Summary
- Inko and All Might could make an interesting pairing if not for the fact that Deku's father is still in the picture.
- Kirishima and Mina have a natural fit due to their shared middle school and frequent interactions, but they haven't had as many emotional scenes as other pairings.
- Despite the popularity of the ship, Todoroki and Deku haven't had much chemistry since season 1 and Deku has a crush on Ochaco.
Though the series is known for its breakneck action, some of My Hero Academia's appeal are in are the romances or potential ships between the characters. Fandom in particular tends to fixxate on character pairings, with fans arguing which romances deserve to be made canon.
It's a testament to the strength of the characters in My Hero Academia that so many fans could be so invested in which characters end up together. Though some pairings have been teased within the series, many ships come about just because fans like how two characters interact. No matter which romances end up canon by the series' end, My Hero Academia's best ships stand tall for their incredible potential.
10 All Might & Deku's Mom
Deku's Two Parental Figures Hooking Up Just Makes Sense
Deku's mother, Inko, did a fantastic job raising the protagonist by herself, trying her best to keep his dreams alive and protecting him the best she could. Toshinori Yagi, better known as All Might, gradually became a father figure to Deku throughout the years.
While they haven't had a great deal of screen time together, the moments that they've had were some of the most wholesome in the series. Both Inko and Toshinori want what's best for Midoriya and have clashed over what that means for the protagonist. The scene where All Might bows to Ikno to apologize for putting her child in danger shows the humility and humanity of the world's greatest hero. Unfortunately, what sinks the ship is Deku's father, who is presumably still married to Ikno. Still, if it weren't for that detail, Inko and All Might could make for an interesting pairing.
9 Kirishima & Mina
Two Minor Characters Who Could Work Great Together
Kirishima's hardening quirk has made him a useful tank for his friends throughout the story, while Mina's acid quirk is one of the more interesting and dangerous quirks among the 1-A minor characters. Kirishima and Mina share a major piece of backstory that makes them a natural fit: they went to the same middle school before they enrolled in U.A. They also have been seen together frequently throughout the story, with Mina being one of the few female characters often seen hanging around the community dubbed "BakuSquad." Mina and Kirishima would make a great and funny pair, but they haven't quite had the emotional scenes that other pairings have had.
8 Todoroki & Deku
An Unlikely Ship That Has Potential
The central protagonist of the series, Deku has already proven himself to be a worthy successor to All For One, with some meme-worthy moments from Deku along the way. Todoroki has been a major supporting character throughout the series and has fought with and alongside Deku on numerous occasions.
Todoroki/Deku is one of the most popular ships in My Hero Academia's fandom. They have many interesting parallels, especially stemming from their season 1 battle. Throughout recent seasons they've had many moments together, including the Endeavor agency arc. However, despite the ship's popularity, it's clear that Deku has a crush on Ochaco, and neither has had much chemistry with the other since season 1.
7 Mirio & Tamaki
A Ship That could Make Both Characters More Interesting
Mirio and Tamaki, two members of the acclaimed "Big 3," were fantastic additions to the Overhaul arc. Mirio in particular nearly carried the entire arc on his own, and if he were more selfish, he likely would have defeated Overhaul by himself. After the Overhaul saga, Mirio has been relegated to comedic relief status in the anime. However, Mirio's relationship with Tamaki has always been a wholesome point. The childhood friends have helped bring out the best in one another, and Tamaki patiently awaits the day that Eri can fix Mirio's powers so that they can battle together once again. Until then, they can be content with looking after Eri.
6 Toga & Deku
One of My Hero Academia's Most Twisted ships
Paranormal Liberation Front powerhouse Himiko Toga has shown to be head over heels for the protagonist Deku. However, it's clear that as of now Midoriya doesn't feel the same about the blood quirk user. As members of opposing factions, Midoriya and Toga embody the popular enemies-to-lovers trope well. They also have the unrequited love to start the ship off. A Midoriya and Toga pairing in the actual story would likely require a change of sides from Toga, as Midoriya doesn't seem like the type to be romantically involved as a villain. However, if Toga made a face turn, she and Deku have excellent synergy.
5 Bakugo & Kirishima
Two Friends Who Could Be More
Bakugo is one of the best Shonen Jump rivals of all time, and his best friend Kirishima has been invaluable to U.A. throughout multiple missions, including the mission to rescue Bakugo. While Bakugo is often shipped with Deku or Ochaco by fans, it feels in poor taste to ship someone with their childhood bully who never really developed a proper friendship with them. On the other hand, Bakugo and Kirishima are already very close, to the point that Kirishima's voice was the key to saving Bakugo from the League of Villains.
4 Todoroki & Momo
A Relationship Built on Mutual Respect
Todoroki has one of the most tragic backstories in My Hero Academia, but his past tragedies don't stop him from moving forward and making friends. Even despite his introverted nature, he's met plenty of people like Momo Yaorozu who care about him deeply. Momo and Todoroki are often seen as a pair in the anime, going on missions together or working together in class. Momo and Todoroki are shown to have a deep respect for one another, both acknowledging the other's power and intelligence. Relationships are built on mutual respect, and it's arguable that no two people in class 1-A believe in one another more than Todoroki and Momo do.
3 Aizawa & Ms. Joke
Two Opposites Could Attract
Aizawa's former coworker and friend, Emi Fukukado, also known as Ms. Joke, has a minor supporting role in the series, where she's primarily seen speaking to or teasing Aizawa. They have opposite personalities, with Ms. Joke being the sunny foil to Aizwa's gloomy nature. The "opposites attract" nature of Aizawa and Emi is part of what makes them so cute together. However, Emi's flirtatious teasing with Aizawa makes it even more apparent how perfect the two are as a match. Aizawa has been through a lot in his life, and it feels like what he needs more than anything is someone who can make him laugh. Meanwhile, Emi clearly enjoys his company and has fun messing with him.
2 Denki & Jirou
A Natural Combination of Powers
Denki's electricity powers and Jirou's sound powers make for a fun aesthetic combination. The pair also have a great love for music, shown in one of the most beautiful My Hero Academia scenes: the school festival concert. Denki has shown to be inspired by Jirou's work ethic and passion for music, and the two are obviously very close friends. They've made one another laugh constantly throughout the show and have arguably the most wholesome vibe of any pair in the series. With the most recent season, Denki's feelings for Jirou have all but been confirmed.
1 Deku & Ochaco
The Most Obvious Romance is Also My Hero Academia's Best
One for All user Deku and gravity controller Ochaco haven't quite reached couple status in the anime, but they're more or less confirmed to be the only pair in the series with a mutual crush on one another. The two constantly getting embarrassed with one another only makes their relationship more wholesome. The crush has been more openly addressed on Uraraka's end, who focuses more on her superhero duties than her crush on Deku.
If the heroes are finally able to take down Shigaraki Tomura and end All for One once and for all, there's hope that the newfound peace will allow Deku and Ochaco the chance to let their feelings out. Given their history and the many hints, it's only natural that Deku and Ochaco are My Hero Academia's best ship.
All Episodes of My Hero Academia are Streaming on Crunchyroll!
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My Hero Academia
- Summary:
- In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the "One-For-All" quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
- Release Date:
- 2016-04-03
- Cast:
- Aoi Yuki, Ayane Sakura, Christopher R. Sabat, Yûki Kaji, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Luci Christian, David Matranga, Justin Briner, Kenta Miyake, Clifford Chapin, Daiki Yamashita
- Characters By:
- Kohei Horikoshi
- Distributor:
- FUNimation Entertainment
- Franchise:
- My Hero Academia
- Genres:
- Action, Superhero, Animation
- Main Characters:
- Tsuyu Asui, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, All Might
- Number of Episodes:
- 113
- Seasons:
- 5
- Website:
- https://www.funimation.com/shows/my-hero-academia/
- Production Company:
- Bones
- Story By:
- Kōhei Horikoshi, Yōsuke Kuroda
