The Fun of Shipping (Even for the Aro-Ace Crowd)

Now we arrive at an irony that makes me smile: despite being averse to romance in real life, I love the concept of shipping in fiction and media. Shipping, as mentioned, is basically the fandom practice of imagining characters in relationships, and it can be especially fun around Valentine’s Day when love is in the air (real or imagined). It might seem counterintuitive: why would an aromantic-asexual person care who ends up with whom in a story? But think of it this way… Supporting a ship is kind of like saying I want the best for these characters. It’s enjoying the chemistry or bond between personalities without me having to be involved at all. And yes, I have my favorite ships!

In fact, the very first time I learned what “shipping” was, it was through My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. My earliest and still most beloved ship from that show is Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon (Sweetie Drops). They were just two background ponies who frequently appeared standing next to each other in crowd scenes. No explicit romance, nothing in the script. At first, just an accidental pattern the animators kept up. But the fans noticed and ran with it, crafting a whole narrative that Lyra and Bon Bon were a couple. The buzz grew loud enough that the show’s creators eventually gave a playful nod to it. In the 100th episode “Slice of Life,” which was a fan-service-filled tribute to background characters, Lyra and Bon Bon were portrayed as very close friends with inside jokes and a big reconciliation moment. And then in the final season, they literally proposed to each other on-screen and were confirmed to get married by the finale! This was a case of a fan ship essentially becoming canon. I remember squealing like the fangirl I truly am at heart when I saw a screenshot of them (yes, I got it spoiled). It was both surreal and heartwarming to see that what started as a fandom’s collective daydream became part of the story officially.

I also adore some of the other pony pairings that fans concocted. The same “Slice of Life” episode gave us a glimpse of DJ Pon-3 (Vinyl Scratch) and Octavia Melody living together and making music in perfect sync, a sly tip of the hat to the popular fan headcanon that the wild DJ and the prim cellist are an odd-couple romance. The show never stated it outright, but that scene was enough to set the fandom ablaze with joy. Moments like that feel like a wink from the creators: “Happy Valentine’s Day, we see your ships, guys.” My love of shipping isn’t confined to wholesome canon couples either. I delight in the quirky, crack ships. These are the ones that are so bizarre or absurd you can’t help but laugh. One of the first I encountered in my anime days was the meme of Eren Jaeger (from Attack on Titan) being shipped with a spoon. Yes, a literal spoon, because in one episode Eren’s dramatic attempt to pick up a spoon (not spoiling this one with more context), resulted in an over-the-top scene that fans found hilarious. It lives on in lists of joke ships alongside gems like “Levi x Cleaning Supplies”. You kind of had to be there to get it, but trust me, it was peak comedy in the Attack on Titan circles for a while. And I loved it… Here were fans taking a hyper-violent, serious show and carving out a tiny corner of Valentine silliness for it.

Indulging in shipping has been, for me, a way to participate in the love stories that pervade pop culture while still keeping a comfortable personal distance. I can “aww” at the chemistry of two K-pop band members rumored to be dating, or debate whether Sherlock and John Watson have a bromance or a romance, or get devoted in learning about Princess Bubblegum and Marceline’s backstory in Adventure Time. None of this threatens my identity or boundaries; it’s all in good fun and creativity. In fact, I think you can learn a lot about someone by asking which fictional characters they ship. It’s like asking their favorite color, but spicier. Do they go for the obvious, destined lovers? The opposites-attract banter pair? The tragic star-crossed ones? Or do they have a penchant for crack ships that reveal a zany sense of humor? There’s a story behind each choice.

And for the record, being aro-ace doesn’t mean I can’t spot good chemistry or appreciate a cute couple, real or fictional. It’s quite the opposite: I often observe more closely from the sidelines. Shipping, especially during a holiday all about love, gives me a little way to partake in the festivities. It’s like I’m at the Valentine’s Day dance, but I’m happily hanging out people-watching and cheering on all the would-be couples on the dance floor. And sometimes, I’m the DJ playing the matchmaker in my own headcanon sets.