Kyōsuke Munakata attended Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Student Council President, valued for his inherent leadership, charisma, and unyielding drive to reform the school. He forged strong bonds with classmates Chisa Yukizome and Juzo Sakakura, securing their deep loyalty. His ambition stretched beyond graduation, envisioning an overseas Hope's Peak branch to extend his influence and ultimately replace Headmaster Jin Kirigiri. He recruited Chisa and Juzo for this mission, convinced their combined strength could reshape the world. Before the Tragedy, Munakata exhibited a warmer, more rational side alongside his serious, decisive nature. He actively probed corruption within Hope's Peak and sought to thwart Junko Enoshima's schemes using evidence and reason. His appearance then contrasted with later years, featuring a black suit and a less imposing stature. The Tragedy drastically transformed Munakata. His ideology hardened into eliminating despair at any cost, believing even a trace must be eradicated to prevent contagion. This drove him to advocate executing members of Ultimate Despair, dismissing redemption as naive folly. He grew colder, more authoritarian, and emotionally distant, shutting out affection. He co-founded the Future Foundation, rising to Vice-Chairman and Director of the 2nd Division, managing operations and construction while wielding substantial influence. Physically tall and lean with silver hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, Munakata adopted a pale suit, blue shirt, and faded pink tie with a black insignia post-Tragedy. He lost his right eye in the Final Killing Game. Despite lacking a combat-related talent, he possessed masterful swordsmanship, enabling him to fight evenly with skilled opponents like Peko Pekoyama (Ultimate Swordswoman) and Great Gozu (Ultimate Wrestler), and defeat others including Kazuo Tengan and Miaya Gekkogahara's robotic double. He also demonstrated considerable agility and hand-to-hand combat skill. Within the Final Killing Game at Future Foundation headquarters, Chisa Yukizome's death shattered Munakata's remaining restraint. Overwhelmed by grief, paranoia, Kazuo Tengan's manipulations, and an aggression-enhancing drug, he descended toward madness. Interpreting Tengan's statement about "everyone being an attacker" as proof of widespread betrayal, he killed Tengan, destroyed Gekkogahara's robot, and fatally wounded Juzo Sakakura upon suspecting treachery. His actions stemmed from an extreme conviction that dissenters or potential despair vessels, like Makoto Naegi, must be eliminated regardless of innocence. After the killing game ended, Munakata faced the consequences. A conversation with Makoto Naegi compelled him to recognize his flawed perspective—his singular focus on despair had blinded him to existing hope and redemption's possibility. He fully accepted Chisa's death and his love for her true self, blaming himself for her corruption. He grieved Juzo's death, acknowledging his direct responsibility. As atonement, he chose to leave the Future Foundation to bear his mistakes alone, though not before aiding Makoto and others against Ryota Mitarai's brainwashing plot. This departure reflected his acceptance of culpability and a turn towards isolation as penance.