Does Lisanna marry Natsu in Fairy Tail?
As a long-time Fairy Tail fan and content creator, I can definitively say that there is no confirmation from series creator Hiro Mashima that childhood friends Lisanna Strauss and Natsu Dragneel officially get married. While there may have been hints of mutual feelings when they were young, their relationship remains at close friends without explicit romantic development after Lisanna‘s return to the guild.
However, that doesn‘t mean fans can‘t have fun speculating about what future relationships could unfold for Natsu and other guild members! As we explore the bonds and chemistry between these Fairy Tail wizards, I‘ll provide my own superfan perspectives on the romantic possibilities.
Exploring Natsu and Lisanna‘s History
Natsu and Lisanna met as young children in the Fairy Tail guild and bonded over their shared magical abilities and interest in fantasy creatures like dragons and animal transformations [1]. They went on whimsical adventures in their childlike innocence, at one point even hatching and raising an egg together to create their fantasy family.
This sweet backstory has led many fans to believe Natsu and Lisanna were each other‘s first love. In Chapter 203 Episode 97, a touching flashback shows a young Lisanna proposing to Natsu that they should get married when they grow up [2]. While likely said innocently as kids, this moment continues to feed theories that Mashima may have originally intended the two to end up together.
However, when Lisanna tragically disappeared after presumably being killed by Elfman during a botched body takeover, a heartbroken Natsu buried his scarf that she had gifted him. For years he believed she had died. But as we now know, Lisanna had actually been transported to Edolas Earth Land by Anima magic.
Her surprising return to Earth Land in Fairy Tail Chapter 199 Episode 96 created one of the most emotional moments in the series. But Natsu only embraced Lisanna as a returned childhood friend – their relationship didn‘t escalate beyond close friendship even after being reunited.
Analyzing Natsu‘s Bonds With Other Guild Members
While Natsu and Lisanna share nostalgic history together, Natsu actively develops strong bonds with other female guild members after her disappearance, particularly Lucy Heartfilia.
As many fans picked up on, Natsu displays special care and protectiveness for Lucy beyond that of nakama guildmates from the very start. In Chapter 7 Episode 3 when inviting Lucy to Fairy Tail, his immediate closeness and casual intrusion into her home already set the foundation for their intimate dynamic [3].
Their their relationship only grows over quests together – Natsu prioritizes saving and defending Lucy in dire battles many times despite her not being his childhood friend [4][5]. In contrast, Natsu sees Lisanna more as still being his old same friend "Lisanna" rather than displaying that same overt protective instinct.
In a revealing incident in Chapter 328 Episode 252, Lucy admits to Brandish she‘s jealous when other girls pay attention to Natsu. Brandish shockingly asks in response – "Could you be in love with Natsu?" While Lucy denies it with an unconvincing grin, many fans saw this as a hint towards her growing hidden romantic feelings [6].
While never confirmed canon, Mashima has even mentioned he received so many fan letters requesting a wedding between Natsu and Lucy that he decided to sketch his own take [7]. He ended up drawing Lucy in a wedding dress next to Happy instead, but ever since Chapter 545 fans still speculate whether Mashima was dropping hints about an eventual "NaLu" pairing.
My Perspective on Natsu‘s Possible Romantic Relationships
As an enthusiastic Fairy Tail fan myself, I‘ve always leaned towards Natsu and Lucy ending up together based on their clearly close bond built on trust, compatibility, and an intangible chemistry.
While Natsu maintains his nakama-for-life relationship with Lisanna after her return, his adventurous spirit always shines brightest when paired with Lucy‘s similar endless curiosity and zeal for life. As a content creator, they simply inspire the best "what if" fan fiction scenarios in my imagination compared to Natsu‘s platonic dynamics with other guildmates.
That said, I can also appreciate arguments from fans who enjoy Natsu‘s chill old friendship with Lisanna untroubled by complex romance. At the end of the day, we can all celebrate how Fairy Tail emphasizes the theme of nakama love and relationships that transcend even marriage.
By The Numbers: Fairy Tail Character Relationship Data
Now let‘s quantify the true relationship status of various Fairy Tail characters with this original data! According to Fairy Tail Wiki statistics [8]:
table, th, td {
border: 1px solid black;
}
| Character | Confirmed Canon Romantic Partner |
|---|---|
| Natsu Dragneel | None |
| Lucy Heartfilia | None |
| Lisanna Strauss | None |
| Levy McGarden | Gajeel Redfox (Husband) |
| Juvia Locksar | Gray Fullbuster (Husband) |
| Erza Scarlet | Jellal Fernandes (Fiancé) |
So by official Fairy Tail canon, Natsu, Lucy, and Lisanna all remain without definitive romantic partners by the end of the original story.
However, the elevated relationship labels for major couples Gajeel x Levy, Gray x Juvia, and Jellal x Erza show that Mashima isn‘t afraid to clearly confirm characters as husbands, wives, or fiances when desired.
The lack of closure for Natsu romantically leaves the door wide open for future relationship developments. We‘ll have to stay tuned to the 100 Years Quest spinoff series to see if any more canon ships set sail down the line!
The Future: Will Natsu Ultimately End Up With Lisanna or Lucy?
While Natsu‘s relationship status is still undefined as of now in continuations like 100 Years Quest, fans passionately debate the likelihood of potential future romantic pairings on forums and discussion boards.
On Reddit threads debating Lucy vs Lisanna as "best girl", the consensus tends to lean heavily in Lucy‘s favor as the one who helped Natsu "grow" the most on his adventures [9]. However, some counter that Lisanna and Natsu have the pure childlike history for a sweeter love story befitting his dense innocence towards romance.
In one poll asking fans whether Natsu should end up married to Lucy or Lisanna, Lucy won out with 67% of over 7500 votes [10]. But polls shouldn‘t close off story possibilities – as many Fairy Tail relationships highlight, bonds can transform overtime beyond our preconceptions.
Ultimately the choice lies with Mashima himself. As a hopeless romantic gamer though, I know I‘ll be keeping an eager eye out for any new moments of intimacy suggesting rising mutual feelings between Natsu and his many special guildmates!
