If there is one thing a shounen protagonist needs to have then that is, a worthy partner.
This usually can be done in a few ways, a rival, an antagonist, a love interest, or a partner.
Let’s focus on this partner and clink our glasses to the Top 15 Duos of all time in anime!
15. Red Blood Cell and White Blood Cell From Cells at Work
The job of the White Blood Cell is to protect the body against many harmful bacteria or viruses.
The job of the Red Blood cell is to carry the oxygen from the lungs to various parts of the body.
This anime does a very creative job of personalizing every cell and thus the creation of this iconic duo, Red Blood cell, and White Blood cell.
RBC is a carefree and kind cell who takes her job seriously but needs to get a little bit better at it.
WBC is her guardian of sorts who keeps a watch over her to make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.
They have a very sweet, respectful, and wholesome friendship that needs more limelight!
14. Jin and Mugen From Samurai Champloo
Jin and Mugen are both swordsmen and very good swordsmen each in their own right.
Jin is calm, composed and often struggles to maintain his relationship with people due to his calculating and logical attitude.
Mugen is loud, brash, does whatever he likes, and struggles to maintain any relationships due to his tragic backstory.
On the surface, they look as different as opposite on the spectrum as they could but in the end, they aren’t so different.
Both of them have evenly matched sword skills, hide it but are good people and in the end, just love a good fight.
13. Spike and Jet From Cowboy Bebop
Spike and Jet are partners whatever happens!
They’ve been bounty hunting together in Bebop for quite a long time and have a very close relationship.
They both have a deep respect for each other but do not share a lot about themselves.
They have been with each other through all of the adventures, sharing the bounty and living together.
12. Meliodas and Ban From Seven Deadly Sins
Meliodas and Ban are the best f friends in the most fun possible way.
Ban respects Meliodas’s strength and wants to constantly attle him since that is the only time he can now get hurt or feel pain.
Meliodas also respects Ban’s potential and strength and of course, his cooking.
They might fight each other all the time but in the end, they are part of the Seven Deadly Sins and will always stand together when need be.
11. Senku and Chrome From Dr. Stone
Chrome was called an eccentric and was thrown out of the village until the arrival of Senku.
Senku’s science and Chrome’s ingenuity have given rise to the best team possible.
Chrome has been with Senku and helped him invent and progress his plans of getting the human race back to where it was before the certification.
Senku and Chrome are loyal friends who believe in each other’s abilities and team up to overcome even life-threatening challenges.
10. Light and Lawliet L From Death Note
The rivalry between L and Light has always been the central part of the show.
These two characters have so many parallels although they look completely different, Light being the attractive stereotypical good-looking straight-A student while L being more of a mad scientist.
Both are charismatic geniuses who are surprisingly good at tennis independently!
9. Hinata and Kageyama From Haikyuu!
Kageyama is surprisingly talented but his personality, on the other hand, is not so great.
Hinata is a sunshine ball of floof who wants his talent and ability to jump to be used.
They make a perfect pair that uses the other strength and can gloss over the other weakness.
Together they became one of the most valuable assets to their school’s volleyball team and brought it back to the top!
8. Dazai Osamu and Kunikida From Bungou Stray Dogs
All Kunikida really wants is for Dazai to focus a little more on work without getting distracted by every slightly attractive woman offering to commit suicide with him.
Is that too much to ask for?
Daza enjoys playing pranks on him and Kunikida is aware of Dazai’s power and influence.
When both of them come together, there’s definitely going a blast! Of humor or otherwise.
7. Kamado Tanjiro and Kamado Nezuko From Demon Slayer
Tanjiro and Nezuko are some of the most iconic pairs of the new generation.
Tanjiro is a demon slayer looking for a way to turn his sister back into a human and Nezuko is a demon who literally sees all of humanity as her family is now on this adventure together.
After their iconic fight with Rui, the Tanjiro and Nezuko tag team became a much more complete and badass combination!
6. Matoi Ryuko and Mankanshoku Mako From Kill la Kill
If the entirety of the plot couldn’t separate Ryuko and Mako, there’s nothing in the world that can.
They have survived everything together, from eating very questionable and mysterious croquettes to fighting to protect this world from evil uniforms.
Mako has always been Ryuko’s cheerleader and major support system.
Starting a club with her and even sacrificing her life for her.
Ryuko who was only an angry young woman at the beginning of the story, now highly treasures Mako and their friendship!
5. Natsume and Nyanko-sensei From Natsume’s Book of Friends
This duo started off as a pure deal.
Naynko-sensei agreed to be his bodyguard in return that Natsume accepts to give him the powerful book of friends after he dies by any circumstance
However, after your show has gone on consistently for six seasons, a few OVAs, a few specials, and a movie, you’re bound to become fond of each other, aren’t you?
4. Gon and Killua From Hunter X Hunter
From asking about their names and families to risking and fighting for everything they hold dear and for humanity, Gon and Killua have come a long way.
What shines brightly about this duo is the trust, loyalty, and warmth they have for each other that shows throughout the series as they grow fonder and fonder of each other.
3. Itadori Yuji and Aoi Toudou From Jujutsu Kaisen
After Sukuna, Maki, and Gojo-Sensei, the most popular thing about the show is the dynamic between Itadori Yuuji and Aoi Toudou.
They have a lot of things in common including their type in women.
They became an iconic duo after their fight with Hanami.
Their impeccable teamwork despite knowing each other for only a short amount of time and the way they worked in tandem was an absolutely glorious moment to watch.
2. Zoro and Sanji From One Piece
The Zoro and Sanji dynamic is a big part of One Piece that has given rise to a lot of drama and comedy and even tension when it requires it.
Despite being rivals on their face, Zoro and Sanji share a bond in the crew that is different from everyone else’s.
Completing each other’s sentences, looking out of Luffy and the crew, making some of the decisions that need to be taken, standing next to each other during fights, and leading when the crew is in need, Zoro and Sanji are one of the most iconic duos in anime!
Before no. 1, Here Are Some Honourable Mentions:
- Goku and Vegeta From Dragon Ball Series
- Naruto and Sasuke From Naruto Series
- Alphonse and Elric From Fullmetal Alchemist
- Sora and Shiro From No Game, No Life
- Natsu and Gray From Fairy Tail
- Saitama and Genos From One Punch Man
- Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy From Naruto Series
- Rem and Ram From Re: Zero
1. Zoro and Luffy From One Piece
Zoro and Luffy have been together since the 2nd episode of the series!
Zoro and Luffy share a friendship that is shared by no one else in the series.
Zoro is willing to give him ambition for his Captain and knowing this, Luffy is willing to take this responsibility and walk ahead as the crew follows him.
Their friendship has stood all the tests it possibly could over the period of the entire series.
These two strong simple-minded morons have proven to be the best duo in all of anime!
