Love them or hate them, siblings are a reality of life for a lot of people. And every rank of the sibling hierarchy, whether you're a little brother or an older sister, has its advantages and disadvantages. The eldest usually has to look after the rest of them, but what if the eldest is unreliable? And the youngest might seem as if they get the most attention, but what if they don't want that attention to begin with?
The best siblings are those who try to understand each other and meet in the middle. They might not always see eye to eye but feeling comfortable enough to disagree with someone and trust they won't leave is truly a special thing. Having siblings can be a pain a lot of the time, but those moments when they unequivocally have your back are precious.
10 Brock Took On Full Responsibility For His Siblings (Pokémon)
Brock has nine younger brothers and sisters. That's quite the handful for any family, but when Brock is first introduced, he's the sole caretaker of his siblings. Both his father and mother were absent for a time, meaning Brock was responsible not only for his siblings but also ran the Pewter City Gym challenge.
He accomplished all this by himself and then went on his own adventures once his father Flint returned to take over the family responsibilities. As a result, Brock is quite handy with household chores, including cooking and sewing.
9 Ui Hirasawa Is The Ultimate Little Sister (K-On!)
Since Ui and Yui's parents aren't home often, household chores fall to the sisters. And since Yui is an inattentive airhead, Ui picks up the slack in all categories. Not only does she cook, clean, and do household shopping, she's also Yui's number one fan.
Ui has supported and cared for her older sister on multiple occasions, including taking care of Yui when she's sick and helping her learn to read sheet music better. Ui's intelligence and maturity really help keep things together at home.
8 Makoto Niijima Bears Loneliness Like A Champ (Persona 5 The Animation)
Instead of absent parents, Makoto and Sae have no parents, as both are deceased prior to the events of Persona 5. Sae is put in the difficult position of being the primary caretaker for her sister and household at a young age. The stress eventually pushed her psyche into creating a Palace that reflected Sae's need to win no matter the cost.
Makoto faithfully supported Sae through all her struggles, even when Sae was being less than understanding about Makoto's own stressors. Even if Makoto wasn't responsible for the household, she was still dealing with unfair treatment at school.
7 Momiji Sohma Longs For A Sister He Can Never Have (Fruits Basket)
Momiji's story is heartbreaking in that he can only watch over his little sister Momo from afar. His father begged Momiji to leave the family in order for Momiji's mother to have her memories of him erased since she couldn't cope with him being a cursed member of the Zodiac.
And even though Momiji was young and couldn't possibly understand the long-term implications of his decision, he chose to leave his family so his mother and father could live happily. What's most impressive is that Momiji never harbored any bitterness toward his little sister Momo, who gets to have the family Momiji couldn't. Instead, he wants to protect her from a distance.
6 Alphonse Elric Always Puts His Brother First (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Like Ui, Alphonse is more mature and put together than his older brother, but the lives of the Elric brothers keep Alphonse from being a simple homemaker. Instead, he backs up his brother in their State Alchemist work. Al's primary goal is to support Edward's goals, no matter what they might be, sometimes to the point of being self-sacrificial.
Al has stated more than once that he won't accept a human body if it means Ed can't also have his arm and leg back, meaning he'd rather continue to suffer in solidarity with his brother.
5 Tamahome Not Only Cares For His Family, but He Also Avenges It (Fushigi Yuugi)
Tamahome is introduced as a money-grubber who seems to have no qualms over what he needs to do to make money. Miaka is initially displeased with him due to this, but her heart softens when she realizes why: Tamahome is the primary caregiver to his younger siblings and ailing father.
When destiny calls, Tamahome reluctantly leaves home to support the Priestess of Suzaku and unfortunately loses his family in the conflict. This loss allows him to awaken a larger power within him and avenge his family's death.
4 Satoshi Hojo Protects His Sister From Abusive Family Members (Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni)
Satoshi fiercely protects Satoko from their aunt and uncle's abuse and even stood up for her before their parents' untimely death. Furthermore, Satoshi's reputation as a great older brother made him famous with the residents of Hinamizawa, who have only good things to say about him.
Satoshi's protectiveness takes a dark turn when he murders their aunt, but it's important to remember that he was suffering from Level 5 Hinamizawa Syndrome symptoms. Even if he wasn't in his right mind when he committed the murder, he was undeniably driven by his desire to protect his sister.
3 Sango Believes In Her Brother Even When He's Being Manipulated (Inuyasha)
Kohaku's first assignment as a demon slayer ended in tragedy when he was defeated, killed, and eventually used as Naraku's puppet. Despite this, Sango always believed her little brother was in there somewhere and it was only a matter of time before he could be saved.
She refused to kill him when threatened by Naraku and even shielded him from harm after he was used to massacre their entire village. Sango's love for Kohaku is truly unconditional, making her a top-notch big sister.
2 Nezuko Kamado Overcomes Her Demon Side To Protect Tanjiro (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba)
Even before Nezuko was turned into a demon, she was self-sacrificial for her other siblings and gave up her own desires to help them instead. It's undoubtedly this exact quality that allows her to fend off the urge to eat human flesh now that she's a demon.
Buried deep within Nezuko's psyche are the memories of her beloved siblings that provide her protection from becoming a full-fledged demon. It's quite impressive how she's always ready to jump in and use her demon prowess to help Tanjiro when he's in a tough spot.
1 Tanjiro Kamado Is Driven To Find A Cure For His Sister (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba)
Tanjiro lives a tough life. He lost almost his entire family at a young age and must cope with his sister being a flesh-craving demon. But Tanjiro is a hard worker, and he's optimistic to boot.
He was the main caregiver for his younger siblings before they were murdered and his unconditional love for Nezuko drives him to believe that she can be cured. But even if Tanjiro didn't believe in a cure, it's hard to believe that he'd ever harm Nezuko, even if she tried to eat him. Tanjiro is willing to bear a life of hardship if it means he can save her.