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Toxicity in anime fandoms is nothing new, but some fans ofMy Hero Academiaalways manage to set a new standard with their antics. Throughout the series’ run, there were many instances when fans were enraged at Kohei Horikoshi for not fulfilling expectations.
While some of those reactions could be understood with instances like the questionable ending, there have been times when fans targeted the manga for senseless reasons. Unfortunately, this time around, some fans have chosen to do the latter, and what’s sadder is that it’s not even surprising.
My Hero AcademiaFandom Hits A New Low
My Hero Academiamanga concluded its run earlier this year in August. The manga’s end caused an uproar but the discourse settled down soon after, until recently.Kohei Horikoshireleased an extra chapter, expanding upon the conclusion we got in Chapter 430. In the bonus chapter, he nearly confirmed the popular ship Deku x Ochaco, as Deku confessed his affection for Ochaco. This confirmed that Deku was attracted to women, which shouldn’t be a surprise.
But lo and behold, theMy Hero Academiafandom wasn’t happy with this revelation or the possibility that Deku could be straight being cannon. This seemingly harmless discovery rubbed some fans the wrong way as they took their frustrations to the internet. ThisInstagram reelperfectly captures the gist of the discourse, and the other side of the fandom who didn’t see any problem with the confirmed relationship between the two characters, handled this situation with humor.
Imagine getting queerbaited by a manga
THERE WERE SIGNS FROM THE FIRST EP SIGNS SIGNS!!!!OBVIOUSLY HE IS STRAIGHT OH MY GOD😭😭
Izucha was literally lead on from the beginning, not Horikoshi’s fault people are that dense
So people mad cause he not gay?
It’s surprising how fans failed to notice the signs thatHorikoshi let on throughout the series. While Class 1-A of U.A. Academy was closely knit together, Ochaco and Deku always went out of their way to support one another and to ensure that they were okay. When this bond was so evident, it makes one wonder what led to the exaggerated reactions.
But, Why Is Deku x Ochaco So Controversial?
My Hero Academiafans can be quite unhinged when it comes to shipping characters together. There have been many problematic pairings like Deku x All Might or Bakugou x Deku. While All Might was always a mentor to Deku, Bakugou was his childhood friend and they had a rocky relationship. The first pairing is extremely weird given their age difference, but the second one is no better, as Bakugou treated Deku horribly.
Kohei Horikoshi Wasted Uraraka: A Marvel Character With Godlike Gravity Manipulation Powers is What She Should’ve Been in My Hero Academia
Moreover, some fans are obsessed with the idea of homosexual pairings. While there’s nothing wrong with that, Horikoshi never commented on or explored the characters’ romantic interests explicitly. The most obvious pairing was Ochaco x Deku, but some fans still expected Deku to be gay.
So, when Horikoshi confirmed otherwisewith the bonus chapter, some fans lost their minds over something that wasn’t even mentioned anywhere in the manga. They are now targeting the mangaka directly for something that he chose not to do in his own creation, that he worked on for almost a decade. This ordeal can only be described as bizarre, and even that is an understatement.
My Hero Academiais available to read on the MangaPlus app and website.
Laveena Joshi
Anime Writer
Articles Published :926
Laveena is an anime content writer at FandomWire. Having written more than 800 articles, she’s an expert in mainstream shonen series, ranging from the bizarre world of JoJo’s to the expansive worldbuilding of One Piece.With her formal education in Journalism and Mass Communication, she explores entertainment journalism through the lens of anime and manga, from mainstream and classic titles to niche and obscure ones.
