18 Most Iconic Anime Duos We Love To See Paired Up

Jan 15, 2021

As they say: “two heads are better than one”.

That mentality is somehow even more true in anime, as we often see two characters that just click on so many levels, that it’s difficult to imagine them being apart.

And that’s the focus of our ranking!

We’ll be looking into all these dynamic duos as we count down some of the most memorable anime duos out there.

18. Magna Swing and Luck Voltia

Anime: Black Clover

Everyone in the Black Bulls is pretty chill. And they all treat each other like family.

But these two are obviously a lot closer than anyone else.

This is because they actually feel like brothers, constantly fighting with each other and striving for greatness, just so that they can show off to their pal.

And boy, if you actually harm one of them, the other is bound to go far beyond their limits just to make sure you never show your face again.

You just can’t help but love these two.

17. Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy

Anime: Naruto

Kakashi generally fits the role of the anime badass.

He has a tragic past, keeps to himself, and absolutely flexes on his opponents.

But whenever Guy is in the same scene, all of that fades away as we’re overwhelmed with an S-class bromance.

Guy is such a goofy character, and he cares about Kakashi so genuinely, that you can’t help but smile when he challenges his rival for the one thousandth time.

They make for the perfect badass-meets-goofball combo.

16. Mugen and Jin

Anime: Samurai Champloo

Unlike the previous two picks, these two aren’t even necessarily friends.

They’re two strangers that happen to get roped into the same predicament. And yet it’s so satisfying to see them fighting back to back.

Mugen, the raw talent dualist who looks like he learned more hip-hop than he did proper sword fighting, and Jin, the perfect student who has completely mastered the blade.

So even though they might not be the best of friends, they still have each other’s backs.

And they make for the most epic fight sequences in all of anime.

15. Goku and Vegeta

Anime: Dragon Ball Z

Keeping with the idea of non-friendly duos, we have these two.

Initially, they were sworn enemies that just happened to come from the same bloodline.

But over time they learned to be civil with each other, and even made for one of the most iconic pairs of all time.

I mean, I feel like even non-anime fans know about Goku and Vegeta.

Vegeta definitely makes the dynamic interesting in this relationship, as he’s obviously still jealous of Goku. But he has learned to respect him as a warrior.

They unironically look like an old married couple from time to time. And that’s the kind of bromance I want to see in my anime.

14. Kamina and Simon

Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Now these two simply bring out the best out of each other, with Kamina’s ridiculous charisma bringing Simon out of his shell, and Simon’s incredible power making Kamina’s dreams closer to reality.

They’re among the few anime duos that actively prop each other up and don’t let things be left unsaid, especially as far as Kamina is concerned.

Their friendship never feels fake. And when they enter the battlefield, you can see that they’re meant for each other.

13. Isaac and Miria

Anime: Baccano!

Finally, an actual couple!

These two make for such an amazing couple that they could easily have a show of their own.

They constantly bounce off each other and create incredibly funny moments that just wouldn’t hit nearly as hard if anyone else did them.

It’s never even a question of whether they have each other’s backs, and they’re honestly the biggest relationship goals that any anime fan could have.

I just love them to death, and would sell one of my kidneys if it meant getting more content where they are allowed to flourish.

12. Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima

Anime: Durarara!!

This one might seem a bit odd, as these two have never been on the same page. But hear me out!

I see them as a superior Tom and Jerry. Since almost every B-plot in the show is them chasing each other around and trying to ruin the other’s plans.

Izaya being the sly tactician is obviously Jerry, and Shizuo being the brute force monster is Tom.

Even though they’re enemies, their face-offs were always my favorite parts of any episode. Especially because I knew that one would never win over the other.

So yes, even enemies can make it onto this list if their relationship is just that interesting!

11. Killua Zoldyck and Gon Freecss

Anime: Hunter x Hunter (2011)

These two make for one of the most recognizable shounen power duos. And it is honestly hard to picture one without the other.

With Gon being a cheerful optimist(except that one time) and Killua being the ultimate edge lord, they balance each other nicely. And they make for a rather believable friendship.

Even in battle these two make up for the other’s weaknesses perfectly, as Killua is a single target assassin while Gon is more of an AoE bruiser.

You just have to love them!

10. Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kougami

Anime: Psycho-Pass

Who doesn’t love some good old good cop/bad cop content?

Akane is the straight-laced police officer who tries to do things by the book, but also wants to believe in people.

And Shinya is like a hunter, indifferent to rules or procedures, but always capable of getting results.

The action never stops!

This type of duo might seem a bit cliché. But trust me, it’s done so perfectly that you’ll binge the entire season in a day.

9. Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli and Joseph Joestar

Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency

I have seen many bromances. I have even talked about a few of them in this very list.

But these two were just above and beyond.

Even in the beginning when it was obvious they couldn’t stand each other, they were somehow perfect as a duo. Always trying to mess or outshine the other one.

But once their friendship blossoms, it’s a whole different level of comradery.

And when it came time for that one scene, where Dwayne Johnson destroyed my dreams, I cried like a baby.

8. Sora and Shiro

Anime: No Game, No Life

Sora and Shiro are such a good duo that they canonically cannot function without the other.

The second you put a wall between these two, they break down completely.

On the other hand, when they are together, they’re an unstoppable force capable of taking over an entire country in the matter of just a few weeks.

Both being geniuses (but also having specific skills), they can always count on each other.

And their faith is so strong that they never even have to ask for approval, they already know.

Two peas in a pod that should never be separated.

7. Twelve and Nine

Anime: Terror in Resonance

Imagine if Sherlock just had another Sherlock as his partner.

Now imagine that they were both badasses going against all odds, zipping around on motorcycles and sticking it to the man!

P.S. they might also be terrorists.

And there you have it, you’ve imagined Twelve and Nine!

A dangerous duo that’s on a mission to send a message to the world by blowing up one building at a time.

It honestly feels like they’re two hemispheres of the same brilliant person. And seeing them in action is nothing short of epic.

6. Meliodas and Ban

Anime: The Seven Deadly Sins

Ban had one of the most amazing introductions in the show, as the first time he sees Meliodas they both start screaming in excitement to see each other.

They then start punching each other out of joy and destroy an entire castle!

We knew these two would be a fearsome duo from day one.

And if you’re caught up with the Seven Deadly Sins story, you would know that their broship is one of the strongest that anime has ever created.

5. Yato and Yukine

Anime: Noragami

Not only is this broship canon, it is literally the biggest plot device in the show.

Similarly to Soul Eater, Yukine turns into Yato’s weapon, and his power is directly tied to his feelings towards himself and his wielder.

This means that we get to see these two go through some turbulent times, but they always manage to bounce back ten times stronger.

Their relationship also has quite the wholesome side, as Yukine is quite young, and therefore commonly acts as Yato’s little brother.

4. Rem and Ram

Anime: Re: Zero

Rem and Ram were just an instant hit with the anime community.

Even if you had just been brutally killed, how could you not smile when the first thing you see are twin maid waifus?

Especially in the first half, where these two commonly talked as if they were one person while holding each other close.

Their characters also cover all the bases an anime fan would want.

Rem is a capable girl with a heart of gold and enough bloodlust to slaughter a village, while Ram is just an S-class tsundere. What more can you ask for?

3. Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo

Anime: My Hero Academia

Here we have another shounen rivalry duo that always manages to keep things interesting.

They’re unlikely friends at best. But they know when they have to put their differences aside and kick some serious butt, especially in the second movie.

And even though they might not be all that chummy, just seeing them constantly striving to be better to prove themselves to their rival, to All Might, and to the world… it’s inspiring as hell.

2. Yuuji Itadori and Aoi Toudou

Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen

By all logic I should pair up Itadori with Megumi, his long-term rival.

And yet I can’t.

Because the makeshift broship between Itadori and Toudou was one of the most hilarious and badass thing I have ever seen.

Not only do they have similar fighting styles that go in tandem perfectly, but the fact that they also call each other brother ten minutes after meeting for the first time was just pure gold.

Toudou might not be a main character. But I can’t wait to see him back.