The Weight is Not the Same
A post about love tokens.
I want to talk about the Christmas gift that Ochako got from Izuku and why it is the perfect symbol of a doomed love.
Izuku didn't choose that gift thinking of Ochaco. He was picking a generic gift for a classmate and friend. That they received each others gifts after a blind exchange and weren't thinking of each other at all when they picked them. In other words, it was random. Much like the IzuOcha pairing would look random and mashed together by coincidence if Horikoshi ultimately chose to pair them as endgame.
Ochaco might carry the doll around the same way she might carry a crush for Izuku, but the mochi that Izuku received has long gone the way of their romantic potential. I shall not elaborate.
Furthermore, the doll is problematic as a symbol for Izuku and Ochaco's relationship. Why?
Because All Might belongs to Izuku and Katsuki.
No, I don't mean that they have any claim on All Might the person, but these two boys have plotted their entire life's trajectory on All Might the Hero. Their entire relationship can be traced back to All Might. They bonded over their shared love of the hero as kids. The only reason Izuku is with Katsuki attending the same school is because of All Might. They share the secret of OFA with All Might and every time their relationship grows closer to reconciliation, All Might is there, watching over them. Their entire spiritual journey revolves around All Might and synthesizing the dual aspects of his heroic nature. All Might is their signpost and their get-a-long shirt.
Now if Katsuki had received the All Might doll--
Oh.
They both carry talismans into battle, but the weight is not the same.
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Respect Her Journey
I want to talk about this piece of art that Horikoshi drew that probably has bkdks hissing and screeching at the sight of, and izuochas fist-pumping and going yeaaah! my ship is endgame!
Nono, don't be afraid, look at it! It'll be okay I promise.
It's beautiful, I hate it, you might say, as a bkdk.
Anyway, this was the tweet I lifted this art from.
Oh yes, pay attention to them falling! Some people might take this to mean falling in love, or whatever. I cannot comment on what Horikoshi meant by this statement, because he has proven to be a cryptic little nuisance of a troll. I will however, examine his inspiration for this piece and tell you why this is not him saying that Izuocha is endgame.
Um, incoming spoilers for Spirited Away if that wasn't obvious. If you've not watched it, I implore you to do so yesterday. It's a one of the greatest movies of all time.
Spirited Away: a story about Chihiro, a timid girl who ventures into the spirit world for the sake of her parents. (Wait? What? Sound familiar?) There's more.
In order to redeem her parents, she starts working in an environment that showcases all the worst parts of capitalist society
She befriends a boy named Haku, who she goes on adventures with
She meets No Face, a child-like spirit who lacks love and eats people while taking on their characteristics
She gives Haku back his name and breaks his curse with the power of love
She saves her parents and returns to the normal world having grown from her adventure and faces the future with confidence
Can we please appreciate the parallels between these two stories?
Bathhouse -> Hero Society: The overseer takes Chihiro's name, who becomes Sen. Just like Ochaco becomes Uravity. The public no longer sees her as a child. She is now a hero and they are free to expect things from her, like to fight in a war on their behalf. Urakaka is now fighting against her own bathhouse.
Haku -> Deku: Chihiro gives Haku his name back, just like Ochaco gives Deku a new meaning to his name, breaking the curse that Deku means "useless". Ochaco draws strength from at first, but she has since come to realize he is not invincible and that he himself needs saving.
No-Face -> Toga Himiko: Chihiro fascinates No-Face. Just like Toga Himiko the unloved girl, is fascinated with Ochaco for her goodness and being everything that she longs to be. Urakaka's character arc is tied up with Himiko and her struggle to save her smile.
There's probably more to unpack here, but these are the few that stood out to me right away. I'm lazy.
Now that we've established that Ochaco is Chihiro and Deku is Haku, remember that this falling scene in the movie is the climax. This is where Chihiro recognizes Haku for who he is and gives him back his identity. It is both a hello and a goodbye.
OOoooh! But Haku and Chihiro are in love! a certain braindead subset might retort--just no. I shouldn't have to mention how problematic it is to ship a ten year old with anybody, or that Chihiro is based on a real ten year old girl that Miyazaki knew--there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Haku is Chihiro's dead older brother, but I won't get into that. Look it up if it interests you. In short, it's platonic. PLATONIC.
Anyway, though Chihiro and Haku have benefitted from their friendship, ultimately they are headed in different directions.
Just like Ochaco and Deku are headed in different directions.
So please, please, don't hate this art. It's beautiful. Just like Ochaco is a beautiful character who has worked hard to be who she is. Stop trying to pigeonhole her as the love interest. It's insulting and she's fought that role kicking and screaming.
I also leave this with you. It is an excerpt from an interview with Miyazaki on his movie Spirited Away:
I felt this country only offered such things as crushes and romance to 10-year-old girls, though, and looking at my young friends, I felt this was not what they held dear in their hearts, not what they wanted. And so I wondered if I could make a movie in which they could be heroines...
I'm not saying that Horikoshi is absolutely taking Miyazaki's intentions as his own, but it's something.
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