Will Natsu and Lucy Become a Couple in Fairy Tail?

As of my last knowledge update in August 2023, Natsu and Lucy from Fairy Tail do not officially become a couple in the anime or manga. Their relationship is often portrayed as very close and supportive, leading many fans to speculate about a romantic connection. However, there is no specific episode or chapter where they explicitly become a couple. The series focuses more on their friendship and teamwork rather than a romantic relationship. If you are looking for romantic developments, you might want to look into fan theories or fan fiction, as these often explore such themes in more depth.

Canon Relationship in Fairy Tail

Thats the way the series is heading so far. Fairy Tail is pretty transparent and obvious in its canon ships, although I really still believe that Leo should be with Lucy instead of Natsu. The writers have made it clear that their relationship is more of a best friend than a romantic connection. Despite this, there are some moments in the manga where it seems like Natsu might have declared his love for Lucy, but these moments are often interpreted as simply a strong bond of friendship.

Official Confirmation and Speculation

In the end page of the manga, fan-made couples were listed, but Nalu (Natsu and Lucy) was not included. This suggests that Hiro Mashima, the writer, has not officially made them a couple yet. However, the 100-Year Quest, the future arc of the series, might contain more information on their relationship.

According to Hiro Mashima, he doesn't tell Lucy he loves her at all, not even in the manga. While there are moments that seem to hint at a romantic interest, they are more commonly interpreted as a close friendship rather than love. In the Afterwords of Fairy Tail S volume 1, Hiro Mashima himself stated that he prefers their relationship to be more than friendship but less than a romantic relationship. This further confirms that Natsu and Lucy will likely remain a close duo but not a couple.

Visual Evidence and Social Media

Mushima often draws Natsu and Lucy as a couple in his new sketches, which you can follow on Twitter for some pictures of the characters that aren’t included in the manga or anime series. However, these drawings are more fan service and do not necessarily reflect future story developments.

Despite the visual hints, it did not happen at the end of the manga, and it will likely not happen any time soon. The future of Natsu and Lucy's relationship depends on future story developments. Wizards of the Coast-owned Fairy Tail suggests that it is unlikely they will become a couple unless Hiro Mashima does something in his upcoming one-shot or the 100-Year Quest arc.

For fans who are desperate for a romantic storyline, the anime and manga Fairy Tail may not offer the romantic developments as expected. However, exploring other media, such as fan fiction and fan theories, can provide a satisfying alternative.