Discussion The Official Relationship/Pairing/Shipping Thread

[Boomburst]

Natsu x Lisanna should have been the ship from the start. Way more development and it tells a lot about their past together.

Not only that, but I enjoy the way their relationship works. It's more calm and sensible instead of the repetitive fanservice of boobs and tits that we get with NaLu.

Lucy's squeals and Natsu's dense brain just takes too much time out of the actual storyline. Especially after this current chapter, Lucy acts as if Natsu is the total good guy even after witnessing his out-of-control END fight against Gray...

Well to be fair, Lucy never actually saw END fight Gray. She only arrived with Wendy and Juvia after Erza had stopped the fight. So she doesn't really have any reason to not trust Natsu at this point in time.

 

[Nemispelled]

Well to be fair, Lucy never actually saw END fight Gray. She only arrived with Wendy and Juvia after Erza had stopped the fight. So she doesn't really have any reason to not trust Natsu at this point in time.

Yeah, but she caught him when he fell unconscious. So she must have been there when Erza put herself in between Natsu and Gray to block their attacks.

At that time, Natsu was still in his demonic appearance and had that large flame claw for his hands.

Anybody could tell something was definitely up, because Natsu was not acting close to his normal self.

She just puts too much faith in him... which is fine, but not to the point where his personality turns a 180 and you still pretend that nothing happened.

That's ridiculous.

 

[Boomburst]

Yeah, but she caught him when he fell unconscious. So she must have been there when Erza put herself in between Natsu and Gray to block their attacks.

At that time, Natsu was still in his demonic appearance and had that large flame claw for his hands.

Anybody could tell something was definitely up, because Natsu was not acting close to his normal self.

She just puts too much faith in him... which is fine, but not to the point where his personality turns a 180 and you still pretend that nothing happened.

That's ridiculous.

Natsu fell unconscious after Gray fell unconscious, which was after Juvia and Wendy showed up, which was after Erza shoved Natsu/Gray into her boobs, which was after Natsu's claws went away, which was after Erza's whole nakama speech, which was after the fight had already stopped. I assume Lucy was just behind Juvia and Wendy, which means that she wasn't there to witness the fight, nor was she there while Natsu still had his claws. That's the most logical explanation as to why Lucy still trusts Natsu, the only alternative is the scenario you brought up which you yourself consider ridiculous.

 

[Nemispelled]

Natsu fell unconscious after Gray fell unconscious, which was after Juvia and Wendy showed up, which was after Erza shoved Natsu/Gray into her boobs, which was after Natsu's claws went away, which was after Erza's whole nakama speech, which was after the fight had already stopped. I assume Lucy was just behind Juvia and Wendy, which means that she wasn't there to witness the fight, nor was she there while Natsu still had his claws. That's the most logical explanation as to why Lucy still trusts Natsu, the only alternative is the scenario you brought up which you yourself consider ridiculous.

I can give it to ya, but I find it highly unlikely that Lucy was that far behind Juvia and Wendy considering she was the one that was eager to find Natsu in the first place.

She should have been somewhere in that vicinity when Erza, Juvia, and Wendy witnessed Natsu and Gray clashed.

Regardless, I think Lucy was in denial... she should have realized something was wrong with Natsu when she woke up with a bloodied face and a defeated Dimaria.

When was the last time Natsu oneshotted an enemy and left Lucy behind in the wreckage?

Natsu is the type of dude to carry Lucy all the way back to the guild even if it means he has to take 10 trains to get there...

Not leave her confused and alone with a defeated Dimaria...

 

[Hermit]

 

[Demon Hunter]

ships are ruining all characters.


better to be single without any romance.

 

[GamerSkull]

Natsu x Lisanna should have been the ship from the start. Way more development and it tells a lot about their past together.

Not only that, but I enjoy the way their relationship works. It's more calm and sensible instead of the repetitive fanservice of boobs and tits that we get with NaLu.

Lucy's squeals and Natsu's dense brain takes up like half an episode (back when it used to air) and always disrupts the actual storyline. Especially after this current chapter, Lucy acts as if Natsu is the total good guy even after witnessing his out-of-control END fight against Gray...


I don't mind if the two just get a room and get the deed over with, but it has gotten to the point where it is ridiculous.

As a matter of fact, put all the Dragneels and Heartfilias in the same room. They need to sort out their romantic life because I don't want to see naked Natsu and Lucy for an entire episode.

While I can respect your opinion on this even though I disagree, the point of my post was to ask whether the NaLu pairing is the sole reason for Lisanna's character to be treated the way she is... not in regard to her being apart of any ship. And they've had way less development. She just tells him that she wants to marry him when they grow up and also hugs him when she returns from Edolas. There hasn't been any other moment between them, the stuff in Tartaros isn't really a ship moment.

Also, as this is an ecchi manga... you know full well that if NaLi was the shipping Hiro had gone with, he would do the fan service stuff with them too.

 

[Doughboy]

Lisanna is a horrible, horrible character. She really was likable in the Edolas arc which focused on her, and in the childhood flashbacks with Natsu. Besides that she has no reason to exist besides feel good for Mira and Elfman. She honestly hasn't done anything to trigger Nalu shippers in forever so I don't know why that girl made tumblr post @GamerSkull but she really was better off being dead. More impact imo. She's just here for Mira and fanservice. She doesn't even look good and that's saying something cause most girls in FT look good.

 

[Brandish μ]

NaLi is insanity imo. She was meant to stay dead wasn't she? But editors wanted her to stay? Idk the story, but she's not a love interest.

NaLu might not happen, but I consider that to be less likely than NaLu becoming canon. I consider Lucy to have romantic feelings for Natsu, and the latest chapter hints at that as well. And lets not forget it was Lucy who awoke Natsu's sacred rod.

Mashima keeps drawing NaLu stuff on twitter, just waiting for that panel.

 

[GamerSkull]

Lisanna is a horrible, horrible character. She really was likable in the Edolas arc which focused on her, and in the childhood flashbacks with Natsu. Besides that she has no reason to exist besides feel good for Mira and Elfman. She honestly hasn't done anything to trigger Nalu shippers in forever so I don't know why that girl made tumblr post @GamerSkull but she really was better off being dead. More impact imo. She's just here for Mira and fanservice. She doesn't even look good and that's saying something cause most girls in FT look good.

Damn, that was savage and I agree with that. But I just can't get my head around people blaming Lucy and her fans for Lisanna's lack of character relevance. I just feel like Lucy and her relationship with Natsu had little to do with where Lisanna is now.

Say what you will about Hiro's writing but I think it's fair to say that he sticks by the decisions he makes and doesn't cater to biased fans, for good or bad.

 

[Doughboy]

She was meant to stay dead wasn't she? But editors wanted her to stay?

This was some crazy rumor fam, I wouldn't put any validity in this. It's been around forever. Who really knows

Damn, that was savage and I agree with that. But I just can't get my head around people blaming Lucy and her fans for Lisanna's lack of character relevance.

The thing is, Elfman is practically in the same as her but he has a ship with Evergreen. People be choosing, I've never seen anyone complain about Elfman's lack of character. It's nonsense, Lisanna is lucky not be a fodder character like Warren or Laki. Not everyone in FT should get spotlight and it's better that way.

 

[BrandyThema]

Lisanna is a horrible, horrible character. She really was likable in the Edolas arc which focused on her, and in the childhood flashbacks with Natsu. Besides that she has no reason to exist besides feel good for Mira and Elfman. She honestly hasn't done anything to trigger Nalu shippers in forever so I don't know why that girl made tumblr post @GamerSkull but she really was better off being dead. More impact imo. She's just here for Mira and fanservice. She doesn't even look good and that's saying something cause most girls in FT look good.

Naaah, the Edolas arc was focused on her but even Lucy Ashley shined better than her. Who went after Natsu&co. to lead them to the capital? Ashley! Who sent Natsu Dragion to give them a ride? Ashley! Who motivated Edolas FT to fight against the royal army after running for so long? Ashley!
What did Lisanna do? Cry and hope Natsu&co. don't know who she is

So, in short, Lisanna's just bland and Lucy's awesome in both Edolas & Earthland

 

[Axiomus]

I have nothing against Lisanna, but as many have mentioned, she's not really relevant anymore. The focus of her character seems to be as a supporting character for Elfman and Mirajane, and both Elfman and Mirajane are really supporting characters in and of themselves. In terms of storyline significance, Lisanna is far removed from the main plot. IMO, Lisanna needs to be as at least significant to the plot as characters like Jellal or Juvia if she is to be paired with Natsu. Probably even more so, because she needs to outshine Lucy in terms of her relationship with Natsu. And well... that just isn't the case.

I leave Hiro to do with what he pleases. If he wanted to make Natsu and Lisanna happen, then we probably would have seen that happen in the first two arcs when she was reintroduced. Lisanna was brought back at the end of the Edolas arc. It's been the Tenrou Arc, Grand Magic Games, Tartarus, and now we're half way through the Alvarez arc (which might be the last arc). It's only been a steady increase of Natsu and Lucy since Lisanna's return. I don't really see any reason for NaLu fans to dislike her either. Didn't she tell Lucy to stay near Natsu back on Tenrou?

 

[GamerSkull]

Yeah, it's just that the NaLu vs. NaLi war is why the shipping fandom on Tumblr can be so toxic.

They are at each other's throats for no good reason.

 

[EmberSpirit]

I don't like Natsu and Lucy's forced ship interactions, but Natsu and Lisanna is just stupid. Does Natsu even know who Lisanna is?

Jellal/Erza and Gajeel/Levy are the only pairings I can somehow bear. Others make me cringe. Manga would be better off without forced pairings created to cater to shippers since this is supposed to be a mainstream shounen manga, right?

 

[M3J]

Also, Natsu does know who Lisanna is given they seemed to have something deeper than friendship, or it was implied so in the flashback. Anyway, right now it seems only Natsu x Lucy are forced, proably as tease for the lulz.

 

[Doughboy]

I don't like Natsu and Lucy's forced ship interactions, but Natsu and Lisanna is just stupid. Does Natsu even know who Lisanna is?

Jellal/Erza and Gajeel/Levy are the only pairings I can somehow bear. Others make me cringe. Manga would be better off without forced pairings created to cater to shippers since this is supposed to be a mainstream shounen manga, right?

Thing is, shonens nowadays aren't just geared towards young males but females too. After plot and story relationships would be the most popular thing to look forward to in long running shonens. Unlike shoujos, shonens tend to be slightly ambiguous about the ships. The amount of moments is debatable but every shonen includes pairings cause a lot of people look forward to them. It is what it is.

 

[Aizen]

Thing is, shonens nowadays aren't just geared towards young males but females too. After plot and story relationships would be the most popular thing to look forward to in long running shonens. Unlike shoujos, shonens tend to be slightly ambiguous about the ships. The amount of moments is debatable but every shonen includes pairings cause a lot of people look forward to them. It is what it is.

True but the fact is that if there included for females (the ships) as your suggesting and their less "ambiguous" (which to me means they are less developed naturally), then why have them in at all? At the very least not in a role in the story that allows them to overshadow fights. After all this is an action Shonen, and as such the spotlight should be on action (obviously), comedy (which FT does well imo) and plot. I agree the demographic has become very different over time, but there is a reason imo series like FT, Naruto, and even Bleach (though it did have only 2) get hate for doing the ships the way they do/did. Like I said it's usually due to either A. Focusing on them too much, which FT is very guilty of as least as of late. Or B. They get too little development and are as such less believable and seem tacked on and unnecessary, FT has a few of these, Naruto explained over half if not more of their ships poorly, and finally Bleach went with a very generic 2 ships that had "ok" development. I don't hate shipping to be clear, not a huge fan of it either really but I feel the series that put more of this in for the purpose of attracting more female readers (if that even is true since many males ship characters too) are perhaps doing themselves a disservice Imo as there is a genre that does that better usually anyways (shoujo). just my thoughts though.

 

[M3J]

Problem with relationships in some/many shounen is that they start focusing on it out of nowhere too much in few arcs. I liked Natsu and Lucy in the first few arcs even if there was nothing about the relationship because it was natural. Naruto and Sakura also began to get more natural during Part II, where the relationship between them seemed possible... UNTIL Sakura confessed her love for Sasuke. THen Naruto and Hinata was hastily done despite not as much development there.

Relationships can be a part of shounens and even enhance it, but as long as it's kept natural and not forced. Even Gray and Juvia had a natural development.

 

[Doughboy]

Yup, and it's like the author has to balance out the specific character's development from weak to strong, their place in the story, as well their interactions with whoever the likely heroine is... all with the idea more characters will come to affect that character, positively or negatively. Why a ship can be so messy and crash in a 1 chapter after over 300 of it supposedly "developing". Naruto had some wild crazy fanfic relationships, Bleach's just are boring, I can fall asleep looking at them. OP's all seem like buddies besides a select few. FT's are the most visible so you would think it would be the most tame aha. Somehow, it'll be some big disappointment with one of the Big 4 (Nalu...?), I bet.