The prequel anime Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School further explores the past of the human Hajime and how he volunteered to undergo experimentation to become the silent apathetic superhuman Izuru.

Their prequel personas were also modified to fit the narrative involving their lack of self-esteem and relationship with Junko Enoshima, the main antagonist of the series who attempts to manipulate him for her own goals.

The character's role at The End of Hope's Peak High School was praised for the handling of his alter ego's origin story and depiction of degraded humanity.

While Makoto's story involves his holding onto hope as a result of his morals, Hajime moves forward carrying the burden of despair as a consequence of the sins he committed with his past persona known as Izuru Kumukura.

His relatable characterization was meant to give him a notable character arc, as throughout the story he shows weakness due to his lack of talents despite his attempts to act as an ordinary person.

[6] Hajime's final appearance differed from that in early sketches for the series, as his hair was originally meant to be longer, and, at one point, he was to be wearing glasses.

As Takayama was famous for voicing the main character of the detective manga Case Closed, the staff put a reference to her career in the snowboarding minigame from Goodbye Despair, as Jimmy Kudo often surfs a turbo skateboard.

Kodaka was satisfied with how anime staff from Lerche handled Izuru, while also enjoying his portrayal as an emotionless, silent but "elegant" character at the same time.

[18] Koi-Nya and HardCore Gaming 101 felt he was a fitting protagonist, similar to Makoto, as both do not possess major talents and have to rely on their normal abilities to solve problems.

Izuru is described as a student of indeterminate gender hiding on the grounds of the school, and the perpetrator of "The Tragedy", an event involving mass murder that resulted in the decay of mankind.

[26] After Chiaki's execution, Hajime uncovers the truth behind Jabberwock Island being a simulated reality and himself being a computer avatar copy of the childhood memories his real self: Izuru Kamukura.

Super High School Level Hope), Izuru soon grew bored with the world, due to being unable to relate to anyone, and was convinced by the like-minded Junko Enoshima to join the Ultimate Despair (超高校級の「絶望」, Chō kōkō kyū no "Zetsubō", lit.

Following Junko's death, Izuru took control of the Remnants of Despair and arranged for them to be captured by Future Foundation agent and former killing game survivor and new "Ultimate Hope" Makoto Naegi and placing him and the Remnants into a virtual reality created by the Future Foundation's Neo World Program in an attempt at rehabilitating them, into which Izuru releases an artificial intelligence copy of Junko (made at the moment of her death and dubbed Alter Ego Junko) supposedly with the purpose of allowing her to download herself into a number of the other Remnants' bodies and other Future Foundation agents following a simulated killing game between their amnesiac selves to erase their minds.

[28][29] Izuru is briefly seen during the epilogue of the spin-off Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, set between the events of the first and second games, while ripping out parts of the mechanical bears Kurokuma and Shirokuma while transporting them via wheelbarrow, before preparing future plans with Alter Ego Junko.

[31] In the main storyline, both the Izuru and Hajime identities are adopted by the new mastermind, the Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony reality television showrunner, in the sixth chapter.

[33] While finding himself lacking a true sense of purpose and connection to the world,[34][35] Izuru meets Junko and Mukuro Ikusaba after thwarting their attempt to assassinate him.

[38] Implanted with multiple talents, he lost touch with other members of mankind and was framed for the killing of the Student Council at Hope's Peak Academy.

In a popularity poll ranking the franchise characters, for the collected release of Trigger Happy Havoc and Goodbye Despair, Hajime took the third spot, behind Nagito Komaeda and Makoto Naegi.

[41] During 2016, in Tokyo, as part of a collaboration between Danganronpa and Absolute to promote the anime, fans could interact with the voice actors, with Takayama reprising her role of Hajime.

[44] Anime News Network felt that Hajime became famous in the franchise for how corrupted he becomes, in contrast to his initial persona, something which the critic blamed on Nagito's philosophies.

[47][48][49] Comic Book Resources placed this relationship as the best reason why Goodbye Despair needs to be adapted as an anime since in such game Hajime also befriended the AI based on such character.

[51] Both Kotaku and Anime News Network commented on the encounter between Izuru and Nagito but had mixed feelings about the former, finding their similarities enjoyable while the latter deemed them as fan service due to the lack of impact.