February is already here, and people are desperate for love. The Valentine plague has slowly settled upon society as chocolate hearts, sappy cards, and rose bouquets are appearing by the hundreds. It’s hard to walk through any store without being reminded of the joy that is love, but don’t expect anime to be your refuge from all things sugary.
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No, the medium is full of lovesick characters, and some of its couples are pretty gosh-darn cute.
Whether you’re single or not, there is something you can learn from anime’s top couples. There are hundreds of pre-made couples out there who are going through the same things real world romances bring up; These anime pairs just get the additional bonus (or handicap) of living in fantasy worlds filled with ninjas, zodiac animals, and more.
Here at ComicBook, we have singled out ten of the cutest couples anime has to offer. You can check out the lovey-dovey list below, but be warned! Some of these couples redefine couple goals and may make you reevaulate your current beau.
Did your favorite pairing make our list? Hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to let me know and talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!
Yamato and Takeo
When you think of cute anime guys, the typicalย flower boy surely comes to mind. The medium has a thing for slender heroes with doe eyes and fringed hair. However, Takeo from My Love Story!! combats that idea, and his girlfriend Yamato would not have it any other way.
The rom-com tells the story of Takeo and Yamato’sย unexpectedย romance. The boy is a gentle one at heart, but his hulking personality scares away most girls his age. It’s only when Takeo saves Yamatoย from being harassed that he meets someone who sees through to his true self. Much of the anime explores what it means to see your partner for who they are rather than how they look, and it is pretty dang adorable.
Tohru and Kyou
What do you do when you have a bad boy as a crush? Well, if you are Tohru from Fruits Basket, you level with the prickly beast or cat in her case. The love story of Tohru and Kyou is a rather strange one, but that doesn’t mean it is any less cute.
Tohru is introduced to fans as a down-on-their-luck student living in a tent after her parents passed. She is taken in by the Sohma family after her classmates Yuki and Kyouย stumbled upon her makeshift camp. However, things get hectic when Tohru learns her friends can turn into zodiac animals, and she turns Kyou into her pet project once his tragic curse is revealed.
Minato and Kushina
Shonen series are not known for their adorable romances, but Naruto managed to get one very right. The series introduced dozens of couples during its tenure, and Boruto has kept up the tradition since. However, none of the franchise’s couple have come close to outdoing Minato and Kushina’s love story.
Fans didn’t get to see this couple’s romance play out in realtime, but they learned plenty about it through flashbacks. Kushina was brought to the Leaf Village after she inheritedย her people’s Nine-Tailed Fox. Determined to become the Hokage, she caught the eye of a quiet classmate named Minato. The pair’s relationship was all but sealed onceย Minato saved Kushina from a rival village, but their tragic end did put a damper on their warm-and-fuzzy legacy.
Risa and Otani
There is nothing wrong with a good friends-to-lovers story, and the anime industry knows it. Over the years, many shojo titles have capitalized on the sugary trope, but there is something about Lovely Complex and its main pairing that is hard to overlook.
The anime tells the story of Risa and Otani, a pair of high schoolers who never seem to get along. Rise is well-known for her abnormal height while Otani stews over his short stature. When the pair bond over their unrequited crushes, the two learn they love a special hip-hop group, and their ensuing romance will remind you no love is complete unless you can laugh during it.ย
Vegeta and Bulma
When you think of cute couples, Dragon Ball is not the first thing that comes to mind. The franchise is way more concerned with Kamehameha blasts than first kisses, but it does have one couple fans love to stan. After all, Vegeta became a changed Saiyan after meeting his wife.
Dragon Ball Z wasn’t too bothered with delving into the romance of Vegeta and Bulma. Out of nowhere, it seems like the Capsule Corps heiress married the Saiyan and popped out Trunks. However, Dragon Ball Super has gone to a long way to flesh out their romance. Not only has Vegeta become a certifiable family man but his protective love for Bulma is downright adorable.
Taiga and Ryuuji
They say opposites attract, and Toradora! is an anime testament to the phrase. The rom-com may seem like a silly one, and it does have its slapstick moments. But, at its core, the series shows how two very unlikely people can compliment each other with their love.
The anime goes a little bit like this… Taiga and Ryuuji are high school students with big problems on their hands. The two are crushing on the others’ best friend who don’t return those feelings. Taiga may look adorable, but her small stature hides a huge temper. As for Ryuuji, his thuggish appearance covers up his homebody personality. The duo butt heads as they confide to one another about the unrequited crushes, but fans get to witness their emotional journey towards liking one another.
Yuri and Victor
Yuri!!! on Ice has only debuted a single season, but fans feel like they’ve known its main pairing for decades. The anime may be a sports series on the outside, but its careful orchestration of Yuri and Victor’s rumbling romance will make your heart do figure eights.
The series follows a man named Yuri after his self-doubt puts his professional figure skating career in danger. On the verge of retirement, Yuri is reminded of his passion when his favorite skater Victor offers to coach him. The mismatched pair struggle to find footing with one another, but Victor slowly shows Yuri how he can practice self-love. As for Victor, well, he finally finds the person who can love him without pretenses.
Utena and Anthy
Are you looking to ship a relationship that forgoes all social norms? One that gives the middle finger to romantic stereotypes and gender roles? If that’s the case, then you need to acquaint yourself with the couple that is Utena and Anthy.
Revolutionary Girl Utena is one of shojo’s most subversive series, and its groundbreaking label isn’t for show. The anime follows a high school girl named Utena who looks like a rose and fights like a rogue. The heroine’s decision to fly in the face of gender norms leads her to attract the attention of a soft-spoken girl named Athny, and their unconventional romance is cute enough to make anyone squee.
Misaki and Takumi
What do you get when you put a stubborn girl against an equally stubborn guy? You either get a court date or a surprising romance. Maid-Sama showed how such a couple could happen through Misaki and Takumi.
Yes, when the anime begins, Misaki wants nothing to do with men. As the student council president at a former all-male school, the girl has something to prove to her classmates. Her steely facade is very strong, but Misaki finds it endangered when bad boy Takumi learns she works part-time at a maid cafe. The two make a deal to keep Misaki’s professional life a secret, and that arrangement shows the girl not every guy is like her deadbeat dad.
Asuna and Kirito
When you are stuck in world you were never meant to join, you find out your priorities quickly. Many would notch up their survival skills to their peak, and that is why Kirito did in Sword Art Online. However, his blind determination to escape Aincrad shifted when he met Asuna.
The couple’s first encounter proved they were compatible fighters. Kirito and Asuna’s relationship was built on the idea of helping one another, and it rolled into a full-blown romance soon enough. Their reliance on each other is what got them out of the digital world alive and back into an even harsher real world.
