u/Nicowboyy

There were loads of amazing moments in MHA. But which one is your absolute favorite ?

Yesterday, MHA officially ended the series with episode 170+1 "More" based on Chapter 431 of the manga.

While some people say it's the perfect ending, some others say that this episode was unnecessary, or that the relation between Izuku and Ochaco felt forced or wasn't canon.

To get an answer, we have to look back through the entire show and mangas.

In Season 1 and during the first chapters of the Manga, these two have their first interactions and are just friends. Izuku blushes constantly around her, but it has nothing to do with falling in love. He is just shy because he's never been this close to a girl before. Ochako on the other hand tries to help him and become his friend.

In Season 2, they become close friends, but nothing too personal yet.

Ochako realizes her romantic feelings for Deku during the Provisional Hero License Exam Arc, during season 3 and approximately Chapter 100+ in the manga.

Izuku however DOES NOT have romantic for Uraraka, he just respects her a lot as a close friend and is more focused on becoming a professional hero. Ochaco acknowledges that and put these feelings aside to focus herself on studies.

Fast forward all the way to S8E10 where Ochaco is on the edge, feeling guilty about Toga's death. Deku then comes up to her and acknowledges her pain. He then tells her how much she means to him, that she always helped her during tough times and that he wants to do the same this time and help her out. He then reaches for her hand to show that he cares and tells her "You're my hero", a line that will be forever etched in Ochako's memory. Looking back, this is probably the closest we've got from a love declaration, although Deku did not mean it in a romantic way, he just respects her way more than words can portray.

After the war, they eventually step into different directions, as Ochako founded a psychological help company for young people with dangerous quirks with Tsuyu Asui, her closest friend.

Meanwhile, Izuku became teacher at Yuei and does not see his friends very often. Until, All Might reunites with him, and gives him a new suit that helps him become a professional hero again, as he lost One for All abilities during the final battle eight years ago.

He therefore gets closer to his friends/classmates and becomes a professional hero with them, eventually climbing all the way to 4th place in the rankings later on.

That is when we reach episode 170+1 "More", the anime adaptation of Chapter 431.

In this episode, Deku finally acknowledges that he loves his friends very much, but he still feels a part of him that's missing. And this part is Ochako.

After meeting up with class 1A, Ochako is seen walking alone and thinking about Deku. She wanted to speak to him more. She turns around, and watches Deku running towards her.

Deku stops and tells her that he respects all of his friends, but that today, he realized that he wanted to speak more specifically to her. And not just today, from now on and forever.

Toga gives Ochako a push in her mind, which makes her trip and run into Deku. This loops, as their first encounter happened when Deku almost fell on his own two feet during the first day at Yuei, saved by Uraraka's quirk. This time, it's the other way around.

They are both equally blushing, meaning that their romantic feelings towards each other are founded.

He then asks her if she'd like to spend more time with him from now on, and she says that she feels the same way.

She then gives her hand to Deku, who gives his hand in return. No hug, no kiss, and that's good enough to tell us that they are more than probably together in the end.

To anyone saying that a "dap-up" doesn't mean anything, you have to remember that the japanese love culture is based on respect and boundaries. A hug or a kiss would've been disrespectful and would've caused some drama in Japan.

Holding hands is not only a significant, intimate sign of romantic love and commitment, it also is the conclusion of everything they had to overcome.

So in conclusion, I think they are most definitely canon from a japanese culture point of view.

Everyone has to remember that cultures vary a lot from a continent to another and that a hug or a kiss is not always the way to show you're in love.

From a 🇧🇪 viewer and reader.