Romantic relationships in anime have been a topic of discussion and controversy in recent years. And it’s due, in part, to how popular story heroines, or waifus, have become. Times have changed, we are no longer in the 90’s or early 2000s. The impact of anime has increased as its fan base is much larger and continues to grow. Spurred on by waifus and “ships”, or romantic relationships. And the “ships” that have raised the most dust (some have even caused death threats) are the following:
1. Subaru and Emilia (Re: Zero)
Since the beginning of the series, these two have been predestined to be together by the vast majority of fans. Until Rem appeared. And the debates began … ‘Rem has more moments with Subaru’, ‘Emilia is better waifu’, ‘Rem does not deserve Subura, it killed him’… the fights do not end until today.
2. Hinata and Naruto (Naruto)
The case of this ‘ship’ is simpler than the previous one. And predictable, although at times it didn’t seem like that. Naruto is a fairly extensive manga and anime, and in the beginning Naruto was attracted to Sakura. But she was always mean to him and treated him badly. But many followers of this future romance weren’t disheartened, until it was revealed that Hinata had her eye on Naruto for a long, long time. The movie The Last put the final nails on the coffin of NaruSaku (Sakura had a crush on Sasuke, that was the beginning of the end) and Naruto and Hinata’s wedding left those who wanted the romance to end differently very bitter.
3. Ochako and Izuku (Boku no Hero Academia)
Between this pair romance was perceived from their first meeting in front of the doors of the U.A. And the many scenes of Ochako being aware of her attraction to Izuku make it clear the direction their relationship will take. So where is the controversy? Well, many fans (both they and they) want to see Izuku with Bakugou or Todoroki walk the yaoi route together. And they have let the author know, although he has already made it clear what romance we will have at the end.
4. Kazuya and Mami (Kanojo Okarishimasu)
What if you combine a boy with low self-esteem and a manipulative girl? You have a relationship as toxic as Kazuya and Mami-chan. Although Mami Nanami is hated by a good number of Kanojo Okarishimasu fans, there are others who revere her and put her on a pedestal as the best waifu. And the disputes between these two factions are to be feared. It is incomprehensible that there are people who idolize such a nefarious and poisonous person as Mami Nanami.
5. Hiro and Ichigo (Darling in the Franxx)
The drama in this relationship starts from the moment when Hiro and Zero-dos define themselves as the main couple in the series. Because at that precise moment, Ichigo takes to being a meddler in the eyes of fans, seeking every opportunity to sabotage Darling in the Franxx’s favorite lovebirds. Many would appreciate that Ichigo had an ‘accident’ in some battle (something that never happened), especially when he had the audacity to steal a kiss from Hiro as the last choking slap.
6. Natsu and Lisanna (Fairy tail)
The controversy in this romance lies in the fact that it seemed destined to happen. Until the story suddenly changed. All those who expected this pair to end up engaged were left with the frizzy made when Lucy entered the scene and stole (for many) the happiness of Lisanna with Natsu.
7. Kirito and Alice (Sword Art Online)
Kirito and Asuna are the official duo of the entire SAO saga. However, before Alicization saw the light as anime, there were already whispers about another potential partner for the invincible protagonist of the saga. Alice is preferred by many SAO fans, and the most common argument they use to uphold her superiority as a waifu is to cite how useless Asuna has been for most of the series. And that’s something that Asuna’s worshipers don’t tolerate. If you walk through the forums where SAO ‘ships’ are discussed, it is not advisable for you to be neutral. You choose a side, or you walk out of there with your sanity intact.
8. Kaneki and Touka (Tokyo Ghoul)
In this case, the fact that Kaneki and Touka consummated their relationship in a small room did not sit well with a huge sector of Tokyo Ghoul fans. The love affair between these two cannibal lovebirds so infuriated certain fans of the series that they sent death threats to the author of Tokyo Ghoul. The reason: the romance between Kaneki and Touka destroyed any possibility of a homosexual relationship between Kaneki and Hide, his best friend.
9. Ichigo and Orihime (Bleach)
This ‘ship’ made no sense whatsoever. Rukia was always the closest to Ichigo. And the chemistry between them was so strong that no one could deny the future romance. No one except the author, Tite Kubo, who decided otherwise and sunk readers’ expectations of him when he turned the romance between Ichigo and Orihime into canon. And even though nothing else could be said or done …
10. Rukia and Ichigo (Bleach)
The Bleach author had the final say on matters of the heart in his series, but IchixRukia fans were not silent. And the answer came in the form of doujinshis where an alternate route was explored in which Ichigo and Rukia lived the torrid romance that everyone wanted. A beautiful ending, but sadly fanciful and unreal.
Social Media Author: [RonLaoHu]
