Favorite Rivalries in Anime
 

While this isn't limited to to the shonen genre, what is your favorite rivalries in anime?

My favorites are Shizuo/Izaya, you can the sexual tension in those two.

Sayaka and Kyoko

Kuroneko and Kirino because it's pretty funny and interesting.

Kobato and Maria for the cuteness factor.

nice topic, now we always like rivalries in anime, some of favorites.....well for now

Allen Walker and Yu Kanda: they would look out each others back yet they want to kill each other
Natsu and Gray: the best fire vs ice

My vote goes to Hikaru and Akira in Hikaru no Go.

You might want to read this thread at ANN: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/...c.php?t=262975

This is the first one that popped into my head too. I love how this rivalry inspires them both.

And since it was my first introduction to anime rivalries, I am fond of Goku & Vegeta. Although that one is of course a bit more one sided.

edit: Also the recent Taichi/Arata in Chihayafuru is blossoming into an interesting friendship & rivalry.

Noe and Hiromi in True Tears (a certain Pocari Sweat might find this amusing ;) )


Serious answers:

Kamina and Viral in Gurren Lagann

Nanoha and Fate in first season Nanoha, Nanoha and Vita in Nanoha A's

Battler and Beatrice in Umineko

Amuro Ray and Char Aznable in Mobile Suit Gundam

Light and L in Death Note

Homura and Kyubey in Madoka Magica

Shana and Hecate in Shakugan no Shana

Lina Inverse and Naga the White Serpent in The Slayers

Makoto Mizuhara and Katsuhiko Jinnai in El Hazard: The Magnificent World

Guts and Griffith in Berserk

The ambition of a man against the loyalty of another. Leading to a terrible, bleak end.

Raoh and Kenshiro in Hokuto no Ken

Two heir of a martial arts school, who embodies two ideals in a world who needs a savior bringing new values.

Dio Brando and the Joestar family in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

An entire bloodline bound to a single man, who is the pure incarnation of evil in this universe.

Yang Wen Li and Reinhard von Lohengramm in Legend of Galactic Heroes

A modest figure, who stayed loyal to the idea of a republic to the bitter end, all while admiring his rival and understanding the merits of the opposing form of government. On the other side, a man who could very be the closest thing to Alexander The Great and Napoleon Bonaparte in this far future.

OMG I can't believe I forgot this one, especially when the dynamic between them is so incredibly well written and intelligent.

I'm not sure if these two dynamics are more foils than they are rivalries and I'm certain Madoka was intended to be Homura's foil anyway. All of the characters were on opposing sides but I never really got any rivalry vibes from either of them. Then again someone pointed out to me the conflict between Kariya Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka which I failed to notice before Fate/Zero II aired so maybe my idea of a rivalry is different or just outdated but I digress.

Anyway, I'm going to second Yang Wenli and Reinhard von Lohengramm from Legend of the Galactic Heroes. They only meet face-to-face once in the entire series but you knew how much they acknowledged each other on the battlefield. What really surprised me, really, was how much of an idealist Reinhard was and how cynical Yang was.

Gouko vs Vegeta DB series.

Jotaro vs Dio Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.

Kenshiro vs Raoh Hokuto Shinken

Domon vs Master Asia G.Gundam

Yozora and Meat..err Sena Bokuwa Tomodachi Sukunai

Homura and Kyubey were locked in a chess game where Homura "wins" if Madoka doesn't become a magical girl and Kyubey "wins" if she does become one.

That's the rivalry - Them essentially trying to persuade Madoka in diametrically opposite directions. And it's a rivalry that continued all the way to the last episode of PMMM.


Sayaka and Kyouko was also a rivalry, albeit a short-lived one. It's shortness is partly why I never listed it amongst my favorite anime rivalries.

Amuro Ray and Char Aznable from Mobile Suit Gundam is the classic rivalry for me, and is replicated by Banagher Links and Full Frontal from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. Setsuna F. Seiei and Graham Aker from Gundam 00 Season 2 represent a departure, making the rivalry one sided and, in my eyes, more amusing.

Heiwajima Shizou vs. Izaya Orihime. :)

I've never thought of it as Amuro vs Char, but as Char vs the world. :) UC is the one branch of Gundam where I always felt like the "villain" was actually the main character, and I thought Amuro was the least developed MC ever (not to be confused as the worst MC ever).

And, Char vs the world will always hold a special place in my heart.

H2: Hiro and Hideo, best friends, yet fierce competitor on the field and competitor of love interest. Their friendship adds so much weight on the rivalry.

Gundam Wing: Zachs and Heero. I like their rivalry even better than Amuro vs Char.

Rurouni Kenshin: Saito Hajime vs Kenshin, Shishio vs Kenshin, just plain cool........

Ranma and Ryouga

Jojo and Dio

Godai and Mitaka

Hiro Kunimi and Hideo Tachibana

Tenshi vs Yurippe

Kenshin and Saito

The dojo deathmatch was so good Kaoru even cried..

Nanoha and Fate

It somehow ended up in bed...

Gotta put another vote for Yang Wenli and Reinhard von Lohengramm from LoGH.

Kotomine Kirie and Emiya Kiritsugu from Fate/Zero.

Light and L from Death Note.

Spike and Viscous from Cowboy Bebop.