Top 10 Anime Duos

 OtakuNuts' One-Year Anniversary! 

Top 10 Anime Duos
Written by: ClayDragon & Shiggins

You know those two people. The ones who are almost always together, to the point where it’s virtually impossible to imagine one without the other. Be they a couple, siblings, or just really good friends, they’re always much better together than they are alone. This collaborative list between Shiggins and myself brings together the top ten duos in anime.

Sorry about the delay on this one, I've been under a lot of work lately. Enjoy!

WARNING: Due to the nature of this list, there may be spoilers/yaoibait here. You have been warned.

10.)      Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia (Fairy Tail) (Written by Shiggins)

Natsu:   You want to join Fairy Tail right? Then come with me!

Lucy:     Okay!

Whether it’s implying possible romance or smacking some guys in the face together, these two are inseparable. Starting from simple beginnings and facing off against some random loser who seems intent on hypnotizing women for ‘unknown reasons’, these two have rarely been apart for more than a few chapters and that’s just the way we like it. 

Just ignore the cat (if you can).

One of the highlights of the Fairy Tail series is just how these two talk and work together in amusing ways. Of course, they haven’t always been on the best of terms and in typical yet lovable anime fashion, the female of the duo usually hits the male in the face for being an idiot, nuisance or annoyance. We’ve seen Natsu break into Lucy’s house out of boredom. We’ve seen Lucy set on fire by Natsu to fight against Kain Hikaru. We’ve seen Lucy and Natsu roll around inside a bell together while the former was naked. 

It's times like this when people think that they're a couple.

And we’ve enjoyed every second of them because there’s no drama or annoying lovey-dovey stuff or hatred. If I had to put these two in any category, I’d say this: They are best friends who might one day become so much more. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

9.)        Ciel Phantomhive & Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler) (Written by Shiggins)

Ciel:           You shall never betray me. You shall never leave my side. No matter what!

Sebastian:  Yes, my Lord.

And now we come to what is probably the most popular yaoi couple on this list. And yes, even more popular than NaruSasu. The young boy from England and the demon butler from Hell seems to be something we can’t help but enjoy, no matter the reason. 

It's almost impossible to find a non-erotic picture of these two.

Do you love how erotic it looks when Ciel has an asthma attack and Sebastian makes Ciel beg for help? Do you love how Sebastian gets angry when Ciel gives him tasks that are for tools or nannies? Or do you just love it when they kick Shinigami ass for half an hour? Whatever the reason, it works.

"Look at how ugly that one is, my Lord."

What we always have trouble remembering is just why they are together. They aren’t friends, but both benefit from this due to a contract. It’s the little constant reminders that Sebastian is only in this for Ciel’s soul that keep us grounded and remind us not to get too attached. That’s part of what makes these two so good. Despite them clearly not being friends, or possibly not even fond of each other in any way, we love them together for all these facts and more. And that’s impressive.

8.)        Erika Karisawa & Walker Yumasaki (Durarara!!) (Written by ClayDragon)

            Erika:     Which one is better – Fans/Trolls or Trolls/Fans?

            Walker:   Are we assuming that’s yaoi or yuri? That’s important. Very important!

Whilst most duos on this list are seasoned fighters who can hold their own in a battle, Erika and Walker don’t really fit into that category. A pair of hardcore otakus, Erika and Walker hang around the streets of Ikebukuro with two other guys, and together they fight crime. Sort of. Despite there being three main factions in the show, Erika and Walker (and, by extension, Kyohei and Saburo) are effectively a group unto themselves.

"Look! We're otakus, on a website about otakus!"
"Otaku-ception!"

Although they’re a little unbalanced at times, their relationship is one of the most stable ones in the show, and they are certainly on the side of the good guys. Even though they may seem a bit airheaded at times, this is definitely not always the case. When they get angry, they tend to show a more sadistic streak. By way of an example, Walker has set people on fire and stabbed someone through the hand with chopsticks. And if this isn’t enough to convince you, then just look at the picture below. 

Yes, that is a soldering iron. Yes, that is a person's eye. Yes, I am wincing right now.

Erika is slightly less sadistic, but she has a tendency to ship any two characters she sees together, regardless of age, gender, orientation or whether the two involved parties actually like each other (such as Shizuo and Izaya). Despite this habit, she and Walker have been together for a long time, and will likely be together for even longer.

7.)        Hidan & Kakuzu (Naruto: Shippuden) (Written by ClayDragon)

            Hidan: That was pitiful! What happened there, buddy?

Kakuzu: You should talk. I wasn't the one who fell for a shadow clone!

Hidan: Ahaha, right. You saw that?

Being immortal would be fun, right? Not if you were permanently teamed up with another immortal who you can’t stand to be around. This is the problem that Hidan and Kakuzu face. The two immortal Akatsuki members get sent on missions together, but they don’t really work that well together. Hidan’s immortality is based around a ritual that essentially allows him to transfer injuries to his opponents, and this can even cause him to survive wounds that would kill anyone else, up to and including losing his head.

Eventually, Kakuzu got jealous of Hidan's numerous shirtless scenes.

Kakuzu’s immortality functions slightly differently, in that he can absorb people’s hearts into his own body, and use them to extend his own lifespan. However, he isn’t truly immortal, as he was killed by a combined attempt from Naruto and Kakshi. Hidan, on the other hand, is presumably still buried alive, and it’s been stated that he’ll decompose before his immortality runs out. 

"Look Hidan! I made new friends!"

Probably the best part about their relationship is the fact that they never see eye to eye – Hidan is too focused on his religion (which Kakuzu finds pointless and distracting), and Kakuzu is obsessed with making money (which Hidan sees as unnecessary). Maybe they should both join Scientology.

6.)        Light Yagami & L (Death Note) (Written by Shiggins)

             Light:     I am Justice!

             L:           I am Justice!

Two sides of the law that are trying to destroy each other. Light Yagami is a son of a cop and the self-proclaimed Kira, God of the New World. L is a super detective orphan and basically Batman without the costume. 

Proof that brains are sexy.

Practically born to battle it out with their cunning intellect, none can forget just how much genius tactics and manipulation takes place between these two, as they try to thwart the other’s goals for true “justice”. Working together to take down a copycat Kira was extremely eventful, as it placed them in awkward situations and caused fangirls to do annoying screams because the handsome boy spent time with a guy he hates (apparently, that’s all it takes to cause girls to see yaoi bait). 

You see why people ship these two, right?

It’s best when they aren’t friends though, and the only reason this series was successful at all was because of these two. After a few episodes of them together, you can see why. In fact, it's a testament to how well they worked together that, as soon as L left, the show rapidly began to deteriorate.

5.)        Maka Albarn & Soul Evans (Soul Eater) (Written by ClayDragon)

            Maka:   Listen up, Soul. This time, I wrote a detailed plan on this piece of paper.

Soul:      And that’s supposed to give us an edge this time? We’re not exactly grocery shopping   here. A piece of paper isn’t gonna help us beat a witch.

            Maka:   Fine! Then you tell me how to beat Blair!

            Soul:      Who knows? I vote for brute force.

            Maka:   That’s your answer for everything!

Given that one member of this duo is a normal human girl, and the other is a guy who can turn into a scythe, you may be wondering what the big deal about these two is, considering their abilities are relatively normal by anime standards. Simply put, Soul and Maka have a really good rapport going on, without it ever moving past the ‘will they or won’t they’ stage. 

Soul approves of the shipping pictures. Maka, not so much.

Yes, they’re partnered together, and yes, there have been hints that they may have feelings for each other (some more obvious than others), but it’s never confirmed one way or another. Not that that’s a bad thing, really. When the series first started, Soul and Maka tended to be at odds with each other, until it got to the point where it became incredibly difficult for them to fight alongside each other. 

"Yeah, we finally made it onto a list! Victory solo!"

Eventually though, they started to understand each other, and this connection manifested itself in the form of Maka and Soul getting increasingly powerful moves with which to combat the forces of darkness and insanity. Of course, the ‘will they, won’t they’ aspect of their relationship is mostly forgotten by fans, who almost always depict Maka and Soul as ‘they do’.

4.)        Spike Spiegel & Jet Black (Cowboy Bebop) (Written by Shiggins)

Spike:   Uh, listen Jet. You said "bell peppers and beef." There's no beef in here. So you    wouldn't really call it "bell peppers and beef," now would you?

Jet:        Yes, I would.

Spike:    Well, it's not!

Jet:         It is when you’re broke!

The bounty hunters of the future. One’s a former gangster who faked his death, and the other is a former cop who got tired of the corruption. There’s probably a cheesy buddy-cop movie that has those exact words on the back of its dusty DVD cover, but I challenge you to find a better criminal-cop duo than these two (although Lethal Weapon comes damn close).

Graceful, they are not.

Flying through space every day in the hopes of getting a new job, the best part about these two is the chemistry. The banter. Every episode involves them talking, and sometimes it’s about the most pointless things such as why chess is a great game or why all the things that Spike Spiegel hates are on his ship.

"Dogs, kids, and women with attitude."

As some characters come and go, Spike and Jet refuse to let the other go to the brinks of Hell alone. They’ll never abandon each other and when it comes to the emotional moments, they’ll give each other the words that are needed or the kick in the butt to do what’s right. Even when it’s a suicide mission, they know what the other needs to do and refuse to interfere when men need to be men.

3.)        Isaac Dian & Miria Harvent (Baccano!) (Written by ClayDragon)

            Isaac:     You know, Miria…

            Miria:    What’s up, cat daddy?

            Isaac:     I’ve got this feeling…like we’ve never even aged. Am I right?

            Cue 10-second long pause.

            Both:     AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Yes, Isaac and Miria have once again made it onto one of our Top 10 lists, and if you’ve seen Baccano!, then it will come as no surprise. Partners in crime who are quite lacking in common sense, Isaac and Miria are a strange blend of both main and supporting characters. On one hand, they probably get the most screentime out of all the characters, and they have a tendency to keep the plot moving. On the other hand, their main accomplishments usually lie in helping other characters, who themselves better fit the role of heroes.

"You know, Miria... I'm getting a slight suspicion that people are looking at us..."
"Gosh! Who do you think they could be, Isaac?"

The best feature of Isaac and Miria’s relationship is simply the fact that they bounce off of each other. In the entire run of the show, they’re never serious for more than two minutes. Every time you think they’re going to say something epic or thoughtful, their train of thought gets derailed and they change subject completely. 

Proof that cosplayers existed back in the 1930's.

However, on the odd occasion they can be serious for long enough to help other characters, like Isaac giving Jacuzzi a well-needed confidence boost, or both of them helping Czeslaw to learn to trust people again. In fact, their entire existence can be summed up by an episode’s title – ‘Isaac and Miria Unintentionally Spread Happiness Around Them’.

2.)        Goku & Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z) (Written by Shiggins)

Vegeta:  This doesn't concern you! This is between me and your circus clown of a father!

Goku:     Circus clown. That's a new one.

The ultimate rivalry of shonen manga. With so many similarities, in both power and history, these two are almost impossible to picture without the other. With their home planets destroyed, both were on completely different paths but eventually ended up meeting each other on Earth and battling it out for the Dragon Balls. After his defeat which gave him some humility, Vegeta went on a great journey from villain, to asshole, to anti-hero, to a proper brother and hero to Goku, who always kept his happy attitude and made sure to take on Vegeta whenever needed.

"I'm funny, how? I mean, funny like I'm a clown - I amuse you?"

What makes these two so great is just how well they work together, in every way. When they first met, they were pure enemies. Goku was the good guy who wanted to save everybody and Vegeta was the anti-Goku that wanted to blow up the Earth. When Vegeta fell to the hands of Frieza, Goku was there to finish the job and become the legend that Vegeta aspired to be. Goku is the reason Vegeta got even stronger, and vice versa. 

Look at the pretty fireworks of doom!

They inspire each other to become stronger, become better, become more than they are. They love to fight and whether it’s a brotherly stare or a violent attempt to prevent massacre, the two are always fighting in some way. Seeing Vegeta and Goku both show their respect and admiration for each other during those rare times is just icing on the cake of the best shonen rivalry of all time.

1.)        Edward & Alphonse Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) (Written by ClayDragon)

Ed:          Hey, easy on the ‘idiot’ stuff. I’m still your older brother, got it?

Al:          I’ll say it all I want to!! Survival is the only way, Ed! Live on, learn more about                alchemy! You can find a way to get our bodies back and help people like Nina! You      can’t do that by dying! I won’t allow you to abandon the possibility of hope, and            choose a meaningless death. (His arm falls off) Oh, great! AND NOW MY ARM’S    COME OFF BECAUSE MY BROTHER IS A BIG, FAT IDIOT!!!

Things didn’t start of well for the two Elric brothers. First, their father left them without saying a word. Then, their mother died. Then, their attempt at bringing her back to life went very wrong, leaving Edward without an arm and a leg, and Alphonse’s soul bonded to a suit of armour. Throughout this, the two brothers never blamed each other (despite some worrying on Ed’s part). In fact, these events, and their subsequent training, only served to strengthen their bonds, and it’s shown time and time again throughout their journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone that they’re always going to be there for each other.

"No, Al. You can't keep the panda. You don't know where it's been."

It’s even stated numerous times that Ed isn’t hunting for the Philosopher’s Stone for himself – he’s doing it purely for his brother’s sake. Due to his experiences, Ed is able to perform Alchemy without a Transmutation Circle, whereas Al isn’t quite so adept. However, the younger Elric brother makes up for this by being better at hand-to-hand combat. 

Teamwork at its finest.

Despite this, Al is incredibly caring, and even picks up stray cats and hides them in his armour. Sadly, Ed isn’t overly attached to this idea, and keeps getting Al to let them go again. Nevertheless, both brothers are very kind-hearted, and they both do whatever they can to help everyone around them.

Do you have any suggestions for a Top 10 list, or an anime you want reviewed? Please leave your suggestions in the comments below!

Even amidst the chaos, bloodshed and supernatural oddities, they still have time to dance.

ClayDragon:









ClayDragon is currently studying Physics at university, and is constantly bewildered by it. The main method of contacting him is his Gmail account at kyleroulston1993@gmail.com. The alternative is his Skype account at kyleroulston1993. When not playing games or reading, he can be found with his head in his hands whilst trying in vain to understand quantum physics. As the size of an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero.

Shiggins:[Admin]
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Shiggins enjoys all strange forms of communication, especially those including cosplayers saying hello to him. However, until that wonderful day comes, you can also contact him on his Skype; shigginsishere. He can also respond to you if you contact him through GMails at shigginsishere@gmail.com.