>>149456457
If the main guy and girl have a relationship that sparks strong/romantic feelings in people, then making it a romance is great.
But if it's like a lot of kid's show main guy/girls that are just lighthearted buddies and trusted friends, suddenly making it a romance feels weird. Like an arranged marriage.
Good relationships are built on good friendships, but you still need deep feelings and passion for it to be desirable as a romance. Sure, you can say these characters developed a more passionate connection offscreen, but what worth is that to the audience?
You're slapping on the ball and chain of a relationship label that's supposed to denote intense feelings and intimate attraction, while it was probably shown to you as something mostly light, fun, and on the more cerebral side. Dealing with emotions at the respectful distance of friends.
The label weighs down something that originally felt buoyant and free, and yet the label is a bland dead weight, since no thought or feeling went into it.

Zoomers aren't allergic to romance, they're just developing an actual taste and demand for it. Shipping became a widespread self-aware phenomenon in the formative years of the people making their media now. Under this influence and interest, it's now much more common for people to know what, and why they ship.

Look at the Deltarune fandom. I only know a bit about it, but from what I see, people are crazy about shipping a main guy/girl friendship there. Making tons of beautiful fanart, with a girl whose canon romantic interest is another girl no less. And it's because it made people feel deep and tender things. Romance isn't romance without ROMANCE