Love is not always easy in even the most straightforward shonen manga. That’s what makes it interesting and gets us emotionally invested in the story. From the classic “Weekly Shonen Jump,” we will introduce the main characters who rejected the main heroine and three heroines who were not chosen.
1. “NARUTO” – Naruto & Sakura
Naruto, the main character of “NARUTO,” is a boy who was rejected by his parents and others, but he continues to act tough to be recognized. His personality attracts Hyuga Hinata, a girl who was born into a prestigious family but was neglected because she had no talent.
On the other hand, people often admire those who have things they don’t. Naruto is no exception. Sakura, a girl who grew up in a normal family, has excellent grades and is beautiful, is the object of Naruto’s admiration. When Sakura tells Naruto that she likes him, he is overwhelmed. He knows that Sakura is suppressing her true feelings and is trying to give up on Sasuke, whom she really likes.
“I will never deviate from my ninja way of life,” says Naruto. The reason why Naruto didn’t choose Sakura is that he didn’t want to make Sakura deviate from her own feelings for him.
2. “Dragon Ball” – Goku and Bulma
“DRAGON BALL” follows the story of Goku and Bulma, who meet on a journey to find the seven Dragon Balls, which can grant one wish each. From the start, their relationship is rocky – Goku is not good at expressing his feelings and grew up in isolation, while Bulma is used to getting what she wants with her intelligence and beauty, but is not good at reading others’ emotions. As they journey together and face challenges, their feelings for each other grow deeper.
Goku’s childhood friend, Krillin, also has feelings for Bulma, adding a love triangle to the story. Eventually, Goku goes on a journey to train and become stronger, while Bulma waits for him to return. Their love, which continues to grow even when they are separated, is a highlight of the series.
3. “Hell Teacher Nube” Nube & Mrs. Ritsuko
Nube is a teacher who not only protects his students from demons, but also watches over them until they realize their mistakes. He’s also known as Nue no Mei Suke. Nube has a lot of problems – he’s perverted, spends money recklessly, and isn’t usually praised. That’s why at first, Mrs. Ritsuko, who has feelings for him, doesn’t like him.
But as the story goes on, Mrs. Ritsuko starts to see Nube’s good side and eventually, the two of them have feelings for each other… but before that can happen, Yuki-me the Snow Woman comes along and steals Nube’s heart, along with the readers’ hearts. Nube doesn’t really like the idea of being with a demon, but Yuki-me is really persistent and he gives in. And to make things even more dramatic, there’s a big drama with Nube and Yuki-me breaking up and getting back together. In the end, Nube’s heart belongs to Yuki-me.
Mrs. Ritsuko also has feelings for Nube, but it’s too late. The story is about demons and humans living together, and it takes a while for Nube and Mrs. Ritsuko to understand each other. In the end, Mrs. Ritsuko is happy for Nube when he gets married, even though it’s a sad ending for her.
Looking back at these three stories, it’s clear that it’s important to have feelings for someone, but there are also other things that matter, like timing and opportunity. If you pay attention to the small details in these stories, you might be able to see when relationships start to change.
Did you think we missed any couple? Let us know and we will add the additional couples.
