Question about a certain statue... (Spoilers)

[Lawros]

Does anyone know the significance of the Sakura statue in chapter 4's grape house? I thought that was weird and was disappointed they never explained it.

[Protocol27]

The purpose was to either continue the joke of calling Sakura "ogre", or to set up the conversation with Hajime where Nekomaru mentions he once met Sakura in the mountains, Sakura even mentions training in the mountains in the first games' school mode.

Story-wise though, it's not explained although it's possible that (incoming end game spoilers) Hina requested to put a statue of Sakura in the simulation as a tribute to Sakura and her sacrifice for the DR1 cast, but that's just a theory though.

[RA Ranno]

DR2's chapters had many nods to their corresponding chapters in DR1. This one was quite direct, as it is the same chapter Sakura sacrificed herself on. Nagito also brings up the incident in the same chapter, so I guess they wanted to remind the player and start their theories as to what the cause of death in this chapter's investigation will be.

[Runa Silvertongue]

I can agree with the theory of Hina requesting that the statue be placed in the sim but that just led to confusion about how Mechamaru was murdered at first.

[Tambadabam]

I believe it has to do with the pattern of the deaths, like Komaeda talks about. Sakura's statue being there was likely and attempt (by monokuma) to get everyone thinking the pattern had held true and nekomaru had killed himself.

[Novabat]

Originally posted by Tambadabam:

I believe it has to do with the pattern of the deaths, like Komaeda talks about. Sakura's statue being there was likely and attempt (by monokuma) to get everyone thinking the pattern had held true and nekomaru had killed himself.

That seems somewhat unlikely though, as, to even Monokuma, the sequence of murders are widely unpredictable. This motive especially wasn't directed at anyone in particular.