This is goona be a hot take, but Makoto X Kyoko. When i played THH for the first time, Kyoko was my second favorite character, but the idea of her being paired up with Makoto has never really appealed to me. I've heard rumors about them being a couple before i played the game, but the more i went into the story the more obvious it was that there isn't anything going to happen between them and frankly, i was glad. If Makoto jumped at another girl in THH, it would completely undermine the first chapter and Makoto's characterisation. 1-1 spared no punches in establishing how much Sayaka meant for Makoto and how much her death had hurt him, finishing it with a promise to never forget her. It would make no sense for Makoto to suddenly fall for someone else. And the more i saw Makoto in anything he feels in-character (which covers pretty much everything that isn;t Danganronpa 3) the more obvious it was that he loves Sayaka and isn't interested in Kyoko.The only exception is the school mode, but since it's a dating sim mode, it's clear that everyone is an option, not just Kyoko.
The only time I really felt they were going for it was Danganronpa 3. Due to these Naegiri rumors I've heard, I came into DR£ fully expecting Makoto and Kyoko to get together, and... to be honest, I was ok with that as long as it was done respectfully and didn't feel forced. None of these three was true. Danganronpa 3 is a complete writing trainwreck in general and naegiri scenes are no exception. For starters, neither Makoto nor Kyoko felt like the characters I've seen in the games (for the record, I've felt UTDP and HDS did justice for both, it's just DR3 that's an oddball), which alone made me dislike these versions. Then there are their shippy scenes. I never felt they're building on each other, let alone on Makoto and Kyoko's experiences from the games, or that they have any idea of the dynamic they want to establish. They establish Kyoko as a cold-blooded bitch in one scene (which she wasn't in THH), then they go for some weird twice-shy situation where neither wants to admit to their feelings the next one, THEN they're suddenly openly affectionate, only to end with Kyoko calling him a headmaster, which is impossible for me to believe she'd say to her lover when they're alone. Every scene they seem to be going for something else and nothing feels like Makoto and Kyoko i know from the games. Then there is the aspect of these scenes destroying what i liked about them in the first place. Makoto Naegi, a tough guy who wouldn't break no matter what, suddenly has a meltdown(n over being talked down by some asshole (which in the game resulted in Makoto telling Junko she's full of shit) solely so that Kyoko would comfort him (making the whole scene feel extremely forced), then Makoto acts as if he never lost anyone until Kyoko "died" (which undermines the entire plot of THH). Nothing about these scenes makes sense for these characters, they d