I——O——I

[natsuisdense]

Recent 100YQ Chapter

Pardon my slightly delayed opinion on this lol I don’t want to cloud up this tag with depressing things.

I just have to say that (like many others have said) Lucy dying here would make absolutely no sense; why would the main character (or at least main female character if we’re including Natsu) and narrator of FT die in a typical match-up battle we see in most arcs that has no history behind it? It also just seems like such a sudden unnecessary thing to happen.

I also have to say that I am very sure Lucy did not lose her real arm—or she’ll somehow get it back. The whole thing with Kyria’s illusions and the fact that Hiro likes trolling his fans makes it very hard for me to believe that he would seriously injure Lucy (a character he said was his favorite) in a random battle after the franchise has been going on for over 15 years. It would be such a sudden change in our perception of who Lucy is, and I’ve always been uncomfortable with characters I’ve grown attached to having their physical appearance drastically changed.

More importantly, of ALL the times a character should have been injured in this series (literally Natsu and Erza at least 10 times each), you’re going to choose LUCY as the one to have an arm cut off? If I’m being honest, Natsu and Erza should have many more long-lasting injuries given the amount of stuff they do every arc (need I mention that Natsu was literally impaled in Aldoron?) I’m not saying that it didn’t make sense for them not to be injured because Hiro did give the whole dragon force thing to justify Natsu being okay, but it’s important to remember he can literally do whatever he wants with his characters. If the odds are against the character, he can make a bs reason to leave them unscathed. So having Lucy lose an arm right now would be, for a lack of a better word, tacky. Of course, I wouldn’t love her any less but the whole thing just seems so random to me.

I just wanted Lucy to fight Kyria on her own and win. I find it very strange that Wendy took out that cat boy who was set up to be stronger than Kyria like it was nothing while Lucy is seriously struggling. Why does Hiro always match up Lucy in the worst way possible? It always makes Lucy seem so much weaker than Wendy when she really is not at all. I then reluctantly felt that it would be okay if Laxus helped out or whatever, but if he fully takes over and beats Kyria again the next chapter that would literally be so lame. We’ve already seen Laxus beat her so wtf.

I don’t even want this to be a Nalu moment even though the ship is lagging tremendously. Why does the ship only have to progress when Lucy is hurt and Natsu gets angry that she is? This battle could be another stepping stone to Lucy’s development, and I really hope that it is rather than Laxus or Natsu proving their strength for the ten thousandth time.

[natsuisdense]

Nalu Day Sketch Observations

This was the first of two Nalu sketches Hiro made for last year’s Nalu day...

He posted this one the next day last year with a color palette too. I’m kind of glad he also made this one because the first one was cute but there wasn’t much of a cute interaction or anything.

And this year...

I love this one so much. It’s a lot more simple than the Natsu-Lucy tutoring one, but the way they’re interacting makes it so much better. Even including the 2018 and 2019 ones, I think this is my favorite Nalu day sketch he’s done to date.

I don’t know if anyone else feels this way, but this sketch above that Hiro did randomly in January 2020 gives the same energy as this new Nalu sketch to me. I love all the sketches though and it’s so great Hiro has done this for the past few years.

[natsuisdense]

Misinformation

Istg nothing is more annoying than when people downplay Nalu because they only get snippets of what’s going on with the ship, especially right now with 100YQ.

I saw something today where a person said Nalu won’t happen because Edo-Nalu is canon and Edolas is the complete opposite of Earthland like... there are so many things wrong with that statement I just can’t. Some characters like Mirajane have the same personality in both worlds and that is specifically pointed out to show that although Edolas is not the same as Earthland, there are definitely not completely different. Not to mention that Gruvia is canon in both and Jerza practically is too.

You can dislike Nalu whatever it’s not my place to judge that but all i’m saying is some ppl are a little too bold for having no idea what they’re talking about. And from my experience they also refuse to admit they’re wrong too LMAO

[natsuisdense]

Being an overthinking shipper in a fandom where the creator literally writes the first thing that comes to his head is just... not fun.

[natsuisdense]

Consistency of Nalu Moments

This is mostly a message to myself. I think it’s important to put things in perspective when thinking about NaLu moments. FT is a shonen series, and ships are not the main focus. It’s actually really nice that Mashima and Ueda are still throwing in these NaLu crumbs in the recent chapters.

When a new chapter comes out and I start thinking how I wish there was a Nalu moment or that there were more Nalu moments, I remind myself of the Aldoron arc: over thirty chapters of no physical Nalu interactions and just the slightest references to one another every few chapters. They may just be small things, but what we’re getting right now is amazing in comparison to that arc. Not every chapter is going to have huge moments like Lucy hugging Natsu from behind or revealing that they have kids in Edolas.

Speaking of Edolas, the story is currently on the heels of us finding out Edo-Nalu is canon, which in my opinion is the biggest piece of canon Earthland Nalu foreshadowing that Hiro has ever given us in the entire series. My theory is that Hiro is dragging out the ship to the end of 100YQ and feels like he has to throw in a couple of setbacks and troll like he loves to do so that people will want to keep reading and be in suspense (hence the snow dolls thing). I don’t really think that scene was needed to keep readers in suspense, but that’s another topic altogether.

So overall, I’m just gonna take the moments that we get and really enjoy them. I think Gajevy, Jerza, and Gruvia were getting some good moments during and right after Aldoron but Nalu wasn’t because those characters won’t really be around their partners as much as Natsu and Lucy will be for the rest of 100YQ (unless they cut to Gajeel and Levy back at the guild every now and then). There’s plenty of more opportunities for more things to happen between Natsu and Lucy going forward.

[natsuisdense]

Nalu Content in Ch. 78

So there’s a picnic with Lucy, Loke, and Natsu. But Lucy either summoned Loke or he showed up on his own accord, and Happy isn’t even pictured... so I’m just gonna assume that Natsu and Lucy went on a picnic together alone (I’m desperate for NaLu content if you couldn’t tell).

And this scene actually means a lot to me. Natsu’s eyes go white so you know he was stressed when Lucy was hit. His first instinct is always to protect Lucy and make sure she’s okay (he also did this when she screamed after losing her clothes when being transported to Edolas). 

Even though he’s super strong and has an enormous amount of battle experience, Natsu will still get distracted if Lucy is in danger and even get hit himself. When push comes to shove, Natsu will prioritize Lucy’s safety over fighting and staying focused in battle. While it’s probable he would do the same for other members of the guild, the fact that his reactions are consistently emphasized only when Lucy is in danger says enough for me.

Side note: I love how you see those streaks around Natsu’s face with anything involving Lucy. They were also there when he was praising Lucy for summoning all her spirits in this chapter, and it shows how Natsu is always the first one to pay attention to what happens to Lucy or what she does. Speaking of which, Lucy doing stardress mix and summoning all her spirits was really cool to see. I hope she gets more moments to shine in 100YQ!

[natsuisdense]

Earthland Nalu Children

Ok hear me out: it’s completely wishful thinking, but I think Hiro’s been teasing Earthland Nalu kids and it’s driving me insane.

C’mon Natsu, I see your face. We both know you wanna lay eggs with Lucy and hatch some pink-haired babies.

At the very least he likes Nasha enough to want to take her back. And once again, it’s paralleled to Gruvia which is canon...

Proof Natsu is total dad material (not to mention the whole Asuka omake). And ofc Lucy in the back.

And her. Literally just her. She even has a variant of Natsu’s scarf. Just one kid, please Hiro? I promise I’ll shut up afterwards.

[natsuisdense]

Hey Hiro if you’re having trouble developing Nalu and want to continue delaying their development just know I’m always free. I promise you, I got many great ideas on how to make it canon without a timeskip or rushed progress near the end of 100YQ. Just letting you know.

[natsuisdense]

I was reading this pretty popular smut fic called “Lucysexual” by Marsfish (highly recommend btw, sorry idk if they have a tumblr). It was published in 2016 but it’s so ahead of its time. Compared to some other characters in the series like Gray, who’s hinted to have slight interest in other characters before Gruvia was a done deal, Natsu didn’t give us much until 100YQ. And now he’s all about Lucy and Lucy only. I love it.

Edit: Here’s the link. https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11983980/1/Lucysexual

[natsuisdense]

Next Generation Series

Hiro saying that he will consider doing a FT Next Generation series if the fans want it actually gives me some hope for Nalu itself. 

Personally, I don’t really want a full Next Gen series; this is probably an unpopular take, but I honestly think FT has gone on long enough. Sure, we may get a few nice moments in a new series, but if all the couples get together by the end of 100YQ and maybe we have a few omakes about their lives as couples (or one with their kids) that would be more than enough for me.

Anyway, I think him saying he’ll think about it shows that he’s okay with having some of his decisions influenced by the fans. In other words, because a very large amount of FT fans wants Nalu to become canon after all this time, maybe he’ll finally make it happen in 100YQ. Imo, not making Nalu canon after the ridiculous amount of teasing and foreshadowing he’s done (especially in 100YQ) would honestly just be a little callous.

As for Nalu progression in the manga, I think that we’ve known Lucy has had interest in Natsu for a while and Natsu has finally shown physical attraction and it only has been for Lucy. They have the bond, they have mutual interest, now we just need more progression or a bigger moment where everything clicks for both of them (especially for Natsu). Even if you exclude the anti-shippers and the crazy shippers like myself, there is a pretty large amount of fans that follow the series for other things but still think it would be nice for Nalu to become canon.

I also think that the fact he is even considering a Next Gen series is good for Nalu because there’s no way he would make one without Natsu and Lucy together with a child.

[natsuisdense]

I love Happy as much as the next person, but when the chapter covers only have Natsu and Lucy together... just yes.

[warlordgab]

NaLu analysis: Warmth and Comfort

This post is an impromptu analysis made in response to a recent conflict within the Fairy Tail fandom in which a GrayLu wanker, a fan translator, and a nalu stan made a mess that the anti-NaLu crowd and NaLu haters in general may use against the pairing

This anlysis seeks to disprove their arguments and defend NaLu, using the author’s works as well as logic and reason

One of the arguments that popped up more often is Lucy not feeling comfortable with her relationship with Natsu due to their more “fanservicey” interactions…

…this one is actually interesting; while Lucy indeed gets flustered because of these accidents, they’re not something that negatively impacts her relationship with Natsu, and they don’t shape her outlook on Natsu’s character. In fact, after Natsu tried covering Lucy’s breasts with his hands during the final act of the GMG arc, we get this scene:

Amidst a difficult battle, Lucy (with a dreamy expression on her face) reaffirms her faith in Natsu and his capability of pulling them through. She never claims Natsu is not reliable or trust-worthy, she believes in him even after the fanservice, and through their bond, he provides her with comfort and relief.

One perceptive reader once commented that if Lucy were to feel uncomfortable with Natsu and the moments they share, she would keep her distance instead to drawing closer to him. And the manga shows she was even reluctant to go on missions with someone else…

…because she felt bount to Natsu. To put it in other words, while the idea of teaming with someone else felt odd, teaming up with Natsu felt right to Lucy. Instead of feeling uncomfortable with Natsu, she feels attached to him.

Another argument popped up due to what a shallow shipper later called a “joke.” This time is the claim of Lucy seeing Natsu as something disgusting, with one the biggest argument being Natsu’s house. Lucy cleaned up the place, and before doing so, there were a few scenes that showcased why Lucy warmed up to Natsu’s place…

…the way Natsu took care of all the memories they made along the way.

Some probably didn’t realized it yet, most of these claims fall apart when you look at this relationship through Lucy’s perspective.

There were more arguments thrown around, some were based on alcohol intoxication, which leads to controversy for obvious reasons. Others were around not forgiving Natsu for the choices he made, even if Lucy doesn’t hold any grudges and still grows closer to Natsu. Almost like Natsu is neither worthy or deserving according to shippers

But, given how many NaLu fans actually back up these claims, I have to point out the hypocrisy of shippers once again.

NaLu has a lot of scenes focusing in “fanservice,” while Jerza and Gruvia also have similar moments, Natsu and Lucy get them more often. This fanservice sometimes is celebrated in the fandom, such as when Natsu suddenly felt “so good” when he had Lucy wrapped around him…

…but, thanks to the recent conflicts within the fandom, shippers are now using fanservice scenes against Natsu, after celebrating it not so long ago. So, here’s a reminder to those who forget how Mashima portrayed Natsu and Lucy multiple times in Twitter:

Still, we shouldn’t forget how the manga portrayed their chemistry and consistent bonding…

…which is based on the weight and the impact of the moments they share as well as meaningful gestures nurturing a potent relationship.

[natsuisdense]

NaLu Theory Thoughts

About the “Natsu-thinks-he-and-Lucy-are-a-couple” theory: it actually makes a lot of sense. Natsu only started showing signs of jealousy and blatant signs of physical attraction to Lucy in 100YQ after the end of the original series, where he told Lucy that the two of them would be together forever. In his mind, maybe he thinks that they’re a couple (but I think his idea of a couple is a little different than a fully established romantic couple if you get what I’m saying) after he said that and is now possessive of her and comfortable showing attraction to her. 

I also think that so far, we’ve only seen signs of jealousy and perversion instead of romance on Natsu’s end of the ship because he’s almost like a kid starting to discover attraction to someone else. Expecting anything obviously romantic on his end right now is a little unrealistic. Of course, I’m hoping we’ll see his attraction develop into the romance we’ve been waiting for as 100YQ continues.

[natsuisdense]

i hate that after watching FT it’s become nearly impossible for me to watch any show without automatically shipping characters and focusing on that ship instead of the story. help.

[natsuisdense]

it’s been over three years but i will never stop thinking about this bye

[natsuisdense]

Lucy’s Strength

Ngl it hurts when I see people say how Lucy is the weakest member of Team Natsu even though it’s true. As much as I love Nalu, I really want Lucy to have more moments where she holds her own. Natsu’s power basically just adapts to any situation to overcome it and his base form is also pretty strong and Erza has beaten people just because “she’s Erza”; she has always been acknowledged as strong. Gray might not get as much attention as these two but he’s still obviously a very powerful wizard. And then there’s Wendy; she went from having limited healing abilities and enchantments to very strong attacks, becoming a high enchantress AND amazing healing abilities. At the rate things are going, Wendy is going to be ridiculously overpowered.

Then we have Lucy, who’s probably my favorite member of Team Natsu. I really hope she gets stronger in 100YQ. I thought the Selene arc would be focused around her and there still is an opportunity that it will be but so far we’ve gotten nothing. Her progression is probably the most natural, but I’m sick of her always being left behind. Her powers have endless capabilities that are being wasted, and Mashima always sets her up so she ends up looking much weaker than she is. I also don’t understand that as Mimi revealed, Lucy’s spirits get stronger from Lucy’s own progression. The thing is, she had some pretty considerable progression in the span between Tartaros and Avatar with stardresses, and she grew even more before 100YQ with learning stardress mix. Master Makarov even noted a change in Lucy’s power when she used her Sagittarius Star Dress against Ajeel. But, there has been no mention or indication that her spirits have gotten stronger. Maybe Mashima had Mimi say this because Lucy is getting a power-up really soon and we’ll see her spirits become stronger? That might make sense because Mimi telling Lucy she needed discipline seems like some pretty obvious foreshadowing, but we’ll just have to see.

With Wendy, Mashima has shown that he can make a character with potential that starts out weak much, much stronger, but the power-ups he’s given Lucy only give her moderate progression (to be honest, I feel like the stardresses are being used more for aesthetics than actual power). It puzzles me more that Mashima said very recently at the end of 2020 that Lucy has ultimately been his favorite FT character (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NnjzT4dU_I at around 11:10). I don’t expect her to be an unstoppable powerhouse, but you’d think he would stop shafting her development and give her the progression she deserves if he likes her so much. I just want Lucy’s character to be used for the talents she has rather than endless fanservice. I love Hiro Mashima, but it’s just a little frustrating to see an amazing character continuously go to waste.

[natsuisdense]

It’s so cool that Nasha and Greige canonically existed and were already a few years old when the guild came back from Tenrou Island (and that arc ended in the manga in 2011).