I’ve seen multiple anti saiouma users say that what they hate the most about the ship, is that their fanbase acts as if Kokichi Ouma’s feelings for Shuichi Saihara are canon.
So I want to clarify something to everyone, we don’t “act” as if Kokichi’s feelings are canon, because they are.
There is a scene in chapter 4 that I’m surprised not many people remember.
Kokichi here refers to Shuichi as “Suki ni Natta Hito” (Direct translation: The man I fell in love with, it is always used in a romantic context) in an unskippable cutscene. They don’t even remove his words in the English version of the game either, though they don’t use the exact words he’s said.
I can’t explain it any better than this amazing user so click here to check out their post for more explanation on this point.
Not to mention all the other hints such as seeing Shuichi as himself in his fantasy, a lot of people say that the love hotel scenes shouldn’t be taken seriously. And while I do agree to an extent I believe that their existence shouldn’t be brushed aside because they sometimes point out stuff about characters (Miu having abandonment issues, Rantaro being protective, etc.)
Huge proof of the importance of Kokichi’s scene is how he says he loves Shuichi and is always thinking about him in chapter 3 then says it’s a lie so Shuichi thinks that’s impossible and he’s just messing with him like he does to others. But then in the fantasy, Shuichi stays a detective, stays as literally himself, and he’s told by Kokichi that he loves him and to not worry because he’s always thinking about him. The same words he’s said outside of the fantasy.
In the fantasy he also says “play with me let’s do a lot more together” which honestly felt like a reference to how they’ve been playing games and spending time together in his free time events.
I’ve seen people say that in salmon team there are no hints that Kokichi still likes Shuichi in that way, but honestly I have no idea what they’re talking about when the dude says stuff such as “Maybe you and I were lovers in a past life.”
Kokichi’s ending in that mode has him asking Shuichi to stay by his side to know the real him, he really wants Shuichi to know him and understand him.
Sure, Kokichi likes to mess with people to get a reaction out of them, but his “messing” with Shuichi is sometimes not a lie. Proof of that is his harmonious heart event. Where he considered to stop lying to be closer to Shuichi. Even if it was just a thought, for someone like Kokichi to want to change himself for Shuichi is a pretty huge deal.
And you just can’t ignore his free time events, because in them Shuichi learns that he has to do nothing to win a game sometimes and that’s exactly what he does in chapter 6 to end danganronpa.
Kokichi’s free time events are really important, and they say a lot about him (Example: How he thinks the most important people to him, DICE, actually hate him and would be happy without him). In the end of those fte’s he is so happy that Shuichi was worried about him and says “I stole Saihara-chan’s heart so I don’t need to steal his life anymore.” (direct translation from the Japanese version of the game)
This isn’t the first time danganronpa has had a character with canon feelings, so I have no idea why there are people who act as if Kokichi’s feelings are impossible. And it’s worse when they claim to be fans of Kokichi, yet deny this huge part of his character. The fact that even he fell in love with someone when he knows he shouldn’t have, and wanted to trust in Shuichi and for Shuichi to trust in him.
TLDR; Kokichi Ouma is canonically interested in Shuichi Saihara romantically, and there are multiple hints in the game of it. Seeing his ideal as Shuichi, blatantly flirting with him, calling him his favorite, asking him to leave everyone and work with him, saying he was the guy he fell in love with, having Shuichi on the whiteboard as (Trustworthy?), and even leaving a letter directing Shuichi to a hint to help him end danganronpa.
Bonus: meme by transezual!
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