You know, I can see why My Hero Academia is one of the biggest anime franchises right now, with a solid plot and great characters. But to me, that’s not what got me to start the show. Oh no, in true degenerate form, I only watched the show because the fanfiction forced me too. I know, I know! But hear me out: This show just has way too much shipping potential! I mean, Bakugou x Midoriya alone lives in my head rent-free. But now, we might have a ship that can actually be canon for once. Because to me, shy Amajiki Tamaki is acting real sus around a certain periwinkle-haired beauty.

While they aren’t together in the story yet, it is clear that Tamaki Amajiki does like fellow Big 3 member Nejire Hado. Even if it’s just an intimate friendship, for now, there have been far too many instances that show how Tamaki has impacted Nejire and vice versa. His introverted demeanor is the perfect contrast to her more extroverted one, leading fans to believe that they might see an ‘Opposites Attract’ trope play out. And in between training and all the admiration from their peers, could it be that is something more blossoming between the two?

The Big 3 is the top student trio at UA Academy, comprised of Tamaki, Nejire, and Morio Togata. Due to them being the top Hero candidates in Japan, it meant that the two ended up spending a lot of time together as peers. And of course, the more time you spend with someone, the more relaxed you get with them. But for some reason, Tamaki is always a little more than flustered when talking to Nejire one on one. Of course, that could just be his shy personality, but it isn’t hard to imagine that he might be hiding his feelings, just a bit.

But could it be a possibility for the future? Or are fans reading way too much into a close friendship between kindred spirits? Let’s break it down in today’s segment of Lore Analysis – where we take a closer look at the story so far of popular manga and anime to decipher where certain plotlines might be headed. Today, let’s see if love can bloom in the hallways of UA Academy with Tamaki and Nejire!

Tamaki Amajiki: Just Flustered Or An Introvert In Love?

Tamaki is pretty understated for a guy who’s at the top of those showing the most potential for being a Hero. You’d expect someone like him to be, well, more obnoxious. But really, he’s just a quiet guy who may seem intimidating at first but isn’t weird about it or anything.

He’s aloof, not very vocal in groups, and sensitive. Tamaki encourages easily and believes hard work should never be downplayed, despite his pessimism, but doesn’t show himself the same courtesy. Because boy, does he doubt himself at every step of the way. His self-esteem took a serious hit because he felt pressured to be perfect all the time. Which, yeah, that can get really frustrating.

But maybe that’s why he’s always made an exception to Nejire, when it comes to his demeanor. After all, despite his isolated nature, it was Tamaki who approached Nejire first and not the way around. Nejire was always being alienated for her boisterous nature, so Tamaki went up to her and started asking her about who her favorite Hero was. And thus started an unlikely friendship.

Nejire Hado: Fiercely Free Spirited, But Equally Kind!

If Tamaki holds himself back, then Nejire is an open book. She is the center of everyone’s attention because of her extroverted nature and bubbly personality. But because of this, she holds nothing back. So, it can be pretty overwhelming to be around her if you have any unique features.

But she doesn’t mean any harm, simply just coming across as blunt and curious. Nejire might be a lot of things, but cruel isn’t one of them. Despite her high status in UA Academy, she is widely known for being extremely kindhearted and compassionate. She is talkative, engaging with multiple people at a time and being the de facto spokesperson for the Big 3 trio.

However, when she was younger, this nature caused her to be alienated by most of her peers. She slowly lost confidence and became colder, more distant. So, when Tamaki took the time out to just talk to her, it changed everything. She gained her loud personality back, becoming increasingly teasing with Tamaki, even dubbing him a kitten! 

TamaNeji: Could The Ship Sail?

 Look, I am a sucker for the whole opposites attract thing. Tamaki and Nejire’s personalities play off each other so well that you can’t not ship the two. They already have a pretty strong friendship, in which Tamaki keeps Nejire grounded, and Nejire helps him open up more. He already told her he cherishes her. Plus, the latest My Hero Academia Chapter showed us that the feelings are mutual, so it’s only up from here.

So, TamaNeji in the future? It’s more likely than you think!