Midoriya: I’m Going To Commit A Crime

I was today years old when I learned that when you type "otp: true" in AO3 search results it filters out fics with additional ships, leaving only the fics where your otp is the main ship

people writing au bakudeku: I will figure out a way for them to call each other deku and kaachan if it KILLS ME

Honestly, the idea that at some point Bakugou started thinking of Deku and his heart would race, his chest would clench, his hands would get sweaty, and he just decided "Oh, this is hatred." Is my favourite fucking thing.

Please take some emotional management courses you stunted gremlin.

Bakugou is a pro at combat

not so much at this

Just another bkdk doodle

I keep thinkin about heroes rising and my hand slipped ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

Izuku slowly walked up to the kneeling hero in the midst of all the chaos and destruction around them. His suit was bloodied and ripped, even his favorite tie was ripped -couldn’t be helped if the fight was that intense. His freckled face was covered with dirt, bruises, cuts and blood -both his and his enemies.

Green eyes looked down on the hero, still kneeling on his spot, arms limp, breathing short and fast. The hero slowly looked up to Izuku. His piercing red eyes looking directly at Izuku’s green ones.

Slowly, the greenette raised his hand that formed like a finger gun, his quirk activated.

“Choose your last words wisely.” He said in a cold tone that undoubtedly matched the look on his face. A huge difference to the one the ash blond was used to since they were kids.

Katsuki felt a chill down his spine when he saw that look. It felt so wrong. No. 

It is wrong.

It is oh so wrong.

Katsuki swallowed audibly and visibly, only noticing now how thirsty he was.

“I…” Katsuki started softly but his voice cracked. 

“I love you.” The ash blond repeated. Which was true. He didn’t seem nor acted like it but he did. Ever since they were little kids.

But he was stupid for misinterpreting it and ended up hurting Izuku instead.

Izuku smiled. But it wasn’t the heart warming kind, it wasn’t the smile filled with purity and unyielding hope in his eyes.

It was cold and uncaring.

Izuku sneered. “You do?” He asked, before he shot through Katsuki’s head. a gaping hole on the hero’s head as he fell to the ground from the force. a pool of blood surrounding him. 

“Shame.” Izuku drawled out, lowering his hand and looking down on the lifeless body of the hero. 

“If only I even remotely remembered who you were to me I might’ve considered it”

Rivals and Heroines: a lesson in expectation

I’ve thought for some time that Horikoshi is most likely knowingly taking advantage of the fact that most people see BNHA as predictably shounen, in more ways than one. Stories can receive a lot of recognition and acclaim for dismantling tropes outright, but what about a story that pretends to play along? Previously I’ve had a hard time presenting evidence for Horikoshi possibly having hidden motives, but now, after ch 348, I think I have a slam dunk. What used to be little more than my musing about what kind of writing I would love to see has become a subtext so obvious it’s basically just- textual. 

Now I can finally lay out how we expected these past few chapters were going to go, vs how they turned out: 

Toga + Uraraka + Izuku in a fight together looked at the very least like it would = Izuku finding out about Uraraka’s crush. Even I thought this. I called it “inevitable.” And whether folks wanted it to happen or not, that looked an awful lot like a setup for canonizing them as a couple. It would be pretty cliché and ill-timed, but what do you expect? Of course a shounen would do that. My optimistic prediction was that it would be an opportunity for Uraraka to dismiss the whole thing once and for all, but I knew what was far more likely: Toga acting as a catalyst for Izuku and Uraraka discovering they have feelings for each other, because Toga likes both of them too and of course she’s gonna gush about that and make them flustered. 

But let’s talk about that word, “likely.” Based on what? Not Horikoshi’s own pattern of writing, but of those around him. It’s “likely” because shounen media is always heteronormative, usually reducing female characters to their romantic potential, and generally prone to neglecting the overall narrative complexity of a romance subplot. He’s a boy. She’s a girl. Can Hori make it any more obvious? But if you consider Horikoshi as one individual storyteller, it all falls apart. Suddenly there is no basis for assuming anything. (I have talked about this aspect already so I’m just gonna link to that.) 

Now let’s talk about what actually happened. BECAUSE NONE OF THAT^ ACTUALLY WENT DOWN. Bless her, it was Tsuyu who really came through and personified how brutally our expectations were defied. She arrives at the last second just as Toga is about to reveal Uraraka’s crush, which obviously cannot be a coincidence. She’s all like nope! Now is not the time! Izuku doesn’t belong in this fight, and Uraraka can handle it herself. While technically this could just constitute a tease, like, “whoops! guess you’ll have to wait for the big reveal until later!” The dismissiveness of it reads a lot more final. This is self-awareness on Horikoshi’s part, showing us he’s conscious of the cliché. Through Tsuyu, he is telling us that it all ends here. No more coy blushy flirty immature shallow nonsense. No more stringing you along. No more red herring. Because it’s time to show you what’s really going on. This is the chapter that reframes everything. 

There’s a whole cyclone of ideas circulating in this chapter and all the other moments it harkens back to, spinning around each of these characters, who are learning from each other. These are the real reasons all of them had to collide in this moment together. They are as follows-

1. A lesson for Uraraka: villains are people worth saving

This idea was first mentioned by Toga, technically, as she wonders in the wake of Hawks killing Twice, whether any of the heroes think of villains as people. Izuku also independently arrives at the idea of saving Shigaraki. Uraraka has a less concrete inkling toward that conclusion, and it is ultimately Izuku’s perspective that gets her to realize she wants to save Toga, and that it’s a valid goal. 

2. A lesson for Toga: love is kind

A seed of this idea was most likely planted by Twice, because he cared for her and showed her kindness, and his death broke something in her. But the world has rejected her, so she rejects the world. Her parents never showed her love, so she had to define it for herself based on the desires of her quirk. If Uraraka can find out about how Toga is mourning Twice, she can use that knowledge as a tool for uncovering Toga’s desire to not only become like her loved ones, but to value their wellbeing. Toga also deep down wants someone to value her wellbeing, and to accept her. This could play out a number of ways, and tbh my prediction confidence on this front is not strong so I won’t dwell on it, but I did notice one thing: In the midst of Toga confessing to Izuku and asking him her question, Uraraka is panned over to two times: 

ya know, in a Realizing Things kinda way. The first is ambiguous, but in the second, she’s having a flashback to when Toga asked her that same question, noticing that when she and Toga had their confrontation during the first war, Toga approached her in the exact same way. It may seem obvious to us, but perhaps Uraraka here is realizing for the very first time that Toga had romantic feelings for her.

3. A lesson for Izuku: the depths of admiration

Up to this point, Toga’s idea of love has only been explained to Uraraka, because Toga says the two girls are alike in that their love for Izuku manifests in wanting to be like him. Now, Izuku is prompted to look inward and see if he can relate to admiring someone the way Toga does. In the moment, the first person he can think of whom he admires is All Might, but Toga wasn’t talking about that kind of admiration, she was talking about romance. Izuku is currently incapable of conceptualizing the depth of admiration beyond his fanboy comfort zone. 

Let’s get into the details of 348 here. Izuku says he “can’t imagine wanting to share the same heart and mind as (All Might).” What a romantic phrase, “share the same heart and mind.” He knows what Toga is talking about, but not who he would apply it to. He admires All Might, but not like that. This shortsightedness is also highlighted at the beginning of the chapter, where a narrator calls Izuku out for being, despite his heroic accomplishments, essentially still (as I heard JP twitter calling him) a virgin otaku (lol). He’s oblivious, awkward, inexperienced, and possibly in denial. The whole narration sounds affectionately chastising, wistful and almost nostalgic looking back from some hindsight. 

Now… the question on everyone’s mind: if this is a gag meant to point to how Izuku is oblivious of and/or awkward about Uraraka’s feelings (assuming that all of this was supposed to lead to them being a couple, as was our expectation), then why, oh why, was the phrase “kuso nado” (translated in officials as “damned nerd”), used by the narrator? That’s Katsuki’s phrase, obviously. So Katsuki is the one calling him oblivious to someone’s romantic feelings, almost as if this is something Katsuki already knows about him, from previous experience, and it is relevant to their own relationship? This is what I was talking about with speculation turning into blatant subtext. There really is no other explanation for this. It’s just. Right there.

So anyway, the whole All Might comment reiterates how Izuku is really out of touch with romantic feelings. Uraraka could relate to wanting to “share the same heart and mind” with someone, but Izuku says he can’t. And yet, that is not exactly the crux of the irony, or else Uraraka would have been the narrator at the start of the chapter, maybe referencing how she originally called him plain, not “damned nerd.” I swear, this is so cut and dry. Actually, when you think about it, Izuku’s obliviousness has never been a source of dramatic irony for Uraraka’s crush in the first place, like, ever. It’s never, “ooooo if only he knew~” it’s just, “ooooo you like him~” and that’s it. On the contrary, Izuku never knowing about her feelings can hardly be his fault considering Uraraka intentionally shoved down and ignored them.

(edit: turns out the “same heart and mind” line is a mistranslation ! luckily it doesn’t really affect much)

 On the flips side, obliviousness and misunderstanding have always always ALWAYS been a part of Izuku and Katsuki’s relationship. Oh boy, let me count the ways. From when they were little kids and Izuku tried to help Katsuki up out of the river and Katsuki mistook it for being looked down on, to the bullying, to Izuku having to tell Katsuki about getting his quirk from someone else, to Izuku having no idea how All Might’s forced retirement was weighing on Katsuki, to Izuku being embarrassed to admit he saw Katsuki as his image of victory (*ahem* a level of admiration more personal than what he had for All Might!), to Izuku hiding the fact that emotions related to Katsuki triggered Black Whip, to Katsuki being unsettled by Izuku’s self-sacrifice, to Katsuki sacrificing himself, to Izuku running off to fight alone again anyway, to Izuku being shocked by Katsuki’s apology…. every. step. of. the. way. 

I feel like a broken record but seriously everything is all so obvious now. There is nothing tongue-in-cheek-shipping-brainrot about this. This isn’t rivals being accidentally homoerotic, or a female character being neglected by a misogynistic male author. I practically have no choice but to assume that Horikoshi has been planning a complete 180 fake-out and Izuku and Katsuki are about to be canon instead, or at least left open. I truly do believe now that this whole time, narratively speaking, Uraraka has been masquerading as the heroine/love interest, while Izuku and Katsuki have been playing rivals, all in service of Horikoshi leading us to expect this manga to turn out like any other shounen. But now he’s finally starting to show his hand. It’s like a trope-defying plot twist. I know a lot more of y’all can feel it now too. I bet even the homophobes are about to jump out in a big way, from the sudden insecurity. It’s. I’m. I dunno what to say, man. This is really wild and I can’t believe we’re here.

Folks, the end is nigh. I can’t wait.

…And that’s all the hyper-analyzing of quotes I got in me today, yep. No more. That’s definitely it. 

(major spoilers for Blue Flag/Ao no Flag under the cut)

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BKDK vs Izuocha in the Joint Training Arc

mysterylover123

Bakugou and Uraraka. Surprising foils. Narrative rivals for Midoriya’s attention. And in the Joint Training arc, the difference between their abilities to engage, support, and stimulate Midoriya really come to a head. In an arc allegedly all about the Midoraka relationship (they’re on the same team and all), looking beneath the surface helps reveal just why so many fans feel that Bakugou is Midoriya’s soulmate and true life partner - or at least that Uraraka may not be the right partner for him. This is indeed the part of the story where a few troubling underlying aspects of Midoriya and Uraraka’s dynamic start to become obvious, especially when contrasted against Deku’s dynamic with Kacchan. Spoilers through 217. 

Let’s get close-reading:

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BakuDeku Analysis

First of all, they’re literally made to be two sides of the same coin, each others’ missing piece, successors of All Might’s legacy, and soulmates. Their relationship is extremely crucial to each other and the series in general. They are the Wonder Duo, who both win and rescue. Their hero costumes even have complementary color palettes. Even Bakugou and Midoriya’s mentor, All Might agrees. He has stated, “In the way that young Midoriya longed for young Bakugou’s strength, and in the way that young Bakugou feared young Midoriya’ spirit…your feelings are all out in the open now, and now…you both get it now, if the two of you can recognize each other and honestly raise each other up, you can become the best heroes, who both win and rescue.” (Honestly, that sounded like an officiant’s wedding speech) and “You’ve got a good friend in him.” They also share the secret of One For All with All Might and because of this, Midoriya only considered to pass OFA down to Bakugou in Heroes: Rising. Midoriya unlocked Black Whips after Monoma talked dirty about Bakugou and the previous One For All user advised him to “get ahold of his intense feelings.” Midoriya only refers to Bakugou as “Kacchan"and not once has he asked him to stop, even though ”-chan" is a Japanese honorific used to indicate a cutesy and close bond between friends. Midoriya refused to call Bakugou as something other than “Kacchan” even during a life or death situation, shown when he wanted Mandalay to warn the class about the potential kidnapping of Bakugou. “Kacchan” was an affectionate nickname used by their childhood friends to adress Bakugou. Even Kaminari had teased Bakugou with this nickname, when he seemed geniunely concerned about the well-being of the internship squad, which included Midoriya.

In addition, there is no doubt that Bakugou is honestly obsessed with Midoriya. He mentions him and thinks about him all the time. He talks about him with other people even when they haven’t brought him up in the conversation. This could be said the same for Midoriya, who would always be there to save Bakugou no matter what despite all that the former has put him through. It could be interpretated as a symptom of Stockholm Syndrom, but in reality Midoriya is just able to see the good in Bakugou without excluding the negatives as well. “To the same extent as all of your unpleasant traits, your sheer amazingness at everything you do was so brilliant to me, it was blinding!”, “You, who had so many things that I never had…to me, you were an amazing, inspiring person, who was even closer to me than All Might!”, and “You’re my symbol of victory.” Midoriya admires Bakugou the most (even more than his idol, All Might who he has said to be his favorite hero and multiple merch of) and has stated that he is one of the most important person in his life. Bakugou exposed his feelings and broke down in front of Midoriya, 5+ times in fact (when he was a child, when he was kidnapped by the Sludge Villain, when he told Midoriya he’s not going ot lose to him, during their final exams, and during their second fight.) He only wanted to fight Midoriya in order to let off steam. Midoriya only charged in to save someone from the Sludge Villain when he realizes that someone is Bakugou. He’s willing to risk his life for him.

Even Kirishima sees how much they care for each other deep down. “…Because I’m betting this is hurting you more than the rest of us.” This happened after Midoriya got devasted about not being able to save Bakugou from getting kidnapped by the League of Villains his eyes broke and he was screaming with his bloody arms. He was yelling “Kacchan!” through blood and tears while Bakugou whispered a worried, “Stay back, Deku.” Midoriya can’t stand the thought of Bakugou being taken away from him. Todoroki and Uraraka have commented about their relationship, too. Todoroki has said to Bakugou, “You’ve been friends since you were kids right?” Uraraka has said to Bakugou, “It’s almost like…you’re scared so you want to distance him and so you act all menacing like that…I mean, you were childhood friends, and now you’re in the same class. So I want you to stop yelling at each other and be friends again.” She has also described their relationship as, “the fated battle between rivals/ men.” Toga has described to Uraraka what loving someone entails, “And you’re always thinking about how you want to be like him, aren’t you? Keep in mind, Uraraka is Midoriya’s hinted love interest. However, I think Uraraka is only in love with the idea of loving Midoriya. Midoriya as her possible romantic partner as only ever crossed her mind because someone else mentioned it. Whenever your classmates tease you about liking someone, don’t you get flustered as well, even though you don’t even like them? But Midoriya also admires Bakugou a lot, to the point where he copies his movesets and acts like him because he’s his "image of victory.” They inspire each other to be the best versions of themselves. Bakugou only wanted Midoriya’s attention on him when he was about to win and rescue during his joint-training battle with Class-1B, even if a sexy girl like Tokage was right in front of him.

Currently, they have frequent tea time meetings with All Might about One For All. Midoriya had commented on his life after getting One For All, everybody who helped him get to where he is now, and his newly healed friendship with Bakugou as being blessed. Yes, Bakugou did bully Midoriya in the past. He did act abrasive, mean, and told Midoriya to kill himself. However, their relationship is improving. Bakugou is improving. This ship is based on their chemistry, development, drama, angst, and everything else in between. On the other hand, I don’t understand why people shame Bakugou for hurting Midoriya, but not when Jirou stabs Kaminari with her earjacks all the time and makes fun of his stupidity. Don’t get me wrong, I ship KamiJirou too and I know they were not as toxic as BakuDeku, but these are double standards. Anyway, people can choose to interpret their relationship in a healthy way or not, but it’s no one’s right to tell others what they can or cannot ship. They’re not harming anyone. In fact, BakuDeku is a lot of people’s comfort ship and OTP. The BakuDeku fandom is one of the largest, full of supportive people, and produces tons of content. Bakugou and Midoriya’s relationship is the most central to the plot which means they frequently get content together. Everyone knows there’s no way BakuDeku would ever become canon. But just because they won’t, we can’t ship them? We can’t imagine what would happen if they did get toegether? We can’t have fun? Personally, I don’t like shipping canon ships because it’s boring. There’s no hope that motivates you and the author already decides their dynamic for you. Fanon ships and rarepairs are my favorite because you are in charge. You get to explore the dynamics and possibilities of every ship. In conclusion, BakuDeku is my OTP.