Hajime Hinata

Ultimate ??? Gender Male Height 179 cm Weight 67 kg Birth Date ♑ January 1 Chest Size 91 cm Blood Type A Likes Kusamochi Dislikes Sakuramochi Family Unnamed parents Appearance: Hajime is a tall, young man with notably toned arms and a solid, well-built chest. He has green eyes with straight lines running across his pupils, resembling a prohobition symbol, as well as short, somewhat spiky brown hair with an ahoge that moves according to his emotions. He wears a simple white shirt with the emblem of his previous high school embroidered on the hem, a school badge on the left pocket, and a green tie that also bears the same emblem. He also wears dark pants and red-and-white sneakers. Personality: Hajime is a skeptic, realist, and pragmatic to the core, and he often times comes across as cynical due to his chronic overthinking tendencies. He is noticeably more skeptical of the group's peculiar circumstances than anybody else from the moment he steps foot on Jabberwock Island, owing to his habit of rationalizing everything that is foreign to him. He is reasonably concerned about the island's facilities in ways that no other students are, such as presuming the food at the supermarket and restaurant is poisonous, interpreting the comfort Hotel Mirai provides as a trap, and questioning the safety of crossing the cross-island bridges. His cautious nature leads him to appreciate Nagito's company while he explores the islands for the first time, yet at the same time, he is so appalled by Nagito's stress-free attitude, to the point that he suspects Nagito may have a traumatic history that contributed to his carefreeness. He is likewise baffled when he realizes no other students exercise the same amount of anxiety or precaution as him, and mentions how envious he feels of their ability to remain carefree and cheerful, like Kazuichi and Akane, and composed, like Sonia and Nekomaru. His initial stress, combined with the confusion caused by the mystery surrounding island, noticeably strips him from feeling genuine enjoyment from their supposed school trip, even finding the idea of swimming amidst their unknown predicament ridiculous. While he may be a realist, Hajime has moments where he wishes the group's circumstances could've been a mere dream, and he would've definitely enjoy some lazy sunbathing had it been a regular school trip. Ultimately, his paranoia causes him to feel alienated from his peers, prompting him to abandon all of his worries and self-doubts by joining the group at the beach, only for his fears to be well-founded after all when Monokuma emerges and turns their school trip into a killing game. Do our best... We kept using that phrase over and over again. Even though we knew they were just...cheap, meaningless, empty words... Regardless...we still said it. And we continued to say it over and over again without stopping. Being ruled by logic, Hajime never denies that there are parts of him that desires an escape and that he has the potential to kill, especially since he cannot trust any of his classmates who are initially strangers to him. He even casually evaluates his own threat level, particularly from Nagito's perspective during the first investigation when the latter carefreely provides him with assistance, given that he could be the killer the group is seeking. He also ends up choosing to play the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case, believing that logically, leaving it alone would only do more harm than good. This decision is influenced in no small part by Nagito's words, even as he insists otherwise. He states how he never thought about friendship, even finding them embarrassing and unattainable amidst their situation. Regardless, he does not detest the idea of warming up to them over time, seeing it as his character development when he can ultimately depend on them completely. You're right...you're absolutely right... We're not alone... Even if it's a mystery that can't be solved alone... As long as everyone cooperates and works together... Yeah...if we do that, things will turn out fine... Observing his classmates' ability to maintain high spirit in spite of the killing game instills Hajime with confidence, inspiration, reassurance, and a sense of unity. It helps him to gradually break free from his pessimistic and overly skeptical shell, even if his innate skepticism never fully disappears throughout the killing game. He rarely takes Monokuma's statements at face value, believing that the Tragedy is something Monokuma fabricated and doubting that he would let the remaining survivors off the hook so easily after the Graduation Exam. He is so grounded in reality that after each class trials, he is prone to feel anxious about the unknown and has difficulty in envisioning a clear future for him and his classmates, though he comes to learn that overthinking amidst the killing game is a complete waste of his time. He admits that he feels scared even after fully committing to the forced shutdown sequence. Interestingly, Hajime's fear helps him to acknowledge that confronting death so suddenly and repeatedly makes it impossible for most people to move on swiftly. Nevertheless, he knows that the only way out is through, and ends up surviving the ordeal without actively doing anything harmful to others. Instead, he channels his anger toward Monokuma, their real enemy, and directs his energy to stay calm and composed throughout every investigation and class trials to survive not only for himself, but also for his classmates whom he gradually learns to open up and care for. Hajime is highly self-aware of his flaws, which saps his confidence and often causes him to be insecure and often sell himself short. He is pessimistic that someone like him could ever have a chance to be in the limelight, and states that he has never really put any thought of his future and dreams. Moreover, he believes that Nekomaru overestimates his athletic skills when he recommends Hajime to become a rugby player, mainly because he has never seen a match, let alone played it. The Ultimate Team Manager himself, however, sees potential in him as he possesses calm judgment skills, a high degree of mobility, and a strong appreciation for teamwork, qualities that would make him a great rugby player. Despite being one of the most useful contributors in every class trials, Hajime claims that he's not good at "using his brain", and gets embarrassed when Chiaki argues by suggesting that he can be a puzzle games expert. He may claim to have poor reflexes and is in no way a warrior type, but he does impress Peko with his resolve of prioritizing cooperation over fighting with their classmates. He is also highly aware that unlike the Ultimate Imposter, he is nowhere near as fearless and competent of a leader like them. Regardless, he is content with who he is and rather than fantasizing of becoming anyone other than himself, he is more focused on what he's supposed to do. Furthermore, he has a hard time believing that he is such an amazing person and friend as to deserve being granted the title of "Singularity" by Gundham or to exchange a Brotherhood Cup with Fuyuhiko, both of whom think otherwise. *My name is Hajime Hinata. There's only one reason I came to Hope's Peak Academy... Because I admired Hope's Peak Academy. To me, attending Hope's Peak Academy is like being a celebrity or a superhero. In fact, instead of calling it admiration, it's more like...it's always been a dream of mine. That's why, to feel like a member of society, to become someone I can be proud of, I always wanted to... For that reason alone, I always... until now, I never wanted to admit how painfully ordinary I really am. Hajime's biggest source of insecurity, however, is his lack of talent. Growing up talentless and ordinary bothers him so deeply that he desires nothing more but to have a talent he could take pride in, and ultimately be confident in himself. He comes to admire Hope's Peak Academy more than anyone and dreaming of attending it one day. Unfortunately, the best he can manage is by attending its Reserve Course Department instead of the main course. During his enrollment, Hajime often spends his time yearning to one day pass through the main course's gate as one of its students. His melancholia is worsened by how he unwittingly becomes the brunt of countless gossips that criticize him for wasting his parents' money on the Reserve Course costly tuition fee. The Steering Committee then exploits his situation and admiration toward Hope's Peak by luring him into participating the Izuru Kamukura Project as a lab rat, albeit a successful one. Despite his craving for talent, Hajime is shown to be in a serious dilemma about whether to go through with the project. During this period, he befriends Chiaki, who positively influences his outlook on talent, helping him realize that he still can have hope and be confident in himself even without talent. He also listens to Chisa's words not to call himself lowly and to start believing in himself. His growth is exemplified by his use of the same advice Chiaki gave him when speaking to Natsumi, whose insecurities he strongly relates to. Unfortunately, his growth comes undone after learning from his physical confrontation with Juzo that Hope's Peak covered up the truth behind Natsumi and Sato's deaths. Enraged by how Hope's Peak dehumanizes the Reserve Course, he ultimately decides to proceed with the project so that he can become a talented person who can stand together with Chiaki and become someone she will be proud of. Hajime's insecurity persists during the killing game, where he is reverted from Izuru to his pre-enrollment state and falsely remembers himself as having been part of the main course. Hajime who doesn't remember his supposed Ultimate talent is left to constantly wonder whether he truly belongs among his classmates, even thinking as though he might be the possible traitor for this reason alone. Even if he does have one, he is not confident that his talent would be anything special or useful to others. Nevertheless, he is eager to learn about his talent, going so far as to willingly take Monokuma's bait in the form of his student profile, which, of course, is merely a ruse meant to trap him and the others in the Funhouse. Hajime's desperation only sets him up for a heartbreak upon learning from Nagito that he is a mere Reserve Course student. Though he is able to push it off into the backburner of his mind, the revelation leaves such a bitter taste in his mouth that it continues to linger well into the Graduation Exam. He remains in a state of denial, disbelief, disgust, and beyond disappointed to see the academy he has been idolized for so long to be in such a sorry state upon entering the Ancient Ruins. He even hopes that he could have had the grand title of the Ultimate Hope for himself so he can escape the fate of being talentless, only for such wishful thinking to be confirmed by Alter Ego Junko herself, at the price of learning that he, as Izuru, masterminded the Killing School Trip. What's...wrong with being weak...? It's normal to be weak... Humans feel overwhelmed sometimes...and even cry... I know I do, so what's wrong with that? I don't think real strength means you don't accept your weaknesses... I think real strength means you overcome them. Knowing his own weakness, including not remembering his own Ultimate talent, on the other hand, drives Hajime to keep a cool head throughout the killing game, a trait that Fuyuhiko points out and respects. This trait also occasionally positions him as the group's voice of reason, such as helping Kazuichi and Akane, though he fails with the latter, to calm down during Nagito's bomb scare. When Sonia insists that Sparkling Justice murdered Mahiru, Hajime doesn't undermine her feelings about not wanting to doubt their friends, but he knows that her theory is very unlikely. At the same time, his rationality makes him frequently worry about his classmates. For instance, he suggests Nekomaru and Akane to not get themselves hurt in the middle of their intense training. Later on, he criticizes Monokuma's decision to alter Nekomaru's body into that of a robot, even if the person in question has already accepted their new body. During the Despair Disease outbreak, he worries about leaving Mikan and her patients alone at the hospital, since he and Fuyuhiko aren't allowed to stay overnight, so much so that he slips into a nightmare that reveals a glimpse of his past. He also constantly tells Mikan not to overexert herself. he is sensitive to disturbing thoughts spoken aloud by his classmates, though being a realist compels him to shoot down their nonsensical fantasies just as quick. He experiences strong bodily reactions to fear and discomfort, noting how sharp, stabbing pains can course through his body. A contradiction is when something is obviously wrong... There is no contradiction I can't shoot through... I'm going to find out what that is. For the sake of everyone's hope. I'll shoot through the contradiction! Although the prospect of investigating the murders of his classmates and singling out their killers during class trials unnerves him, he is very well aware that if he refuses to follow the rules, the lives of many, including his own, would be at stake. Consequently, Hajime maintains his level-headedness by prioritizing everyone's survival instead of mulling over his fears and doubts. He extensively participates in every investigation and class trial, employing logic and keenness. He is quite tenacious and serious during discussions and investigations, and has little to no tolerance when others, like Monokuma and Nagito, interfere in his endeavors. He is not devoid of emotions, however, as he comments how he feels guilty and abnormal for becoming accustomed to the cycle of investigations and class trials by the time he investigates Nagito's death. Furthermore, he is riddled with guilt when he has to accuse Teruteru as the Imposter's killer, Mikan as Ibuki and Hiyoko's killer, and later when he has to convince everyone that Chiaki is the traitor from the Future Foundation. However, his rational thinking, perseverance, and unwavering determination allow him to push through his mental obstacle and successfully persuade his classmates to cast their difficult votes, not out of doubt but trust, and eventually to initiate the Forced Shutdown. In comparison to his more polite predecessor, Makoto, Hajime is more casual and straightforward with his peers. In the original Japanese, he addresses them by last name only, without any honorifics. He usually finds formalities embarrassing, and thus forgoes them the moment he introduces himself to the group on Jabberwock Island, also as a way to hide his nervousness. His more blunt personality is also shown in his way of speaking in the original Japanese. During Nonstop Debates, he uses the phrase それは違うぞ (sore wa chigau zo; lit. "That's wrong"), while Makoto says それは違うよ (sore wa chigau yo; lit. "That's wrong"). Using よ yo at the end of a sentence is much more polite than using ぞ zo, which is perceived as impolite and more masculine. Another example of this is how he uses the more masculine and boastful word 俺 (ore) to refer himself while Makoto uses the more polite word 僕 (boku). Hajime can be rather judgmental, snarky, and sarcastic toward his classmates in is thoughts. However, he tries to be fair-minded and only articulates them when he needs to. For instance, he finds the Ultimate Imposter to be overwhelming and condescending, yet he never sees them as a bad person and comes to rely on them as the group's leader. Similarly, he finds Teruteru's perversion annoying, though he can see a sliver of good in him through his confidence and passion toward his dishes. Akane is also someone he doesn't think too highly of when they first meet, viewing her as a self-centered troublemaker. Regardless, he can tell that she has the physique of an Olympic athlete and is intrigued by how she might have performed as the Ultimate Gymnast. The only classmate he warrantably dislikes, is constantly suspicious of, and prefers to ignore is Nagito. Even then, Hajime has no choice but to put up with his creepiness, pushiness, and his own distrust of him to obtain clues Nagito discovers during the second investigation, because he knows better than to underestimate Nagito's intelligence. During the third investigation and class trial, Hajime is confused and angry when Nagito accuses him as the culprit, but realizes that he does so to exonerate him and solidify his testimony. With Nagito being the only person who realizes how exactly the culprit had murdered Ibuki, Hajime once again states how his intelligence cannot be underestimated. In fact, Hajime and the others unanimously agree that despite his problematic behavior, Nagito has been a valuable asset throughout every class trials, particularly during Nekomaru's trial where everyone has to depend on him for clues. In addition, Hajime refuses to be treated as a doormat and is never afraid to bluntly say no to his classmates when they cross his boundaries. He consistently rejects Teruteru's advances and never allows his perverted ideas and vulgar remarks to run rampant. He feels uneasy every time Nekomaru offers him "it", his special massage, though he eventually gives in and finds himself enjoying it more than he anticipated. He calls Hiyoko a spoiled little brat, but plays along with her shenanigans and complies with some of her childish requests to the point of numbness. However, he makes it clear to her that he has no interest in engaging with her hobby of torturing small animals, letting her to insult other cultures, throwing stones at random people, or bullying Sonia just because she's jealous of her. He won't let slide any unprovoked insults, wrongful accusations, tactless jokes, or forceful attempts to make him do something he doesn't want, exemplified by how he snaps at Hiyoko when she accuses him of being a pedophile, returns the same snarky attitude to Natsumi, defends himself from being accused by Kazuichi as the traitor, rebukes Monokuma's ideas of "funny jokes," and refuses to let Mahiru wash his dirty sleeve for him. He is also brave enough to tell directly to the initially standoffish Fuyuhiko to work together as a group. Although he can be overwhelmed by his classmates' colorful personalities, Hajime holds the utmost respect for their talents. Gundham is someone he initially thinks of as far too eccentric, but he eventually comes to admire his affinity for animals and the effort he puts into raising them, particularly his Four Dark Devas of Destruction. He is likewise impressed by how well Ibuki customizes her uniform into a unique piece unlike any other commercial product, and how Chiaki has the patience to finish even the weirdest, most bizarre games. He finds Mikan's talent for helping people to be deserving of praise, and he feels grateful when she quickly notices that he isn't feeling well. Hajime holds Nekomaru's confidence and managing skills in high regard, exemplified by how he himself is almost swayed by Nekomaru's scouting abilities into becoming a rugby player. He also takes up to his special training challenge so he can adopt Nekomaru's "unwavering presence of mind." He receives his special massage and advice, which allow him to endure an impossible amount of training, which awakened the optimism sleeping that has been sleeping inside him. Hajime is horrified by Fuyuhiko's harakiri stunt, but concludes that only the Ultimate Yakuza, someone who's accustomed to violence and death and bears abnormally strong willpower, could perform such an extreme act to firmly convey his apology. Under extreme pressure, the relatively patient Hajime can snap and make decisions that are not always logical. This is well-demonstrated by how he attempts to fight the Former Ultimate Boxer, Juzo, after he spoke of the Reserve Course students in a condescending and dehumanizing manner, and slaps Chisa's hand away in anger when she tries to help him. While entrapped in the Funhouse, Hajime, starving and desperate, makes his way to access the Final Dead Room, something he would've done had Chiaki not stopped him. Notably, he has also referred to Alter Ego Junko as an "insane bitch", and bluntly refuses to proceed with either options presented during the Graduation Exam. Due to his occasional annoyed and irritable mood, Nagito categorizes Hajime as a stereotypical tsundere character by calling his possible Ultimate title as "tsuntsun hair", in the original Japanese. Hajime admits that he's romantically inexperienced and can appear shy and even naive about the topic. The most glaring evidence is how he becomes mildly terrified when Peko blushes while saying she needs something from him, jumping to the conclusion that she intends to confess her love to him. Hajime awkwardly laughs when he finds out that Peko only wants his advice on asking out her childhood friend. He is dismayed that Peko has no actual romantic interest in him and feels a little bit jealous of her childhood friend when he gets to see her smile for the first time. Meanwhile, in Mahiru's Free Time Events, Hajime is oblivious to the signs of Mahiru showing romantic interest in him, such as not knowing why Mahiru specifically chooses him to take her picture. However, he gets embarrassed when he notices how she has a "completely different face than before" when he looks through the viewfinder, noting that he he has never felt such a strange feeling before in his life, and has his heart racing when Mahiru compliments the result. However, during the non-canonical Island Mode, several characters appear to have a romantic interest in Hajime and he sometimes responds by flirting. By their respective Island Mode endings, Hajime can establish a serious romantic relationship, such as becoming engaged to Sonia and Mikan and officially dating Mahiru. Hajime grew up with no known relatives apart from his parents. Although their parent-son dynamic remains largely unknown, Hajime mentioned once having a pleasant dream about his childhood, which led him to feel happier and more energized than usual. Like most parents, they would reprimand Hajime whenever he ditched school events during elementary and middle school. Other aspects of his past he brought up include having friends and a few spots he frequented, such as a nearby bookstore, a convenience store, and a favorite restaurant of his. Beyond his upbringing, Hajime was an average person leading an average daily life and routine. He spent his days commuting to school, studying, attending exams and lectures, job hunting, and going for walks in his free time. He felt ambivalent about school and did not participate in any clubs, except for having an experience of taking care of a hermit crab he passed around in elementary school. He stated that he had limited experience, was not knowledgeable, and had never been interested in many things, including sports such as surfing or rugby, music in general or playing any instruments, the occult, photography, animal breeding, martial arts such as kendo, or mastering any type of weapon. Hope's Peak Academy... That place was so much more than a school to me. Kids who love to play baseball will long to join the major leagues... Kids who love to play soccer will long to join a rep team... And ever since I was a kid, I've felt the same way about Hope's Peak Academy... In reality, Hajime possessed no special talent whatsoever. This led him to develop insecurities and a longing to belong somewhere he could feel more confident in himself. That desire manifested as his admiration for Hope's Peak Academy ever since childhood, and dreamed of attending it one day. However, since he lacked an Ultimate talent, the only way for him to attend the academy was by applying to its Reserve Course department. This required him to pass a basic entrance exam and pay a costly entrance fee and tuition, which were covered by his parents. Hajime fulfilled these requirements, allowing him to transfer from his former school, Kodaka High School, to the Hope's Peak Reserve Course. Enrolling in Hope's Peak filled Hajime with a huge sense of fulfillment, the long-awaited day in which he could become something greater than himself. However, his insecurity of being talentless persisted. He often spent time gazing wistfully at the main course building, whether from the fountain in the park overlooking the academy or from his classroom, yearning to be a part of the Ultimates. Around the same time, Hope's Peak Academy's Hope Cultivation Plan, or more known by the Izuru Kamukura Project, had reached its experimental stage. Named after the founder of Hope's Peak Academy, Izuru Kamukura, the project was considered to be the culmination of Hope's Peak Academy's research on talent; creating a superhuman paragon by imbuing a single person with every talent possible. It was of such importance that most Reserve Course tuition fees were allocated to it. From there, the researchers set their sights on the Reserve Course dropouts to use them as lab rats, as their plan to create talent artificially required test subjects that are wholly lacking in talent. From that group of Reserve Course students, the one who was chosen was Hajime, simply because he admired Hope's Peak Academy more than everybody else and was therefore easy to exploit. He was then given time by The Steering Committee to decide whether to accept. One day, Hajime visited the fountain to gaze at Hope's Peak Academy's main building. While doing so, he experienced a headache triggered by memories of people's insults regarding his status as a Reserve Course student. He lost focus, and as a result, Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer from the main course's Class 77-B who lacked spatial awareness, accidentally bumped into him while playing a video game. Chiaki continued to walk, only stopping after Hajime recognized that the game she played was Gala Omega, as he played one as well. He was overwhelmed by Chiaki's sudden enthusiastic response and, at her insistence, promised to show her his game the next time they met. Around the same time, Chisa Yukizome, Chiaki's homeroom teacher, arrived to take her back to class. While Chisa briefly stepped away to catch another runaway student, the Ultimate Imposter, Hajime laughed awkwardly, remarking that the Ultimates were more ridiculous than he had expected, though he still envied them and wished he had a talent of his own. Chiaki absentmindedly countered that it didn't matter whether someone was talented or not, saying that people without talent, like Hajime, had greater freedom to become anything they wanted, unlike her, who only had video games. When Chiaki finally left with Chisa, Hajime smiled at her and held on to her words in his heart. Hajime was seen at the fountain again, resting on one of its surrounding benches, listlessly gazing at the sky until he was startled by Chisa's sudden appearance. She had come to visit him in hopes of learning more about the Reserve Course and his motivation for enrolling in it. He patiently answered that he did so as it had been his dream to attend the main course ever since he was young, but slowly losing his resolve while attending the Reserve Course. He then wondered why Chisa would take an interest in a "lowly" Reserve Course student like him, prompting her to reprimand him. She lectured Hajime never to call himself that again, which he meekly obeyed before Chisa returned to her class. Not long after, Hajime was approached by the former headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Kazuo Tengan, to discuss the Izuru Kamukura Project. Hajime revealed that, despite the approaching deadline, he had yet to finalize his decision. He did mention his worry that if he turn down the invitation, he would be expelled by the academy due to his parents could no longer afford his tuition fees. Kazuo advised him that he could refuse and return to his former school. As Hajime protested that he could not go back to his old life, Kazuo told him to not fear normalcy. After school, Chiaki invited Hajime to play a newly released fighting game at the arcades. He declined, stating that he was not well-versed in such games, to which Chiaki retorted that it did not matter as long as he played together with friends. Hajime was seen browsing the academy's website and later visited the Main Course building, staring longingly from outside the gate. He began to walk back when he passed by Class 77-B, agonizing over how all he had ever wanted was to have a talent, yet he was nothing more than average. During his break time, Hajime was seen eating his lunch at his desk and thinking about Kazuo's advice and the looming deadline. His daydreaming was disturbed by the abrasive new transfer student, Natsumi Kuzuryu, prompting him to mention that her people skills needed work. Natsumi ignored his comment and instead introduced herself as the younger sister of the Ultimate Yakuza from the Main Course, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, declaring herself as the Ultimate Little Sister due to their blood relation. The unimpressed Hajime soon learned that Natsumi claimed it would be possible for her to transfer to the Main Course if Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer and Fuyuhiko's classmate, were to drop out and be replaced by her. Her statement angered Sato, Mahiru's best friend who happened to be in the same class with Hajime. He attempted to defuse their verbal argument, but his efforts were in vain, and it would have turned physical had Mahiru herself not intervened to pull Sato away. Later on, Hajime lost to Chiaki at a video game at their usual hangout spot. Although he claimed it was only natural for the Ultimate Gamer to beat him, Chiaki refuted that he had simply lost focus. Hajime, in turn, asked whether she would still enjoy games if she had no gaming talent. Chiaki replied that she would've still loved video games all the same, emphasizing that there were things far more important than talent, such as making memories with friends. Although her conviction surprised him, Hajime took her words to heart, realizing that even without talent, there could still be hope. When he returned to the Reserve Course building, he witnessed Sato and Natsumi getting into a verbal altercation yet again. This time, Hajime managed to stop Sato from getting physical, before chasing after the fleeing Natsumi. He reminded Natsumi not to intimidate Sato if she wished to be scouted into the Main Course, as doing so would not only diminish her chances but could also lead to her expulsion if Hope's Peak were to discover her actions. Hajime tried to comfort her by using Chiaki's advice, that her staying by her brother side and keep making memories with him would be more important than talent itself. However, Natsumi refuted that her brother deserved the best people around her, and she believed the only way for her to be one of those people was by becoming an Ultimate like him. Those particular words affected Hajime, as he kept thinking about them the next day as he walked to school. Much to his surprise, he found police officers at the school building and learned from one of the Reserve Course students that a student had been murdered in the building, later revealed to have belonged to Natsumi. Hajime was struck by the news and was later seen sitting downcast by the fountain. There, he spotted Sato and Mahiru talking about Natsumi's murder. Once Mahiru left, Hajime approached Sato to demand the truth, mentioning how many people had witnessed their fight just the day before. Sato denied the possibility of being Natsumi's killer, stating that it was the fate of a yakuza heiress to die young, or perhaps she had committed suicide for being talentless. Hajime refuted her statement, saying that Natsumi must had gained hope from his final conversation with her, causing Sato to suddenly panic and ran away. Unbeknownst to Hajime, that would be the last time he ever saw her, as she had been murdered by Fuyuhiko as a retaliation a few days later. Hajime wanted to learn the truth himself behind his classmates' murders, so he headed to the main building to question Mahiru. An officer swiftly stopped him in his tracks as entry to the main building was forbidden for Reserve Course students. When he tried to force his way in instead, Juzo Sakakura, the person in charge of Hope's Peak Academy's security, slammed him to the ground. Juzo revealed that officially, Natsumi was murdered by an unknown intruder, and Sato's death was ruled as being caused by the "shock of losing a classmate." Hajime instantly knew it was merely a lie manufactured by the academy to save its reputation, and was provoked into punching Juzo, who had demeaned Reserve Course students as replaceable. The Former Ultimate Boxer easily dodged Hajime's attacks and delivered a powerful blow onto his stomach. He stepped on the recoiling Hajime, further dehumanizing Reserve Course students as nothing more than a money-making tool for the Main Course and inherently less valuable than the Ultimates. Out of sheer rage, Hajime stood up and managed to land a weak punch on his face. Before Juzo could retaliate, Chisa came to his side, shielding Hajime from another blow. Chisa immediately noticed that Hajime was bleeding and offered her a handkerchief, but the beyond fed up Hajime slapped it out of her hand and left. By sunset, Hajime came to a decision to proceed with the Izuru Kamukura Project procedure. Before heading off to meet the Steering Committee, he came to meet Chiaki at the fountain, where she had been waiting to play a new game with him. He had to turn down her request, but before leaving, he made sure to encourage her to make a lot of memories at Hope's Peak, and reminder her that she was more than just the Ultimate Gamer. As he walked away, his internal monologue revealed that whenever he saw Chiaki, he wanted to say that he too had some sort of talent. Upon consenting to participate the Izuru Kamukura Project, Hajime's official record marked him as expelled. The academy essentially erased him from school records as he would no longer exist as Hajime Hinata by the completion of the experiment. Based on the project's periodical report, Hajime's parents consented to his participation in the project, though they signed under the belief that it was solely for the purpose of improving Hajime's mental health and physical abilities, not transforming him into a completely different person. Their reaction to their son's disappearance following the project remains unknown. Prior to undergoing the experiment, Hajime recalled the time when Juzo beat him up and dehumanized his fellow Reserve Course students, as well as his final meeting with Chiaki. His last thought before being erased from existence was of Chiaki, wanting to be someone she could be proud to stand beside, and the thought of becoming the hero of his own story. Once inside the Neo World Program, the simulation dug up Izuru's past memories and rebuilt his old personality using data from his past, thus reverting him to Hajime as his avatar. Unlike the Remnants who still retained the memories of their Ultimate talents, he lost all of his memory before enrolling in the Reserve Course, causing him to think that he was supposed to be in the main course and have an Ultimate of his own. According to Monokuma, the initial physical manifestation of Alter Ego Junko in the virtual reality, it was either due to the Future Foundation's attempt to conceal his background or a result of his own willful suppression of those memories. Hajime immediately felt overwhelmed from failing to rationalize his situation, being trapped in a classroom with his supposed "classmates." It worsened when Usami appeared and teleported them to Jabberwock Island, completely bypassing the normal process of attending Hope's Peak Academy. Unable to cope with the situation, he eventually collapsed on the beach of the first island, where everyone else was. He woke up to find Nagito looking over him, asking if he was okay. Hajime wanted to be left alone, but Nagito refused and, instead, let him calm down by observing his surroundings and taking it all in. Although many things still confused him, Hajime was ready to be introduced to Nagito, and vice versa. He learned that he couldn't even remember his own Ultimate talent, which Nagito did not mind, reassuring him that his memory would soon return to him after he settled in. He was also informed that he was given an e-Handbook by Usami and tasked with gathering Hope Fragments. On Nagito's advice, Hajime then began to explore the accessible first and central islands while introducing himself to the others. He accepted Nagito's offer to accompany him, as he would worry if he had to do these on his own. During his exploration, Hajime was overly skeptical and questioned every odd detail he noticed. While he appreciated Nagito's company, he also grew uneasy with his calm, laid-back demeanor, which felt far too relaxed for his taste. He also found it unsettling that none of his colorful and eccentric classmates displayed the same level of skepticism as he did. The panicking Hajime even proposed to cut down a tree to make a raft, prompting Usami to remind him that littering was against the rules, and Imposter and Nagito tried to calm him down. He also refused to go swimming with his classmates when Usami presented swimsuits as a reward for gathering their first Hope Fragments. However, seeing the joy on his classmates' faces made him begin to doubt himself and feel alienated; he eventually changed his mind, thinking he was foolish for being the only one who worried. As soon as he stepped close to the water, the sky turned dark, and Monokuma suddenly emerged and ordered him and the others into Jabberwock Park. Arriving at the scene, Hajime and the others witnessed how Monokuma overpowered Usami with ease, breaking her magic stick and forcefully renaming her Monomi. This allowed Alter Ego Junko to usurp her status as an Observer and turn the simulation into the Killing School Trip. Hajime could only stand aghast as the headmaster transformed the Jabberwock Statues into Monobeasts, using them to tear Monomi apart as an example of what happened to those who dared to defy him, with one stray bullet grazing his right cheek. Once you're suspicious of something, you'll start to be suspicious of everything... Even of yourself. That's why it felt so hopeless. Believing he had thoroughly explained his killing game and demonstrated his undefeatable prowess, Monokuma left Jabberwock Park, leaving the exhausted and horrified Hajime and the others in his wake. Although they had to face Monokuma and whoever was controlling him, the Ultimate Imposter reminded them to remain cautious of one another, including Hajime, who realized they had to accept the possibility that anyone could be capable of murder. Following the commencement of the Killing School Trip, the students dispersed. Hajime himself went to lament his new reality by the pool after reading the new killing game rules added by Monokuma accessible in his e-Handbook. He decided to retreat to his cottage after Monokuma announced nighttime, where he would reflect that he had no one to trust, not even himself. He began to scream and curse, asking why it had to be him going through this predicament, before finally falling asleep. His bad mood persisted into the next morning, but he decided to step outside, where he was greeted by a paranoid Kazuichi Soda, the Ultimate Mechanic, who informed him that Monobeasts were now stationed to guard the bridges to the other islands. Shortly after, Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman, arrived to fetch them for the morning gathering in the restaurant. The gathering turned out to be hosted by the Ultimate Imposter with the intention of declaring themselves as the group's leader. Despite their forcefulness, Hajime didn't object to their decision and found their vow not to let anyone fall victim to the killing game surprisingly genuine, as he thought someone of their caliber would have acted more condescendingly. He and the others then followed the Imposter to investigate a countdown that had mysteriously appeared in Jabberwock Park. Though its origin and purpose were unclear, the group didn't lose heart and even found a sense of unity under the Imposter's leadership. Hajime reflected that, although their tense situation should have made everyone more cautious, he was oddly relieved by the group's high spirits and even began to feel he could rely on them. However, he didn't feel confident to call himself an Ultimate like the others due to his alleged memory loss. He also couldn't bring himself to immediately trust the others, but thinking it would be nice to gradually change that, and refusing to hole up in his room, Hajime chose to spend his Free Time getting to know his classmates better. He could also trigger bonus scenes by giving Kazuichi and Mahiru the items they wanted on separate occasions, which allowed him to be invited by Kazuichi and co. to enjoy coconuts at the beach, and to be a special guest at the girls-only gathering hosted by Mahiru. During the nighttime, Hajime was in the audience when Monokuma revealed two things: A traitor was hiding among them, and that Monomi had erased the group's school memories and promised to return them only to those who kick-started the killing game. Though the Imposter encouraged everyone to abandon the motive and cool off for the night, the possibility of the traitor being someone different from the group, like him, who did not remember his own talent, lingered as he returned to his cottage. The next morning, Hajime and the others were ordered by the Ultimate Imposter to attend a party that night, one that would last until sunrise. The venue chosen was the old building next to the hotel, which was still undergoing renovation and needed to be cleaned beforehand. The unlucky person assigned to do that task turned out to be Nagito, who had drawn the short straw he brought himself. Hajime couldn't help but laugh at the irony, teasing him for his supposed "Ultimate Lucky Student" title. Hajime attended the party on time after Monokuma's nighttime announcement. To his surprise, the Ultimate Imposter exercised extra caution by performing body checks on him and the others, as well as carrying duralumin cases to store confiscated dangerous items and for emergency purposes. They later dragged him along to assist in confiscating utensils from the kitchen, such as knives, forks, and iron skewers, which Teruteru noted had already been missing one even before he used the kitchen. Due to their extra-vigilant nature, Hajime suspected that something had prompted them to throw the party in the first place. This led the Imposter to reveal a glimpse of their true self beyond their Byakuya Togami impersonation, though they cut it short and promised to divulge more another time. When the party began, Hajime observed his friends enjoying themselves, a sight that would once have frustrated him, yet now it brought a measure of reassurance. Simultaneously, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, which was soon validated when a sudden blackout plunged the dining hall into darkness and chaos. After the lights returned, the Imposter had gone missing, prompting him and the others to search for him, but to no avail. It wasn't until Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast, caught the scent of blood from beneath the dining table at the far back that the group discovered the Imposter, lying in a pool of their own blood. The body discovery of the Ultimate Imposter signaled the commencement of the killing game's first investigation, with Monokuma appearing to explain the proceedings. Though he disliked the thought of having to doubt each other, Hajime ultimately decided to do it for the sake of everyone's survival. Once he finished examining the crime scene, Nagito joined his investigation effort, exploring the rest of the old building while questioning the others. Nagito also suggested that Hajime investigate the Imposter's cottage, where they found an ominous threatening letter addressed to their late leader. Hajime's active participation in the class trial helped the group to see the light. Yet, nothing prepared him to learn that Nagito was the one who had sent the threatening letter to the Imposter, relied on his luck to rig the cleaning duty drawing, and staged the blackout, all to initiate the killing. He struggled the most with coping after Nagito's true nature was revealed, refusing to accept that someone who had once been so kind to him could turn out this way. Despite Nagito's confession, he was not the killer everyone was searching for, and was later revealed to be none other than the party's chef, Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Cook. Hajime concluded that Teruteru accessed the floorboard through the secret passage in the storage room, and killed the Imposter from that spot with the iron skewer he hid inside a meat. After the trial, Hajime learned that Teruteru had caught Nagito red-handed while he was planting the knife during the party preparations. He further realized Nagito was deliberately luring Teruteru into killing him, only for Teruteru to end up killing the Imposter who had intervened in Nagito's plot. He was already in disbelief at the story, but even more so at Nagito's twisted motivations and beliefs, wanting not only to kill, but also to offer himself up to be killed in the future, all for the sake of watching his classmates' hope overcome the despair such acts would create. This eventually caused Hajime to drastically change his outlook on Nagito, deeming him someone no one should entertain. His statement hurt Nagito, especially since the Ultimate Lucky Student felt that they were alike in their admiration for Hope's Peak and in the way they both had hidden true natures, like how Hajime didn't even remember his own talent. This prompted Hajime to allow Akane, whom he had previously told to ignore Nagito's provocations, to punch him, something that would have happened had Sonia not intervened. With the class trial concluded in Teruteru's execution, Hajime and the others vowed to cooperate and do their best to escape the island before returning to their respective cottages. Hajime, however, felt restless and opted to walk around the hotel grounds. While gazing at the sky full of stars, he mentioned how his body stiffened as he felt someone watching over him. The next morning, Hajime, who still felt sluggish due to the class trial, headed over to the restaurant. He noticed that Nagito was missing, while Monomi informed him and the others that she had defeated a Monobeast guarding the second island, allowing the students to explore it. Before venturing onto the second island, if Hajime carried a specific item and spoke with Mahiru beforehand, it would trigger a bonus scene in which he would peek at Mahiru and Hiyoko taking a shower together. Hajime went around the second island, investigating facilities such as the diner, Chandler Beach and its beach house, the drugstore, and the library. Chiaki then summoned him to inspect the ancient ruins with the others, where they discovered it to be a gigantic building eerily similar to Hope's Peak Academy. It was sealed by a dusty door with the logo "mirai" on it, locked behind a password panel, and guarded by a gun that seemed poised to fire if the incorrect password was entered. While the group speculated about the true nature of the ancient ruins, Monokuma took this opportunity to slander the Future Foundation. He introduced the organization as the "World Ender," claiming they were responsible for placing the students in the killing game and that a traitor among them was working on their behalf. Instead of spiraling further into confusion, Hajime and the others decided to call it a day. The following evening, Monokuma gathered the students at the Jabberwock Park to present the second motive, the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case. While still deliberating over whether to play or not, he ran to Fuyuhiko the next morning, carrying an envelope, which was only revealed much later to be the winning prize for the first person to finish the game. As if dealing with the Ultimate Yakuza's temper first thing in the morning wasn't enough, Hajime was also stuck carrying a breakfast tray for Nagito, who had been tied up in the old building's dining hall by Nekomaru Nidai, the Ultimate Tema Manager, and Kazuichi, while Mahiru, fed up with his behavior, insisted that Hajime deliver the meal in her place. Hajime mentally prepared himself to face Nagito, who he noticed seemed the same as usual, though his words "carried a certain heaviness." He firmly told Nagito that he had no intention of talking to him beyond dropping off his food, especially not personally feeding him, even when he clearly knew Nagito had his hands tied. However, before Hajime left, Nagito revealed that he had learned about the second motive and tried to convince Hajime to play it rather than running away. Though he refused to fall into the temptation at first, he gave in later that night, convincing himself it was better not to leave it alone. While playing the game, Hajime only completed the Investigation Edition, which covered the 2nd and 4th Days, leaving him puzzled upon finishing it. Having lost his memory, he was also unaware that the story followed the real events that had befallen his classmates during his school years: Sato and Natsumi, depicted as Girl E and the girl victim she had murdered in the story, respectively. He was discouraged from bringing up the game at a relatively peaceful breakfast the next day. Instead, he received a strange request from Kazuichi to meet him at the supermarket at 2.30 p.m. secretly. His request turned out to be barging into Sonia's girls-only beach party uninvited, and Hajime had no choice but to comply with the ever-forceful Kazuichi. The two then staked out at the diner at 3:00 PM, one hour earlier than the estimated meeting time. After 30 minutes, they spotted the tense Fuyuhiko loitering in the area. Before Hajime could question him, he slipped away, taking advantage of Ibuki and Mikan arriving early to get food from the diner. The four decided to wait for the rest of the girls and briefly spotted Hiyoko, who had declined the invitation to the party, running from the beach, seemingly in tears. The girls then arrived one by one in their bikinis: first Chiaki, whose look Hajime complimented; then Akane, Peko, and finally, the host, Sonia. Kazuichi became overly excited when Sonia allowed him and Hajime to participate, leaving Hajime alone with the girls to set up the party. Feeling awkward, he chased after Kazuichi to the beach house. However, as he approached the scene, Hajime was startled by the sudden Body Discovery Announcement and Kazuichi's scream from inside, only to be horrified by the sight of Mahiru's lifeless body. The cycle of being forced to partake in investigations and class trials began anew for Hajime and the others, who were shocked by the body discovery. Yet, Hajime had no choice but to find out why Mahiru was killed. He examined her body more closely, the cramped closet where he found a gummy on the floor, and the out-of-order shower room. There, he gave Akane a piggyback ride to inspect the high iron-barred window, discovering that a person could easily fit through it, making it a possible escape route for the culprit. Chiaki then accompanied him to access the Truth Edition of the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case to understand the possible motive for Mahiru's murder. When the two arrived at Jabberwock Park, they were met by Nagito, whom Monomi had released so he could participate in the investigation. This angered Hajime, who drove both of them away from the scene as he turned his attention to clear the game after Chiaki helped him figure out the hidden command to access the Truth Edition. Clearing it gave Hajime the knowledge that Mahiru, Mikan, Hiyoko, Ibuki, and Fuyuhiko had appeared in it as characters. He then questioned them at the airport, where Nagito had manipulated them into gathering, except for Fuyuhiko, easing Hajime and Chiaki's investigation. Hajime wrapped up his investigation by returning to the beach house, hearing Nagito explain that the footprints at the scene belonged to Hiyoko, learning from Sonia about the mask found next to Mahiru's body, and mentally noting Mikan's autopsy report. During the class trial, Hajime and the others first unraveled the truth behind the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case to understand how it functioned as a motive and how it correlated to Mahiru's murder. Afterward, he helped Hiyoko to prove that she was framed by the real culprit. Hajime eventually singled out Peko, who had killed Mahiru in an attempt to let her young master, Fuyuhiko, escape the island by taking the fall herself. She claimed she acted only as his "tool," but this was refuted when Fuyuhiko revealed he never saw her that way and that she had killed without his consent. Hajime survived the second trial after Peko was executed, during which Fuyuhiko was injured while trying to interfere, leading Monokuma to take him away for treatment. The following morning, Hajime arrived at the restaurant earlier than usual and spotted an ominous-looking shrine dedicated to Mahiru. He deduced it had been erected by Hiyoko, who was also there early. Hajime attempted to spare Hiyoko’s feelings when several of his classmates, unsettled by the display, threatened to destroy it. Although he failed, Chiaki's timely intervention convinced the group to change their minds, and they ultimately agreed to preserve the memorial until they escaped the island. Afterward, Hajime explored the third island, which became accessible after Monomi defeated another Monobeast. He investigated new facilities, including the hospital, the movie theater, and Electric Avenue. There, using a laptop, he accessed the corrupted Usami X File, learning some details about the origin of The Tragedy and the Reserve Course's riot, a past he had no memory of surviving as Izuru Kamukura. He also opted out of Monokuma's offer to watch his movie at the theater and visited Fuyuhiko, who was treated at one of the hospital's rooms. If Hajime carried R/C 4WD Battler Taro and spoke to Kazuichi afterward, it would trigger a bonus scene where Kazuichi dragged him along to peek at Nekomaru giving Akane his special massage in her cottage. Other bonus scenes Hajime could trigger occur the following day. If he carried the Summer Festival Tree, spoke to Ibuki, and handed Hiyoko the Toy Camera before breakfast, he would be invited to help out and enjoy the fireworks at the beach in the evening and the Memorial Jam Session organized by Hiyoko, Ibuki, and Chiaki in honor of Mahiru's wish to photograph their performance. The morning after, Hajime was startled awake by Ibuki, who broke the lock on his cottage to summon him to the restaurant. There, he was surprised to see Fuyuhiko, who had come to properly greet everyone for the first time. However, the mood quickly turned tense when Fuyuhiko attempted harakiri to show his resolve in seeking forgiveness for causing Mahiru and Peko's deaths, leaving Hajime deeply concerned for him and for Hiyoko, whose hostility toward Fuyuhiko he understood had driven him to such an extreme act. Later that evening, Ibuki barged into his cottage once again, this time to invite him to Fuyuhiko's recovery party, which she was hosting in thirty minutes at the music venue with the mid-recovery Fuyuhiko present. He was glad to see Hiyoko was also in attendance and stated she was willing to cooperate with Fuyuhiko until they escaped the island. Unfortunately, the party did not last long as Monomi warned the group that Akane was dueling Monokuma on the first island's beach. Everyone rushed there, only for Nekomaru to shield Akane from being killed by Monokuma's bazooka as her punishment. He was gravely injured and subsequently taken away for treatment. Hajime lost sleep over the previous night's events and intended to share his anxiety with anyone he might see at the restaurant. He was instead greeted by Nagito, Ibuki, and Akane, all of whom had contracted the Despair Disease, an endemic that caused high fevers and extreme personality changes. The disease would continue to spread until a murder occurred, effectively serving as the third motive presented by Monokuma. Hajime and the others helped escort the sick, particularly Nagito, who had collapsed from the fever, to the hospital. Hiyoko assigned him, having already touched the sick while checking their temperatures, to assist Mikan in quarantining and caring for the infected to prevent further spread of the disease, while the healthy remained stationed at a nearby motel for emergency purposes. Fuyuhiko volunteered to join Hajime as a safeguard, and the two took turns resting throughout the day. Hajime fell asleep properly for the first time in a while in the on-call room on the hospital's second floor and was startled awake by Mikan, who had secretly joined him and was sleeping on top of him. Fuyuhiko reprimanded them both before reporting that Nagito was struggling to breathe, prompting them to check on him. Though his breathing had stabilized, his condition remained unpredictable. Leaving Nagito's care to Mikan, Hajime, and Fuyuhiko, then inspected the household surveillance camera and monitor that Kazuichi had modified into a video chat device linking the hospital and the motel groups. When they decided to retire for the night, Monokuma appeared and reminded them that more than one person staying with a patient requiring assistance is strictly forbidden. This forced them to station Mikan in the hospital while they returned to rest at their respective cottages. Hajime immediately left for the hospital in the morning to check on Nagito's condition at Fuyuhiko's suggestion, and simultaneously admitted that, despite everything, he felt worried for him. Upon learning that Nagito's condition had worsened since yesterday, he felt powerless to do anything except remind the devoted Mikan not to overexert herself. They relayed this information to the motel team via transmission before spending the entire day waiting at the hospital. Hajime returned to his cottage later that night with Nagito's condition still dire, Mikan exhausting herself to care for him, and no new leads for a cure in sight. He eventually drifted into a restless sleep, carrying over his worry that transformed into a memory of his past. In his dream, Hajime found himself sitting in a classroom by the window, overhearing classmates gossiping about his acceptance into Hope's Peak Academy. They had discovered that he was admitted through special means, later revealed to be the Reserve Course Department, despite being a regular person without any special talent, and further expressed pity for his parents for having to pay the enrollment fee. Throughout their conversation, Hajime tried to ignore them and wished to be left alone, repeatedly thinking that he only wanted to belong somewhere he could feel confident, implied to be the Main Course rather than the Reserve Course. Due to his memory loss, however, he was unable to recall the full details of the exchange. Hajime awoke the next day to find Mikan once again sleeping on top of him. This time, her body was hot, indicating that she had contracted Despair Fever, but he barely noticed, as he was almost suffocated and turning cyanotic from her weight by accident. She reported that Nagito's condition had stabilized, prompting her to wake him before the morning announcement and ask Hajime to check on Nagito's condition. She claimed that she only approached Hajime because Fuyuhiko's cottage was locked, while Hajime's remained accessible due to Ibuki having broken the lock a few days earlier. At the hospital, Hajime told Mikan to rest, which she agreed to, stating that she would use the on-call room and suggesting that Hajime relax in the lobby after visiting Nagito. When alone with Nagito, whose Liar Disease persisted, Hajime was immediately asked to leave, a request he complied with, noting that he would have to wait for the morning transmission from the motel group anyway. Hajime, however, received he transmission earlier than the supposed transmission time after the morning announcement. To his horror, he saw someone in a hospital gown with their head covered with a hemp bag, attempting to climb what appeared to be a gallows during the live broadcast. The transmission abruptly ended just before the person could climb the noose, prompting a panicked Hajime to run to the music venue, which he believed to be the source of the broadcast. Hajime's attempt to save the person came too late, as he found them already hanging and deceased on the stage of the music venue. He then went to fetch help from the motel, with only Chiaki available to accompany him. They were later joined by Fuyuhiko and Mikan, who had been scrambling in search of the missing Ibuki from the hospital. Hajime directed them back to the music venue, but the door appeared to be locked, despite having been unlocked just ten minutes earlier. The four of them had to force the door open, only to be confronted by a second body, Hiyoko, taped to one of the stage's pillars. Hajime and the others, including Nagito and Akane, who were instantly cured by Monokuma, commenced the third investigation after lowering Ibuki's body. Hajime thoroughly inspected the music venue but was initially misled into believing that Ibuki had died before Hiyoko. He was also confused when the others referred to the incident as an imitation murder, only realizing what they meant after accepting Nagito's invitation to the movie theater to watch The Wizard of Monomi 2.5D, where the cause of death and order of Ibuki and Hiyoko's bodies closely resembled those of the characters depicted in the film. He also investigated the hospital's conference room and Hiyoko's motel room before heading to the trial ground with the others. Hajime's patience was tested immediately at the start of the class trial, when Nagito accused him of lying about his testimony. The accusation was quickly disproven by the very movie ticket Nagito had advised him to keep, which showed a date and time stamp confirming that Hajime had only watched the film after the murder occurred. This evidence verified the credibility of his testimony, which was considered foundational to understanding the circumstances of the murder. Subsequent discussions revealed that Hiyoko had actually been murdered before Ibuki, and that the filming location was the hospital's conference room. It was also uncovered that the person Hajime had seen in the video transmission was Mikan, the true culprit. She had lured Hajime to the hospital to establish an alibi and to trigger a chain of events that would expose Hiyoko's body after Hajime discovered Ibuki's, who had been long dead, thereby creating confusion about the order of the murders. Hajime initially struggled to accuse Mikan, as her crybaby act had won the sympathy of most of the group. However, with Nagito supporting him by proving how Mikan had falsified the autopsy, and Chiaki reminding everyone that belief without a doubt was simply a lie, Hajime and the others were able to overcome these obstacles and vote Mikan as the correct Blackened. It was only after the class trial that Hajime realized the Ultimate Nurse had contracted the Despair Disease, recalling how he had noticed her skin was unusually hot that morning. He was baffled to learn that Mikan's condition was the Remembering Disease, which allowed her to recover her stolen school memories, although at the time she did not mention that this mainly included her memories of her tenure as an Ultimate Despair and her love for Junko Enoshima.