The childhood friend is an archetype that has been in entertainment for years. There is something sweet and innocent about seeing two children who have known each other for a long time fall in love with one another, overcome various obstacles, and realize that love for each other.
While some childhood friend romances have a terrible reputation for being secondary to the leading couple, there have been some childhood friend relationships with happy endings. From promising they would marry each other at a young age to confessing their feelings to their oblivious partner, the best childhood friend romances in anime will always be remembered.
Updated by Alexandra Locke on February 15, 2023: Many anime relationships are endearing, but some of the most heartwarming are childhood friend romances. The characters in these pairings grew up together, and know so much about each other that they often seem like ideal partners. Although childhood best friend crushes have gotten a bad rap in the past, these anime romances have both people catching feelings for each other in their teens and adulthood. This article has been updated to include even more childhood friend romances.
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Sueharu Maru & Kuroha Shida (Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose)
Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose features many childhood friends and acquaintances vying for the affection of Sueharu Maru. Yet, none of the crushes seem as strong as Kuroha Shida’s long-held feelings toward her childhood best friend. Having loved him since they were children, Kuroha finally confesses her feeling to Sueharu.
Unfortunately, Sueharu has a crush on someone else and rejects Kuroha. However, when the other girl rejects him, Kuroha and Sueharu pretend to be in a relationship to save face. Soon, real feelings begin to develop on Sueharu’s side. Sueharu and Kuroha are a chaotic couple who never seem to be on the same page, yet harbor deep affection for each other throughout the series.
14 Junta Hayami & Anzu Hoshino (Romantic Killer)
Romantic Killer sees Anzu Hoshino being forced to participate in a real-life Otome game by a strange wizard. Though the suitors appear to be magically created at first, Anzu is convinced of their reality when she reconnects with her childhood best friend, Junta Hayami.
Unbeknownst to Anzu, Junta has had a crush on her since they were children, and he becomes one of her potential romantic interests. Even though they both swear they are just friends, there is an undeniable connection between them from their shared past. The show may be skewing Anzu’s interests toward the reserved Tsukasa Kazuichi, but many fans adore Junta’s affection for her after all this time.
13 Chitoge Kirisaki & Raku Ichijou (Nisekoi)
Raku Ichijou and Chitoge Kirisaki are the son and daughter of mafia bosses who are forced into a relationship to avoid trouble. Despite Raku harboring a crush on his classmate, Kosaki Onodera, Raku and Chitoge commence their false relationship.
Even though they can't stand each other at first, Raku and Chitoge come to understand one another and end up falling in love. They even marry each other at the end of Nisekoi and have a happy family.
12 Yukimaru Sanada & Fen Houtman (Fena: Pirate Princess)
Yukimaru Sanada and Fena Houtman have known each other since childhood. As such, Yukimaru is extremely protective of Fena and does his best to defend her from any outside threats. He even helped her escape from Shangri-La.
While he worries for Fena’s well-being, Yukimaru does not stop her from going on her quest, and even goes with Fena to continue protecting her. All the while, Fena attempts to get his attention, but usually fails due to clumsiness. Both of them long to be with one another and to be of use to each other as they travel together across the sea in Fena: Pirate Princess.
11 Mochizou Ouji & Tamako Kitashirakawa (Tamako Market)
Mochizou Ouji and Tamako Kitashirakawa are typical childhood friends who have known each other since birth. After all, their parents are close friends who run businesses in the same shopping district.
While Mochizou used to tease Tamako when they were small, as they grew up, their relationship grew until Mochizou's feelings turned to love. He confesses these feelings in the movie, and the two become a couple at the end of Tamako Market.
10 Aoi Sakuraba & Kaoru Hanabishi (Bluer Than Indigo)
Aoi Sakuraba and Kaoru Hanabishi were bound together by a promise to get married by their business-owner parents. After Kaoru's mother dies, however, their engagement is canceled, and Kaoru is free to pick who he wishes to marry.
However, Aoi still wants to marry Kaoru, and Kaoru has feelings for her that he cannot ignore. Throughout Bluer Than Indigo the couple goes through thick and thin to marry one another, and they are an excellent example of a childhood friend romance.
9 Naru Narusegawa & Keitaro Urashima (Love Hina)
The childhood love in Love Hina stems from a promise. When Keitaro Urashima was a child, he vowed to his female friend, Naru Narusegawa, that he would attend Tokyo University, so they could be together.
Although he wishes to go to Tokyo University, Keitaro forgets about the girl to whom he made the promise until they serendipitously meet again. After they realize they were each other's childhood friend, romance begins to bloom.
8 Hatsuharu & Rin Sohma (Fruits Basket)
Hatsuharu and Rin Sohma have been connected since their birth. As two of the thirteen Zodiac members of their family, they are both linked by their curse and their sickly attachment to the family head, Akito. Despite this, the two fall madly in love, risking everything to be together in Fruits Basket.
Unfortunately, Akito finds out about their tryst and pushes Rin out of a window, threatening that she will do even more despicable things to Haru if Rin remains with him. To protect Haru, Rin breaks up with him for a time, but they eventually come back together and are finally freed from their curse and Akito’s grasp.
7 Futaba Yoshioka & Kou Mabuchi (Blue Spring Ride)
Blue Spring Ride's romance is full of diversions. While Futaba Yoshioka and Kou Mabuchi were very close as children, they began to drift apart as they got older. Kou had changed because of his mother's death, and Futaba tried to fit in with the popular girls.
After they talked about their problems and Futaba accepted the changes to Kou's personality, they fell in love and started dating. Their relationship is a shining example of childhood romance.
6 Hirotaka Nifuji & Narumi Momose (Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku)
Hirotaka Nifuji and Narumi Momose were childhood friends who are reunited as coworkers in Wotakoi: Love is Hard For Otaku. Though they have not seen each other in a while, the two friends pick up right where they left off, playing games and talking about anime to catch up.
After much discussion about their love lives and adulthood, Hirotaka asks Narumi out, and they begin dating without the fear that a non-Otaku partner will discover their love of gaming and anime. Though Narumi begins looking at Hirotaka with fresh eyes, Hirotaka has always harbored feelings for Narumi. Narumi may be in a budding romance with Hirotaka, but he is finally living his dream with the girl he has always loved.
5 Yona & Son Hak (Yona Of The Dawn)
Yona used to be a princess who had everything Yona of the Dawn. She also had a huge crush on her cousin, Su Won. However, after Su Won kills her father and runs her out of her castle, Son Hak, Yona's childhood friend, and bodyguard, is the only one who remained by her side.
As Yona gets more reliable throughout the series and dedicates herself to saving her kingdom, she also develops feelings for Son Hak. Since it is hinted that he has liked her long before any of this, it makes their blooming romance even sweeter.
4 Sakura Kinomoto & Syaoran Li (Cardcaptor Sakura)
While Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li met when they were in middle school, many still consider this a childhood romance. Although Syaoran was a transfer student from Hong Kong who wished to take the position of Cardcaptor of the Clow Cards away from Sakura, he ended up falling in love with her instead.
After confirming their feelings for one another, Sakura and Syaoran began dating and are even destined to be together in alternate timelines. That goes to show how deep their love runs in Cardcaptor Sakura.
3 Yusuke Urameshi & Keiko Yukimura (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Yusuke Urameshi may have died and become a Spirit Detective within the afterlife, but that does not mean he no longer has human relationships in Yu Yu Hakusho. Yusuke and Keiko have known each other since they were small, and their personalities are complete opposites.
Since they have known each other for such a long time, they both know what is past each other's surface levels. While Yusuke may be labeled as a delinquent, Keiko knows him well enough to know his good points as well.
2 Kushina Uzumaki & Minato Namikaze (Naruto)
Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze are Naruto's parents. Kushina was bullied for her red hair and had the Nine-Tailed Foxed sealed inside of her. Because of this, she was kidnapped by enemy ninjas.
Minato was the one to save her, telling her that he found her by following the strands of red hair she dropped. This took the "red string of fate" tale to the next level, and the two fell in love.
1 Winry Rockbell & Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Edward Elric has not had the best life, with him losing his leg and his brother Alphonse being reduced to nothing but a metal suit after failing to resurrect their mother using alchemy. However, before that tragedy, Edward played together frequently with Winry Rockbell.
During Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Winry took care of Edward's prosthetic limbs, and although they often fought, this soon turned into romance. They eventually get married and have two children at the end of the series.