With friendships in anime, Luffy and Zoro’s bond in One Piece is nothing short of iconic. Apart from being the first member of Straw Hat Pirates and a skilled swordsman, Roronoa Zoro shares a special bond with the Straw Hat Captain.
Both characters share an unbreakable friendship built on loyalty and an unwavering faith. Their dynamic transcends the hierarchies and stereotypes associated with pirates and their subordinates. While their friendship is an example of an unbreakable bond, here are 3 animes that depict unbreakable friendships.
1. Kuroko No Basuke represents the unbreakable bond of friendship through sports
Kuroko No Basuke is a popular and iconic sports anime written by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. It is also considered one of the best sports anime. The series focuses on the titular protagonist Kuroko Testsuya and his friendship with Kagami Taiga as members of the Seirin Highschool’s Basketball team.
As the former sixth member of Generation of Miracles, Kuroko becomes Kagami’s shadow and helps the latter surpass the basketball prodigies. Both characters share a unique yet unbreakable bond throughout the series. Their belief and trust in each other’s abilities surpass their selfish motives. Kuroko acts as a moral compass for Kagami throughout the series.
Although there were moments that put their friendship to test, the dynamic duo and their trust withstood all the obstacles. Apart from that, the show is remarkable in its portrayal of friendships, sportsmanship, rivalry and the core essence of team spirit.
2. Naruto underscores the rivalry and dynamic of friendships perfectly
Naruto is a popular Shonen anime that underscores themes of friendship, family, heroism and, above all, unbreakable bonds. Written by Masashi Kishimoto, the series follows the titular protagonist’s journey to become a Hokage. Apart from Sasuke and Naruto’s rivalry, the series showcased some heartfelt relationships.
One such example is the bond between Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy. While both Shinobi start off as rivals, Guy’s efforts and sincerity as Kakashi’s friend made the latter respect him. He even acknowledged Guy as a strong shinobi after witnessing his mastery over the Eight Gates. To say the least, their respect and acknowledgement of each other surpass their rivalry.
3. Dragon Ball underscores rivalry, competition, and endearing bonds
Dragon Ball written by Akira Toriyama is yet another popular and iconic Shonen anime that underlines heroism, rivalry, and friendship. Besides the good vs evil cliche’, the series showcased endearing friendships. Besides that, the character deaths played a major role in putting these bonds to the test.
Apart from Bulma and Goku’s friendship, Krillin’s role as his rival and close friend isn’t explored much. While he started out as Goku’s rival, Krillin and Goku became the strongest martial artists under the tutelage of Master Roshi. His closeness to Kakarot led Mayumi Tanaka, to attribute his characteristics to Goku’s wife. As the series progressed, Goku cherished him as his close friend.
Be it Kuroko and Kagami’s friendship or Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake’s rivalry, Shonen anime is remarkable in its portrayal of friendships and unbreakable bonds. The evolution of Goku and Krillin’s bond from rivalry to friendship tugs at the viewers’ heartstrings. The relationships in this anime transcend the binaries of social positions, age, and authority.
One Piece, Kuroko No Basuke, Naruto and Dragon Ball are available for streaming on Crunchyroll
