The first game has delivered quite a bunch of characters, all leaving their first impression on their own. Alas, because of the nature of the game, only a little handful of them could keep appearing through other media of the same franchise, and thus the opportunity of putting more development onto those characters is given… is the most hopeful outcome. Often though, the development goes to another bunch of characters, as the new bunch of characters are all fresh faces who begins here, and thus the oldest are familiar faces who had their personalities fleshed out in the original media they were in.

One of the survivors from the First Killing Game ended up in this category, and it is the laid-back, odd, spendthrift, gullible, cowardly, superstitious elder among his class,

the Ultimate Clairvoyant, Yasuhiro Hagakure.

Now, we are hitting an interesting case. A character that appeared originally in the game department, only to end up in a novel, and even an anime! A shame it's DR3, but we'll talk about it in a second.

… no, I won't hide my dislike for DR3 Deal with it.

So, you would think that since he has appeared in three medias, he would get an advantage over the others. Well… if you know how this list works by now, I'm pretty sure you realized what was wrong with this statement. 14 votes in total. I'm not kidding, the dude survived two Killing Games and one Demon Hunting session, and he didn't leave that much of an impression.

Why is that? Let's see!

Name meaning:

The kanji for Yashuiro (康 - "ease" or "peace", 比 - "compare" and 呂, which literally means "spine"), also represents the notation of the Japanese classical music known as Gagaku; so the meaning of the name as a whole could be translated as something similar to "peaceful indulgence in music". Meanwhile, the kanji for Hagakure (葉隠) translates as "concealed among the leaves/blades/spears" (based on which meaning of 葉 ha is chosen), perhaps in reference to Yasuhiro's unique, bombastic hairstyle, which looks a bit like a palm branch or a bunch of swords and completely conceals his head from behind. So far, we can conclude his name meaning fits more for a physical cliché, one that is close to the hipster.

Physical description:

Since we are on about the physical appearance, we shall mention that the introduction fits him well. Indeed, he had stated he is 20 but still in high school because he was "held back a few times", meaning he flunked, which makes him considerably older than his classmates. He has light brown skin with stubble on his chin and dark brown eyes. His dark brown hair is styled in dreadlocks that stick out as large points and seem to be bent backwards.

As his uniform Yasuhiro wears three layers of shirts, the top one being a green Japanese male uniform jacket he wears on his shoulders, the second one being an open button down white shirt, and his third layer is a small yellow short-sleeve shirt. He wears a brown haramaki and uses a yellow rope as his belt to hold up his large black pants that are rolled up past his ankles. He also wears sandals. On his left wrist is a beaded brown bracelet with the symbol for his Former High School on each bead.

After joining the Future Foundation post-Killing School Life, Yasuhiro wears a black suit with a white shirt and a loose grey-blue tie, however the jacket is kept on his shoulders as well as having small glasses. He also has a stubble on his chin and a small mustache above his lips. His dreadlocks are kept in a ponytail and he has more kept light facial hair. He still rolls his pants up past his ankles, wears sandals, and his bracelet. It overall stays faitful to the initial idea of his design, and the trope that has been placed on him.

Personality analysis:

Personality wise, the laid-back part is accurate enough, as Yasuhiro is one of the friendliest guy in the bunch, giving them the suffix chi, an affectionate term to dear friends in Japan (with the exception of Sakura of who he's scared for his life).

However, this comes with a price, and a big one at that as he is totally clueless and doesn't understand the gravity of his situation until it is shown right to his face. And when it does, he shows his other side, being quite cowardly, lazy, gullible, slow-witted, and having a habit to act selfishly. Notably, he is mentioned to be very clumsy with money and he has constant problems with massive debts, like his crystal ball (which is made of glass instead of crystal) at the price of 100 million yen due to it being used by Napoleon, Genghis Khan, and George Washington in the past. He has also bought multiple items related to fortune-telling, despite not actually having any use for them.

He tends to talk absurdly about subjects such as conspiracy theories and that, one time, aliens stole his hamburger. However, interestingly enough, he really hates it if someone compares his fortune-telling to the occult, frequently insisting that they are not the same. He is also afraid of ghosts and would freak out if such a subject comes up in a conversation. Whenever he "senses" one, he swiftly recites a chant, casts a spell, or begs for help from a hero, a god, or a famous person (often random, even multiple ones). Furthermore, he is stated to be absolutely horrible with women and has bad hygiene, claiming that he washes his hair once a season.

On top of this, Yasuhiro often attempts to trick other people to get rid of his massive debts, charging incredibly high prices for his readings that, according to other people, often do not fit the accuracy of his fortune-telling. He seems to possess a smarter, more cunning side despite regularly appearing slow-witted, showing that he is willing to think when it benefits him. During his Free Time Events, he even attempted to get the protagonist to donate his organs so he could pay off a debt without having to dip into his own savings so he could retire in comfort. He would also harm someone else if it could ensure his survival, as shown in Chapter 4 when he ended up attacking Sakura Oogami, ending up following his fears. Even as a member of Future Foundation, his choice between his duty and his safety is in favor of the latter, as shown in Ultra Despair Hagakure.

Despite his many flaws, Yasuhiro does possess a good side. Still in the virtual novel, he finally tries to become more of a hero and helps Kanon Nakajima, occasionally acting selfless and even though still retaining some of his greedy and selfish nature, he saves her life. His love for his mother is evident since she is his Captive. His comradery shows up more in Danganronpa 3 when he tries to save his friends, although it could be affiliated to recklessness.

Origin and history:

Some thoughts have been made about him despite his comical relief purpose. Yasuhiro lived alone with his mother, Hiroko Hagakure, who loves him dearly despite his many flaws. Very little is known about his father, though his father apparently lived with them at some point, as Yasuhiro once mentioned their house burning down because his father fell asleep with a burning cigarette. According to his mother, there was some sort of trouble between them because she did something and let it go on too long, causing them to break up. This could explain not only his lack of knowledge for many subjects, but also his issues with money, as Yasuhiro himself had several problems with women and money, and he was also held back about four times in middle and high school. He used to attend Kiiwatetsu Commerce High School, very ironic when we know his financial issues.

It did come in handy, as he managed to save up money with his services a Fortune-Teller. Whilst his predictions rate alone netted him on most clients (30%), it is also implied that he scammed much more. He claims to have spent the money on rare artifacts of mystical origins, such as a 100-million-yen crystal ball that was allegedly owned by Napoleon Bonaparte and George Washington (proven to be fake in-game). One of his targets is suspected to be Natsumi Kuzuryu herself, and as such, she took exception of that, forcing him to hide for three years before Hope's Peak Academy, not wanting to separate himself from his 'treasures' or savings. A hidden depths to a character whose whole role will be simple compared to the rest.

Plot relevance:

In the first game, although his 'crystal' ball was used by the culprit of Chapter 1, his role will begin to be important from Chapter 3, which will be the same as in Chapter 4°: a suspect of murder. The first was because he was framed, the second because of his suspicion against the forced mole. Chapter 5 had him forced to vote for Makoto as the blackened with the others, and in Chapter 6 he becomes a survivor. In the novel, he helps a former captive despite the dangers, even if it simply to assure his debts would be paid. Finally, in Danganronpa 3… well, he didn't even participate in the Final Killing Game, so the introduction isn't really accurate…

…except of the fact that he did survive on his own as he fished food… and that he can escape the bullets from a helicopter, too. So… his powers are confirmed further.

He did help out the survivors at the end, even if only a little and recklessly. Oh, and he did a small cameo, not only on NDRV3's demo, but also in Kirigiri So, but his presence his irrelevant to the plot of this story of which we do not know the place in the timeline.

How Good was Yasuhiro Hagakure actually?

Well, this guy is one odd ball for sure. His name is relaxing but not his personality, as well as his antics, obviously makes him another comic relief charater, one that fully takes Hifumi's place when he dies. And despite the deeper past that he was given, only a small evolution of character was seen in all of the media the plot required him. Aside from that, w can say, even when he ended up surviving, he was on the second plan.

What do I think of Yasuhiro Hagakure?

…meh.

Yeah, again.

To be honest, I always wondered his purpose in the group. Every other character was useful in the plot, even in the murders. Yasuhiro? He was just the fall guy.

In fact, I think he is the only character who got suspected twice. In a row. Granted, the first time wasn't his fault, and the pressure was understandable, but this really leave a sour taste. Not to mention his presence, or rather, lack of, in DR3. The gesture is appreciated, but thankfully he wasn't alone to save the day.

And thankfully, it's the only thing related to him and DR3, so… yeah.

And let's not forget his Free-Time events… oh boy. Now that's some weird stuff. And by that I mean, it's hilarious and outrageous at the same time. His defense with clairvoyance not being occult is strange enough (coming from the guy believe in ghosts and aliens, although the former can be justified), but the one time he can be smart, is when he scams people with his talents. Obviously, this doesn't end well for him. Yeah, when you try to scam yakuzas, you kind of have it coming. And even more so with your… request you do to your closest friend. You don't get to be mad.

Honestly, this is bad enough, but plot-wise, this guy is an enigma. Only 30% accuracy, and he's the Ultimate Clairvoyant?! How in the living hell does this work? And how can anyone fall for that?! How did he manage to stay hidden for three years? Because of his mom? Heck, how is Clairvoyant an Ultimate talent?! I know the Steering Committee was a bunch of idiot assholes, but really?! Were they Hiro's stuff back then?! Even Nagito and Makoto could compete in this department!

What made people dislike Yasuhiro Hagakure, in my opinion?

Well, first of all, his lack of character development can hinder his likeability a lot. He suffers from the same problem as Daisaku Bandai, only this dude survived, and he still did a bit more than the older man. To be completely honest, I felt at first that he took a survivor spot from another, better suited character for the post. Heck, him dying wouldn't have changed too much if I'm gonna be honest… no wonder why he was the first to bite the dust in the demo… in both demos in fact.

And to think Hifumi killed him in one of these… two comic reliefs dead the first chapter. Narratively, it wasn't as strong as what we got, but given what they gave, I honestly can't blame them for thinking like this at first.

Next, would be his contradictory behavior. He is ready to scam people, showing a smart side, but when it comes to… pretty much everything else, this can come off as annoying, and not just with the other characters. Honestly, Hifumi had at least a little excuse because of his design, but I feel like Hiro doesn't even have that!

Trying to sell someone's organs for his own gain doesn't help either. If I were in Makoto's place, I would have slapped the dude, even maybe punched him, before going out of his room and cut ties with the dude.

And unfortunately, even when he tries to improve, it's baby steps. Maybe I could accept it if it was consistent, but he always came back to the same silly guy who feared most things and would always put his interests before anything else. Even when he saved Kanon Nakajima, the cousin of Leon Kuwata (after she tried to kill him, so kudos to him when it is due), after that, he stayed with her, but with the goal of solving his debt! He came back to the same guy as he was before, and the worst part? We don't know what happned next before DR3! Sure, he put his life in danger, but without any plan to back him up! Yes, he has progressed, but honestly? Not much, and for a character who appeared at the very beginning, it's just not good in my eyes.

How could we make Yasuhiro Hagakure better?

Show us his past, to begin with. Let us see how hard he had to go through just to obtain money with his mother, which would explain his struggles and shortcomings a lot! He's not liked too much, so you could at least try to make him sympathize with him, make his scamming understandable, but still wrong.

And let him do something among the group, make him a part of said group! We had to wait for 5 chapters for him to finally stick around, and even then, he still makes his remarks! And it's such a shame because we see him dismantle a Monokuma robot, showing off his talents! Heck, in the anime adaptation, we see him guilty of voting wrongfully for Makoto, a strong point compared to the game! Why would you back-track him like that?!

You could even make him try to put empathize into survival of his own in the anime, while trying to communicate with others and ask help from other members of the Future Foundation to save everyone at least, leave the investigation to Byakuya! I get that the inside of the game was the focus, but it would have been cool for him to see him care like he did in the anime while using what he learned while he was hiding!

And finally, you need to rework how he can make the audience laugh, because people don't want a repeat of what happened in DR1! Make him fail a few time at fishing or something, make his struggles about contacting the others funny! Like searching for a spot, only for bad luck to come! Make him blame comically Makoto, it's his talent! I'm not saying you can't make him fun, but him using an erasing-time Stand to avoid bullets is not one of them, because it grows against the tone of the anime!

…

…sigh… sorry, I remembered that about DR3, and I felt the need to add it to my rant list.

To be honest, I don't think he has as much potential as others lower than him, but we can still make it at least entertaining and interesting. I do admit though, he gained points for his rescue from Kanon, so saying he didn't progress at all would be an insult. I'm simply saying, it could have been more than baby steps. So, with that in mind…

How would you rate Yasuhiro Hagakure?

Yasuhiro Hagakure°: 3 RANK (Don't mind them, but improvement is welcome)

Honestly, I feel like this is a case of First Game Character Syndrome, where the people behind the first cast figured out the classic batch were gold and thus untouchable. And… yes, while I do think Class 78th had some shield with the anime, I know another certain class who had much, much, more luck on that regard.

Back to the character in question, I feel like he's the one who suffered the most from that syndrome, as the few progress he made through the story is not enough to completely outweigh the negative about him. But to be honest, I don't dislike him as a character. As a real person, sure, I would rather avoid him, but I do believe there is room for improvement, as the rank would suggest. With him protecting Kanon, and his reaction to save Makoto… I say he's at least on the right track. And that is enough for him not to go lower.

PERSONNAL TIER LIST UPDATE!

3 RANK (Don't mind them, but improvement is welcome)

Hifumi Yamada, Yasuhiro Hagakure

2 RANK (I dislike them to a various degree, either change them or bash them)

Kazuo Tengan

1 RANK (This character isn't worth anything, we need to change it no questions asked)

Daisaku Bandai

Well, back with this again. And I didn't have much to say about him.

And you may have noticed it, but I have not talked about his family! It is because I considered Hiroko to be important enough to have her own page! As for the other minor characters, they will also get a page of their own… as a group… after the main cast is done.

So yeah, it's going to take a while. Hope you can bear it

So, who's next chapter, uh?

…oh, we get to see the first girl! Her identity will be revealed… when the next analysis is ready!

I hope you all enjoyed this other analysis I've done, and I hope you enjoyed your early Christmas gift! Ho ho ho!

Nopw, if you'll excuse me, I have Summer Camp to watch…

…

…for material purpose, that is. See you around, and take care!

Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people.