#bkdk handhold when

[marimeeko]

This is unlikely and I don't expect it to happen, but just as a treat:

Have we thought of the idea that Katsuki would stubbornly continue to try rehab on his right arm/hand, like he told the doctor?

And what if the first thing he does to demonstrate his progress to Izuku is to take/hold his hand??

He is still shaky and he can't squeeze Izuku's hand very much, but a gentle grasp is all it takes.

I can just imagine the warm smiles and laughter between the two of them as they hold hands.

[loverln]

GUYS I GOT MY COPY OF GIGA SPRING AND IM SOBBING LOOK AT THEM T-T

[angy-grrr]

SJ's internal changes (I recall it was the editor in chief, someone really influential) happening JUST at the same time it was announced the epilogue would be 5 chapters (same week) + the ending not bringing up huge plot points (where the other villains are, why theres no actual Himiko corpse and instead we got Ochako's grief over that assumption, what happened to Dabi, what was the All Might vestige, why the bkdk handhold was off screen when its a big deal for them, who is Deku's dad, etc), letting them linger in the air while trying to make an okay ending + that strange two week break because of "schedule conflicts" + choosing to end BNHA under even more pressure even tho its one of the most important manga in SJ + Horikoshi talking about the ending days after the official release and bringing up how grateful he is for being able to work in SJ, as in past tense (like he is grateful he worked here, but isnt happening again; I say this bc I expected him to say something around the lines of "I hope im able to create something good here again soon!", considering we already know he has another manga project, if I remember correctly)

Thinking about it.

Thinking about how he could let it as it is, or try to pick it up and confirm the things that do matter to his story.

Btw, im not talking about the handhold as a shipper -it was genuinely important for them, as it symbolizes both their new mutual understanding and an acceptance as the new All Might duo thanks to their respective heroisms. It wouldn't be weird to add it in the epilogue, especially considering so many characters hold hands in non romanitc ways, so to choose not to when its arguably the most important one... Idk, it felt really weird as it was the only thing I was sure would get sooner or later.

[chandralia]

Toga saying she loves both boys and girls explicitly, that she loves differently, was ridiculed/abused for FOR loving differently, saying she wanted to be like people around her instead. Twice suggesting her villain name be Carmilla? (THE FIRST LESBIAN VAMPIRE)

Ochako calling herself strange for wanting to save Toga, reaching out and leveling, speaking in a way only Toga can understand, telling her she’s the cutest girl in the whole world, and offering to give Toga her blood for the rest of her life??

Deku saying “I’ve spent my life chasing after you,”“you’re my image of victory,” that he “can’t imagine a world in which kacchan doesn’t exist,” “kacchan and everyone else” over and over again, LOSING HIS MIND WHEN ONLY KATSUKI’S INJURED, being told to control his heart three times (COUNT THEM: THREE) over Katsuki?? Kudou having to use Katsuki to motivate Deku? “their feelings become one” just from locking eyes…???? Deku’s world shifting when Katsuki’s alive again, looking at him in awe (the way he’s only ever looked at him).

Katsuki risking his life for Deku repeatedly, thinking of only him before death, having to imagine Deku in danger to further his quirk, being targeted because he’s the closest to Deku (VERBALLY STATED BY SHIGAFO), avoiding medical care at every turn to get to Deku, always reminiscing about their past, A MISSED HANDHOLD, imagining their future together and breaking down crying in front of Deku at the possibility of that being ripped from him, saying he wanted them to keep doing this forever?

“that’s just how shonen is, everyone’s gay but no one’s canon” SHUT UP PLEASE. we quite literally do not know what Hori is or isn’t allowed to do. He’s been vocal about fighting for what he wants in his story, and even if it is an executive or editor saying “no you can’t do this” look what he’s managed to do so far.

not to mention THREE canon trans characters, toga correcting overhaul at misgendering. kendo saying “I just want to be me” when talking about gender, the entire side plot with discrimination and people fighting for acceptance, Hori reading and approving all the stuff that happens in the light novels/team up missions, AND thanking/praising those authors for knowing his characters so well.

His assistant (nstime23) openly shipping bkdk, drawing fanart of them, blatantly using their ship name, WHILE STILL BEING MUTUALS WITH HORI.

and the reception???

Hori does not live under a rock. It’s not an “oopsie he made it gay on accident” thing, and it’s not done maliciously either.

sharing what I’ve said before because I’m tired:

[siflshonen]

I’d love to interpret bkdk as romantic but I will be honest, it is difficult to do when a het ship is being hinted at more explicitly. I’m still glad Horikoshi did not include a full-on confession though. We can do what we want in fics without having to rework canon.

Love your posts, thank you for your wonderful insights into bkdk. Your meta is always well-done.

I know this ask was originally meant for someone else, and you’re absolutely right that bakuhatsufallinlove does fantastic meta. You’re very wise to see how great of a job they do and it’s kind of you to say so. It’s also very kind of you to read my posts.

I’m about to not be quite so kind.

I hate Izuocha. And I’m annoyed by the insinuation that Ochako breaking down in tears over Himiko to Izuku - her big moment of bearing her emotions out in the open to him - is seen as an endgame romance, especially since the only other detail we have to go off of is Ochako smiling at Izuku in their hero suits when Todoroki is kinda doing the same thing, AND when I should DAMN WELL hope Ochako and Izuku are still friends and looking out for each other, especially since they bonded over the traumatic deaths of those they failed to save.

I’m insulted that Ochako’s confessions to Himiko are disregarded like that, or the tumultuous chaos she grapples with in her heart is brushed aside. I’m insulted by the insinuation that Ochako’s known love of seeing happy, smiling people is not acknowledged and instead her expressing joy over seeing that on Izuku’s face is painted over as being implied, for-sure romantic endgame. Maybe it is, sure. Anything is possible. I’m sure Himiko wants the best for Ochako and for her to be happy, and would probably think it was romantic that her feelings also reached Izuku by way of Ochako as being someone they mutually loved.

But Himiko is dead and it ripped Ochako apart, and her reaction to that is the last in-depth look we get at her feelings. Izuku recognizing that Ochako is a hero in her own right (not a heroine, aka a damsel for the hero to save and then end up with romantically per Japanese storytelling roles, not just “a female hero” like we think of it in English) is gratifying and wonderful. And I’m insulted by the insinuation that just because Izuku acknowledges that Ochako is and has been his hero and always saved him that this must mean that they are implied to be the romantic endgame. God forbid they mutually admire each other and respect each other and the story just ends there, and god forbid Izuku calling her his hero sends a totally different message.

Now, as for Katsuki. You cannot tell me that he doesn’t have some kind of deep feelings for Izuku. @bakuhatsufallinlove has posted extensively about unspoken feelings with a likewise unspoken understanding are common for Japanese romances, but I’ll admit I’m not here to talk about that.

Do you really want to tell me that Horikoshi-sensei allowing Katsuki and Izuku to keep their arms and have an implied handhold at the end doesn’t mean as much as whatever the fuck Ochako is doing in the final panel?

In Naruto, which BNHA takes many cues from, Sasuke and Naruto had their arms ripped off because the editor didn’t approve of the two of them holding hands in panel. Apparently, that’s too romantic and inappropriate for the male leads of a shonen. Given that, how interesting that the doctor recommended that Katsuki’s hand-holding arm be amputated. How interesting that Katsuki refuses. How interesting that Katsuki refuses while thinking not just of All Might, probably not really of All Might, but Izuku. How interesting that Izuku also keeps both arms, and we as readers are very certain they held hands even if it is not shown.

How interesting that Katsuki is not just the heart of Izuku’s mech suit project (and, in some respects, of the class,) but of Izuku’s image of victory, Izuku’s “Pro Hero with a quirk” origin, the heart of what he believes a real hero is like, and the literal actual heart of what he wanted to defend from ShigAFO multiple times over. How interesting that Katsuki’s story is in part him learning how to not be a burden to Izuku or used against him like, say, a heroine-damsel-in-distress might be used, AND it is also in part him learning to come to terms with his feelings for Izuku. In fact, we spend basically the whole manga dwelling on this with him. It’s that important that he reconciled Izuku with his heart and desires.

Izuku, who is so tearfully happy that Katsuki wants to be with him for the rest of their lives in whatever form that takes, even when they weren’t sure he was going to have a quirk and be able to be Katsuki’s superhero rival. Izuku, who is so happy to be with Kacchan and the class as a hero again, in part BECAUSE it is with Kacchan………….and everyone else on the next page.

Nothing is for sure. Nobody kissed or got married or whatever, sure. But you really want to tell me Izuocha is more heavily implied based on the ending?

Thanks for the ask. I’m sorry you feel that way. Get off my lawn.

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

I feel like Horikoshi left so many things open for bkdk's relationship and it doesn't sit right with me tbh. We didn't even get a proper talk between them after everything, which is kinda strange to think about. Between this and the off-screeing of their handhold, I feel like the writing feels really underwhelming and unresolved. I cannot understand how Hori was satisfied with this. I hope that we will get new content and resolution in vol 42 maybe, but I don't want to hope and then ending up being disappointed at the end.

Hey anon, I'd like to ask you something.

Did you send this message to me, bakuhatsufallinlove, because you wanted to hear what I had to say on the matter? Me, individually, as a person whose opinion you might respect or be interested in knowing?

Do you read my blog? Are you familiar with what I write about? Or did you just stumble upon a total stranger talking about both bkdk and volume 42 and decide to fire off this ask, which doesn't contain a question, but rather your own negative opinion I am supposed to respond to somehow?

I'm not trying to be mean, but I really want to know. I feel like it's a trend that people who are unsatisfied with the ending go around randomly telling other fans how much it sucks with very little prompting. Maybe you want to be dissuaded from your negative opinion, but it doesn't come across that way, nor do you seem interested in why other people might like it.

I loved the ending. When I said the only thing I wanted was a bkdk handhold, I meant it.

We got a hospital scene where Katsuki cries about how he can't bear the idea of a future without Izuku.

We got so much build up showing us how comfortable and at ease with each other they became after DvK2, which suggests they have reached a point of understanding where words may be unnecessary for certain things. The things that did still need to be said were said.

We got a finale that told us Katsuki dedicated nearly a decade of his life to making sure Izuku could be a hero the way they always dreamed about as kids, and now they can be together.

If you are going into the release of Volume 42 having not appreciated any of that, I genuinely don't think you are going to be satisfied with any extra content we get. And I'm sorry for you in that regard, but I don't feel that's something I can help you with.

[deadwriter16]

people editing mha 430 to put the panel of deku smiling after bkg holding put his hand to imply that bkg’s handhold is what made deku smile when it’s different in canon is just

sooooo kuleschov i will think abt this forever

im kinda lazy to explain what the kuleschov effect is are there any other film ppl here who can do it for me 😭😭

but hori made deku smile first. and Then had the bkg handhold panel. if he’d done it the opposite way like people have been editing them the meaning and implications would’ve been changed completely. and i think that’s why bkdks edit it the other way to change the implication and make it seem like dekus smile was specifically because of bkg. whether it’s conscious or not. that’s the kuleschov effect essentially lol and i find it fascinating

also sorry to anyone who already knows this and is annoyed at me mansplaining it to u

edit: to clarify editing the panels like this and stuff is not a bad thing or anything at all i have nothing but love in my heart for my bkdk brethren basically i just find the effect of switching the panels really interesting from a completely analytical/film perspective and thats it lol

[marimeeko]

Me in my backyard in the moonlight manifesting this week's chapter and any possible interaction of bkdk

[epickiya722]

It's funny that some of the fandom doesn't want BkDk shippers to talk about their ship but these past few days...

BkDks: *talks about how Bones disrespected the bonds that the class shares and the significance of the characters, defends Iida's role as being the one to reach to Midoriya and Uraraka being reduced to a love interest when she's more than that, does compliment that the animation and the song is amazing, talks about that Uraraka has other scenes in the arc they could have used instead, didn’t even deny that IzuOcha has held hands and their handholding scene could have been used*

Some Other People: "You're just mad because your ship didn't hold hands, you always want to bring BkDk into this" + ship wars

BkDks: *hasn't done that*

[angy-grrr]

I really wanted that hand hold tbh, and the reason why we didn't get that was probably bc it was deemed gay. Izuku held pretty much every characters' hand in the series but he's not allowed to hold bakugo's hand. yeah not sus at all.

He held hands twice with Iida and Ochako, with a particular context as a reason: lost, sadness and most of all hiding away (or the possibility of doing it again). He could have made them hold hands a while ago and be platonic, as it was established before with his previous handholds -im pretty sure ppl would consider the one with Ochako romantic bc boy and girl, yk, but Tenya holding his hand twice helps to normalize platonic handholding between two male characters in the series (IidaDekus if you want to see it as romantic ofc go for it!). So.

If they wanted to give us a handholding between bkdk and to see it as platonic, they could. But instead we got it implied as if it can't be shown anyways, even when two male friends have held hands before.

Hmmmm.

[cherryblossombombs]

I'm only going to trust hori one more time because he didn't do a izch confession and that there's still one more chapter in the series.

The only "romantic" thing about that scene was the handhold (which can be countered with the fact that it was a reference to the platonic iidadeku handhold. Midoriya says that he feels at ease when someone holds his hand, which was why he offers his hand for her to hold. He wanted to help her calm down).

The chapter was just a conclusion to ochako's story. Plus Midoriya calling ochako his hero, really doesn't have any romantic undertones with it. It seems that he was only saying that to help her feel better. Plus it would make sense for midoriya to call ochako his hero after all that she did for him (Help get him into UA, helped get him back into UA, etc.), it's only fair that he tries to do the same with her when she's feeling down.

______

Idk, overall I feel what is frustrating me in this chapter is the fact that hori killed off toga, we still haven't seen midoriya let out emotions, and bkdk hasn't have their talk yet, and we have 1 chapter left. I don't know what hori is going to put into that chapter, but all I can do is wait and see how he's going to end it. I just feel like the end of the series (420-430) was too rushed tbh.

I feel like I'll be much more calmer once the weekend starts. It's normal for me to doom post then re-analyze the chapter once TCB scans drop and then have faith in hori again lol.

[chandralia]

when bkdk have their earth shattering handhold that slips into a hug with their chests pressed together, faces buried in each other’s necks, holding on so tightly that Deku’s feet nearly lift off the ground?????

[comradekiwi]

bkdk ficlet inspired by this gif!

Katsuki had never understood the big deal with small animals. They were just normal furry shits scaled down— how did they warrant those odd squeaky noises from every girl in the vicinity?

But, as usual, Deku had a way of making Katsuki reevaluate everything he thinks he knows about himself. Because if small animals remind people of Izuku, then… he kind-of gets it.

Unfortunately, he maybe, sort-of, really truly gets it.

Deku’s suit had seen many design adjustments, some subtle, some drastic enough to denote different eras. Most notably (at least to Katsuki, and a truckload of creeps on the internet), his brief stint with a Miruko-inspired summer costume, which had the public and most members of their own fucking agency in a sun-hot daze until their agent but their foot down and had it changed. Deku’s designers played with shaping cuts, fabrics, practicality— but they were incredibly talented, and never lost sight of the essence of Izuku’s original style.

Namely, those godforsaken fucking bunny ears. Currently flopping all over the place, cut into an oversized hood, and trying the very last threads of Katsuki’s already tumultuous supply of restraint.

He looked like a goddamn bunny rabbit. Katsuki was going insane.

It didn’t help that Izuku was years into hero work, now, and had grown with the ear flaps, sought comfort in them like a child would their favourite blanket, subconsciously safe in the familiarity.

Meaning 21-year-old Deku, off patrol and caught embarrassed or shy and still in his hero suit, blushed and hid his face under his big hood, and subsequently his bunny ears, much to the delight of onlookers. It was something of a game in their hero agency to provoke Izuku into it.

It also didn’t help that Izuku had given up insisting the flaps were All Might’s hair, and had long since leaned into the green rabbit angle, so now most of his merch had some depiction of the creature, and so did half the promotional material their agent roped him into.

(The moment he turned 21, they got him to do Playboy. Katsuki was furious, and then…. significantly less furious, later, when the photos came back. He did not have a good explanation for either reaction, at least not one he would ever be willing to admit.)

Something about the soft, thick, loose fabric of Izuku’s bunny hood hanging over his head, edges of curls and a freckled blush peeking out from the hem, made Katsuki’s hands itch. His teeth ached.

So he couldn’t help it, how he tugged on an ear like it were a braided pigtail, how he ducked down to keep eye contact with Izuku when he tugged valiantly at his hood for red-tinged cover.

Maybe Katsuki liked how these things made Izuku blush harder. Maybe the action soothed some of the ache, a balm on his palms and fingers.

But numbing treatments are always short-lived. Katsuki can practically feel fangs growing in his mouth, and knows it’s only a matter of time.

Which is how they ended up here, Izuku hiccuping whines in his lap, Katsuki’s mattress sinking under their combined weight as Izuku’s legs twitch around his waist.

Katsuki’s fingers dig into the subtle dip in Izuku’s sides, a fathomless itch scratched, press in hard so Izuku will see and remember later. Dipping purple paint into the slope of Izuku’s silhouette, handholds for future Katsuki, just beneath the hem of a t-shirt for Katsuki to slip his fingers under and press at if he wants to, just to feel the marks pulse. As he is now, hands slipped through the unzipped front of Izuku’s suit, cupping his solid, lean waist as Katsuki kisses him like they have all the time in the world.

Like they’ve been doing this for an eternity. Like Izuku isn’t squirming and breathless and whining in his lap, begging for more with words he cannot find in his kissdrunk state. Poor nerd.

Finally getting everything he wants from his Kacchan and all at once too overwhelmed to say anything about it. So Katsuki revels in it, kisses him slow, languid, savouring every bite into Izuku’s mouth until Deku calms down and learns to take what he is given.

It was the goddamn bunny hood that made him snap, go figure, but Izuku had been blushing at something he said and had decided to tug his hood down over his head with the dangly ear flaps in his fists like some kind of — anyway. Katsuki was only human.

So he’d crumpled both ears in one hand and lifted them high above Izuku’s face, not enough to choke him but enough to give him the appearance of a startled caught rabbit, eyes wide and ears straight up and wrinkling in Katsuki’s fist, the tips hanging over his knuckles.

Katsuki had looked Izuku in the eyes and told him, quite plainly, exactly what he planned to do to him if he followed him quietly back to his apartment. Izuku had gone a delicious, delirious red and nodded so quickly Katsuki might’ve worried for his neck, if he wasn’t busy basking in the triumphant pleasure of a complete and absolute win.

Izuku asked if he should change out of his suit before going. Katsuki threatened abject violence if he even thought about it.

link to twitter thread

[marunalu]

BKDKs on Twitter really pretending to SUDDENLY care about Iida because Ochako holds Izuku's hand in the OP. As if they aren't going to completely toss him aside when Bakugo's apology overshadows the IiDeku handhold.

Bkdks are just so transparent and easy to read. The people who rant now and want "justice for iida" are the VERY SAME people who always call him irrelevant to the story, boring, annoying, talk down his friendship with izuku and still havent forgiven him being rude ONCE to izuku in the very beginning of the manga before he and izuku even were friends (ohhhhh but anti bakugou people have to forgive bakugou ABUSING izuku for 12 YEARS, right?) and unlike bakugou didnt need over a century to apologiez! Lets be real, there is maybe just 1% of bkdk shippers who are really mad that it wasnt iida. For the majority thats not what the real problem is. They arent mad, because iida was "swaped" with ochako in the opening, they are mad because it was ochako and NOT bakugou! NOT ONE OF THEM would complain if instead of ochako reaching her hand out for izuku, if it would have been bakugou! Despite that there is no such moment in the manga between them! Its all about their shipping agenda. The anime can be as inaccurate as possible, bkdks dont care as long as bones highlights izukus and bakugous relationship even if its not manga canon.

Also this whole debatte about the opening confirms how bkdk shippers absolutely dont read the manga, because the scene with ochako holding izukus hand is accurate to the manga even if its not 100% the same ankle of the hands or place! You can see how they completly skipped the moment ochako stood up for izuku inside ua and had her big speech (of course they skipped it, izuku was totally focused on HER and not precious bakuboy and wanted to talk with HER afterwards and not with precious bakuboy after his insult of an apology). Ochako and izuku DO hold hands!

Its there! Bones simply focused for a moment on izukus and ochakos bond, while not spoiling to much for only anime watchers and bkdk shippers lose their shit!

This is like this whole dabatte again, when bones animated an completly unimportant only anime moment, in which izuku stands side by side with ochako and not bakugou! Like they just stood there, they didnt even looked at each other or talked and bkdk shippers lost it, as if izuocha was just confirmed canon!

[mochamaze]

Honestly it feels like hori has given us everything we could ask for bkdk wise and we STILL haven’t even gotten to the inevitable handholding scene. These two haven’t been able to interact in so long it’s gonna be such a huge moment when they finally reunite!

[rb-sketches]

I remember when I used to draw sappy bkdk forehead kissies, handholding, soft soft stuff, like them gazing at each other, the reassuring touches

Well, I manifested that shit in my own life would you believe that🫠♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️