The Danganronpa video game franchise has fascinated me for the longest time. There are absolutely no equals to the type of antiques that the series pulls off. Sure, a lot of it is merit, as it makes for a unique identity that defines the works of Kazutaka Kodaka.
But it would also be an underestimation if I overlook how much of his works are soaked in modern anime tropes. This is not to jab at the creator, but I actually commend him for doubling down on the tropes, especially with this new game.
On the other end of this collaborative project, we find another renowned person. Kotaro Uchikoshi is known for works such as the Zero Escape series. Both the Danganronpa series and game director Kotaro’s games are media that follow parallel design philosophies.
These games present to the players a unique cast of characters who get strung together in games of life and death. So, for the longest time, I wished to see these two prolific game designers come together to create something. Lo and behold, my wish was granted in the year 2025.
The Setting of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is a fresh collaborative project between Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi. When I laid my eyes on the first teaser trailer for the game, learning about it immediately got me interested.
Here I am, having sunk hours into the game, and what I found is probably one of the most interesting JRPG releases of the year. The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy kicks things off with a long prologue cutscene establishing characters and setting.
It does not try to play with ambiguity, and explains every detail that is going on with the story, down to every minute detail. As soon as the game starts, we are introduced to our main and side characters.
Aside from the regular relations between them, we learn that the game takes place in an alternate sci-fi fantasy universe. In this world, the skies and human settlements are sealed off as humans go about their daily routine.
There are moments when loud sirens go off, and everyone is forced to relocate to shelters and hide. The characters we get introduced to have no recollection of when and why humanity has regressed to hiding.
Neither does anyone know what goes on outside when these sirens go off. But our curiosity is soon addressed as our main character gets surrounded by enemies. He is chosen by a mascot-like character to join the Last Defense Academy and fend off against these creatures.
The Directors Do Not Shy Away From References
Being a Kazutaka Kodaka, the next segment in the game’s plot is immediately familiar to me. The player character is whisked away into a different world and put into a classroom. Alongside a full cast of young characters and some familiar tropes, who are also chosen.
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy wears its influences on its sleeves with pride. The commanding officer who brought everyone together is a mascot-like character. Very reminiscent of a certain bear with a dual color scheme.
One of the newer characters that we get introduced to also constantly throws shade at this situation. She is constantly joking about how everyone has been brought into an inescapable killing game.
It is really refreshing to see game developers actually humor the players, taking a jab at their own game design. Also, the familiar character designs by Rui Komatsuzaki, will not help you take your mind off the fact that this is a different franchise.
Director Kodaka’s unfazed trait of presenting characters with unhinged personalities is still blaringly visible. It almost feels as if he doubles down on the aspect this time around. Because we get to learn about the most annoying traits of each character right during their introductions.
It might be off-putting for certain players who are not familiar with Kazutaka Kodaka’s works. In my opinion, it’s pretty commendable that he never backed down from playing into what made his works hilarious in the first place.
The Most Content Rich JRPG Ever
On the gameplay side of things, the developers have outdone themselves to an incredible extent. I was on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what they could possibly do to sell me on the game. I got my answers a few hours into the game, and the realization just kept growing more and more.
The main hub, or the Defense Academy as it is called in the game’s plot, is a big part in itself. It houses a tremendous number of explorable rooms, each with its own purpose. In the early parts of the game, it takes time out to have the player complete a sequence where they are left to explore and learn about each important room in the academy.
This part of the game made me realize that the hub location was in itself a vast world map. At this point, I was reminded of the fact that director Kodaka had specifically asked for the game to have a hundred different endings. Each is to be constructed with its own meaningful scenarios.
I was definitely impressed to find that they were actually able to pull this off. This cemented my belief pretty early on that the game was packed with content to the brim. But to what extent did the quality of writing and content vary to make all the endings possible was my next question.
Hundred Endings To Complete
Multiple endings are not unheard of in RPGs, but most of them require a realistic amount for players to achieve. Most of the outliers to this reside in the domain of visual novels and can force up to n number of bad endings for readers to scramble for that one good ending.
The Hundred Line is not that unforgiving on the players, while also particularly hitting all the check marks with each ending; preferences may severely vary. But in terms of how much work has been put in, I’m pleased to say that every route is worth your time checking out.
You could come across several branching routes that you would keep in mind to come back and check out after getting a completion. But later you would find that the branching path would further lead to other genre-altering scenarios, that shift through romance at one moment and could jump into horror in the next.
While as impressive as all this may sound, I must also add that every new story beat that we unlock through these routes also expands the narratives of the other characters. All while providing clues to separate new routes you can pursue.
This is mind-blowing for anyone who loves RPGs that make you invest yourself in their narratives. I certainly was glued to my seat throughout the months to see the routes through; it almost became an addiction at one point.
A Deep Social Sim Aspect
There’s just too much to talk about how brilliant the narrative side of the game is. I will be sitting here all day discussing, but that would be another time because this is a video game, and I have yet to talk about the gameplay and combat side of things.
I am happy to report that the content on this part of the game is equally as enticing and packed. Since the game goes really deep into character arcs and several branching stories, there is a whole social sim side of the game that goes deep into exploring this.
This social sim section is an important part of the gameplay experience. The game uses a calendar system, which means there’s a limited time for activities before a day passes. Every time players get a free day, they can partake in the social sim side of the game.
Players can roam around freely, spend their time in the academy, bond with students, and do other activities. There is a ‘present’ system, like dating sim games, which can be used to strengthen the bonds with other characters as well as craft other useful items.
Participating in student activities increases grades in subjects like linguistics, math, science, social studies, and gym. These subjects correspond to in-game stats that determine different types of benefits in the usual RPG fashion.
There are also other aspects that I already mentioned a little bit. This includes the training room elements where you can hone your skills and get a better understanding of the combat side of things.
Hemoanima Is The Pinnacle Of Technology
Discussion around The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy cannot be completed without going over the cream-of-the-crop, which is the combat. This is what makes it unique from the regular visual novel games of Kodaka and Uchikoshi.
Unlike Danganronpa, characters are not getting offed left and right, but actually team up with you to fight against an unknown race of enemies known as invaders. But wait, there’s more to this; you are not just a group of regular young teenagers trying to fend off otherworldly monsters.
Each individual at the Defense Academy was chosen specifically for their quick thinking and self-defense attitude in the face of death. The students were given the Hematomorphic Infusion Blades by Sirei.
When stabbed through the heart, these blades would help transform the characters, infusing their blood with the hemoanima. An important term that gets thrown around quite a lot in the game, and is supposed to be the pinnacle of human achievement.
Transformed students can get access to superhuman abilities and equipment that includes class armor. These are school uniforms that are thematic throwbacks to yankee and delinquent culture in classic high school anime.
Armor class gives each character a fresh spin with impressive designs. While also sprinkling a bit of tokusatsu aspect in the game, which will always be ever-present in Japanese media.
Other than that, the transformed characters also get access to class weapons. This is going to vary between characters and can be equated as a class signifier between students. Some may get access to weapons and moves that are heavier, bruiser-style oriented. While another character may get class weapons that will make them play like a support unit.
Intriguing Tactical Combat Gameplay
The combat goes into turn-based tactical battles, but it has its own unique traits that are unlike the usual tactical JRPGs. The Hundred Line approaches a more fast-paced, action-oriented combat system.
Moving away from the tactical RPGs, where you are constantly keeping tabs on stats. The Hundred Line leans on making players focus on turn orders. This will determine various damage modifiers that vary from unit to unit.
Other than regular turn-based attacks, there’s also a special meter called voltage that keeps building to hundred percent. It can be expended to perform a powerful area of effect attack that deals a lot of damage and may stack other variables.
The key to what makes the voltage bar mechanic interesting is that it can be utilized for other turn-based merits. These include getting extra turn points, turn priorities, and other various advantages.
Unlike most popular JRPGs, a unit dying on the field does not result in the death of the character forever. There is an in-game story reason as to why characters get revived later, but the units do get eliminated from the session.
Most of the tactical combat sessions take place near or around the school premises and usually involve player units facing off against invader units and commander bosses. Some may have differing opinions on difficulty spikes, but I quite like how fights can have varied difficulties.
Harder challenges can be tackled by crafting upgrades and getting activities done to increase grades. There’s also a whole separate game section which can be accessed if you go beyond the school premises. This part provides a new perspective at the game with party board game-style elements where you can gather materials.
I kept dropping my jaw every time I found a new segment that made up the core of the gameplay. There’s just so much content packed into this.
Final Thoughts
As someone who has always been a casual fan of Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s works, there are just not enough outliers to critique the game from my side. The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is a game that steps far above and beyond their previous achievements, and it shows.
The few nitpicks would probably be regarding the length of the whole game, which will not click for anyone trying this type of game for the first time. But that is par for the course when going into a JRPG. Incredible amounts of content worth a hundred hours of play time are the hallmark for what makes this genre fun for a lot of people.
I don’t need to convince returning fans of the Danganronpa series. Kodaka has truly made something special this time. It is also elevated by the incredible soundtrack provided by the legendary Masafumi Takada.
Unfortunately, other juggernaut releases this year seem to heavily overshadow the game. Which is a shame, but that’s why I am penning down my opinions and trying my best to let more people know.
Too Kyo games have really made something really special with The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy. While they have released multiple games before, this was the one they were severely banking on becoming a success story, which they have achieved with flying colors.
