The world of anime has many stock character types, from the standard shonen protagonist to the gritty antihero to the wholesome love interest, and far more. Another beloved character type is the rival, someone who pushes the main character with intense competition to see who's truly the best.

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These rivalries vary since some are friendly and others are brutal. Some of the best rivalries are defined more by friendship than competition. Some of these anime rivals are also total hotheads who might throw a tantrum when they fall behind, while others keep their cool and will humbly applaud the other rival for their accomplishments. Which anime characters are a good example of all this?

10 HOTHEADED ANIME RIVAL: Katsuki Bakugo Has An Explosive Personality (My Hero Academia)

Bakugo at the U.A. Sports Festival in My Hero Academia.

Katsuki Bakugo is one of the most popular anime rivals right now, being the fierce competitor for the #1 spot along with Izuku Midoriya, the star. Bakugo, unlike Izuku, was born with natural talent with his Explosion Quirk, and he has a personality to match.

Bakugo can't bear having anyone look down on him, especially Izuku or even his idol All Might, and he often feels threatened by Izuku's rapid progress. Bakugo and Izuku even came to blows over it, but since then, their rivalry grew a bit healthier. Still, Bakugo's hot temper hasn't cooled at all.

9 COOL ANIME RIVAL: Killua Zoldyck Is More Like Gon's Friend Than Rival (Hunter X Hunter)

killua zoldyck in hunter x hunter

It's a stretch to say that Killua Zoldyck is even Gon's rival at all. The two boys are primarily friends, and they are often seen training and fighting together as a seamless team. Still, these two young heroes are eager to prove themselves to each other, and it's always a race to see who can master Nen first.

Killua comes from a brutal and reclusive family of assassins, and Gon is one of his first true friends whom he's grateful for. But that won't stop him from working hard to practice Nen and show Gon who's the best around here. Gon returns those feelings in full as they train together.

8 HOTHEADED ANIME RIVAL: Takumi Aldini Doesn't Take Losses Well (Food Wars!)

takumi aldini in food wars

Takumi Aldini is half-Italian, and that reflects in his cooking style. Takumi and his brother Isami also have experience running the family's restaurant, which makes Takumi an ideal rival for the protagonist, Soma Yukihira himself.

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Takumi won't miss any chance to take on Soma and prove himself the better chef, but he tends to lose, and he always throws a tantrum until Isami drags him away to cool off. Near the end of Food Wars!, though, Takumi cooled down a bit and grew up, and he was highly respectful to Soma as a friend and rival.

7 COOL ANIME RIVAL: Sasuke Uchiha Is An Archetypical Cool Genius (Naruto)

Sasuke's Fed Up With Everything

Sasuke Uchiha was designed to be a cool genius rival for the hotheaded protagonist Naruto Uzumaki, and it worked. Sasuke was highly talented and had the benefit of Uchiha-style training at home for a time, but Naruto started to catch up with sheer hard work and Kurama's chakra.

Sasuke accepted the rivalry and, for a time, it was a healthy relationship as Naruto and Sasuke strove to reach greater heights. Sasuke wasn't easily rattled or angered during the good old days, establishing himself as a cool and collected rival for Naruto to overcome. Of course, things took a dark turn later on.

6 HOTHEADED ANIME RIVAL: Uryu Ishida Is Surprisingly Hotheaded (Bleach)

uryu looking over shoulder bleach

At first, the Quincy archer Uryu Ishida seems like a cool genius rival like Sasuke or Killua, but his emotions run hot, and he is likely to lose his temper and snap when his Soul Reaper rival Ichigo Kurosaki is around. And Ichigo is likely to snap right back, leading to amusing but fierce and petty arguments.

RELATED: 10 Anime Characters Who'd Be Better Rivals for Vegeta Than Goku

Uryu has a passionate heart that cares deeply for the Quincy tribe, his pride, and certainly his friends, most of all Orihime Inoue. He's cool and collected when facing villains alone, but when he's around his friends, his intense passions come pouring out, which helps humanize him. And it was Uryu who rashly challenged Ichigo to that Hollow hunting contest back in Season 1.

5 COOL ANIME RIVAL: Yuki Sohma Is Tired Of Kyo's Attitude (Fruits Basket)

Yuki smiles

Not all anime rivals have a rivalry with the main character. Sometimes, they are competing with a side character, and that is the case with Yuki Sohma, the rat spirit of the Chinese zodiac. Yuki has always been feuding with his hotheaded cousin Kyo, and their spirits are natural enemies.

Yuki usually wins their physical fights, and he likely outperforms Kyo in school, too. But when the gentle Tohru Honda came along, Yuki and Kyo dialed it back a little and learned to get along better. They still want to outdo the other in spur-of-the-moment contests, though.

4 HOTHEADED ANIME RIVAL: Inosuke Hashibira Wants To Fight Everyone (Demon Slayer)

Inosuke raises his arms Demon Slayer

Inosuke Hashibira is Tanjiro's one-sided rival, and he is fiercely determined to prove that he is the ultimate demon slayer. Inosuke is most interested in impressing Tanjiro, but he will also butt heads with anyone else who rivals him in strength, such as the water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka.

RELATED: Top 10 Rivals in Shonen Anime

Inosuke has invented his own breathing style, Beast breathing, and it gives him some unique advantages in battle, especially in forests. Tanjiro appreciates Inosuke's capabilities, but he isn't really in the mood for a fierce rivalry like this. Still, Inosuke persists.

3 COOL ANIME RIVAL: Gray Fullbuster Keeps His Emotions In Check (Fairy Tail)

gray fullbuster from fairy tail

Gray Fullbuster the ice wizard can get a bit hotheaded at times, but on his own, he is a cool-headed and sensible wizard who doesn't let things get out of hand if he can help it. Gray's ice is the ideal counterpart for Natsu's fire, and the two boys have personalities to match.

Gray also has Lyon Vastia as a rival of sorts, and Gray indeed stays cool as ice when the two of them compete to see who's the #1 ice wizard around here. They both learned ice-make magic from Ur, after all, and only one of them can be top dog.

2 HOTHEADED ANIME RIVAL: Arthur Boyle Is The Proud Knight King (Fire Force)

Arthur Boyle Fire Force Wielding His Sword

Arthur Boyle is a fire soldier, and as a third-gen pyrokinetic, he can use his ignition ability to conjure intense plasma flames on his sword handle to form a lightsaber of sorts. He and Shinra have been competing since their academy days, and their rivalry continues in company 8.

Arthur and Shinra compete regularly during training, but they can set their rivalry aside during combat and work together as professionals against Infernals and the white-clad cult. In battle, Arthur wants to impress not just Shinra, but everyone, as the noble knight-king Arthur of Camelot.

1 COOL ANIME RIVAL: Yumeko Jabami Is Mary's Cool But Unpredictable Rival (Kakegurui)

yumeko holding out her hand smiling in kakegurui

It's true that during the climax of a wager, Yumeko Jabami will get hot-blooded and excited, and she is quick to accept challenges. Still, she's more cool-headed than her #1 rival, Mary Saotome, who is a prideful and aggressive gambler. When Mary lost to Yumeko in their first game, Mary swore revenge.

Yumeko is passionate about gambling and risk-taking, but otherwise, she keeps her cool, and she is perfectly relaxed during everyday life. She also doesn't get provoked or angered easily -- she'd rather gamble with her head than her heart. To her, gambling is like fencing, not a furious brawl.

NEXT: 5 Hot-Tempered Anime Love Interests (& 5 Who Keep Their Cool)