| “ | I never erase a photo once I take it. That's my policy. No matter what kind of photo it is, the moment captured in it only exists at that time.
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” |
Mahiru Koizumi (小泉 真昼), is a student of Hope's Peak Academy's Class 77-B, and a participant of the Killing School Trip featured in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. Her title is the Ultimate Photographer (超高校級の「写真家」 lit. Super High School Level Photographer).
She, along with Class 77-B, return in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School to explore their school life leading up to The Tragedy.
History[]
Early Life[]
While Mahiru was growing up, her mother, a war photographer[4], would often show her the photographs she had captured of people smiling amidst the horrors of war. The images had such an impact on Mahiru that she decided to follow in her mother's footsteps as a photographer. But because her mother frequently travels, Mahiru was left to fend for herself with her unemployed father, who never offered any assistance with household chores when her mother was gone. She said that she would have liked to travel the world and capture people's smiles if she hadn't had to take care of her dad.[5]
Mahiru had joined a middle school photography club in an effort to improve her photography skills. During this period, she formed a friendship with Sato. and unwittingly became enemies with Natsumi Kuzuryu, her junior in the photography club who harbored jealousy towards her talent. Sato, who always sides with Mahiru, begins to develop an intense dislike toward Natsumi, and this hatred later grows into a tragedy involving these three girls.[12]
Prior to the Tragedy[]
Attending Hope's Peak Academy[]
With Class 77-B
After Mahiru won numerous photography awards while attending Light Forest Institute[7][8], Hope's Peak noticed her talent and enrolled her in Class 77-B as the Ultimate Photographer. Her distinctive portraits are what make her work stand out.[13] When Mahiru enrolled at Hope's Peak Academy, her friend Sato attended the Hope's Peak Reserve Course Department. Unfortunately for Mahiru and Sato, the ever-problematic Natsumi also attended the Reserve Course.[12]
First Year[]
In Class 77-B, Mahiru got along well with her eccentric classmates, especially Hiyoko Saionji the Ultimate Traditional Dancer, Mikan Tsumiki the Ultimate Nurse, and Ibuki Mioda the Ultimate Musician. Among them, Mahiru grew particularly close to Hiyoko. She introduced these three to Sato as well later on. Mahiru also has a lot of admiration for Chisa Yukizome, the Former Ultimate Housekeeper as well as her homeroom teacher, who was very kind to her and who took note of her friendship with Sato—even if sometimes Mahiru thinks she can be an oddball.[12] It was mentioned that Mahiru has a large circle of friends even beyond Class 77-B thanks to her reliable and caring nature.[14]
Offering Sato her lunchbox
Mahiru frequently spends time eating lunch with Sato in the Reserve Course building. Due to this, Mahiru was once again a convenient target for Natsumi's relentless bullying. However, their hostility has taken on a new dimension as Natsumi turns out to be the younger sister of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, the Ultimate Yakuza who happens to be a classmate of Mahiru.[12]
- Main article: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc #03
Protecting Sato from Natsumi
One day, Mahiru was walking to the Reserve Course building to visit Sato when she heard a commotion coming out from her friend's class. It turned out that Sato and Natsumi were arguing about her. In a playful jab at Mahiru's frequent visits to Reserve Course, Natsumi said that Mahiru goes there mostly to make fun of the talentless, in contrast to herself and Natsumi's brother Fuyuhiko. Mahiru who usually prefers to ignore Natsumi or at least try to be civil with her, eventually became fed up with Natsumi's relentless comments, then brought up the fact that Natsumi's attitude had never changed ever since she joined the photography club. Sato bolstered Mahiru's claim by stating that Natsumi is envious of her since, as the Ultimate Photographer, Mahiru is on an equal footing with her brother in the main course. Just as Natsumi was about to punch Sato, Mahiru stepped in and pulled her out of the classroom, ending the commotion...or so she thought.[12]
Discussing Sato's involvement in Natsumi's murder
One day, together with Sato, Hiyoko, Mikan, and Ibuki, Mahiru discovered a corpse in the music room. The body was later revealed belong to Natsumi's, who was murdered by Sato because the girl had been bullying Mahiru. Sato covered up this truth, said a pervert was responsible for the murder, and persuaded the others not to notify the authorities that they had discovered the corpse. Mahiru took pictures of the body after the other girls left, and then she found evidence in the room next to it that showed Sato was trying to cover up her role in finding the body. Mahiru took a picture of that as well before cleaning it up to protect her friend. The next day Mahiru showed her photos of the body to the other girls, saying they would be useful if the police questioned them, but Sato quickly snatched and destroyed the photos.[15][12] Mahiru secretly held onto the photo of the evidence implicating Sato and confronted her with it the following day. She promised Sato that the evidence was cleaned up, then asked her what really happened. Sato admitted to a horrified Mahiru that she killed Natsumi, then ran away to dispose of the photo.
Sadly, Sato was killed by Fuyuhiko the next day. Mahiru was seen crying on Hiyoko's chest while her classmates watched on in worry.[12] This case was later utilized in the Killing School Trip by Monokuma, serving as the game's second motive and was given the title "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case".
Second Year[]
Following the passing of her close friend, Mahiru's life descended into a never-ending series of tragic events. The deaths of Natsumi and Sato affected Mahiru's morale in class greatly. Not long after incident, Mahiru watched a riot caused by the Reserve Course students after finding out that Hope's Peak Academy used their money for human experiments from her classroom's window along with the rest of her classmates. Without her even knowing, this was all planned by the Ultimate Despair Junko Enoshima and Mahiru alongside her classmates were soon to be involved in what would later known as The Tragedy.[16]
Class 77-B brainwashed
Once Junko had Chisa and Mikan brainwashed, the latter lured Mahiru and the others underground to her hideout. The class entered what appears to be the chamber that would be used for Class Trials later on as Mikan presses a button to open the entrance. As soon as the room's monitors turned on, Junko appeared on the screen. The execution of Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer and her class representative, is initiated by Junko after some explanation, with Mahiru and the rest of the class being forced to watch the horror. No matter how hard Mahiru tried to diverge her eyes from the screen, she just couldn't tear her gaze away. Bearing witness to Chiaki's death caused the brainwashing effect of the video to take hold of Class 77-B, plunging them into despair.[17]
Watching the academy's destruction
Fully brainwashed into becoming the Ultimate Despair, Mahiru and her classmates received their final lesson before "graduation", the one final meeting to discuss their plan to overthrow the world with despair. Mahiru expressed she would "take beautiful pictures" of Hiyoko's wish to "spread joy" through her dance. Chisa then activated a bomb that faked the death of Class 77-B so they could be taken off the list of protected students. Mahiru and her class stood outside the school grounds as they watched Hope's Peak's destruction.[18]
The Tragedy[]
Photographing Sonia and her army
Mahiru joined the Ultimate Despair after falling prey to Junko's brainwashing.[18] Alongside her corrupted classmates, she started The Tragedy and kept it ongoing even after Junko's death in the final stage of the Killing School Life. Mahiru and her classmates who did not commit suicide to follow their leader Junko soon became known as the Remnants of Despair. They also hacked her body and grafted them onto themselves—though in Mahiru's case, the specific body parts she took remain unknown..[19] Her infamous contributions as the Ultimate Despair include photographing Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess, who commands a mind-controlled army wearing Monokuma helmets, to spread her despair-inducing photographs to the world.[20]
Remnants of Despair
Eventually, the Future Foundation secured the custody of Mahiru and the other fourteen - at first only aware that they were survivors from Hope's Peak Academy. When Makoto Naegi, Class 78th's Ultimate Lucky Student, by that time a member of the 14th Division of the Future Foundation, realized that the survivors were in fact, Remnants of Despair, he quickly directed them to Jabberwock Island in secret.[19]
Neo World Program
Makoto made them enter the Neo World Program, where their memories were reset to a time prior to their entering Hope's Peak Academy, before they were manipulated by Junko - resulting in all of them not recognizing each other.[19] The plan was to overwrite Mahiru and the others' memories of themselves as Ultimate Despair, replacing them with good ones in order to undo all the damage Junko had done to them. Even her memories of middle school related to Sato and Natsumi seem to have been erased, as she couldn't remember either of them after playing Twilight Syndrome Murder Case.[21]
The scheme backfired when Izuru Kamukura, the Ultimate Hope and the final product of the Izuru Kamukura Project, uploaded Junko's malware AI just before they were to be programmed. Consequently, they were subjected to the identical brutal incident that befell Class 78th, although in a realistically simulated environment. The killing game became known as the Killing School Trip, an ordeal that Mahiru and the other Remnants of Despair were coerced into participating.[19]
Killing School Trip[]
- Main article: Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
Killing School Trip participants
Alongside fourteen other Remnants of Despair and one Future Foundation observer, Mahiru participated Killing School Trip. It took place inside a virtual world known as the Neo World Program, which resembles Jabberwock Island. Due to her memories as the Ultimate Despair and life in Hope's Peak Academy was erased by the Future Foundation, she couldn't recognize any of her classmates, even Hiyoko who was one of her closest friends.[19]
Mahiru initially crossed paths with Hajime Hinata, a Reserve Course student and fellow classmate of the late Sato—who, little did she know, was actually Izuru Kamukura all along—while she was hanging out outside the old building in Hotel Mirai. Ever so strict and uptight with men, Mahiru wasted no time lecturing Hajime, who recoiled in fear as she described the group's must-have task—gathering Hope Fragments—before they could leave the island. Despite her attitude, Mahiru admitted that she was concerned at first due to suddenly being transported to a strange tropical island. However, her fears gradually faded as she explored the island and interacted with other students.[22]
Playing at the beach with everyone
Later, Mahiru and the others gathered at the first island's beach, assembled by Usami, the observer of the school trip, an AI programmed by the Future Foundation, who claimed to be the class's teacher. She reassured the students that there was no need to worry and provided Mahiru and the others with swimsuits, encouraging them to fully enjoy their "school trip". Mahiru couldn't contain her excitement, changing into her swimsuit before joining her classmates playing at the beach. Following Usami's suggestion that they throw a party, Mahiru enthusiastically suggests a campfire.[22]
The Killing School Trip begins
However, just as Mahiru was starting to get excited about the "school trip," Monokuma, the self-proclaimed headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy hijacked their trip and turned it into a killing game. Alongside the others, she was forced to yield to him for the time being after watching Usami, who had been left powerless and renamed Monomi, being blasted to pieces by the Monobeasts.[22]
Despite the challenges posed by the Killing School Trip, Mahiru's determination to do what's best for everyone shone through. She maintained her rigorous attitude toward men, particularly the cowardly Ultimate Mechanic, Kazuichi Soda, whom she had to drag off from his room to the hotel restaurant to kick off their morning meeting. At the meeting, Mahiru disagreed with the Ultimate Imposter (who was pretending to be Byakuya Togami) and did not want them to be the group's leader since, in her opinion, they were too annoyingly aggressive. She had a preference for Sonia and attempted to persuade her to take the lead, primarily because she believed that Sonia's status as the Ultimate Princess qualified her for the position. However, Sonia informed her that her position was merely for "decoration" and that a leader would have protected their men, something the Imposter appeared willing to do. It was for this reason that Mahiru grudgingly acknowledged the Imposter as the leader.[23]
Girls-only gathering
If Hajime had a certain magazine with him, he could hand it to Mahiru, who becomes restless due to the motive. This would trigger a bonus scene where Mahiru holds a girls-only gathering—with Hajime as the exception—where they make desserts together to ease the tension.[23]
Scolding the Imposter at the party
As the official leader, Ultimate Imposter, suggested holding a party at the old building, Mahiru offered to take pictures.[23] The whole time she didn't realize that the party was thrown to save her and the others from Nagito Komaeda's, the Ultimate Lucky Student, murderous plan. Amidst the lively party, a blackout occurred at the party, and Mahiru was sent into a state of shock after discovering the body of Ultimate Imposter under the table thereafter. Despite the initial argument that they had, Mahiru had already considered the Ultimate Imposter as a friend, and that's why she became determined to solve their murder and encouraged Hajime to do the same. [24]
The old building layout by Mahiru
Mahiru made use of photos she had shot at the party and had even planned them out so that everyone could see the room's condition before the blackout. The students use this photo to piece together the events leading up to the Class Trial when Nagito is revealed to have planned the blackout and to discover that the Ultimate Cook, Teruteru Hanamura, was actually the one responsible for the murder of the Ultimate Imposter. Mahiru and the others, minus Teruteru who was later executed by Monokuma, survived the first Class Trial.[24]
People were furious and began to despise Nagito after they found out he directly caused the death of the Imposter and Teruteru, most notably, Kazuichi and the Ultimate Team Manager, Nekomaru Nidai, who bound Nagito in the old building. The equally upset but sympathetic Mahiru, thought that they were going too far and that the group shouldn't let Nagito starve to death. Despite her best intentions, she ended up giving up on feeding Nagito breakfast since she was so irritated with him. Instead, Mahiru forced Hajime to deliver Nagito the food she had already prepared, and went on to spend time together with Hiyoko. In fact, Mahiru and Hiyoko's friendship blossoms on the very same day after she was willing to help Hiyoko solve her problem by showering with her and teaching her how to tie her kimono obi.[25] They became close, just as they had when they were students at Hope's Peak Academy. Creator Kazutaka Kodaka later explained that Hiyoko's school memories with Mahiru are very precious to her, which is why she became close to her despite losing her memories in the Neo World Program.[14]
Twilight Syndrome Murder Case[]
Mahiru (Girl D) and others discovered a girl's (Natsumi) corpse.
Mahiru's attempt to feed Nagito wasn't her last encounter with him. In fact, Mahiru met with Nagito again, who later encouraged her to play the second motive that Monokuma has prepared, the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case. Mahiru decided not to play it until she received a file filled with real-life photos from Fuyuhiko, who won the prize as he was the first one to attain the game's true ending. Unbeknownst to Mahiru, the game is based on the real-life murder case of Natsumi Kuzuryu, Fuyuhiko's sister, and her late best friend, Sato, so it includes everyone involved in the murder as game characters. Mahiru, for example, plays the role of Girl D, alongside Hiyoko, Mikan, and Ibuki, who were among the students who found Natsumi's body. After finishing the game, Mahiru learned that the player character Guy F—the person who killed Sato—was actually Fuyuhiko, who sought revenge for his sister's murder. Depressed and terrified by what the game showed her, Mahiru spends her last days trying to gather the other girls in the game to discuss it.[21]
Mahiru's Fate[]
While Mahiru and Hiyoko were discussing the motive, Peko quietly listened in
Hiyoko was the only one to accept Mahiru's invitation to the beach house; Mikan declined, and Ibuki—who had accepted—was later advised by Mahiru not to go since she and Mikan were already scheduled to go on Sonia's girls-only swimming trip. After this, Mikan felt immense remorse and even blamed herself for indirectly allowing the impending tragedy, and Ibuki felt guilty too that she would later hold a concert in Mahiru's honor. While Mahiru and Hiyoko were about to talk about the Twilight Syndrome murder case, Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman, who had been working as Fuyuhiko's hitwoman behind the scenes before and during the Killing School Trip, overheard them. Determined to let her young master escape the killing game, Peko devised a scheme to ruin Mahiru and Hiyoko's rendezvous. She promptly sent them a false message to pull it off. Peko instructed Hiyoko to meet Mahiru at Beach House at 2:00 p.m. in a message signed by Mahiru, and at 2:30 p.m., Peko sent a message signed by Hiyoko to Mahiru.[21]
Mahiru's body
Arriving at the beach home at precisely 2:30 p.m., Mahiru found herself embroiled in a dispute with Fuyuhiko on the current motive. She told him it was wrong to kill Sato just for revenge, which made Fuyuhiko furious. Similar to the final scene in Twilight Syndrome Murder Case, where a metal bat was used to bludgeon Sato to death, Peko struck Mahiru in the head with the same murder weapon right before Fuyuhiko intervened, preventing Fuyuhiko from carrying out the same deed. Without experiencing any pain, Mahiru died instantly. Peko promptly sent her young master out from the crime scene and placed Mahiru's corpse on the door facing the road. This was done to stop Hiyoko, who had been drugged earlier by Peko, from leaving through that door. Peko then placed the mask of the Sun Witch ♪ Esper Ito next to Mahiru's body as her "calling card." Hiyoko who was left unconscious in the closet of the beach house during this time soon woke up, saw Mahiru's body, and escaped the beach house via the front door.[21]
Thanks to Hajime, Nagito, and Chiaki's efforts—and to Hiyoko's testimony—the truth behind Mahiru's death is brought to light. It is also important to note that Fuyuhiko also refused the claim that Peko was acting as his mere tool, which meant that everyone's vote for Peko was valid. Peko remorsefully apologizes for taking Mahiru's life and begs the class not to let anyone else die like her again shortly before she was executed by Monokuma. Mahiru's deceased portrait in the class trial courtroom can be seen from the second trial onwards.
Mahiru's memorial
Following Mahiru's passing, Hiyoko erected a shrine to her using photographs that Mahiru had taken in gratitude for her kindness and memory. The fact that the memorial exudes a "creepy and unsettling" aura is beside the point, according to Chiaki, who emphasized that the creator had good intentions. Apologizing for the memorial's appearance, Hiyoko begins to cry and confesses she created it out of concern that Mahiru would be lonely. Hiyoko then asks them not to burn it, to which the others agree, keeping it up for Hiyoko and Mahiru's sake.[26]
Memorial Jam Session
If Hajime had the Toy Camera, Hiyoko, alongside Ibuki and Chiaki, would hold the Memorial Jam Session in memory of Mahiru. It had been Mahiru's wish to take pictures of Hiyoko dancing and Ibuki playing an instrument. And so, Hiyoko danced while Ibuki played the guitar and Chiaki joined to play the triangle, as Hajime took pictures with the Toy Camera—hoping that despite their differences in style, their harmonized performance could reach not only Mahiru but also the late Imposter, Teruteru, and Peko.[26]
Later on, Fuyuhiko, who was involved in Mahiru's murder, showed his remorse by slitting his own stomach.[26] In his Free Time Events, Fuyuhiko mentioned that the first thing he would do if he were to survive the Killing School Trip was to hold a funeral for Mahiru, Peko, and Natsumi.[27] He also mentioned Mahiru's name while criticizing Kazuichi's rudeness toward Chiaki, saying that if Mahiru were alive, Kazuichi would have been scolded by now.[28]
Mahiru briefly reappeared as an illusion shortly before the countdown ended, as the Neo World Program began glitching. She accompanied the remaining survivors to watch the video message Nagito left behind after his death, which revealed the password to the Ancient Ruins. Later, she scolded Kazuichi for hesitating to enter the ruins. However, she vanished once the survivors stepped inside the ruins.[29]
The illusory Mahiru was later conjured during the game reset sequence of the final class trial, a scenario made by Alter Ego Junko to persuade Hajime and the remaining survivors to graduate. Had she succeeded, it would have allowed her to upload her AI into the comatose bodies of the "dead" Remnants of Despair, effectively reviving them as copies of herself. In this sequence, Mahiru wanted to commemorate the moment by taking a picture.[19]
Post-Killing School Trip[]
Revived Mahiru and her classmates
After Alter Ego Junko's defeat, Mahiru remained in a coma alongside her classmates, while the survivors waited for them to wake.[19] Eventually, Izuru Kamukura—now merged with Hajime's personality and memories—revived them. Purged of Junko's brainwashing, Mahiru who was now alive and awake from Neo World Program, boarded the boat with the rest of Class 77-B and they all then headed for the Future Foundation HQ, to stop the Final Killing Game involving Future Foundation leaders.[6]
Resurrection and atonement[]
Interrupting the SHSL Marksman
Mahiru and her classmates arrived at the island where the Future Foundation's off-shore facility was located, having left from Jabberwock Island. Having rescued Byakuya Togami and Yasuhiro Hagakure, two members of the Future Foundation and survivors of the Killing School Life, from beneath the rubble, the group set out to confront their one and only classmate, Ryota Mitarai, the Ultimate Animator, who Junko had coerced into creating the brainwashing video that transformed Mahiru and the others into the Ultimate Despair.[16][30] Unlike Mahiru and the rest, he avoided being turned into Ultimate Despair due to his contribution. Thus, the Class 77-B's fight with the brainwashed rescue squad troops, including the Former Super High School Level Elite Task Force, began.[31]
Celebrating their victory over the enemies with Ibuki
Venturing into the underwater facility beneath the main building, Mahiru saved Ibuki from being sniped by the former Super High School Level Marksman. The flash of Mahiru's camera caused temporary blindness for the squad member, enabling Mahiru to remove her noise canceling headphones and causing her to fall unconscious. Mahiru and Ibuki share a high five once all squad members are unconscious.[31]
Confronting Ryota
Later, Mahiru helped convince Ryota to abandon his plan to brainwash the world. During the confrontation, Ryota expressed his belief that he and the other Remnants of Despair could never be forgiven for allowing Junko to plunge the world into despair. In response, Hajime offered Ryota the chance to join them in returning to Jabberwock Island to atone for their sins together. Ryota eventually broke down in tears and agreed, stopping the countdown mere seconds before the brainwashing was completed. Mahiru and the others later came to his side to comfort him.[31]
Claiming themselves as the mastermind behind the Final Killing Game
Mahiru and the other former Remnants of Despair shouldered the blame for the Final Killing Game by sending a broadcast video to the Future Foundation. They presented themselves in their despair personas and preserved the Future Foundation's credibility and power to rebuild the world. Having accomplished their atonement, Mahiru and her classmates returned to Jabberwock island by boat, and she was last seen celebrating with her closest friends: Hiyoko, Mikan, and Ibuki.[31]
Real Fiction[]
- Main article: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
Mahiru cosplayed by Tsumugi Shirogane.
In Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, it is alleged by the mastermind Tsumugi Shirogane, the Ultimate Cosplayer, that the entire Danganronpa franchise is fictional in-universe; a series of games, anime, and later live-action dramas performed actors. In particular, Tsumugi, who is the Ultimate Cosplayer, claims she is only able to cosplay fictional characters (breaking out into a bright pink rash whenever she tries to cosplay a real person), and the fact she is able to cosplay as the whole cast of Danganronpa characters including Mahiru Koizumi is used as evidence to support her claim that all of the cast are fictional. However, due to a number of holes in Tsumugi's story which make her an unreliable narrator, whether or not she was telling the truth is deliberately left up to the player's interpretation; as a result, it is up to the player whether they believe Mahiru's story within the Danganronpa series was real, or a fictional story written by Team Danganronpa and performed by an actor.[32]
Creation and Development[]
| Translation Credit: Kaibutsushidousha on Tumblr |
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According to the creator, Kazutaka Kodaka, Mahiru's "genericness" and "realisticness" as a high school student—design and personality-wise—become her greatest appeals when grouped with the more eccentric characters. Additionally, he reveals that he assigned her the title Ultimate Photographer as part of a murder plot he had already devised.[33]
Mahiru's character design was in fact, used as a base for all Danganronpa 2 characters by the character designer, Rui Komatsuzaki during the very early stages of the game's production. The concept for Mahiru's design originated from Komatsuzaki's vision of a female protagonist in Danganronpa 2, before the developers had a firm grasp on the plot. At the time, his concept for the protagonist was based on Mahiru's original beta design, which included a "girl not that pretty" with red bob hair and white clothes. Despite the protagonist's proposal being rejected in less than two seconds, he persisted in using it as a template for a female character until they finally landed on her present role, and Mahiru Koizumi was finally allowed to see the light of day. Komatsuzaki agreed with Kodaka that she sticks out for being ordinary because she is constantly surrounded by dense designs.[33]
In an interview with Kodaka and Danganronpa 3's animation producer, Yuji Higa, from the Otomedia Winter 2016 issue, Kodaka revealed that Mahiru would be a good protagonist of a Danganronpa 3 spinoff due to her serious personality. She would probably think about how she and the former members of Ultimate Despair have to carry their sin.[34]
Alongside Kodaka and Komatsuzaki, Yū Kobayashi, Mahiru's Japanese voice actress, commented on her character:
- "Mahiru Koizumi is a normal girl that feels like the only decent person in that crowd of quirky characters. She's like the class president who likes to take care of others, being especially kind and considerate to the girls. But as much as she's good to the girls, she's cold and even harsh to the boys (laughs). I think her most likable trait is that she's a realistic girl you can find anywhere. Enjoy the photographer girl's 'Say cheese!' voice clip."[33]
Name[]
Her last name (小泉) literally translates to "little fountain", while her first name (真昼) means "midday", or "broad daylight". Kodaka says that Mahiru is a favorite name of his because it conveys positivity and passion, which is indicative of her character.[33]
Alternate Fates[]
Island Mode and Ultimate Talent Development Plan exist in two separate alternate universes where Mahiru still attends Hope's Peak Academy, but no students are in peril. As they are alternate universes, these events are non-canonical, but because Mahiru's personality is unchanged, backstory information shared by her in these events is considered questionably or dubiously canonical rather than fully non-canonical.
Free Time Events are also considered somewhat questionably canonical due to the nature of how Free Time Events are accessed (in that some characters' Free Time Events cannot be fully completed during the course of the canon game storyline due to limitations on the number of interactions you can have with them during one playthrough, and thus can only be accessed after they have canonically died either through a second playthrough or via Island Mode). However, due to Free Time Events being largely experienced during the canon game storyline, Free Time Events are more grounded in canon than Island Mode and Ultimate Talent Development Plan and are largely considered canon by the majority of players.
Appearance[]
Mahiru has fair skin with light freckles flecked across her cheeks. She has vivid red hair cut in a short, smooth bob, with choppy bangs. Her eyes are a rather dark olive green. She wears a white uniform dress shirt with short sleeves and a chest pocket, with a red-and-white plaid tie at her collar. On top of this, she wears an olive green school jumper with a pleated skirt. Her legwear consists of a darker olive knee-high socks with lighter colored lines running around the cuff, with olive-black flat sneakers with white laces and soles. Her former school's symbol can be found on her shirt's sleeves, her jumper's chest, and her socks' cuffs. Mahiru can be seen with a black digital camera, appearing to be modeled after a Canon product, but with no discernable specific brand. It is hung around her body with an orange strap, a thin yellow line running through the center, attached with silver buckles.
During her high school years, she wears the standard Hope's Peak Academy uniform with black knee-high socks and the same shoes she wears during the Killing School Trip. Her hair appears to be slightly shorter and thinner.
As a member of the Ultimate Despair, she wears a white, short-sleeved, collarless t-shirt with a pair of denim shorts and thigh-high socks of a dark color. She appears to be wearing the same shoes as she wore in her first appearance. She is equipped with a black photography satchel that is hung around her body, and the same camera that she usually carries around with her on the daily.
Her swimsuit in Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp consists of a blue and white polka-dot bikini, a halter neck top styled with a knotted bow at the front, and matching high-cut bikini bottoms. She also carries her camera with an orange strap around her body, much like she did during the Killing School Trip.
.png "Danganronpa 3 - Character Profiles - Mahiru Koizumi (Despair design sketches).png (728 KB)")
_Preview.png "DRS - Mahiru Koizumi Sprite (Swimsuit) Preview.png (154 KB)"){kind=icon}
(Danganronpa S)
Personality[]
Mahiru is a sensible and optimistic girl who is generally rather calm and unafraid to speak her mind. She initially comes off as confident but is later revealed to have self-esteem issues. It is evidenced by Mahiru's constant comparing of her photographs to those of her mother, a famous war photographer whose career led her to be absent from home for much of Mahiru's life.[4] However, she finds it frustrating since others too always compare her style to her mother's, and that despite her love for photography, she feels her title is stupid compared to her classmates.[13]
Meanwhile, unlike her successful mother, her father was a very poor parent, leaving the responsibility of the housework entirely to her. This is one of the main reasons why Mahiru has high expectations of men and is quick to be abrasive toward them due to having to take care of her dad growing up, preventing her from pursuing her dream of traveling the world to take pictures of people's smiles.[5] An example is when she immediately labeled Hajime as "Unreliable Hajime" after he passed out upon being transported to Jabberwock Island, saying it would be hard for him to change her mind unless he mans up enough to protect the girls.[13] When Hajime was being scolded by Mahiru, he likened it to being yelled at by his mom.[5] However, when men meet her expectations, Mahiru is willing to reevaluate her first impressions. She upgraded Hajime from 'Unreliable Hajime' to 'Sometimes Helpful Hajime' after he handed her a magazine she needed.[23] Despite initially opposing the idea of the Ultimate Imposter (disguised as Byakuya) becoming the group's leader, she was genuinely devastated by their death.[24] She even once remarked that Nagito seemed like he would make a good stay-at-home dad.[23]
Mahiru is much more tolerant and friendly to girls. In the original Japanese, she refers the girls in her class with their first name and "-chan" honorifics, while she refers the guys casually with their last name only. The subjects of her photos are usually of girls and explains that she easily gets bored of photographing guys. She loves taking photos of people's smiles, and it's revealed in her Free Time Events that she recorded everything in Jabberwock Island so that they won't forget, except for the guys which she only recorded once every three days.[35] She also seems to have a playful side as she enjoys teasing people like Hajime by taking pictures of his "stupid" or "weird" faces.[36][37]
Mahiru is also known for being protective, loving, and incredibly tolerant, especially towards girls, which is demonstrated by her friendship with Hiyoko, Mikan, and Ibuki. With Hiyoko, although they are the same age, Mahiru treats Hiyoko like a younger sister and becomes very close to her, even teaching her how to tie her sash.[25] Mahiru shows much patience and kindness with Hiyoko, despite Hiyoko's clinginess and frequent immature behavior. As a result, Mahiru becomes Hiyoko's favorite and one of the few people she genuinely loves and respects and vice versa; she even starts calling her "Big Sis."[25] Since Mahiru is so tolerant, she becomes close friends with Hiyoko even though Hiyoko has terrible manners most of the time. Mahiru, unlike Hiyoko, is extremely kind to Mikan since she knows how shy she is. Mahiru expresses more concern for Mikan than anyone else, although she is also surprised by everyone else's clumsiness.[23] Mahiru says Mikan takes "skill" to tumble into awkward poses. When Mikan fell into a compromising position, Mahiru would try to cheer her up by telling her to be careful next time; she would also be furious at anyone who made fun of her or threatened her.[23] Due to Mahiru's attentiveness towards her, Mikan commented how well Mahiru takes care of others.[21] She also gets along well with Ibuki, who has a contrasting personality with her, even stating that she wanted to take pictures of her while jamming on an instrument.[26]
Mahiru wants to help as many people as she can, but it'd be a mistake to call her a pushover. She doesn't hesitate to scold those who are rude to her and despite her complaints, she does really good at taking care of people.[5] Due to her upbringing, she is highly perceptive when it comes to others neglecting their well-being, regardless of gender. She quickly notices details such as Kazuichi's soiled jumpsuit and Hajime's dirty sleeve, even offering to wash it for him.[5] She also frequently worries about Mikan's clumsy behavior and, notably, offers to help Hiyoko tie her sash. She's also a highly empathetic person even caring about those who treated her poorly as shown by her utter regret over Natsumi's murder and trying to make amends with Fuyuhiko despite both of them mistreating her. Even though she was upset with Nagito for what occurred to Teruteru and the Ultimate Imposter, she was the first to bring him food and worry about him being chained in the old building.[25]
When confronted with injustice, Mahiru's sympathetic character, raw emotions, and unwavering sense of justice are on full display. This is demonstrated when she finds the body of the Ultimate Imposter and allows her grief to drive her resolve to uncover who murdered them.[24] Another example is when, despite Fuyuhiko's reputation for aggression and violence, Mahiru confronts him about Sato's death and tells him that vengeance is wrong for whatever reason.[21] This is all the more striking when one considers that by that time, Mahiru still had her school memories of Sato erased and relied solely on the information presented in the game.
Talent and Abilities[]
Ultimate Photographer[]
From a young age, Mahiru was inspired to become a photographer like her mother, who was a famous war photographer.[5] Despite being young, she won numerous photographer awards and became famous for her skill at taking portraits.[13] Mahiru's core belief as a photographer is photos depict everything. Whether it's beautiful or horrible, it's the duty of a photographer to keep taking photos, which is why in any kind of situation, Mahiru doesn't mind snapping photos.[4] However, Mahiru isn't fond of selfies and rarely takes pictures of herself.[14][36] She also has no interest in still life photography, as she believes that "proper subjects have to have facial expressions".[37]
Even though she specializes in multiple photography categories, Mahiru's favorite involves taking portraits of smiling people. She could take a perfect shot of someone's smile and according to Hajime, he never saw someone smile so bright and heartwarming until he saw Mahiru's photos. Traveling the world and capturing the joy on the faces of people from different backgrounds has long been her dream as well.[5] In Island Mode, she states that she enjoys ambient and picturesque places, as they can naturally make people smile.[37] Despite that, she expressed her dislike towards boys by not taking many pictures of them.[4] At some point during the Killing Game, however, Mahiru secretly took a picture of Fuyuhiko and Peko together. The photo was later displayed on her memorial, where Fuyuhiko saw it and became emotional, as it portrayed them like equals for the first time.[38]
Compared to her mother's theme, Mahiru's is considered too conventional and many people don't really care to judge it and expect her to take pictures of different objects, as they believe that she could produce more "amazing" results. She became tired of receiving constant insincere compliments to her photos, such as "amazing" and "awesome". This is why Mahiru felt both bashful and touched when Hajime said that looking at her photos let him "realize what's actually important in front of you."[4] As a result of this remark, Mahiru was grateful that Hajime tried to take her picture during her last Free Time Event per her request, even though the result was "goofy," according to her. The shot remains a favorite of hers, and she went so far as to say she likes it as much as photos her mom would take, complimenting it as "a record of myself as you see me," mirroring Hajime's heartfelt comment.[36]
| Ultimate Photographer official translations in other languages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Talent | Translation | |
| Japanese | 超高校級の「写真家」 | Super High School Level Photographer | |
| French | La Photographe Ultime | The Ultimate Photographer | * |
| Ultime Photographe | Ultimate Photographer | * | |
| German | Super-Highschool-Fotografin | Super Highschool Photographer | * |
| Italian | Super Fotografa Liceale | Super High School Level Photographer | * |
| Spanish (Mexico) | Superfotografa de preparatoria | Super High School Photographer | * |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Super Colegial Fotógrafa | Super High School Photographer | * |
Free Time Events & Bonus Mode Guides[]
The links below are full transcripts and in depth guides for Mahiru Koizumi's relationship routes in Free Time Events, Island Mode, Ultimate Talent Development Plan, and Danganronpa S Development Mode including her MonoMono Machine Present preferences and most effective dialogue options.
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| Free Time Events | Island Mode | Ultimate Talent Development Plan |
Danganronpa S Development Mode |
Quotes[]
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (English)
Prologue:
- "Let's see... I'm Mahiru Koizumi. I'll be counting on you from now on."
- "I'm eager to get along with everyone so we can get off this island, but I was worried things wouldn't go well."
- "Sorry to disappoint you, but I've already made a mental note to remember you as "Unreliable Hajime". It's gonna be tough for you to change my mind. You better man up and try even harder to do your best!"
Chapter 1:
- "Hey, straigten up a little more! Shouldn't a man like you be embarrassed to walk like that?"
- "She's beyond being just a clumsy girl. That fall of hers was like a magic trick or something..."
- "Hey! You may talk like you're tough, wiseguy, but you wouldn't be here unless you were scared, too! I guess even a big bad yakuza like you must've been scared of that monster, huh?"
- "I had a lot on my mind, and I don't know if I'll ever get the answers I'm looking for..."
- "Even cleaning has its limits..."
- "E-Everyone, calm down! We gotta stay calm in a situation like this!"
- "I don't have enough confidence to investigate the body...and it's not like I have the brains either... I'll just stay by Byakuya's side. That's the least I can do. That's what guard duty is, right?"
- "Something like this...is the only thing we can do in order to stay alive..."
- "I don't like it either but...we won't survive...if we don't go through with it."
- "Getting cheered up by a boy isn't like me at all!"
- "Anyway...I won't dwell on it for now. I can't become a burden to everyone. You better work hard on your investigation too! How much longer are you planning to stand around? Do you understand what's going on? You gotta find out how Byakuya died."
- "You... How can you say something so irresponsible...!? We've been doing our best to investigate this murder, even though we don't want to, just to survive!"
- "C-Complaining won't get us anywhere! If you're really a man, then man up for god's sake! We've come this far... We have no choice but to keep moving forward..."
- "Hey, weren't you guys taught any basic manners!? Or were you raised in a locker room!?"
- "Hey, what's the deal? Don't butt into other people's business, especially if you didn't do any investigating."
- "It's scary but...doing our best is our only option. There's no way I'm doing what Nagito said."
- "Hey! Why are you threatening her?!"
Chapter 2:
- "Of course! Escaping from this island is our main goal!"
- "Jeez, this goes for Fuyuhiko too, but...you boys should really get a hold of yourselves!"
- "S-So what? Don't say things that don't make sense!"
- "Even though I think what Teruteru did was stupid, it'd be bad if I allowed Monokuma to influence me, too. That's right, I'm never gonna follow Monokuma's orders...!"
- "I know you like video games, but if you don't get out in the sun more, you'll get sick. And you know, it's important to get to know the others better too! So let's play games outside. I'm sure they have stuff like jump rope and bamboo-copter at the supermarket. Then you can play with us after breakfast. Good deeds should be done quickly, as they say."
- "Jeez, all this fighting... I can tell it's not going to be easy in the future..."
- "But regardless, I will never kill anyone. I mean, it's impossible."
- "N-No. It's fine. It's important that everyone gets along anyway! Just tell them I'm not feeling well... Plus...it doesn't have to be today. There's...always tomorrow..." (to Ibuki)
- "The fact that your sister was killed is terrible... It's unfortunate...but... You shouldn't have killed that girl! You had no right do to that! Nobody has the right to judge others for their crimes! Revenge...is just wrong!"
Chapter 5:
- "48805:/:lf~|@;:wanttomakeamends;l"----?*saycheeseL68(smile:$2243+Leveryo*ne" (Mahiru's cottage post fifth-trial)
- "It's so unreliable to be freaked out like that... You're a man, aren't you?"
- "I want a record that right now, we're all living together in this place... It's pretty simple...but in this kind of situation, it's easy for us to forget that, you know? So I decided to make a record of everyone each day so we won't forget."
- "Words like "awesome" and "amazing" aren't words of praise at all. They sound half-assed and insincere... I really hate when people say stuff like that."
- "Photos depict everything, whether it's beautiful or horrible. That's the truth contained in these images... That's why no matter what situation we're in, it's a photographer's duty to keep taking photos. ..That's basically what my mom taught me."
- "Actually, I don't know what to do. Is it really okay for me to just keep taking photos of the world I live in...? I want to visit different worlds and take pictures of people's sparkling smiles there, just like my mom... But I guess life isn't so simple. I mean, if I go overseas, my dad's gonna be all alone..."
- "I never erase a photo once I take it. That's my policy. No matter what kind of photo it is, the moment captured in it only exists at that time."
- "No matter what the photographer does, it's the subject that needs to ready themselves."
- "A blue sky and people's smiles are my favorite pairing."
- "Proper subjects have to have facial expressions! Compared to that thing, Usami's a much better choice!"
- "Well that's obvious! Anyone who would take photos during a movie doesn't deserve to hold a camera!"
- "Since there's some weird things on this island, it's better to be safe than sorry..."
- "You're right. I need to do my best."
- "After meeting you, I feel like I was able to find myself, you know? A version of myself that I never would've discovered if I was just taking pictures on my own..."
- "If you weren't here with me, I... I wouldn't have realized something important. This feeling of cherishing someone like this... I feel like I forgot about it this whole time. So... Thank you... really. Thank you for finding me."
Ultimate Talent Development Plan:
- "Geez...you're a boy, y'know? That means you need to get your act together. Well, maybe you're just nice to a fault... But that's better than being a jerk like most boys. I support your goal of becoming a gentleman. Set a good example for the other boys, okay?"
- "Miu...this match won't be fair if you use your inventions! You can't rely on them all the time!"
Danganronpa S Development Mode:
- "I have a very important job for the duration of this camp--to capture everyone's smiling faces!"
- "It may be in your nature as a detective to keep your emotions hidden away, but... Those who've spent time with you pick up on these little things, you know?"
- "But you know, you really should practice moderation with your Sonia ogling. That creepy expression will be preserved forever in photographs, juuust saying."
- "You make every boy on the planet look like a perfect gentleman in comparison."
- "Childhood goes by in a flash. It'll be nice to look back several years down the line."
- "How can my photos benefit the coming generation? I've been thinking a lot about that lately."
- "Though...the thought of a world without cameras makes me feel sort of lonely."
- "Maybe I've been too much of a photography purist. Maybe I should embrace the changing times. Jeez, that can't be a good sign. I'm a teenager, not some stubborn camera granny."
- "It's crazy to imagine all the ways photos affect our lives now that everyone has a camera."
- "Every picture has a story... A story for those in the picture and those around them. That's one aspect of photographs I fell in love with."
- "I'll capture every single moment you want to preserve forever. Just leave it to me!"
- "The people around you see a side of you you can't. I look at all these pictures and I think, wow, I didn't realize I made that face. It's like I'm learning something new about myself. So it might be fun to get together with friends and have everyone take pictures of each other."
- "Learning anything is a slow process."
- "Every photographer needs a sixth sense for where they might find good shots."
- "*sigh* To have the unbridled confidence of a man. I'm amazed Maki and Shuichi put up with you."
- "You're a lawsuit just waiting to happen."
- "A meal good enough for a photo is enough to lift your mood on its own, right?"
- "I feel the same. I've made so many friends, and I doubt I could cut off even the less savory ones."
- "My camera's filled to the brim with so many smiles. This is what I love about photography!"
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School/Despair Arc (English)
- "I can't stay here, waiting all by myself."
List of appearances[]
- Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Major
- Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Cosplay & Bonus Mode Character
- Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp: Playable Character
Merchandise[]
The link below lists all official licensed merchandise featuring Mahiru Koizumi:
Trivia[]
- Mahiru shares the same birthday with Aoi Asahina from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.[39]
- Similar to Chihiro Fujisaki[40] and Ryoma Hoshi[41]—both victims of blunt force trauma in the second chapter of their respective games—Mahiru was also bludgeoned. However, in Ryoma's case, it only rendered him unconscious before his actual death by drowning.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Report Card (Japanese)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Danganronpa 3 Despair Arc: Mahiru Koizumi design profile
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Report Card
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Free Time Events 2: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Free Time Events 3: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the World Vanquisher
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Danganronpa 1.2 Art Book: Mahiru Koizumi Design Profile Overview.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 @Taichinchin on Tumblr: List of Danganronpa and Danganronpa 2 casts former high schools
- ↑
Carrie Keranen: "@CarrieKeranen @PaulBRobinson Next should be Danganronpa 2. She plays the freckled tsundere Mahiru." (Image of tweet) (2 Apr 2016)
- ↑ Funimation: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School Broadcast Dub Cast Announcement (July 28, 2016)
- ↑ synchronkartei: Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy - Despair Arc
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc - Episode 03
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Introduction: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 @Jinjojess on Tumblr:Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc Profile: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ Twilight Syndrome Murder Case
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc - Episode 07
- ↑ Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc - Episode 10
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc - Episode 11
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 6
- ↑ Danganronpa 3 - Future Arc - Episode 01
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 2 - Deadly life
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Prologue
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 1 - Daily life
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 1 - Deadly Life
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 2 - Daily life
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 3 - Daily life
- ↑ Free Time Events 4: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu
- ↑ Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 5 - Daily Life
- ↑ Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair: Chapter 5 - Deadly Life
- ↑ Danganronpa 3 - Despair Arc - Episode 08
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Danganronpa 3 - Hope Arc
- ↑ Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Chapter 6
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 @Kaibutsushidousha on Tumblr: Danganronpa 2 Artbook: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ Interview with Kodaka and Higa
- ↑ Free Time Events 1: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Free Time Events 5: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 Island Mode - Jabberwock Park: Mahiru Koizumi
- ↑ Fuyuhiko: "Oh, it's you... I...was just looking at this photo here. It's the first time...I've seen a photo of Peko and me where we look like equals... Tch, Mahiru... When the hell did she even take this photo?"
Hajime: "Did I just see a flicker of light in Fuyuhiko's eye...? Was he...crying?" (Chapter 5 - Daily Life) - ↑ Future Arc Official Artbook Profile
- ↑ Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc: Chapter 2 - Deadly life
- ↑ Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Chapter 2 - Deadly life
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