The words "realistic" and "anime" might not belong in the same sentence, but every story has to have some realistic fame of reference in it otherwise the viewer isn't interested. The fantastic and often bizarre world of anime is often grounded by relatable characters and their personal relationships, and some of them are romantic. In fact, there's a whole genre of anime dedicated to Romance, and it overlaps into virtually every other type of anime there is.

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No matter what kind of anime you like to watch, or even if you don't like anime at all, you'll be familiar with these famous couples. Several of them have come to define the series in which they appeared, while others have taken the spotlight as the main characters in a story that's driven by the saga of their romance. These anime couples aren't just interesting to get to know, they're compelling and sweet because, despite the quirky surroundings, they keep it real.

10 Edward And Winry Are Both No-Nonsense Type People (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

edward carrying winry fullmetal alchemist

It's a tale of love in wartime. The often-absent soldier who returns home from the front so his true love can fix him up. Literally. Winry is an engineer, not an alchemist, so she takes care of the hardware, and that's a lot of work when it comes to the Alric Brothers.

In the original series, their relationship was always strongly hinted at but never confirmed, whereas in Brotherhood it was more openly declared. Despite this, it was always touching the way these two no-nonsense characters were drawn together.

9 Touya And Yukito Have A Deep Mutual Understanding (Cardcaptor Sakura)

Yukito And Touya In Cardcaptor Sakura

Although this is never confirmed as a romance, it's hinted at quite strongly through the Cardcaptor Sakura series and their relationship is consistently part of the show's background, so it deserves a mention.

Sakura had romantic feelings for Yukito, and her feelings for him had a lot to do with furthering the plot and her own character arc, but he always turned her down. His close friend Touya is often the person to which he confesses his secrets and feelings and the two of them have a deep mutual understanding.

8 Meliodas And Elizabeth Liones Are Matched Through Their Protective And Vulnerable Natures (The Seven Deadly Sins)

Meliodas Holding Elizabeth In Seven Deadly Sins

He's Captain Meliodas, leader of the Seven Deadly Sinsand he's known Elizabeth literally since the day she was born. In fact, he knew her before that. She's the 107th and current incarnation of the Goddess Elizabeth, a diety that's been cursed with perpetual reincarnation. As if some Classical tragedy wasn't enough, in a biting Shakesperean twist, her lover Meliodes is cursed to see her die every time.

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This cycle has been repeating for thousands of years. When the viewer allows that to sink in, it adds another dimension to the relationship between the two of them. The situation itself is complicated to the point of being satirical, but Meliodas' protective nature and Elizabeth's vulnerability are what grounds this fictional romance in reality.

7 Ash Lynx And Eiji Okumura Bond Through Shared Experiences (Banana Fish)

Ash Lynx kissing a shocked Eiji Okumura in Banana Fish.

Banana Fish was a popular manga before it was an anime, and their mutual feelings are more overt in the manga. Their romance is never completely consummated, but it's not the focal point of this gritty crime and the city series, so the tension forms part of the background. Eiji, a photographer, gets mixed up in New York City's mafia underworld, including Ash, who's the boss of his own gang and investigating a mystery connected to the title of this series.

These two characters go through a lot together and their connection is unmistakable.

6 Tohru And Kyo Help Each Other Grow (Fruits Basket)

Fruits Basket 2-08 Kyo Tohru featured

Fruits Basket has become the bar to which all other romance anime are measured, and that's impressive since the genre is huge. There are the magical girl and adorable spirit-animal angles, and other colorful quirks to hold the audience's attention, but the realistic portrayal of the affection between Tohru and Kyo is the main reason fans keep coming back.

Tohru is the main character and Kyo is one of the Sohma family, and he falls in love with her as she tries to help them lift a curse connected to the animals of the zodiac. As Kyo learns to be a better person, Tohru is more drawn to him, but the drama of the family curse keeps the tension going.

5 Yuri Plisetsky And Victor Nikiforov Share A Psychological Bond (Yuri!!! On Ice)

victor-and-yuri-yuri-on-ice

Sports meets romance in the figure skating drama Yuri!!! On IceWhen it comes to Yuri and Victor, this was a situation in which the tension between a talented athlete and their mentor forms the backdrop of a larger story, giving it a realistic dimension. Yuri sees Victor as a teacher and mentor, and Victor has some interesting wisdom to impart regarding his own experiences with the sport.

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The relationship between the two characters isn't at the forefront of the plot and is teeters on ambiguity. The focus is more on the psychological bond they share through figure skating, although rings and kisses are also involved.

4 Mai And Zuko Have A Long History (The Last Airbender)

zuko mai avatar last airbender

Zuko is a fan favorite character already, but he'd be nothing without Mai, who stood by him when he needed her the most. The two had been an item since they were kids together in the royal palace, and she didn't lose faith in him even after he turned on the Fire Nation and joined the Avatar.

Mai's love for Zuko resulted in Azula's first real defeat at the Boiling Rock prison, and the Fire Princess was never the same after that.

3 Misato And Kaji's Bond Goes Back To Their Days At University (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Misato and Kaji, Neon Genesis Evangelion

In a series that seems to be populated entirely by doomed couples and lost love, Misato and Kaji aren't exactly an exception. Their relationship, however, has a redemptive value and sincerity while the others are studies in deception and betrayal. Their bond goes back a long way, to their university days, a time they both remember fondly and forms the basis for certain important events over the duration of the series.

Their common thread is that they're willing to die for their beliefs and for each other, which plays out as part of the climax.

2 Kirito And Asuna's Relationship Evolved Over Time (Sword Art Online)

Sword Art Online is an entry from the fantasy and romance category, and it's a popular show partly because of the endearing love between Kirito and Asuna. Their meeting, along with a friendship that blossomed into a heartfelt romance, was one of the most compelling adventures anyone had in this story of a deadly RPG game.

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Asuna and Kirito came together during a turbulent time and stayed together even when those initial problems were resolved, so their chemistry wasn't all about the game and its related conflicts. During the first season, they were portrayed as equals and even rivals when it came to gaming skills, which made the tension between them even more exciting.

1 Haruka And Michiru's Love Wasn't Always Accepted (Sailor Moon)

Sailor Neptune and uranuss

They were the power couple of the 1990s and half the world didn't even know it. Also known as Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus, Michiru and Haruka were in a dedicated, long-term romantic relationship in both the anime and the manga that preceded it, but to avoid offending certain groups they were dubbed as cousins when the franchise went overseas.

It wasn't until Sailor Moon was available uncut and with subtitles did international fans understand the depth of this relationship. Their dedication rivals that of any other anime romance, enduring even past time and death, and that actually happens.

NEXT: Sailor Moon: 10 Most Romantic Moments Between Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune