Updated on March 27, 11:59 a.m. (GMT+8): Improved relevancy.
Anime shows have proven time and time again that it’s okay for boys and men to cherish their male best friends.
The shonen genre revels in the spectacle of adventure and the promise of friendship between unlikely pairings.
In the classic anime Dragon Ball Z, cold-hearted prince Vegeta despises Goku and his happy-go-lucky attitude at first, but eventually grows to be a more thoughtful person because of him.
If you’re in dire need of some brotherly love, here are the 5 best anime bromances that you need to know about.
5 best anime bromances for you and your nakamas
Naruto and Sasuke (Naruto)
Naruto’s fiery spirit not only fights for peace, but for friendships as well, and are therefore top of mind in our best anime bromances list.
His relationship with Sasuke is quite complex. The two are at each other’s necks when they first meet, and reluctantly become teammates under sensei Kakashi.
Despite hating each other’s guts, they bond over having a similar past as orphaned children living in Konoha.
Sasuke is also significant to the entire story of Naruto. The first series ends when Sasuke decides to leave the village to harness his true strength.
Shippuden also concludes with Sasuke’s realization that Naruto and Konoha have always accepted him as their own.
As adults, the two now work together for the safety of their village. In Boruto, Sasuke takes on the role of the Sasaukage, the secret bodyguard of Naruto who is now Hokage.
Simon and Kamina (Gurren Lagann)
Even for battle shonen standards, Gurenn Lagann dialed everything to 111 — and the bromance between Simon and Kamina was no exception.
Both were born in Giha Village, a subterranean village in a world where humanity has burrowed into Earth in order to survive.
Simon, a withdrawn boy, found comfort in the routine of digging, eventually becoming one of the village’s best.
Kamina, meanwhile, was a delinquent with extreme ideas, including trying to reach and see the Earth’s surface once again.
The two became unlikely partners in crime, with Simon getting dragged along on Kamina’s schemes. But the older teen’s hot-blooded and idealistic ways come from a genuine heart and a desire to improve his — and others’ — lives.
This attitude constantly inspires Simon to become a better person, and with his big brother at his back, Simon carves his way out of any self-imposed limits — even as the situation around him turns buckwild.
Goku and Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z)
It’s definitely a bromance once you become gym bros for life.
Goku and Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z show the two sides of the Saiyan race. Vegeta is a proud prince of Saiyans with a hot temper while Goku is focused on becoming the strongest fighter in the universe.
Vegeta initially wants to fight and defeat Goku, but the two Saiyans eventually team up to beat the alien emperor Frieza. The two start to develop a mutual respect for one another, with Vegeta finally admitting that Goku is the stronger fighter.
As the last Saiyans in the universe, they soon become each other’s sparring partners, finding ways to increase their power levels, making their mark as one of the best anime bromances of all time.
Killua and Gon (Hunter x Hunter)
“Gon. You are light.“
Two children, perhaps stronger than anybody they’ve ever met, bond over a relatively simple thing — their age
First meeting during a Hunter Exam, Killua and Gon realize that they are the only two similarly-aged people in a field of adults.
Both also recognized the potential in each other, setting off a relationship that brings them through harrowing dangers together.
VIEW PRICE: Gon Freecs and Killua Zoldyck 1/6 Scale Statue |
While on the surface, Killua can be rude and cynical, and Gon is endless positivity, there’s a lot more boiling under the surface.
The two constantly support each other in the most bizarre of situations, and even keep each toher in check — because no matter how talented they are, it’s never simple for two children to survive in the Hunter x Hunter world.
Giorno Giovanna and Bruno Bucciarati (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an anime that revels in macho bromances, and nothing beats the standout partnership of Giorno Giovanna and Bruno Bucciarati in Part 5.
Despite being the son of series baddie Dio Brando, Giorno has the benevolent qualities of the Joestar family. He embarks on a quest of improving life in Naples, Italy by infiltrating the mafia organization Passione.
Bucciarati confronts Giorno in a cable car, suspecting that he killed Leaky Eye Luca, one of Passione’s lackeys. He even licked the sweat off of Giorno’s face to “taste the lies”.
| VIEW PRICE: Joseph Joestar and Caesar Zeppeli Nendoroid |
Giorno takes the gangster down, but spares his life after deducing that Bucciarati was a good-hearted person. Bucciarati is grateful for his mercy and assists Giorno in climbing the ranks of Passione.
Looking past the rough start to their relationship, Bucciarati gradually warms up to the blonde Joestar and takes him under his wing as an official member of Team Bucciarati.
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