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Welcome to a special Year In Review edition of the AO3 Ship Stats!
This list shows the 100 pairing tags which had the greatest gain in total fanworks posted on Archive Of Our Own during the period 3 Jan 2020 - 2 Jan 2021. There are 69 M/M pairings, 15 F/M, 3 F/F, 11 Gen and 2 Other. (Please note that on AO3, ‘Name & Name’ with an ampersand indicates platonic or familial ‘Gen’ relationships, while ‘Name/Name’ with a slash is used for romantic and sexual pairings.)
Of the 200 names on the list, 22 belong to women and 2 to characters of indeterminate gender, down from 23 and 3 in the last comparable list. There are 16 Characters of Colour from Western media and 88 from Asian media, as well as 7 characters of ambiguous race. In total, 54 of the pairings are from Western media, putting the rate of POC representation for Western media fandom at 14.8%, up from 12.9% on the main 2020 list.
For more information on this project, please see this year's FAQ post. Happy New Year!
ETA: Updated to fix mistaken calculation for Loki/Thor (pairing no longer in top 100).
ETA 2: Updated to fix mistaken calculation for Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan (pairing no longer in top 100).
(Data updated to table format April 2025.)
| Rank | Pairing | Fandom | New Works | Total | Type | Race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn | 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù | 12878 | 18301 | M/M | POC |
| 2 | Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens) | Good Omens (TV) | 12005 | 32438 | M/M | White |
| 3 | Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion | Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types | 11029 | 11029 | M/M | White |
| 4 | Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren | Star Wars Sequel Trilogy | 8606 | 23958 | F/M | White |
| 5 | Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 8487 | 44405 | M/M | White |
| 6 | Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 7793 | 20262 | M/M | POC |
| 7 | Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 6714 | 18274 | M/M | POC |
| 8 | Castiel/Dean Winchester | Supernatural | 6621 | 90778 | M/M | White |
| 9 | Peter Parker & Tony Stark | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 5729 | 19696 | Gen | White |
| 10 | Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 5675 | 25597 | M/M | POC |
| 11 | Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug | Miraculous Ladybug | 5119 | 21727 | F/M | Whi/POC |
| 12 | Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 5041 | 16002 | M/M | POC |
| 13 | James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers | Captain America (Movies) | 5031 | 51751 | M/M | White |
| 14 | Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 4952 | 20103 | M/M | POC |
| 15 | Steve Rogers/Tony Stark | The Avengers (Marvel Movies) | 4717 | 38048 | M/M | White |
| 16 | Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou | Haikyuu!! | 4689 | 10263 | M/M | POC |
| 17 | Adora/Catra (She-Ra) | She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) | 4618 | 6673 | F/F | Whi/POC |
| 18 | Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier | IT (Movies – Muschietti) | 4608 | 13325 | M/M | White |
| 19 | Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 4530 | 9447 | M/M | POC |
| 20 | Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio | Haikyuu!! | 4498 | 12775 | M/M | POC |
| 21 | Sirius Black/Remus Lupin | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 4356 | 20053 | M/M | White |
| 22 | Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru | Haikyuu!! | 4328 | 13654 | M/M | POC |
| 23 | Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin) | Merlin (TV) | 4139 | 20710 | M/M | White |
| 24 | Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolo di Genova | The Old Guard (Movie 2020) | 3764 | 3764 | M/M | Whi/POC |
| 25 | Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya (Bungou Stray Dogs) | 文豪ストレイドッグス | Bungou Stray Dogs | 3725 | 10476 | M/M | POC |
| 26 | Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist | The Magnus Archives (Podcast) | 3595 | 4831 | M/M | Ambig |
| 27 | Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 3566 | 6714 | Gen | POC |
| 28 | Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV) | 9-1-1 (TV) | 3563 | 4894 | M/M | Whi/POC |
| 29 | Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski | Teen Wolf (TV) | 3477 | 60816 | M/M | White |
| 30 | Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood | Shadowhunters (TV) | 3361 | 26563 | M/M | Whi/POC |
| 31 | Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor | Supergirl (TV 2015) | 3352 | 14455 | F/F | White |
| 32 | Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens) | Good Omens (TV) | 3308 | 9162 | Gen | White |
| 33 | Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter | Hannibal (TV) | 3286 | 19371 | M/M | White |
| 34 | Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 3214 | 11757 | F/M | Whi/Amb |
| 35 | Sokka/Zuko (Avatar) | Avatar: The Last Airbender | 3137 | 3650 | M/M | POC |
| 36 | Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 3124 | 17906 | M/M | POC |
| 37 | Dabi/Takami Keigo | Hawks | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 3015 | 4277 | M/M | POC |
| 38 | Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou | Haikyuu!! | 3011 | 6704 | M/M | POC |
| 39 | Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 2943 | 2943 | M/M | White |
| 40 | Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan | Sean | 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF | 2917 | 4366 | M/M | POC |
| 41 | Min Yoongi | Suga/Park Jimin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2893 | 20912 | M/M | POC |
| 42 | James Potter/Lily Evans Potter | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 2861 | 11550 | F/M | White |
| 43 | Kim Taehyung | V/Park Jimin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2844 | 11079 | M/M | POC |
| 44 | Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 2831 | 13115 | F/M | Whi/Amb |
| 45 | Pepper Potts/Tony Stark | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 2688 | 18357 | F/M | White |
| 46 | Patrick Brewer/David Rose | Schitt's Creek | 2591 | 4467 | M/M | White |
| 47 | Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi | Haikyuu!! | 2589 | 2589 | M/M | POC |
| 48 | Bakugou Katsuki/Todoroki Shouto | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2520 | 6051 | M/M | POC |
| 49 | Kaminari Denki/Shinsou Hitoshi | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2478 | 3926 | M/M | POC |
| 50 | Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi | Haikyuu!! | 2473 | 6529 | M/M | POC |
| 51= | Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén | 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù | 2421 | 3437 | M/M | POC |
| 51= | Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Min Yoongi | Suga | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2421 | 13814 | M/M | POC |
| 53 | Sherlock Holmes/John Watson | Sherlock (TV) | 2312 | 62775 | M/M | White |
| 54 | Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee | NCT (Band) | 2311 | 6711 | M/M | POC |
| 55 | Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi | Haikyuu!! | 2276 | 7536 | M/M | POC |
| 56 | Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2266 | 3379 | Gen | POC |
| 57 | Amity Blight/Luz Noceda | The Owl House (Cartoon) | 2233 | 2233 | F/F | Whi/POC |
| 58 | Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 2228 | 10320 | F/M | White |
| 59 | Jeon Jungkook/Min Yoongi | Suga | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2219 | 10527 | M/M | POC |
| 60 | Katara/Zuko (Avatar) | Avatar: The Last Airbender | 2190 | 4204 | F/M | POC |
| 61 | Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2176 | 4819 | F/M | POC |
| 62 | Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson | Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan | 2170 | 7008 | F/M | White |
| 63 | Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist | Persona 5 | 2164 | 4460 | M/M | POC |
| 64 | Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion | Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types | 2130 | 2130 | Gen | White |
| 65 | Keith/Lance (Voltron) | Voltron: Legendary Defender | 2100 | 31096 | M/M | Amb/POC |
| 66 | Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester | Supernatural | 2067 | 9983 | Gen | White |
| 67 | Peter Parker/Tony Stark | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 2051 | 6891 | M/M | White |
| 68 | Kakyoin Noriaki/Kujo Jotaro | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure | 2037 | 4218 | M/M | POC |
| 69 | Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington | Stranger Things (TV 2016) | 1967 | 6067 | M/M | White |
| 70 | Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit | Video Blogging RPF | 1963 | 1963 | Gen | White |
| 71 | Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader | Star Wars - All Media Types | 1926 | 3717 | Gen | White |
| 72 | Kim Taehyung | V/Min Yoongi | Suga | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 1923 | 8135 | M/M | POC |
| 73 | Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth | Game of Thrones (TV) | 1908 | 7922 | F/M | White |
| 74 | Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren | Star Wars Sequel Trilogy | 1897 | 6845 | Gen | White |
| 75 | Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader | Star Wars - All Media Types | 1886 | 4937 | F/M | White |
| 76 | Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard | All For The Game - Nora Sakavic | 1856 | 5677 | M/M | White |
| 77 | Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol | EXO (Band) | 1852 | 7570 | M/M | POC |
| 78 | Bakugou Katsuki/Uraraka Ochako | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 1822 | 4440 | F/M | POC |
| 79 | Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto | Naruto | 1804 | 8504 | M/M | POC |
| 80 | Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier | Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | 1786 | 2905 | M/M | White |
| 81 | Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow | Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell | 1784 | 5772 | M/M | Whi/POC |
| 82 | Ayanga/Zhèng Yúnlóng | 声入人心 | Super-Vocal (TV) | 1779 | 5677 | M/M | POC |
| 83 | Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders | Sanders Sides (Web Series) | 1728 | 4633 | M/M | White |
| 84 | Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 1718 | 7074 | M/M | White |
| 85 | Midoriya Izuku & Todoroki Shouto | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 1716 | 3621 | Gen | POC |
| 86 | Poe Dameron/Finn | Star Wars Sequel Trilogy | 1699 | 7663 | M/M | POC |
| 87 | Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov | Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) | 1673 | 25065 | M/M | Whi/POC |
| 88 | Aang/Katara (Avatar) | Avatar: The Last Airbender | 1658 | 2654 | F/M | POC |
| 89 | Nico di Angelo/Will Solace | Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan | 1651 | 6937 | M/M | White |
| 90 | Bakugou Katsuki/Reader | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 1633 | 3022 | Other | Amb/POC |
| 91 | Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar | Lucifer (TV) | 1631 | 4958 | F/M | White |
| 92 | Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed | Detroit: Become Human (Video Game) | 1621 | 4486 | M/M | White |
| 93= | Jeon Jungkook/Kim Namjoon | RM | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 1618 | 4666 | M/M | POC |
| 93= | Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi | New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing | 1618 | 3865 | M/M | POC |
| 95 | Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester | Supernatural | 1612 | 28416 | M/M | White |
| 96 | Khun Aguero Agnis/Twenty-Fifth Baam | Jyu Viole Grace | Tower of God | 1577 | 1577 | M/M | POC |
| 97 | Midoriya Izuku & Yagi Toshinori | All Might | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 1576 | 3313 | Gen | POC |
| 98 | Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know | Stray Kids (Band) | 1566 | 3839 | M/M | POC |
| 99 | James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 1523 | 8564 | Other | Whi/Amb |
| 100 | Kambe Daisuke/Katou Haru | Balance:UNLIMITED | Fugou Keiji: Balance:Unlimited (Anime) | 1521 | 1521 | M/M | POC |