Adult animation has been a sterile genre within Western cartoons. They often just seem like a platform for comedians' stand-up than actual, cohesive stories, often relegating quite a few of them to sterile and stilted caricatures that are essentially just expensive comic strips. However, if there is one thing that adult animation has been pretty good at beyond just jokes, it's been capturing relationships and love in a manner that is oddly relatable and spectacularly exaggerated.
This list will be running down a few fan favorites as it goes through some of the best romances in adult animation.
10 Stan And Francine Smith (American Dad!)
Almost playing themselves off as a younger Archie and Edith Bunker, Stan Smith has infamously played the stubborn, ignorant husband to Francine's ditzy, dependent wife. As rigid as that could be, that dynamic is only a jumping off point for a series that constantly likes to throw a wrench in either's flaws, such as having Stan blind himself to better connect with an ugly version of Francine or Francine starting a career as a comedian when she finds out that Stan has been mind wiping her for years.
While they struggle with the incompetence and stupidity of the other, the two make a wonderful pair, overcoming every strange, sci fi challenge with genuine love and combining their ignorance as a force to be reckoned with for the entire world.
9 Daria And Tom (Daria)
Daria, with its dry humor and progressive characters, served well to capture all the subtle angst and suburban absurdity of teenage life. In a surprising turn for the series, it gave fans a teenage romance that broke the typical rules of other high school series and had its main character get together, not with their long standing crush, but with the ex-boyfriend of their best friend.
It was an interesting storyline that not only challenged its emotionally resistant main character but gave its teenage fans a romance that truly tested what it meant to be young and mature.
8 Bob And Pickles Oblong (The Oblongs)
The Oblongs was a stray gem in the early 2000s that saw class-based cynicism challenge the narrative of the nuclear family with exaggerated, off-colored flair. At its heart was the titular sewer family whose stories would center around the challenge of being hilariously yet dangerously poor.
Keeping the family together and showing that love really can triumph greed was the marriage between Bob and Pickles Oblong. Pickles was once a young, eager socialite among the rich folks of the Hills who gave up her status to be with Bob, the campy boy from the Valley without even a leg to stand on (literally). The two maintained a beyond healthy relationship that would see the two constantly support each other through thick and pain chip thin.
7 Stan And Wendy (South Park)
South Park is a series that has tried everything to be as far away from an attractive and family oriented series as possible. That's why it's incredibly refreshing to see them include some more human elements every now and then, albeit with plenty of potty humor and, in this entry, puke. Stan and Wendy's relationship has been a consistent thread throughout the entire series.
It was at the forefront of the pilot and even guided some interesting and hilarious storylines when they broke up, showcasing Stan's harsh denial of it as a goth and even as a paranoid ex-husband when the class had to take care of eggs. Despite the potential of their break up, it was still touching when they got together, and there was still plenty of hilarity to ensue as their relationship continued.
6 Archer And Lana (Archer)
Sitcom style will-they-won't-they romance has never been quite as loud, intense, or even dangerous as when it touched the bullet filled relationship between Sterling Archer and Lana Kane. Throughout the series, Archer has constantly tried to win Lana back despite his various vices, and Lana has secretly pined after Archer despite her trying to maintain her dignity and, knowing Archer's lifestyle, ability to not get shot.
However, the two would prove to be a real power couple, as they'd show time and time again that they really do care about each other despite often showing jealous rage backed up with the resources of an entire spy organization.
5 Brian And Pearl (Family Guy)
Family Guy has a lot of relationship and marriage based humor under its belt. With Peter and Lois at its head, the series often acts as a platform to display marriage woes, often outweighing any, real optimism. By comparison, Brian's constant search for love just seems trivial, as its often used just for another, funny premise than an actual story.
However, there is one stand out love story for him that still rings in the ears of lovers today. In a surprising turn, Brian would fall in love with Pearl Burton, a bitter, old woman that he had to take care of for community service. When he found out how truly cultured and talented that this woman was, the two would begin a relationship that was truly meaningful for Brian and an opportunity to break out of the shell for Pearl. It was sincere. It was tragic. It was a real romance.
4 Marge And Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)
How can one talk about adult animated romance without mentioning the first man and lady of it all? Marge and Homer Simpson have been a beacon representing the woes and optimism of the dysfunctional family and blinding the preconceptions of the nuclear one during its day.
Not ones to just be a storybook romance, the two have challenged their relationship across therapy, midlife crises, existential crises, and, at one point, even divorce. There's is a relationship that shows that constantly shows that love is maintained and worked on and that even an imperfect family life is still a loving family life.
3 Bobby And Connie (King of the Hill)
The most budding display of young, adolescent love on this list, the story between Bobby and Connie is an incredible journey that has been seen in coming-of-age stories of old yet still seems incredibly special in King of the Hill. Connie is literally the girl next door who saw Bobby as an escape from the tense and isolating walls of her pressuring parents. Bobby is the boy next door who had to fight through his own childishness to actually mature for their relationship.
Going through cute glances, passionate adventures, an unexpected break up, and even a developing return to form, Bobby and Connie is one of the best examples of young love anywhere, especially within adult animation.
2 Bob And Linda Belcher (Bob's Burgers)
Bob and Linda make marriage work, and they make it look way too easy. For a family that constantly struggles with finances or even finding a single win, these two have an incredible banter and natural support for one another that just makes it seem like the two have been together for a century instead of just a couple of decades.
Bob is a trying husband that tries to work past his own limitations to try and give Linda something truly special. Linda is a passionate, supportive wife who's all too eager to do anything for and with her husband. Everything in their restaurant really is made with love.
1 Fry And Leela (Futurama)
For a series set in the sterile yet wide space of science fiction, Futurama often likes to give its time to some of the smaller, more human elements of life. This is evident within its various "series finales," in which the creators would give a special spotlight to the real stars of the series: Fry and Leela. Fry and Leela have displayed their love in spectacular, sci fi grandeur, literally moving the stars for one another or writing notes to one another through time.
Even in the more intimate, earthly setting, the two have a classic chemistry between Fry's ambitious, underdog nature and Leela's cynical, hardened New Yorker self. There's is an alien relationship that grounds all expectations from Star Trek and a heartwarming spot in a cold future.