Gundham Tanaka

Gundham wears a long, black jacket that stops below his knees and is always left open, with dark red coloring on the inside; which is part of his former school uniform. He also pins a dog breeder badge on the left side of his jacket. The left sleeve is rolled up to the elbow and fastened to the jacket with silver pins. Gundham is also known for his long purple scarf, which wraps around his neck and covers his chin. Vertical symbols are emblazoned on the back of his jacket and the ends of his scarf. Underneath his jacket, Gundham wears a white button-up layered over a slightly darker shirt with a purple cross design on the chest. His black pants are tucked into black boots riddled with straps. He wears an undercut, and the top section of his hair is slicked back into a single curl. His hair looks more wild and jagged when he's enraged. His hair color is black with light grey streaks through it.

Gundham has a noticeably pale and grey skin tone and has no eyebrows. He has grey eyes but he wears a red contact lens in his right eye. The grey scar that runs through his left eye onto his right cheek appears to be a tattoo. Due to their territorial nature, Gundham bandaged up his left arm with a single red bead hanging from the bandage knot, which he refers to as his "cursed arm," up to the elbow to protect his skin. Gundham's Hell Hound Earring hangs from his right ear, and he wears silver rings on the index and middle fingers of his right hand.

Finishing Gundham's Free Time Events yields the item 'Gundham's Undergarments' which are invisible to those who have too low of an "astral level". This hints that Gundham possibly doesn't wear them.

While attending Hope's Peak Academy, Gundham wears the school's standard male uniform. He accessorized the uniform with the same scarf, shirt, belt, and boots he wore during the Killing School Trip. Instead of just the Hell Hound Earring, he wears an earring in each ear. He still wears an undercut, but the longest pieces of the top section frame his forehead.

As a member of Ultimate Despair, Gundham appears to wear a type of straitjacket underneath a large jacket with a fluffy white collar. His face has more tattoos, including a scar-like tattoo on his right cheek and an obscure symbol on his forehead. Using his talents as the Ultimate Breeder, Gundham controls armies of beasts. He seems to always keep his eyes closed. Instead of carrying the Devas, a large, dark snake wraps around his body.

His swimsuit in Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp consists of a pair of black swim trunks with a black drawstring waistband and a purple cross-shaped design on the right side, the same cross that appeared on his shirt shown during the Killing School Trip. He is shirtless but retains his signature purple scarf and his left hand remains wrapped in bandages. He still carries the Four Dark Devas of Destruction with him.

He is always seen with his hamsters, the Four Dark Devas of Destruction. The Devas often camp out inside the scarf that Gundham always wraps around his neck, but they frequently appear during conversations or at his command.

San-D is an average-sized hamster with white and orange fur, dark-tipped ears, and pink hands, feet, and nose. She also has small black eyes and rosy cheeks. Jum-P is also an average-sized hamster with white and brown fur and pink feet, nose, and cheeks. Jump-P is usually seen with his eyes closed, a snot bubble, and Z marks flowing from it, indicating he's sleeping. Maga-Z is a fairly average-sized hamster with white and brown fur and a chipped ear. He has black eyes, rosy cheeks, pink feet, and a pink nose. Cham-P is a large Golden hamster with orange fur, chubby cheeks and pink hands, feet, and nose. He has small black eyes, rosy cheeks and a pink rosy mouth.

Gundham has an eccentric personality, stemming from his chūnibyō syndrome, characterized by his delusions of grandeur. As "the offspring of an angel and evil," he proclaims himself as evil personified, one who has claimed dominion over evil, and thus a being that transcends humanity. To further embellish his villainous persona, he adopts grandiose titles such as the Supreme Overlord of Ice and Tanaka the Forbidden One. He also refers to his pets as his loyal subordinates under the dominion of the Tanaka Empire and gets offended when others call his Four Dark Devas of Destruction "hamsters." Gundhams talks in an exaggerated, theatrical style reminiscent of a cartoon supervillain, using pompous, old-fashioned, esoteric vocabulary. This allows him to turn ordinary interactions into epic confrontations between cosmic forces. His speeches dripping with poetic, cryptic, and metaphorical language and terms often leave people confused and find them difficult to decipher, especially when they are not used to interacting with him. His "supreme warlord" mannerisms also often annoy people, causing him to push them away. As such, he perceives "normal people" as inferior beings incapable of comprehending the full extent of "his power," often referring to his classmates as "mere humans," "fools," "fiends," among other dismissive terms.

In conjunction with being the "great and powerful Gundham Tanaka," he acts self-centered and aloof—alienating himself from others to focus on caring for himself and the Four Dark Devas. Though Gundham appears prideful and shuns spending time with mere mortals, he appears to be lonely. This is exemplified by how he attends the morning meetings at the restaurant without fail and accepts the Imposter's invitation to the all-night party. He also hints to Hajime that he wants to be included in Sonia's beach party, which Hajime and Kazuichi are secretly attending, by overhearing their conversation and seemingly following them. He then brushes it off, claiming that he only likes silence and solitude, though his lonely expression later on suggests otherwise. Hajime can tell Gundham wants to be invited but never directly asks, instead retreating into his usual aloof persona.

This loneliness and his inability to express his true wants and needs without resorting to his overly dramatic "evil lord" jargon, may stem from Gundham's extreme social awkwardness. It starts with his belief that his existence is "cursed" and that "poisons" run through his blood due to enduring his mother's terrible cooking. He uses this to justify his strictness about avoiding physical contact with others since childhood, disguising his fear of intimacy. He goes so far as to fake illnesses to avoid folk dances and playing with other children. The only person he is willing to become vulnerable to and capable of touching is a "singularity" he describes as "a being who can make the impossible possible by overcoming various limitations." In simpler terms, this could refer to someone like Hajime—someone who continues to bond with him despite his "defenses" and genuinely considers Gundham a friend he wants to survive the killing game with.

His social awkwardness can make him come across as inconsiderate, such as when he calls Hajime "trash" upon first meeting him simply because his only pet was a hermit crab passed around in elementary school. Similarly, during the investigation of the Imposter's murder, he becomes fixated on recovering his Hell Hound Earring, stubbornly prioritizing it over actively participating in the investigation though his discoveries helped solve the murder. Gundham also has a habit of pretending to know more than he actually does. When he can't provide the knowledge to others, he will immediately distract them by throwing unrelated speeches in his signature evil overlord style.

Gundham's harsh facade conceals a softer, more sensitive side, which is frequently shown through his interactions with Sonia. He bonds with Sonia during both their time at Hope's Peak and the Killing School Trip due to their complementary interests—Sonia's fascination with the occult, her genuine admiration of his "evil" persona, and most importantly, her fondness for his "cute hamsters" and his strong and trusting relationship with them. Her sincere appreciation often leaves Gundham uncharacteristically flustered, causing him to stutter and blush. In the original Japanese, she is also the only one that Gundham does not refer to as kisama (貴様 an old-fashioned term for 'you' that was once used to address social equals or inferiors, but in modern usage, it is almost exclusively used by men in a derogatory manner) or by their last name, instead calling her "she-cat" at one point or "the Dark Lady", his fantasized version of Sonia. They are compatible with each other and have great teamwork as shown while attending Hope's Peak, with the two growing so close over time that they could even finish each other's sentences due to Sonia latching to Gundham's eccentric personality. While trapped in the Funhouse, they are the first to pair up and leave, while everyone else is still deciding who to partner with to explore the building. They later become a very effective duo during the fourth class trial.

Other than Sonia, Gundham seems to be less harsh toward women. He has a good relationship with his mother and endures her terrible cooking to avoid making her cry, prompting Hajime to note that he is a "good guy" deep down. He also gains sympathy from a nurse at his grade school, who often allows him to leave without participating in folk dances. With his female classmates, he allows them to choose their desired rooms before the boys do while trapped in the Funhouse, even referring to them as "kittens." He is often agreeable with Ibuki's opinions, calling her remarks "nice lines." When Mikan gets accused as a culprit, he initially comes to her defense claiming that a "slow-witted woman" like her is incapable of murder. He also appears unaffected by Hiyoko's demeaning attitude and mean comments about being embarrassed by his outlandish dialogues—quite the contrast to his interactions with Kazuichi, where he takes offense at almost anything Kazuichi says about him.

Gundham's relationship with Kazuichi, on the other hand, highlights his indifference toward trivial matters, such as Kazuichi's one-sided romantic rivalry over Sonia. He primarily finds Kazuichi annoying when he insults the Four Dark Devas, dismissing him as a "lowly human," similar to his view of most others. However, while attending Hope's Peak, their relationship appears slightly better, with Gundham occasionally allowing Kazuichi to touch his hamsters.

Though he may be awkward around other people, Gundham deeply cares about animals he often refers to as "magical beasts" and pets as "familiars". He claims that anything that can talk "will eventually betray you," hinting at the possibility that he has been hurt by others before. This idea is supported in his Final Free Time Events, where he accuses Hajime of being a "Kotodama user" a label he seemingly attaches to people who try to manipulate him with "false words" and "cheap tricks", believing Hajime is one and doubts his sincerity when calling him a friend. As a result, Gundham prefers to trust animals for their loyalty and sincerity. Although it is only a rumor that he can speak with animals, what remains true and recognized by those around him is that Gundham genuinely understands the feelings of animals and is often seen with a gentler, softened expression and a smile when talking about them. His empathy towards animals leads him to pity livestock for being raised for the sole purpose of human consumption. He is also highly responsible toward the animals under his care, consistently providing them with plenty of exercise, high-quality food, and a good place to sleep—especially for the Four Dark Devas of Destruction amid the killing game. He dedicates most of his cottage space to their large cage and an extensive hamster tunnel sprawled across the floor. His consistent caring and responsibility enable the mutual trust and strong bond he shares with his pets, allowing his commands to be heeded, whether they are hamsters, falcons, bears, or notoriously difficult Pomeranians. His love for animals, however, doesn't extend to anthropomorphic cartoons of animals "who walk on two legs and speak human languages," which he finds highly offensive. This also extends to Monokuma and Monomi, as they "can talk" and, most importantly, aren't "cute."

In his Island Mode, it is revealed that he is fond of reading encyclopedias about animals from around the world and is implied can become emotional when watching movies related to animals. Gundham also comes to love pumpkins not only because they contain high nutrients and are versatile for various cooking methods, but also because their seeds provide an effective food source for his Four Dark Devas of Destruction.

Another trait and ability often showcased by Gundham is his level-headedness. In class trials, while not always the most prominent contributor to the trials and often becoming a comic relief through his dramatic catchphrases, whenever he does contribute, it is quite substantial. He is also willing to stand corrected, changing his mind after falsely believing Hiyoko was Mahiru's killer. He even opened a productive discussion, such as talking about the blood on the culprit's attire. Additionally, he was willing to accept being corrected when Hajime and Chiaki proved that Hiyoko was killed before Ibuki. He is also willing to cooperate with "mere mortals," even suggesting that the healthy students stay at the motel during the Despair Disease outbreak, just in case anything happens to the affected students. He is also shown to have a keen intellect, which allows him to plan a complicated murder using the Funhouse's unique structure. His plan is only ruined by pure coincidence beyond his control.

He also has a deeper understanding of certain situations and isn't lost in his own world. For example, Gundham is among the first to openly acknowledge Nagito's grey morality, recognizing that it is impossible to establish a relationship with someone like Nagito, who he deems unpredictable by the usual human standards rooted in experience, making Nagito a fearsome individual. Nagito's erratic behavior, such as his willingness to be sacrificed as a stepping stone for his classmates' hope and how he actually pushed Teruteru into committing murder, eventually leads Gundham to not mind if Nagito "retires permanently" when he contracts the Despair Disease.

His perceptiveness and contemplative nature strangely reveal that he cares about his classmates, albeit in his own distant way. He contemplates where will the souls of the Imposter and Teruteru go after their death, and advises Hajime to pray for their souls so they can be saved. He also perceives Peko as a "foolish soul" for remaining a slave, yet he accepts her choice to stay loyal to her young master. Perhaps he admires her noble spirit and the resolve she shows in accepting her fate—admitting to her crime at the end of her trial, much like he does in his own.

Gundham also possesses a great respect for the nature and its laws. He understands that nature is indiscriminate in its harsh cruelty, noting that "pleasure and pain are irrelevant as long as you have a purpose, and take action for that sake." He also does not fear death and strongly dislikes mankind's malicious ways. Notably, Gundham hates the idea of giving up without a fight, for he believes that all creatures are born to fight tooth and nail to survive. According to him, giving up your life willingly is blasphemous toward nature (and by extension, oneself). This philosophy is what leads him to commit murder, refusing to let himself or his classmates actively choose to starve to death instead of fighting to cling to life. As such, he allows his target, Nekomaru, a fair chance to fight him and show the same resolve to uphold his belief—a duel to the death to reignite everyone's will to survive, in which he comes out victorious. When he is cornered in the class trial, the only accusation that elicits the strongest reaction from him is Nagito's claim that Nekomaru went down without a fight—an insult to both his beliefs and Nekomaru. He eventually surrenders after Hajime and Chiaki acknowledge that he used his "subordinates," the Four Dark Devas, to subdue Nekomaru. Though the nature of Gundham's actions is never fully justified as purely selfish, purely selfless, or somewhere in between, Hajime and Chiaki are inclined to believe that he sacrifices himself for the group, based on how he didn't resist as much during the class trial. Gundham, however, as someone who firmly believes that murder is murder regardless of motive, blatantly denies this.

San-D appears to have a quite cheerful personality, often cheering with her paws up and enjoying eating sunflower seeds. However, she can be greedy for more territory and shown to knock Jum-P aside from his territory. She is also shown to be quite agile, able to skillfully press the Strawberry Hall button. Jum-P, despite almost constantly appearing to be asleep, is capable of moving around and carry out Gundham's order. He discovers the secret passage in the storage room of the old building and retrieves a thick scrap of paper by running around it during the third investigation. When Hajime first meets Gundham during the Killing School Trip, Gundham claims that Jum-P has something to say: "We're not used to going easy on our enemies... so don't make us angry. You wouldn't like us when we're angry."

Maga-Z appears to be slightly more aggressive than the others, with his squinted eyes giving him a meaner look. He is seen biting Kazuichi's finger when he attempts to touch him. He once lost his temper when Jum-P accidentally stepped his foot on his territory, and as a result, he attacked Cham-P and then Gundham's arm when he intervened. Cham-P often appears to have a jolly and relaxed expression, and Gundham implies he is the most docile and smartest out of the hamsters, because unlike the others he understands fear. He also tells Cham-P once to "exert your strength to your heart's content!"

Gundham's official talent in English localization is the "Ultimate Breeder". However, in the original Japanese release, the more literal and accurate translation to it (超高校級の「飼育委員」) is "Super High School Level Animal Breeding Committee Member", or in the Funimation subs, "Animal Raising Committee Member". It is a common after-school club in many Japanese schools dedicated to caring for animals (usually small birds, reptiles, and rodents) kept within the school grounds.

Gundham did splendidly as a club member due to his proficiency in training and caring for any animal and his success in proliferating endangered species. He revealed that his secret technique to taming animals is by starting with the basics—chanting "Good girl, good girl"—and ensuring they understand that he has no ill will. To achieve this, one must appear innocent and recognize which animals enjoy being touched and which do not. He then spends a long time with them until he begins to hear their words. Hajime comments that this must be something only the Ultimate Breeder can experience.

On a more serious note, Gundham has a natural aptitude for taming animals. This is best exemplified by his pet hamsters, the Four Dark Devas of Destruction, which he carries around in his scarf and shirt. He put considerable effort into training them, allowing them to follow commands ranging from basic to advanced—demonstrated multiple times during the Killing School Trip—such as retrieving small objects from high places, scouting an entire floor, and even sneaking up to press Mechamaru's Good Night Button, rendering him immobile. While attending Hope's Peak, he often brings his pets to school as part of their training. It includes his Pomeranian, which he claims as one of the hardest to tame, but over time managed to master. He is also able to command a brown bear to perform tricks by following his gestures. He is also capable of taming wild animals, demonstrated during his time as an Ultimate Despair, where he commanded an army of beasts to unleash chaos, despair, and destruction.

Gundham possesses an empathetic connection with animals, whom he finds more trustworthy than humans. He provides plenty of exercise, high-quality food, and shelter for his breeds. Due to his deep understanding of animals' emotions—rumor has it he can even speak with them. This is evidenced during his battle against the Super High School Level Falconer, where he effortlessly commands the falcon to switch allegiance to him simply by unsealing his true name.

As a Breeding Club member, Gundham's most noteworthy contribution, to which he dedicated a significant amount of time, is running a website related to animal breeding. While the true content is never revealed, he claimed that scientists worldwide eagerly await his research findings. The website is said to be highly secured so only chosen individuals could access it, while ordinary people can only access the dummy site called "Exciting Breeding Journal." Gundham also conducts his own ethical breeding research, with his latest project being a hybrid hamster with "sparkling silver fur" with dominant spots and bands. Alongside this and many other animals he cares for at home, he entrusts their care to people he selected to assist with his breeding duties. His breeding skill enables the Four Dark Devas of Destruction to produce healthy offspring known as the Twelve Zodiac Generals, and by the conclusion of the Final Killing Game, their numbers continued to increase. Gundham is also knowledgeable about various breeds of hamsters and never forces himself to keep one he's incompatible with, such as the Roborovski hamster.