Nagito Komaeda

Nagito Komaeda
Danganronpacharacter
Promotional artwork for Nagito Komaeda inDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
First appearance	Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair(2012)
Created by	Kazutaka Kodaka
Designed by	Rui Komatsuzaki
Voiced by	EN:Bryce Papenbrook JA:Megumi Ogata
Portrayed by	Hiroki Suzuki(stage play)

Nagito Komaeda(Japanese:Bạc chi phong đấu,Hepburn:Komaeda Nagito),also known asThe Servant(Triệu sử い,Meshitsukai),is afictionalcharacterintroduced in the 2012Spike Chunsoftvisual novelaction adventure gameDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.Nagito is a high school student from Hope's Peak Academy, holding the title of "Ultimate Lucky Student"due to his supernatural luck. He is first seen in the game's beginning when meeting the protagonistHajime Hinataas they and multiple other students find themselves trapped in a series oftropical islands.Initially presenting a caring personality, Nagito shows his true maniacal and hope-obsessed demeanor when a bear-like robot,Monokuma,orders the students to participate in a killing game if they want to leave the islands, with Nagito violently encouraging the killing game's progress. Under the guise of the Servant, Nagito returns inDanganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girlsas the secondary antagonist.

Kazutaka Kodakacreated Nagito as a rival to Hajime as well as the successor to the previousDanganronpaprotagonistMakoto Naegiwith his designs byRui Komatsuzakimeant to mark him as Hajime's opposite. To reinforce the similarities between Nagito and Makoto, Kodaka had the characters share the same voice actors:Megumi OgataandBryce Papenbrook,and their names beanagramsof each other. However, despite the similarities, Nagito and Makoto share no character connections, with Kodaka claiming that the hints were made up to marketGoodbye Despair.

Critical response to Nagito's character was positive based on his ambiguous nature inGoodbye Despairwhere he often changes his personality, as well as his more comical take in theanimeprequelDanganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School.Considered abreakout character,his role as a rival to Hajime and antagonist has also resulted in him being considered one of the best characters in theDanganronpaseries.

Creation

Early unused artwork of Nagito Komaeda byRui Komatsuzaki.

Nagito was created to be "an absolute rival" toHajime Hinata,withKazutaka Kodakadescribing their relationship as similar to that ofthe JokertoBatman.Komaeda's characterization was aimed to give players a confusing view in regards to Nagito's true self, based on the morally dubious and contradictory actions he committed over the course of the game.In regards to his design, Hajime was the earliest-designed character which generated a major contrast between his white clothing to Nagito's dark clothing.Nagito was written to create a major impact into the game despite not being the lead or antagonist, symbolizing the prominent themes of hope and despair through his actions.

To surprise gamers and suggest the characters are potentially the same person, both Makoto and Nagito share the same voice actress, Ogata. His name, "Nagito Komaeda", was conceived as ananagramfor "Naegi Makoto da" ( "I am Makoto Naegi" ) to infer it as a potentialpseudonym;Nagito claims the name to be an alias during the third chapter.In 2020, Kodaka revealed the anagram was used to engage fans ofDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havocbecause of the lack of pre-release promotion materials for the original version ofGoodbye Despairduring its release year. This surprised Ogata, as the anagram had been kept secret from the other members who developed the game, including Ogata herself.In 2015, it was later confirmed that he had feelings for an ambiguous "him" in his character song "Poison -Gekiyaku-".

In the development ofanimeprequelDanganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School,Kodaka aimed to write the younger Nagito as an unpredictable character that game fans would still recognize, and make it obvious his good luck often aids him in only a random nature in reality compared to the specific nature of the Neo World Program. His character design was aimed to keep the "resembled flickering flames" present in their Servant design, something Kodaka requested to the designer to adapt properly. Kodaka was pleased with how Nagito was written in the anime, further comparing his school life and luck to the Rube Goldberg segment of thePythagoraSwitcheducational television program.

Casting

To surprise gamers, Nagito was given Makoto's voice actor, Megumi Ogata.Ogata found trouble when doing the voice for Nagito as she had no clear grasp on understanding him. Komaeda was introduced with the same Lucky Talent as Makoto Naegi. However, the staff considered them opposites based on their ideals of "hope".

Localization member Robert Schiotis felt that finding a voice actor for the latter proved too challenging, as he is meant to clash with Makoto's ideals. In the end, Papenbrook voiced both characters, making the connections between them more interesting according to localization staff.Papenbrook commented that Nagito is both "creepy" and "insane".

In the series' stage play, Nagito was played byHiroki Suzuki.

Appearances

Danganronpavideo games

InDanganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair,Nagito is student from Hope's Peak Academy that called him Ultimate Lucky Student(Siêu cao giáo cấp の “Hạnh vận”,Chō-kōkō-kyū no "Kōun",lit.Super High School Level Good Luck).Outwardly presenting as a friendly, upbeat, somewhat meek young man, his true demeanor, revealed following the beginning ofMonokuma's killing game, is shown to be quite deranged in his pursuit of hope, believing it to be an absolute good that only his talented classmates can achieve, willing to bring about great despair to create the greatest of hopes.He manipulatesTeruteru Hanamurainto killing an imposter pretending to beByakuya Togamito start the killing game inGoodbye Despair.In order to rid the island of the other students, he sets up a trap for the others by setting up a scenario to look like he committed suicide, while actually tricking Future Foundation traitorChiaki Nanamiinto inadvertently killing him with poison, hoping the result will lead to the execution of all other students including himself and rescue Chiaki alone. However, Chiaki takes responsibility for Nagito's death, saving the other students. After receiving a series of recorded messages from Nagito and proceeding to what appears to be Hope's Peak Academy, Hajime learns that Nagito, himself, and the others are in actualitycomputer avatarcopies of the group known as the Remnants of Despair existing within avirtual realitycreated by the Neo World Program having been wiped byMakoto Naegi's Future Foundation offshoot in the hope of providing them redemption, despite being responsible for the deaths of millions. The real Nagito is revealed to have implanted the hand of their superiorJunko Enoshimainto his body following her death.

InDanganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls,Nagito appears under the title of Servant ( triệu sử いMeshitsukai), serving under the Warriors of Hope who had captured him. The Warriors of Hope frequently abused him, though he took it all with a smile. It is later revealed that he is manipulating the Warriors of Hope, in order to allowKomaru Naegito grow and defeat despair through her power of hope, before falling to become "the second generation of Junko Enoshima". Even thoughUltra Despair Girlstook place during the 77th class's time as Ultimate Despair, the Servant was unique in that he still longed for hope in his actions, whereas the others were fighting for despair alone. Following the defeat of the Warriors of Hope, the Servant carries awayMonaca Towa,informing her that he will raise her to become "the second generation of Junko Enoshima" following her failure to have Komaru assume such a title.

Danganronpaanime

In theDespair Arcof the anime seriesDanganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School,Nagito is seen attending Hope's Peak but is suspended for bombing the school gym in a bid to postpone exams. When he returns, Nagito learns of Junko Enoshima's plans and attempts to shoot her with a gun. However, Hinata, having been implanted with the talent of luck like Nagito, effortlessly prevents the attempt and shoots him instead. Although Nagito survives, he and his class are forced to watch Chiaki Nanami's death and are thus brainwashed into becoming members of Ultimate Despair loyal to Junko.

The Servant makes a cameo at the beginning of theFuture Arc,helping spread discord with the other Remnants of Despair after Junko ismartyred,in his case by serving the Warriors of Hope. InUltra Despair Girls,Monaca Towa reveals toToko FukawaandKomaru Naegithat while the Servant successfully made her an adult, he also made her bored with both hope and despair, leading her to become aNEET,before sending herself to space.

In theHope ArcofDanganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School,Nagito and the former Remnants of Despair wake up from their comas in the Neo World Program and stop the brainwashed forces of the mastermind,Ryota Mitarai.They convince him to join them and the group exiles themselves to atone for their deeds and prevent the collapse of the Future Foundation by acting as scapegoats. Before leaving, Nagito expresses excitement over briefly meeting "Ultimate Hope"Makoto Naegiin person, before being carried away byNekomaru Nidai.

Anoriginal video animation,Super Danganronpa 2.5: Nagito Komaeda and the Destroyer of Worlds,was also produced, featuring the alternate computer avatar Nagito trapped in a new virtual world his mind created to cope with his traumatic death in the Killing Game, leaving him comatose. An AI, World Destroyer, is sent in to kill off his illusory classmates, eventually resulting in the destruction of the fake reality. Nagito is then informed the world was created as reflection of his own desires, which he found embarrassing due to them being in direct conflict with his beliefs. With all of his memories intact, Nagito leaves Jabberwock Island with Hajime and the other students, setting up theircameo appearancein theHope Arc.

Reception

Nagito has been a popular character. In an "Anime! Anime!" poll, Nagito was rated as the fifth most popular character voiced by Megumi Ogata.In a popularity poll from the franchise for the collected release ofTrigger Happy HavocandGoodbye Despair,Nagito took the first spot, behind Makoto Naegi. To celebrate, Rui Komatsuzaki did an illustration of the top five to be featured in the re-release of the games,Reload.In 2019,Nintenderoslisted Nagito as the 25th most searched video game character in a poll involving Tumblr.Merchandings based on the character was also released alongside Hajime.In a 2021 poll, Nagito was voted as the bestDanganronpacharacter.GameRant noted that there were multiple similarities between Nagito and Makoto Naegi which made several players confused to the point if they were related or even the same character especially because Ogata voices both of them in Japanese. Though not made relevant in the plot, it is also noted that Nagito has romantic feelings for Hajime Hinata due to subtle hints he shows in free events and CD dramas.The same site found him one of the most lovable characters in the entire franchise due to his striking personality and how he often tricks the audience during his appearances.

Reviewing the manga ofGoodbye Despair,Anime UK Newsclaimed that while Hajime is supposed to be the main character of the story, Nagito is more fitting for such role based on the behavior he demonstrates which makes him look "deranged than most" while also highlighting how different he is from his predecessor, Makoto.Siliconeradescribed Nagito when first seeing as the "opposite being a flaky character" to Hajime and that he was "hopeful even though both of them are caught in a desperate situation."Koi-Nyastated that his early traits featured in the game might give previous gamers a sense of nostalgic due to having a caring personality like Makoto. However, the revelation of his dark self and skills when deducing murders in class trials made the reviewer claim that Nagito might be the most mysterious character in the entire game.Touch Arcaderegarded Nagito and Ibuki as the game's best characters.Manga Newsfelt that Nagito was an ambiguously evil person based on how often he tries to commit murders, most notably in the first trial when confessing he aimed to kill, but remains innocent as Teruteru made such action in his place.Anime News Networkpraised the character for "standing out" within the franchise, highlighting his similarities with Makoto and how different they are the same time. The reviewer enjoyed the actions the character has performed not only in the game but also theDespair Arcanime from the franchise as despite his kind demeanor, his commentaries make Hajime become corrupted across the narrative.

BothThe Fandom PostandManga.Tokyopraised how multiple types of comedy that ensues in theDespair Arcdue to Nagito's lucky talent such as how he mistakes drugs and causes two of his classmates, Seiko and Ruruka, to accidentally use laxative in meals and felt that Nagito's actions feel like a parallel to famous light novel character namedHaruhi Suzumiya.In a later review, the same writer fromManga.Tokyocalled Nagito as one of his favorite characters, believing his calm demeanor and distinctive design make an interesting parallel toJunko Enoshima.He also compared Nagito with Hajime's alterego, Izuru, due to both of them sharing multiple similarities, mainly their talents, and wondered whether the two would fight.Anime News Networkenjoyed the encounter between Nagito and Izuru based on similar ideas likeManga.Tokyobut the felt this to be a form of fanservice that would appeal to players ofGoodbye Despairas the two briefly interacted in Chapter 0 of the game.

Comic Book Resourceslisted Nagito as the 6th most intelligentDanganronpacharacter based on the multiple sides of his personalities as well as how he solves cases before Hajime and the rest of the cast fromGoodbye Despairand, rather than solving the trials, he decides to leave them hints.The same site also found his role as an antagonist as one of the game's strongest points, claiming he "is complex, and he doesn't hide the fact that he's not all that mentally sound from the cast."Rice Digitallisted Nagito as their favorite character from the franchise based on his actions that lead to his own death in the virtual world where he often threatens his mates with the possibility of destroying the establishment only to later orchestrate his death, which shocked the audience and the cast more when it is revealed that Nagito faked his suicide to reveal that Chiaki Nanami was his actual murderer.GameRevolution also referred to Nagito as one of the bestDanganronpacharacters due to his twisted characterization yet highly popular.