MHA: Was BakuDeku Ever Confirmed? Why Is It a Thing?

The internet can be a weird place, especially regarding topics that anime fans talk about. Of course, we know that anime is such a popular genre in fiction today and that one of the most popular anime series is ‘My Hero Academia,’ which stars two important characters in the form of Izuku “Deku” Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo. The thing is that there is such a thing as a BakuDeku ship going on in discussions among fans. So, was BakuDeku ever confirmed? This article will reveal all of it!

BakuDeku is a fan ship

Fans often talk about the characters’ relationships if there’s something that’s always common in many different fictional works, including movies, anime, and other shows. That’s because romance has always been part and parcel of what makes a good fictional storyline, including shonen manga and anime series. And that’s why some fans love to ship two of the most important characters in the manga and anime of ‘My Hero Academia.

We are talking about the main character, Izuku “Deku” Midoriya, and one of the main supporting protagonists in the form of Katsuki Bakugo. Now, one of the things that people on the internet do is ship these two characters and push for them to be romantically involved with one another. Of course, this is something that many fans have been doing since the start of the ‘My Hero Academia’ storyline.

Deku and Bakugo are guys, and it is interesting to note that not everyone on the internet or anywhere else wants to push the “BakuDeku” ship and let it sail. It’s not as if people are homophobic or anything. It’s just that there was never an indication of any of these characters being gay or homosexual in any way at all.

Of course, the thing that people need to understand about ‘My Hero Academia’ is that this is a manga and anime storyline that focuses on the journey of the characters as young heroes in the middle of one of the most troublesome eras in the history of the world.

In that regard, Deku, who inherited one of the strongest Quirks (superpowers) in the storyline, is forced to learn how to become the greatest hero on the planet to stop an incredibly powerful supervillain from taking over the world. And Bakugo and the other characters in the storyline also have their own story arcs and look to become the best versions of themselves.

We also have to remind ourselves that shonen manga and anime storylines don’t usually focus on romantic relationships because that shifts the focus away from the characters’ journeys. That is why you hardly see shonen manga and anime that focus on the characters having romantic relationships with other characters. In Shonen, romance can be part and parcel of the story because that has always been part of the journey of any character. But romance is hardly the focus of any shonen storyline.

The same applies to ‘My Hero Academia,’ which doesn’t focus on Deku’s search for a romantic partner. In fact, while we sometimes see him getting attracted to other characters, his romantic attraction to other characters is merely a short stop in his journey to becoming a true hero. Of course, the same can be said about Bakugo, whose only goal is to become a better hero than Deku, who we know is his rival.

There’s also the fact that the closest thing to a romantic storyline in ‘My Hero Academia’ is Ochaco Uraraka’s crush on Deku. While she has her character development arc, part of what makes her a great character is the fact that she has accepted her role as more of a support hero that wants to support Deku on his rise to becoming the best hero in the world because she truly believes in him and because she has feelings for him. So, if a real ship had a chance to sail in ‘My Hero Academia,’ it would be the DekuChaco ship.

Why do fans ship Bakugo and Deku?

This is where it might get a bit controversial. There is nothing wrong with shipping two guys in a romantic relationship, especially when it is clear that they are both attracted to men. But what makes the BakuDeku ship weird is that there was never a good reason to ship this relationship.

Of course, fans ship Bakugo and Deku because of their past. They grew up as childhood friends that drifted apart when Bakugo developed a Quirk, whereas Deku didn’t. Because he felt that Deku was useless, Bakugo started bullying him in middle school. And the bullying stopped when they both got to UA High School, where Deku had already shown his ability to use the One For All Quirk, which was stronger than Bakugo’s.

While Bakugo eventually became apologetic for his treatment of Deku when they were younger, fans saw the “tsundere” kind of character in Bakugo because he can be hot-headed and foul-mouthed but also a good-hearted character who always tries to be the best hero that he can be. And a tsundere character falling for a jolly and happy character has always been a trope in the world of manga and anime, as fans think this is cute.

Some fans simply love that two attractive boys could be in a relationship. Of course, this is born out of the fact that many different people are now open about their sexuality and gender preferences. And that’s why they want to see representation in manga and anime.

Nevertheless, while the BakuDeku ship might be in line with some of the most common romantic ships in anime and can even be cute in the eyes of other fans, the thing about it is that it is a problematic ship due to the past treatments of Bakugo toward Deku. It was only when Deku proved that he wasn’t useless and was a true hero in every sense of the word that Bakugo started treating him better. 

But that was never an excuse for what he did to him when they were younger, and that’s why this ship can be somewhat abusive in terms of its nature. And the last thing that fans should ship is a relationship with the makings of an abusive one.