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Manga-ending spoilers: The manga gives one especially clear romance thread—Deku and Ochaco—while other close relationships invite different readings. This list separates pairings with story or creator-backed romantic teasing from fan-created ships; the two groups do not have equal canon status. The five fan picks are editorial examples, not a poll or a ranking of what My Hero Academia fans collectively wanted.
What counts as a teased pairing?
A meaningful bond is not automatically a romance. Here, “teased” means the manga or creator-related material gives readers a specific reason to consider a romantic possibility. “Fans wanted to see” means an interpretive or alternate ship that readers may enjoy imagining—not evidence of a measured fandom consensus.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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My Hero Academia, Vol. 1 | $6.60 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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My Hero Academia Box Set 1: Includes volumes 1-20 with premium | $122.68 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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My Hero Academia, Vol. 2 | $7.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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My Hero Academia Volume 1-5 Collection 5 Books Set (Series 1) | $48.22 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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My Hero Academia, Vol. 3 | $6.71 | Buy on Amazon |
The available evidence does not establish five distinct creator-backed romantic teases. Rather than label ordinary friendships as confirmed hints, the first section focuses on the strongest supported relationship and distinguishes it from other emotionally significant bonds.
The clearest romance tease: Deku and Ochaco
Ochaco’s feelings are acknowledged, not initially mutual
A comment attributed to Kohei Horikoshi in the Ultra Analysis guidebook says Ochaco has put her feelings for Deku away, but gets flustered when her friends ask about them. That is direct support for reading her feelings as a deliberate part of her character. It does not establish that Deku shares those feelings at that point in the story.
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Volume 42 advances the relationship
The official Shonen Jump series page lists Volume 42 as the final volume. Reporting on its added epilogue says Deku asks Ochaco out and she agrees, moving their relationship beyond the earlier one-sided signals. Horikoshi later responded to a fanbook questioner by pointing them to Volume 42 and inviting them to use their imagination. The result is suggestive and understated rather than a detailed romantic resolution. Read My Hero Academia, including Volume 42 to encounter the ending in context.
Ochaco and Toga: a major bond, and a fan ship
Ochaco and Toga have a substantial story connection shaped by their contrasting views of love, identity, and what it means to be accepted. In a 2022 interview, Ochaco voice actor Ayane Sakura recounted a Jump Festa message from Horikoshi describing Toga as conceived in relation to Ochaco. That supports a deliberate character and thematic pairing; it does not establish that the two become a romantic couple. Readers who ship them are making a fan interpretation, not describing a canon outcome. Read Ayane Sakura’s interview.
Rank #2
- MHA Fandom: Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.
- Includes: The first 20 volumes of the bestselling My Hero Academia manga.
- Format: Softcover, 3840 pages.
Five fan ships readers can imagine
These are plausible fan interpretations, not manga-confirmed romances or a claim about which pairings are most popular. Their inclusion reflects the kinds of emotional or thematic connections readers may explore; the evidence here does not establish that the manga teased each one romantically.
- Deku and Toga: Their conflict and Toga’s intense interest in Deku make for a dramatic alternate pairing, but the story does not resolve that interest as a romance.
- Deku and Tsuyu: Their teamwork and mutual concern can support a friendship-to-romance interpretation, though that is reader inference rather than an established romantic thread.
- Ochaco and Toga: Their central, emotionally charged connection invites a romantic reading for some readers. The creator context supports their narrative pairing, not a canon couple.
- Kaminari and Jiro: Their lively friendship and contrasting temperaments offer material for a fan ship, but the sources covered here do not verify an author-backed romantic tease.
- Kirishima and Ashido: Their shared history and supportive dynamic can be read romantically, but that reading should not be presented as a confirmed manga pairing.
How to read the ending—and the ships
Three distinctions help keep the conversation accurate: a creator-backed setup is not the same as mutual romantic feelings; a deep bond or thematic contrast is not automatically romance; and a fan ship can be meaningful without becoming canon. Deku and Ochaco receive the clearest romantic advance in the final-volume epilogue, while other pairings remain interpretations unless the manga or creator material says more.
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Rank #3
No named, dated survey or published ranking in the cited evidence establishes which ships fans wanted most. Treat lists like this one as selections for discussion, not a fandom-wide verdict. VIZ’s interview with Horikoshi offers background on the creator and series, but does not substantiate particular ships. Read the VIZ interview with Kohei Horikoshi.
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