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| “ | The power of the words you believed became everyone's hope, right? It became my hope. Have confidence in yourself. Isn't that little bit of optimism what's great about you? Hope is infectious. If your power isn't enough, we're here for you. Everyone is behind you. | „ |
| ~ Makoto Naegi |
Kyouko Kirigiri is one of the six main characters from the DanganRonpa series. She is the Ultimate Detective and the daughter of Jin Kirigiri.
She is voiced by Yōko Hikasa in Japanese version, Erika Harlacher also voiced Elizabeth Liones, Caitlin Glass, best known voicing as Winry Rockbell, Haruhi Fujioka, Kim Diehl, Diancie, Sumomo, Miria Harvent, Saya Minatsuki in anime.
History
An enigmatic girl whose talent was unknown from the beginning, she often helps Naegi to make a breakthrough during the investigations and trials. Later, it was revealed that she was actually an amnesiac. Her true identity was the daughter of Jin Kirigiri, the previous Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy. She survived the final trial and escaped with the other survivors at the end of the game.
She is also one of the returning characters in Super Dangan Ronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. Kirigiri joined the Future Foundation after the events of the first game.
A light novel based around her past has been released, titled Dangan Ronpa Kirigiri.
Kyoko returns in Dangaronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy - Side: Future and is the leader of the 14th Division.
In Dangaronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy - Side: Future, Kyoko explains Makoto is more than he seems, that he is stronger than anyone, optimistic and cares about his friends. She admits to being worried about him, with the way he puts everyone else's needs over his own, but that she believes in him because of this. She possibly has romantic feelings for Makoto Naegi. She is the first Survivor to die from the Final Killing Game and she dies from her NG Code violation "Passing the 4th time limit with Makoto Naegi alive".
In Hope Arc, it is revealed that she took some of Seiko's medicine, allowing her to resist the poison.
Appearance
Kyouko is a relatively tall, pretty young woman who is 19 years old, though she believed herself to be 17 due to the memory loss. She has purple eyes and a pale complexion. She wears her light purple hair down and with a braid on the side, tied with a black ribbon. Her outfit consists of a dark-purple collared jacket over a white blouse and tie, along with a short skirt and knee-high boots. She also always wears her custom-made black gloves to conceal scars on her hands that she received back when she was an amateur.
In Danganronpa 3, she becomes much older. She becomes 21 years old. She wears her hair back in a pony-tail with two strands of hair lose that go down the front of her body. She wears a greenish jacket, and wears her gloves still. Her shirt is a white blouse. She has a brown belt, holding up a dull purple short skirt. Around her left leg she wears a brown satchel. Her shoes are boots that are only a bit above her ankle, but they are also heeled, like her old ones.
Personality
Kirigiri is a stoic and mysterious girl with amnesia. She has a calm demeanor and tends to be completely unfazed by most of the events that occur, even when a body is found. Kirigiri is also one of very few students that sees things objectively and doesn’t jump to conclusions in the trial, making her a valuable ally to Naegi. Kirigiri is very sensitive regarding the subject about the Hope Peak’s Academy Headmaster (who later is revealed to be her own father), going so far as to even lose her cool when Alter Ego mentioned the possibility of him being the mastermind. She also doesn't like it when people keep secrets from her, as Naegi finds out.
Ever since the first murder, she becomes close with Naegi, evident from her later interactions with him hinting some sort of mutual attraction. When Naegi allows himself to be found guilty in Chapter 5 (though he's saved at the last minute by Alter Ego), Kirigiri realizes that she's been putting her own desires ahead of his safety. When they discover that Naegi ended up at the garbage disposal room, she risks her life to save him.
She can also be seen as being able to find the good in people's motives, for example, after the first trial (Sayaka Maizono's death), she goes to Naegi and tells him that she thinks that in the end, Sayaka actually wanted to make sure he didn't get the blame for her death, which is why she wrote LEON on the wall. Another example is in episode 5, where she points out the broken ID card is actually Chihiro Fujisaki's; Kirigiri says that Mondo Owada broke it to protect Chihiro's secret.
Behind her stone cold personality, Kirigiri seems to easily get emotionally upset, which is masked by her strong will. Even under calm situations, she sometimes lets her emotions get the best of her as shown when Alter Ego mentions her father, the former headmaster, as the person who might be the real culprit (mastermind) behind the sadistic game and when Naegi refuses to tell her about Sakura Ogami's odd rivalry with Monokuma (assumed that Makoto suspected Sakura's betrayal).
Quotes
- No matter what happens, don't give up on hope. I shall always be by your side. (To Makoto)
- "At first glance, he probably looks that way. But when he needs to, he can be stronger than anyone. He's always optimistic. He always thinks of his friends and never gives up. Even if it means ignoring his own needs. That's what makes me worry about him, but... ...that's why I believe in him. Yes... Back then, it was only because he was there that I could..." (To Ryota)
- "Once, humanity was destroyed. By the Biggest, Most Atrocious, Despair-Inducing Incident in Human History. They were called the "Super High School-Level Despairs," and they initiated multiple, simultaneous terrorist attacks around the globe. They made no declarations and issued no demands. Just as the name implies, they did nothing but bring despair. Humanity's last hope rose to fight the Super High School-Level Despairs. They called it the Future Foundation. The Future Foundation recruited talented people worldwide, but it was composed primarily of Hope's Peak High School graduates. It fought a desperate battle against the Super High School-Level Despairs. The battle raged on. But with the death of Junko Enoshima, the one who began it all, the battle reached a turning point. However, the Remnants of Despair continued their activities. And the flame of war kept burning, as many people lost their lives."
Trivia
- Her voice actress, Yōko Hikasa, is famously known for voicing Mio from K-On.
- Kirigiri in kanji (霧切) means "fog cutter", referencing her detective background.
