Anime are famous for a lot of reasons like for having a compelling storyline, breathtaking animation, addictive soundtracks, etc.
Something that also contributes to its popularity but aren’t given enough credit are its side characters.
These side characters can be in the form of rivals, foes, sensei/mentors or even friends of the protagonist.
These friends of the protagonist play a major role in the characters development and success of the protagonist.
They are even of more value in romance genre. As fellow anime enthusiasts we tend to envy their friendship and wish if we had friends just like them to bring our own romantic life on track as well.
Featuring from the ‘Friends’ saga, 10 Treasured romance anime friendships
1. Keiki Kiryu (from Hensuki) is the Matchmaking Cupid we all desire
Keiki is a kind-hearted, friendly and considerate guy who cares for his close friends and family.
Keiki is forced to be the matchmaking cupid for Koharu Otori to set her up with his best friend, Shouma Akiyama.
Though technically Keiki is being blackmailed by Otori to take the role of a cupid, he still successfully manages to set them up.
Who doesn’t want a friend who sets you up with a cute girl, who cares if he is being blackmailed to do it. Be a man, suck it up and do it already, how long are you gonna make me wait?
2. Tasuki Uehara (from Gamers!) Organizes the Perfect Classroom Proposals Of All time for Keita
In the beginning, Uehara is portrayed as a cold, arrogant and a popular guy who has a girlfriend. But the viewers couldn’t be more wrong at judging him.
Uehara is shown as a good friend when he decides to set Keita up with Karen, the most popular girl in their high school, who for some reason had taken a liking to Keita.
Uehara knows that Keita won’t confess to Karen due to low confidence unless his pushed to the limits.
Therefore, Uehara plans the perfect classroom proposals of all time for Keita where the whole class will be a witness to his iconic love confession, though he had some personal motives behind it but we won’t go into that.
Keita’s back is against the wall, there’s no running away now, it’s now or never, he has to act upon his feelings.
3. Tooru Ishikawa (from Horimiya), that one friend who’s okay with you asking out his crush
Tooru Ishikawa still chooses to stay friends with Miyamura even after he confesses his feelings to the girl he liked first, Hori.
Initially, Tooru was the one who asked out Hori but unfortunately got rejected.
Tooru overcomes his initial jealousy that it should be him not miyamura to go out with Hori because he and Hori were together first, Miyamura is the one who came later.
Tooru and Miyamura go on to become best friends. He assures Miyamura that Hori choosing him over him has nothing to do with their friendship. He is not going stop being friends with him for a stupid reason as that.
4. Roman Yamashina (from Tsuki Ga Kirei) is a friend who helps Kataro without even asking him for help
Roman Yamashina is Kataro Azumi’s best friend who is in love with his homeroom teacher, Ryoko Sonoda.
Roman is one of those friends who will even lie for your sake.
Roman is a good friend who helps Kataro’s relationship with Akane to move it forward.
When all of them are on an amusement park trip, he lies to everyone that Kataro and Akane got separated from the group and that they are lost. So that they can have an amusement park date with the just two of them which was initially the plan.
5. The one where Ririna Sanada (from Koi to Uso) Plays Cupid for his future husband
Ririna Sanada is the assigned wife of Yukari Nejima who is actually in love with his lost-time crush Misaki Takasaki.
Ririna becomes fascinated with Yukari’s illicit romance and decides to play the cupid for his future husband to set him up with his life-long crush.
Ririna deeply desires to see her best friend Misaki happy. So she keeps her feelings towards Yukari hidden. So that he can be with Misaki and keep her happy.
6. Arata Kaizaki (from Relife) is your go to Senpai for Dating Advice
Even though Kazuomi has an infectious personality and is quite attractive, his intelligence renders him useless.
It took Arata intervening to help him understand that his feelings for Rena go beyond simple best friends to true love.
Arata finds himself in the midst of teenage high school romance drama helping his friend navigate his love life.
7. Midori Tokiwa (from Tamako Market) is the Unsung hero of Tamako’s Successful Love story
Contains Spoilers for Tamako Market.
Midori and Tamako have been close friends since elementary school.
Later on in the series Midori comes to accept the fact that she has feelings for Tamako but unable to act upon it she decides to conceal it
When Midori realizes Tamako had feelings for Mochizo but is unable to confess them.
She lies to her that Mochizo was taking a train to Tokyo to transfer school but in reality he was only going to take the examination, encouraging Tamako to take actions immediately.
Tamako would have never confessed her feelings to Mochizo if it wasn’t for Midori.
8. Hiroto Suwa (from Orange) Selflessly puts his romantic feelings aside for Naho and Kakeru’s sake
Spoiler Alert
Hiroto Suwa is an extremely extroverted and friendly friend of Naho and Kakeru.
Despite having feeling for Naho and aware of the fact that they get married in the future. He willingly puts Naho and Kakeru’s feelings towards each other over his own. So they can be happy together thus leading to a future where Kakeru doesn’t kill himself.
In the future Kakeru commits suicide and Suwa blames himself for not being able to save his life. So to avoid that timeline he willingly ignores his feelings to make sure Kakeru has a reason to live.
9. Tsubaki Sawabe (from Your Lie In April) that one friend who supports you no matter what
Tsubaki is an extroverted, friendly, compassionate, and kind girl who goes above and beyond to support her friends and family during difficult times.
Tsubaki is very protective of those who are close to her, such as Arima.
Tsubaki has been the only constant in Arima’s life through all his ups and downs
- When Arima’s mother used to make him practice piano all day, she was the one who would call him out to play
- Or when Arima’s mother passed away
- Or when he made his big on stage debut
- Or when Kaori left him for good
10. Yuri (from Blue Spring Ride) knows she shouldn’t let her one-sided feelings towards Kou ruin her friendship with Futaba
Yuri Makita is an adorably cute and pretty friend of Futaba, the female protagonist.
Yuri and Futaba are good friends. However tensions start to arise when both of them start crushing over the same guy, Kou Tanaka.
Yuri’s feelings towards Kou are one-sided but in Futaba’s case Kou seems to like her as well.
Yuri treasures her friendship with Futaba more than anything so she gets over her feelings to avoid any unnecessary chances of ruining their friendship.
Related:
14 Anime Inspired Date Night Ideas
Next on the ‘Friends’ mini saga
Why Do We Need Friends in Romance Anime
