Naegiri

Naegiri is the het ship between Kyoko Kirigiri and Makoto Naegi from the Danganronpa fandom.

Canon
While their relationship during their school years is a bit unclear, in Danganronpa IF it's stated that Makoto had a crush on Kyoko and Junko Enoshima described her as Mukuro Ikusaba's "rival in love" due to Mukuro's secret crush on him. However, it's not mentioned how she felt about him. Since Makoto is originally shown interested in Sayaka, this seems to imply that at some point his affections turned towards Kyoko (regardless, he and Sayaka are shown to be close friends in Danganronpa 3). In a high school picture, Makoto seems to be looking at Kyoko and Sayaka while their class was out swimming.

During the Killing Game, ever since the first murder, Kyoko became closer to Makoto, evident from her later interactions with him, hinting some sort of mutual attraction. Kyoko also helps Makoto solve each Class Trial whenever he is out of clues. Both are on good terms with each other, Kyoko trusts Makoto (although just for her plans against Monokuma) but Makoto puts his trust in her completely as he hopes that she would trust him as much as he trusts her. Regardless, Kyoko seems to care more for Makoto as time goes on. Evidence was shown when she entered his room and told Makoto to beware of Mukuro. She also saved him from Junko (thought to be Mukuro) who was about to kill him when he was asleep. When Makoto allows himself to be found guilty in Chapter 5 (though he's saved at the last minute by Alter Ego), Kyoko realizes that she's been putting her own desires ahead of his safety. When she discovers that Makoto ends up at the garbage disposal room, she risks her life to save him. Kyoko then showed her scarred hands to Makoto, which is a great sign of trust from her, as she states that she shows her hands only to people she considers as close as family.

During the last Class Trial, Makoto was the one who told the remaining students (including her) to not give in to despair, helping her overcoming her state of shock over the intense pressure of the situation they were in. Kyoko told Makoto that even though she didn't know her dad, he would never tell her to stay in the school if it meant betraying and getting him murdered by Junko, thus showing their bonds and trust to each other. At their "Graduation," Kyoko told Makoto she was actually kind of looking forward to face whatever is out there if it's with someone like him, hinting that she possibly has romantic feelings for him. After joining Future Foundation, she becomes Makoto's leader. Kyoko continues to admire his optimism, and Makoto in turn admires her 'cool' personality and considers her the person who has kept him alive.

In Danganronpa 3, it becomes much more evident that the two have feelings for each other, especially notable in Makoto's shyer behavior and tendency to blush more often. During the collaboration game of Danganronpa 3 and Guns Girl Z, when Kyoko is accused of being so stoic that even Makoto can't find her cute, he then a bit shyly but firmly points out that he does in fact find her quite cute, which surprises her and makes her blush. During the killing game, when Makoto overhears Kyoko talking about him with Mitarai, Makoto blushes, embarrassed by Kyoko's small speech while Kyoko coughs awkwardly after realizing he heard her. At one point, Kyoko takes off her gloves and holds his hand to comfort him, and Makoto is also seen mimicking Kyoko's thinking posture at one point. In the Otomedia interview, Makoto states that Kyoko reminds him of autumn due to being cool as well as possessing a really warm and gentle side. He then gets very nervous and defensive about the subject and tries to change the subject by stating that coincidentally her birthday is in October. This only makes it even more suspicious, and he claims he remembers her birthday because they're friends, yet he fails to remember his other friends' birthdays. Aoi Asahina also appears to be very much aware that the two like each other, grinning widely after Kyoko's speech and later looking at the two while smiling knowingly, seemingly supportive of them.

After him trying to protect the Remnants of Despair, Kyouko has to escort Makoto to his trial and she promises to use her powers as his leader to protect him. At one point during the Final Killing Game, Makoto catches Kyouko talking about him with Ryota, which seems to embarrass her a bit and makes Makoto blush. Later, Kyoko ends up triggering her NG code of passing the fourth time limit with Makoto alive. It is possible Kyoko did not tell him because she believed he might sacrifice himself for her, and it's also possible she didn't know with full confidence that Seiko Kimura's Antagonist drug would be able to save her life completely. Instead, Kyoko gives Makoto words of encouragement before they fall asleep, telling him to never give up on hope and that she would always be by his side.

After he was brainwashed, Makoto hallucinated the "ghosts" of Kyoko and Sayaka, as he believed that she was dead at the moment. Sayaka's ghost has been confirmed to represent his first love, implying that Kyoko is his current love.

The two reunite after the Killing Game and it is implied she helps Makoto run the rebuilt Hopes Peak Academy after the events of the Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School/Side: Hope. In the official art, they've seen holding hands while wearing their new clothing, heavily implying that they became a romantic couple, considering their pose and the fact that the two are shown to be the type of characters who hold hands only in special situations (especially Kyoko).

The official Danganronpa 3 Staff Book confirms that after everything they've been through, the two are officially in a romantic relationship with one another as they watch over their new school.

Alternative and Ambiguous Continuities

 * While not necessarily 100% canon, many of Kirigiri's optional Free Time events contain very shippy Naegiri moments from Kirigiri blushing and giggling at Naegi's personality and conversation topics to Naegi openly calling Kirigiri's smile "cute" to Kirigiri out and out asking Naegi if he's interested in "signing up" to be her family! (Complete with Naegi's iconically flustered stammering)
 * Much like School Mode, Danganronpa V3's Ultimate Talent Development Plan minigame also has some Naegiri content in both Naegi and Kirigiri's routes
 * During an interview Otomedia had with the Danganronpa 3 cast, Naegi was asked who comes to his mind when he thinks of autumn. This was his response: “Um…. Kirigiri-san, I guess. She’s cool but also has a really warm and gentle side– I believe that’s very much like her. I-I don’t mean that in a weird way! Y-You know, coincidentally her birthday is in October… O-Of course I would remember when her birthday is. I mean, she’s a really important friend to me… Eh, “When is Hagakure-kun’s birthday?”  U-Umm…. A-Ahaha! I might’ve forgotten… I think?”
 * The School Mode AU of Danganronpa allows a fair share of Naegiri moments in the same vein as the optional Free Time events. During one of the interactions, Naegi and Kirigiri make flower garlands together and give them to each other. Kirigiri thinks the idea sounds pointless at first but nervously admits that she wouldn't mind doing it if Naegi promised to accept hers. They both have a really good time with it. At the end of School Mode, Kirigiri tells Naegi she wants to keep solving mysteries with him by her side, and Naegi tells her he wants to do the same thing. They both admit to wanting to become closer and looking forward to the day it happens.
 * In Danganronpa: IF, Junko Enoshima gets under Mukuro Ikusaba's skin by heavily suggesting Naegi has feelings for Kirigiri several times. She also implies that Naegi had a crush on Kirigiri before Class 78 lost their memories.
 * During the collaboration game of Danganronpa 3 and Guns Girl Z, Naegi blushes at one point as he mentions shyly that Kirigiri looks cute, which surprises her and makes her blush as well.

Behind the Scenes
Series creator, Kazutaka Kodaka, has confirmed that Maizono and Kirigiri appearing in Naegi's dream sequence during Danganronpa 3 are meant to represent his first love and his current love, respectively.

Fanon
The ship sailed as a result of a lot of ship tease between the two over the seasons. Being the heavily teased ship between the protagonist and the main heroine resulted in its huge popularity among the fans. Being the only heavily implied canon relationship to not end in a tragedy has also helped its popularity. Its main ship rival is Naezono, although with this one getting more development and moments, it usually ends up being more popular than the other one.

Being the ship between the first protagonist and main heroine, it gets a lot of attention from the fans, and as a result, a lot of fan arts and fan fictions. It's the most written ship for both characters on Archive of Our Own. It's also the third most written Danganronpa ship, only behind Komahina and Oumasai.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Naegi/Kirigiri tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Makoto/Kyoko tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Makoto/Kyoko tag on FanFiction.Net

DEVIANTART

TUMBLR

WIKI
 * on
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Trivia

 * Naegiri is one of only five ships to be made canon in the Danganronpa series thus far- the others being Hijirisano, Monocest, Ruruyoi, and Shingujicest. It's significantly more common for ships to be left ambiguous, become canon only in Free Time Events, or for one of the characters to die before the story ends.
 * This is the only ship that became canon through a Word of God.
 * Kirigiri is pictured holding a small Naegi on the cover of one of the volumes of Danganronpa 4-koma kings. Both are wearing Monokuma costumes
 * Both are among five characters who have participated in two killing games, with the others being Aoi Asahina, Hajime Hinata/Izuru Kamukura, and Rantaro Amami.
 * Although Kyoko was comatose in a near death experience during the Final Killing Game, she was revived after the game ended, making them two of four characters to have not only participated in two killing games, but also survive both of them, with the others being Aoi Asahina and Hajime Hinata/Izuru Kamukura.
 * They share the fate of the protagonist losing his implied love interest (albeit temporarily in their case) with Naezono, Hinanami (AI), Hinanami, and Saimatsu.

Variations

 * Naegamigiri refers to the ship between the two and Byakuya Togami.
 * Naegi Harem refers to the ship between the two, Mukuro and Sayaka.
 * NaeGiriHina refers to the ship between the two and Aoi.
 * Naegirizono refers to the ship between the two and Sayaka.
 * Naekugiri refers to the ship between the two and Mukuro.