The 25+ Best Anime Duo's The Industry Has Ever Known!

Anime duos come in all shapes and sizes. They can be:

Romance couples.
Friends.
Partners (business or otherwise).
Colleagues.

Or just characters who work well together regardless of their affiliation, association, romantic interests, or otherwise.

That will be the so-called “criteria” for this post. Anime duos will come from one of those buckets. Some characters will be iconic, others will be underrated.

Here’s a good list that I think deserves credit (as far as I see it).

Solid Anime Duos:

1. Natsu And Happy (Fairy Tail)

Nobody can deny the pairing of these two characters. Their backstory, friendship, and how everything connects make it one of the best duos in the anime industry.

Natsu Dragneel is a dragon slayer who can absorb, breathe in, and shoot fire from multiple parts of his body. And Happy is the friend who can fly at high speeds when needed in a battle.

Happy is also sarcastic as f*ck and is the reason why parts of Fairy Tail are so funny in the first place (along with Natsu).

Lucy and Natsu are a good duo, but this one takes the cake!

2. Naruto And Sasuke (Naruto)

Though you don’t always see it as much as fans would want it, especially in the beginning, Naruto And Sasuke as a duo is iconic. They’re one of the two biggest anime characters of all time as well.

Naruto is the kid who was demonized (no pun intended), ostracized, and in his own words was “saved” by Iruka Sensei. The man who looked out for him, and that’s why Naruto develops a good heart.

Sasuke goes through hell, loses it all, and revenge shapes his life and mindset. They’re both opposites, and that’s what makes their relationship unique.

3. Ichigo And Rukia (Bleach)

In the Bleach series you have:

Ichigo And Uryuu Ishida.
Ichigo And Chad.
Ichigo And Orihime.

And so on, but Rukia is the best choice if we’re talking about anime duos. They both fit like a glove and have seemingly been together since the beginning (not in a romantic kind of way).

Rukia is there to kick Ichigo’s ass into gear when he slacks off or starts doubting himself, and Ichigo gives Rukia the same sort of motivation and drive to do better.

Their chemistry is some of the best examples you’ll ever see in anime.

4. Kamina And Simon (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)

Kamina is the OG of the Gurren Lagann series. You could say he’s the reason the anime has a story, and why Simon and Yoko end up breaking out of their underground cavern where they’ve lived most of their lives.

Kamina is the inspiration for wanting to see more and get more out of life, and so they figure out how to reach the surface and achieve “true” freedom.

Simon is a protege of Kamina, and together they’re a duo fans can’t get enough of. There’s also the duo of Kamina and Yoko but that didn’t hit the same in comparison.

5. Holo And Kraft Lawrence (Spice And Wolf)

Holo The Wise Wolf (self-proclaimed). She’s a deity who happens to end up near a church naked before being discovered by Kraft Lawrence, and their strange, romantic, and beneficial relationship starts there.

Kraft is a businessman who travels the world making money, buying and selling stocks, and doing what travelling merchants do best. Holo brings wisdom, knowledge, intuition and experience in dealing with people.

They’re kind of an iconic anime duo at this point. And one with romantic interests as well.

Relevant: 15+ Of The Greatest Historical Anime Series

6. Julis And Ayato (Asterisk War)

There will always be an argument about whether Asterisk War or Chivalry Of A Failed Knight is better. Both of which are Ecchi. But I choose Asterisk.

Julis Alexia is a princess taking part in a Festa (tournament) in hopes of becoming #1 and winning money to bring home and help orphans. Ayato is the mysterious guy who’s more powerful than he lets on.

He’s in search of his sister.

Ayato and Julis work together to achieve their goals and their relationship + chemistry blossom in ways you tend to see in we’ll say, higher quality anime shows.

It’s a sight to see. They’re an underrated duo.

7. Edward And Alphonse (Full Metal Alchemist)

Who better than the Elric brothers from FMA (Full Metal Alchemist). Their story is iconic, and so is the anime itself along with the common concept called Equivalent Exchange.

Both brothers try to bring their dead mother back to life through alchemy, and they pay the ultimate price. Both lose parts of their body and they’re determined to reverse the effects.

With differing personalities and behaviours, but still brotherly love for each other (being the only family they have) they’re a duo who deserves all the credit they can get.

8. Kirito And Asuna (Sword Art Online)

Sword Art Online might get trolled by trolls online, on YouTube who begs for views and clicks, and whoever else, but the anime’s presence and success can’t be denied.

Neither can the iconic duo of both Kirito and Asuna Yuuki. Not only do they go from strangers to lovers, but their relationship and chemistry end up being one you actually want to see and be entertained by.

They have iconic fights together from SAO and their back and forth makes them deserving of a spot on this list.

Relevant: Why Sword Art Online Is An Isekai, And How It Became The FATHER Of The Genre

9. Yamori And Nazuna (Call Of The Night)

Airing right now in September 2022, Call Of The Night is an anime that focuses on:

Nightlife.
Thoughts people tend to have at night.
Struggles people express during the night.
The inner thoughts of average everyday people.

And in some ways, romance and love.

Yamori and Nazuna have a unique relationship and chemistry that’s never been done this way before. It’s why the anime and the characters feel like a breath of fresh air.

Though Yamori and Nazuna’s relationship is a weird one. I mean think about it. Yamori is like 14 years old. Nazuna’s age is unknown but she’s a vampire. Flip the genders and there’d be an outrage.

10. Konori And Kurozuma (A Certain Scientific Railgun)

The Railgun series is a popular one, but still underrated and doesn’t reach as far and wide as a male-driven Shounen tends to do (this anime is female lead).

Characters Konori and Kurozuma are side characters but they have chemistry so deep it’s wrong not to mention them.

As a duo in a certain arc of the series, they shine like no other duo, and it all happens with a lot of fist fighting, gun-wielding, and dishing out a beating to thugs and gangsters in a rough part of Academy City.

It’s poetic.

11. Tanjiro And Nezuko (Demon Slayer)

The most iconic anime siblings and some of the most iconic anime duos at the same time. They’re both loved characters and have one of the freshest relationships going in an anime.

Nezuko is a human turned demon, but she retains her humanity simultaneously. She desires to protect her brother and will become more demon-like to make it happen where it counts.

Tanjiro, a human demon slayer will do whatever it takes to protect Nezuko, and it’s his mission to make her human again.

Meaningful story, and that’s despite the anime being a little overrated.

12. Hiro And Zero Two (Darling In The Franxx)

Hiro is a bit of a bland character, especially at the beginning of this series. But Zero Two is the one who shines the most, has the most personality, and carries the anime on her back from start to finish.

As she becomes interested in Hiro, the male character, their relationship, history, and chemistry starts to form. And Hiro ends up being more of a better character as a result.

Aside from the disastrous progress of this anime, they’re still both duos you won’t forget.

13. Inuyasha And Kagome (Inuyasha)

One of the oldest Isekai anime to date, and a classic as well. The romance, historical elements, and chemistry between the main characters will guarantee this series will never be forgotten for a long time.

Inuyasha and Kagome start out like any other eventual couple. They fight, argue, get mad, say stupid sh*t, and cause problems. Though Inuyasha himself is to blame for a lot of it.

Still, as far as duos go there’s no beating these two so easily. They’re iconic and have already made their mark.

Relevant: 26 Of The Most Popular Anime Couples Of All Time

14. Asirpa And Sugimoto (Golden Kamuy)

Golden Kamuy is an anime I don’t see recommended too often, not because it’s bad but because it’s underrated. It’s an action/historical series that references Ainu, and other elements related to Japanese culture.

Sugimoto is on the hunt for treasure with hopes of profit, and he teams up with Asirpa, an Ainu girl who hunts has valuable skills, and is braver than her height would suggest.

Sugimoto And Asirpa are some of the best duos going.

The anime’s 4th season (as of September 2022) is being worked on as we speak.

15. Rock And Revy (Black Lagoon)

Rock is the guy who’s a businessman. This changes overnight when he’s being smuggled by The Lagoon Company. He decides from there to be part of their operation.

He hated his work life which was what motivated him for a radical change.

As the anime progresses both Revy and Rock develop an interesting relationship and chemistry. The iconic scene where both characters are smoking together is proof of that.

16. Wendy And Sherria (Fairy Tail)

Fairy Tail again. Both characters Wendy and Sherria are sky dragon slayers. After fighting it out in the Grand Magic Games they both become best friends.

They get to fight by each other’s side again in the Final Fairy Tail series, both before and during the Alvarez Empire (Spriggan 12) arc.

They’re both similar in height, age, personality, and abilities. They’re VERY close and have no problem opening up and sharing their problems with each other.

It’s a wholesome friendship and an even better duo at that.

17. Goblin Slayer And Priestess (Goblin Slayer)

Goblin Slayer himself is a man who walks around in a tough plate of armour. He rarely is seen without it. He doesn’t mince his words and tends to be a man of a few words.

After saving the lives of a few women in a cave run by Goblins, one traumatized girl called Onna Shinkan, the Priestess starts to form a part of sorts with Goblin Slayer.

Their relationship is comical and over time, Goblin Slayer learns to open up instead of being so clammed up and introverted (which is part of his own trauma).

It’s basically a trauma-driven relationship.

18. Deku And Eri (My Hero Academia)

My Hero Academia has some OK duos in anime. You have:

Deku and Ochako.
Deku and Bakugo.
Kaminari And Bakugo.
Momo and Todoroki.

But Deku and Eri take the cake for me. It’s the duo that shined the most and the ones who basically broke the internet (close enough).

The fight with Overhaul and Deku’s pursuit of Overhaul, in general, is some of the most intense moments in all of the franchise so far (pre-season 6).

Once Deku and Eri started working together during that fight, that’s where things became Iconic during and after that fight. And their relationship and bond they built in the heat of the battle.

It’s emotional.

19. Alibaba And Aladdin (Magi: Labyrinth Of Magic)

When both Alibaba and Aladdin get together you can guarantee there’s gonna be a lot of LAUGHS, giggles, humour, comedy, and sometimes more serious, deep, and thoughtful episodes.

Alibaba is a lot taller than Aladdin but he still treats him the same way regardless and isn’t at all judgmental. They see each other as equals.

You could call them both underrated duos with potential that hasn’t been explored yet.

20. Yuichiro And Shinoa (Owari No Seraph)

Everyone loves Shinoa and Yuichiro’s chemistry. But some can’t take her sarcastic nature and playful personality. She can overdo it for some.

At first, Shinoa has Yuichiro wrapped around her finger because she teases him on purpose, knowing she’ll get a reaction out of him. And he falls for it helplessly.

As the anime and especially the circumstances become more serious though, things shift slightly. And their “duo” status is more focused on fighting, survival, and bonds.

Season 3 is still in need.

21. Shana and Yuji (Shakugan No Shana)

Shana and Yuji. Both start out in one of the strangest and most unlikely ways an anime can possibly make it.

In this world, there are Denizens (demons), humans, torches, and Flame Haze who fight Denizens. Yuji unknowingly becomes a torch which means a human whose life force has been eaten by a demon called Rinne.

Once that happens if you die as a torch any memory of you is deleted and no one remembers you.

Shana saves Yuji by the coincidence of doing her job, and their relationship builds over the 3 seasons of this anime. And Shana’s “Tsundere” personality goes through an evolution.

Classic duos from the 2000s era.

22. May Hopkins And Rally Vincent (Gunsmith Cats)

The anime Gunsmith Cats is basically the inspiration for the currently airing anime Lycoris Recoil. The similarities are uncanny.

Minnie May Hopkins as she’s called is an ex-prostitute and a girl who ran away from home at 13, years later (present timeline) she becomes a bomb specialist. She works with Rally who’s a gun expert.

Their friendship is so natural and real. Rally is the more serious one of the two, but she does have a sense of humour and they fit like a glove.

23. Nana Osaki And Nana Komatsu (NANA)

In this classic slice of life series called NANA, which both main characters are named after, there are sex, romance, intimacy, heartbreak, career struggles, living the so-called dream, and so much more.

It’s an anime that reflects the 18-22+ year old life experience of trying to live your dreams, relationship issues, sleeping around, and more with the life lessons to back it up.

Nana Osaki And Nana Komatsu are a unique duo since they both share a name, and even both coincidentally live in the same apartment building.

24. Rentaro And Enju (Black Bullet)

Rentaro has an arm made of Veranium, a type of metal that can be used to kill Gastrea (a type of monster) in Black Bullet. He lost his arm during a battle against a level 5 Gastrea.

Enju is a girl who’s a human with Gastrea blood, giving her supernatural abilities and strength. Her “race” is ostracized and labelled as the cursed children.

Some people like Black Bullet, others not so much. Opinions aside the anime has the duo thing down right. And it’s one of the better examples of anime duos and anime that are built around duo characters.

Both characters lean on each other, heal each other, and depend on each other for survival and overall happiness. They’re a family.

25. Lelouch And CC (Code Geass)

And last we’ll mention Lelouch Lamperouge and CC (or C2 if you watched the Dub). She’s the mysterious girl who gives Lelouch his power of Geass, and the reason he’s alive.

CC plays the role of observer, but she does get involved in Lelouch’s business relating to the military, war, opposition, and his overall goals which are achieved through violence and brutality.

Lelouch and CC are a duo who have a mystique to them when pictured together, and one that outsiders don’t know much about as far as their personal relationship.

Other worthy anime duos:

Myne And Benio (Ascendance Of A Bookworm).
Miyuki And Natsumi (You’re Under Arrest).
Sousuke And Kaname (Full Metal Panic).
Haruhi Suzumiya and Kyon (The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya).
Yui Hirasawa and Rin Tainaka (K-On).
Kamijou And Index (A Certain Magical Index).
Mash Kyrielight And Fujimaru (Fate Grand Order).
Mugen And Jin (Samurai Champloo).
Kuroko And Uiharu (A Certain Scientific Railgun).
Lina And Gourry (Slayers).
Emilico And Kate (Shadows House).
Madoka and Homura (Madoka Magica).
Erza And Jellal (Fairy Tail).
Krillin And Android 18 (Dragon Ball Z).
Sora and Shiro (No Game No Life).
Mine And Tstsumi (Akame Ga Kill).

–

The 25+ Best Anime Duo’s The Industry Has Ever Known!