ISHIMONDO
Alternate names: Pompadorks
Characters:Kiyotaka ("Taka") Ishimaru/Mondo Owada (or Ohwada, Oowada, Ōwada)
Series: Danganronpa
Canon status: Semi-canon—they are mutually in love, but they never get together in an official relationship
Queer status: Kiyotaka: Attracted to men and is implied to not like women || Mondo: Canonically likes men and mentions having had crushes on women
Popularity: Popular
Tropes (spoilers): Rivals to lovers, rivals to friends to lovers, friends to lovers, opposites attract, bromance, bury your gays, starcrossed lovers
Headcanons: Kiyotaka: Gay (exclusively), acespec, FTM, PTSD, autistic, intellectually disabled || Mondo: Bisexual, genderqueer cisgender male, PTSD, ADHD
Links: Ao3, Ishimondo on Tumblr
Why I ship them (spoilers): Back before Danganronpa had even been localized in English, I remember being fascinated with their relationship for a reason I couldn't quite place. Both of them are as close to being soulmates canonically as you can get in a Danganronpa game. I love how they are both so different yet accept each other on every single level. The things about Mondo that usually scare others, such as his mannerisms, tone of voice, or volume don't faze Kiyotaka at all. Mondo not only accepts but defends Kiyotaka's eccentricities. They are the first people in each other's lives to genuinely accept who they are. Even when they both have amnesia, their deep love for the other shines through, allowing them to instantly bond. They love the other for who they are and both inspire the other to become a better person.
KOMAHINA/KAMUKOMA
Alternate names: Hinakoma, Komakamu
Characters: Hajime Hinata/Nagito Komaeda
Series: Danganronpa
Canon status: Semi-canon—Nagito canonically is in love with Hajime. Hajime is implied/possibly accepts his feelings post-game.
Queer status: Nagito: Attracted to men and is actively unattracted to women || Hajime: Attracted to any gender
Popularity: Popular
Tropes (spoilers): Friends to lovers, rivals to lovers, friends to rivals to lovers, enemies to lovers
Headcanons: Nagito: Gay (exclusively), MTNB, hopegender, physically disabled (canon), autistic, BPD, PTSD || Hajime: Bisexual, FTM, OSDD-1a, autistic, ADHD, PTSD, brain damage
Other notes (spoilers): Even though Izuru looks different and uses a different name, as well as has no memories of Hajime's, he is still Hajime. This is confirmed in Danganronpa 3. Despite Hajime's initial rejection that Izuru could be him (which was while he had amnesia of being Izuru), he later accepts that Izuru is him and he is Izuru. Izuru is simply what Hajime would be if he had every talent and lost his memory. Even though the ships definitely feel different and depict different times in their lives, I am listing komahina and kamukoma together.
Links: Ao3, Komahina on Tumblr, Kamukoma on Tumblr
Why I ship them: Nagito has many oddities and eccentricities for a myriad of reasons, often linked to both his physical and mental health. He has an obsession with hope, and yet, the one he ends up falling in love with is someone who is talentless, someone he believes is hopeless. Hajime is a no-nonsense kind of guy, yet finds himself opening up to Nagito and feeling completely at ease with him. Despite everything that Nagito does. Nagito not only falls for Hajime once, but twice. He eventually accepts Hajime as he truly is, and Hajime accepts Nagito. One of Hajime's driving motivations in the game is understanding Nagito. They both revolve around each other and operate on a wavelength others can't quite meet, even if it's arguing. Hajime forces Nagito to reconceptualize his entire worldview and question all of his beliefs. And he does, and he changes them. For Hajime.
NAEGAMI
Alternate names: N/A
Characters: Makoto Naegi x Byakuya Togami
Series: Danganronpa
Canon status: Noncanon
Queer status: Makoto: Attracted to any gender || Byakuya: None, shows no interest in romance/relationships
Popularity: Popular
Tropes (spoilers): Rivals to lovers, enemies to lovers, enemies to friends to lovers, rivals to friends to lovers, tall x short, rich x commoner
Headcanons: Makoto: Bisexual, FTM, autistic, ADHD || Byakuya: Gay (exclusively), cisgender male, autistic, PTSD, paranoia, delusional
Links: TK
Why I ship them: Admittedly, I do love ships that involve the mean one and the nicer one. In Trigger Happy Havoc, Byakuya is incredibly prickly and at times an awful person. However, regardless, he hangs around Makoto and deems Makoto worthy of his time, despite his berating of him. And Makoto allows this and in turn cares for Byakuya. As time passes in the series, Makoto becomes one of the only people Byakuya smiles to and smiles about. He is openly kind to Makoto while still retaining his condescending charm. Makoto never gives up on Byakuya to grow as a person.
OUMASAI
Alternate names: Saiouma
Characters: Shuichi Saihara x Kokichi Ouma
Series: Danganronpa
Canon status: Semi-canon—Kokichi is strongly implied to have feelings for Shuichi
Queer status: Shuichi: Attracted to any gender || Kokichi: Implied to be attracted to men
Popularity: Popular
Tropes (spoilers): Starcrossed lovers, rivals to lovers, friends to lovers, detective x phantom thief (sorta)
Headcanons: Shuichi: Bisexual, FTM, autistic, C-PTSD, BPD || Kokichi: Bisexual, MTNB, autistic, PTSD, BPD
Links: TK
Why I ship them: TK
SOUDAM
Alternate names: N/A
Characters: Gundham (or Gundam) Tanaka x Kazuichi Souda (or Soda)
Series: Danganronpa
Canon status: Noncanon
Queer status: Kazuichi: Implied to like men and is afraid of when women are actually attracted to him
Popularity: Semi-popular
Tropes (spoilers): Rivals to lovers, love triangle rivals get together, dark colored x light/bright colored, life x mechanical
Headcanons: Kazuichi: Gay (exclusively), FTM, autistic, ADHD, C-PTSD, BPD, hyenakin (according to Gundham), incubuskin (according to Gundham) || Gundham: Bisexual, MTNB, he/paw/evil pronouns, genderhoarder/xenogender, autistic, C-PTSD, BPD, goth, alterhuman, demonkin
Links: TK
Why I ship them: TK