Warning: Spoilers for Yuri on Ice, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, The Owl House, Kaguya-Sama: Love is War, The Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Heaven Official’s Blessing, Fruits Basket, and Sasaki and Miyano.
I don’t like the typical lovey-dovey stuff that most couples think is romantic. You know, the hand-holding, kissing, cuddling, drama, passion, etc. I consider myself biromantic, but the kind of romance I want is very unconventional. Writing together, editing each other’s work, sharing music, having meals together, watching stuff together, having conversations late into the night….that’s my kinda romance. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a romance that is not my type. These romances are just plain cute and I love them. I will rank them from #10 to #1.
#10: Sasaki and Miyano from Sasaki and Miyano
I finished a review on Season 1 of this anime just recently. Miyano is a high schooler who is addicted to BL (Boy’s Love) manga, which depicts homosexual romance between boys or men. Careful to hide his interest in BL, he eventually shares one of them with a classmate named Sasaki who ends up really enjoying it. This begins a friendship in which Miyano gives Sasaki a new BL manga every time he finishes the previous one. Sasaki develops feelings for Miyano and confesses. Miyano asks for some time to sort out his own feelings. The only person he has had a crush on before was a girl, and he is unfamiliar with bisexuality so he has a hard time coming to terms with this.
Miyano discovers he is equally in love with Sasaki after a few agonizing episodes, and at the end they share a kiss and officially become boyfriends. Their relationship was sweet from the beginning and I found myself really enjoying this anime.
#9: Tohru and Kyo from Fruits Basket
During most of Fruits Basket‘s three seasons, there was an implied love triangle between Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki. Yuki annoyed me beyond reason most of the time. I eventually realized that his profound self-centeredness was his way of coping with trauma from the past and trying to move on, but I still didn’t feel like he was a good match for Tohru. Kyo always seemed to have a personality that was more fun, even if it was a little more angsty. Yuki and Kyo both had baggage, but the chemistry between Kyo and Tohru was always better. Eventually, we find out that Yuki sees Tohru in more of a familial way. So many obstacles seemed to stand in the way of Kyo and Tohru being a couple, but they made it! The anime ends with a flashforward to when Tohru and Kyo are old and living their lives together still.
#8: Xie Lian and Hua Cheng from Heaven Official’s Blessing
This anime was added to Netflix recently, though I watched it on Funimation. Xie Lian is a Heavenly Official and Hua Cheng is a ghost. They meet very early on in the anime, but they only officially talk and start living together after meeting on the back of a cart. Their relationship quickly develops into what seems like a more-than-friends kind of dynamic. The way they talk is notable for instance. It definitely seems like flirting with each other. And when they touch. And just every cute little thing they do. Season 1 doesn’t end with them officially a couple, but the manga does. It is a confusing anime at times, but the one thing that is not confusing is the love they have for each other.
#7: Aang and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender
Yep, I’m one of those Kataang shippers. Pretty sure we’re in the minority since most people seem to ship Zuko and Katara. Katara and Aang’s relationship was in question throughout the seasons until the end. Katara seemed confused about how she felt about Aang. Aang frequently feared that Katara saw him like an awkward little brother. It sucks to be friend-zoned by someone you like, so his consternation is understandable. Even the second to last episode it is not clear how Katara feels and there is the sense that they are running out of time. The kiss they share puts it beyond question in the final episode. I don’t know why people always seem to need a kiss as confirmation of love. It is like it is explicably intertwined with romantic love, even though there can be romance with no kissing. But anyway, I was happy to see them admit how they felt in the final episode, and I saw some of the continuation of that relationship in the graphic novels. It was cute, even if it gave Sokka the oogies.
#6: Korra and Asami from The Legend of Korra
Korrasami is a great ship, and I wish we had seen more of it on screen. But there were restrictions on how much the creators could portray of a LGBTQ+ romance, so ugh but whatever. I’ve seen enough of the two of them together to know that I ship them, and the ending with them going on a spirit world vacation but it beyond question for me. What’s awkward is that they both dated the same guy, and even were kind of romantic rivals for each other. It’s definitely a unique romance.
#5: Vi and Caitlyn from Arcane
So this one is just implied. HEAVILY implied. These two hit it off relatively quickly, making some people say it was too much too fast. All I have to say about that is that I doubt there would be that much complaint about a heterosexual romance that developed as fast. Being in dangerous situations where you have to depend on someone entirely can advance feelings like this pretty fast. I was so sad when they had the equivalent of a soap opera breakup in the rain. I mean, they weren’t officially dating, but DAMN. I really really hope when Season 2 of Arcane comes out, Vi and Caitlyn are a couple.
#4: Kaguya and Miyuki from Kaguya-Sama: Love is War
These two are awesome. They are freakin’ hilarious. The premise is, they are both hopelessly in love with each other. They also both think that it is a sign of weakness to confess their love, so they both subtly try to get the other to confess. It’s a big game to see who cave first, and they are both so adorable. They make formidable and intelligent opponents. As of the end of season 2, no one has confessed still, but I am rooting for them. They are perfect for each other! If only they could let go of their pride for half a second to admit it.
#3: Luz and Amity from The Owl House
Lumity is a wonderful ship, and I shipped them from pretty early in Season 1. Probably partially because it kinda got spoiled for me and I knew what was going to happen. The blushes are a dead giveaway to how they feel about each other. By the end of Season 2, they are officially girlfriends. Luz the human, and Amity the witch. I am pretty annoyed that the show got canceled, but at least they are canon. It’s always nice when one’s headcanon becomes actual canon.
#2: Adora and Catra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Catradora is one that some people think is toxic. I should explain. Catra and Adora are besties until Adora switches sides in a war. Catra feels abandoned in the wake of this treachery, and they become enemies. Not frenemies. Actual enemies. The way they treat each other as enemies is physically and emotionally scarring. But when they become friends again and eventually girlfriends, they treat each other in a healthy and sweet way. So it’s an enemies-to-lovers situation and some people feel fit to call that toxic even though it is clear by the end that the relationship has a healing effect on both of them.
I love them. I didn’t think the cartoon would have the guts to let them kiss, but it did and it was precious.
#1: Yuri and Victor from Yuri on Ice
When I saw the way Yuri and Victor interacted with each other, I couldn’t help thinking that I would love a relationship as intimate and pure as theirs–although the touchiness and drama of their relationship is something I could do without. Though personally, my love language is certainly not touch, it is the genuine, deep love that they had that was what really stood out to me. They were so sweet and sincere, and were truly better together.
I have seen some people complain that the romance was too vague, but my god, I don’t see how it could have been more obvious. Yuri blatantly speaks of how his figure skating shows how he loves Victor. Victor surprises Yuri with a kiss after one of his performances. And yes, it was confirmed to have been a kiss, for all you naysayers. Victor cries at the idea that he may not continue to be Yuri’s coach. Earlier on, Yuri cries at the same thought. Yuri buys the two of them matching rings as a gift, and watching them put them on each other is adorable.
It’s so unbelievably cute. I was so worried about the ending, but it turned out really well and I was impressed and so happy for them.
Conclusion
So do any of these ships sound like the type of relationship you would want? Do you have a favorite out of these? Any more cute ones to recommend I watch? If so, leave a comment!
The Queer Schizophrenic 