Shonenanimearen’t exactly known for their adorable romances, as they are targeted towards teen boys who just want to see other boys beat each other up. However, there are a few battle shonen series with romance, and they feature the sweetest love stories amid the treacherous violence that surrounds the plot.
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Fromthe classic tropeslike “enemies to lovers” to powerful duos who can wipe out their enemies together, there are some notable shonen couples that can make any fan of their shows swoon. A couple that fights together, stays together, and that is proven true in these iconic battle shonen anime with romance.
Updated on June 23, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Shonen anime features everything from bombastic action set pieces to incredible thought-provoking moments that are a blast to check out. Of course, given the wealth of characters in most successful shonen anime, it’s only a matter of time before some of them are paired up romantically. Though it certainly isn’t the priority of shonen animes, pairings and couples are still typically bound to happen. Here are some of thebest romances in shonen animethat fans absolutely love to see blossom on screen.
16Yu Yu Hakusho — Yusuke x Keiko
Fans ofHunter X Huntershould check out another manga penned by Yoshihiro Togashi,Yu Yu Hakusho. This classic shonen anime hooks viewers from the very first episode and has one of the most remarkable tournament arcs of all time.
While the ending of the series was pretty underwhelming, that’s still no reason to not check out this amazing series. The relationship between Yusuke and Keiko in the series is pretty engaging, with their dynamic progressing quite a bit across the series.
15Naruto — Naruto x Hinata
It would be impossible to talk about romances in shonen anime without mentioning Naruto and Hinata’s relationship. The fact that this romance got its very own movie is proof enough of just how iconic this pairing really is.
Hinata’s confession of love during the Pain arcwas a source of great joy for many fans, so many were perplexed that Naruto never addressed this moment after defeating Nagato. It was a source of great annoyance in the series that was finally rectified withThe Last: Naruto the Movie.
14Dragon Ball — Goku x Chi-Chi
Dragon Ballis a series that needs no introduction, featuring several iconic characters that have become a staple of pop culture. Goku is one such character whose powerups are still emulated by people all over the world.
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His fateful meeting with Chi-Chi near the start of the anime planted the seed for their romance that wouldculminate in marriage duringDragon Ball’s first timeskip. While Chi-Chi might be a bit hard on Goku at times, her behavior is somewhat understandable — if a bit overblown — and there’s no denying that she loves Goku with all her heart.
13Boruto — Sarada x Boruto
The kids of the main characters fromNarutoshow a lot of similarities to their parents throughoutBoruto, and it makes the relationships between them even sweeter than they already are. Boruto and Sarada are still a bit young to get into an established relationship, but they care deeply for each other and can easily get each other flustered.
The two have been through a lot together, protecting and motivating one another as they tackle each challenge. Their friendship-turned-romance is going to be so satisfying when it eventually happens.
12Demon Slayer — Tanjiro x Kanao
There’s no doubt thatDemon Slayerhas become one of the most popular anime of the 2000s, gaining a devoted fanbase since its debut in 2019. Though this shonen anime focuses more on heart-racing action, high-intensity battles, and terrifying demons, there is romance tucked in between some characters.
The sweet relationship between Tanjiro and Kanao is one that has not been fully fledged in the anime yet, but the manga has fully explored how their love blossoms and grows over their time knowing one another. They are truly a top anime couple to fan over.
11Gurren Lagann — Simon x Nia
This exciting, action-packed shonen anime features romantic relationships in an effective and powerful way. The beautiful connection between Simon and Nia took a lot of time and effort for the two to figure out, as they are two very different people.
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Their ending may not be as satisfactory or traditionally happy as other shows, but it shows how pure and real their love for each other was in the end. Not all battle shonen romances have a perfect ending, and Gurren Lagann shows fans the realistic outcomes of finding love in a dangerous, threatening world.
10Fairy Tail — Natsu x Lucy
Though by the end of the anime,theFairy Tailfavorite Natsu and Lucy weren’t officially paired together romantically, fans of the show insist they are. The two share so many powerful emotional moments together,saving each other’s liveson multiple occasions and ending up in overly sensual situations too many times for it to not mean anything.
Their instant connection is admirable and their hilarious bickering and sweet friendship moments make it obvious that they are a perfect match. The writer of the manga even admitted that he likes Natsu and Lucy together.
9Dragon Ball — Vegeta x Bulma
TheDragon Ballfranchise definitely needs some help when it comes to portraying healthy, romantic relationships, however, Bulma and Vegeta’s pairing is one that fans continue to love.
They play out the popular trope of two strong partners who don’t need to express too much obvious romance to be in love. Bulma, the incredible scientist, paired with her husband,a powerful Saiyan, makes this couple one not to mess with.
8Akame Ga Kill — Tatsumi x Mine
Tatsumi takes on the role of the classic main male protagonist that multiple female characters fawn over inAkame Ga Kill. Fans of the show and manga are torn between Tatsumi ending up with Mine or with Akame, but in the canon manga, Mine is the one who wins the young fighter’s heart.
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The duo begins their relationship as rivals who fight and bicker over everything, but their time together allows their antsy friendship to bloom into something softer and full of love. The characters are faced with different endings in the anime and the manga, so those that are suckers for Tatsumi x Mine might want to stick to the manga.
7Fullmetal Alchemist — Riza Hawkeye x Roy Mustang
These two are never established as a true, canon relationship, though the author did admit that they only can’t get married because they wouldn’t be able to stay in their ranks in the military as a superior officer and subordinate.
Riza and Roy share so many touching moments together as partners, working together seamlessly after getting to know each other so well. They are more powerful when they’re together and they will always protect each other when faced with danger.
