Aries Mū/Virgo Shaka
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Aries Mu x Virgo Shaka |
| Alternative name(s): | Mushaka, Shamu, Shakamu, シャカムウ, ♈♍ |
| Gender category: | M/M |
| Fandom: | Saint Seiya |
| Canonical?: | No |
| Prevalence: | Popular |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Shamu is the slash pairing between Aries Mū and Virgo Shaka from Saint Seiya. Fans ship them because both characters have been shown to trust each other and have a closer bond compared to most of the other Gold Saints.
As they have a similar age, it is implied they arrived at the Sanctuary at roughly the same time, both being the only gold saint candidates that came from Asia. During the Sanctuary arc, Shaka asks Mū for help to be brought from the dimension he's been sent to, even though he could come back on his own.
They also share some moments together in Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold, where they both have a conversation inside a cave.
This ship is the most popular for both characters on AO3 and is in the top ten pairings for the Saint Seiya Series category.
Fandom
Mushaka day (ムウシャカの日) has been decided to be on June 4th by the Japanese fandom based on the fact that six (六つ) reads as muttsu and the first character of Shaka's name (シャカ) reads as "shi" which also can mean four. Fans use the tags "6月4日はムウシャカの日" and "#0604ムウシャカの日" to post fanworks related to this event. With the tag "ムウシャカの日" followed by the number of year to sort entries by different years.
Wank and discourse
Despite being a popular ship, it is also hated by a fraction of the fandom. One major reason revolves around the assumption that Shaka, being a Buddhist, practices celibacy and would not engage in romantic relationships. This perception has led some fans to strongly criticize the ship, arguing that it goes against the character's beliefs and principles.
Additionally, discourse surrounding the Shaka and Mu ship also extends to bara enthusiasts, who say that both characters are only shipped together because they have feminine physical attributes, and that fujoshis may only appreciate the ship for its aesthetic appeal, for the sole reason that the characters look cute together, without considering deeper emotional connections.
Common Tropes in Fanworks
- Family fluff: As Mū has a young apprentice under his care.
- First time: As Shaka always focused on meditating and getting stronger, he is sometimes headcanoned as being inexperienced in sex.
- Reincarnation: A popular trope among several gold saint ships.
Example Fanworks
Doujinshi
- Anata o Michizure (1987-1989)
- Lotus Caravan (2008)
- Pure Sheep's First Merry Sleepover (Nov 27, 2016)
- Kimi shiro (Dec 30, 2022, C101)
- Re*sairoku
Fanfiction
- Lotus by Lyra Goth
- Soaked by ingeinous spark -- Short and fluffy, soulmates AU
- Golden Heart by Chirella
Fanfiction in other languages
- Flor de Loto by Nisa Arce (Spanish)
- Lo eterno a un simple Mortal by Aquarius no Kari (Spanish)
Videos
- Revolutionary boy Shaka by utena207 -- Revolutionary Girl Utena's opening reanimated with Shaka and Mū
- Tribute to Mu and Shaka AMV by whitecat356 -- Song: "All the things she said" by t.A.T.u
Links & Resources
- Aries Mu/Virgo Shaka filter on AO3