Love triangles add a good dose of drama into an anime, keeping fans guessing as different pairings share romantic moments. This trope is especially prominent in shojo anime series, where the protagonist often will have multiple love interests, such as Miaka in Fushigi Yuugi. However, this trope is not limited to shojo and is found in many other series as well.
Some love triangles leave the majority of fans cheering for one relationship over the other. Other triangles truly divide fans, splitting them between two pairings that both have their appeal. Some anime will resolve the triangle before the end of the series, leading to satisfaction for many fans and disappointment for others. Occasionally a series will instead leave the ending open to interpretation.
Caution: spoilers ahead.
Note: Trigger warning for entry 5/10 for mentions of suicide. Please use discretion when reading.
10 Yuuki Struggles To Choose Between Kaname & Zero In Vampire Knight
Fans were very divided by the love triangle of Kaname, Yuuki, and Zero in Vampire Knight. The anime series teases both pairings, making it obvious that Yuuki has feelings for both men. Kaname's charming personality and gentleness toward Yuuki won over many fans. However, others prefer Yuuki with Zero, her childhood friend and dedicated suitor throughout the series. Yuuki herself struggles with the decision of which of the men she truly loves, as she has a history with both and cares for them for different reasons. This leads to a lot of romantic moments for both sides.
9 Rem & Emilia Have Fans Divided About Who Subaru Should Choose In Re:Zero
Season one of the hit anime Re:Zero introduced Emilia as the love interest for protagonist Natsuki Subaru early on. However, as the anime progressed, Rem, a maid in Roswaal's mansion gained a significant fanbase as she developed feelings for Subaru. Rem's incredible popularity and supportive nature led to many fans feeling that Subaru should choose her over Emilia. However, as Emilia developed further in season 2, she learned to stand on her own feet, gaining the respect of many fans and a lot more support for the pairing. With fans divided, it will be interesting to see what happens if the anime is renewed for another season.
8 Tohru's Love Triangle With Kyo & Yuki May Be Resolved, But Not All Fans Are Satisfied
The 2019 reboot of Fruits Basket concluded its love triangle in season 2 when Yuki realized he saw Tohru as a mother figure. However, for a long time, there seemed to be a strong love triangle in the series between Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki, with many fans cheering on the hot-headed Kyo while others preferred the calm and kind Yuki for Tohru. The series teases many moments for both pairings, furthering the divide for fans.
Though the love triangle has concluded, some fans of the Yuki and Tohru pairing still feel that Kyo was not the best fit for her and that she should have ended up with Yuki instead, while others have accepted Tohru and Kyo as canon.
7 Many Fans Feel Sakura Should Choose Naruto Over Sasuke In Naruto
Naruto has many love triangles within the series. However, one major love triangle which plays a large part in both the original anime and Naruto Shippuden truly divided the fanbase: the love triangle between Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. Many fans preferred Sakura with Naruto who is always there for her and openly cares about her, while others felt that Sasuke did care for Sakura a great deal, but just showed it in other ways. In fact, the divide in this fanbase was so great that even creator Masashi Kishimoto's wife complained to him when Sakura ended up with Sasuke.
6 Fans Are Divided About Tite Kubo's Choice To Pair Ichigo With Orihime Over Rukia In Bleach
Several love triangles exist in Bleach, but none divided fans as much as the Rukia, Ichigo, and Orihime triangle. Protagonists Ichigo and Rukia became the preferred couple for many fans, as they felt very natural together and always supported each other. This pairing gained a fanbase quickly as the first arc focused on Ichigo saving Rukia. However, many other fans preferred the pairing of Ichigo with Orihime Inoue, one of Ichigo's classmates who was in love with him. Ichigo ultimately was paired with Orihime while Rukia ended up with Renji. While many fans feel this was an appropriate pairing, others feel that Rukia and Ichigo were better suited to each other.
5 Fans Are Torn Between Kakeru & Suwa For Naho In Orange
Trigger warning for mentions of suicide.
Orange has an interesting example of a love triangle in that there are parallel worlds where protagonist Naho ends up with both suitors. In one world, Naho's friend, Kakeru took his own life, and it is revealed that Naho eventually developed feelings for Suwa. The two are happily married with a child but still regret not being able to save Kakeru, a feeling which leads them to send the letters to their past selves.
In the current timeline, Kakeru becomes part of the love triangle between Naho, Suwa, and himself. This divided many fans who felt that Suwa bent over backward for Naho and Kakeru, and deserved a happy ending with her, while others felt that Naho brought happiness into Kakeru's life and that they belonged together.
4 Some Fans Disagree With The Choice To Pair Sora With Matt Over Tai In Digimon
One of the earlier anime to reach North America was Digimon. While there was a strong divide in Japan over the love triangle between Tai, Sora, and Matt, it was intensified even further in the English dub by script changes which teased the Tai and Sora relationship, leading to outrage for many fans when Sora ultimately ended up with Matt. However, many fans also preferred the Sora and Matt pairing even before it was official, as Sora was more understanding of Matt's tendency to close himself off, and Matt was one of the ones who saved Sora when she fell into the darkness.
3 With 3 Different Routes, Every Fan Has A Favorite Pairing In Fate/Stay Night
Fate/Stay Night is based on a visual novel that lets the player choose between three routes with different love interests. Unsurprisingly, when it was turned into an anime series, fans were split between the three love interests, with some preferring Shirou and Rin while others liked him with Saber or Sakura instead. The series teases all 3 routes as well, with each girl's route turned into its own anime. Recently, Sakura's route was featured in the Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel movie series. Rin's route is followed in Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works while Saber's is the original Fate/Stay Night anime. However, Saber's route was met with a lot of criticism for the many changes the studio made, leaving fans hoping for a reboot.
2 Rena & Mion Both Have Amazing Qualities That Make Them A Great Fit For Keiichi
Higurashi: When They Cry is a psychological horror series but features a prominent love triangle that does play a role in some of the arcs: the pairings of Keiichi and Rena, and Keiichi and Mion. Many fans preferred Keiichi with Mion due to her obvious feelings for him within the series, their friendly relationship, and her wish to be viewed as a girl by him. Meanwhile, others prefer Keiichi and Rena as they feel natural together, make a great team, and care a great deal for each other, with Rena not giving up on saving Keiichi to the very end in the first arc.
1 With Several Possible Pairings, Fans Are Divided Over Who Katarina Should Choose In My Next Life As A Villainess
My Life As A Villainess is less of a love triangle, and more of a love dodecahedron, with nearly every character in the series falling for protagonist Katarina Claes, with the pairing of Katarina and Maria as one of the most popular. Due to the large number of potential pairings in the anime, the fanbase is very divided in who Katarina should choose. In a fan poll by Anime Trending, Katarina topped the charts with 7 different pairings in the couples of the week poll while the anime was airing. With how divided the fanbase is, it will be interesting to see who Katarina chooses in the end.