Romance has always been a huge part of anime, and it likely always will be. Fans love to see characters get closer throughout a series, with friendships sometimes even blossoming into something more. However, not every anime relationship is well received by the fandom. In some cases, couples cause a lot of controversy due to hate.
This can happen for many different reasons, whether it's due to bad chemistry between the pair or how the relationship affects the story overall. Sometimes couples are just downright unhealthy and shouldn't be together. No matter the reason, these relationships are met with backlash, earning them a place in anime infamy.
10 Ichigo Comes Between Hiro And Zero Two (Darling In The Franxx)
Fans have mixed feelings about Darling in the Franxx, but one thing is for sure, everyone loves Zero Two. She's easily the fan favorite of the series, and her relationship with Hiro keeps many coming back for more. However, as the series progresses, it becomes more and more apparent that she's not the only one with her sights set on the series protagonist.
Ichigo has also fallen in love with him and does everything she can to get between the beloved pair. While she may be unsuccessful in the end, the fact that she tries to steal Hiro from one of anime's favorite waifus is enough to enrage most fans.
9 Alice Rivals For Kirito's Affection, Conflicting Many Fans (Sword Art Online: Alicization)
In Sword Art Online: Alicization, Kirito finds himself trapped in yet another online world, and this time, he's lost his memories of his previous life. This includes his iconic romance with his partner, Asuna. In her place, fans meet Alice, a vital part of this new series. It's hinted early on in the series that Alice may have romantic feelings for Kirito, and many fans are conflicted by this the more the two become closer.
Some fans have switched sides and come to prefer the two together, but most still hold a soft spot for the original duo. At this point, the idea of breaking up Kirito and Asuna is still absolutely unheard of, but if it did happen, it would shake the series to its core.
8 Katara And Aang's Relationship Is Part Of A Years-Long Ship War (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
During Avatar: The Last Airbender's original run, there was a lot of discussion on relationships. This sparked discourse on whether Katara should be with Aang or Zuko. The fighting between these two factions got pretty intense, and even creators Micheal Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko got involved. When Aang and Katara shared their first kiss as a couple at the series finale, fans everywhere went nuts.
Though this marked the end of the war, many Zutara fans doubled down on their support for their ship and refused to admit defeat. To this day, the Kataang vs. Zutara debate continues, the lasting effects of its controversy living on through long-time fans.
7 Many Fans Wanted Subaru To Choose Rem Over Emilia (Re:Zero - Starting Life In Another World)
Re:Zero's protagonist Natsuki Subaru catches the eyes of many beautiful bachelorettes throughout the series. However, it's clear from the start that his heart belongs to leading lady Emilia. Despite that, most fans have fallen in love with Rem instead, and she's without a doubt the Best Girl of the series.
Few can resist her cuteness and her passionate adoration for Subaru, leading many to root for her over Emilia. When Subaru rejects her love, it's a devastating blow, and many turn to blame Emilia for this outcome. As a result, most fans have nothing but hate for the budding relationship between her and Subaru, wishing Rem had gotten her happy ending instead.
6 Light Yagami And Misa Amane Have A Terrifyingly Toxic Relationship (Death Note)
There's pretty much nothing healthy about the relationship between Death Note protagonist Light Yagami and Misa Amane. Their "romance" kicks off after Misa falls in love with Kira for killing the murderer of her parents. Light sees this as a perfect opportunity and readily takes Misa under his wing, using her love for him to manipulate her into doing his whims.
Their relationship is one of the most toxic in anime history, and nothing about it is romantic in any way. Misa is obsessed with Light to a disturbing degree, while Light sees her as nothing more than an object he can use to get what he wants.
5 Goku And Chichi Are One Of The Worst Romances Of The Series (Dragon Ball)
Goku and Chichi are arguably the most famous couple of the Dragon Ball franchise. Despite their popularity, it's no secret that the two don't have the most harmonious marriage. They were questionable from the start, with Chichi essentially forcing Goku into marriage and leaving Goku clueless about what was going on.
They settle down and have a family, but this doesn't change a thing for the Dragon Ball hero. He remains the same childish guy he always was, placing more value on fighting and strength than his own wife and kids. They may be an iconic pair, but Goku and Chichi are far from relationship goals.
4 There's Little Fans Like About Sasuke And Sakura's Relationship (Naruto)
Even during the early years of Naruto, fans hated the toxic relationship between Sasuke and Sakura. There seemed to be little between them, with Sasuke more concerned with his revenge and Sakura acting more like a fangirl than anything. After Sasuke leaves the village, any chance of them being an item seems over.
Sasuke becomes Sakura's enemy, and even tries to kill her on several different occasions. So when the two ended up married and having a daughter at the end of the series, many were absolutely perplexed. Their relationship continues to disappoint in Boruto, as Sasuke has now become an absent husband and father, leaving Sakura to raise Sarada all on her own.
3 No One Expected Ichigo To End Up With Orihime (Bleach)
A major topic for discussion among Bleach fans has always been Ichigo's love life, and most fans agreed that Rukia was the best choice for him. The chemistry between the two is undeniable, and even though there's a lot between Ichigo and Orihime, fans can't seem to get behind them.
That's exactly why everyone was so shocked to see Ichigo choose Orihime over Rukia. Many were so sure that he and Rukia were building up into something more, but it just fell flat. Even years after its conclusion, many fans are angered by this outcome, believing Orihime to be a poor choice for Ichigo and feeling cheated out of the true pair.
2 Signs Never Pointed To Naruto And Hinata (Naruto)
Naruto's conclusion brought about some very shocking relationship reveals, and that includes the titular character's love life. Though there were some slight hints here and there of a romance between Naruto and Hinata, it always felt like a one-sided crush on Hinata's part. Even when she straight up confessed her feelings during the height of battle, Naruto basically ignored it.
With little to go off of, fans felt it made no sense for Naruto to end up with Hinata in the end. Most expected him and Sakura to hit it off, so the fact that they both ended up with such shocking choices disappointed many long-time fans.
1 Fans Hated The Romance Between Kaneki Ken And Touka Kirishima (Tokyo Ghoul)
While it's pretty common for male protagonists to pair up with the female lead, it's not entirely necessary. In fact, it's actually really refreshing when the two main characters don't become an item. Unfortunately, Tokyo Ghoul didn't get this memo and decided to pair protagonist Kaneki Ken with his female counterpart, Touka Kirishima.
When the two were confirmed as a couple, it sparked outrage among the fandom. Many found the ship to be poorly written and hated how it forced Touka into a more submissive side character role. It's one of the most controversial anime couples of all time and is still hated by fans to this day.