What makes you "ship" a pairing?

[Rainbow-Mage]

Mostly chemistry. My favorite thing is when the two characters banter with each other. Also I love it when the two genuinely care about each other. This should be obvious but not everyone sees it that way so...

[LadyN]

It’s the amount of screen time the two got together and their chemistry. And it’s hard to chose just one pairing so… skip.

[Flauschwurm]

To me, it's really the chemistry and the credibility. Looks really dont matter. It just has to be a ship that makes sense.

[domisotto]

That I

A. Truly like both
B. See potential for them to make one another happy

Jaimie Brienne is my fav pairing in a long time

[HGohwell]

I don't want to see them punch each other or really cut each other up verbally if I'm supposed to root for them to get together. I don't like it when a girl slapping a guy is played off as "cute" one little bit.

This sorta depends entirely on the setting for me. For instance, in something like a shounen fighting show, you kinda gotta accept these people are gonna have punched each other once or twice and there will have been trash talk. But in a soft fluffy slice of life shoujo, that's way less acceptable. For instance I saw an argument once that a ship was unhealthy because Character A, who's pov the novel was from, thought if Character B wasn't his boss (in the Mafia) and closest friend he would have punched him for pulling whatever particular reckless stunt he just pulled. Even more notable because Character B is a notorious asshole who enjoys winding people up and generally being a shit and almost everyone who's ever interacted with him has had thoughts of punching him. And also that what counts as cutting each other up verbally also varies from character and show. Some characters will just constantly snipe at each other, but are still best friends or lovers, some characters will be perfectly polite, even friendly but can't stand each other.

There's definitely no hard and fast rule for what counts as too far. Like the violent tsundere trope, some people will consider that slapstick comedy, some will consider it abuse, it really depends on how seriously you think you're supposed to take that violence and how actually real it is. For instance, for me a violent tsundere can be ok but only in a decidedly slapstick work. If they're the only violence for comedy character, it's jarring for me.

[disqette]

Banter haha
I love ships that are snarky towards each other

(also if the girl is cute I'll ship her with anyone I just really love cute girls)

also also color contrast !!!

[azzy-m]

Ah, enemies to lovers. An excellent trope if done right. I'm more on friends to lovers though. THE YEARNING. I actually don't know that many enemies to lovers ships other than Amaya/Janai from The Dragon Prince.

[darkone4587]

A mix of chemistry and seeing potential in their interactions as a pair. It dosen't take much to send the shipping radar off but once it pings it pings hard.

[vothnthorvaldson]

I'm not a huge shipper, but under certain circumstances I may be interested in a ship.
Generally, it is when there is good alchemy, but unlikely circumstances. It can make the romance interesting without the usual annoying tropes such as misunderstandings, love triangle, lovers against the whole world (that last one can be good if really, really carefully thought).

For eg. I feel about the same as @EmmyPax about enemies to lovers; I very strongly dislike the bully&victim become lovers dynamics, but enemies soldiers can work as a good alchemy/unlikely circumstances, so in that context I can like the enemy to lover trope.

[joannekwan]

I'm weird, I like to focus on secondary/tertiary characters for shipping, like roles that won't get much screentime? Like main cast characters in romance plots/subplots have plenty of screentime to show relationship development and sometimes it becomes canon. I suppose I like to imagine more or lay down a runner for greater possibility, so perhaps crack ships are more my thing? xD

There still has to be some level of amicability for me though and at least one or two interactions between the characters. For example, while watching the Hunger Games movies I thought, "Oh, wouldn't it be nice if Haymitch and Effie got together "

Per enemies to lovers: I hate the bully/victim ship. And the only time I can really stand an enemy to lover is if the two aren't personal enemies? For example, say one is a resistance fighter and the other is just working for the hegemony. They're only enemies on paper, as dictated by their society, but really they get along if given the chance.

[Penni]

Chemistry!

There are time when I see ships and I think other ones would have been better, in ATLA I could totally see Zuko and Katara together.

I usually just run with my gut on this matter lol

[VibrantFox]

I think the only time I've been big into shipping was Sonic and maybe She-ra but other than that I'm like super duper casual about character ships unless it's something that really grabs me (or my own ocs which is like the highest level)

But answering the question it almost always boils down to chemistry and character interactions! It kind of makes me think about the ship dynamics meme on twitter but the way the characters compliment one another can also totally play into it as well (like the loud x quiet or small ray or sunshine x big scary) how the characters act as a foil to one another can really get me.

Most of my favorite ships are usually cozy where the relationship has been built over time and there super close and kind/loving to the other, some variation of mutual pinning, or a good rivals to lovers. i'm like 50/50 on enemies to lovers because it depends on how it's played.

[DiscountedArtist]

I think it's their chemistry. I didn't know what shipping was when I was watching Bleach, which was one year ago so I don't know how I didn't know. While watching it I thought that Ichigo and Rukia liked each other, but later I searched up if they get together and google said no. And then in the show Orihime liked Ichigo, which I wasn't too big a fan of because almost all their interactions were just Orihime being nervous, while Rukia nad Ichigo actually talked to each other.

[MrOwl]

in the show Orihime liked Ichigo, which I wasn't too big a fan of because almost all their interactions were just Orihime being nervous, while Rukia nad Ichigo actually talked to each other.

Rukia > Abyss > Orihime, that's one of those moments when I like fanon way more than the canon... I won't read anything that Kubo touches post-bleach, that final pissed me off lmao.

[indagold]

I've only done it if the story is a garbage fire and the characters deserve better.

[ChaoticConstellation]

It depends on the characters. I tend to like characters that seem to genuinely like each other (as people before lovers) or that can just be goofy dorks together. But I ALSO love a good enemies to friends to lovers trope. But above all else people who form a good dynamic. Like allows the other to use their strengths to the benefit of both, knows when to let the other shine too.

[inubasket]

Most of my ships are like:
(I don't ship these two though)

[ButterflyEmpress]

I think it's cute when pairings look out for each other. They each can bring something to the table.

Ex.One person could be stressed all the time and the other teaches them how to chill. Then that person might struggle with procrastination and the other could help them develop a healthy work ethic. Or they both help each other cope with hard ships they went through.

This is a dynamic I'm trying to shoot for in my comic, although it's my first time writing a romance.

[Stargazer31]

A healthy relationship and good chemistry.
Favourite pairings: Percy and Annabeth ( Percy Jackson), Crowley and Aziraphale ( Good Omens).

[artemficta]

Chemistry! How the characters interact with each other is key, what their banter is like, and that their relationship be non toxic, lol. I wish there were more series that focused on characters together vs the will they won't they stage though. My mind is blanking on a favorite couple at the moment The Maid Sama manga is a really nicely done romance though I think. The anime follows it pretty closely but stops before they really get together which is sad since you do get to see them together in the manga a lot. W Juliet is also a nice romance manga.

Maybe Professor Venomous and Boxman from Ok Ko? lolol