YujiKiri

Yujikiri is the slash ship between Kirito and Eugeo from the Swprd Art Online fandom.

Canon
Eugeo and Kirito are best friends notably from the Sword Art Online: Alicization series.

They are a semi-canon pairing/implied romantic through the way diverse official art and content have supported this ship, as well as words through official sources and people. Mainly being in a relationship with Asuna, Kirito is implied to have romantic friction with Eugeo throughout the Alicization series and even after into Unital Ring. Novel and anime adaptations depict Eugeo being of a very similar and notably important place to Kirito as his IRL girlfriend. Throughout the anime they develop an insufferable bond of which they cannot live without eachother, they wake up, go to sleep, and even sleep in the same bed. A quote from Kirito in the light novel depicts him claiming that he regards Eugeo on the same level as Asuna, and at most, she is just his best acquaintance. The two share ring merch from crunchyroll depicting their two swords connected with a caption that they "love" each other and that Asuna would be jealous if she knew of this. This is not the only instance that has led people to believe there was more going on however. Several of the games allow Eugeo as a romanceable partner of which you can date, kiss, and even sleep in a bed with. Eugeo is the only male character that continuously gets bed scenes with Kirito, where they proceed to hold hands and act like lovers while Eugeo is half dressed. This is not the only example of this however as even outside of romantic dating sims Eugeo is present in universes where he never existed and continues to receive romantic and even sexually teased interactions with Kirito. Other character interactions across several games, novels and official content poke fun or suggest that Eugeo and Kirito are more than friends.

A few of the many examples include these: Alicization Rising Steel is a semi-canon game and is not shy about the tenfold of Yujikiri interactions that leave them blushing, flustered, and in romantic instances. As far as official sources coming out and talking on them, the author has continued to respond to fans answering romantic and even sexual questions about the two. An interview with both VA's have a response of them claiming they see the two as more than friends, and continue to use romantic kanji when describing their relationship, even quoting that Asuna's reaction would be scary. Many sources tease about the implication of the two meeting as Kirito involves himself with them in different worlds. VA Matsuoka says that Eugeo is Kirito's "second wife".

The anime really toggles in on how important Eugeo is to Kirito, and as if to make it blatantly obvious, Kirito is saved by Eugeo and Eugeo only in World of Underworld part two. Even in a coma, the power of his own girlfriend isnt enough to awake him from his grief and despair as he proceeds to attempt to rip out his heart and essentially commit suicide after remembering memories of Eugeo and him dying in his arms. The only thing that wakes him up is Eugeo, he needed to be forgiven by Eugeo to want to live again because he’s his reason to live. The two share a final boss battle where its Eugeo that helps him overcome his enemies and save the Underworld, even in death.

The two share very intimate interchanges in the novel. Kirito continuously refers to Eugeo as beautiful and uses a lot of similar expression to how he talks about Asuna. he even says he "got lost in his eyes he forgot he was in a virtual world" among many other quotes. The topic of love is brought up in general between them a lot, including their final scene which is a parallel to Yuuki's death in season two where she confesses to Asuna before death. Yuuki is canonly a romantic simile as stated by Reki (the author) in an interview who said he would like to write a Yuri story, and that that was the closest he came.

Kirito and Eugeo intentionally or not are regarded as queercoded, specifically bisexual. This is mostly talk amongst the Japanese fandom who have picked more up on the easter eggs however the anime uses red roses/roses in general often to symbolize their sexualities. Kirito's sword is a double entendre (dual-weild/bisexual). Eugeo's sword motif is a rose. They are seen in a red rose garden which was regarded strange by Japanese viewers as roses are typically not likely to grow in that area as they are a high power plant. Red roses symbolize homosexuality in Japan, and the final battle includes the two fusing blood and sword to create a red rose sword in the final battle.

Highly anticipated by fans to be of resemblance/connection to Eugeo via reincarnation or just by resemblance, character Eolyne is also a popular ship with Kirito. Kirito has a string pull to Eolyne as he has feelings that he is similar to Eugeo. The two end up having to hold hands to stay under an invisibility spell. This flusters Kirito and makes him sad, as it reminds him of how Eugeo's hand felt. Kirito rescues Eolyne's body from attack and regards how much it feels like holding Eugeo to him, and how much he is drawn to Eolyne.

Fanon
Yujikiri is regarded as the second most popular ship to Kirisuna.

Trivia
-Eugeo is regarded as Kirito's best sleeping partner in the mobile game event -Eugeo is the only one who is able to wake Kirito from his coma -Desperate from grief, Kirito tries to take his life because of Eugeo's loss even though Asuna is there -Eugeo blushes around Kirito often -Myanimelist teases this ship showing that they prefer Eugeo with Kirito -The author has a side story that has Eugeo lay in Kiritos lap as he rubs his head. Eugeo holds his hand during this. -An event in Rising Steel has the two collide sexually on top of one another -The two are often seen holding hands a lot -Kirito has used Eugeo's arm as a pillow -In Tiese's bed event, she tells Kirito that he is Eugeo's type -In Alicization Lycoris there is a lot of romantic tease between the two -Eugeo tells Kirito he wants him to love him in the novel. This is not in the anime
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