okay so I saw this reel that talked about how they wanted bakudeku to be canon because they want a show where a gay relationship is treated with the same importance as straight couples are usually written and all I would think was MHA is not the place to go. Not only because he intended them as platonic but also because I believe Horikoshi can't write romance because see I genuinely think the reason bakudeku is popular is because Horikoshi is really good at writing friendships(when he focuses on them) but romance wise he cannot do the same.
I am an Izuocha shipper, but even I acknowledge that he didnt develop izuocha enough because he's just not interested in romance and I think the same would have been with any ship with Deku, including bakudeku because it's a pattern. Even with the canon romantic side couples that are their, they were all implied or like one episode bangers and not a proper romance.
So, in my eyes , Bakudeku is only popular and well fleshed out because he intended it to be platonic while if he'd intended it to be romantic it would not be as popular because he's not great at writing romance. I'd kind of say that bakudeku fans are lucky he didnt write bakudeku because I do believe he wouldnt have done them justice if he went in with that.
I do think representation is good because for instance lumity in the owlhouse is extremely well written but thats the thing you need the right writers for something like this, MHA did not have that, not in the sense that would satisfy people maybe looking for a good romance.
In conclusion, Bakudeku only seems to be popular because it was supposed to be seen as platonic and is platonic in his eyes but has great depth which he could not have achieved in a romance but then again because of how small representation is people would be happy regardless but again I may be wrong.
