Game · in order
Danganronpa Games and Anime in Order
All 7 released Danganronpa entries, five games (four canon plus the non-canon Danganronpa S) and two anime series, plus the upcoming Danganronpa 2x2 remake, in a recommended cross-media order built around the rule that the Hope's Peak saga ends in an anime, not a game.
Danganronpa Games and Anime in Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Danganronpa looks like a simple five game series until you notice that its main storyline does not end in a game. The Hope's Peak saga, which spans Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2 and Ultra Despair Girls, gets its canonical finale in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School, a 2016 anime. Players who jump straight from Danganronpa 2 to V3 skip the actual ending of the story they have been following, and V3's meta finale only lands with the whole saga behind you.
That anime carries its own trap. Danganronpa 3 aired as two concurrent series, the Future Arc (12 episodes, a sequel to the games) and the Despair Arc (11 episodes, a prequel about Danganronpa 2's cast), and they are designed to be watched interleaved: Future 1, then Despair 1, then Future 2, then Despair 2, and so on through Future 11 and Despair 11, then Future 12, capped by the single Hope Arc special. Streaming services shelve the three arcs as separate seasons, so binging one arc at a time quietly breaks reveals in both directions.
Ultra Despair Girls is the other misdirection. It sits between games 1 and 2 in universe, but it openly discusses the Remnants of Despair, the central twist of Danganronpa 2, so play it after DR2 and before DR3, where its Komaru and Monaca threads pay off. Danganronpa: The Animation adapts only the first game, and since Danganronpa 2 was never adapted there is no watch-only path through the franchise. Danganronpa S is a non-canon board game crossover you can slot anywhere after the games or skip. In early 2027 Danganronpa 2x2 arrives, a dual scenario retelling of Danganronpa 2 with the all new Slayhem mode; per this guide's house style it stands as its own step rather than replacing DR2. Finally, resist the in-universe chronological order (Despair Arc first, then game 1, then Ultra Despair Girls, then game 2): it reads logically on paper but spoils nearly everything, which is why this guide explains it without listing it as a path to follow.
Timeline 2010-2027
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2010 Trigger Happy Havoc
- 2012 2: Goodbye Despair
- 2013 The Animation
- 2014 Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
- 2016 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School
- 2017 V3: Killing Harmony
- 4-year gap
- 2021 S: Ultimate Summer Camp
- 6-year gap
- 2027 2x2
Where to play it today
- Steam currently carries all five games (Trigger Happy Havoc, Goodbye Despair, Ultra Despair Girls, V3 and Danganronpa S)
- Switch: the Danganronpa Decadence bundle (Anniversary Editions of 1, 2 and V3 plus Danganronpa S), also sold separately
- PS4: Danganronpa 1.2 Reload, Ultra Despair Girls, V3 and Danganronpa S
- Mobile: Anniversary Editions of 1, 2 and V3 plus Danganronpa S on iOS and Android
- Anime: in the US both series stream on Crunchyroll as of August 2, 2026 (The Animation sub and dub; Danganronpa 3's three arcs listed as separate seasons, which is exactly the interleave trap), no free option; availability shifts, check your region
- Legacy Funimation era listings for the DR3 arcs still appear on Prime Video in some regions, often purchase only
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Danganronpa.
Frequently asked questions
How many Danganronpa games are there?
Five released games: Trigger Happy Havoc (2010), Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (2012), Ultra Despair Girls (2014), V3: Killing Harmony (2017) and the non-canon Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp (2021). A sixth, Danganronpa 2x2, is due early 2027. Counting the two anime series (The Animation, 2013, and Danganronpa 3, 2016), the franchise has 7 released entries.
Do I need to watch the anime?
Danganronpa 3, yes: it is the canonical conclusion of the Hope's Peak saga and belongs before V3. The Animation, no for game players, since it only adapts game 1 in compressed form; it is worthwhile only as a substitute if you will never play the first game.
What order do I watch Danganronpa 3 in?
Interleaved by broadcast order: Future 1, Despair 1, Future 2, Despair 2, and so on through Future 11 and Despair 11, then Future 12, then the single Hope Arc special. Streaming services list the arcs as separate seasons, so do not binge them arc by arc, and do not watch the Despair Arc (the prequel) first.
Can I skip Ultra Despair Girls?
It is canon: set between games 1 and 2, it bridges them and introduces Komaru Naegi and Monaca Towa, who matter again in the DR3 anime. But it is a third-person action game rather than a visual novel, so it is semi-optional. If you play it, do so after Danganronpa 2 (it openly spoils DR2's central twist) and before DR3.
Is Danganronpa S canon?
No. It is a board game crossover spinoff expanded from V3's non-canon Ultimate Talent Development Plan bonus mode, mashing up casts from all four main games. Play it anytime after the games it draws from, ideally after V3, or skip it entirely.
What is Danganronpa 2x2 and when is it out?
A dual scenario retelling of Danganronpa 2: the original story (creator Kazutaka Kodaka stresses retelling, not a straight remake) plus the all new Slayhem mode with different victims, culprits and tricks. It is due early 2027 (NA/EU window, delayed from 2026 on July 3, 2026) on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2 and PC, and it is the first new mainline Danganronpa content since V3 in 2017 (the Danganronpa S spinoff from 2021 is not mainline).
Can I watch Danganronpa instead of playing it?
Not all the way through. Only game 1 has an anime adaptation; Danganronpa 2 was never adapted, and the DR3 anime assumes you know DR2's story and cast. There is no legal watch-only path through the franchise.
Should I follow the in-universe chronological order?
No. Chronologically the timeline runs DR3 Despair Arc, then Trigger Happy Havoc, then Ultra Despair Girls, then Danganronpa 2, then the DR3 Future and Hope arcs, then V3. It explains why UDG sits between games 1 and 2, but following it cold spoils nearly every major twist, starting with the Despair Arc ruining both games before you touch them.
What is Super Danganronpa 2.5?
A one episode OVA side story about Nagito Komaeda, bundled only with V3's Japanese limited edition in January 2017 and never officially localized. It is an optional completionist item best placed after the DR3 anime, not a required step.
Last verified · Sources: spike-chunsoft.com, en.wikipedia.org, crunchyroll.com, nintendolife.com, myanimelist.net, justwatch.com, danganronpa.fandom.com
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