Tsuyu and Ochako didn't interact as much at first, but over time they became good friends until they finally became best friends and are constantly seen together on and off Hero's work, showing that they are very close. Tsuyu lets Ochako call her "Tsu", a nickname that only allows her close friends to call her, and they care and protect when the other is in danger.
Both girls had very lonely childhoods (for different reasons), and carry a strong love for their families. Tsuyu spent most of her time playing caretaker for her little siblings, and only had one friend through her school life. Ochako’s family is very poor due to a lack of business, leading her parents to have to be away from her most of the time.
Thanks to the functionality of their Quirks, both are very good when they work or fight as a team. Ochako's Zero Gravity ensures that solid objects lose their gravity and weight, giving Tsuyu the opportunity to charge or launch them at opponents with his tongue without her taking damage, achieving a perfect combat style that works both at close and long range.
Although they still did not talk much, as they are both close friends with Izuku Midoriya, Tenya Iida, and Shoto Todoroki, they are often found sitting next to each other at scenes set in the lunch room. During the sports festival arc, Ochako is impressed by how fast Tsuyu can move across a length of rope stretched over a chasm and Tsuyu watches Ochako's fight against Katsuki Bakugou and shows concern for Ochako when she constantly receives explosions from Katsuki during the fight. After the students finish their internships with Professional Heroes at the Vs. Hero Killer Arc, Tsuyu is shown to distinguish Ochako's mood swings better than the other girls in her Class, as when she returned from her internship with Gunhead, Tsuyu said that Ochako had developed a new sense of battle.
Before the Forest Training Camp, Ochako and Tsuyu can be seen talking and smiling at each other. When Pixie-Bob creates Earth monsters to take on Class 1-A, Tsuyu and Ochako combined their skills and worked together to defeat some, being their first time teaming up to fight. The next day in the test of bravery in the forest, it was night and Tsuyu takes Ochako's hand so that she won't be scared. When Himiko Toga attacks them, she seems jealous of the pet names they call each other and Tsuyu chose to use her Quirk to prioritize Ochako's safety before her own. Ochako immediately became angry when Himiko wounded Tsuyu and attacked Himiko, using Gunhead Martial Arts for the second time and impressing Tsuyu.[1] After Himiko escapes, the two remain together until the police arrive.
Ochako noticed Tsuyu's sadness and comforted her after she felt guilty for not supporting their fellow classmates on their mission to go rescue Katsuki Bakugou from the villains, and when Tsuyu wanted to talk to the members of the Bakugou Rescue Squad to apologize after Class 1-A moved into the Heights Alliance dorm rooms, Ochako spoke for her first, hugged her and stroked her back in an attempt to comfort her.[2] After a few days of training, the girls would relax together in the common area and comment on the rough training for the provisional licensing exam. Ochako was distracted and only returns to normal when Tsuyu touches her shoulder, drawing her attention and making her blush. Ochako reveals that her heart has been elsewhere recently and Mina Ashido begins to insist that she is in love, but Tsuyu along with Momo Yaoyorozu interrupt and tell Mina, Toru Hagakure, and Kyoka Jiro not to meddle in someone else's love life, to Ochako's relief.[3]
When the Hero Work-Studies began in Internship Arc, neither of them had an agency to turn to until Shota Aizawa told them that Nejire Hadou wanted to talk to they and they went to see her. At some point, Nejire took Ochako and Tsuyu to know the Ryukyu agency and during their debut as Heroines they created one of the first supermoves shown in team, called Meteor Frafrotskies. The supermovement was created in a way that Ochako's Quirk levitated the debris that Tsuyu threw at the enemies with his tongue. Ryukyu congratulates them when he sees them fight together and allows them to attend Sir Nighteye's planned meeting.[4] In the mission against the Shie Hassaikai, Ochako and Tsuyu effectively helped Nejire and Ryukyu against Rikiya Katsukame and Ryukyu entrusted them with the safety of Sir Nighteye when he was seriously injured.
After Eri's mission and rescue ends, the two can be seen leaving the hospital and being greeted by their classmates alongside Izuku and Eijiro Kirishima. Tsuyu notices Ochako pensive due to what happened with Sir Nighteye and his meeting with Aizawa and asks Ochako if he is alright, while having a sad face on his face. Although they don't interact as much in the school festival arc as they did previously, when the Class concert ends they can be seen together watching Nejire at the beauty pageant and having fun at the festival alongside Yuga Aoyama, slightly showing a blush on their faces.
At the Joint Training Arc, Ochako was cheering for Tsuyu when she watches her fight against the Class 1-B team sitting among the students and at the Christmas party at U.A, they are both sitting together celebrating and talking with their classmates and it revealed that they will both return to do their internships with Ryukyu. When the internships return, the Ryukyu agency has to do a mission with the Oki Mariner Crew and Ochako seems to get along with Tsuyu's friend Sirius. While they are on the beach, along with Nejire and Sirius, they were playing Volleyball and after the airplane that Ochako had got on to stop some Trigger dealers was about to crash into the sea, Tsuyu worriedly yells at Ochako that get out of the airplane. After the mission they continue having fun on the beach.
Manga[]
In the Paranormal Liberation War Arc, in Ground Alpha the students show their development by fighting Villain Bots and Tsuyu and Ochako show their enhanced determination and later both; along with Hanta Sero, they helped Izuku with his training to learn to use the blackwhip. By the time the war happens, Ochako and Tsuyu are on the evacuation team to evacuate and protect the civilians who were still in the city. After Tomura's Decay gets out of control and the city begins to fall into chaos, Ochako saw Izuku and Katsuki leave to fight the Villain, but instead of following them she stays with Tsuyu to continue evacuating the civilians. Gigantomachia finally reaches the city and begins to destroy everything in its path and while helping several people out of a building, Tsuyu does not realize in time that a piece of debris is about to fall on her, but Ochako if she realizes that Tsuyu is in danger and quickly uses the cables of her disguise to avoid that she and the civilians are crushed, while Tsuyu thanks him.
As they continue to evacuate the civilians, an old woman appears desperately asking them to rescue her husband and Ochako tells Tsuyu to take the civilians to safety while she helps the old woman, Tsuyu agrees and asks Ochako to be careful. Ochako discovers that the old woman was Himiko in disguise and confronts her for a while. Himiko was about to attack Ochako with several knives, but is saved by Tsuyu who managed to disarm her with his long tongue. After the war ended, Ochako and Tsuyu continue to work together to save civilians. Once the war is over, Ochako is forced to give a speech to a horde of annoying civilians to let Izuku back into U.A. and among those people who were looking at her was Tsuyu who looked at her with concern and then said her name from a distance.
Moments[]
In the first OVA, in a practice rescue mission, Ochako is sent down into a ravine to comfort Tsuyu and levitate her up to the surface.
In the second OVA, Ochako looks happy when Tsuyu is reunited with her reptilian friend Habuko Mongoose.
The Openings⁚ Make My Story and Polaris, in most of the scenes they appear in, Tsuyu and Ochako are close to each other.
The Opening⁚ Merry-Go-Round, an image of Ochako and Tsuyu appears in their Hero costumes while there is a pink background behind them.
By the end of the Ending⁚ Datte Atashi no Hiro, Ochako and Tsuyu are together with Kaminari.
In the Ending⁚ Update, Tsuyu sees Ochako sleeping on Tenya's shoulder and the two are also seen eating Donuts until Mineta's arrival.
In the Ending⁚ Footprints, Ochako is shown running towards Tsuyu before taking her hand and going shopping.
When Class 1-A participates by groups rescue training race, Ochako and Tsuyu are sitting together on the ground watching the first group and they both agree that Tenya will win.
When Izuku and Katsuki's victory over All Might is declared in the final exams, Ochako and Tsuyu celebrate as they hold hands and jump for joy in front of each other.
While Class 1-A are on the bus to go to the forest camp, Ochako and Tsuyu are sitting together.
During the room contest, inquiries are made about Tsuyu’s whereabouts and Ochako says she’s resting, and looks back at her room with concern.
In Episode 64, Taneo Tokuda takes a photo of Ochako and Tsuyu while they have lunch.
At the Internship Arc, Ochako and Tsuyu always appear together even if they are not working with Nejire and Ryukyu.
Due to Fat Gum's round and smooth appearance, when Ochako and Tsuyu see him for the first time they consider him "cute".
On the snowy day before the Christmas party, Ochako becomes concerned when Tsuyu goes into hibernation due to the cold and asks Kyoka to close the open window.
In the Paranormal Liberation War, Ochako and Tsuyu are constantly together before, during, and after the war.
In the second light novel, when they are on the bus to go to camp, Tsuyu and Ochako talk about their school trips in high school and when they get off the bus, Tsuyu gleefully tells Ochako how sweet it is that they have bonded since the beginning of the year.
An easy detail to miss, but in Episode 53, while the girls were talking and Ochako was distracted, she blushes when Tsuyu touches her shoulder before the topic of her crush was even brought up.
On BNHA Smash: Chapter 32, Katsuki calls Ochako "Full Moon" Which translates to "Round Face". Ochako asks Tsuyu is her face really that round, which Tsuyu said not really, and telling her it's cute
Quotes[]
Tsuyu – “I mean, you're so cute after all!”
Ochako – “T-T-That's not true...!”
Mina – “Oh? Why do you look so overjoyed, Uraraka?”
Kyoka – “She's blushing.”
Mina – “And she's also happy!”
— Tsuyu making Ochako blush on the "Scout Candidate" Drama CD.[5]
Ochako – “Hey, is my face really that round?”
Tsuyu – “Not especially? It's cute”
— Tsuyu & Ochako's conversation after Katsuki calls Ochako "Full Moon" on BNHA Smash[6]
Fanon[]
Beaten only by MomoJirou, TsuChako ranks as the second most written femslash ship in My Hero Academia. Additionally lt is the third most written ship for Ochako (after IzuOcha and Kacchako), and by far the most written for Tsuyu. TsuChako is rather popular among fans of DekuSquad ships, more specifically TodoDeku as a way to pair Ochako off rather than leave her hanging with the loss of Izuku. Other ships it is commonly partnered with are KiriBaku, MomoJirou, and ShinKami.
Ochako's canonical interest in male characters such as Izuku is often interpreted as compulsory heterosexuality, although bisexual headcanons are not uncommon. In contrast, Tsuyu has a snarky attitude toward boys, such as Mineta, as well as a lack of a definitive male love interest, like the moment where Izuku saved her and had her in her arms and she asked him to put her down quickly and she didn’t flutter or blush. This has made lesbian headcanons for her ubiquitous. Still, some fans love their frienship and how they support and help each other, so other fans decide not to ship them romantically and instead they ship them as friends.
Ochako and Tsuyu are also on a mutual First-Name Basis with the affectionate "-chan" honorific, even though Ochako uses last names on most of her classmates besides Tsuyu and Izuku (for example, she calls Yaoyorozu by her last name, with the more respectful "-san" honorific).
Ochako and Tsuyu in front of a tree that looks like one of Sakura.
For Episode 104, one of Horikoshi's assistants; Yoco Akiyama, I draw Ochako and Tsuyu in a somewhat intimate pose while they smile and are holding hands with a pink background and behind them a tree that looks like one of Sakura.
There are multiple sketches showing Ochako and Tsuyu together or close to each other as⁚
I draw a sketch of Ochako and Tsuyu dressed in a fusion of their Heroes outfits and casual clothes.
In the sketch for chapter 34, I draw them both behind Aizawa.
In the sketch for chapter 47, I draw Ochako dressed in the Hero of Tsuyu costume.
In the sketch for chapter 113, I draw Tsuyu and Ochako dressed in the same Halloween costume.
In the sketch for chapter 120, I draw Ochako touching Tsuyu's back.
In the sketch for chapter 284, I draw Tsuyu looking at Ochako as he floats.
In the sketch for episode 104, I draw Ochako and Tsuyu together with Nejire.
In the sketch for Volume 26, I draw Tsuyu and Ochako sitting on the same bench with Aizawa.
Tsuyu and Ochako have a height difference of 6 centimeters. (Tsuyu = 150 cm, Ochako = 156 cm)
