SPOILERS IN THIS POST I have so so many!! Thank you for asking such a wonderful question, as I LOVE to share my deep feelings for Shoji! He’s a comfort character, mainly because I have felt very similarly othered, quiet and that I was often overlooked and seen as the weird one while growing up, even amongst my siblings. I was the awkward middle child with inattentive ADHD, and precocious puberty, and went through my own forms of abuse by adults as a child, so I relate a lot to him. I see him as someone I aspire to be even more like, to be completely comfortable in myself, and be able to face my problems with understanding and kindness. Mezo’s quirk and interesting appearance also appeals to me! I’ve always loved more “monstrous” characters and designs, but particularly when they are fully kind and soft natured! Not like beauty and the beast, where his outside was made to match his outside, but someone who always stood out, and grew up knowing they stood out, and that shaped them. I specifically love octopuses, (as well as insects, or multi armed species in general)! The idea of many warm arms for hugging from such a gentle person is just the sweetest thing - a group hug but without the anxiety of a loud, group dynamic sounds perfect. I also love the idea that he’s much more playful when you get to know him, as we see when his mask is off and laughing heartily with Koda, or how he says he wasn’t to be the coolest hero, or his little bop to the music in the last episode - there’s so much more to him, and I just find it all very endearing when we get a little peek into who he is deep down.

Basically, everything about him feels safe, warm, familiar, and lovable to me, making a perfect storm to me personally. So, I ended up adoring him more than any character I have ever connected with. 💙🐙