Ender’s (Hastily Compiled) Top Anime Couples

After poking through Stripey’s anime deaths list, I was inspired to post about a lighter and more conventional ranking…top anime couples! More precisely, anime couples that give me a super happy warm-fuzzy feeling, and leave me rooting for their continued happiness. Thus, couples like Naru and Keitaro, though extremely prominent and well-known, won’t make it on simply because I wish they would fall down a well and disappear. I am excluding wishful pairing like Rin x Saber, as well as non-primary couples like Honoka x Yamato.

10. Yumi and Sachiko (Maria-sama ga Miteru): The Gokigenyou good girls beat out the angsty Kannazuki kompetitors, ShizNats student council, and Utena usurpers for the yuri tiara. Far from being a tragic backstabby sobfest, this relationship was incredibly reserved and innocent, like a good Lillian Academy girl. Not a hint of nekkidness or fanservice to be seen (though I’m sure you could find a mountain of doujin detailing otherwise (;-_-)…), which I found extremely refreshing. Sometimes a great relationship stems from the subtle undercurrents, not from stealing your best friend’s boyfriend while she’s in a coma.

9. Amon and Robin (Witch Hunter Robin): Although nothing officially happened between them per se, you only need watch episode 15 to confirm that they are close enough for government work. They get into the top ten on the merits of the electrifying romantic tension between them. Not at all like crappy harem bait ‘n’ tease – the atmosphere is deathly grave yet somehow sexy. He’s planning to pop a cap in her head if she makes a false move, yet there’s something else there….I’m giving their hazy relationship a generous exception simply because that’s where the future seems to be heading; I really want them to drop their goth emo-shields and get together.

8. Yoh and Anna (Shaman King): This one goes out to Kabitzin, as he endures a similar fate in real life Yoh is incredibly carefree, and Anna forcefully pushes him to become the Shaman King (ostensibly so that she can live a luxurious lifestyle in the future), but it’s not as simple as the typical “dominant girl/submissive guy” scenario. The two implicitly trust each other, but are very reserved about openly expressing their feelings. Anna’s commanding presence and Yoh’s cheerful laziness conspire to create plenty of humorous moments for the couple.

7. Tsukishi and Tsukasa (Hana Yori Dango LA): Although I can’t speak for the anime version, the live action incarnation had me cheering for the snarky couple all the way. Though I normally don’t watch J-doramas, the romance between the leading characters was just too fun to pass up. Tsukishi was incredibly resilient and strong willed, and Tsukasa was so darn evil, making for some crazy romantic sparks and oddball humor. The lavish costumes and sets didn’t hurt, either, or the blatant Harry Potter music stealing.

6. Chidori and Sousuke (Full Metal Panic): OK, so if I had to pick a pair that involved a dense male lead and violent female lead, I would have to go with FMP’s marquee couple (sorry all you Tessa testifiers; TSR made clear that she got no game). TSR really helped solidify this decision, with its touching haircut episode and the subsequent disastrous separation between the leads. Only when we see Sousuke in a genuine depression (he f*king riddled the bedridden Gaul with bullets…since when does the hero give in to the darkside like that??) do we really understand how much Chidori means to him. Of course, their usual tsukkomi-style routine is always good for some cheap laughs.

5. William and Emma (Emma): I do likes myself some good ol’ fashioned Victorian romance, and though the anime ended inconclusively, I am hoping for a happy resolution to this pairing in the manga. The classic poor girl and rich guy scenario still tugs at my heartstrings, especially when the whole world is fighting against them. Except for Hakim, who is apparently on a planet of his own.

4. Ayato and Haruka (RahXephon): This mind-twisting series certainly threw me for a loop the first time I marathoned it, but after watching the movie as well, I can definitely appreciate how this relationship spanned both time and space. The whole mess with the military’s involvement and usage of Ayato’s power really threw a great deal of tension between them, since you were left wondering if Haruka was deceiving him or not. I loved the unease and self doubt that Haruka went through from her inability to tell Ayato the truth of matters, but I was so relieved that they ended up happily together, albeit with their previous experiences together erased

3. Jinto and Lafiel (Crest/Banner I II III of the stars): A great example of how the female can be strong without resorting to SD violence, and how the male can be kind and gentle, yet far from spineless. Jinto and Lafiel are admirable in that they both buck the trend in romatic relationships. There is no lovey dovey canoodling going on or dramatic proclamations of love; instead we can feel their unspoken devotion within the context of every conversation and their familiar behavior around each other. Though the galactic war setting left no time for chance encounters on the infamous rooftop, it brought forth a good deal of serious introspection on the nature of their inter-cultural relationship and of life after the war.

2. Sorata and Arashi (X TV): Who can resist rooting for Sorata to get the cool and reserved beauty? Though he was the closest thing to a skirt-chasing male harem anime lead, Sorata won the hearts of viewers though his infectious enthusiasm (he can even cheer up a total emo like Kamui), fun-loving yet earnest personality, kick-ass destructive powers, and total devotion to the woman of his dreams. Arashi was a overwhelming win on the ojou-sama front, as she was a perfect combination of ice-cold purity and steely resolve. Her staunch resistance to Sorata’s advances only increased her shrine-maiden hawtness factor. The painstakingly gradual buildup of their relationship amidst violence and strife made its inevitable demise all the more tragic, though. Thank goodness for the CLAMP fanwanking in Tsubasa! One question lingers with me though…did anything actually happen between them during the night Sorata was hospitalized?

1. Yukino and Arima (His and Her Circumstances): Timelessly classic. Yukino and Arima evolve from naive high schoolers to introspective and mature young adults through the series, and following the aches and pains in their growing relationship was simply captivating. REC could learn a few moves from this elder statesman, as the intricacies of maintaining a young relationship are artfully captured in the quirky Gainax style. Too bad the funding ran out at the end, among other things.

Honorable Mention: Lacus and Kira (Gundam Seed/Destiny): These two deserve special mention as a sweet couple that needs to get their act together and START PROCREATING, so that we can have some pink haired angsty bishounen progney to carry on their legacy and go SEED at inopportune times. Kira certainly does a lot of blasting in those space battles, and you’d think he could take that sharpshooting to the bedroom. Unless of course, he really CAN run out of ammo….

Naturally, these kinds of rankings are highly subjective, as I’m sure Suzuka’s supporters are glad that she beat out Honoka, or whatnot. And then there are those who prefer to widen the specification to include star-crossed lovers – I have intentionally avoided maddeningly sorrowful pairs like Chise and Shuji. To say nothing of the hordes of fans that crusade for the sake of this “Nemu” character or that “Kotori” person (me being fairly clueless about this, and would like to keep it that way). I know I’ve missed a bunch of good ones, but maybe yinzers can fill in the rest.

Related posts:

1. Valentine Quiz
2. Reading Is Fun
3. White Album Review