Her treats are said to be extremely addictive, like hard narcotics. Because of her ability, she was scouted to attend Hope's Peak as a part of the 76th Class as the Ultimate Confectioner.

Episode 04 - The Melancholy, Surprise, and Disappearance of Nagito Komaeda
During their practical exam in their second year, an incident involving Nagito's plot to stop the exam caused Seiko's drug being mixed up by Ruruka and used her super-laxative instead of a strength drug in Ruruka's pastry, combined with Seiko unfortunately receiving Nagito's bomb switch (which was later triggered, resulting in an explosion), resulted in Seiko, Ruruka, and Sonosuke expelled from Hope's Peak Academy an estimated 2-3 years before the Tragedy. Seiko and Ruruka both felt betrayed by one another in some way, placing the blame of expulsion upon each other, causing a rift in their friendship.

Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy - Side: Future
At some point in time after getting recruited by Koichi Kizakura for the Future Foundation, she became the head of the 8th Division. Her responsibility as the 8th Division leader is to help provide stable food sources.

Ruruka is one of the twelve executives that attended Makoto Naegi's trial, and thus became one of the final players in the "Final Killing Game", set by Monokuma.

Episode 01 - Third Time's the Charm
In the episode's opening flashback, Ruruka and the other Future Foundation members were confronted by some of the Remnants of Despair. Eventually, after a long fight on a bridge, Kyosuke, Juzo Sakakura, and Sonosuke were able to restrain Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Peko Pekoyama, Nekomaru Nidai, and Akane Owari.

Ruruka had gathered at the secret off-shore facility alongside the other Future Foundation leaders to discuss what should be done about Makoto Naegi. She questioned the reason why they all had to be in one place, saying if they were attacked they could all be wiped out, while Kazuo Tengan assures her. She happily feeds a macaroon to Sonosuke, who is lying under the table with his head on her lap, and pats his head. After Makoto, Kyoko Kirigiri, and Aoi Asahina arrived at the boardroom, Juzo handcuffed Makoto and injured him in the process. When Hina begins to shout, Ruruka has Sonosuke through a kunai at the wall behind her, threatening that, if she shouted again, she would tell him not to miss next time.

As the building comes under attack, Ruruka questions how the attacker had found this place if it was supposedly secret. When Seiko replied, she turned to glare at her. The sleeping gas is deployed in the boardroom and Ruruka huddles closer to Sonosuke, but both fall unconscious soon after.

As she woke up, Ruruka and the others found a Monokuma wristband has been planted on their wrists. Monokuma who has been resurrected once again held a killing game, the Final Killing Game starring the Future Foundation leaders as the participants. The Killing Game started with Chisa Yukizome's body fell from the ceiling.

Episode 02 - Hang the Witch
After Monokuma announced the rules of the Final Killing Game, Ruruka attempted to give a sweet to Sonosuke as a reward for sticking together with her and protecting her. Unlike the many times before, Sonosuke refused her reward, telling her now was not the time and that they had a dire situation to face.

Later after Daisaku Bandai’s immediate death, Ruruka was surprised and asked if he was attacked. Kyoko confirmed that he was injected with the bracelet’s poison after violating his own NG code. Ruruka refused to tell her NG Code to anyone, saying that there were some people that she didn’t trust. Ruruka and Sonosuke point at Seiko thinking she's the traitor, however the others mistakenly think they're pointing at Makoto since Seiko was hiding behind Juzo.

Following Makoto’s escape, Ruruka and Sonosuke parted from everyone else to hide from the traitor. She confidently said that the traitor had to be Seiko, revealing her hatred for her, Hope’s Peak Academy, and Future Foundation are equal. She was happy that Sonosuke agreed with her.

Episode 03 - Cruel Violence and Hollow Words
Ruruka and Sonosuke are shown relaxing in a lounge, Ruruka having woken up earlier then Sonosuke. She greeted him and attempted to feed him a sweet, but when she was rejected, Ruruka looked at Sonosuke with a confused look.

After Makoto's speech, Ruruka and Sonosuke are shown at the entrance. Ruruka talking about how people who stand out like Makoto would die first. Ruruka told him that he is the only one she can trust, making him promise her he would never betray her. Seiko then wandered into the entrance and when she saw her, Ruruka instantly hid behind Sonosuke and taunting her.

Ruruka accused Seiko as the traitor and the two started to argue. Ruruka saying that Seiko was the one who made the sleeping drugs in their bracelets. This was Seiko's breaking point as she downs a bottle filled with green pills, growing monstrous. Sonosuke quickly grabs Ruruka and ran away as Seiko chasing the two of them.

Episode 04 - Who is a Liar
Ruruka and Sonosuke still trying to run from Seiko by set many traps on the wall. Thanks to Seiko's immunity, all of the traps easily thwarted by her, before she continued to escape, she commented that Seiko's current form was monster-like.

Sometimes later, Sonosuke let Ruruka escape alone while he tried to halt Seiko on a door using himself and barrels as barricades. She tried to calm Seiko and reminded her that they used to be friends. However, Seiko didn't listen to hear excuses and blamed her expulsion from the Academy to Ruruka and believed that she was the traitor. That statement triggered Ruruka and shouted back to her that she was the traitor. Seiko almost managed to break the door and making Ruruka scarred. Sonosuke then decided to brought Ruruka again and continue their escape.

Sonosuke Izayoi
A fellow member of the 76th Class. They are a romantic couple and close since childhood, which is confirmed by their school profiles. Sonosuke rarely speaks and chooses to interact almost exclusively with her. According to the relationship chart, they have a mutual trust and reliance on each other.

Sonosuke is extremely loyal to Ruruka. Ruruka is often shown hugging and latching onto Sonosuke, often being protected by him. She seems to subdue him with her candy, which has been described to be as strong as narcotics. Because of this, their relationship may not be as romantic as interpreted. She appears to treat him a bit like a child at times and her behavior seems quite manipulative. The two seem to be partners, Sonosuke protecting Ruruka, and receiving her treats as a reward.

After Ruruka told Sonosuke not to betray her, he swore he wouldn't "by love and delicious sweets".

Seiko Kimura
A fellow member of the 76th Class. They were once close childhood friends. Seiko always did what Ruruka asked, though Ruruka had a habit to push things off on her.

One day, because of a run-in Seiko had with Nagito Komaeda, she gave Ruruka a laxative drug to put in her sweets instead of a physical enhancer, which were then fed to the examiners. In addition, the two girls and Sonosuke caused a school bombing unintentionally with the bombs set by Nagito. As a result, all three were expelled. Both girls believe the other to be responsible for the event and now mutually distrust one another.

Although it seems that Ruruka has managed to convince herself that Seiko is a traitor, she actually seems to be quite regretful of what had happened in their past. When she and Sonosuke decide to fight Seiko to the death, Ruruka remembers the way she used to think of Seiko: her hero. Ruruka's actions had led Seiko to believe Ruruka was using her, however, it turns out Ruruka had just felt happy about being able to depend on Seiko, and looked up to her because she was able to do anything she asked. Although Ruruka is unaware of it, Seiko felt the same way, and just wanted a friend she could be with.

Daisaku Bandai
Ruruka dislikes Daisaku, as she is easily annoyed by his sayings and "creepy" voice, having no problem acting mean and condescending towards him.

Quotes

 * “I don't want anyone knowing my weakness! I can't trust some people here!”

Trivia

 * Her given name, Ruruka (流流歌), means "outpouring song".
 * Ruruka's last name, Ando (安藤), consists of the words "peace" and "wisteria". The wisteria part of her name could refer to her eye color, which is a light purple.
 * Both "Confectionary" and "菓子" actually comprise both Baker's Confectionary (Pastry/Cakes) and Sugar Confectionary (Candy). In common modern english, Ruruka's talent is closer to that of a Pastry Chef.