Ah, love. That thing that makes the world go round and makes you cry in public when your favorite couple gets together (or break up). This is your official warning: we’re about to get all up in your feels, and we’re not sorry.
Shipping is a way of life for anime fans. You don’t watch your favorite shows to get lost in the story (well, not just that) — you want to see your favorite characters get together and live happily ever after. You want to see them live on forever in fan art, fanfiction, and cosplay.
If you’re anything like me, you spend tons of time watching anime and fantasizing about the characters who might be your OTP. But what is an OTP, exactly? It’s the couple that holds a special place in your heart because they’re just so perfect for each other. It’s basically the pairing that you’d be willing to die for.
If you’re reading this, it’s because you like anime and want to know more about the best anime couples. Whether it’s your first foray into the world of shipping or you’ve been a shipper since the beginning of time, we hope you’ll find a valid opponent to your current favorite pairing. Personally, the more OTPs the better, so we investigated which pairings anime fans seem to have their eyes on. Here’s to the cutest anime couples of all time!
#1 Kagome & Inuyasha (Inuyasha)
There’s nothing like a pair of warriors who overcome all obstacles and fight for their happily ever after. They’ve been through everything together — from fighting demons to dealing with the various aspects of their relationship and each other’s pasts. They’re by far the most popular pairing, and fans fell in love with how the authors took their time to develop their relationship through the course of the series and made it feel real.
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48points
#2 Lucy & Natsu (Fairy Tail)
Can we all agree these two are the cutest and move along? They’re both fan-favorite characters on their own, but put them together and you’ve got one of the most popular anime couples. For starters, they’re both pretty hot. And we’re not just talking looks here; we’re talking personality. Both are super strong and resilient, but they also have deep emotional struggles that make them relatable. They don’t let their passion overtake their friendship or their mission, but the mutual feelings are there, and they get regularly teased as a couple.
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47points
#3 Winry & Edward (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Winry and Edward. They’re a match made in heaven — or at least in the fictional world of Fullmetal Alchemist, where they’ve been a fan-favorite couple for years. As if the story itself wasn’t enough to make you fall in love, these two are just so darn cute together. When the series finale revealed they got married and even had kids, many fans went wild and have since focused their fanworks on this new family.
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42points
#4 Minato & Kushina (Naruto)
The best anime couples are the ones that make us believe in true love. And when it comes to that, it’s hard to beat Minato and Kushina from Naruto. After their reveal as Naruto’s parents, Minato and Kushina were shipped with fervor and gained a plethora of fans. Their love story is often cited as an example of a well-written ship, and thanks to the pair’s individual titles and abilities, they perfectly fit the “power couple” trope.
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40points
#5 Temari & Shikamaru (Naruto)
Temari and Shikamaru are among the most badass anime couples in the Naruto fandom. Fans are well aware that neither anime nor manga go heavy on romance, but the way these two are portrayed — first as rivals, then as friends and allies — gave life to one of the best ships in the fandom. Their chemistry and constant bickering made them a fan favorite, and the fact they’ve been confirmed married added fuel to fans’ love.
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37points
#6 Riza Hawkeye & Roy Mustang (Fullmetal Alchemist)
If you’re looking for a pairing that’s got the perfect mix of sass, loyalty, and chemistry, look no further than Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang. When talking about this couple, you can’t talk about one without the other — they’re an inseparable pair. A whole package. Although there’s no explicit mention of a romantic relationship going on between them, tons of moments in the manga/anime suggest they do have feelings for each other. What we can 100% confirm though, is that they deeply trust each other and have defended one another on more than one occasion.
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36points
#7 Miroku & Sango (Inuyasha)
Miroku and Sango are the perfect example of a pair that fans love for their banter and genuine connection. Despite their incessant bickering, usually caused by Miroku’s inability to keep his hands in place, their relationship is built on a foundation of mutual affection, admiration, and trust. Going from being allies to close friends and spouses, they became one of our favorite married anime couples!
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31points
#8 Gajeel & Levy (Fairy Tail)
The whole buzz with Gajeel and Levy started when they got paired for the S-Class trials, and since then, their relationship has taken off. They may not be the most obvious couple, but once you’ve seen them together, it’s impossible to imagine them apart! The creator of Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima, seems to be a huge fan of the couple himself: his Twitter is populated with drawings of them.
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31points
#9 Misaki & Usui (Maid-Sama!)
Misaki Ayuzawa and Takumi Usui hold a special place in the hearts of shoujo fans, and they’ve been one of the most famous anime couples for years since the release of Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama. The anime is already a pretty funny and enjoyable experience, but it’s the two main characters who make it so. They certainly have their differences, but they’re always able to work them out.
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28points
#11 Touka Kirishima & Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)
Touka and Kaneki have been a light in the darkness of Tokyo Ghoul. These two graced our screens with a mature and slow-built relationship and soon became the favorite pairing of the series. It’s not easy to find a partner who understands you on such a visceral level — especially if you’re a ghoul. And when you’ve been through what Kaneki and Touka have, it’s even harder to trust anybody. The thing is, they’ve been there for each other every step of the way, and fans loved how things ended up for them.
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26points
