Drink #038: Love Deluxe,
The Fine Art of Shipping
I know the end before
The story’s been told
It’s not that complicated
But you’re gonna need a bullet proof soul
Bullet Proof Soul – Sade
Shipping is like time, nothing can stop it. Some series don’t have romantic relationships? That cannot stop shipping. Some shows have romantic relationships that are set in stone? That cannot stop shipping. Some shows have asexual characters? That cannot stop shipping.
When people want in their hearts for two characters to hook-up, they become a fearsome force sometimes for good but mostly for evil. For Valentine’s Day we look at how shipping affects fandom and the fans who ship. We even make some confessions about who we ship and which ships we fight against.
(Listen)
And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:
Love Deluxe
1 oz. BarSol Pisco
8-10 red seedless grapes
1 1/2 oz. Riesling
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
Muddle red seedless grapes in Boston shaker. Add other ingredients and ice to shaker. Shake well and serve in a cocktail glass.
Reverse Thieves 
In regards to SEED Destiny, the story I’d always heard was that the head writer (who is also the director’s wife) had some tension Cagalli’s voice actor, and basically assassinated Cagalli’s character to show her what-for.
As for pairings, I don’t know if I have a least favorite one, but I’ve always been partial to Naruto x Hinata. As the manga progresses, I think the actual work itself is making this connection as well (a confession, some hand-holding, but not out-and-out romance).
In Macross, I’m on the Hikaru x Misa boat, but I actually remember being into Hikaru x Minmay when the series began (I felt sorry for them that they could never meet up), but that my opinion changed as the series progressed. In Macross Frontier, while I like Sheryl more than Ranka, that had nothing to do with who Alto is supposed to end up with. I like Sheryl the individual character.
But, for Macross 7 I’ve always thought it was about Basara x Sivil (though again not something I care about in particular). I think it’s the way Basara kind of becomes obsessed with her, and maybe even the fact that he’s literally an unending source of life for her.
A great resource!
knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/shipping
BTW, When I just read the title of this podcast, I thought you were tackling the shipping process of anime/manga to consumers. #thoughtfail
I feel like in Naruto, fans wouldn’t go for the obvious Sakura/Naruto/Hinata/Sauske pairing. There are so many side characters that I think the shipping must be endless. Probably some awkward cross generational shipping going on there, too.
When I ship (only in my head; I don’t take it further) I am conservative about it. I only ship based on strength of the relationship.
So for One Piece, I think most of the male cast is a bunch of idiots (I say that lovingly) and only Sanji or maybe Zoro would actually be in a relationship. Luffy always ships with food. :)
I think the thing with the Macross 7 love triangle is that an element to Mylene’s character is her realizing she’s over her head. In a universe where people under 20 are the centerpoint of major events they kept Mylene’s relative inexperience in relationships somewhat grounded. She is basically a rich girl who keeps getting handed things and doesn’t know what to do with them, Gamlin included ;3
Not to get too deep into the side material but the Mylene Beat manga has a nice moment where Mylene visits Gamlin for comfort and even wonders what it would be like if she could stay there forever. But the main plot of that manga is pretty weird so it’s a shame a pretty simple moment is wrapped up in an unsatisfying story.
Great podcast! I definitely agree – shipping tends to get more intense in series that don’t have a set couple since it leaves so many possibilities open. That being said, it’s very common even in series with definitive couples for fans to ship the losing rival love interests together – it’s almost as though fans don’t want to see any main characters alone. I tend to get very invested in the romantic aspect of series but as far as shipping goes, I only get ardent when it comes to my favorite couples – and even then, usually only if the series features a prominent love triangle (like We Were There). I tend to agree with canon pairings 98% of the time (except Meiko and Namura in Marmalade Boy). And ooh, I refused to watch Gundam Seed Destiny because Athrun and Cagalli break up – I much preferred them over Lacus and Kira, who were pretty boring as far as couples go.
As far as manga-ka being influenced by fans in determining who to pair up, it definitely happens. Wataru Yoshizumi had no intention of pairing Ginta and Arimi together in Marmalade Boy until the fans asked for it. And in Boys Over Flowers, Yoko Kamio had planned to pair Tsukushi with Rui until she polled her readers and the vast majority of them wanted to see her get together with Tsukasa. And Narutaki, your theory that shojo protagonists end up with the guy who needs them the most is spot-on – having a troubled boyfriend makes the romance more angtsy and allows for character development. It’s generally why the girl always picks the bad boy. But I think most fans (including myself) root for couples for logical reasons (they have a fun dynamic; make each other better people, etc.) rather than simply for the sake of shipping. But a few fans seem to just have fun with crack pairings.
And I like your PSA, Narutaki. ;) There should be more kissing in anime!
That is why everyone needs to read Yamada and the Seven Witches.
– Hisui