(CW: Mentions of depression and su*cid*l thoughts)

Ryoma Hoshi is a character of Danganronpa: V3, and his title is the Ultimate Tennis Pro… at least, that’s who he claims he used to be. Despite his short stature and younger appearance, Ryoma has some sort of “coolness” and attitude that most high schoolers wouldn’t have - which is heightened by his very deep and more mature voice. This isn’t how he entirely was, though. After he had took down and killed an entire mafia organization on his very own in retaliation for murdering his girlfriend and family, he’s become what he refers as “an empty shell of who he used to be” and a killer; just a person a typical person wouldn’t want to surround themselves with or get close to, but doesn’t do so in an aggressive or rude way. However, he has warned he isn’t one to trifle with - despite not being very aggressive or lash out, he is willing to result to violence if he really believes that a person deserves and will give those that cross him a piercing, icy glare as a warning to back off - he did take down a whole mafia, after all. Because of this, when stumbling upon a body, he’s one of - if not the only - calmest and undisturbed person in the group, though it’s not because he condones it - in fact, he would never support nor condone something so “uncool.”

Because of his very dark and troubled past, he tends to push people away because he doesn’t want anyone to grow close to him since he knows he will die soon as he’s sentenced to death row for murder. Especially due to his dark past, he’s become withdrawn, depressed, and borderline suicidal, showing little regard for his life and is even willing to offer himself as a first kill during the first chapter’s First Blood Perk motive if it means one of the others could escape the school and call for help. He’s especially stayed away from tennis since being imprisoned, since it was his skills as a tennis player that had helped him take down the mafia organization that wronged him.

Despite his claims for being his old self’s “empty shell,” it seems like deep down, he really misses his time on the court and does want to play again despite having very little time left. You could say “old habits die hard” for the young man, as he still has this passion for playing the sport that earned him his Ultimate Title, has a deep love and care for animals -especially cats and other felines - and will always do anything to save an injured critter, has a deep sense of empathy for his classmates, and though tends to be realistic and not hopeful, still has his kindness shine through for these people, like Kaede. Ryoma is very logical and down to earth, willing to share deep, reassuring, positive, and/or excellent advice for people that need it, possibly implying that he really does have some faith and will for life after all. One of the more observant and quick-witted members of the group, he’s able to put trust in his classmates during the trials, though won’t be afraid to speak up if he has doubts and keep a cool and calm head. He’s even willing to immediately apologize if he’s ever incorrect.

Like some of the other characters, a bit of tweaking to his backstory was done for him to fall to despair - his canonical backstory is already heartbreaking and despairing, right? So in this AU, instead of the attack on his family happening in the past (before meeting his classmates), it would happen DURING the turning of his classmates. So when a few of his classmates were already in despair, his loved one’s were all alive and well. However, as this happens, the mafia would kill his loved ones, Ryoma breaks down in a fit of despairing rage, then kills those mafia members as an act of revenge, and then is arrested and convicted for their deaths and the deaths of Kaito’s grandparents and DICE (but the despairs already know he isn’t the perpetrator for the two latter incidents). Either way, Ryoma has completely succumbed to despair at this point. Once freed from prison before/during the tragedy and joins his class as Remnants, he plays the role of Kuzuryu when he was a despair - becoming a mob boss of the largest mafia in the country and in charge of the same people that took his family, girlfriend, and essentially, his life away from him.

Voices for Reference (Eng): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7IgkErE4xI 

Voices for Reference (Jpn): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xtRfdcyEMw 

More info as a Remnant: https://www.tumblr.com/spittyfishy/tagged/remnant%20ryoma