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-> 1.0) KyoRu

I'm sure that everyone who has been following my posts knows how much I adore these two, given that they are my favourite canonical F/M pairing. While I accept that everyone has their own opinions, Kyoru is one of those pairings that I always use in those "I can't trust you if you don't ship them" jokes. Admittedly, I find it somewhat difficult to explain why I ship a canonical pairing because if watching or reading the series didn't convince someone, then how could I possibly try to motivate someone? Whereas with a non-canonical ship, it's easier since I can point out hints of symbolism and trivia someone might have missed because they were focused on the overarching canonical narrative.

> 1.1) Relationship dynamics & canonical interactions:

I've mentioned this before, but one of my favourite aspects of Kyo and Tohru's relationship is that each of their innate temperaments helps to balance and ground the other—which allows them to work through their respective hardships and insecurities. We often focus on how opposite Kyo and Tohru are by highlighting that they're a manifestation of the grumpy × sunshine and opposites attract tropes, but it's often glossed over how similar Kyo and Tohru are. The series repeatedly demonstrates how both Kyo and Tohru try to put on strong fronts to hide their insecurities, albeit for different reasons, as Kyo doesn't want to be perceived as weak or inferior, while Tohru doesn't want to worry or burden those around her. It is because they are the same in this aspect that they can perceive things about the other that others do not. Consequently, Tohru and Kyo understand each other better than most other characters in the series. This is why Kyo and Tohru can be at their most honest and vulnerable when they are with each other. Good and healthy relationships are ones in which we feel comfortable enough to allow ourselves to be transparent and vulnerable, knowing that we will be supported and cared for. In this way, Kyoru is the epitome of a good and healthy relationship.

> 1.2) Symbolism & Aesthetics:

⦁ While it's common knowledge that Kyo is canonically symbolised with an orange cat, it's oftentimes forgotten that Tohru is canonically symbolised with a rice ball. Tohru being symbolised with a rice ball is related to her flashback during which she was excluded from a children's game called Fruits Basket that assigns each player a fruit name. A rice ball not belonging in a fruit basket is reminiscent of the cat not being a part of the official twelve zodiac spirits—in this sense, their respective symbolism alludes to Kyo and Tohru both having similar struggles. ⦁ In the 4th ending theme song of Fruits Basket 2019, Tohru is associated with sunflowers, while Kyo is associated with bamboo. In this same theme song, Tohru is implied to be (sun)light in Kyo's life. ⦁ Kyo is canonically associated with orange, while Tohru is canonically associated with pink—both of which are considered contrasting colours.

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-> 2.0) NejiTen

Many might not understand why NejiTen ranked so highly on my top 30 ships list, especially given the ship's lack of prevalence in the Naruto/Boruto series. However, this pairing was my first OTP and therefore played a significant role in getting me interested in participating in shipping culture and fandom spaces.

> 2.1) Relationship dynamics & canonical interactions: Aside from being two of my favourite characters in the series, Neji and Tenten are shown to be quite like-minded, to the point where they frequently complete each other's sentences in both the anime and manga. Despite being fairly distant from most other characters, they get along well and spend a lot of time together, to the point that they are nearly always depicted alongside each other. Furthermore, Neji and Tenten have shown that they are comfortable discussing concerns with one another, and it is evident that they respect and trust each other. While Neji is somewhat reserved and rigid, he appears to be at ease around Tenten, not minding her playful teasing. Neji can be rather standoffish and haughty—thus, he is seldom seen apologising, but he has apologised to Tenten. Although they were never canonically confirmed, there is enough subtext to suggest that if Neji had survived, they would have ended up together. For example, Tenten's weapon shop in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is titled "Ninja Tools Turn Turn Turn" (忍具転転転)—where the kanji "具転転" translates to "spinning", a possible reference to Neji's primary technique, "Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven".

> 2.2) Symbolism & Aesthetics: ⦁ Neji and Tenten's character designs complement one another, given that both are inspired by Chinese culture and use matching white-and-blue and white-and-red colour schemes. Furthermore, they share the same hairstyles as Hashirama Senju and his wife, Mito Uzumaki, respectively. ⦁ Their names complement each other as "Tenten" (天天) translates to "heaven heaven" when written in kanji, while Neji's surname "Hyūga" (日向) translates to "place in heaven/the sun." ⦁ Neji is often associated with birds because his narrative centres around yearning for freedom; additionally, his curse mark is called the "Caged Bird Cursed Seal". Whereas the meaning of Tenten's name—heaven—can be described as "a place above the sky". In both the manga and anime, birds have been shown flying in the sky during scenes where Neji and Tenten are together. Neji perceives birds soaring in the sky as an embodiment of freedom—hence, his bond with Tenten can be interpreted as an extension of that freedom. ⦁ They are considered harmonious and compatible in terms of both Western astrology and Japanese blood type personality theory. ⦁ In Chinese mythology, a dragon and phoenix pair are said to symbolise perfect harmony and yin-yang balance. In the series, Neji was portrayed as a burning phoenix during his death, while two of Tenten's signature techniques in the anime are the "Twin Rising Dragons" and "Exploding Dragon Strike". ⦁ They share the same leitmotif in the Naruto anime; however, Tenten's has a slower beat compared to Neji's

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-> 3.0) HakYona

HakYona is another pairing that is pretty self-explanatory, given that they are the backbone of the series' narrative. That being said, I do have a friend who somewhat liked the series but wasn't a big fan of HakYona and more specifically Yona herself.... I feel like the issue there—and with most people who don't like this pairing—is that she just hasn't read the manga. While the romantic developments in the anime are very subtle and gradual—which is understandable given the events that have unfolded—there has been immense progress in the manga.

> 3.1) Relationship dynamics & canonical interactions: From their introduction, their romantic chemistry is immensely palpable, and it permeates throughout the series. Their interactions strike a great balance between being humorously entertaining and heartwarmingly sincere. It is because they value each other so much that they can tease each other so earnestly—I can't begin to explain how much I love their playfully sarcastic banter. Hak's unadulterated devotion and selfless, supportive nature pair well with Yona's compassion, stubborn bravery and strong conviction. Their respective character growth throughout the series greatly complements each other, which not only deepens their connection but also highlights the series' themes and enriches the narrative. While Yona took a long time to realise her romantic feelings for Hak—in part due to her previous affections for Su-Woon and in part due to the upheaval of her life—she has always cared for him and has consistently shown her devotion and commitment to him throughout the manga.

> 3.2) Symbolism & Aesthetics: ⦁ Their respective red-pink and blue colour palettes greatly complement one another. These contrasting colour palettes and their contrasting traits allow them to fit into the sun × moon symbolism aesthetic. ⦁ In the series, Yona is associated with light, fire and dawn—while Hak is associated with darkness, lightning and night. ⦁ Official artwork of Hak and Yona often uses flowers with romantic symbolic meanings, such as red camellias, peonies, cherry blossoms, plum blossoms and morning glories.

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-> 4.0) GinTsu

Although never officially made canon, GinTsu is a pairing that has potential, depth and a solid foundation. Given that Gintama heavily centres around its protagonist Gintoki's connections with others, it's unsurprising that he is a very shippable character. Consequently, there is a lot of competitiveness when it comes to ships in the fandom. Although Tsukuyo is not the only character I ship Gintoki with, this pairing stands out for several reasons.

> 4.1) Relationship dynamics & canonical interactions: For the most part, their opposing personalities cause them to bicker and playfully tease each other, but these different traits also allow them to balance and ground one another. Tsukuyo's discipline, seriousness and rigidity contrast with Gintoki's laziness, sarcasm and nonchalance. Gintoki's playfulness brings out Tsukuyo's gentler, more humorous side, while her sternness keeps him from being overly irresponsible. Their immense chemistry is built not only on how their contrasting personalities complement each other but also on their fundamental similarities. Both characters are willing to go to any extent to protect their loved ones, and as such, they have a profound degree of mutual understanding, trust and respect. Both characters conceal their vulnerabilities behind strong exteriors, although they deal with their trauma in different ways—Gintoki hides his inner turmoil using humour and frivolity, whereas Tsukuyo relies on stoicism to conceal her insecurities. In many respects, their backstories are comparable, and as a result, Tsukuyo can relate to Gintoki on a level that few other characters can. This allows them to be vulnerable with each other, showing a softer side that is often masked in front of others. The way Gintoki and Tsukuyo's contrasting personalities are balanced by their similarities lends their relationship a sense of emotional depth and richness, making their bond feel genuine and impactful.

> 4.2) Symbolism & Aesthetics: ⦁ Although most recurring Gintama characters are based on historical figures, Gintoki and Tsukuyo are both based on Japanese mythological figures. With Gintoki being named after Kintaro/Kintoki Sakata, a Heian era folk tale hero—while Tsukuyo is named after the Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, the moon god in Shinto mythology. ⦁ In the series, Gintoki is associated with silver, white and blue; while Tsukuyo is associated with gold, black and orange—all of those respective pairs are complementary colours. ⦁ This pairing fits into the sun × moon aesthetic trope because Gintoki is canonically associated with day and the sun, while Tsukuyo is associated with night and the moon. ⦁ Their primary outfits complement each other as the base of Gintoki's yukata is white, while the base of Tsukuyo's kimono is black. Furthermore, neither character wears the right sleeve of their kimono, and their outer layers drape in a manner that exposes their right leg. ⦁ Additionally, the orange maple leaves on Tsukuyo's kimono are symbolic of autumn, while the wave-like patterns on Gintoki's yukata are symbolic of spring.

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-> 5.0) HanaNene

While this pairing is somewhat controversial—if you've read the manga for TBHK, then I feel like at the very least you'd have to understand why people ship this pairing even if you don't support it yourself... Admittedly, I used to like KouNene more than HanaNene before I started reading the manga.

> 5.1) Relationship dynamics & canonical interactions:

Nene and Hanako have an incredibly complex relationship that is somewhat difficult to explain. Hanako is clingy and teasingly flirtatious with Nene while still being emotionally distant and secretive. Conversely, Nene, who usually wears her heart on her sleeve and falls in love easily, takes her time getting to know Hanako and slowly falls for him. Although initially Nene describes Hanako as being the exact opposite of her type and Hanako's overly familiar flirtatiousness comes across as obnoxious and creepy—over the course of the series, Hanako and Nene have come to care a great deal for one another. While originally it seems as if Hanako is just using Nene to accomplish his goals, he has shown that his devotion is sincere through his relentless efforts to extend her lifespan. However, this devotion is somewhat warped—by virtue of him being a supernatural—as evidenced by his willingness to uproot the lives of others and sacrifice his own existence to save her. While it seems that Nene is fine with falling in love with anyone, her growing affection for Hanako is robust, as she goes so far as to fight against time and space to change the timeline so she can see him again.

> 5.2) Symbolism & Aesthetics:

⦁ In both the anime and official artwork, Hanako and Nene have been depicted alongside various flowers that have romantic connotations in hanakotoba and floriography—most notably: camellias, hollyhocks, bellflowers, sunflowers, and daffodils. ⦁ In the first ending theme song of the anime, Hanako and Nene are shown to be connected by the Red String of Fate. This symbolism is especially appropriate considering Nene and Hanako's fates became "bound together" after they both consumed the match-making mermaid scales in episode 1.

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-> 6.0) SasaMiya

Given that Miyano and Sasaki's relationship is the crux of the series, I feel like this is another self-explanatory pairing. While shipping isn't necessarily about which pairing is the healthiest or least toxic—I very much enjoyed the way their relationship subverted many problematic BL tropes and stereotypes through its emphasis on consent, communication, mutual consideration and respect in relationships.

> 6.1) Relationship dynamics & canonical interactions: Miyano and Sasaki got along well before they started dating, often spending time together in between classes, before and after school. As a result, they know each other well and can have meaningful discussions regarding the progression of their relationship rather than allowing insecurities and misunderstandings to fester, as seen in many other pairings. Their personalities complement each other well, with Miyano's affable and kind demeanour bringing out a more cheerful, considerate and patient side in the usually impulsive and apathetic Sasaki. Conversely, Sasaki's flirtatiousness, patience and consideration with Miyano bring a flustered and passionate side in the latter, who is generally reserved and straightforward. My favourite aspect of their relationship is how evident their mutual concern and respect for each other's feelings are, as both Miyano and Sasaki put a lot of effort into not overstepping their respective boundaries. Sasaki is very careful about not pressuring Miyano into a relationship, as shown in his willingness to wait for the latter to process his feelings after receiving a confession. In addition to this, Sasaki is not only protective of Miyano but also actively strives to be as tender as possible with his mannerisms and speech around the latter. Miyano, on the other hand, takes his time processing his feelings for Sasaki rather than quickly rejecting or accepting his confession to avoid hurting the latter. I also find it endearing how many of the more mundane aspects of their characters balance each other. For example: Sasaki is good at baking and likes sweets but is bad at studying and handling alcohol; whereas Miyano is bad at cooking and dislikes sweets but is good at studying and handling alcohol. I also like the commitment they both show in taking a genuine interest in each other's interests and wanting to see their partner happy. While their relationship starts with Sasaki showing interest in Miyano's passion for BL manga—later in the series, Miyano starts borrowing CDs from Sasaki just like the latter borrowed manga from him.

> 6.2) Symbolism & Aesthetics: ⦁ Miyano and Sasaki are but one of many popular M/M ships/duos that possess contrasting black and orange hair. ⦁ Miyano is canonically associated with dark blue, while Sasaki is canonically associated with orange—which are considered complementary colours. ⦁ Miyano is canonically associated with rabbits, while Sasaki is associated with lions. ⦁ In official artwork for the series, the pair is often depicted alongside cherry blossoms—a flower that has romantic connotations in hanakotoba and floriography. ⦁ The anime makes use of opaque pastel flowers and geometric shapes to accentuate romantic scenes of this pairing, adding to the romantic ambience.

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