After a successful 11-year run, including a popular anime adaptation, Hiro Mashima'due south Fairy Tail manga ended in 2017. The popular shonen manga/anime enchanted fans with its rich, magical world and proved it was able to keep upward with other difficult-hitting shonen titles such every bit Naruto, Bleach and One Piece.

Part of the series' amuse was the big roster of bright characters, and how distinct each wizard was. Fairy Tail, which primarily followed the lives of Lucy, Natsu, Erza and Gray (with Wendy and Gajeel added subsequently), was great at organically developing their relationships. Dissimilar Naruto (with the exception of Shikamaru and Temari), the romantic relationships, in particular, felt real and earned. Lucy and Natsu, the 2 master protagonists, are Fairy Tail'southward master transport (known to fans equally "NaLu"), merely Mashima has always kept the jury out on their true human relationship.

Although the original manga and anime serial accept ended, fans are still hoping for a NaLu confirmation in time to come Fairy Tail projects. For now, here's a breakup of NaLu'due south history, and where the ii end up by the story's decision.

Proof in Fairy Tail That Natsu & Lucy Treat Each Other

Lucy and Natsu share many charged moments, providing plenty of evidence that the two care for each other romantically. Natsu was the one who invited Lucy to bring together the Fairy Tail Guild, and from that scene forward, they had an immediate connexion. You lot could honestly write an entire book virtually all of these instances of romantic tension, merely nosotros'll stick to some of the more significant ones.

In the Phantom Lord arc, Lucy called out for Natsu when she was falling from the Phantom Tower, knowing, somehow, that Natsu would save her. That points to a special, almost telepathic, bail betwixt the duo. In a filler episode, Natsu and Lucy went to each other'southward business firm to wait for the other and, despite being surrounded past friends they could hang out with, felt a pang of loneliness without the other there. And during the Eclipse arc, the anime'due south 15th Opening showed a notable NaLu moment in which Natsu went berserk afterward Futurity Lucy was killed, specifically promising to protect Lucy's future, not all of Fairy Tail'southward.

There are besides the more general, recurring hints, beginning with the most obvious: Natsu has seen Lucy naked several times and hasn't exactly shied away. Scenes in which Natsu and Lucy salve each other oftentimes cease with them hugging in ways that the camera romantically frames, while filler episodes increase the flirty moments between the two, commonly focusing on the two nigh kissing or Lucy blushing at Natsu'due south antics.

Don't Forget Natsu's First Beloved, Lisanna

At the end of the solar day, Natsu and Lucy are a good pair because of their long history and compatible personalities. Then, why didn't they declare their feelings to one some other? And where did the (possible) lovebirds terminate up?

Before we respond, we first accept to address the (elephant) magician in the room: Lisanna Strauss. There's a big group of "NaLi" shippers, and if we look back at the first few episodes, we can't exactly blame them. Natsu and Lisanna go way back as childhood friends, and the innocence in their burgeoning relationship was adorable -- Lisanna even outright proposed to Natsu.

However, their time together was tragically cut brusque with Lisanna's "decease"; although she was somewhen brought dorsum to start a possible love triangle, things just weren't the aforementioned. Lisanna was largely ignored by Mashima, and her scenes mostly revolved around fighting in animal lingerie rather than moments with Natsu. Mashima's comments at an anime convention in French republic in 2019 tin can exist seen as the final hole to sink the send: He admitted that, "personally, [he] [thinks] Lisanna is a nice girl, and it would be a shame to encounter her with a guy like Natsu. [He] [feels] that the Natsu and Lucy ship is more than suitable."

Mashima added, "At that time, what fans thought about romantic relationships became very important. I thought, whatsoever I do, they are going to hit me. Considering of this, I thought to myself that the simplest thing would exist for Natsu to remain as is so that aught concrete happens."

Where Fairy Tail's Catastrophe Left Natsu and Lucy

Lucy and Natsu in Fairy Tail

Judging past how fiercely fan wars tin rage, we can't arraign Mashima for leaving things open. But he did also say he liked NaLu ameliorate, and then he may be telling readers that'south his version of what's canon.

At the end of the anime, Lucy confesses how much Natsu and Fairy Tail have influenced her, and lobbed the ball up for Natsu to confess his love... which he drops. But the two all the same band together for the100 Years Quest spinoff, which has released ix volumes and then far (with an anime adaptation announced), and so Lucy and Natsu all the same take the opportunity to revisit their relationship status.

Fans might be upset with "Trollshima" for not confirming ane of the series' virtually pop ships, only the creator has given u.s. enough of romantic subtext to piece of work with. He's fifty-fifty gone on record admitting he likes NaLu, so we can assume the two have romantic feelings for each other -- neven if there's no catechism confession. And for disappointed NaLi shippers, Lisanna can withal be considered to be Natsu's first honey, while the open up ending regarding his current romantic life leaves room for any shipper'due south fantasies.

KEEP READING: Fairy Tail 100 Yr Quest: 10 Best Things And so Far That We Want In The Anime