Most series focus solely on the romantic side of things when it comes to relationships, something that Naruto eschews. Romance was never a central or even side plot of the series. Outside of Naruto with Hinata and Shikamaru with Temari, none of those were even all that well thought out as a result.
Platonic relationships and the bond a student had with his mentor, on the other hand, were Naruto's bread and butter. There were so many great relationships in the series that it's hard to focus on only ten.
10 Neji & Tenten Shared A Love For Fighting & Growing Stronger
There was a chemistry between Neji and Tenten that was never fully explored due to Tenten never being close to a focal point of the series. The two spend almost all of their downtime together in part 1 and a lot of Shippuden as well.
They were always training with one another, sharing a desire to get stronger. Their matching work ethic helped push them further as ninja and create a relationship similar to being very good work friends.
9 Itachi & Kisame Had A Mutual Respect For One Another
Of all the pairings in Akatsuki, none of them had the bond and general pleasant disposition that Kisame and Itachi had with each other. There was a loyalty between the two that could rival any of the great nations, both knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each other and compensating for them.
Both were saddened when finding out the other was dead, Kisame even thinking about Itachi in his last moments.
8 Ino & Sakura Help Push Each Other To Greater Heights
The relationship is more rivalry than typical friendship, but that's what makes it as great as it is. They help push each other to greater heights with their desire to one-up one another, much like Sasuke and Naruto do.
Unlike the two main characters, they do it without nearly killing one another. It started over their love of Sasuke and evolved from that into just being better than the other, as shown during Hinata's wedding preparations. You always need that friend who is a driving force.
7 Naruto Helped Neji Discover His Purpose In Life
Their battle in the Chunin Exams helped shift both of their lives, forming a friendship that was rock solid before Neji's demise. Going into the fight, Neji felt fate was inescapable, that we had no choice in the matter.
Naruto helped change that, as he did so many villainous characters in the series. It was also the turning point for Naruto, proving that he wasn't an idiot, that he could truly achieve everything he wanted. It's why his death affected everyone else so heavily.
6 Tsunade & Jiraiya Stayed Close No Matter The Distance Between Them
While Jiraiya is more known for his perversion, he had a huge impact on the series and had some of the best bonds, mainly with his students. It wasn't just Naruto and the Amegakure trio that he affected though, striking a similarly strong connection with Tsunade.
They were almost old flames in the way they always held a fire for one another, no matter how far apart they grew. However, a truly romantic relationship was never in the cards given Tsunade's love for Dan, but that didn't change the bond they did form.
5 Shino & Kiba Help Balance Out Each other's Flaws
Kiba and Shino couldn't be more different, with personalities that were the exact opposite of one another. Kiba is the wild man, the untamed being who acts first and asks questions later. His hot-headedness is well known, and he's one of the most short-tempered characters in the show.
Shino is a contrast to that as he's always level-headed and calm. Despite this, they've founded a brotherly bond with each other due to their time on the same team. The clash of their personalities helps balance each other out as well, making them the perfect compliment to one another.
4 Gaara & Naruto Were Able To Bond Over Their Similar Pasts
Gaara was the first true villain that Naruto managed to change the view of and one that became one of his best friends, as well as his closest confidant. Even more than Sasuke, Gaara understood the pain and struggle that Naruto went through as a jinchūriki.
It goes beyond just that, they ended up following the same path as one another, each of them becoming kages of their respective villages and trusted allies to one another as a result.
3 Killer B & Gyuki Overcame The Fact They Were Forcefully Bonded Together
It's rare that a jinchūriki and its tailed beast ever get along, as shown with Kurama and Naruto's antagonistic relationship for much of the series. The jinchūriki are effectively prisons so it's not that surprising.
The lone exception is Killer B, who became best friends with Gyuki during their time together. Despite how often the two may argue due to B's penchant for constantly rapping, Gyuki willingly went back to B because he'd grown so accustomed to the man's zaniness.
2 Choji & Shikamaru Support Each Other No Matter The Decision Made
Choji and Shikamaru exude the goals of any close relationship as there is no judgment between either one of them, only support. Shikamaru is one of the few who doesn't judge Choji based on his lack of athletic ability, nor does he make fun of him for eating as much as he does.
Instead, he focuses on what makes Choji special, his heart, making it so Choji would do anything to protect his buddy. The same is true in reverse as Choji was one of the first to realize how brilliant Shikamaru was.
1 Kakashi & Might Guy Have A Near Telepathic Bond With One Another
No one is ever going to come close to these two when it comes to platonic relationships. They are the type of friends that everyone strives to have.
Might Guy's goofiness is so endearing that not even the cool and collected Kakashi can resist joining in with him, even if he wishes he could. In the field, they can work seamlessly without ever even having to say a word.