I’ve been thinking lately about my favorite anime relationships. Sometimes a story can construct a pair that is so charming, so eminently right for each other, it’s hard not to fall in love with their love and root for them as if you were cheering on your own friends. Of course, being the critic I am, I can’t help but second-guess that instinct and ask myself why some fictional couple resonates with me. What about the writing makes their bond seem genuine? Today I’m offering a little from Column A and a little from Column B as I celebrate the anime loves that make my heart soar and try to figure out what makes their romance so special!

 

Ryuuji and Taiga (Toradora!)

 

 

When I think of anime romance, Ryuuji and Taiga are always the first figures that pop into my head. Toradora! might just be the most perfect romance in anime, and a great portion of that comes down to the bond between its leads. The fact that the two of them start as co-conspirators in their individual pursuits of other lovers is actually crucial to their appeal, as it means they get to interact as comfortable friends long before any romantic anxieties enter the picture, allowing them to gain genuine intimacy and mutual understanding before they even think about a relationship.

 

Then there’s the fact that they just complete each other so well: Ryuuji’s tendency toward stasis is disrupted by Taiga’s brash pursuit of her desires, while Taiga’s general messiness is mitigated by Ryuuji’s reliable support. The two make each other better, and that’s a great part of what successful romance is about.

 

Hachiman and Yukino (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU)

 

 

Speaking of making each other better, it’s hard to imagine what would have become of Hachiman and Yukino if they never found each other. From the moment they first see each other, they demonstrate an easy rapport of insult comedy, ragging on each other with skill and passion for each of their myriad faults.

 

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Hachiman is a prematurely cynical loner who’s given up on making friends; Yukino is the heir to a business empire who’s already decided the social games of high school are beneath her. Each of them essentially begins as a lost soul, but through their mutual loneliness, they start to unload each other’s emotional baggage. Yukino teaches Hachiman to take pride in his work, while Hachiman dulls Yukino’s anxious need for perfection, each of them drawing the other to a place of genuine self and mutual love.

 

Oreki and Chitanda (Hyouka)

 

 

Sometimes, romance is less of a wholescale personality reconstruction project and more of a reorientation of what was already there. So it goes for the romance of Oreki and Chitanda, who grow steadily closer while solving a series of mysteries surrounding their Literary Club. Directed by the incomparable Yasuhiro Takemoto, Hyouka is perhaps the most beautiful series in Kyoto Animation’s altogether stunning catalog, and it is KyoAni’s skilled storyboarders and animators who bring every glance, sigh and outstretched hand of Oreki and Chitanda’s courtship to life. In their hands, it is easy to see how Chitanda’s curiosity brings color to Oreki’s world and how Oreki’s interests help Chitanda discover her own individuality.

 

If you’re interested in seeing this style of relationship as conveyed through direction, animation and sound design brought to an even higher level of aesthetic polish, you absolutely must check out Naoko Yamada’s Liz and the Blue Bird, which stands as my own favorite Kyoto Animation production.

 

Jinto and Lafiel (Crest of the Stars)

 

 

In a sea of romantic dramas featuring leads who can’t actually talk to each other, or at best provoke misunderstandings whenever they do talk to each other, Crest of the Stars’ Jinto and Lafiel stand as a compelling counterpoint. The secret to their chemistry is simple: they just talk to each other, asking probing questions about their distinct backgrounds and responding to each other’s statements with curiosity and consideration.

 

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Though their adventures span cross-planet chases and sprawling space battles, that core dynamic of Jinto and Lafiel honestly communicating never diminishes, making their relationship feel more substantive and poignant than any looks of distant longing could manage. In their conversations, you hear two souls who could chat for years and never get tired of each other, and frankly, I’d probably watch that show for as long as it existed.

 

Lawrence and Horo (Spice and Wolf)

 

 

My final favorite couple echoes many of the features that elevated my prior favorites. As a traveling merchant serving as courier for an ancient wolf god, Lawrence and Horo spend lots of time as cheerful friends before romance even enters the picture, happily roasting each other over their various alleged deficiencies. Their many idle conversations build a foundation of mutual concern between them, and beyond that, the two also “complete each other” in much the same way as a pair like Ryuuji and Taiga.

 

Lawrence steals Horo away from her loneliness, helps her integrate into the modern world, and teaches her how kind humans can be; meanwhile, Horo’s wisdom gives Lawrence a new perspective on his business, while her general attitude toward life softens his pursuit of economic success. Whether it’s their easy banter, their clear mutual concern, or the ways each completes the other, Lawrence and Horo embody what a charming couple is all about.

 

Well, those are my favorites, but there are countless other great anime couples out there. Please let me know all your own favorite anime couples in the comments!

 

 

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Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time or follow him on Twitter.