Saigoku

Saigoku is the slash ship between Gonta Gokuhara and Shuichi Saihara from the Danganronpa fandom.

Canon
Shuichi (as the real protagonist of the game), has many interactions with Gonta over the course of the Killing School Semester.

When Shuichi and Kaede first meet Gonta outside of the school, the pair seem to get off on the wrong foot when Shuichi implies that he doesn't like bugs. His first impression of Gonta seems to be that he finds the other student frightening. Their next significant event occurs in Chapter 2, when Gonta knocks Shuichi unconscious to bring him to the Insect Meet and Greet. He later apologizes for his extreme methods. Once he'd gathered as many students as possible, Gonta set his insects free into his Research Lab. Shuichi, along with the other students, panicked, but Gonta either didn't notice or didn't mind. In Chapter 3, Shuichi and Gonta investigate the new floor of the school together with Tsumugi. In Chapter 4, Shuichi is at first reluctant to believe that Gonta could be a killer due to his genuine good-nature. However, as the facts unfold, Shuichi is forced to face the truth. Even knowing this about Gonta, he continues to treat Gonta with kindness throughout the course of the trial. In the end, Shuichi helps Gonta come to terms with the fact that he committed a murder that he cannot remember. Shuichi is seen crying following Gonta's execution.

In Gonta's Free Time Events, the two grow closer. In their second event, Gonta confesses to Shuichi that his story about wolves being his forest family was a lie. While Shuichi finds Gonta's story hard to believe, he also recognizes that Gonta would not tell him a lie. Gonta says that most people call him a liar when he recounts his story, so he's glad to have someone like Shuichi to believe him. In their third event, they discuss what being a gentleman means. Shuichi encourages Gonta to not copy other (fictional) gentlemen, and to learn how to be his own gentleman. In their final event, Shuichi praises Gonta for his work as an entomologist. He reminds Gonta that he's done a lot to help people, both with his Ultimate talent and in the Killing School Semester. Shuichi encourages Gonta's low sense of self, and reminds him that he's intelligent and capable, proven by his entomology work. At the end of their Free Time Events, Shuichi says that he feels a real bond with Gonta.

In the non-canonical Love Across the Universe and Hotel Kumasutra, the two grow closer. In their Lovel Hotel scene, Gonta has selected Shuichi as a close and trusted friend to help him learn more about romance. Gonta offers to take care of Shuichi, and be the perfect gentleman for him. At one point Gonta grabs onto Shuichi, and the two accidentally fall into the bed together. Shuichi seems frightened by this, and Gonta immediately apologizes. He says that he would never want to hurt Shuichi, whether within the realms of their make-believe Love Hotel scenario or outside of it. Shuichi says he knows Gonta would never do anything to hurt him. The pair end the scene with Gonta promising to keep Shuichi "up all night", said in a rather seductive tone by both the Japanese and the English voice actors.

Quotes
"Gonta believe in Shuichi, too! Gentlemen always believe in friends!"

- Gonta, Chapter 1

"Gonta... you're a more amazing person than you think you are."

- Shuichi, Free Time Event 5

"Kaito, I know how you feel. I know because we all feel it. But... we have to face the truth. No matter how cruel that truth may be, we *need* to face it... to survive."

- Shuichi to Kaito regarding Gonta's guilt, Chapter 4

Fanon
The ship likely sailed as a result of the Love Hotel scene between Shuichi and Gonta. The dialogue in the scene can be read as very suggestive, however there is also an element of deep love for each other that seems to run beneath the surface. The kindness that Shuichi shows Gonta is also a factor in the pairing. Saigoku tends to be more popular with Gonta fans than Shuichi fans, as they enjoy the way that Shuichi doesn't underestimate Gonta in canon. In fanfiction, the pair are often seen as equals who both care deeply for each other. While not one of the most popular ships, the pairing does not appear often as a background ship. Works that utilize Saigoku often do so as the main pairing in the fic.

Saigoku is often overshadowed by more popular ships, such as Goshi or Gontaguuji for Gonta, and Saimatsu and Saiouma for Shuichi. The pairing are sometimes put together into OT3s with Shuichi's more popular ships, such as Shuichi/Gonta/Kokichi and Shuichi/Gonta/Kaito.

Still, the ship is fairly popular, being Gonta's fourth most popular ship on AO3. Saigoku currently has over 50 fics on AO3.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

TUMBLR

Trivia

 * In the v3 Comic Anthology it is revealed that Shuichi liked going bug hunting as a young child
 * Gonta and Shuichi's English voice actors provide the voices for Yasuhiro Hagakure and Leon Kuwata respectively in Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc
 * Shuichi and Gonta share a common kanji in their surname; 原 which can mean meadow or field