ContestShipping
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This article is about shipping. As hints and evidence for ships are mostly speculation, this page may contain personal points of view. |
ContestShipping (Japanese: シュウハル ShuHaru) is the name given to the May and Drew coupling supported by many fans of the Pokémon anime. The name stems from the fact that the pair are rivals who compete against each other in Pokémon Contests.
The pair first met in Slateport City during Now That's Flower Power!, where Drew became May's version of Gary in the way he treated and spoke to her, criticizing her skills and generally being haughty. The nature of their relationship gradually changed as the series went on, finally coming to a subplot climax in the episode The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing! that seemingly put this Ship on the clear track to being canon over the litter of one-sided canon relationships that bloomed before it.
However, it fell short of bluntly revealing any feelings, left merely as strongly implications that any feelings between them were mutual or even there, and in turn leaves the absolution of this Ship's canonization in question, as it was not brought up during May's brief return to the group in Sinnoh. Ultimately, as canon as supporters feel it is, its opposers feel there remains a gap just wide enough for argument in favor of its Ship rival, Template:S, and continue the debate between the two.
Evidence
- In Drew's first episode Drew seemed to like her from the moment he saw her because he would not make fun of her act if he never saw it.Also he seemed very unhappy when May did not finish their battle.
- Drew's second appearance on the television series introduces the recurring theme of Drew giving May roses. Drew hands his rose to May who stares at it in surprise. She blushes and thanks him for the rose to which Drew responds with, "It's not for you, it's for your Beautifly! It looks like the coordinator still has a lot of training to do."
- After May's Beautifly performs its failed Gust and String Shot combination, Drew appears and makes a negative comment about May's ability as a coordinator. He openly flirts with May this time, claiming that he's flattered that she remembered his name and subsequently hands her a second rose. Before he leaves, he warns May to not "get her hopes up." His excuse for coming to talk to her was to see Beautifly, a common excuse at the beginning of the series.
- Upon receiving her first ribbon from the Fallarbor Contest, May is congratulated by Drew, who delivers his third rose. Upon receiving it, May asks Drew rather coyly if the rose is for Beautifly again, indicating that she has suspicions as to the true nature of his roses. Drew slightly admits that the roses aren't really for Beautifly as he responds to her question with a dubious, "Yeah... Something like that..."
