But for some reason, more than just “romantic feelings”, anime seems to really like platonic bro friendships that are just above and beyond. But which bro buddies are the best of the best? We’ll answer that age-old question by digging into some of the best bromances that anime has to offer.
20. Kaneki and Hide
Anime: Tokyo Ghoul I have to put these two at the very bottom, because they honestly weren’t given a lot of room to truly flex their friendship muscles. However, there was that one scene that just made it all so worth it. Season finale of season 2 and we see Kaneki basically give himself up, walking towards the light with Hide in his arms while the soundtrack is on full blast. And the audience collectively cries both for Hide, and what’s to come in the next season.
19. Luck and Magna
Anime: Black Clover The two main things that describe this particular friendship are care and attempted murder. Being that they’re both the rebellious types and have a knack for fighting, it’s no wonder that they get into quite a few battles. But they honestly never seem happier than when they’re fighting one another. Especially Luck, he seems beyond into it. One might even think they secretly hate each other, but then a situation arises where one’s in trouble and all those negative thoughts just dissipate.
18. Saitama and King
Anime: One Punch Man I might be completely alone on this one, I’ll admit to that much. But in a world where people either know about Saitama’s power and go all gaga over him(I’m looking at you robot boy) or are unaware of his powers and don’t notice him at all… King is a very nice middle ground. He just wants to chill out, maybe play some video games or eat some chips. It’s no wonder that the entire second season follows Garou: Saitama has found his bro for life and no longer needs this hero business.
17. Tatsumi and Bulat
Anime: Akame ga Kill I could 100% see these two just dating, to be honest. Bulat being the huge lovable bear that he is, he always takes care of Tatsumi while also looking dashing as all hell. Tatsumi even states how he feels the safest around Bulat. And there was definitely a few scenes where this type of a relationship was hinted at. A certain shirtless training session with lots of touching comes to mind. And if we’re being extremely honest, Bulat would have treated him better than anyone else in that show, there I said it!
16. Sadao and Alsiel
Anime: The Devil is a Part-Timer! These two are basically married already. So I think putting them down as just a bromance is an understatement. We have that master and loyal servant dynamic we all love so much, but with a hint of a bickering middle-aged couple thrown into the mix. Alsiel being the stay-at-home significant other and Sadao the breadwinner, they could easily live a happily forever after. Except when that darned Sadao starts dipping into the family budget, even though Alsiel had been slaving away in the kitchen all day without even a thank you.
15. Kirishima and Bakugo
Anime: Boku no Hero Academia This one is on the more subtle side, as far as this list is concerned. We don’t really see Bakugo and Kirishima ever openly fall for each other, or display any bromance feelings, even though the community would definitely be hyped to see it. However, Kirishima is by far the only person that Bakugo treats…. well, like a person. Even though Kirishima may not be the strongest, Bakugo does trust him quite a lot. And the two definitely down a few beers when no one’s looking.
14. Senkuu and Chrome
Anime: Dr. Stone Ah, the ye old teacher-student dynamic. That type of relationship is already quite steamy in anime. But then you add the fact that Senkuu is like everything Chrome could ever dream of being, and it gets even more interesting. Think about it: Chrome loves science and here comes future man who’s ironically from the past, who also knows everything about everything. Plus I’m pretty sure Senkuu was the first person to truly trust Chrome and his “magic rocks”. So there are quite a few emotions intertwined here.
13. Goku and Vegeta
Anime: Dragon Ball Z I feel like I’m going to rustle quite a few feathers with this one. I know people like to put Krillin in this spot, but just hear me out. If we look at bromances like we do typical romances then Goku and Vegeta are a very toxic couple that just can’t seem to break up. Sure, they had that whole “I’m going to kill you and literally blow up your planet” phase. But water under the bridge, am I right? Vegeta especially seems to be borderline obsessed with Goku, so who knows. Maybe he’s just repressing some stuff.
12. Mikado and Masaomi
Anime: Durarara!! These two have such a strong bromance that the show would have finished after the third episode if they just didn’t care so much about each other. This is because they chose the “I’ll do stuff behind your back but only because I don’t want to hurt you” care package, and then failed to speak to each other for like half the series. But it never came from malice. It was all in mafia leader bromance good faith. And once they finally talked it out they became quite the dynamic duo.
11. Iori and Kouhei
Anime: Grand Blue Now these two are quite the unlucky pair. But life makes people come together in mysterious ways sometimes. This isn’t one of those times; they’re pushed together through alcohol and the diving club. They can be at each other’s throats quite frequently, but just watch how they act when they share a common enemy. It’s absolutely priceless. So maybe not as lovey-dovey as some might like. But definitely a joy to watch! Shinji and Ryuujirou could also stand in this place if you don’t like my pick.
10. Killua and Gon
Anime: Hunter x Hunter Even if you don’t like the whole “kindred spirit” business, you have to admit these two were practically made for each other. Gon being the little walking sunshine that he is(except for that one time) needed to learn how to tough it out in the real world. And Killua being the walking genocide that he is needed to learn how to chill out. So the two just bring out the best of each other, and it’s hard to even imagine them not hanging out. Luckily, if they ever do stop being friends, given the chapter schedule, it’ll be the distant year of 2134 and I won’t be alive to see it.
9. Joseph and Caesar
Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures: Battle Tendencies A bromance classic in the JoJo fandom, and a friendship that started with a food fight and Joseph calling Caesar a simp. However, they started bonding quicker than anyone could have anticipated. I mean, they even held the signature JoJo’s pose together. Which should be the ultimate couple goal if you ask me. And then, when the big spoiler happens, Joseph looks absolutely devastated. Even in his old age he hasn’t forgotten that special friend he met so long ago.
8. Anos and Lay
Anime: The Misfit of Demon King Academy I have to put down Lay for those of you who haven’t watched the show yet. Because if you have watched the ending, you already know how deep this bromance goes. I mean, spoiler alert here, but how much do you have to care for someone to literally come back to life just so that you can be their friend? Even before that part was revealed, these two had a really nice relationship, fighting with sticks and all that. Now if only they had talked about their feelings a bit sooner, a whole lot of confusion would have been avoided.
7. Meliodas and Ban
Anime: The Seven Deadly Sins Friendships often get tested. That’s just how the cookie crumbles. But boy does your relationship have to be strong to literally treat the question “can I kill you?” as a normal everyday topic. Maybe it’s because of their incredibly long life spans, their immense power levels, or just their love for eating at a top of a giant green pig. But these two seems like a match made in heaven. Okay maybe not heaven, Meliodas isn’t really all that liked up there… but you get what I’m saying!
6. Naruto and Sasuke
Anime: Naruto These two are a staple in any bromance’s diet. Be it because they were each other’s first kiss, or the fact that Naruto will literally throw hands with a god if it means getting his buddy back. Admittedly Sasuke isn’t too thrilled about this, first being around 700 episodes… but he does come around! And just look at them in Boruto. They’re quite frankly two pieces of the same puzzle. And that puzzle lead to world peace, so you know they’re quite the important pieces.
5. Yato and Yukine
Anime: Noragami Aragoto These two are far from just a comedic bromance. They’re like couple’s counselling bromance. This is because Yato’s power literally depends on his relationship with Yukine. And I don’t mean that “oh you did one nice thing that one time so I love you relationship”, no these two are actually rather complex. So there are some good times, and there are some bad times. I’m pretty sure they even touched upon the theme of exes and cheating. Writing this would be a lot less weird if Yukine wasn’t a child, but just watch the show and you’ll see for yourself.
4. Takumi and Souma
Anime: Food Wars! At first I thought these two are going to be just your typical rival characters, getting better off screen and only interacting when it’s time for the big face-off. But they were actually way more chummy than I expected. Whenever Souma is in some hot water, Takumi is always the first to run and check whether he’s seasoned well. And it goes both ways, to the point where Souma willingly put his entire future on the line so that he could help his rival and friend out.
3. Kakashi and Guy
Anime: Naruto: Shippuden Man, I wish these two had more screen time. Being that Kakashi is usually the calm and collected type who only occasionally sends you flying with four fingers, it’s good to see him interact with the goofball that is Guy. Their eternal rivalry always seems so pure and innocent: no arms lost, no grudges kept, only the spirit of youth and Kakashi complaining. But honestly, Kakashi really needed a friend like that. A friend who isn’t afraid to just give him a piggy-back ride.
2. Kamina and Simon
Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann I put down Simon, but honestly any character in the series could get it with Kamina. The man has his charisma tree all maxed out. But Simon is the most obvious pick, so here he is. From the time they were introduced, this duo was represented as an “us against the world” kind of deal. And before they knew it, it became a reality. Besides Kamina giving Simon the best advice when it comes to confidence, I have heard he also shaped Simon as a person altogether. God I love Kamina.
1. Takeo And Sunakawa
Anime: My Love Story!! In all honesty, this show could have easily gone without a main female lead. These two were enough #goals on their own. Mostly because I have never seen someone honor “bros before hoes” to this extent. Oh so you’re in love with me, but you said one mean thing towards my buddy Takeo? Well it was nice knowing you. Oh I found the love of my dreams, but it might jeopardize my friendship with Suna? Well I guess I have to hold off on that one. Like these two are so perfect they’re honestly setting an unrealistic standard for the rest of us. A fantastic watch, even just for these two.
