An examination of LuNa in Strong World

Original post: May, 2018

Made by swans-anime-ramblings

Let me start off by saying that I don’t consider myself a multi-fandom hardcore shipper. I definitely enjoy certain ships, but on the whole I’d say I don’t particularly care who ends up with who for most of the anime/manga I’m into. However, LuNa is a whole different story. It really is my OTP.

I’ll admit, I resisted becoming attached to LuNa. I wanted to keep an open mind, and honestly, shipping complicates things. It sets you up for monumental disappointment because there’s a chance your ship will not become canon. And if this happens (and it happens a lot), it taints your experience. I’ve never believed you should invest in a story solely for shipping, but the disappointment remains all the same.

For me, Strong World was a big factor in shipping these two. I remember smiling and thinking, “yeah…I want these two to find romance.”  And so, I think it’s high time for me to go through their biggest moments in the movie and why I think they have meaning. Be warned, this gets lengthy!

1. Luffy is Nami’s emotional anchor/ support

This is one of LuNa shippers’ biggest arguments in favor of them finding romance, so I won’t explain why this is a thing, but I think there’s two major instances in the movie.

When Shiki first abducts Nami in the beginning of the movie, Luffy yells for her and his attention is focused on her while everything else is in chaos. She immediately responds by yelling his name back, but it’s too late and he’s knocked away. I think this exchange sets up the movie being about their relationship, and reinforces that their bond is strong.

The second, and perhaps more potent time, is when Nami hears of Shiki’s plan to wreck the East Blue. She’s napping inside the house when Xaio comes in excitedly because her friend’s dad came home. Shiki is leaving and he’s going to destroy the East Blue. After Nami hears this horrible news, she immediately says, “Luffy” as she gets up and goes to find him. She’s dazed, scared, and there’s a terrifying situation about to happen. Saying his name is completely reactionary because he is her rock.

2. Luffy and Nami find each other

Unlike the other Strawhats who were separated into groups, Luffy is completely on his own. It’s a convenient, purposeful way to give them some time alone when they happen to meet-up. Nami sees the Sunny and she exclaims, “Sunny-go!” And then moments later Luffy runs out of the forest, sees Sunny and also exclaims, “Sunny-go!” Luffy sees Nami and starts running towards her. Some hilarity ensues, but luckily Billy is there to save the day.

3. Luffy’s tenderness toward Nami

Normally, I wouldn’t peg Luffy as a “tender” guy. He’s usually getting into all sorts of trouble, is brutally honest, yells a lot and has a monstrous appetite. In this movie there’s a couple instances where Luffy’s boisterous nature is calmed, and here we can find Luffy focused on taking care of Nami.

After they are reunited, Luffy is cooking up some food and turns toward Nami giving her a tender smile while he tells her to eat. She refuses since it’s scorpion, but I love his moment. That smile is so irresistible.

Another good tender moment is after they’ve reunited with some of the other crew. Everyone is exhausted and Xaio’s mom invites them to come in and rest. As far as I can tell, it was an open offer, and before anyone has a chance to respond, Luffy says,“Nami. Why don’t you go and do that?” He knows she’s been through a lot, and gives her an opportunity to rest without any other interference. When the crew sleeps outside, Luffy is the one closest to do the door.

This type of quiet caring is the right type of caring. It’s natural, non-intrusive, and has such a lovely feel. Nami is an independent woman, so smothering is annoying to her. I think Luffy cares for her instinctively like this since he’s not the type to do things that are unwanted. For Nami, I feel this works best for her.

4. They’re comfortable with each other

One of things I love about the scene where Luffy and Nami are reunited is how relaxed they are talking to one another. I feel like there’s this common misconception that Nami is yelling at Luffy every waking moment of the day, but that’s simply not true. I bet they talk like this often. While Nami is changing, she’s asking Luffy where everyone is and he responds while cooking his scorpion. Honestly, this feels to me like a couple who has come home from a long day at work. After they’ve been reunited, someone starts cooking while the other gets out of their work clothes. “How was your day?” “oh just fine. It’s been busy at the office since everyone is off for vacation.”

Their comfortability with one another is shown again just a short time later when Nami is riding on Luffy’s shoulders with her hands gently sitting on top of his head. While flying, they’re casually discussing where the rest of the crew might be. I feel like if Nami were in this situation with anyone else, she’d be furious, or at least we would’ve seen her temper flare before accepting her fate.

Luffy is angry at Nami

This right here is the big one. After Luffy and the others are pulled out of Shiki’s trap, Luffy is somber because he’s lost. Ussop says, “she went with Shiki to save our hometowns” and everyone, including Luffy, heard Ussop say this. Luffy doesn’t react beyond continuing to look defeated.

When they start playing the message Nami left them, Luffy hears Nami’s words about how they (i.e him) isn’t strong enough to face Shiki. And Luffy is furious. His hands start shaking and he starts screaming. It makes him so angry that he goes and punches a rock out of frustration.

This isn’t like Luffy at all. And interestingly enough, we have something to compare it to. Robin’s departure from the Strawhat’s is over the same circumstance. Robin leaves so that the crew will not die because she believes they aren’t strong enough to face the World Government. After the failed attempt to rescue Robin, the crew explains what happened to Luffy. His response is seen below (also shutout to Luffy+Nami yelling at each other over it hahaha).

Now, he’s definitely angry but there’s one key difference. Luffy is angry at Robin for not worrying about her own safety, not because Robin doesn’t believe Luffy is strong enough. He isn’t taking her leaving personally.

But he does take it personally with Nami.

This idea of Nami “not believing Luffy is strong enough” fits in the category of things that you absolutely DO NOT say to a man you’re in a relationship with, in real life. This is a thing, and even an implication of  “you’re not strong enough” can be hurtful. I’ve seen this firsthand. But for confirmation I googled “things a woman shouldn’t say to a man they’re in a relationship with” and got a bunch of listicles (some of which were weird, I grant you). However, in the ones written by men, this was close to top. Here’s a random one I found.

From Glamour Magazine:

4. “He’d kick your ass.”

Telling us that anyone–even a grizzly bear or some sort of terminator from the future— can beat us up is equivalent to us flipping through a magazine and physically pointing out the women we think are betting looking than you. It’s ridiculous, I know, but we like to think we’re tough (true story: an ex told me her friend, a mixed martial artist,could kick my ass— my response: “not at Jeopardy”).

And absolutely, a couple of men don’t speak for the whole of masculinity, but I think it’s safe to say a lot of men would feel this way. Luffy’s reaction tells me Nami’s words cut. He was expecting the trust he places in her to be reciprocated (to quote Warlordgab). The idea that she didn’t was too much for him and he reacted. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this angry at one of his crew members.

Luffy protects Nami’s honor

Despite Luffy being furious with Nami, he will not allow her to appear weak in front of Shiki, who makes fun of her sacrifice. “You’re an idiot,” Luffy scowls. “Nami didn’t sacrifice herself, she just came to fight as our vanguard, is all!” before the Strawhats begin shooting up the palace. What’s funny about Luffy’s statement is it’s truer than he thinks. But she was gone and could not defend herself, so he did instead.

Luffy holds a grudge

Luffy’s anger toward Nami isn’t just a gut reaction. He stays angry at her, and when I watched this movie for the first time I was surprised. You can feel his anger when he’s about to beat the crap out of Shiki. “Nami. I’m gonna beat this guy up and then we’re going home.” He can’t talk with her about his anger until later, so he doesn’t even mention it, but it’s written all over his face. Even though he’s angry, he reaffirms to Chopper and Ussop to take care of Nami. Again, I feel like this is an accurate response to how a real man would act if they were in a similar situation.

Luffy scowling while fishing would probably be funnier if the circumstances hadn’t been so serious, but it’s evident he’s been by himself stewing for a while. When Nami is better, Luffy lets Nami know EXACTLY what he thinks. “You said some really mean things! I can’t believe you didn’t have faith in me after all this time!” And it’s then, the truth is revealed.

Nami is embarrassed at her message

At the very end of Nami’s message, she quietly asks to come be saved and doesn’t want Luffy to hear it now that the situation has been resolved. Sanji says it was “a message of love,” and Nami doesn’t even deny it. She just moves on to the next thing which is..something.

I think the reason Nami is embarrassed by the message, is that it does show her care for Luffy. Nami says that she directed the message to him because “you’re denser than anyone else”. So Nami, in the middle of Shiki breathing down her neck, is worried that Luffy will be angry by the message she’s being forced to give, and tries to say something so he understands. That she DOES believe in him, and she wants him to come get her. Nami understands Luffy.

What does all of this mean?

Well, that’s a good question. Because at this point in the game, are we really seeing “romantic love” from these two? I don’t think so, despite some of their reactions normally stemming from romantic love. So what is it then?

Recently, a good friend of mine has been going through One Piece. He is extremely analytical to the detriment of him enjoying shows at times. He told me admittedly that he doesn’t care about shipping nor does he pick up on shipping cues. As he’s watched One Piece, shipping isn’t a thing I’ve ever asked him about.

He watched Strong World right after finishing Thriller Bark, and this is what he had to say while giving me his thoughts on the movie.

“Luffy and Nami have a cool relationship. It’s an unstated love that’s purely platonic but incredibly strong. It’s not brought up much but I have sensed it.”

Honestly, I was wowed by his statement. He was able to put into words something I was having a hard time categorizing. The movie makes them feel like more, but at the same time it’s not romantic. This bond, which at the time of Strong World is platonic but strong nonetheless. They care for each other deeply and they have a special relationship.

So how does it progress?

Have you ever fallen in love with your best friend? I have, and I can tell you there was a single moment when everything became crystal clear to me. Afterward, I spent hours trying to sift through my feelings. When, exactly, did my caring for him transition to love? Did I always love him and was incredibly dense? Or was it gradual, and like a flower, it had been growing for some time beneath the surface and had just sprouted?

Yes…I think that was it. The seed; our friendship. The water; our caring for one another. The earth; the time we spent together. The sun; our shared laughter.

I think this analogy best describes Luffy and Nami, too. As my friend picked up, there’s something beneath the surface, something strong and lovely. Will Oda give it a chance to bloom? I don’t know, but I hope so.

I really hope so 😊

“Luffy had no reaction to Boa… doesn’t that mean he won’t have romance?”

Original post: April, 2018

Made by swans-anime-ramblings

I’ve been debating about posting this blog because I was hesitant about the kind of reaction it would receive. But I think this topic is worth discussing logically.

Alright, so let’s dig into this thing.

If we’re going to understand Luffy and his actions (or not actions) towards Boa, then we have to first understand him as being a character that fits the Battle Shonen archetype. The genre, despite people’s complaints about it, is the most popular type of manga/anime genre there is. And One Piece, for all its glorious writing, world building and character development, is perfectly happy to sit in its genre, with Luffy fitting right into the hero archetype.

Where did this archetype even come from? It may surprise you to learn that Dragon Ball is in fact the grandfather of modern Shonen. You know what kind of stories were running in WSJ as DB’s contemporaries? Big burley manly men who never changed or progressed like Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star.

 And the antithesis of this is Goku, little innocent Goku who takes this character type and flip it on its head.  (Kid Goku is so cute guys! *cries*)

Toriyama’s writing absolutely can’t be understated here. Nobody had ever seen anything like Dragon Ball. It became a cultural phenomenon. It became a blueprint for success. 

The classic Shonen Hero archetype has evolved into the following:

• innocent
• clueless when it comes to love
• loves to fight/ get stronger
• has a catch phrase
• wants to protect their “Nakama”
• thinks before they act
• often stupid or a simpleton
• gains power ups through training and other means
• cute

Within the archetype you’ve got big hitters such as:

Goku— the OG who was so clueless, he couldn’t tell someone’s gender without slapping them in the crotch. Also obsessed with getting stronger to the detriment of, well, everything

Luffy— the uber innocent muffin who will do anything for his crew, and will go out of his way for people if it concerns their dreams. Aware of his weaknesses more than the others, Also really dumb at first

Naruto— the misfit who starts out peeping at girls but then ends up taking on the burden of the entire world, because he’s THAT concerned about everyone and everything. Definitely the most selfless, has dumb moments, but smarter than the others

Ichigo— the lovable grump who literally doesn’t give a shit. Coolest one of the bunch

Natsu— loves his friends so much he gains power ups in the middle of the battle to win through the power of friendship. Probably the funniest one, takes life one job request at a time

Asta— the new kid on the block. Constantly yells to the point of irritation, believes working hard will solve all problems, doesn’t understand how relationships work and that nuns don’t get married

Deku— I know people will ask. Yes, he is a Shonen Hero, But doesn’t fit into the archetype so be will be left out of the discussion (the kid actually suffers from overthinking…complete opposite than these lovable idiots)

So, for fun, let’s throw all these Shonen Heroes into the same situation Luffy found himself in

All of these heroes fall through the ceiling and into Boa Hancock’s bath where they come face to face with the most beautiful woman on the planet who is naked.

Goku: completely unphased by Boa’s beauty. Asks who Boa is, and when she gets pissed, stands there with a “huh?” Look on his face when she shoots the love beam at him. After it has no effect, Goku puts his hand up with a smile and then says, “see ya!” Before flying off. Probably more concerned with where Vegeta went and if he managed to find a new level of Super Saiyan

Naruto: definitely phased by Boa. Would probably turn to stone ahahahaha

Ichigo: after being annoyed because he fell through the roof, would take one look at Boa, and get flustered out of embarrassment. By the time Boa tries to question him, he’s already left and found the exit.

Natsu: upon falling into the bath, he’d also be completely unphased by Boa. Would most likely take note of her earrings and ask about them. He’d probably also end up saying something Boa would find unbelievably rude, but something I would laugh hysterically at. “Woah?! Is that your guild mark?! Cool!!!” 

Asta: I imagine Asta would most likely cover his eyes out of courtesy, and ask for the way out. When Boa gets mad and asks why he’s not head over heals for her, nor why he’s looking at her body, he’d say something like, “sister Lilly is waiting for me” and then leave. *sigh*

So here’s my point. Three of our boys would have the same exact reaction as Luffy. When it comes to the archetype, lusting after girls simply isn’t in their nature. Natsu’s reaction to a naked Lucy was to cover her boobs with his hands “fine I’ll cover them” he sighs in the dub. No lustful reaction whatsoever. I’m pretty sure any normal guy would, um, not react that way. He looks so bored.

Asta refused to peep at a girls bath (way to shut that down buddy), and Goku’s seen plenty of naked people and he doesn’t care. He even has the same reaction in Dragon Ball Super, after he’s married, when he accidentally sees another woman naked (who is very beautiful).

(Harsh reaction there Goku, lmao)

Luffy’s reaction to Boa is completely in line with the archetype. The innocent nature of the main character is extremely important. Oda even says in the SBS that it would just be plain weird for Luffy to get a nose bleed. I agree.

So, do our boys reactions to Boa mean romance isn’t possible for them? Of course not. Goku got married and had 2 kids. Naruto, who is the most interested in women, got married. Ichigo ended up with someone and had a kid. Natsu’s relationship with Lucy isn’t “canon” yet, buuuttt with this sequel coming and all the art Mashima’s been posting, I think we can all just call it and it’ll be happening. As for Asta, the manga is still young so it’s hard to say, but judging how Tabata is treating romance in his manga, I’d say It’s a distinct possibility. Asta does have a low-key herem going on 🤷‍♀️

When Goku was a kid, he came across a foe who could turn evil (ie bad thoughts) into a weapon and kill you. Goku was the only person to ever survive because he has no impure thoughts. It basically works the same way as Boa’s love-love beam.

This innocence is why Goku can ride his magical flying cloud the Kinto-Un, aka the Flying Nimbus. That innocence in Goku stays with him forever, too. Goku can ride the cloud after he’s gotten married and created spawns. The idea is, sex isn’t dirty. It’s just how you treat it may or may not make it dirty (ie unwarranted advances). Master Roshi, Goku’s perverted teacher, can’t ride the Kinto-Un. Using Goku as an example, our innocent muffins can still have romance/make babies. Their highly innocent nature doesn’t stop them, but normally with these types, they will only have romance/make babies if it’s with one very special person.

This is important to remember; for this genre, romance is a part of maturing and growing up. Most of these shonen heroes end up with someone once they’ve passed a certain point. 

In One Piece Specifically 

When it comes to Oda’s writing specifically, romance between characters doesn’t really play a huge role in One Piece like the way it does in Naruto and Fairy Tail. Everyone who reads OP should recognize this. Whatever ends up happening at the end of One Piece, there aren’t going to be a zillion pairings and those pairings staring off into the sunset. 

There’s that famous line from Oda where he answered a question in the SBS (from chapter 317)

D: Doesn’t anyone on Luffy’s crew fall in love? Will there never be a tale of on-board romance? (Sanji is an exception in this case) I’m just wondering.

O: OF COURSE THEY’RE IN LOVE… WITH ADVENTURE! (← good one)

The SBS is a place where Oda jokes around with his readers. I think his answer is a good answer because it’s true, and when it comes down to it, a deflective answer.  And whatever else Oda has said or hasn’t said in magazines or interviews, Oda can change his mind about what he wants to include or not include in his manga.

The reason I think this is worth bringing up is because I can see a storytelling shift which has changed in his manga. Romance in any capacity used to play almost no role in the early story. Just think about the type of characters he was creating. You’ve got Nolan’s descendant who hangs out with guys that look like monkeys. You’ve got the giants of Elbaf, you’ve got the Galley-Law company guys. There’s hardly any blood families in the first half either. Vivi and her Dad are a notable example, but they are the minority, not the majority. The first half of the story was mostly focused on people who were not blood related and were making their own families, like the Franky family. Like the Strawhats. 

Post time-skip and New World, we’ve got a very different story being told. With Kyros and his wife Scarlet, Oda actually gave us the backstory to their romance! Dressrosa was set up a bit for that type of story, but I still find it notable. It wasn’t necessary for character motivations for Kyros. It felt like Oda wrote it because he wanted to.

You’ve got romance playing a big role in Whole Cake Island, even with Chiffon and Bege. This is a married couple with a young son, and not the type of characters we’d see in the early story. Sanji and Pudding were more of a serious type of relationship, even with Sanji “choosing to feel love” for Pudding. Guys, that’s…mature. We’ve seen a lot more blood ties in the New World, even to the point of the Big Mom pirates, dysfunctional as they are. 

In the end, you write what you know. When One Piece started, Oda was a single guy, now he’s in his early 40′s with a daughter. The types of stories he’s telling now are based on more mature aspects of his own life. 

Does this mean Luffy will most definitely end up with someone? Of course not. There’s a distinct possibility OP will end with Luffy as he is and there be no pairings of any sort.

But to dismiss the possibility of parings based on Luffy’s reaction to women or something Oda said back in some interview, is also too dismissive of a stance to take. Like his Shonen counterparts, romance for Luffy is a possibility. Remember what I said about the genre; romance is sign of growing up and maturing. Luffy is still growing and maturing, so it isn’t out of the cards.

In the end, Only Oda knows. Until One Piece has concluded, we’ll have to wait and see. 

LuNa Analysis: Bonding beats Bickering

Original post: May, 2018

I briefly mentioned in a previous analysis how Luffy and Nami occasionally bicker. Some people use “bickering” as an argument to claim “sexual tension” in favor of less substantial pairings, but others go to the other extreme…

Some people claim Luffy is so annoying to Nami that she would never try to bond with him any further. Why do people say this? We can tell some creative liberties when adapting the series into an anime could influence some people. But not every anime-only watcher jumps to such conclusion; there’s also the fact some people just dislike some premises or characters

Oddly enough, some people just don’t want a relationship to naturally grow and unfold through the course of a story

Whatever the reason some may have, we still can ask the questions: what do we get when we take at look the source material? How well do these arguments hold up when compared to Oda’s works?

Let us see…

First, does Luffy always annoy his navigator?

The short answer is “No.” While it’s true that they bicker from time to time and Nami occasionally hits Luffy for his antics, most of these (canon) occurrences fall into two categories:

The moments meant for comedy coming from Nami’s reaction to Luffy’s idiocy…

…and the moments when she actually has to put the reins on Luffy for his own sake and the crew’s as well…

This is a deeper meaning of her role as “navigator”, because she puts a lot of effort not only into guiding Luffy through their adventures but also through his own impulsiveness and recklessness. That doesn’t take away their bond’s potential to grow, it actually gives them the more reason to stick together as Luffy will always need Nami’s guidance, and Nami herself considers Luffy the person she can rely the most.

People who claim Luffy is always annoying Nami also overlook other moments that contradict their arguments. Interactions that prove how they’re both perfectly capable of getting along and even playing around…

This is an aspect that makes a relationship more fun and lively while bringing people closer to one another.

We can also find moments when Nami doesn’t react poorly to Luffy’s attitude and actions…

Some of the comedic moments are only there to provide some irony, such as when Nami and Usopp hit Luffy for yelling…

…just for later yell alongside Luffy. Even Zoro points out the irony of the scene:

Another example comes from Skypiea,  when Nami yells at Luffy for eating fish, only to find herself eating the same fish (from the same dish) a couple of seconds later:

We could mention another moment when Nami yells at Luffy not to fight the sky police, only for her to deliberately run her waver in the sky police guy’s face. And I could go on, but the article already has way too many pics, so let’s move on…

When it comes to more serious scenes, subtle interactions, or significant moments, the way the author conveys their relationship doesn’t revolve around the ideas of “annoyance” or constant “bickering.”

In fact, they both gradually come to accept each other flaws, Luffy while knowing of Nami’s short temper still values the faith and trust she puts on him and keeps on bonding with her, while Nami knows her captain is an idiot, she still looks for strength and comfort in Luffy, values how faithful he is to his friends and companions, and guides him in more ways than one.

That dreamy look is not the way you would look at someone you find “annoying.”

Their consistent bonding also disproves those shallow claims. Think about this: would a girl fling herself into the arms of someone she always finds “annoying”? Would she run and hug that guy first when other more “likable” companions are nearby?

A better question: Would she consistently look for emotional support emotional support in a person she finds “annoying”?

Now if we’re being honest, many people would admit no relationship is completely devoid of clashes or some sort of conflict. In real life, more often than not, a romantic relationship involves two persons with different backgrounds, or personalities, or temperament, or way of thinking. Such differences can create frictions.  

But just like a solid relationship is not defined by such frictions, the bond between these two characters is evidence that LuNa is a potent relationship that goes beyond mere “bickering.” The weight of the moments they share is one of the major factors that helps their connection to grow deeper and stronger as the story keeps moving forward.

EDIT: there were a lot of moments I wanted to include here, but 800+ chapters worth of scenes and interactions are way too much to go one by one, which is why this analysis only covers some essential pieces to prove the point.

Facts, Logic, and Canon: Lucy’s feelings for Natsu

Original post: ???

Made by Decadus

Fairy Tail seems to be reaching it’s climax, and as such the pairings in which Hiro Mashima is pushing for is becoming more and more obvious. Likewise, the pushback from fans who oppose these ships is becoming more and more apparent, and I am beginning to notice a disturbing trend. Discussions about pairings are becoming less and less about facts and logical interpretations of the canon material, and becoming more and more about accusing the other fanbase of acting in ways that triggers them. No more. It’s time for a return to form. 

This is the cover page of chapter 416. Now, I cannot possibly cover all of Natsu and Lucy’s relationship in one post. There is simply far too much content. To make things far less time consuming for me, I will limit this post to only material since the X791-X792 timeskip. Material from the omake specials, movie, OVA, and anime, will also be largely excluded. Most of the fanservice will also be excluded. I simply cannot go through all of the material in one post. 

This is from chapter 419.  After Fairy Tail disbanded, the one Lucy most wanted to see was Natsu. This is not an opinion, and there is not much room for interpretation. Plain and simple, this is definitive proof that Lucy missed Natsu the most. 

Lucy chased after Natsu when she found out he was leaving from his letter. Lucy did not have the same reaction to anyone else when Fairy Tail disbanded - and seeing as none of them purposely tried to avoid her when they left, it would have been far easier for her to follow them. 

This is Lucy’s outburst for Natsu leaving her behind. This was in response to Natsu criticizing Gray for leaving Juvia behind. 

 When Lucy thought Dimaria was about to stab out her eyes, her last thought was Natsu. Interpret this how you will. Lucy may have been calling out for Natsu to save her. Or she may have been worried about what would happen to him. Or she may have simply thought of him because it gives her hope. Either way, all roads lead back to the same conclusion.

Upon waking up from the aftermath, finding Natsu was Lucy’s first priority. In fact, Lucy was in such a rush to find Natsu that she forgot she was naked.

When Lucy finally arrived at where Natsu was, she rushed to hug him. If it wasn’t obvious how much Lucy cared about Natsu by her actions and thoughts up until this point, it should be fairly obvious now. It will continue to get more obvious below. 

Not to say that Lucy doesn’t care about Juvia and Gray’s conditions, but you can clearly tell that Lucy was the most worried for Natsu. This is evident in both the way she carries Natsu…

… and by the way she cradles him after Irene’s attack.

Lucy is willing to strip down and use her body heat to warm up Natsu. 

Upon Natsu waking up, Lucy can be shown visibly shaking due to relief. 

Lucy’s first instinct is to hug him once he wakes up. Once again, you get Lucy calling Natsu a dummy. You get Lucy saying how worried she was over Natsu. You get Lucy so caught up in the moment, she forget she’s naked.  

…And this is Lucy’s reaction when he thanks her. 

 If everything up until this point wasn’t clear enough, this is how Lucy acts when she is drunk during the Christmas Special.   

I’ve said this before, and I will say it again. If you’ve been keeping up with Fairy Tail and are not in constant denial because of personal bias, you can clearly see that Lucy has feelings for Natsu. Even with a reasonable degree of bias, you cannot deny that Lucy having feelings a higher probability than her not. It is only when you are unreasonably biased against NaLu, that you would deny this. The evidence for is overwhelming compared to the evidence against, and we are long past the the point of plausible deniability. I will stand by what I say, and what I say is that Lucy having feelings for Natsu is the simplest and most direct conclusion after having observed her various actions throughout the most current arc. 

Short analysis: One of them is not like the others

Original post: August, 2018

Defending NaLu may become a full-time job if some shippers keep doing their thing as often as they do

The last post focused on how Lucy’s character, as portrayed in the story, contradicts the trends shippers often promote. In fact, that analysis indirectly refuted the premises even self-proclaimed NaLu lovers actively endorse as they twist or degrade the NaLu bonding for the sake of something else

However, this new analysis will focus one Natsu, more specifically a moment from Dragon Cry. As some of you might know, the storyboard for the movie was made by Mashima himself, and we’re going to focus one scene: Natsu’s “flashback” before getting his heroic second wind

Some people already noticed Lucy was the person that stood out in Natsu’s memories, but to understand why is this so relevant to NaLu we need to make a comparison to a similar “flashback” featured in the manga… for another relationship (I apologize to those who don’t like it, but it is necessary)

The scene: Gray was about to sacrifice his life in order to beat a powerful opponent from Tartarus. While he was about to perform his attack he remembered several of his guildmates, but one person stood out the most…

Juvia. And what is Juvia to Gray? Let us answer that question by taking a look at the story:

The girl he claimed as his

This becomes ironic for, just as we saw in a previous analysis, Gruvia “borrowed” a NaLu moment to provide with an emotional weight based on their bond. And now NaLu seemingly borrows something from Gruvia

The point is, the girl that stood out in each case is someone precious to said character in a more unique and impactful manner. That allows us to tell the way Natsu feels about Lucy is both different and more profound from the way he feels about rest of his guildmates

The final scenes reinforce this point by placing more emphasis on how much Natsu values the way Lucy perceives him, as well as the effect she has on him

But that’s something we already considered so what else is new? It’s just another NaLu moment that proves their emotional connection surpasses less substantial premises.