Who is Todoroki‘s crush?
As an avid My Hero Academia fan, one question I get asked a lot is: who is Todoroki‘s crush? Based on the anime and manga so far, Todoroki doesn‘t have an explicitly confirmed love interest yet. However, many fans eagerly ship Todoroki with Momo Yaoyorozu, forming the popular TodoMomo pairing. In this article, I‘ll analyze the evidence and theories around this icy hot ship!
While romance clearly takes a back seat to action and drama in MHA, several subtle moments suggest potential chemistry brewing between these two talented U.A. students. As a passionate shipper myself, I think it‘s fun to look closely at their interactions for clues. So let‘s dive in fellow fans!
Todoroki‘s Traumatic Past Holds Him Back
First, to understand Todoroki‘s reluctance towards romance, it‘s important to consider his grim background. Todoroki grew up in a dysfunctional household with an abusive father obsessed with breeding the perfect successor. Endeavor‘s harsh "training" resulted in Todoroki repressing his fire side and left him emotionally closed off from others.
This trauma still affects Todoroki‘s personality and relationships. While he‘s slowly learning to open up and rely on friends, he remains focused on becoming an excellent hero to overcome his father issues. Dating and romance simply aren‘t priorities for him currently.
How Yaoyorozu‘s Level-Headed Nature Complements Todoroki
Despite his aloofness, many fans pick up on chemistry between Todoroki and Yaoyorozu. As the two highest-scoring students in Class 1-A, both feel pressure to live up to expectations and set an example. This mutual understanding of their driven personalities is a pillar of their strong friendship.
Yaoyorozu also has a calming, level-headed nature that balances Todoroki‘s brooding intensity. She helps reel him in when he becomes too cold or inflexible about his goals. In stressful situations, Yaoyorozu maintains focus and provides practical solutions. This sensible attitude is likely comforting to Todoroki given his rigid upbringing.
Their Quirks Have Natural Synergy for Hero Work
Along with compatible personalities, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu‘s quirks complement each other beautifully in battle scenarios. Yaoyorozu can conjure useful items from her body, like shields or insulated blankets, which protect others from Todoroki‘s powerful ice and fire abilities.
During the license exam arc, we saw them seamlessly collaborate by having Yaoyorozu create a sheet metal sled so Todoroki could rapidly freeze villains while protecting civilians. This natural synergy makes them an incredible hero team.
Small Hints of a Deeper Connection
While their relationship remains mutually respectful right now, a few moments plant seeds of a potential romance. For example, after an intense battle against Stain, Yaoyorozu gives an exhausted Todoroki some mochi ice cream to lift his spirits.
This thoughtful gesture shows how much she understands him and cares about his well-being. Todoroki isn‘t used to others fussing over him this way due to his isolated upbringing, so her consideration likely had an impact.
Fans also love when Yaoyorozu shyly asks to call Todoroki by his first name, Shoto. Allowing this intimate address is significant for someone as reserved as Todoroki. Though they still use formal language like "Yaoyorozu-san," these small moments hint at a deeper underlying connection.
Popularity of the TodoMomo Ship
In polls on Reddit and Tumblr, TodoMomo emerges as the most popular romantic ship involving Todoroki. In a survey on r/BokuNoShipAcademia, TodoMomo received 21.5% of votes for Todoroki‘s best ship, while other options like Todomomo and Kamijiro trailed far behind.
Additionally, TodoMomo is the second most written ship on AO3 with over 5500 fanfics dedicated to this pairing. Statistics clearly show its widespread popularity among the fandom.
| Yaoyorozu‘s Attributes | How It Appeals to Todoroki |
|---|---|
| Supportive | Helps counter his solo tendencies |
| Calm under pressure | Balances his intensity |
| Thoughtful and kind | Understands his emotional needs |
Why Other Ships Don‘t Stand a Chance
A few other girls have shown interest in Todoroki, but the feels aren‘t mutual based on what I‘ve observed as an avid fan. For example, Toga Himiko gets all starry-eyed over Todoroki‘s looks and power during their battle, but she‘s clearly just infatuated with his heroic traits rather than who he really is.
There are also theories about Nejire Hado potentially liking Todoroki since she admires his impressive quirk. However, her interest appears limited to analyzing his abilities rather than romantic attraction.
While these girls may find Todoroki appealing for various reasons, the depth of understanding and support Yaoyorozu provides makes TodoMomo a more meaningful and realistic matchup in my view.
The Verdict on Todoroki‘s Crush
So in summary, while Todoroki doesn‘t have an explicitly confirmed crush yet, there are definitely clues about TodoMomo being endgame. Their personalities complement one another, and small moments indicate potential sparks. But ultimately, we‘ll have to stay tuned to new manga chapters and anime seasons to see if this icy hot ship sails or not!
As much as we love fantasy shipping as fans, romantic subplots do take lower priority in a shonen action series like My Hero Academia. Horikoshi seems focused on developing Todoroki‘s friendships for now. Still, at the rate TodoMomo moments keep increasing, I think this excellent ship has a strong chance of becoming canon! We‘ll see where the story takes things, but for now I‘ll keep enjoying these adorable classmate crushes.
