I am obsessed with Danganronpa V3's Love Hotel scenes. These are optional scenes where you and another character have a shared dream in which you play a role in their private fantasy, and you apparently remember it to at least some extent afterwards, but they don't.

This raises all sorts of interesting questions, some ethical, some great for fanfiction. How do you deal with having these intimate memories of someone that they don't share? Or, if the player is as determined to get all the Love Hotel scenes as I am, how do you deal with having intimate memories of everyone around you that they don't share?

It's pretty clear from these scenes that Shuichi is bisexual, which is pretty neat! A bisexual videogame protagonist isn't something you see every day.

Here are my thoughts on all the Love Hotel scenes! Be warned that some of these scenes are pretty fucked up and a couple of them involve sexual threat. (The fucked-up scenes are my favourites, inevitably.)

Maki: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're a childhood friend of mine and you've suddenly started talking about the possibility of us having a family together.' This one didn't work for me; it was just too... normal, and a little too sweet. But it makes sense that Maki's deep, dark fantasy might be of a normal life. Possibly implied banging at the end? Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Maki... was that a dream? I can still see her eyes...)

Kaede: 'Hey, Shuichi, it's the anniversary of when we started dating, I really wish you'd call me a pet name rather than just Kaede.' Again, a little too sweet for my taste; the original Japanese scene was apparently Kaede trying to persuade Shuichi to address her as 'Kaede' rather than by her family name, which might have worked better for me. But it was pretty cute that they both got really embarrassed about it. They definitely bang. I think this might be the only scene where Shuichi doesn't hesitate or try to back out when things turn in a sexual direction. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Kaede... was that a dream? But I still feel... her heartbeat...)

Gonta: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're pretending to be a lady for me so I can practise being a gentleman.' I got this just before Kokichi's, which was incredible and overshadowed it a bit for me, but this scene was pretty cute. Gonta is such a good guy. No banging, although this did manage to work in a touch of sexual tension (of the 'oh no, we've accidentally fallen onto the bed together and now you're pinning me down' variety); I wasn't sure whether there would be any of that at all in Gonta's scene. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Gonta... was that a dream? Even if it was... I still feel happy...)

Kirumi: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're my master, but I've fallen in love with you and I must leave your influential family's service because, as I am a maid, my feelings will only hold you back.' A disappointing lack of banging, but I did like that Shuichi took playing his role very seriously, and the way he tried to reassure her that it was okay to have these feelings. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Kirumi... was that a dream? But then, why... can I still hear her voice?) (Shuichi is absolutely falling in love with every one of his classmates and I absolutely have to write fanfiction about it.)

Angie: 'Hey, Shuichi, you rank underneath me and I'm bored, so I'm going to entertain myself by pinning you to the bed and teasing you.' Angie doesn't hugely interest me as a character, but I do enjoy how cheerfully forward she is here. Poor Shuichi is a bit overwhelmed. I'm pretty sure they bang. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Angie... was that a dream? But I can still feel her there...)

Tenko: 'Hey, Shuichi, we're both disciples of the same martial art, you just won a match against me, and we agreed beforehand that the victor could do ~whatever they wanted~ with the loser. I'm ready.' Shuichi turns down the invitation to do 'whatever he wants', and Tenko's response is 'wow, I admire your nobility, but has it seriously not occurred to you that I only proposed those victory conditions because I reeeeeally wanted you to fuck me?' No banging, though, alas. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Tenko... was that a dream? I remember something about a brother...) (she called him 'Brother Shuichi' because of the 'disciples of the same martial art' thing). This thought implies that Shuichi might not remember these scenes very well, but I CHOOSE TO IGNORE THIS.

Ryoma: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're my former tennis manager and you keep trying to talk to me, even though I keep telling you to stay away for your own good.' Ryoma's always trying to push everyone away, but his fantasy is having someone who actually wants to stay in his life. It's absolutely tragic. Nothing even close to banging, although they do hold hands. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Ryoma... was that a dream? I feel like we discussed something important...) (again, SHUICHI REMEMBERS, LOOK, HE REMEMBERS, HE REMEMBERS AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT, LEAVE ME ALONE TO WRITE MY FANFICTION WHERE THE MEMORIES OF ALL THESE WEIRD NIGHTS SCREW HIM UP IRREVERSIBLY)

Rantaro: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're a younger sibling I DIDN'T FUCK UP WITH AND FAIL TO PROTECT.' Poor Rantaro; what a heartbreaking fantasy! This and Ryoma's are the only ones that don't have any element of romance or sexual tension at all. I'll be honest: I was really hoping that Rantaro's fantasy would be romantic. But this was sweet. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Rantaro... was that a dream? Even if it was... what a wonderful dream.)

Miu: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're my childhood friend and I really appreciate the way you've always stayed by my side, now IMPREGNATE ME SO YOU CAN'T EVER LEAVE ME.' Interesting; I knew Miu had issues, but I didn't realise she had such a fear of abandonment. Possible banging? Shuichi didn't want it, so I hope he managed to get out of there. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Miu... was that a dream? I hope so. A crazy, wild dream.)

Himiko: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're my familiar, a wolf I magically turned into a human, and I've fallen in love with you.' There's something unsettlingly hot about the change in music and in tension when Shuichi moves from affectionately petting her head to petting her back, desperately trying to pretend to himself that there's nothing sexual about any of this. Implied banging at the end. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Himiko... was that a dream? Y-yeah... definitely a dream...)

Keebo: 'Hey, Shuichi, will you teach me the human emotion of love?' Oh, my God, this was adorable. This was my first visit to the Love Hotel with a male character, and I was pleasantly surprised that Shuichi didn't no-homo (or, er, no-robo) it at all. Shuichi is SUPER BISEXUAL and I love it.

Keebo: As you can see, I am a robot. And I am not ashamed of that, but... I have yet to experience the feeling of love. Even human children have felt love before.
Shuichi: Ah, are you saying... you want to experience that emotion with me?
Keebo: Humans often say that love is the most precious, wonderful feeling in the world. I, too, wish to experience what love is. Will you please help me?
Shuichi: Ah, so... would you like me to act like your lover, Keebo? (I suppose... I could do that...)

Then Keebo goes BUT YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT TO PLEDGE OUR LIVES TO EACH OTHER and Shuichi goes ???? that's going a bit far! 'Do you really like me that much? I don't want a relationship based on lies,' and Keebo goes noooooo, I'm sorry, I was overzealous, obviously you won't want to help me experience love now, and Shuichi says, 'H-hey now... I didn't say "no".'

No banging, alas (I don't know how that would have worked; I imagine Keebo wasn't designed with banging in mind). Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Keebo... was that a dream? My hand... still feels warm.) (There was hand-holding. It was extremely cute.)

Kiyo: 'Hey, Shuichi, you've approached me and expressed interest in me, and, although I will never love you, I'm curious enough to spend the night with you. Let me just take out the rope...' When I was invited to guess who had the most fucked-up Love Hotel scenario, I first guessed Kokichi and then went 'no, I'm wrong, it'll be Kiyo.' Having now seen both their scenarios, I am not at all surprised that both of them involve sexual threat, although Kiyo feels more genuinely dangerous.

Kiyo is extremely menacing; poor Shuichi is slightly terrified but eventually gives in. I initially thought that the part where Shuichi's objections slip away might be due to some sort of hypnosis, but there's never been any indication that Kiyo is capable of that and, on a reread, I think Shuichi's just really turned on.

They definitely bang. I was wondering whether Shuichi would have sex with any of the male characters, and this answered my question! Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Kiyo... was that a dream? I still feel... kind of sore...)

Tsumugi: 'Hey, Shuichi, you're my stepbrother and WE CAN'T LET OUR PARENTS KNOW ABOUT OUR FORBIDDEN LOVE, LET ME SUCK ON YOUR FINGER.' You are a treasure, Tsumugi. Nobody could ever doubt that you're in fandom. I loved poor Shuichi's '??? wow, Tsumugi' reactions throughout (there's one point where he's desperately thinking 'this is so embarrassing!'). They definitely bang. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Tsumugi... was that a dream? Even if it was, I'm still feeling it.)

Kokichi: 'Hey, Shuichi, I'm a thief and you're the detective who's caught me. So what happens now? You going to tie me up and have your way with me? Or maybe I'm the one who's going to do that to you.' Holy shit. I was expecting Kokichi's fantasy to be fucked up, and this was everything I could have hoped for. My favourite Love Hotel scene, I think. No banging, but Kokichi pushes Shuichi onto the bed and sexually threatens him to the point of terror and then just goes 'lol bye' and leaves the room, and Shuichi is disappointed: (I tried to give chase, but my knees were weak as I tumbled off the bed. We are mortal enemies in this fantasy, but still, Kokichi couldn't be leaving... I caught myself wishing he would stay before I smothered the thought.) Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Kokichi... was that a dream? ...I can't even figure him out in my dreams...)

Kaito: 'Hey, Shuichi, we're rival pilots with a long-standing aeroplane race feud, and we're one race away from deciding the ultimate victor, but in my heart I don't want to end this and leave our rivalry behind.' It's not technically a romantic fantasy, but Shuichi's feeling a lot of tension; at one point Kaito pins him against the wall and Shuichi is just internally flipping out. I'm never going to get over how in love with Kaito Shuichi is. At the end, Kaito says 'hey, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a while, I'm gonna tell you at last if I win' and Shuichi thinks (Could that... mean...?) and he really wants to know, but he knows they're not actually going to have this aeroplane race, so he's never going to be able to find out. Oh, Shuichi. Shuichi's thoughts afterwards: (Last night, with Kaito... was that a dream? Yeah. Just a dream.)

I have a pre-established tendency to ship Danganronpa protagonists with every other character in their games. This mechanic does not help at all.

back