Iâve been seeing lots of BakuDeku hate lately, and I have found a lot of things in common with a lot of it. So I decided to try to think positively and post this in hopes that the BakuDeku Antiâs might understand BakuDeku shippers a little better.
Important note: Although I do ship BakuDeku, I am first and foremost a multishipper, and my OTP is TodoDeku.
First, Katsuki is a child. I know a lot of people who are teenagers will tell me otherwise, but you are a child. You have years to grow and change. I would never deny that to anyone that they could become a better person. Was he a bully? Of course he was. Did he do terrible things to Zuzu that should not be excused? Of course he did. But that doesnât mean heâs not capable of change? Of course itâs not. Izuku deserves an apology AT THE LEAST. But Iâm not going to sit here and hate on a child either.Â
Next, I think as an adult itâs much easier for me to see the growth a teenager is capable of. I know that many people just donât want to forgive him flat out. Maybe youâve been bullied, and you hate your bully. Maybe your bully will never change and will never deserve forgiveness, but donât force those expectations on others. There is tons of evidence in the anime/manga that Zuzu is steadily growing more confident in their relationship and itâs ability to heal. Itâs not up to you whether Zuzu wants to acknowledge that. Zuzu also clearly does not consider Katsuki to be his abuser. He freely returns to Katsukiâs side and is dead set on repairing their relationship. That is not the typical behavior of someone who has been abused.
If you actually take a moment to speak with a BakuDeku shipper, I can guarantee you that none of them support bullying and abuse. But most of them, like the redemption arcs. Or they like the stories where the boys have already grown into adulthood. Because people can change. Maybe not all will, but all are capable of it. And itâs clear to me that Katsuki is changing. Because itâs easy to see the potential in a person or a relationship as an adult who has been in and seen complicated relationships. Donât let your thinking be stuck in the present. Itâs important to acknowledge change and potential.
Now, do I think if they started dating the way they are right now in canon would be healthy? Of course not, BOTH boys need some therapy (honestly, everyone in the show needs therapy). But do I think itâs ok to invalidate a relationship because of the lives they lead as children? Absolutely not. And itâs definitely not ok to tell BakuDeku shippers that theyâre romanticizing abuse, or that they support bullying. That shit is dangerous and harmful.Â
Laslty, I think itâs important to acknowledge the society they live in, the behaviors it breeds, and hero societies reactions to trauma.Â
The first time we see Kats push Zuzu away, is when Kats falls off the log. Your first reaction is logically, âthatâs dumb, Zuzu just wanted to make sure heâs alright.â But think of it this way. Imagine youâre a four year old child who has grown up in a society that has told you that if youâre weak, youâre useless. Imagine growing up being told that if youâre not strong enough to endure, than why bother being around. Imagine thatâs something even your parents told you. Then imagine that someone who was important to you, implied you were weak.
Of course we know logically that Izuku would never ever mean it that way. But Katsuki wasnât logical. He was four fucking years old and his best friend did something that could practically be seen as betrayal. Then imagine he keeps doing it. Everyone is telling you that youâre strong and valuable, and thereâs still that one kid who used to be your best friend, who is now trying to imply youâre something that this society sees as nothing. Obviously, thatâs going to awful.Â
Now, imagine youâre 14 and this kid does it again. And not only that but youâve almost been MURDERED by a villain. And what do the people around you say? That youâll be a great hero. They donât get you checked out by a medic. They donât make sure youâre ok. They donât help with your trauma. They only praise your strength.Â
Then imagine youâre 16, and youâve been fucking kidnapped. For several days. By villains who have every intention of murdering people. Then imagine when youâre rescued the heroes say the same shit they did last time. Imagine all that trauma being ignored by the adults around you. Then imagine going home, to a parent who blames you for it.Â
If you can read all that, and tell me you donât understand Katsuki a little more, then maybe you need to work on being more empathetic. You donât need to like him. But if youâre going to make valid arguments for or against a character or ship, then I beg that you educate yourself.
TLDR; Katsuki has been through a lot in a society that treats most everyone like shit unless theyâre strong, and even then theyâre held to ridiculous standards and their trauma is ignored. Did Katsuki bully him? Yes. Did Katsuki do shitty things? Absolutely he did.
But he is capable of growth, and so is Zuzu. Theyâll grow and mature and become totally different people. Think before you call shippers horrible names like abuse sympathizers or bully lovers. The people who ship BakuDeku ship it because they believe that people can redeem themselves. They ship BakuDeku because they recognize these are fucking kids who have so much potential as individuals, as friends and/or as romantic partners.Â
Think before you call anyone names. Trying to understand people can go a long way in making everyoneâs lives better. Donât be part of the problem, be part of the solution.Â
Also, itâs like midnight and Iâm barely coherent. I am happy to talk about literally any of this with anyone, as long as theyâre open to having a friendly conversation on the subject. I am a tolerant individual but I wonât put up with people being dicks. Even you kiddos out in TumblrLand.Â
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