Summary
This article contains spoilers from My Hero Academia Chapter 430.
My Hero Academiamarked its conclusion recently, and it is safe to say that the ending has proven itself to be quite divisive. While some fans are satisfied withthe ending that Horikoshi delivered, others are finding it hard to find acceptance in all the abundant plot lines and the rushed conclusion that the author delivered at the end.
There is absolutely no denying the fact thatMy Hero Academiawas always going to reduce the fans to tears. Any series ending after 10 or so years is going to see the fans develop a very strong emotional connection with it. However, that certainly doesn’t mean that fans cannot criticize the ending. Among the many things that the ending did wrong, one that fans were confused by was Deku’s romantic life in the end. As fans know, Deku has had multiple love interests, based on how fans interpret things, and in the end, Horikoshi took a very curious turn with them.
How Horikoshi Got The Fans To Invest In Romance
Deku And Ochaco’s Feelings Were Mutual
My Hero Academiais not a romance manga, and that goes without saying. The focus of the manga is students trying to become Heroes, save people, and fight villains. This is a battle shonen, and action and fights are certainly going to be the most important part of the story. However, were authors to focus just on action and stories, the manga itself would be very hollow and there would not be much to be excited about. It is everything that happens around the action that makes a sure story as enchanting as it can be. ForMy Hero Academia, action wasn’t even the best thing that the fans liked. It was theincredible character writingand extremely powerful depiction of emotions that the author excelled at. These were the biggest strengths of My Hero Academia over the years, and, all this is directly connected to the romance as well.
You’ve always been my Hero, Uraraka-san! – Deku
After all, love is a very strong emotion, and Horikoshi successfully illustrates and integrates this emotion into his story. For instance, in the Final War Saga,Toga’s fight with Ochaco, which was entirely based around love, was quite easily one of the very best. The conclusion to this fight was heartbreaking for the fans, and at the same time, it had repercussions that readers feel to this day. Clearly, Horikoshi is a very capable writer, and if he wanted to, he could have written a proper romance ending for Deku as well.
When it comes to the protagonist of the series, fans know that hismain love interest is none other than Ochaco.Right from the beginning of the series, fans know thatDeku has a huge crush on her. This wasn’t a one-sided crush, either. Eventually,Ochaco fell in love with Deku, and two throughout her journey as a hero student, she was seen struggling with her feelings and, more importantly, suppressing them, preventing them from coming to the surface. This was a major part of Ochaco’s character growth, and she eventually learned to express her feelings and make her feelings into her strength. Fans fully expected that when My Hero Academia ends,Deku and Ochaco would be together,and that is something that most readers believe that they deserve. Both of them were in love with each other, and, at the same time, they were both kind individuals who, at the end of the day, deserved each other’s support. But, My Hero Academia never explicitly mentioned either of them ending up with the other.
Deku And Ochaco Or Deku And Bakugo?
While Deku and Ochaco might be the most popular ship inMy Hero Academia,it is certainly not the only one. Deku is often shipped with another individual, and that is one of his friends, Bakugo. Bakugo’s relationship with Deku is starkly different in comparison to the one discussed earlier. For instance, Bakugo is known to have been a bully to Deku from childhood. This behavior phase did not stop until much later in the story, but eventually,he did make amends for it.
However, there is absolutely no denying the fact thatBakugo and Deku have a chemistry that few individuals in the story have.This is especially true after Bakugo has a change of heart. He’s heavily invested in Deku’s growth and, more importantly, making up for what he did wrong. Bakugo wants to compete with Deku until the end of time and look after him, all the while being grateful for being saved by him back in the day.
Bakugo knows that Deku is the one who extended a helping hand to him, and that was the turning point for their relationship. At the same time,Deku’s feelings towards Bakugo have never changed.While it is arguable whether these feelings can be interpreted as romantic or not, there is absolutely no denying the fact thatDeku does love Bakugo, be it as a friend or something more. That said, there was one big barrier for this ship to be fully realized, and that is the fact that this is a shonen story, where the main male character absolutely cannot end up with his male best friend.
Expecting them to end up together, even if it would have been the best decision, was stupidity to begin with. The only way Deku could have ever ended up with anyone inMy Hero Academiawas if the author decided to make his relationship with Ochaco canon, and, comparing the two relationships, it would make more sense for Deku to end up with her than Bakugo anyway.
Who Did Deku End Up With In My Hero Academia?
Deku’s Ending Was Left Open To Interpretation
While Deku and Ochaco were set in stone right from the beginning, the ending of the series left the fans perplexed. This is because, at the end of the story,Deku ends up with absolutely nobody. His relationship status is left vague and up to interpretation, which means that the ending was, once again, another plot point that fans invested years upon years in and was left unfulfilled. Of course, Ochaco’s feelings for Deku did not change right until the very last chapter, and it is unknown if, after the 8-year time skip, she feels the same or not.
The fact is that Deku and Ochaco are still Heroes together and care for each other deeply. But, they are not officially a couple, as was confirmed in the last chapter. Deku doesn’t end up with anyone, and this just makes the entire plot point surrounding love and romance between these two individuals feel useless.
The author should have made a proper decision at the end and made sure that he followed through on the basis that he set up for this couple. Hopefully, fans can get a confirmation onDeku and Ochaco’s relationshipin some future sequel or one-on-one shot, but for now, fans can only come to the conclusion that they are not together.Readers can interpret the ending however they wantbut acknowledge that officially, nothing has been confirmed yet.
My Hero Academia is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and theManga Plusapp. The release date for the final chapter of My Hero Academia, My Hero Academia chapter 430, was June 27, 2025.
