What you think of Shipping Couples in Anime/Manga

[Rzerox21xx]

Do you get emotional invested in romance in anime that you ship couples together. Especially snice ongoing anime and manga, the creators tend to be less clear on who's going to end up with who. Sometimes they would tease the fans of a fan preferred couple but goes to another route, or just likes to troll fans. you get involve in debate or manifestos describing why you ship this Guy with this Girl(I assume most people here don't approve of Yaoi or Yuri couplings). Look for fanart of that coupe athough one has to be careful with that or you end up finding ecchi art.

I tend to get invested in couples that I believe has a chance and a good amount of evidence of becoming canon. I would support 1 coupling but then as the manga or anime progressed, I tend to change my mind. For example, Naruto, I support Naruto x Hinata due to the amount of development starting from the end of the Pain invasion to the last stages of the shinobi war, there was a time I supported Narusaku but then stuff happened. Fairy Tail I support Nali(Natsu and Lisanna) and with so many moments with Natsu and Lucy, I jump Ship.

Debating can get really tricky, there would be wars fought over which couples fan prefers and it gets ugly, I tend to stay away from that only be a moderate shipper.

I figure this would be a interesting thread to talk in, if there was already a thread for that, than I'm sorry.

[Schokolade]

Oh my gosh... During my 4-5 years in the Naruto fandom I was obsessed with shipping wars. It started out as fun but there were so many intense "with us or against us" fans. For instance, if you were NaruHina than it was assumed you hated NaruSaku. If you liked both than... well, how the heck could you!? What did you like more!? What did you support more!? Didn't you have to admit one was basically crack!? THE CHOICE TO LOVE OR HATE YOU AS A PERSON DEEPLY DEPENDS ON YOUR ANSWER! That kind of thing. It was stupid but it resulted in me being passionately in love with some couples while being passionately in loathe with their "opposing" couples.

I think one of the reasons I was so involved is that I made shipping AMVs for awhile, which was entirely for fun at first. People would comment either thrilled or ticked at my preferences, and I landed a lot of intense fans as friends and foes through that. Said friends ended up getting into total cat-fights of debates and dragging me along. I would offer my insight but I would also use my Sony Vegas editing skills to make decent debate/rant videos. Things got really chaotic and even personal sometimes. After all many fans were so emotionally attached to their pairing, the slightest sign of someone disliking it would be taken as a personal attack. In reaction they would spend one moment insulting the other's pairing, and then another throwing anything from sexual to religious slurs. I can't say I always hated that. We fed off their enraged energy and they fed on ours - it was kind of a rush, actually.

Anyway, shipping was eventually the only reason I read the manga. I just wanted to dissect the characters and their reactions to one another to find any proof or anti-proof. It just goes to show how pride, strife, and good ol' bad company can ruin a good thing. It was defiantly one of the things that ultimately ruined the manga for me as a whole. I'm really ashamed how far it was taken at times, and I'm anything but tempted to get into shipping now a days. Having said that... getting involved really developed my grammar and writing skills. It also helped me to be more analytical and to approach topics by looking at both sides of it. I also try to be more humble and willing to admit I'm wrong. Otherwise the pride eats me up inside and eventually takes me down.

Now, I still like anime couples as a casual observer. Although, I can't stand blatant ships. Maybe it's because of my experience with analyzing vague ships with the hope they'll one day be canon. I like to be teased for awhile so I can be left wanting more. That's the best part for me: The unresolved romantic tension. I don't want it to reach its climax until the series itself does.

[Rzerox21xx]

yeah I heard ugly stories of shipping wars and is one of the reason why I stay away from them. I do join fanclubs of various ships. for example in the http://www.narutoforums.com/. I frequent on Naruhina and Sasusaku, and Gruvia(Gray and Juvia from Fairy Tail), that's the only ship I frequent. the only ship I care about in Naruto is really Naruto and Hinata due to the development those 2 have and wouldn't mind if the rest of the couple ships are sunk or left to the imagination to the readers. Fairy Tail has more couple developments that make me go awwwww. there's like 6 likely couplings. anway. yeah I just like looking at nonpornographic fanart and videos and reading manifestos on my preferred ship. I of course would admit I would be wrong. For example, Avatar the last airbender, I haven't watch the series but I vaguely know about it and the couples. Aaang and Katara is the official couple but there are a lot of fans that still prefer Zuko and Katara from the amount of shiptease even though I read the creators always meant Aang and Katara to be together. I read a lot of TV tropes you heard of that site, its pretty fun to read. they have different sections for everything and show the cliché and tropes of any series you can think of.

[Schokolade]

That was one of the forums I'd get into stuff with. I can't even remember what my name was, though...

I've had friends who would swear by Zuko and Katara. I wasn't even a fan of the series but it was obvious she would end up with Aang. I've never been able to tolerate SasuSaku. It is the one couple I genuinely have never been able to stand. Though really, I'm not even anti-SasuSaku so much as I am anti-SasuAnyone. The guy SPOILER: Highlight text to read: nearly killed two - not one but two - of his love interest. Every excuse possible has been made but it still happened. Even later when he was "sane," he only gave Karin the most half-arsed apology I've ever seen. He stabbed her in order to get to his enemy, and then loudly declared in front of her that she had become useless to him. Then later on just kind of threw a "Sorry Karin" at her and that was that. Seriously, I don't think he should be allowed a love interest until he at least develops better people skills. Don't get me wrong, I like Sasuke as a character. I just don't think he's that great as a person. For years he let bitterness screw him over and literally turn him to the dark side, and I believe it's going to take some time to turn the tables. From what I've seen, I believe it's possible, I just think it'll take time.

Don't even get me started on TV tropes. I freaking LOVE tv tropes! Sometimes I go there just to see what categories anime characters fall under. The fact that Sasuke got labeled the "Mr. Fanservice" trope is hilarious to me! Did you watch any Western Animations? I watched a lot as a kid and the "Radar: Western Animation" page burnt my childhood.

[Rzerox21xx]

Yeah the western animation on radar are interesting, and I love the disthroning moment of suck category. and wallbanger just to see what scenes are really hated.

on a related note on topic, when I get interested in a new anime, I go to TV tropes and one of the first things I look for, is Shiptease or official couple. I like a little romance in anime but not as much as they beat you over the head with it or the creators constantly trolled you. for example, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: having a epic Naruhina scene when Hinata got Naruto out of his depression over her cousin dying then Naruto cheering up and thank her saying she was always by his side, held her hand for a while and do a power up scene that makes G Gundam proud, then 20 chapters later, Kishi had to have Minato ask Naruto if Sakura next to him was his girlfriend and Naruto saying yes, (well he did get hit by Sakura though with no hint of blush) I remember fans going crazy over that..

Bleach is another series that has little romance yet get fan riled up who Ichigo ends up with. Orihime or Rukia, athough Orihime is the only one to have a signfiant romantic scene with Ichigo SPOILER: Highlight text to read: her goodbye to him before she left for Hueco Mundo, saying how she would live 5 lifetimes and all 5 of them she would still be in love with the same guy and almost kissing that scene alone made me a Ichihime fan. I understand the Ichiruki augruement, the anime seem to prefer Ichiruki more athough. Tite Kubo himself said that Ichigo and Rukia are more than friends but less than lovers, so its up to the fans whether that's a shipsinking moment.

wow, one of the reasons why I don't like the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime is the lack of romance between Ed and Winry when it was clearly present in the manga. I used to like that series but towards the end and the movie, it just was a fail to me. The manga was so much better and I can helpt but be satisfield SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Ed propose to Winry using alchemy terms the last manga shot is a photo of a Edwin family with babies, and Al seemly hooked up with his love interest May

[Schokolade]

I managed to dig up my Naruto forum identity. We should hang there sometime.

I think any long-running series with frequent ship-teasing is going to acquire a huge fanbase of crazy shippers. Which is exactly what the sadistic authors want, especially for shounen or other series that are primarily targeted towards males. Gotta hit that romance angle over the head to broaden the audience.

I really don't like the bias some studios tend to take when it comes to pairings. Like with Pierrot. They only have so much in the funds for Naruto, so what to do? Why, shove as much NaruHina in there as they can! I confess I'm a little bitter. The Invasion of Pain arc moment where Hinata SPOILER: Highlight text to read: confessed to Naruto and tried to protect him... it was literally just a moment in the manga. They extended it with so many original scenes in the anime, and wrapped it all in beautiful animation. Meanwhile, the long-awaited Naruto vs Pain fight was mocked by fans for having laughable animation.

[Rzerox21xx]

I did like the flashback they added on episode 166, it was cute that Hinata was the only one to like Naruto while everyone else hated him. oh man I was **** that they used excellent animation for the Chikara Filler episodes and not used it on the canon episodes. this is my member page, same name

http://www.narutoforums.com/member.php?u=176326

I frequent on the Naruhina and Hinata fanclubs threads as well as the Fairy Tail section. I been PMing people there too.

on a related note. Dragonball is another example where the main lead didnt end up with the closest of a female lead it did. the main lead ended up with a side character that made little panel time. Yu Yu Hakusho the same too. Botan was more of a female lead than Keiko.

I read this

http://naruhina-always.deviantart.com/j ... -286943344

I was not please that the more popular ones are yaoi and worst, yaoi incest. I guess different country different standards, still wrong biblically.

for Bleach, there are alot of fans of Ulquiorra and Orihime and its still going strong even though SPOILER: Highlight text to read: that ship been sunked with his death

[Lynna]

Combo Breaker!

I adore shipping. But I am really not one for shipping wars, as I tend to just respect the opinions of others. *Most* of my ships tend to become canon or are at least the main pairing, with a few exceptions. Probably most notably Chihayafuru.

I like shipping less for the speculation of whether or not such and such a couple will get together, and more just as a way of fangirling over how cute a couple is. I usually like some sort of resolution for a couple. Not all the time, but a relationship that never develops is kind of boring.

[Schokolade]

oh man I was **** that they used excellent animation for the Chikara Filler episodes and not used it on the canon episodes.

Were you also enraged about the Naruto vs Sasuke fight of the Sasuke Retrieval arc? I know forgiveness is a virtue but I've never been able to get over them using spoof-worthy animation for what was possibly the most crucial fight of all Part 1...

http://naruhina-always.deviantart.com/journal/Top-Naruto-Couples-in-Japan-and-VOTE-286943344

I was not please that the more popular ones are yaoi and worst, yaoi incest. I guess different country different standards, still wrong biblically.

KakaIru??? SasuNaru I get, it has it's material, I was a pshyco fan of it pre-Christianity, but KakaIru!?!? Even KakaNaru has more going for it, and it's apparently more popular than SasuSaku (lol) but KakaIru beats them all!?! When I was big into the series three years ago, SasuNaru was evidently the biggest ship of the fandom ocean. I wonder what happened since then, since I know nothing happened with Kakashi and Iruka.

I wouldn't put too much weight on this, though. After all there are lies, blatant lies, and statistics.

I like shipping less for the speculation of whether or not such and such a couple will get together, and more just as a way of fangirling over how cute a couple is. I usually like some sort of resolution for a couple. Not all the time, but a relationship that never develops is kind of boring.

I solute your self-control

I think where a many go wrong is that after all the fangirling... they want it to actually happen. When it doesn't (or worse, an opposing paring happens instead) they kind of have this angry "my life is a lie" moment.

[Rzerox21xx]

I just ship based on how the events add up. but when something happens, I adapt athough there are ships that Im too emotionally invested in, that if they don't happened or the opposite ship happens, I would feel disappointment but they are far the few. it will be hard for me to accept. I'm sure back Dragonball took the shipping fans by storm when Yamucha and Bulma was sunked and Bulma hooked up with the most unexpected Vegeta. It eventually grew popular especially with a how great Trunks turn out. I accepted quickly that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Neji with Tenten or any other ship is pretty much sunked with his death

[Schokolade]

How did Bulma and Vegeta even happen? It's been so long since I've seen the series. I think Trunks going back in time was the first and pretty much only hint they were going to hook up. I heard the creator always intended for the series to be more about the fights than character/relationship development but don't hold me to that. In any case, that couple was pretty much a troll.

[Rzerox21xx]

When Trunks explain to Goku, that both Yamcha been unfaithful to Bulma and she kicked him out and then sense a loneliness in Vegeta and well it was more of a lust thing. I have to rewatch the episode. there's a lovely Vegeta and Bulma manifesto.

http://www.adimra.100megs6.com/bvfaq.html

I have a feeling that Sasuke and Sakura will follow the whole main female ending up with the hero's rival that due to Akira Toriyama being inspired by Dragonball as you can tell from both Goku and Naruto similar color scheme. Vegeta did do a lot worse than Sasuke did in terms of being a mass murdering psychopath no better than Freeza.

By the way, the newest DBZ movie Battle of the Gods, oversaw and written parts from Akira Toriyama himself so its could be considered canon, but there were good Vegeta and Bulma moments in that film

[scribbledreamer]

I adore shipping. But I am really not one for shipping wars, as I tend to just respect the opinions of others. *Most* of my ships tend to become canon or are at least the main pairing, with a few exceptions. Probably most notably Chihayafuru.

Which pairing?

Ah, shipping. I'm not one to jump into huge debates except in a few cases, but I definitely get invested in a lot of the relationships. Right now, my biggest ship is Taichi and Chihaya from Chihayafuru. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Though based on the last episode, I'm not sure it's headed where I'd like it to...

[LastLfan]

I do soooo much shipping for total drama island. As far as anime though, not as much

[Schokolade]

I have a feeling that Sasuke and Sakura will follow the whole main female ending up with the hero's rival that due to Akira Toriyama being inspired by Dragonball as you can tell from both Goku and Naruto similar color scheme. Vegeta did do a lot worse than Sasuke did in terms of being a mass murdering psychopath no better than Freeza.

Akira Toriyama was inspired by Dragonball? Didn't he write it? Anyway, I really wish people would stop trying to predict the outcomes in Naruto based on Kishimoto being inspired by DBZ. Many pop music celebrities were inspired by MJ but are still very different artist with their own choices and mindsets. Kishimoto is the same. I suppose it could defiantly give you insight but one shouldn't put too much weight into it. In any case, Vegeta did nasty stuff, but that was before knowing Bulma. He was like that when she first knew of him, but he calmed down considerably during the period of time where they began to actually know each other. The opposite happened with Sasuke and Sakura. Both she and Naruto had to watch Sasuke descend into villainy, betray them, and threaten/attack them multiple times. Both have delt with their own heartache because of it. That kind of stuff doesn't just go away, and you can tell by the fake smile Sakura gave Sai when she said she "trusted" Sasuke. So there might be similarities between the Bulma/Vegeta and Sakura/Sasuke dynamic (as similarities can be drawn between anything if you look hard enough. Heck the strong, ditzy, lovable protagonist of DBZ ending up with a chick who's kind of loud and bossy can ring with NaruSaku) but I don't think it's too comparable. Could it still happen in a similar way? Sure. Though with all the baggage, I think it would take some time for them to become friends again, let alone lovers.

I do soooo much shipping for total drama island. As far as anime though, not as much

Ah, Total Drama... Good times, good times...

[Rzerox21xx]

HAHAHAHAHAHHA oh man that came out wrong, yes Akira Toriyam wrote it, my bad. For some reason I typed his name but I mean't Mashashi Kishimoto To be honest, I don't really care that much if Sasuke or Sakura end up with someone, I just want Naruhina to happened, that's the ship I most invested in and by the development. another couple in Naruto that I like is Shikatema(Shikamaru and Temari) due to the scenes they shared and their chemistry. Other than that, I would be okay.

Fairy Tail is more fun to ship and they have a lot of moments, there are pairings that are clear cut(like Gajeel Levy) or (Gray and Juvia, especially recently, it seems he's responding to her very well). and then there's the Nalu(the main female lead whom has the most shiptease moments with) or Nali(orthe childhood friend SPOILER: Highlight text to read: whom recently came back from the dead but barely interacted with him) war, who Natsu should end up with.

Comic books is hard for me, I do like couples but its most likely they aren't going to last due to the character's long history and neverending story and changed to writers. I'm a huge Spiderman/Mary Jane fan in the comics and loved their marriage on the 20 years of publications but that was done away in such a stupid insulting fashion I can see why most fans have bad taste in their mouths over it and hated the new character that the current writer is shipping Peter with, especially when its shove in our faces on our perfect and wonderful she is to Peter.

[Schokolade]

I need to get over myself. I have no emotional attachments to my former ships. I even kinda like ships I used to hate. SasuSaku though... it just rubs me the wrong way.

I really wish Shikamaru got more screen time. I wouldn't mind him getting together with Temari or Ino, but more than likely Kishimoto won't bother to ship him with anyone, lol.

I haven't watched Fairy Tail enough to know anything about the ships (except what Nalu is) but if they don't sadistically tease you with ships the way Naruto does than it seems like an a'okay fandom to me

[Rzerox21xx]

well the recent Grand Magic Games arc ended with a SPOILER: Highlight text to read: emotional hug and thank you from Lucy to Natsu. but the creator kinda troll us in the current Tartartos arc by SPOILER: Highlight text to read: having Natsu get captured and put in a cell naked with a naked Lisanna. lol

[Schokolade]

To be fair, the second happening was neither of their faults.

[Panda4christ:3]

I adore shipping. But I am really not one for shipping wars, as I tend to just respect the opinions of others.

Pretty much this cx

[Rzerox21xx]

I think also that shippers tend to over analysis things and trying to find parallels when there aren't any just to find the smallest justification over why their ship would be endgame. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I find myself doing that myself if it involves something that benefits my ship.

I stay the hell away from shipping wars, I'm not good in debating anyway which kinda sucks when you want to evangelize. I just like to hang out at the fanclub threads where its safe to be with your opinion.

[skreyola]

I don't watch things with Shipping Goggles, but when I do have a Ship in mind, it's usually the OTP of the series; I don't usually ship a pair that doesn't end up together (or at least look like it's for sure going to)

[Schokolade]

I really wish I could do that but I guess I kind of live for the challenge of analyzation

I think also that shippers tend to over analysis things and trying to find parallels when there aren't any just to find the smallest justification over why their ship would be endgame. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I find myself doing that myself if it involves something that benefits my ship.

This. I mean... you got the people who translate every smile as a declaration of love, and then you got people who get out protractors and measure the amount of love by what angle it is. (I have heard this as a legitimate argument, yes...) People just always want to be justified in their choices, and that includes anime ships.

stay the hell away from shipping wars, I'm not good in debating anyway which kinda sucks when you want to evangelize. I just like to hang out at the fanclub threads where its safe to be with your opinion.

I'm better at debating over the internet because I type better than I speak. Also, I get more time think about what I'll say. I'm so socially awkward that if someone's looking at me, waiting for me to justify my choices, I just get awkward. Especially with something as sensitive as my religion.

[Rzerox21xx]

oh man, you should have seen the last 3 Naruto chapters SPOILER: Highlight text to read: over Sakura giving Naruto CPR, Narusaku take it as a moment and count it as a kiss, despite that Sakura is a professional medic Ninja and she's doing her job to save her friend's life and most powerful asset against the bad guy

Its funny with yaoi and yuri shippers, they find any type of friendship and then turn it to something else. Not caring about anything else. Fullmetal Alchemist yaoi shippers tend to ship Ed and Roy the most, worse, Ed with his own brother. I can't help but was happy that both Ed and Al got their own respective love interests SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Ed Winry becoming canon, and Al with the Xingese girl May seemly while other is obvious but vague like Royai(Roy with Riza) SPOILER: Highlight text to read: it ended vaguely but the mangaka Hirumo Arakawa said in her artbooks that the reason Roy didn't get married with Riza is due to military regulations
Well we are called to defend and preach the Gospel and I admit, I haven't been doing a good job with it due to my shyness and being socially awkard, also there's a a lot of things in my life I have to correct.

[Lynna]

I adore shipping. But I am really not one for shipping wars, as I tend to just respect the opinions of others. *Most* of my ships tend to become canon or are at least the main pairing, with a few exceptions. Probably most notably Chihayafuru.

Which pairing?

Ah, shipping. I'm not one to jump into huge debates except in a few cases, but I definitely get invested in a lot of the relationships. Right now, my biggest ship is Taichi and Chihaya from Chihayafuru. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Though based on the last episode, I'm not sure it's headed where I'd like it to...

Taichi and Chihaya, of course! XD I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that it's unlikely that they'll become canon. There's plenty of shipteasing in their direction, but Chihaya and Arata definitely seems to be the ultimate direction. I don't dislike Arata, but Taichi is a more flawed and interesting character so far, although if Arata gets more screen time that might change. Still, there's a kind of depth in Taichi's affection for Chihaya that I haven't seen too much in the common shoujo fare.

[shooraijin]

I stay the hell away from shipping wars,

Although this was meant innocently, I'm sure, please try a euphemism for this expression next time since we have all sorts and ages on this board.

[scribbledreamer]

Taichi and Chihaya, of course! XD I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that it's unlikely that they'll become canon. There's plenty of shipteasing in their direction, but Chihaya and Arata definitely seems to be the ultimate direction. I don't dislike Arata, but Taichi is a more flawed and interesting character so far, although if Arata gets more screen time that might change. Still, there's a kind of depth in Taichi's affection for Chihaya that I haven't seen too much in the common shoujo fare.

Ugh, you're right. I mean, I'd love to believe they have a chance, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: but with Chihaya's poem in the last episode, it seems like the show's headed in a different direction. Not to mention her "I'll always love Arata" or whatever.
I love the dynamics of Taichi and Chihaya's relationship, though. He knows her SO well, puts up with her obsession with Karuta, and he's really the only one who can talk her down when she gets too pushy. Plus, the way he looks at her is just adorable.
I like Arata well enough, but as you said, his screen time is next to nothing. All we really know about him is from Chihaya's rather built-up admiration of him.
Maybe the reason I'm not really for Arata and Chihaya is that, excluding the confrontation with Taichi, I haven't seen a lot of insinuation that Arata actually feels more than a deep friendship for Chihaya. And, yeah, that could be due to the lack of screen time, but...I don't know. Arata suddenly confessing his undying love for her would feel a little out of place, I think.
The only thing that gives me hope is SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Oe-san's speech to Taici at the end. Such a great moment between the two of them. Plus, maybe this is the kick Taichi needs.

[Schokolade]

oh man, you should have seen the last 3 Naruto chapters SPOILER: Highlight text to read: over Sakura giving Naruto CPR, Narusaku take it as a moment and count it as a kiss, despite that Sakura is a professional medic Ninja and she's doing her job to save her friend's life and most powerful asset against the bad guy

Just because I don't read the manga anymore, doesn't mean I don't keep updated
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I saw the fangasms coming as soon as that panel punched me in the face. It's kind of funny though... even though SasuSaku fans don't think it's romantic, there are already pictures floating around where Naruto has been photoshopped to look like Sasuke Though I know from personal experience just how much time shippers have on their hands...

[KazeShiki]

@Lynna/scribbledreamer
lol if you only you read the manga. the reactions to a certain event were pretty fun.

[Nate]

I only ship MLP characters.

Flarity4lyfe