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danganronpasurvivoraskblog · 2 months

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Kaede Akamatsu VS Sara Chidouin [Danganronpa Survivor VS Your Turn To Die]

Hifumi: Kaede Akamatsu, the pianist parallel leader of the V3 Crew!

Leona: And Sara Chidouin, the mysterious lead player of Your Turn To Die

Hifumi: Sometimes, the most unassuming young lady can make for a great hero. Even the youth have the power to inspire others and give them the determination they need to push through the most trying times.

Leona: These two mysterious, fervently adorable cuties with amazing skills, always keep fighting, despite the inevitable and certain stare of death right in their faces! He's Hifumi, and I'm Leona!

Hifumi: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, talents and skills, to see who will win a DEATH BATTLE!

Leona: Well isn't this exciting? I think this is the first time we've covered someone from Danganronpa V3!

Hifumi: It's also the only time, at least for this season, so we need to make sure we do this right.

Hifumi: Kaede Akamatsu has been playing the piano for so long that she occasionally forgot to eat and sleep as a child. People started calling her "piano freak" as a result. She soon started taking first place in competition after competition, receiving accolades from a wide range of sources and being dubbed the Ultimate Pianist. She has given performances in front of notable people like a European King, a Juilliard representative, and other well-known pianists.

Leona: Aside from the fame that came with her talent, Kaede Akamatsu, by all intents and purposes, was a fairly normal child...But...as most people seem to do if they're fairly normal children, she wound up getting swept up in a Killing Game!

Hifumi: It all started when Kaede, as well as 15 other young men and women with Ultimate Talents got inducted into the Gofer Project. The heads of state and government from every country in the world initiated it when a deadly virus was released into the atmosphere by numerous meteorites crashing into Earth. The government made the decision to put sixteen gifted students, who were part of the Ultimate Initiative, and who also just so happened to be immune to the virus, in a spaceship colony and try to save the last remnants of humanity before the Earth was destroyed.

Leona: Despite being chosen, Kaede and the other 15 participants had no intention of following through on the plan because they didn't want to abandon their loved ones. As a result, Kaede chose to forget her Ultimate talent and live her life as a typical high school student.

Hifumi: But that wasn't to last. During that period, an extremist cult gained influence, and they tried to halt The Gofer Project after learning about it and coming to the conclusion that the meteorites were a punishment that humanity had brought upon itself.

Leona: Because of this, the sixteen students who were chosen for the Gofer Project were pursued and the "Ultimate Hunt" began to spread throughout the globe, and Kaede ended up on the run for her life.

Hifumi: In order to defuse the situation and stop the Ultimate Hunt while still protecting the students, the government then made the decision to pretend that the students had died. At that point, as meteorites were destroying Earth, the Gofer Project was launched. After traveling to space in the enormous ark—an institute also known as the Ultimate Academy of Gifted Juveniles—Kaede and the others were sent into a deep slumber that lasted for many years...

Leona: But something happened that the government weren't expecting. Eerily similar to how Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba did many many years ago at Hope's Peak, the leader of the deranged cult hid themselves among the students in the Gofer Project and snuck aboard the evil Monokuma and his 5 deranged children, which effectively forced Kaede and the others to participate in the Killing School Semester! Damn...as far as Killing Game backstories go, I thought a digital world was the peak, but now you're telling me that these guys are the last few survivors of humanity on a spaceship?

Uchui: I wouldn't be so impressed...After all, everything you've just said...is a PACK OF LIES!

Leona: Uchui, hey, you're back!

Hifumi: Ah, good timing! I was actually hoping to invite you on this episode as a special guest, mainly to help with all the metaphysical crap.

Uchui: It's what I'm best at. Anyway, I guess I should explain myself. To start with, and putting it extremely bluntly, Kaede Akamatsu is, from the perspective of us here in the room...an ALIEN.

Leona: WHAT!? She's like...a manhunter from Mars or something!?

Uchui: No. An "alien" is defined as a hypothetical or fictional being from another world...And THAT is EXACTLY what Kaede and her friends are. FICTIONAL CHARACTERS from ANOTHER UNIVERSE!

Leona: I'm...so lost...What are you talking about?

Uchui: To start with, Kaede Akamatsu and her friends AREN'T from OUR universe! She came here with the others after yours truly pulled them from their original twisted reality into ours, which is why they're here with us now. To make things even more interesting, the Kaede Akamatsu that we know now, is NOT the original.

Leona: She's like...a clone or something then!?

Hifumi: Mr Porosen, you're probably going to need to put it a lot simpler than that.

Uchui: I'm trying, ok? The REAL backstory is that in the world that Kaede Akamatsu and her associates, who we know by the moniker of "V3 Kids", is a world where the infamous Killing Games, like the First, Jabberwock Island, Demon Hunting and Final Killing Games...DID NOT HAPPEN. They were part of a long running anime and tv show franchise known simply as...Danganronpa! A series featuring Killing Games created by a team under the same name! And every famous event that happened FOR REAL in our world, is FICTIONAL in theirs! The series was so popular in fact, most of humanity was obsessed with it, and real people started to be put in the Killing Games as their own OC's! Including Kaede and her friends, who were part of the series 53rd Season!

Leona: 53RD!? Not even the SIMPSONS has that many season!? Well, not YET at least...Anyway, I...I think I get it...But then...if that's really true, who IS Kaede Akamatsu!?

Uchui: From what I can gather, she was just a regular girl who enjoyed classical music, and had a rather strenuous relationship with her family; not an Ultimate level student by a long shot. She was also a fan of Danganronpa. And following an event in which her twin sister Kaori died from a motorcycle accident, post a heated argument with her sister, Kaede WILLINGLY signed herself up for the latest season of the show.

Hifumi: Later on, Kaede disclosed that her desire to join the Killing Game stemmed from her belief that she had the ideal personality for it and that she had no faith at all in humanity. Remarkably different from the girl we all know today.

Leona: That's...kinda fucked...!

Uchui: It gets a lot worse. Once her application was approved, Kaede went through the fabrication process, in which all of her personality and past memories were made up from scratch, along with the other untalented 53rd Killing Game players. She was also given the title and talent of Ultimate Pianist; the goal of doing all of this being to please the global fan base of Danganronpa. Following the completion of the fabrication process, Kaede and the others formally entered the 53rd Killing Game season, also known as the Killing School Semester, when they enrolled in the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles, now all completely different people. Kaede Akamatsu especially, turned into a vivacious, humorous, positive, and happy person! When responding and making her points, she's typically direct, blunt, and forthright. An aspect that many can get behind, and that was kind of the point.

Hifumi: Her story began when Ms. Akamatsu awoke in a locker on the second floor of the Ultimate Academy, in a creepy classroom covered in vines. But before she had a chance to act, a boy staggered out of the locker next to the one she had been in when she had woken up. As the two got to know one another, the boy introduced himself as Shuichi Saihara.

Leona: Huh, cool! I wonder if THOSE TWO are gonna have some important connection later down the line~ wink wink~

Cut to scene of Shuichi and Kaede making out.

Uchui: Once all sixteen Ultimate students had gotten to know the self-appointed headmaster, Monokuma declared that they would all be taking part in a Killing Game. This announcement particularly infuriated Kaede, who told Monokuma and his kubs that neither she nor the others would ever submit to them.

Leona: Unfortunately, though Kaede personally took up the mantle of the groups leader and tried to steer them towards salvation and a potential exit, her methods turned out to be rather heavy handed, which only earned her scorn. The situation only spiraled out of control more when Monokuma started introducing motives for the first murder; that anyone who committed the first killing would be exonerated without a trial, and that if a murder did not take place within two days by noon, everyone forced to participate would DIE! Despite Kaede's best efforts, the majority of the group appeared to be too depressed to stay together, and with that, she reached her BREAKING POINT.

Hifumi: Despite Ms. Akamatsu's can-do attitude, she got kicked down and pushed back by the Despair so much that she resorted to doing the one thing she thought she could to end the Killing Game...KILL the MASTERMIND behind it...! Who thanks to Mr Saihara's detective work, she suspected was amongst them.

Leona: She didn't tell HIM that obviously. But things took ANOTHER turn for the worst when Kaede activated her trap, which involved rolling a shotput ball down a flight of books she'd set up earlier, luring the Mastermind towards them, and killing them with blunt force trauma! Ouch...!

Uchui: Ouch is right, especially for Kaede, as when she and her allies stormed the library, they discovered Rantaro Amami's corpse not far from the Mastermind's hidden door's position, who appeared to have been bludgeoned in the back of the head with Kaede's shot put, much to her shock and horror.

Hifumi: Soon after, Monokuma and his Kubs showed up and demanded that the offender come forward and claim their "First Blood Perk." However, Ms. Akamatsu refused, not wanting to abandon the others and believing she could use the Class Trial as a last-ditch attempt to expose the Mastermind.

Leona: As you might have guessed, it didn't work. Everyone was shocked and in awe that Kaede, who wanted to end the Killing Game and save everyone, could be the perpetrator. Despite this, she pushed Shuichi to reveal the entire truth about her plan, much to everyone's dismay, and was executed for her crime...Poor girl...

Uchui: Except for one thing...THIS was ALSO a HUGE LIE!

Leona: Again!? What gives with this other world and it's lies! WHEN DO THEY END!?

Uchui: In actuality, Kaede's scheme FAILED. The Mastermind of the Killing School Semester was the REAL murderer of Rantaro; who covered up and changed the scene of the crime to give the impression that Kaede's plan had been successful. In spite of this, Kaede was painted as the guilty party and the truth was kept hidden from everyone. Unaware of this, the participants looked for a truth that Monokuma and The Mastermind had covered up with lies.

Hifumi: And the perpetrator was the woman who would eventually go on to become Akamatsu's arch-nemesis...TSUMUGI SHIROGANE! Current leader of Organization Zetsubou! Thus, Ms. Akamatsu's story came to a close, being executed for a crime that she did not commit...Until this guy here was able to pull her and her friends into our world and let them live an actual happy life as a found family!

Uchui: Don't flatter me. I wouldn't exactly call what happened to her here "normal."

Leona: Yeah, as it turns out our world can be just as cruel, if not crueler than the V3 one, especially with Tsumugi still being around and with a strange hate boner for Kaede, doing everything she can to either kill her or make her life miserable...

Hifumi: Becoming a sort of "damsel in distress" for a while, it was only after Kaede Akamatsu was kidnapped and tortured by a brainwashed Kyosuke Munakata that she decided she had ENOUGH!

Uchui: Kaede realized that if Shirogane and her lackeys were going to keep bringing fights to her, she had to learn to HIT BACK! And who did she go for for guidance and wisdom in the art of fucking up your enemies? Who else but my best bud, Kuripa Kurafto!?

Leona: I mean, not to knock Big K or anything but I wouldn't exactly call him a professional warrior. Why him over someone like Sakura, or Peko or, Mukuro like Makoto chose to train him?

Uchui: Kaede wasn't especially shy about her agenda. Not only was Kuripa's style more casual, and replicating it meant she could go at her own pace, but her main goal was to put the HURT on Zetsubou, realizing that in order to get them to back off, she had to reduce herself to their level, a decision she made with a heavy heart, but a strong will.

Hifumi: While initially wanting to learn the arts with a sword, Mr Kurafto and Ms Akamatsu quickly discovered that she was far more adept at handling a longer ranged weapon like a polearm. And my did she become adept at using it.

Uchui: Indeed. From training with Kuripa, Kaede very quickly became just as adept a fighter as he was, though focusing on her own strengths. Kuripa is mostly durable and powerful, who focuses on outlasting his opponents in brawls and fights to the death by tanking hits and dishing out hits twice as powerful. Kaede on the other hand, relies more on her agility, and quick, powerful attacks to an opponents weak point in order to seize the victory.

Leona: Which helps a lot considering she managed to get this super sick flying spear weapon that she received from my buddy Maya! And she's way better at using it! Though...don't tell Maya I said that...

Hifumi: The weapon, originally known as the Electromagnetic Levitation Spear was originally developed by Fang Inc. and stolen by the Freedom Foundation. During an unfortunate spat in America where Ms. Akamatsu was forced to fight her mentor, she took this spear for herself and due to the weapons potential hidden in rapidly pressing keys in a sequence, she was able to make combative use of her PIANO skills of all things! Now however, it's better known as the Mozart Mk2!

Uchui: When Miu Iruma and Mona got a chance to take a stab at the weapon, they ended up UPGRADING it, making it even more powerful and adept, with 5 distinct modes of combat that Kaede can switch between on the fly. The basic function is a casual blade-ended polearm, but it also has a Bludgeon Mode where the end becomes round and hard to help bash an opponents skull in, or Javelin Mode which makes it really pointy and better for piercing.

Leona: Hacker Mode turns the weapon into a basically very long version of the Future Foundation hacking gun, with all the bullets! See our previous episode for reference

Hifumi: The last of the modes is KILL Mode, and as the name implies, it produces a large, black blade from the end that is so sharp, it can carve through a person in ONE SLASH! However, not sharing her mentor's lethal code and violent disposition, Ms. Akamatsu has only ever used this mode on robots, not on people.

Uchui: Well...MOST of the time at least...

Leona: Eh?

Uchui: Well, while it IS true that Kaede isn't ever as psychotic as Kuripa can be, nor does she ever break her own code of refusing to ever kill again, Kaede has shown that when she's angry, she has NO QUALMS fucking you up; even going as far as to dismember you! And we know this because of her fights against Kanade Otonokoji and Himiko Yumeno!

Hifumi: Ms. Akamatsu's biggest challenge came in the form of a Zetsubou-controlled, abandoned Future Foundation laboratory, where Tsumugi Shirogane trapped her inside it to be a feast for the 5 Monokubs. But things didn't work out the way Shirogane expected. Kaede ended up BEFRIENDING the Monokub, Monodam, and with his help and the help of Mrs. Sora Kabuya, they worked together to take down the remaining Monokubs, where she was able to dismantle their Exisal mechas

Uchui: Based on my mechanical calculations, the Exisal's each stand at about 4.3 meters tall, have a max speed of 200 mph, and a power potency equivalent to 203 grams of TNT; enough to obliterate a small wall at least. Though she's not known for her durability, Kaede was able to dismantle these Exisal's and tank hits from them. Quite impressive!

Leona: I guess when you're the student of a walking tank like Kuripa, it comes naturally to you.

Hifumi: Unfortunately for Mrs. Akamatsu, Despair has a neat little way of making its rounds on her. When Kanade Otonokoji stormed into the lab to kill her, she was able to escape the lab and rescue the deranged psycho's twin sister, Hibiki...but Monodam tragically lost his life at Otonokoji's hands...

Uchui: And Kaede...SNAPPED! She went completely ballistic on Kanade, so much so that the serial killer was basically TRAUMATIZED by the sight of her face! Yes, THIS cute face!

Leona: To be fair, Kanade also has a pretty cute face, and she's an evil lunatic...

Uchui: Bare in mind that this fight and these incredible displays of strength, like she showed when cutting off Kanade's whole LEG and stabbing her multiple times, was done AFTER spending the last 24 hours in almost non-stop fights with only limited backup and few chances to stop and rest.

Leona: Oh! And we almost forgot to mention that Kaede was able to brutally kill Monokid while in her UNDERWEAR! I love me a girl who fights in combat panties!

Hifumi: Not...COMBAT panties, just...panties...But yeah, basically she managed to wrestle Monokid with barely any clothes and no weapon, having little ways of protecting herself, yet successfully killing him by severing his head from his jaw. Now, we can't give an accurate calculation to Monokid's strength, but assuming his power level is ever so slightly lower than Killing Game Monokuma's, that would also mean that HER power level is slightly below that of Sakura Ogami, who MATCHED KG Monokuma.

Uchui: Actually, with her weaponry, it's very likely she's on par or even STRONGER, though we might be reaching...Killing Game Monokuma was pretty easily crushed by the Monokub Exisal, and Kaede was able to defeat at least 2 of THEM.

Leona: Ok, but I think you guys are forgetting to take something into account here. How about we talk about the time that Kaede STOPPED this giant titan mech's attack...PICKED IT UP...THREW IT over her shoulder...! SLICED it to PIECES, and smashed it's pilot THROUGH the ground!? How's THAT for a feat of strength!?

Hifumi: Yes indeed. Her latest and most impressive feat is her defeat of the Titan Puppet, developed and created as a last resort by Mikihiko Koyasunaga, which was originally piloted by Himiko Yumeno after he...removed her insides and...replaced her with a robotic endoskeleton under his control...

Leona: What the hell is wrong with these bad guys man!?

Hifumi: Mrs. Akamatsu did exactly as Leona just described, BY HERSELF in a matter of SECONDS! To pull this off, it proves that she must have been moving at LEAST at a subsonic level of speed and reactionary feats!

Uchui: Actually...there's one thing here I really want to cover quickly. Yes, Kaede was able to shoulder throw the titan, but in actuality, it was really her SPEAR that was doing the throwing. Because we kind of failed to mention this somehow...

Leona: Oh yeah, I guess we forgot to talk about that the damn thing can FLY!

Uchui: "Flight" is subjective. As it's namesake suggest, the Electromagnetic Levitation Spear uses the power of Electromagnetic Waves and stored Kinetic Energy that it generates through movement to levitate potentially hundreds of feet off the ground. It does this through simple magnetic interactions by increasing or decreasing it's own magnetism, leaning towards either positive or negative, and it can do this at any level in any direction so long as Kaede also possesses this glove that allows her to remotely control the spear's passage in the sky. It's like moving it with an invisible hand.

Leona: But don't magnets kind of need to be near metal to work? I know the spear itself is made of metal, but still...

Hifumi: Technically speaking, the magnet IS near metal. There are VERY FEW substances in the universe that DON'T contain traces of metallic elements. Iron is present in your blood, Lead and Mercury are present in the air, metallic ore lines the very ground we stand on, and a literal magnetic field surrounds the Earth.

Uchui: Which is what makes the MMK2 so incredible! Even if an metal has only a tiny magnetic pull, the spear can increase it's own so much that it can fly basically anywhere! Furthermore, the push force between the spear and the surfaces are so powerful, that the weapon can lift things that normally couldn't be lifted, like the Titan, and it can even Kaede herself!

Leona: So let this be a lesson to you all out there who want to defy the Future Foundation and cause rampant chaos in the world. This girl is OUT there, and if she finds you...God help you.

Hifumi: What Kaede Akamatsu will do next is anyone's guess and entirely her own decision. She's not playing by the rules or following the script any more, and with her friends, mentor, lover and everyone else by her side, she's always ready to save the world!

Uchui: Though the ranks of Future Foundation are home to many formidable warriors, very few can compare to the appearance and abilities of the youthful and upbeat spear-wielder Kaede Akamatsu!

Leona: Hey...do you know what a Majority Vote is? Sara Chidouin never really had to think about it, until one day, she learned a hard truth of the world. Life is well and good until you get kidnapped and put in a death game!

Hifumi: Can't say that's a phrase I've ever heard of before, but I suppose it rings true?

Hifumi: Sara Chidouin, also known as Miss Sara or Big Sis Sara, is a second-year student at Sanobeno High School; identifiable by her orange hair and her work ethic. She was average height, average build, but possessed a lot more intelligence than the Average Joe.

Leona: Literally, her very average friend Joe is right there next to her.

Uchui: Everything about Sara Chidouin was perfectly normal. She lived at home with her mother and her father, the latter of whom she was not biologically related to; as well as a cat that they adopted for a while, and a housekeeper, who Sara never really met. She was a normal high school girl who had her own likes and dislikes, and was all around a pretty standard example of a high-school girl.

Leona: But on a night that felt like any other night, her life took a dramatic and tragic shift in the worst way possible...!

Hifumi: Ms. Chidouin dozed off in a classroom after staying late for after-school clubs. When she woke up and saw how late it was, she went home with her best friend Jou Tazuna, also known as Joe.

Uchui: A figure emerged in the light of a street lamp as the two kept walking. When Sara saw them, she and Joe fled back to her house out of fear. Sara entered her home feeling as though she was being followed, but instead of finding her parents there, she was startled by how strangely quiet and dark the place was. Only to discover her mother, unconscious on the floor, when she went into the living room and turned on the lights!

Leona: She desperately looked around for her father, and headed to her bedroom, but instead, she was met with these CREEEEPY GRABBY HANDS that reached out to grab her!

Hifumi: And the next thing she knew? She woke up to find herself and her best friend strapped to beds in an unknown location, with 5 minutes to escape the trap!

Uchui: Things would spiral out of control from there on. Sara and Joe found themselves trapped inside a mysterious facility alongside several other interesting characters of varying ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds, with deadly collars strapped around their necks.

Hifumi: Seeing no way out, they were forced to compete in a "Death Game" where the participants decide who dies next by taking the majority of votes in the "Main Game," subjecting them to the chaos of several lifelike dolls. With little choice, Sara and Joe obeyed their captors' orders and worked with the other characters to explore the facility, make it through the Death Game, and discover who was holding them.

Leona: More than just these creepy and...honestly kind of REALLY FRUSTRATING umpire dolls, and the deadly Main Game lurked within this establishment. The Death Game involved logical deductions, collecting of evidence, trading cards, bonding between "friends, lots of shouting (sounds familiar), FANSERVICE WOOO-!, and having her decisions affect the course of the deadly story that they had been swept up in.

Uchui: Not to mention that as time went by, Sara began to realize, with horror, that this game may involve her more than she initially thought it would...She came into a world where the fate of all these strangers around her were ultimately decided by everyone else's choice...I.e. by majority vote...!

Leona: I hate democracy...! Ahem...So I know what you're wondering. "When will it be Your Turn To Die miss Sara?" Eh? Eh?

Hifumi: Apparently, not any time soon. For you see, Ms Chidouin is surprisingly adept when it comes to the challenges the game throws at her!

Uchui: Sara currently, based on some thorough analysis and test simulations done by her kidnappers, has the highest chance of winning the Death Game of all the players, at 15.5% of the vote; and it's not too hard to see why. As a person, Sara is outgoing, independent, self-assured, good with children, and all around charming and competent.

Leona: And you know, she also knows how to use a sword and a gun!

Hifumi: Though she comes off as normal all around, she possesses many skills and feats, such as mining, hide-and-seek skills, arm wrestling, playing Yu-Gi-Oh, dancing, and is also a "kendo master" as she claims.

Uchui: I don't think Hifumi's really selling it, but all of this is important, we swear.

Leona: So, we said this in a previous episode, and honestly it should be common knowledge for Danganronpa fans, but let's just quickly explain. Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art derived from kenjutsu that employs bamboo swords and protective armor in it's practices. Basically, Sara is like a samurai or...an Ultimate Swordswoman! ...Wait a second...

Hifumi: Yeah, maybe don't let Ms Kuzuryu hear you say that...

Uchui: It is true though that she can back up her rather bold claims. Though she seems unassuming, she's actually VERY strong and VERY fast. Let's look at the Runaway Minecart Attraction for example.

Hifumi: Miss Sara can avoid flying birds while riding in the mine cart at high speeds, and can also break down a solid wooden wall in a couple of hits. Let's do a few calculations to figure out how powerful that makes her.

Leona: Oh god, it's MATH time again...!

Hifumi: Based on the number of pixels, we can assume the wooden wall is around 46291.23cm², and a volume of 348850.73cm³. Assuming the wood is White Oak, In-game, it takes 20 hits for Sara and Sou Hiyori—or Gin Ibushi, depending on your partner—to knock down this wall. As Sara and Sou worked together on this, we'll also split the energy value in half.

Uchui: With that in mind, we can say that Sara's individual AP when landing a Violent Fragmentation, or a stronger hit than normal, comes to about 120.261 Joules of force. Which is equivelant to just over 2 tons of TNT. Enough to completely obliterate a wall at least.

Leona: Wait, wait wait! So basically, you just showed Sara breaking down a wall, and used the calculations to prove that Sara...can break down a wall? What was even the point!?

Uchui: H-Hey! It's nice to have numbers! Besides, that's not the only feat of power she's displayed!

Hifumi: Quite right. In addition to the wall feat, in an arm-wrestling match, Ms. Chidouin defeated The Arm-Wrestling Dolls.

Leona: So? I can defeat Kouji pretty handily in an arm wrestling match. What good does that do her case?

Uchui: Fair enough, and I get why you're skeptical, but also, I'm pretty sure that Ito-san doesn't have the physical strength to crush a human skull. Which these dolls DO.

Hifumi: The average weight of the Skull is 997g, and the average density of bone is 1.6 g/cm^3. To break one with your bare hand like these dolls do would require a force of around 500kg, or more specifically, 34.96 Joules, which bumps Sara's strength, who was able to overpower them, to around 8 Tons of TNT!

Leona: AH! I get it now! She's hardcore!

Hifumi: To make things even more interesting when looking at her stat pool, Ms. Chidouin has proven that she's capable of TAKING just as much damage as she's able to put out. She is not only capable of defeating the Arm-Wrestling Dolls but also withstand multiple blows from The Charge Card Battle Dolls. The attacks that these dolls make with their special card abilities are shown to completely crack the wall behind her corpse in addition to completely disfiguring her in the game over screen. We'll talk more about the card battle aspects in a moment.

Uchui: I know it's weird to use a game over screen to show a feat of death, but bare in mind it takes MULTIPLE attacks with these cards to actually get Sara to succumb. Effectively, as Hifumi already implied, this feat shows that she's AT LEAST able to take hits on the same level of strength that she can put out herself.

Leona: But what is probably Sara's BEST stat, is her intelligence. Something VERY important when it comes to surviving death games, as I'm sure we're all well aware. As Uchui already said, she is statistically proven to be the most likely candidate to win the Death Game. She has a remarkably sharp wit and a major charismatic air about her, which causes her to frequently lead discussions in the Main or Sub-Games while only being matched in deductions by the likes of Sou Hiyori and Keiji Shinogi. Hey, don't we know that guy?

Uchui: Doesn't ring a bell.

Hifumi: I've never met him.

Leona: Eh, must just be me then. Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?

Hifumi: Regardless, there is a more...cynical side to all of these calculations. In the artificial intelligence candidate simulations, she would frequently murder other players and use their demise to elevate her own stature in the group.

Uchui: Joe Tazuna was specifically brought into the game with her for this exact reason. He acted as a handicap to stop this aspect of her, giving the other competitors a more fair shot at victory.

Leona: Pfft! An AI can't write shit! Why are we even still trusting simulations in this day and age! That girl's got a stomach of steel and a heart of gold! There's no way she could EVER succumb to such worldly issues, right?

Uchui: Eh...I wouldn't be so sure...Sara may be far more competent than she lets on, but she is still ultimately human and...has MUCH baggage to carry. And Joe's inclusion in the Main Game ended up nerfing Sara's capabilities FAR MORE than expected...

Hifumi: Mr Joe was nearly always there to lift Miss Sara's spirits when she is feeling down or confused. But destiny had other ideas for the two friends. It was revealed at the end of the first Main Game that Joe had the Sacrifice Card and would therefore be executed alongside Kai Satou, the player who received the most votes.

Leona: Who also, conveniently, was Sara's stalker! And her housekeeper! Huh? What's going oooon!?

Uchui: We'll be here forever if we go into the full situation. Anyway, bloodsucking tubes were fastened to Joe's body, and Sara pleaded with the first game master, Sue Miley, to allow her to replace him and be the one to die. Though Miley declined, she offered her a gadget that, if she presses it hard enough, might be able to save Joe by slowing the process of his blood being drained.

Leona: But all this really did was prolong Joe's suffering until he died regardless. Something that Miley, that BITCH, had done on purpose. And BOY did it get to Sara BAAAAD!

Hifumi: Sara Chidouin's confidence was completely destroyed after she added to Joe Tazuna's suffering during his execution, and she also lost her sanity, leaving it perilously close to collapse. Anything that even slightly reminds her of her best friend causes her to experience HORRIFIC visual hallucinations, and renders her completely prone and vulnerable.

Uchui: Also, while she can still sway others to her side with relative ease, it doesn't always work out that way. In fact, some of the other participants don't trust her because they realize that at the end of the day, she's still just an ordinary high school girl, and putting too much faith in her in a surefire path to the group's inevitable downfall.

Leona: So with all those strengths and weaknesses covered, why don't we close this analysis by taking a look at Sara's gear? Because again, surprisingly, there's a fair bit to cover.

Uchui: Sara can use any weapon or piece of equipment that she's provided in the Death Game, mainly in the Attractions in the second chapter. The obvious one to start with is a sword. As covered already, she's proficient in Kendo martial arts, and has been since she was a young girl. And a metal pipe for good measure.

Hifumi: She also has a revolver that's loaded with both non-lethal dummy bullets and VERY lethal real ones, and she's actually pretty handy when it comes to using it, despite not having much experience using guns in the past.

Leona: She's also got a camera that can repel ghosts that she uses in the Spirit Shutter attraction. And as Hifumi said earlier, she's also in possession of these really powerful Battle Cards from the Charge Card Battle Attraction.

Hifumi: Depending on which card Miss Sara employs, she can increase the power of her hand, fire off laser beams, defend against all attacks, and create giant explosions that can down most enemies in a single blast!

Uchui: And lastly is a special Lantern which is capable of limited Memory Manipulation. Sara can use it to stir up somebody's forgotten memories and bring the real memories to light.

Leona: Damn...That's a lot of stuff that we just covered. And here I was thinking she was just another standard death game protagonist that we've all come to be so familiar with...

Hifumi: Miss Sara is certainly a hero and is happy to occasionally lend a hand to her new friends, despite her somewhat ordinary upbringing, enigmatic connection to the Death Game, and intense emotional trauma. Or, on rare occasions, BE the one in need of assistance.

Leona: SOMEONE GET THIS GIRL A BLANKET!

Hifumi: Alright, the combatants are set! Let's end this debate once and for all!

Leona: This one's all you Uchui, my dude!

Uchui: Huh!? O-Ok! GET READY FOR A DEEAAATH BAAATTLLLLLLEEE!

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Kaede: *pant!* *pant!*

Sara: Hey! Get back here!

Kaede Akamatsu is first seen running away from Sara Chidouin and Keiji Shinogi, who are in hot pursuit. She narrowly avoids Sara throwing a random hallway pot at her when she turns the corner.

Kaede turns the corner and randomly finds herself down a very long, dark hallway with a minecart on it. She looks back and forth between the minecart and the doorway where she can still hear her pursuers voices.

Kaede: Eh...Tempting, but...this is faster!

As Sara and Keiji round the corner, Kaede jumps onto her spear like a broomstick and flies very quickly down the dark hall. Sara growls as she watches her get away, but Keiji puts a hand on her shoulder.

Keiji: Sara, just leave it. It's not worth the stress.

Sara: I can't just let her go Keiji! She might be one of the people responsible for this! We haven't seen her face yet!

Keiji: We thought that about Alice too. It's not like you to be so rash.

Sara: Yeah, well, being trapped in this place for a long period of time does that to you...! And we found out Alice was cool once we got to question him.

Before Keiji can stop her, Sara leaps into the minecart.

Sara: Keep the others safe! I'll be back once I've... "questioned" her!

Keiji: Sara, wait! Don't be a hero!

Sara doesn't listen. She smacks the brakes off and the cart starts to rush down the tracks, and in spite of Keiji's protests, she starts to chase Kaede.

Kaede, who just begins to relax as she rides on her spear like a broom, almost falls off when a bullet flies past her ear. It just barely grazes and cuts her lobe and she looks back to see Sara riding the minecart, shooting at her with a pistol she procured from who knows where.

Sara: You thought I was done with you!?

Kaede: Oh great...!

Kaede rolls her eyes and, with little other option, lets herself drift back and brandishes her weapon as she flies towards Sara. Sara suddenly whips out a rather sharp sword from behind her back, and clashes blades with her opponent as the minecart carries her along rapidly along the tracks.

Kaede: HYAAGH!

Sara: Good thing I packed these...!

Kaede attempts to attack from above after flying upward, but Sara is able to block it with a Block Battle Card.

Sara: Huh!? Uh oh...!

Sara notices the tracks end up ahead as they continue down the tunnel. With quick thinking, she draws another Battle Card, this time a Beam, and uses it on Kaede.

Kaede: GAAGH!?

Not seeing the laser coming, Kaede is struck by a beam that knocks her off her weapon and sends her falling towards the ground, while Sara disconnects from her cart and falls down with her, pointing her revolver at her opponent.

Sara: Alright, I want answers!

Kaede: Heh...How about I give you the spear?

*WHACK!*

Sara: GUGGH! Agh! Ugh! Dahagh! Bagh! DAAGH!

With a wry smirk, Kaede pointers her fingers at Sara and flicks them to the left. Initially confused, Sara is then hit dead in the jaw by Kaede's spear, which flies towards her in bludgeon mode and knocks her into the wall!

Sara stumbles along the rock formation before she falls flat on their faces into another strangely colored corridor. When Kaede gets her spear and uses it to gently bring herself down, she lands on her feet and facing Sara as she crawls to hers.

Kaede: I know that probably hurt, but that was pretty funny on my end~

Sara: Yeah, yeah, keep laughing! Let's see you make a decent quip once I knock your teeth out!

Sara is evidently not impressed by Kaede's casual demeanor. She takes out a fairly sharp blade and holds it in a traditional Kendo manner. With a sigh, Kaede raises her hand above her head, summoning the Mozart Mk2 to her, catches it, and points Sara with the blade's end.

Kaede: Let's dance...!

Sara charges at Kaede, who hurls her spear in her direction. Sara deflects the weapon, tosses it behind her, and then swings the blade to drive Kaede back. But recalling what had happened earlier, she dodges in time to prevent the spear from whizzing back in her direction and striking her in the head once more.

Sara: I happen to study Kendo you know? And I consider myself to be pretty good at it...! What have YOU got to say?

Kaede: I thought you said you wanted to ask me questions!? Didn't think THAT would be it!

Sara: HYAGH!

Kaede: RAGH!

As Kaede catches her weapon, they push off each other and square each other down from a distance.

Sara: Who ARE you really, and why are you here!?

Kaede: My name is Kaede Akamatsu and...your guess is as good as mine. I don't know how I got here or why, but it doesn't matter...Because I'm getting out of here one way or another...!

Kaede reaches into her pocket and takes out a small key. Sara grimaces upon seeing it.

Sara: You can't just leave! If you use that key, the rest of us will die!

She tugs on her collar.

Kaede: You don't know that! I don't have a collar, and I can go and get help! I can save you!

Sara: I don't trust you!

Sara shows that she truly is a skilled swordswoman by launching a barrage of precise strikes and swings.

The Pianist parries her blow, then sends Sara hurtling skyward with a slash that sends her away with the blunt end of her spear! Kaede leaps and tries to slash at Sara from above as she runs back, but she rolls out of the way.

Sara: HYRRAGH!

Kaede: HACHAGH!

Sara: Eegh!?

Sara attempts to thrust at Kaede and sever her stomach with her sword, but Kaede counters with a blow strong enough to take the sword out of Sara's grasp. Put on the defensive, Sara uses her Block Cards to keep the Ultimate Pianist at bay while also dodging Kaede's ensuing swings with her polearm. She is forced into a corner and is about to take a powerful swing downward when she abruptly removes a metal pipe from behind her back to deflect the blow.

*CRACK* *CRUMBLE!*

Kaede & Sara: Huh!? AAGGGH!?

The force of Kaede's attack causes the floor beneath the two girls to collapse, and they fall down a hole. They once again both faceplant on the floor and crawl to their feet.

Kaede & Sara: EGH!?

They both look up in horror to see several twisted and creepy dolls staring at them, leaving them completely surrounded.

Sara: Oh...God...Dammit...

Kaede: Get away from me, you FREAKS!

Kaede switches her weapon into it's Javelin Mode and uses it to stab the dolls that get close to her. She barely ducks in time to avoid a laser beam being fired at her by one of Sara's beam cards, who carries a pack of them in one hand as she lunges at the girl with her pipe. Kaede ducks underneath it, making a doll behind her take the brunt of the hit, and she kicks Sara in the stomach with her foot.

Sara stumbles back into the arms of a Samurai Doll from the Quick Draw attraction, which tries to slice her in twain. However, Sara bashes it in the chin with the pipe and disarms it, taking it's blade for herself and running back towards Kaede, now duel-wielding an iron pipe and a sword.

Sara: Say CHEEESE!

Kaede: GAGH!?

Dropping a snide comment of her own, Sara grabs her spirit camera and flashes Kaede in the face with her camera, which both blinds the pianist and extinguishes some spiritual forms behind her.

Sara attempts to swing the sword at Kaede once more, but Kaede deflects it and returns her weapon to its standard mode. When Sara knocks the weapon upwards, Kaede elbows her while she's unsteady on her feet and almost instantly returns it to her hand. While Sara swipes her sword and bashes with her pipe, Kaede keeps switching the weapons mode on the fly to parry both Sara and the dolls. The two take down the approaching dolls while still attempting to harm and dodge each other.

Kaede: Give it up girl! You know you can't beat me like this!

Sara: Don't get cocky! Do you know how much I've had to fight to survive since I got wrapped up in this!?

Kaede: Heh...Well...

To Sara's dismay, Kaede throws her spear and totally destroys the pipe in her hand.

Kaede: Preaching to the choir on THAT one...!

Kaede is assaulted by a few more ghouls and goblins, which Sara uses to gain some distance. With everything at stake, she pulls out her last few Battle Cards and examines her hand. With a deep breath, Sara takes two Charge Cards and places them on her chest. They get absorbed into her and power her up. Seeing that she has two cards remaining, she decides to save it.

Sara runs back towards Kaede once she decapitates one last doll, and she looks up in time to see the orange-haired schoolgirl assault her. As they continue to clash, Kaede observes that Sara's attacks are becoming a little more potent. But Sara strikes with a powerful uppercut as the Pianist charges once more, sending Kaede hurtling skyward and screaming in agony.

Sara: I'd like to say it was nice knowing you but...it wasn't...!

Sara throws her Special Card forward, and Kaede is shocked to find herself in the middle of a massive explosion. She suddenly has no footing and is helpless, and Sara smirks as she watches her struggle. But...

Kaede: Hrrgh...! Is this...really...all...you've GOT!?

*BOOOM!*

Sara: HUH!?

Kaede: HYAAGH!

Sara is terrified as, despite the explosion being boosted by her Charge Cards, Kaede tanks the blast! Her skin, clothes and hair are all badly burned, but she grabs her spear and flies through at the speed of a bullet until she's right in Sara's face, whacking her so hard with her weapon, she rockets into the sky!

Sara: HRRGH!

Kaede: BREAK!

As a last ditch effort to survive what she beliefs is a finishing slash, Sara raises her last card to put up one more barrier to block Kaede. However, Kaede instead switches her weapon into Hacker Mode and shoots Sara with a break bullet...which makes DIRECT contact with her deadly collar.

Sara: Oh SHI-!

*KA-BOOOM!* *SPLAATTER!*

The break bullet Kaede fires hacks and prematurely detonates Sara's collar. It glows a bright light, and just as she acknowledges what's happening, her head detonates, sending her blood and brains flying all over the place; her headless body smacking back down to the ground.

Kaede: ...

Kaede is in a lot of pain as she hovers, but doesn't pay attention. She clenchers both her fists, the key in one hand and the spear in the other, with a look of uncertainty and regret on her face, saddened and despaired by what she just had to do...

Leona: Aaaawww! That's such a "fuck you" way to go out! I actually feel pretty bad for Sara here!

Hifumi: Sara Chidouin was a VERY interesting combatant to analyze. Given her abilities from her various tools and equipment used in the attractions, she had an incredibly versatile arsenal at her disposal.

Leona: And with the Battle Cards and her various weapons like the sword, pipe, and revolver, the girl had so much to throw at Kaede that even she could have easily become overwhelmed.

Uchui: Even with that against her, Kaede's overpowered weapon and superhuman proficiency allowed her to match much of Sara's arsenal. Sara may have had more tools to work with, but just having the Mozart Mk2 gave Kaede the advantage.

Hifumi: Aside from her Block Cards, which even then only defend her for about a second, Miss Sara really had no way of defending herself against ANY of Ms. Akamatsu's weapon modes, especially not the Instant Kill Mode which could take her down, well...INSTANTLY. Based on her defensive capabilities, it's likely she could survive strong hits from the Bludgeon Mode, but even then, that would only be for a time.

Leona: And Kaede's defensive capabilities are just a lot greater, to the point where even Sara's strongest Charge Card attack wouldn't definitively take her down! Sara's body can survive being impounded into a wall, but Kaede has tanked hits from the likes of Kuripa Kurafto, Kanade Otonokoji, the Titan and the Exisals, which are all WAY stronger than anything Sara has had to take down!

Uchui: These battles also prove that Kaede is also stronger AND faster. Sara can overpower the Arm-Wrestling Dolls, but KAEDE can overpower the Exisals, which were so strong, they destroyed Killing Game Monokuma ON ACCIDENT by stepping on him! As a reminder, Killing Game Monokuma is able to survive attacks from Sakura Ogami, the strongest character in all of Danganronpa barring Izuru Kamukura.

Hifumi: She's ALSO been able to move AND FLY at the speed of sound using her weapon; completely above and beyond any speed feats Miss Sara has shown to be capable of. When it comes to general stats, Ms. Akamatsu knocks Miss Sara out of the water. Except perhaps, for intelligence.

Leona: Kaede is by no means dumb. In fact, she's actually an equally quick thinker and can adapt on the fly just as easily as Sara can. But with Sara constantly having to apply her mind and strategic prowess in the Death Game, and using her keen eye and observation skills to sus people out, she's shown to be far more capable in that regard. Kaede also doesn't compare to the likes of her boyfriend Shuichi, who is a literal detective.

Hifumi: Additionally, though it might come across as surprising, Miss Sara ALSO has the better mental fortitude of the two of them.

Leona: You know, I notice we don't really talk about mental fortitude in these fights unless it's between two mystery game protags...Not really that interesting or anything, just felt like I should point it out.

Uchui: At the point that Your Turn To Die is at right now, Sara is still alive and based on analysis and AI simulations, is the most likely to survive the game out of all the candidates. By such a significant margin in fact, that Joe Tazuna was brought into the game specifically with the intention of NERFING her intellectual capabilities for the sake of fairness. And even with her repeated hallucinations of her deceased best friend, she's yet to succumb to the pressure entirely.

Hifumi: On the other hand, when things began to slowly but steadily fall apart, Ms. Akamatsu wasn't unwilling to commit to brutal murder in order to assure her and her friends survival, and as shown in her fight against Kanade Otonokoji, being forced to witness the deranged monster kill her friend sent her into a savage and violent state with lethal intentions. If this was a battle purely decided by fortitude, Miss Sara would undoubtedly come out on top.

Leona: Plus, Kaede really didn't have any surefire way of triggering Sara's hallucinogenic states. Not only could she not innately know about Joe, and Sara's hallucinations related to him, but she didn't have any sort of paraphernalia or circumstance that could bring Sara into the state. Unless of course, she somehow got to talking about her own very similar circumstances, but that's not a likely outcome based on our analysis, and even then, it's a stretch.

Uchui: But when it comes to comparing their experience with battle and wielding weapons, Sara has a greater QUANTITY, but Kaede's yields a better QUALITY. Though the Kendo fighting style is more professional than the Kurafto Style, the latter doesn't rely too heavily on techniques so much as it does adapting and attacking on the fly, while also dealing outright savage blows. Because of this, it's unlikely even with her intellect and quick thinking, that Sara could glean a specific movement pattern from her opponent.

Leona: The Mozart Mk2 is just THAT powerful, and Kuripa's teachings are just that ridiculous! Kaede also just had a lot more interesting and effective ways of killing Sara than Sara does Kaede. In fact, even though the Hacker Mode doesn't ordinarily work on Biotic Lifeforms, and Kaede doesn't possess synchro-discs to get around this weapon like Komaru, it's still likely Kaede could use the mode to short circuit Sara's collar.

Uchui: It's unclear to us whether a shot from a hacking bullet would prematurely activate the collar, or just straight up detonate it like it does the Monokuma's, but regardless of what happens, Sara's end is basically assured assuming Kaede shoots the collar while it's around her neck. And since Sara can't willingly remove the collar, well, you get the picture.

Hifumi: Also, while Miss Sara's arsenal was vast, half of it was not very effective on Ms. Akamatsu. Only a third of the rounds in her revolver were lethal, while the rest were dummy bullets that just hurt a little bit. The Camera wouldn't work either since she's not a spirit, and it's unlikely she could make any use of her dart and lighter.

Uchui: Sara's most effective weapons against Kaede were the Battle Cards, but again, Kaede has survived attacks and weapons much more powerful than anything those cards could potentially do to her.

Leona: And unlike Sara, Kaede has never shown to succumb to her tragic past and the terrible things that have happened to her, so even if Sara employed the light of her Lantern to bring these memories forward, it wouldn't really help her in the long run.

Uchui: Lastly, Sara does technically have more training than Kaede, having studied Kendo since she was a little girl, whereas Kaede has only been training for about over a year at this point. However, though first and foremost both are a student and pianist, Kaede is also a warrior, while Sara is not. Kaede constantly has to apply her combat skills to survive in the war against Zetsubou, while Sara survives the Death Game with her intelligence and silver tongue more than her physical capabilities, and has never had to properly apply herself in a fight to the death.

Hifumi: Miss Sara Chidouin fought valiantly and proved to be more capable and powerful fighter than she let on. But Kaede Akamatsu's speed, strength, and raw unrivaled power ensured her Ultimate Victory.

Leona: "GAME! OVER!"

THE WINNER IS KAEDE AKAMATSU!

Next Time:

Part-human...Part-monster...ALL SAVAGE! But when their backs are against the wall who's the most savage of them all!?

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