A romance can make or break a character. One of the most common issues among older anime is shoving two main characters together just for the sake of having a romance. Whether they truly complement one another was not a major concern, so long as there was drama.

RELATED: 10 Anime Series With Way Too Much Romance

Thankfully, anime has made significant strides regarding romance by taking the time to develop authentic and admirable love stories, or choosing to omit them if they don't enrich the narrative. Here's hoping this pattern continues, for there are far too many anime where the inclusion of bad, nonsensical, or unnecessary romance came at a cost​​​​​​.

9 Sasuke & Sakura's Power Imbalance Is Too Great

Naruto

Sakura standing behind Sasuke on the sidewalk in Naruto

When one character idolizes another so fiercely, it's important to create a smooth transition from individual admiration to reciprocal love. Sadly, Sasuke and Sakura skipped such careful development. Over the course of Naruto, Sakura behaved like an obsessive fangirl towards Sasuke, desperately seeking his approval, while he hardly offered her any concern.

Even after sharing a bed together, Sasuke forsook Sakura for an entire decade, leaving her alone to bear and nurture a child. Moreover, upon his return, rather than justifiably rage and confront him, Sakura fainted on the spot, so his cruelties were never properly addressed. Fans can't help but mourn what Sakura could've been had she paired up with someone who valued her.

8 Yuki & Kaname Force Fans To Turn A Blind Eye

Vampire Knight

yuki and kaname from vampire knight

No one can deny the thrall of a riveting love triangle. However, once it becomes evident that two of the three participants are blood-related, all tension comes to a screeching halt. Although the specifics grew more convoluted as Vampire Knight progressed, the truth remains that Yuki Cross is the young sister of Kaname Kuran.

RELATED: 10 Most Controversial Shojo Love Interests, Ranked

That said, as Yuki and Kaname's relationship evolved from innocent to sinisterly suggestive, devoted fans of the series felt more than just conflicted. Regardless if their feelings were mutual, Yuki and Zero should have been the ultimate endgame. Not only was Zero the superior candidate, but then incest would have no longer been a part of the equation.

7 Kirishima & Kaneki Were Trapped In Trauma

Tokyo Ghoul

kaneki and touka from tokyo ghoul

Perhaps the biggest red flag for an unbalanced relationship is the gradual subjugation of both parties. At beginning of Tokyo Ghoul, Kirishima treated Kaneki tumultuously, envying his privilege to live as both human and ghoul. However, as the two grew closer, Kirishima developed an instinct to protect Kaneki, inspired by his soft and thoughtful nature that was so unlike her own.

Unfortunately, as they got more intimately involved, Kirishima's role downgraded from a strong, decisive protector to one of submission. Failing to effectively communicate with each other, Kaneki and Kirishima resorted to simmering in their shared pain and loneliness. Ultimately, the fandom couldn't advocate their romance when it shriveled them instead of strengthening them.

6 Illumi Just Wants To Collect The Insurance From Hisoka

Hunter X Hunter

hisoka and illumi

Hunter x Hunter fans would never know this unless they've read the manga, but Hisoka and Illumi are engaged. In Chapter 377, Illumi revealed to Chrollo that, as an "engagement ring," Hisoka gave him "pre-nup" that ratified his rewards should the magician die unexpectedly. Without a doubt, Hisoka and Illumi are a memorable duo.

RELATED: 10 Best Male-Female Friendships In Anime That Don't Turn Romantic

On top of their contrary personalities making for an entertaining dynamic, their combined desires are a ruthless recipe for disaster. Whenever they're brought together, blood and ruination are guaranteed to lie in their wake. Was it really necessary for their common inclination towards chaos to be forever bonded through holy matrimony? Hard to say.

5 Nagisa Kissed Kayano With His Eyes Open

Assassination Classroom

nagisa and kayano

From the start, it was obvious that Kayano and Nagisa were doomed to be friends without any of the benefits. She was a great moral support to Nagisa, but he never remotely looked at her in an amorous manner. Considering the number of times Nagisa gets flustered throughout Assassination Classroom, it's almost lamentable that she was the cause of none of them.

In the end, Kayano's affection for Nagisa serves its purpose, allowing him to expunge her rampage via kissing in Episode 37. Nevertheless, the general impression is that their one-sided romance was primarily forged as fuel for that hilarious yet cringeworthy scene. Nothing screams "unrequited love" like deadpan Nagisa asking for Koro-sensei's approval after knocking Kayano out cold.

4 Machi & Yuki Are Better Friends Than Lovers

Fruits Basket

Yuki reaching for chalk in front of Machi in Fruits Basket.

What Machi needed most was relief from expectations, and Yuki Sohma knew precisely how to ease her anxieties. In Episode 53, when she was handed a sleek box of chalk, Yuki instinctively snapped one in half to calm her. It's a rarity for two people to understand each other like kindred spirits, which is why their friendship was so endearing. The problem lies in that they were wedged into a half-baked romance.

One of Fruits Basket's biggest criticisms is its tiresome pattern of pairing up main characters. On top of Machi's late introduction, their chemistry was indicative of platonic partners instead of romantic ones. If anyone, Kakeru was a more inviting prospect, seeing as he was the first to break down Yuki's walls. At the very least, the story would've finally had a same-sex couple.

3 Shinoa Must Always Compete With Mika For Yu's Attention

Seraph of the End

shinoa mika yu seraph of the end

In a world where desire is a demon's delicacy, Shinoa Hiragi from Seraph of the End always erred on the side of caution. To avoid the same wretched fate as her older sister, whose passions were devoured and abused, she voluntarily abated her own. What sort of cruel irony is it then that the sole person who deflected Shinoa's defenses is a self-proclaimed idiot destined for another?

RELATED: 10 Eerie Anime Opening Songs To Listen To This Halloween

Interlinked throughout generations, Yuichiro and Mikaela are soulmates relentlessly trying to find a way to live together. In Chapter 119, when Mika raged at Yu to "learn to like" Shinoa back and start a family anew without him, the latter refused. A steely nail to an already weathering coffin, one has to sympathize that Shinoa is not her first love's first choice.

2 Yuki Didn't Fall For Yuno But Her Exploitation

Future Diary

yukiteru-and-yuno-future-diary

Yanking the romance out of Yuki and Yuno's relationship is a hot take. Still, one has to seriously consider the fact that the second reincarnation of Yuki didn't have to fall for Yuno. After everything she'd done — from kidnapping Yuki to lying about godhood granting him the ability to revive his loved ones — their love story implies that obsession justifies manipulation.

Yukiteru Amano would've been a more ingenious protagonist if he strictly used her as a means of survival. As Yuno maintained her throne as the most iconic yandere, he would appear less codependent. Plus, Future Diary would've hit differently if Yuki created the next universe in her image by laying down the groundwork so that Third World Yuki and Yuno could simply fall in love.

1 Deku's Dreams Overshadowed Uraraka's Own

My Hero Academia

uraraka and deku my hero academia

Established as a sweet girl pursuing heroism to support her family, Uraraka's robust determination was tapered by swooning the moment Aoyama suggested she liked Deku. Uraraka eventually reset her priorities, but it's a shame that Deku was never distracted by his affection for her. Two seasons' worth of opportunities to showcase Uraraka's potential as an empathetic savior was essentially lost.

For instance, many fans argue that her engrossing connection with Toga warrants being more center-stage. Both girls are rooted in unconditional love while rivaling each other's definitions of morality. Throughout My Hero Academia, Uraraka’s overarching storyline is "looking out for the hero" — a theme that could easily be conveyed through friendship with her peers, without diminishing her unique merit.

NEXT: The 10 Most Hardworking Students In My Hero Academia