#the entire Endeavor Agency arc clearly shows that Shouto sees both Izuku AND Bakugo as his friends

[tera-vadai]

Romantic ships, canon or fanon, don't get in the way nor eliminate the friendships of a character (or, a character can be shipped with whoever you want and still have other friends) — A quick rant by a tired Shouto fan

I generally prefer to keep my opinions with myself and don't get involved in discourse, specially when it's about certain characters or ships —you know, the usual fandom-related stuff—, but oh my God, constantly finding complains and slander of a favorite character of mine while looking for positive and wholesome content is really tiring.

Of course everyone is entitled to have their own opinions and it's free to like or dislike any character for X reason, but this case in particular it's as if you like chocolate ice cream, and everyone around you complains and gives you a list of reasons why chocolate ice cream sucks and you should not like it, and instead should replace it with another flavor.

That is super rude, you know?

Ok, so getting on topic, in a story, a character is not —or should not be— limited to having ONLY two friends (one being the best friend and the other the romantic interest). A single character can have lots of friends (the more, the merrier, am I right?), and it's natural and completely normal that the way these relationships and interactions work in each of these friendships are going to be different.

Talking specifically about BNHA, Izuku CAN be friends with Iida, Ochako, Katsuki and Shouto at the same time (and in canon, he actually is friends with all of them, as well as with other characters). Also, not because he gets along with two of them means he cannot, or should not, do the same with the other two (when, again, I repeat, it's canon that they are all his friends).

Granted, the story hasn't done a great job at defining these friendships in a more detailed way (and as a consequence, some characters get constantly sidelined, specially in the movies), but that doesn't mean that you should go as far as to say that the friendship is inexistent. Not because the author has forgotten that two characters are friends (just saying that they are, but failing to show it), or has neglected said friendship (giving the impression that is only one-sided), you should too.

Also, remember that headcanons =/= canon content. You can headcanon whatever you want, but that doesn't erase canon facts (and that includes established friendships).

Lastly —and this goes for both sides of this discussion—, trying to justify a ship by claiming that a character must only be friends with a certain character/or a certain group of characters, and in the process, should not be friends with any other character (generally one from a rival ship) it's actually very toxic, and you only hate for the sake of hating. In real life you can be part of different circles of friends while having a partner (because if, out of jealousy, your partner starts to isolate you from your other friends, well, that's a very big red flag in your relationship).

Please people, you can like a character without having to discredit other to put your fave on a pedestal.

Let's try to spread positivity, not negativity.