Which Anime Couple Do You Vibe With the Most?

Anime series: "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood"

Where to stream: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix

Edward Elric and Winry Rockbell have a romance that follows a classic arc: Childhood friends, they find themselves allied in adulthood but often at personal odds, with their mutual attraction building slowly over time.

The audience sees where it's going before the characters do — and when they get there, it's very satisfying.

"Fullmetal Alchemist" takes place in a sci-fi alternate universe where the ancient art of alchemy is a respected and powerful branch of science. Edward is an alchemist, and Winry is the young female mechanic who helps take care of his mechanical prosthesis.

Anime series: "Dragon Ball Z"

Where to stream: Crunchyroll

The sprawling franchise "Dragon Ball Z," which like many anime was originally a manga, has plenty of story lines, and the tracing of characters' journey across multiple seasons and versions is something that many anime fans delight in.

Vegeta and Bulma are one of many couples from the series, and as their relationship grows, it brings the audience along for the ride. This anime couple are actually parents — a somewhat unusual detail — and this brings a level of depth to their relationship that fans have appreciated.

Anime series: "Fruits Basket"

Where to stream: Crunchyroll, Prime Video

Tohru and Kyo make up one of the most widely beloved anime couples ever. "Fruits Basket" is a wildly popular manga, and the original adaptation (from 2001) has been widely praised for its rendering of the relationship between Tohru, a young orphan girl, and Kyo, a member of a family with supernatural curse.

The relationship between Tohru and Kyo deals with trauma and self-acceptance. The series is a fan favorite, and it's been praised for its ability to deal with complicated realities while also delivering the thrills and adventure that fantasy anime is known for.

Anime series: "Inuyasha"

Where to stream: Prime Video, Apple TV, Netflix, Hulu

Inuyasha is a widely beloved anime classic, telling a story that involves fantasy, high drama and romance. Kagome is a high school girl who lives in contemporary Tokyo. Her seemingly ordinary life gets supercharged with intrigue and adventure when she falls down a well, encountering Inuyasha, a demon-dog-human hybrid.

The pair begin a quest, and as is so often the case, both the future and the past turn out to hold secrets for the characters. Praised for its epic world-building and serious themes, it's also a prime example of a winning anime couple.

Anime series: "Naruto," "Naruto: Shippuden"

Where to stream: Prime Video, Apple TV, Netflix, Peacock

"Naruto" is another anime classic, with multiple seasons and movies telling the story of Naruto, an aspiring ninja. Broadly, the series can be divided into two parts: the original, which chronicles his younger childhood, and the sequel ("Naruto: Shuppuden") depicting his teenage years.

The romance between Naruto and Hinata is a slow burn, developing over multiple episodes in the series. While a frequent fan comment is that this relationship was too drawn out, for many it provided a great payoff after a long build-up.

Anime series: "Gurren Lagann"

Where to stream: Hulu, Crunchyroll, Netflix

"Gurren Lagann" is set in a dystopian future where humans live in underground dwellings, hiding from the cruel and oppressive Spiral King.

Incorporating sci-fi elements is fairly common in anime, but this one stands out for the careful way it depicts the tender love between Simon, a young "digger" and Nia, who initially appears to be innocent and naive, but whose identity turns out to have a surprising dimension.

Simon and Nia are a beloved couple, and the series is noted for its careful rendering of their emotions. When Simon meets Nia he's been thrown into a deep depression, and her ability to bring him back to his former self is the bedrock of their relationship.

Anime series: "A Sign of Affection"

Where to stream: Apple TV, Crunchyroll

Yuki and Itsoumi have what many fans consider to be a beautiful relationship. Yuki is a young student who is navigating life as a deaf person. Itsoumi seems to be her opposite: he is worldly and sophisticated, speaking multiple languages, whereas she is humble and must communicate with sign language.

As their relationship blossoms, it's revealed that any initial difficulties don't matter when love is involved. This is one anime on our list that exists purely and simply as a romance. Both characters improve their lot through being loyal and kind, showing the joy and the work of a successful partnership.

Anime series: "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End"

Where to stream: Apple TV, Crunchyroll

"Frieren," a popular example of fantasy anime, traces the relationship between its characters as they navigate a critical disconnect: While Frieren, the protagonist, is an elf mage and therefore much slower-aging than humans. Himmel, as a mortal, will expire long before Frieren.

Frieren and Himmel are far from the only anime couple whose love is tinged with tragedy. By adding the dimension of time, with much of the story told in flashback, the writers were able to find a way to put a new spin on the bittersweet tropes of lost romance.

Anime movie: "A Whisker Away"

Where to stream: Netflix

"A Whisker Away" is a winsome and emotionally resonant fantasy-romance hybrid. It tells the story of Miyo, a schoolgirl with a hopeless crush on Kento, who has no interest in her. The fantasy element arises when Miyo acquires the ability to transform into a cat, which affords her a degree of intimacy with Kento.

The story has its twists and turns, and the supernatural angle, while a genre mainstay, is handled in a way that many fans have appreciated.

Anime series: "Kaguya-sama: Love is War"

Where to stream: Crunchyroll

You might have noticed this common trope: the series "Kaguya-sama: Love is War" is set at an upscale academy, and features the plight of students in a high-pressure academic environment.

Kaguya and Miyuki are both students, and despite their mutual attraction, their commitment to pride and personal achievement means that they can't admit it, lest they "lose" in the eyes of their fellow students.

"Kaguya-sama: Love is War" is a romantic comedy, and much of the humor comes from the characters engaging in all kinds of convoluted measures to avoid professing their love, while getting the other to express affection first. It's lighthearted fun, but it's also an affecting love story.

There are way too many anime couples to properly catalogue, so our list was an overview of some of the very best, with a look at the different genres they appear in.

Lovers and haters of anime would likely both agree that much of what's out there is unapologetically formulaic; it can be dull, but it can also be comforting to know that you're getting the same thing (or something like it) every time you hit "play."

These anime couples illustrate that a cliches aren't inevitable, especially in anime. While you'll see many examples of very familiar types, they are combined in ways, and appear in genres, that are hopefully refreshing and (somewhat) surprising.