Peko Pekoyama

Peko Pekoyama

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Peko Pekoyama
Name
Kanji	辺古山 ペコ
Romaji	Pekoyama Peko
Katakana	ぺコヤマ ぺコ
English	Peko Pekoyama
Aliases & Titles
English	Ultimate Despair (Former)
Japanese	超高校級の「絶望」 (Former)
Talent
English	Ultimate Swordswoman Super High School-Level Swordswoman *
Kanji	超高校級の「剣道家」
Romaji	Chō kōkō kyū no “kendō-ka”
Translation	Super High School Level Kendoka
Characteristics
Gender	Female
Height	172 cm (JP) 5'6" (ENG)
Weight	51 kg (JP) 112 lbs (ENG)
Birth Date	♋ June 30
Chest Size	85 cm (JP) 33 in (ENG)
Blood Type	O
Likes	Black
Dislikes	Candy
Family	Unnamed parents
Personal Status
Status	Alive
Affiliation	Kuzuryu Clan Class 77-B
Previous Affiliation	Shiranui High School Hope's Peak Academy Ultimate Despair
Debuts
Game	Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
Anime	Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc #01
Manga	Danganronpa 2: Ultimate Luck and Hope and Despair
Novel	Danganronpa 1 ・2 Beautiful Days
Portrayals
Games	日本語 Kotono Mitsuishi en-US Janice Kawaye[citation needed]
Anime	日本語 Kotono Mitsuishi en-US Clarine Harp Deutsch Antje Thiele
Stage	日本語 Yū Hamagashira

“

Smiling is not something you have to force. When your heart gets warm, smiles come to you naturally. — Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

”

Peko Pekoyama (辺古山 ペコ), 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 Swordswoman (超高校級の「剣道家」 lit. Super High School Level Kendoka).

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

Peko growing up alongside her young master

As a newborn, Peko was abandoned by her own parents and taken in by the Kuzuryu Clan, the largest criminal syndicate in Japan, with a membership surpassing 30,000. From childhood, she was raised alongside the family's eldest child 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. This is exemplified whenever Fuyuhiko's parents fought—which happened frequently and at times nearly cost him his life—Peko was always by his side.

Peko also frequently mentions a childhood friend—heavily implied to be Fuyuhiko—with whom she often shared intense experiences, and she was always ready to help him. One time, she and Fuyuhiko were kidnapped together, but Peko managed to find a way to escape, and they ended up lost in the mountains. When she tried to cheer him up, she unintentionally made him cry because he could sense that she was scared and worried. However, she eventually saved them both using her skills as a swordswoman and her determination to protect him as his loyal tool. She also joined the fray to protect him when Fuyuhiko challenged the king of the monkeys to a fight during a visit to the zoo, a moment when she thought he had "a handsome smile."

The heir and his hitman

Despite growing up together with a deep bond, Peko seemed to underestimate Fuyuhiko's attachment to her. Fuyuhiko never saw her as his tool, and simply wanted her to be "herself." Yet deep down, Peko was aware that he didn't share her self-perception, due to Fuyuhiko's kindness and sentiment towards her, despite being a yakuza, something she had observed since they were children.

Peko grew up to become an extremely skilled swordsman and was said to be so strong that most adult men couldn't stand a chance against her. She excels at swordsmanship to such a degree that, unlike any kendo practitioner, she does not follow the typical ranking system of dojo trainees, which corresponds to their years of training. She also grew up to be fond of animals, mentioning how she wanted to touch the soft fur of the cat that visited the dojo, her childhood friend's dog, and the fluffy feathers of the finch she had as a pet. Due to her "menacing presence," however, she rarely got the chance as they got too scared and ran away from her.

Prior to the Tragedy

Attending Hope's Peak Academy

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

Peko and Class 77-B

Peko attended Shiranui High School, before being scouted by Hope's Peak Academy for her exceptional skills as the Ultimate Swordswoman. She was enrolled in Class 77-B, alongside her young master, Fuyuhiko, who was accepted as the Ultimate Yakuza. During her school years, she followed Fuyuhiko's orders to keep their professional relationship a secret and treat each other like normal classmates. As such, Peko and Fuyuhiko were rarely seen talking to each other in front of their classmates, but she was often seen by his side. She kept her distance from her classmates as well, though she did trust them and offered her assistance whenever possible.

Peko's regret

In due course, Peko was surprised to learn that Fuyuhiko's little sister, Natsumi, had entered Hope's Peak Reserve Course Department. She offered to check up on her, but was prevented by Fuyuhiko, who reminded her that she was not his hitman at Hope's Peak. Unfortunately, Natsumi was soon murdered by a Reserve Course student named Sato for bullying her best friend, who happened to be Peko's classmate Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer. When she and Fuyuhiko visited the morgue to check Natsumi's body, Peko, who waited outside the room, felt immense regret for not being able to protect her young master's sister. In her frustration, she punched the wall until her knuckles bled.

The Beginning Of The End

Peko and Fuyuhiko were asked by Ibuki when they had become close

Peko's school life continued despite her ongoing grief for Natsumi. She remained by her young master as always, while also actively supporting her classmates in their endeavors when their homeroom teacher, Chisa Yukizome, was placed on probationary transfer to the Reserve Course for a semester, following a bombing incident involving her classmate Nagito Komaeda, the Ultimate Lucky Student. Moreover, Peko and Fuyuhiko's interactions began to be noticed by their fellow classmates, such as Ibuki Mioda, the Ultimate Musician, and Mikan Tsumiki, the Ultimate Nurse, with the latter commenting that it was nice to see the two becoming so close.

Peko revealing her katana beneath her shinai after successfully blocking Mukuro's attacks.

Her school year became filled with turmoil when the Reserve Course students launched a massive protest against the main course, which Peko learned from the faculty was dubbed The Parade due to their belief that no one would go against the symbol of hope. Despite not wanting to get involved in the riots, Peko and her classmates became worried when Mikan went missing, prompting them to search for her on the school grounds. Before she could leave, Nagito asked Peko to keep Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier from Class 78th, occupied. At the time, Peko was unaware that this was part of Nagito's murder attempt on Junko Enoshima, Mukuro's twin sister and the origin of what would become known as Ultimate Despair, the same person responsible for Mikan's disappearance. When the two eventually engaged in a heated duel, Peko revealed that the only reason she had been following Mukuro was because one of her classmates had asked her to.

Class 77-B brainwashed

The duel ended with Peko's defeat, prompting her to urge Fuyuhiko and the others to run instead of intervening to help Chisa. However, Fuyuhiko refused to abandon her, unwilling to stand by while she was being beaten. Leaving her with no other choice, Peko forced herself back on her feet and joined her classmates in rushing to Chisa's aid. Led by Mikan—who, unbeknownst to them, had already been brainwashed into despair by Junko—they were led into what appeared to be the same room later used for the Class Trials. In this very room, Peko and the others were forced to watch their beloved class rep, Chiaki Nanami, executed in a brutal fashion. Peko, despite her desire to save Chiaki, couldn't move an inch. Bearing witness to Chiaki's death caused the brainwashing effect of the video to take hold of Peko and the others, plunging them into despair.

Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Despair

Fully brainwashed into becoming the Ultimate Despair, Peko and her classmates received their final lesson before "graduation", the one final meeting to discuss their plan to overthrow the world with despair. Peko expressed that she would "never kill anyone again," while her young master declared that, together with Peko, he would "lead their people down the right path," before Chisa activated a bomb that fakes the death of Class 77-B so they can be taken off the list of protected students. Peko and Fuyuhiko began helping Junko to spread despair by launching a massacre in the Japanese Diet, later seen standing back to back amidst a sea of corpses.

The Tragedy

Protecting her young master

As an Ultimate Despair, Peko, alongside her corrupted classmates, started The Tragedy and kept it ongoing even after Junko's death in the final stage of the Killing School Life. Those who did not commit suicide to follow their leader Junko soon became known as the Remnants of Despair, which included Peko and her classmates. They also hacked her body and grafted them onto themselves—though in Peko's case, the specific body parts she took remain unknown.

Peko's attack intercepted by Kyosuke

By Fuyuhiko's side, Peko had done many horrible things. She was seen attacking the leader of the Future Foundation, Kazuo Tengan, upon Fuyuhiko's orders. A branch leader, Kyosuke Munakata, came to Kazuo's defense, holding off Peko with his own katana. Despite being reinforced by Nekomaru Nidai, the Ultimate Team Manager, and Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast on the frontline, Peko was eventually captured by the Future Foundation along with the other Remnants of Despair.

Remnants of Despair

The Future Foundation then secured the custody of Peko 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.

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 brainwashed by Junko - resulting in all of them not recognizing each other. The plan was to overwrite Peko 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.

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 Peko and the other Remnants of Despair were coerced into participating.

Killing School Trip

Main article: Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Killing School Trip participants

Peko participated in the Killing School Trip alongside fourteen other Remnants of Despair and one Future Foundation observer. It occurred in a virtual world, the Neo World Program, resembling Jabberwock Island. Due to her memories as the Ultimate Despair and life in Hope's Peak Academy being erased by the Future Foundation, she couldn't recognize any of her classmates. Before interacting with anyone else on the island, Peko was ordered by Fuyuhiko to keep their professional relationship a secret and to treat each other like normal classmates. She first introduced herself to Hajime Hinata in the lobby of Hotel Mirai. With an intense gaze that took Hajime aback, she immediately warned him—and everyone else on the island—not to do anything inappropriate, as she preferred not to kill anyone.

Peko swimming at the beach

Later, Peko 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 Peko and the others with swimsuits, encouraging them to fully enjoy their "school trip". Behaving as she was told, Peko joined the rest of her classmates and could be seen swimming in the sea.

The Killing School Trip begins

The promising tropical school trip, however, turned into a nightmare immediately as Peko learned that the evil animatronic bear, Monokuma, the self-proclaimed headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, had hijacked their trip and turned it into a killing game. Peko and the others initially refused to participate. However, they soon learned that they had no choice but to submit after Monokuma made an example of Usami (renamed into Monomi by Monokuma) by blowing her to pieces using Monobeasts.

Coconut Party

By the next morning, Peko continued to blend in with the group. She attended the meeting at the hotel restaurant and was later seen arriving to fetch Hajime and Kazuichi Soda, the Ultimate Mechanic, so that they could attend as well. She interacted with various students, such as Mahiru, who frequently took pictures of the girls and told Peko that, out of everyone, she was the only one who didn't smile in her photos. Mahiru also showed her photos of smiling faces, which Peko found very pleasant. This helped her realize that smiles give people power, becoming one of the motivations for her to want to be able to smile properly. She even learned a so-called "revolutionary technique" to smile from the mischievous Hiyoko Saionji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer, who pranked her by saying she had to pull both sides of her mouth with her fingers and chant, "I was born on a pirate ship." Peko also offered her assistance to her classmates whenever she could. If Hajime had a replica sword and gave it to Kazuichi, Peko could later be seen walking to the First Island beach with Ibuki. Seeing them struggle to open coconuts, Peko borrowed the replica sword and helped by cutting the coconuts for them, which they then enjoyed together.

Girls-only gathering

After the first motive was first introduced, if Hajime handed Mahiru a certain magazine, she would invite Peko to a girls-only gathering bonus scene to break off the tension. She could be seen enjoying making desserts with the girls, commenting that this sort of activity wasn't so bad once in a while. Peko also agreed to attend the all-night party at the old building, hosted by the group's leader, the Ultimate Imposter, who at the time was secretly impersonating the real Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. She didn't realize until the class trial that the party was thrown by the Imposter to save her and the others from someone who planned to kickstart the Killing Game, and that was no other than Nagito.

At this stage of the killing game, Peko only communicated with her young master in secret. She would discreetly check on him each morning to reassure the others at the daily meeting that he was still alive and well, despite his refusal to participate in the meetings. When he threatened the group, claiming he had the potential to kill others, Peko's first instinct was to calm him down. If necessary, she was prepared to take matters into her own hands. She was also the one who passed along the party details to Fuyuhiko. He was initially not pleased with the idea but later tried to join, only to backtrack, possibly due to embarrassment.

Using the toilet during the party and blackout

At the party, Peko volunteered to guard the duralumin case full of items confiscated by the Ultimate Imposter. Nagito then suggested her to guard the case in the office, as the circuit breaker was also located there. Unbeknownst to her, this was done to prevent Peko from entering the storage room and discovering the irons he had used to cause the blackout. Peko complied, bringing the case and a plate of food to the office, intending to remain there for the duration of the party. However, she was forced to leave the office to use the bathroom when she was struck by inexplicable stomach cramps before the party even started. She had locked herself inside the bathroom even during the blackout. She only left once the others discovered that the Ultimate Imposter had been murdered, much to her shock. With a blackout occurring shortly before the murder, Peko was acutely aware of how suspicious she appeared—having been assigned to guard the circuit breaker. However, she couldn't reveal the true reason she had left her post at the time and had rushed to the bathroom again, even during the investigation.

Descending into the courtroom

At the class trial, Peko was suspected by Kazuichi due to this very reason. However, Nekomaru's testimony cleared her of suspicion, prompting her to confess that she had shut herself inside the bathroom and to apologize for abandoning her guard duty. Upon learning about the bathroom incident, Fuyuhiko began to question whether someone had laced Peko's food with laxatives. However, this theory was quickly dismissed, as Akane—who had eaten the same food prepared by Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Cook—experienced no such symptoms. This allowed Peko's stomachache to be dismissed as a mere coincidence. Peko apologized when she learned that she could've reset the circuit breaker had she stayed in the office, to which Fuyuhiko reassured her not to blame herself. With the group's collective effort, Peko helped deduce that while Nagito had orchestrated the setup for a murder, the true culprit was actually Teruteru, who intended to kill Nagito but accidentally killed the Ultimate Imposter instead—who had intervened to stop Nagito's plan. Teruteru was ultimately found guilty and executed for his crime, allowing the rest of the class, including Peko, to survive the Class Trial.

The day after the class trial, Peko attended the regular morning meeting and, along with everyone else, went to investigate the newly opened second island. While investigating the library, Peko overheard Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess, and Hajime discussing serial killers, particularly Sonia's favorite, Sparkling Justice, a serial killer who only targets criminals. Peko became concerned by how enthusiastic Sonia was while discussing it. After they investigated the second island, Peko attended the morning meeting, where she saw Fuyuhiko briefly joining. However, a verbal altercation quickly broke out between him and Kazuichi, prompting Peko to intervene, causing Fuyuhiko to leave immediately.

Twilight Syndrome Murder Case

Monokuma presented his second motive, a game titled the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case, which Peko would later learn was a replica of the real-life event that directly involved her young master, Fuyuhiko, and the murder of his little sister, Natsumi. She learned and discussed this fact with Fuyuhiko, who became the first person to complete the "truth" route of the game. As his reward, he received an envelope filled with photos that seemingly confirmed the events of the game to be related to the murders of Sato and Natsumi. He sent the envelope to Mahiru, who appeared as a character in the game, whom Fuyuhiko assumed was Sato's accomplice in erasing evidence, in the hope of meeting her to confirm this. Instead, Mahiru began avoiding him, which agitated Fuyuhiko, who was already so consumed by rage for not remembering the details of his sister's murder. Overwhelmed by this fury, he sought to exact revenge on Mahiru, thinking 'an eye for an eye.' He wanted to club her to death with a metal bat, just as his character, Guy F, did to Sato's character, Girl E, and in the same way Sato had bludgeoned his sister to death. As her young master's tool, driven by his desire for revenge and her own wish to help him escape the killing game, Peko began doing his dirty work to fulfill both his goal and her own.

Sending fake letters to Mahiru and Hiyoko

The first thing Peko did was eavesdrop on Mahiru and Hiyoko in the morning, overhearing them agree to discuss the game more thoroughly at a later time, privately. With this knowledge, Peko sabotaged their plans by sending fake letters to both Mahiru and Hiyoko. Mahiru's letter instructed her to meet at the beach house at 2:30 p.m., while Hiyoko's letter told her to arrive at the same location at exactly 2:00 p.m. This was done to lure Mahiru into a one-on-one confrontation with Fuyuhiko before killing her. Hiyoko, who arrived earlier, was knocked unconscious and hid inside the closet by Peko.

Peko telling Fuyuhiko to flee after killing Mahiru

When Mahiru entered the beach house 30 minutes later, Peko lay in wait, closely observing as Fuyuhiko confronted her about the game. The conversation escalated until Fuyuhiko, despite his hesitation, reached for the metal bat hidden under the bench. Before he could go through with it, Peko intervened—grabbing the bat from him and, with a single swing, struck Mahiru from behind, killing her instantly. This shocked Fuyuhiko, as the original plan seemingly never involved Peko killing Mahiru herself. He warned her about the dangers of committing murder in this killing game, but Peko fully understood the risks. Her decision had been deliberate—she intended to act as a tool to carry out the murder, take the blame, and allow her young master to escape the island. Though Fuyuhiko pleaded with her to forget about the Kuzuryu Clan and abandon the plan, Peko refused to listen and continued to carry out her own plan after he fled the crime scene.

Placing her calling card

Peko began to tamper with the crime scene, mainly to set up the perfect evidence and traps to frame the unconscious Hiyoko for her crime. First, she dragged Mahiru's body to block the door leading to the road, so that when Hiyoko woke up, she would have no choice but to flee through the sandy beach, leaving her footprints all over it. Next, she deliberately placed the Sun Witch ♪ Esper Ito mask at the crime scene—a calling card crucial to her plan during the upcoming Class Trial. Peko, considering the possibility of being found out, intended to don the mask and assume the identity of Sparkling Justice, who always wore a heroine mask, when that time came. She incorporated this into her murder plan, inspired by Sonia's knowledge of the serial killer that she had overheard. By acting out what Sparkling Justice would be like in the trial, she hoped to convince the others to quickly vote her as the blackened, ensuring Fuyuhiko's survival and eventual victory in the trial.

Washing Mahiru's blood and hiding inside the surfboard case

With Mahiru's blood splattered on her, Peko used plastic water bottles from the beach house refrigerator to wash it off—presumably inside the shower room—knowing that the shower itself was out of order. However, she had no choice but to toss the empty bottles into the beach house trash can, as littering was against the rules and disposing of them elsewhere would have taken too much time. Afterward, Peko hid inside the surfboard case she had already emptied beforehand inside the closet. When the sleeping drug used on Hiyoko wore off, she panicked upon discovering Mahiru's body and fled through the door facing the beach, leaving footprints in the sand—just as Peko had planned. Peko then emerged from the surfboard case and placed a yellow gummy, which she had brought with her, to frame Hiyoko further, knowing her affinity for gummies.

Escaping the crime scene

Peko's final trick was her method of exiting the crime scene without using either of the beach house doors. She climbed out through the small window in the shower room, which was positioned quite high. However, it was nothing that the Ultimate Swordswoman could not handle. Using her bamboo sword, she tied the bag to its handle and used the sword as a stepstool to reach the window, while holding the bag in her other hand. Once she was able to reach the window, all she had to do was pull the bag to retrieve the sword. Peko then went to the diner near the beach house, the meeting point for the girls-only beach party that Sonia hosted, and she attended as if nothing had happened. However, since the beach house had no towels, she couldn't dry off and arrived with wet hair and in her swimsuit. She claimed to have been swimming for a while before her arrival as an excuse. Soon after this, Kazuichi discovered Mahiru's body, prompting the investigation to commence right away before the party could even begin.

During the investigation, Peko urged Sonia to explain further about Sparkling Justice, claiming it was a way for them to 'exercise caution.' From this encounter, Peko learned about the serial killer's catchphrase, which she would later use to enhance her performance.

Peko's Fate

Peko began to actively participate in the class trial once the group uncovered the truth behind the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case, leading others—especially Hiyoko—to suspect Fuyuhiko as the prime suspect, given his strong motive to kill Mahiru. She suggested that the true culprit had used the motive to learn the relationships between the characters and then used it to set up Fuyuhiko. From that point on, Peko began directing suspicion toward Hiyoko—her intended scapegoat—presenting one trap after another that she had set in advance to pin the crime on her. Her plan initially worked, as the planted evidence—including Hiyoko's footprints and the fake letters—plus Kazuichi's testimony about seeing Hiyoko fleeing the scene—all worked in Peko's favor, cornering Hiyoko as the prime suspect. However, she made a critical mistake by planting a lemon-flavored gummy—the one flavor Hiyoko never ate—as confirmed by Nagito, who inspected her cottage and found no trace of yellow gummies. This began to undo all of her hard work, as everyone started to realize that Hiyoko had been set up and framed by the true culprit.

Revealed as the culprit

Eventually, Hajime and the others deduced that the culprit must have used the water bottles to wash Mahiru's blood off themselves, which led to Peko becoming the new prime suspect. While Peko remained calm as she listened to the others' reasoning for suspecting her, her young master became worked up and came to her defense without fail. He insisted that it was impossible to leave the beach house without leaving footprints, and that the small window in the shower room was too high for Peko to reach. However, this was debunked as the Ultimate Swordswoman could have simply used her bamboo sword as a stepstool to escape through the window.

Sparkling Justice...?

Once the truth of her crime came to light, Peko surrendered. However, when Chiaki questioned her motive, Peko was left with no choice but to carry out the final stage of her plan—assuming the identity of Sparkling Justice in a last-ditch effort to hasten the vote for her and protect the "true" culprit: Fuyuhiko. Everyone in the courtroom was bewildered by Peko's transformation as she donned the Sun Witch ♪ Esper Ito mask. She then launched into a long-winded rant, justifying her actions by claiming she murdered Mahiru to punish her, possibly referencing her past for protecting a murderer like Sato, and to deliver justice. Fuyuhiko pleaded with her to stop, but Peko persisted, ultimately leading the students to hastily vote her as the culprit. However, Sonia belatedly provided evidence showing why Peko couldn't possibly be Sparkling Justice, pointing out that the serial killer's nationality and native language was Spanish. When Peko was unable to prove she could speak the language, she took off the mask, declaring that the ruse had already served its purpose.

A tool which has fulfilled its purpose

Everyone could not accept the outcome of the vote, especially Peko's bizarre claim that she did not view herself as a human, but as a mere tool for Fuyuhiko, whom she revealed as her young master she had served since childhood. According to Peko, her role as a bodyguard meant that she was only a tool with no will of her own; she killed Mahiru on Fuyuhiko's orders, making him the true murderer in this trial, meaning that everyone but Fuyuhiko was to be executed. Noticing Fuyuhiko's hesitation in admitting that she was merely acting as a tool, Peko pressed on, continuing to persuade both him and Monokuma to acknowledge him as the true culprit. Nagito then pointed out the flaw in her plan: Fuyuhiko himself has never said what their relationship was. Despite Peko's pleas, Fuyuhiko refused to call her a mere tool, instead saying that he wanted her to stay as a true human being. Though somewhat disappointed, Peko admitted that she expected such a response from Fuyuhiko. She resigned herself to her fate, apologized to the class for betraying them, and urged them not to cause another senseless killing like Mahiru's. Before facing her execution, Peko declared that she would not give Monokuma the satisfaction of watching her break down, but her facade cracked when a grief-stricken Fuyuhiko begged her not to leave him.

Peko's execution involved her being controlled by Monokuma like a puppet, making her cut down hordes of robotic soldiers. Peko accidentally injured Fuyuhiko's right eye when he tried to intervene in her execution, causing him to collapse. Horrified, Peko embraced Fuyuhiko and used herself as a shield to protect him. As the wooden warriors began stabbing her repeatedly from behind, the seamount was flooded with Peko's blood.

Fuyuhiko was still alive but bleeding profusely, prompting Monokuma to take him to the hospital for proper treatment. It was later revealed that Fuyuhiko had only sustained relatively minor sword-related injuries, thanks to Peko protecting him with her last breath. Peko's sacrifice affected the guilt-ridden Fuyuhiko so greatly that the Ultimate Yakuza began to live as the kind-hearted person Peko had always seen in him. He stopped being a lone wolf and began actively working with the remaining students to escape the island together. He was always willing to sacrifice himself, believing that his life was a spare granted by Peko. However, he chose to continue living—not only to honor her death but also to remember Mahiru and the other fallen friends. Peko's deceased portrait in the class trial courtroom can be seen from the third trial onwards crossed out with a pair of blades, referencing her Ultimate talent.

Peko made a brief reappearance during the game reset sequence of the final class trial, a scenario conjured by Alter Ego Junko—the mastermind behind the Killing School Trip—in an attempt 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, Peko supported her young master's decision to stay in the game reset for a while.

Post-Killing School Trip

Revived Peko and her classmates

After Alter Ego Junko's defeat, Peko remained in a coma alongside her classmates, while the survivors waited for them to wake. Eventually, Izuru Kamukura—now merged with Hajime's personality and memories—revived them.

Prior to being awakened from her coma, she appeared in Nagito's illusory world just before he awoke from his comatose state. In this vision, she was the one who revealed to Fuyuhiko that Kazuichi hadn't died in an accident—he had been murdered. This revelation set Fuyuhiko on a path of vengeance for his fallen 'brother,' with Peko and Sonia joining him. However, when the three confronted The World Destroyer, both Fuyuhiko and Sonia were swiftly killed. In her final moments, a wounded Peko used Fuyuhiko's phone to call Nagito, pleading for him to avenge Fuyuhiko. After the call, Peko drew her sword and made one final stand against The World Destroyer—but she too was swiftly killed.

Welcoming the rest to board the ship with Hajime and Sonia

It was later revealed that this was merely an illusion. In reality, Peko was alive and well, along with the now-reformed Remnants of Despair. After awakening from the Neo World Program, she boarded a boat with the rest of Class 77-B. Peko, Hajime, and Sonia were seen on the ship and appeared to be waiting for Nagito, Fuyuhiko, and Kazuichi. Together, they set a course for the Future Foundation headquarters to put an end to the Final Killing Game, which involved the organization's leaders.

Resurrection and Atonement

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

Defeating the SHSL Discus Thrower

Peko 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, who Junko had coerced into creating the brainwashing video that transformed Peko and the others into the Ultimate Despair. Unlike Peko 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. Peko was seen defeating the Super High School Level Discus Thrower with her bamboo sword. Fuyuhiko complimented her, saying that her bamboo sword truly suited her, and she agreed.

Inviting Ryota to join everyone with Fuyuhiko

Later, Peko 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. Peko and the others later came to his side to comfort him.

Remnants of Despair's atonement

Shortly afterward, Peko and the other former Remnants of Despair shoulder the blame for the Final Killing Game in a broadcast to the Future Foundation, presenting themselves in their despair persona and relieving the organization of any wrongdoing.

Returning to Jabberwock Island

Afterward, the group departed on a Future Foundation ship, celebrating their new beginning. Peko, along with the others, eventually returned to Jabberwock Island. She was last seen bringing plates of food to Fuyuhiko.

Real Fiction

Main article: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Peko 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 Peko Pekoyama 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 Peko's story within the Danganronpa series was real, or a fictional story written by Team Danganronpa and performed by an actor.

Creation and Development

According to creator Kazutaka Kodaka, Peko's face was going to resemble Peko-chan, the mascot of Fujiya, a nationwide chain of confectionery stores. Due to her original design bearing too strong a resemblance to Peko-chan, Kodaka and the development team questioned who would profit from it. As a result, Peko was reimagined into a less gimmicky role—that of a seemingly cold swordswoman. Kodaka intended to portray her as a reliable figure with a hidden, motherly side. In retrospect, on the plot and conversations, he noted that her curt demeanor did wonders to balance the cast.

Character designer Rui Komatsuzaki commented that he always wanted to include a character who practiced kendo, or at the very least carried a sword—be it a shinai or a real katana. He created a backstory for this character entirely on his own: the perfect "otaku girl," with long dark hair and glasses, clothes and accessories so distinct that they wouldn't go well together, and a constantly exasperated face. He was determined to make her happen. However, Kodaka demanded that she be made into the female version of Kiyotaka Ishimaru from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, which Komatsuzaki interpreted as a commission order for "insane justice." As such, she designed the current Peko as a compromise between their two proposals. Initially, she had a more slender body, but he decided to give her the more motherly figure she has now to match the impression he got from the early plans for her story.

Kotono Mitsuishi's, Peko's Japanese voice actress, also commented on her character:

"Peko Pekoyama was a character that demanded a lot of mental strength from me. Many of her recordings felt physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Doing Peko often left me hungry, which is funny because "harapeko" means hungry (laughs). The game really got my heart racing with its unique world and charming characters. I hope the fans who played or will play get what they want out of it."

Kotono Mitsuishi, who also voiced Sailor Moon—a character who shares the same birthday as Peko, June 30—was one of the few voice actors specifically chosen by the creators to portray a particular character.^{[citation needed]}

Name

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. However, it is directly inspired by Fujiya's mascot, Peko-chan, whose name derives from the Japanese onomatopoeia pekopeko (ぺこぺこ), meaning "hungry." It is also an onomatopoeia often used for bowing. The repetition effect is reflected in her name. It does mirror real feminine names, however, with -ko being a common suffix for female names. "Pekopeko" can also mean "obsequious" or "servile" - befitting the fact she was raised by the Kuzuryu family to be Fuyuhiko's "tool". Due to Chinese having only one non-phonetic writing system compared to the three that Japanese has, Peko's first name is transliterated into "佩子". The character "佩" means "to admire" or "to respect", matching the idea of bowing her name has in Japanese.

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". Her surname is a remnant of the original concept to make Peko resemble Fujiya's mascot, Peko-chan.

Alternate Fates

Island Mode and Ultimate Talent Development Plan exist in two separate alternate universes where Peko still attends Hope's Peak Academy, but no students are in peril. As they are alternate universes, these events are non-canonical, but because Peko'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

Peko is a tall, young woman with fair skin and a cool demeanor. She has long silver hair tied up into two braids on each side of her head, secured by white ribbons at the bases and dark red hair ties at the ends. She has side-swept bangs with two shoulder-length locks of hair that curl outwards, left down to frame her face. Her eyes are a vivid red, and she wears thin-framed rectangular glasses.

She wears a long sleeved, turquoise-black seifuku uniform with a dark, gray-teal sailor collar and sleeve cuffs, each striped with two thin white lines at the edges, a red ascot tied at her neck. A red strip of cloth is wrapped around her left upper arm. Below this, she wears a somewhat paler turquoise pleated skirt, striped with an even paler line at the hem. Her legwear consists of turquoise-black tights and cream-colored loafers.

Peko is constantly seen carrying her shinai (bamboo sword) around with her in a dark turquoise sheath/wrap with a thin white dragon design printed on the back. The shinai has a metal katana blade hidden at the center of its bamboo wrappings.

Peko admits that her appearance has been mistaken for cosplay before, and strange cameramen have tried to take pictures of her. In the second trial, Peko was seen briefly wearing a Sun Witch ♪ Esper Ito mask while assuming the identity of the Sparkling Justice. The mask shares similar characteristics with Fujiya's Peko-chan, including the protruding tongue.

Sparkling Justice (1)

Sparkling Justice (2)

During her high school years, she wears the standard Hope's Peak Academy uniform, excluding the blazer. She wears long and black hair ribbons, along with her hair ties. She wears translucent black tights and plain white loafers. She also only carries her shinai for kendo club and a few important occasions.

As an Ultimate Despair, she wears strips of cloth wrapped over her chest, a one-button open white suit over it, with long formal pants of the same color with a buckled belt. Her footwear consists of red-heeled shoes. Her hair is styled differently, left down to flow to her waist, with a single ponytail tied at the right of her head. She is also equipped with a standard metal katana rather than her shinai.

Her swimsuit in Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp consists of a two-piece black swimsuit with a bikini top and a skirted bikini bottom with a short, ruffled hem, while she carries her shinai on her back. This is the same swimsuit she wears to Sonia's girls-only beach party during the Killing School Trip.

Hope's Peak uniform

Ultimate Despair attire

Swimsuit
(Danganronpa 2)

Swimsuit
(Danganronpa S)

Personality

Peko has a serious demeanor, showing little emotion. Because of this, her stoic and composed nature often comes across as intimidating. Her presence is made more severe by her willingness to use force to maintain order and prevent unnecessary fighting. This is combined with her awareness that her swordsman instincts might cause her to attack reflexively at anything she senses as a threat, and thanks to her talent, even a misaimed attack could turn deadly. While capable of violence, Peko herself states that she prefers to avoid senseless killing, though there are times when swords must be drawn—whether she wants it or not.

Being a woman of few words, Peko often ends up in awkward social situations without realizing it—frequently scaring her conversation partners with her intense stares. In contrast, she easily gets flustered when complimented or when hearing mentions of her own embarrassing moments. However, she is neither impolite nor antisocial. In contrast, she actively makes an effort to interact with the group—likely out of loyalty to Fuyuhiko's order to blend with their classmates. However, it is also shown that, beyond simply following orders, Peko goes out of her way to genuinely care for her classmates, humbly offering help whenever she can. When Hajime, Kazuichi, and Teruteru struggle with coconuts, Peko splits them open without being asked and feels glad to see others enjoying themselves. Whenever a fight or quarrel breaks out, or when Hiyoko makes insulting remarks and harsh judgments, Peko isn't afraid to step in and demand that they stop. She has no qualms about attending the party hosted by the Ultimate Imposter and volunteers to guard the duralumin case, though she explains that it's because she's not comfortable in situations where a large crowd surrounds her. She feels remorse over the Ultimate Imposter's death and apologizes, believing she could have reset the circuit breaker to prevent it from happening, seeing it as a failure on her part. Despite killing Mahiru, Peko holds no ill will toward her, having acted solely out of duty as her young master's tool. She sincerely apologizes to everyone, begging them not to let her actions lead to further senseless killings. During her school years, Peko actively supported all her classmates, even complying with Nagito's troubling request to fend off Mukuro Ikusaba, simply because he was a classmate.

Due to her harsh exterior, Peko may come off as cold, though that is never her intention. It is her difficulty in smiling naturally that has contributed to her intimidating aura since childhood, which frequently made her childhood friend cry due to her 'scary face'. Even her 'first love' coldly told her the same thing. Even so, she believed that she never really needed to smile, and therefore eventually forgot how to. Hajime speculates that this may have caused by her extreme amount of harsh training, as he finds it abnormal for someone to forget how to smile. After learning from Mahiru that "smiling can give people power," Peko reflects on how, when she was younger, she wished she could have at least faked a smile to ease her childhood friend's fear, particularly when they got lost in the mountains. Considering the possibility of never escaping the island, she longs to improve her ability to smile so that she can ask out a certain someone among the group on a date and wants to finally show them her smiling face when it happens. She is determined to do whatever it takes—even if it means falling for Hiyoko's prank or asking Hajime to tell jokes to make her laugh, though both attempts ultimately fail. In her Island Mode, Peko expresses excitement about visiting the amusement park, watching comedy movies at the theater, and reading technical books about smiling—all in an effort to improve her ability to smile. In her final Free Time Event, it is revealed that Peko can indeed smile, smiling sincerely as she recalls her childhood friend's handsome smile. She realizes that smiling doesn't need to be forced; when her heart feels warm, it comes naturally. Peko reflects that she had forgotten this, having been "too desperate to protect something," revealing that she is sensitive at heart. However, due to the nature of her work and identity, she often has to push these feelings to the backburner and rarely shows them.

If there is one thing that has Peko in a chokehold and never fails to draw out her soft side, it's animals—especially the fluffy ones. Unfortunately, most animals can sense her menacing presence and run away every time she tries to touch them. When Hajime suggests that she ask Gundham Tanaka, the Ultimate Breeder, for help in touching his hamsters, Peko becomes visibly excited and hurries off to do so. Similarly, when Hajime brings up pandas in conversation, the thought of their fluffy fur makes her face soften a little. Her love for animals is explored further in her Island Mode. She reveals that she enjoys reading animal-related books, such as encyclopedias and children's books. Her ultimate favorite, however, is photo books filled with pictures of "fluffiness." She loves imagining the texture against her fingers and typically saves these books for last. She also enjoys watching movies about animals, and it is implied that she cries when watching the ones with sad stories. Her love for fluffy animals seems to extend to inanimate objects, as she hesitates to climb a statue of animals in Jabberwock Park, and thinking it'd be better if they were a union of fluffy creatures instead.

Another soft side of Peko is her sense of wonder and willingness to experience new things, especially if these experiences can improve her skills. In her Island Mode, Peko wants to try dropping coconuts by slashing her sword upward to create wind pressure and resisting the urge to sleep while watching boring movies in theaters, seeing both as self-training methods. She also gets excited at the prospect of climbing the castle in the amusement park and eating popcorn, something she hasn't done in ages. She even wants to learn how to fish after hearing the rumor that it can "spawn friendship," and expresses interest in making sandcastles, inspired by children whom she believes must have the skill and knowledge to design them.

Young master's tool

Raised by the Kuzuryu Clan when she was just a child and given only one goal—to become the hitman of Fuyuhiko, the heir to the clan—Peko grew up to hold a strongly internalized conviction that she is not a person but rather a tool whose only purpose is to protect her young master, thus lacking any sense of independent agency or intrinsic value outside of her function. She insists she has no will, no emotions, and no identity beyond acting as Fuyuhiko's shield or sword. However, some of her actions contradict this belief. A prime example is her decision to kill Mahiru, which is motivated by her own initiative rather than a direct instruction from Fuyuhiko—an act she does to keep him from soiling his own hands and to facilitate his escape by taking the fall herself. Peko killing Mahiru on her own was never part of the plan, revealing she acted without Fuyuhiko's knowledge or consent. Even when he begs her to abort the plan, Peko refuses to listen and goes through with it to achieve her own personal desire of keeping her young master safe—or, as Nagito calls her out, her personal hope, a will of her own—one that contradicts the very idea of being a mere "tool." Even Monokuma disapproves her "tool" identity, noting that no mere instrument would meddle with a murder plan so much of its own accord. In the end, Fuyuhiko never considers her a mere tool and only wanted her to be herself, refusing to sacrifice everyone just to escape alone—something that Peko knows he would say, knowing he hates relying on his family's power. She concludes that he hates her for being the personification of that reliance, and that despite being a yakuza, his kind heart ironically only strengthens her loyalty to become his tool.

Peko cares about Fuyuhiko on a personal level beyond their formal hitman-master relationship. Her fondness for him draws out her sentimental side, often reminiscing and reflecting on childhood memories. These memories, such as recalling her inability to ease his fear when he got lost in the mountains and remembering his handsome smile, are among the main reasons Peko desires to improve her own ability to smile. In her Island Mode, she also gets nostalgic about the times she would climb trees and explore, not because she particularly enjoyed it, but because she had the urge to protect her reckless young master, who often got himself in trouble, such as climbing to the very top and being unable to get down.

Talent and Abilities

Ultimate Swordswoman

Being trained by the Kuzuryu clan since she was a newborn, Peko is skilled with a blade and is said to be so strong that most adult men couldn't stand a chance against her. She excels at swordsmanship to such a degree that, unlike any kendo practitioner, she does not follow the typical ranking system of dojo trainees, which corresponds to their years of training. Peko is entrusted with the safety of the clans' successor Fuyuhiko, proving her skills were greatly trusted by Fuyuhiko's family. During her time as an Ultimate Despair, it is implied that she used her swordsman skills to kill countless people.

Peko's skills rivaled that of Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier. She was able to block all of her attacks in quick succession with her shinai. Despite her skills with her katana, Peko could also use her shinai as a non offensive weapon and even knew how to use the handle as a stepping stool to reach high places. Peko also states that she has a wide knowledge of using targeted strikes both in a lethal and non lethal way. She ensured Mahiru an instant death with a single strike with a metal bat. She can also use a replica sword to cut coconuts with relative ease.

Peko also demonstrates a keen sense for strategy during her fight with the Super High School Level Discus Thrower. She takes a defensive approach, luring him into destroying a water tower she hides behind. Then, using the geyser of water as cover, she emerges and swiftly strikes him down non-lethally before he has a chance to react.

Ultimate Swordswoman official translations in other languages
Language	Talent	Translation
日本語 Japanese	超高校級の「剣道家」	Super High School Level Kendoka
français French	L'Épéiste Ultime	The Ultimate Swordswoman	*
La Kendoka Ultime	The Ultimate Kendoka	*
Ultime Kendoka	Ultimate Kendoka	*
Deutsch German	Super-Highschool-Schwertkämpferin	Super Highschool Swordswoman	*
italiano Italian	Super Spadaccina Liceale	Super High School Level Swordswoman	*

Free Time Events & Bonus Mode Guides

The links below are full transcripts and indepth guides for Peko Pekoyama'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.

Free Time Events	Island Mode	Ultimate Talent Development Plan	Danganronpa S Development Mode

Quotes

• DR2
• Extra
• DR3

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (English)

Prologue:

• "My name is Peko Pekoyama. It is nice to meet you, too."
• "It is necessary for men and women who live together to respect each other. Don't try anything inappropriate... I would prefer...not to kill anyone."
• "Who would dare try to kill...? I'll put a stop to it, with force if necessary."

Chapter 1:

• "It'd be foolish to resist if it's just going to make things worse. I hope everyone else feels the same way..."
• "Just stop already... This kind of fighting will not get us anywhere."
• "However, it is just as Hiyoko said. If we're going to get killed for not doing it...then we must do it."
• "I appreciate your concern... However, there are other things we should be focusing on."
• "I see... His strong sense of responsibility as our leader was his undoing..."

Chapter 2:

• "If you don't understand polite requests to stop, it's not my fault if I'm forced to get a little...violent."
• "It doesn't mean anything is going to happen...but you should be careful, just in case."
• "Regardless, everyone is going to die if we don't do it. In order for us all to survive, we must do it."
• "I will never forgive killing...hm."
• "She must feel very strongly about killing..."
• "There is no escape... We have no choice but to press forward. Now then, let us go."
• "...Let's go. There's no reason for us to waste time here."
• "I said it's fine... Saying anything more would just be an exercise in futility." (to Fuyuhiko)
• "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!"
• "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! (｀⌒´) Now then...let's execute justice!(｀∀´)"
• "I am Sparkling Justice... In the name of sparkling, shining justice, I have come to deliver justice! (￣ー＋￣)"
• "This mask is the dividing line. Just like various idols... The sun is revered because it lies just beyond your grasp... Justice should also be the same! (*｀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!(｀⌒´)"
• "To protect justice, of course (●｀п´●) In order to protect justice...I have become its merciless sword! And...executed justice! (｀･ω･´）"
• "My true identity...? Hmph, I have already forgotten who I am... It 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! (*｀Д´*)ノ"彡☆ Haaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha!ヾ(＠x▽x＠)ノ"
• "I haven't done anything to be ashamed of! (｀⌒´)"
• "WRONG! I punished evil in the name of justice! (￣∀￣)=３ That's no reason to condemn me! (●｀п´●)"
• "There's no way...you can kill me... Justice can never be killed! (｀ヘ´) 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. Understand!? (*｀Д´*)ノ"彡☆"
• "Then I shall be direct... Justice must carry on! In order to keep justice, to keep me, alive, you all must give up your lives! (｀･ω･´）"
• "It's not serious...it's justice! (｀曲´) 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...! Hurry and carry on justice!(ﾟ言ﾟ)"
• "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...(ﾉ_・､)"
• "Hmph...it appears that...the time has come for this mask to come off... However, that's perfectly fine... It's no longer necessary. And...even if you find out now, it's too late for you all to do anything about it. My duty...has already been finished. My duty as a tool...has already been completed in full."
• "That mask has fulfilled its purpose...just as I have. I have no purpose... I am just a mere tool..."
• "Hmph, of course... A tool cannot do anything on its own."
• "Yes. From your basic way of thinking about it, you are wrong. Didn't I tell you...? I'm just a tool. That means I'm just a simple tool to be used by that person."
• "As I said before, I exist as nothing more than a mere tool... I had no motive for killing Mahiru... No reason to kill...not even the will to kill... I was simply used as a tool. As long as I am a tool, I cannot defy my orders."
• "No...I have no aim. But my young master does. My young master planned this from the start. That...is the truth of this case."
• "If I'm a human, then I'm not a tool... If that's what you're saying, you're wrong. Because...you just don't know. You just don't know that there are people who only exist to be tools. ...People such as myself."
• "Right after I was born and abandoned by my parents...the Kuzuryu Clan took me in. They gave me a reason to exist. I am to fulfill 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... If my young master intends to kill, it is only natural for me to act as his tool."
• "A tool is not defined by its will, but by its actions."
• "There is no way I cannot worry about you... I am...my young master's tool... A tool to protect my young master... Without an owner...a tool serves no purpose. Please do not worry... I promise I will keep my young master alive and return him safely home..."
• "Young master... You have a kind heart, despite being a yakuza... That's why you question your position and constantly worry about it... For you to sacrifice someone else just to escape yourself?... I believe you wouldn't accept that so easily. We've been together ever since we were children. Even a tool would understand that. Even so...I wanted you to escape. I am terribly sorry I will not be able to serve by your side until the very end...young master. ...Good bye. And...I'm sorry for what I've done to you all, too. It may be a selfish request but...please forgive my young master. And 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."
• "Young master Fuyuhiko... Please permit me to make one final selfish request... I want you to remember... ...the tool, Peko Pekoyama, who used to stand beside you... I would like it if you remembered that."

Chapter 5:

• "It's going to be all right. You don't have to worry...I will protect my young master. Now then, let's go forward together."
• "(｀ヘ´)? @Justice(-Д-+)(ﾟ言ﾟ)>(●｀п´●)tool?youngmastetool:@:@youngmasteryou" (Peko's cottage post-fifth trial)

Free Time Events:

• "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. To achieve that....I have no use whatsoever for meaningless levels determined by arbitrary rules."
• "However...because of the path I've chosen, there are things I've lost as well. Warm, irreplaceable things... ...Fluffiness."
• "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 lost your muscle memory. Which means...you are not suited for battle in the slightest."
• "They know the difference between weakness and strength, and they can compensate for each other's weaknesses... And they both have impressive offensive capabilities. Hmmm... If those two formed an alliance, they could truly pose an unmanageable threat."
• "I-I suppose...they may pose a threat in a sense that they're completely unpredictable..."
• "Hajime...you speak the truth. I, too, would prefer to 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 fulfill their destiny... That will never change, and...there is no need for it to ever change. However...I do not dislike your way of thinking, Hajime."
• "Even so... I never really needed to smile, so I never thought about it all that much... And because I completely neglected it, I forgot how to do it entirely."
• "Mahiru showed me her photos the other day. They were filled with images of smiling faces. I don't know how else to say this, but...they were very nice photos. I learned that smiles give people power."
• "Of course. My sword is a tool to protect people. I made sure I protected my friend."
• "Hajime...even though it's only a little, I feel like I understand now. Smiling is not something you have to force. When your heart gets warm, smiles come to you naturally. I was too desperate to protect something...so I had completely forgotten something as simple as that. Thank you. Thank you for making me remember...that which is most important to me."

Island Mode:

• "...However, climbing trees seems fun right now because I haven't done it in so long. If you can't get down, there's no need to worry. I'll come to your rescue."
• "...Life is full of surprises."
• "If I detect even the slightest presence, I might instinctively slash at that presence... Hajime, do you trust me with your life?"
• "I've heard that a one-on-one battle against fish can spawn friendship at times. I would love to experience such a passionate battle!"
• "You're so pitiful. How can you say there's nothing to do when there is so much treasure before you?"
• "Now then, since we're already here, let's look for books filled with enjoyable pictures of fluffiness. Looking at the picture while I imagine the texture against my fingers is quite enjoyable."
• "Movie theaters are dark and relaxing, after all. In a way, watching a movie at a movie theater is like waging a battle against yourself. Which means it's a form of self-training! All right, we should watch a movie at once! It might be good if it's something incredibly boring!"
• "But if the movie has a sad story, I don't think I'll be able to recover for a while... But I would get to see fluffiness on a giant screen. This is quite a difficult decision... Ah, please don't look at me during the movie. It might be dangerous."
• "A comedy, huh... That might be a good idea. Since they're supposed to make people laugh, it might actually help me a little. As long as I understand the jokes and don't overthink things, the movie should get me to smile..."
• "This place also has the power to make people smile. All right, I'm going to forget about complicated matters today, and do my best to simply enjoy myself."
• "...I'm not fond of people who walk into places like this halfheartedly. You should be more respectful of places that have been etched with the memories of battle."
• "Anyway, until now, I've always thought of myself as a mere tool. And as long as I remained his tool, I thought that was good enough... But now, I want to reach the same goals that he's aiming for. I want to try seeing the same sights as him. Not as a mere tool...but as a fellow warrior."
• "Your actions have helped me remember what it means to smile. You're the one who taught me, a mere tool, this emotion. Talking to you fills me with this strange calmness. I've never felt anything like it before... I wonder what it is... This emotion I feel toward you..."
• "Then if anything does happen, I shall rely on you. Thank you, Hajime. I look forward to being friends with you."

Ultimate Talent Development Plan:

• "There are times when sword must be drawn."
• "As long as I am a tool...I am fully prepared to die."
• "No one would do something so meaningless as compare people who are just having a meal."
• "Even though we spent time as normal students, once we graduate... Things will return to the way they were before we started here. That's what I'm planning on. But...this is my will. Not because I want to exist as a tool... But because it's something I want to do. Is that...wrong?" (To Fuyuhiko)
• "I can't think of another place for me to be, other than by your side."

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

Episode 08:

• "A protest is something people do elsewhere. When students exercise the right to assemble here, it's built as a parade. Public relations and all that. ...Don't shoot the messenger. It's not my line, it's straight from the faculty."

Episode 11:

• "We shall never kill anyone again."

Trivia

• Peko is implied to have been capable of reaching the circuit breaker had she stayed in the office during the old building party. Her claim was proven when she demonstrated the ability to use her shinai as a step stool after murdering Mahiru. However, Nagito countered this by arguing that she likely wouldn't have been able to accomplish it in complete darkness.
• Peko shares her birthday, June 30, with the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Jin Kirigiri.
• Peko and Sakura Ogami from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc both used to attend Shiranui High School.
• Similar to Mondo Owada and Kirumi Tojo, the Chapter 2 killers from their respective games, Peko used a blunt object to bludgeon her victim. However, in Kirumi's case, she used it only to knock her victim unconscious before drowning him to death.
  • Mondo and Fuyuhiko—though in Fuyuhiko's case, the act was carried out by Peko—committed murder in a fit of rage, driven by the loss of their deceased siblings.
  • Peko and Kirumi committed murder out of a sense of "selflessness," each acting in service of a purpose greater than themselves—Peko for Fuyuhiko, and Kirumi for the Japanese citizens.