Nariko Sakurano

## Information

**Nariko Sakurano** is a character in Danganronpa 2: A story of hope. At the age of 16 years old, she holds the title of ***'Super High-School Level Mother-Figure'.***

Nariko survives the killing game set by Monokuma, and leaves the island with the other survivors.

In the final trial, Nariko was revealed to be one of the three traitors, working for the Future Foundation to protect everybody.

Nariko can also be seen as the titular deuteragonist of the novella, given how included she is in it.

Nariko returns again as a main role in Super Danganronpa 3: Side: Hope, and Danganronpa 3: The Finale Killing School Trip as a minor character alongside the other survivors of her class.

## Personality:

Nariko is extremely caring for the students around her and won't harm them even if it's necessary. She's always worried about the slightest thing about everyone, like if someone slightly injures themselves she would fuss over them. This makes her gullible easily naive to other's manipulative behaviour as she believes there's a little bit of good in everyone. Despite her being one of the younger students of the group, she acts like everybody's mother (thus living up to her title of Mother-Figure).

She has a large temper, she can usually keep it disguised for long periods of time. She's prone to nagging, however. She's quite demanding at times, and is good at getting her way, to everybody's dismay. She's quite shy and irritable at first but as she grows to know people, she's less-easily annoyed and is the caring person she usually makes herself out to be. She's also quite emotional and is easy to get herself into a panic and into tears. She may also not seem like it, but she is a little forgetful and dishonest. Her dishonestly is well-placed, mainly to protect the feelings of others.

## Relationships:

### **Todd Gates:**

Todd and Nariko have a very close bond, even from the beginning. The two tended to stick around together a bit, but this was only really cemented in Chapter Five. Nariko trusts Todd with all her life and even trusts him with her biggest secret.

Nariko has a huge crush on Todd and isn't sure if her feelings are returned. Due to her talent, she disguises her constant worry as a platonic caring, caring for him and mothering over him a little more than the other students on the island. She doesn't have the strength to properly tell him as it just comes out in an awkward ramble.

In the Chapter Five epilogue, Nariko finally told Todd how she felt and kissed him.

### **Akiko** **Taiyō:**

Akiko and Nariko generally get along, even before the killing game occurred. In Chapter Four, when Akiko and Todd got together, Nariko became jealous and a little snappy towards the couple. Even after Akiko's death, Nariko was still a little jealous about their relationship, not showing it.

Before the killing game, the two were quite close, even making a pact before entering the Neo World Program. However, as shown in Side: Hope, the two had a huge falling out over Nariko asking Akiko to break up with Todd for her own gain, Etsuko then asking her out straight after.

### **Etsuko Ekidishiwa:**

Despite the fact they spent a lot of time together, and were a couple, Nariko did not like Etsuko in a romantic sense. Etsuko knew this after awhile. He bought Nariko thousands of pieces of jewelry, that she wore, but did not appreciate. Nariko, however, was a good friend of Etsuko's until the program, and liked to teach him the rules. They never managed to breakup before they entered the program.

## History:

Nariko, since she isn't a rebel or anything, actually has a good relationship with both her parents. Since she was little, Nariko took to dolls really quickly and never really caused much fuss. Even as she entered her 'Terrible Twos' she was more quiet and reserved. As she grew older, she was usually picked on because she would never once snap back and was usually left to babysit the neighbour's kids instead of going out and being social. This led her to discover she had a talent for helping children settle down and was good at actually taking care of them and acting like their mother. This led her to discover her title, the Ultimate Mother Figure.

Due to her history, this means she is extremely awkward whenever it comes to making friends and confessing crushes to everyone.