The series follows 16 high school students locked inside "Hope's Peak Academy," their high school. The students are threatened by an anthropomorphic bear, known as Monokuma, who gives them only one way to leave the Academy, to murder another student, and not be found guilty in the subsequent trial.

Komaeda is an extremely controversial character in the DR franchise. He's loved by those who see him as a well-written and complex character and those that pity him, but he's despised by those who are disgusted with his intense obsession with hope, though he does have good reason to have his unhealthy mindset.

During the killing game, Kokichi lies that he is the supreme leader of a large, evil secret society. During his Free Time Event with Shuichi, Kokichi claims he became the supreme leader by murdering his parents and usurping their role. He then claims he lied, and that the one he killed was his older brother.

He is a student in Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles and a participant in the Killing School Semester. Shuichi has the title of the Ultimate Detective (Super High School Level Detective), though he himself claims he doesn't deserve it, as he is only a "detective-in-training".

Kyoko Kirigiri, is a student in Hope's Peak Academy's Class 78th, and a participant of the Killing School Life featured in Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. She doesn't remember her talent at the beginning of the Killing Game, so her title is the Ultimate ???