10 Fan-Favorite Anime Couples Everyone Secretly Hates

While romance isn’t essential to every story, a well-developed couple with strong chemistry can often make a series even more popular with fans. The relationship between Momo and Okarun in Dandadan is one of the best in shonen anime, and the connection between Kaoruko and Rintaro in The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity is a particularly sweet and touching high school romance.

Often, a strong and appealing central couple can be the perfect way to wrap up an anime series that’s been full of challenges, emotional struggles, and character development. But that’s not always the case. Even if most fans end up enjoying the official pairing, it doesn’t always feel like the satisfying love story they were hoping for.

Hinata Felt More Like an Accessory to Naruto Than an Actual Love Interest

Naruto and Hinata ultimately became the main couple in the Naruto series, though many fans didn’t expect it at first. Hinata had a long-standing crush on Naruto, but he didn’t seem to notice for a long time. Their relationship developed significantly towards the end of the series, making their connection feel earned and fitting for a story that spanned many years and generations.

Even so, some anime fans don’t like Hinata and Naruto as a couple. They feel Hinata’s entire character revolved around Naruto, and she didn’t have much independent development or depth. This is often made worse by comparisons to Sakura, who shared a more complex relationship with Naruto and experienced significant personal growth throughout the series.

Usui & Misaki are Too Basic and Unlikeable

The central romance in the 2010 anime Maid-Sama! focuses on Usui Takumi and Misaki Ayuzawa, and their journey of accepting each other’s flaws and supporting one another. Despite this, many viewers struggle to root for them as a couple, often disliking either Usui or Misaki.

Usui initially comes across as a typical bad boy with a kind side, but many viewers find his behavior inappropriate and notice he frequently oversteps with Misaki. Misaki, in turn, seems to strongly dislike men and is so rigid that she often feels like a cliché. Their romantic connection develops slowly, but ultimately feels forced and incompatible.

Future Diary’s Yukiteru Is too Unlikeable to Make His Own Ship Sail

Future Diary is a violent anime known for its shocking and graphic content, originally airing in 2011. The series centers around Yuno Gasai and Yukiteru “Yuki” Amano, a couple who embody the show’s dark and intense atmosphere. Yuno is a textbook example of a ‘yandere’ – a character who will do anything, even commit violence, for love – while Yuki is a surprisingly sympathetic main character who tries to keep her in check.

Many viewers find Yuki frustrating because he’s often weak and hesitant. While Yuno quickly adapts and excels in dangerous situations, it takes Yuki a long time to learn how to survive. For most of the series, Yuki relies heavily on Yuno’s actions and doesn’t contribute much himself.

Meliodas & Elizabeth Romanticize a Problematic Anime Trope

Meliodas and Elizabeth Liones, the central couple in Seven Deadly Sins, have a long-lasting romance. However, many viewers struggle to connect with their relationship, largely due to overused and now problematic romantic tropes.

Meliodas often acted inappropriately towards Elizabeth, frequently touching her without regard for her feelings. This was especially troubling because Elizabeth was only sixteen when they met, while Meliodas was very old, even though he appeared young. Despite the depth of their connection, their relationship feels unsettling due to this imbalance.

Mikasa is Nothing Without Eren & Fans Just Hate That

Attack on Titan is a hugely popular anime, and a major part of its appeal comes from its heartbreaking relationship between Mikasa and Eren. Mikasa was incredibly loyal to Eren, and he deeply cared for her in return. Many fans wished their story had ended differently, as their connection was filled with tragedy.

Some viewers didn’t enjoy the romance in Attack on Titan, feeling it relied too heavily on Mikasa’s strong feelings for Eren. Like many anime heroines, Mikasa’s character seemed defined solely by her relationship with the male lead, and some fans believe she wouldn’t have much of a role in the story without that connection.

Shirley was an Ill-Suited Love Interest for the Mastermind of Code Geass

Watching Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, I always felt Lelouch had a connection with Shirley Fenette that was different from his other relationships. While several characters seemed interested in him, Shirley was the only one who truly felt like a mutual connection. She represented a sense of normalcy in his incredibly complicated life – a life where he was publicly known as Zero, an enemy of the Britannian Empire – and I think that’s why so many fans loved their dynamic.

Shirley, despite playing a role in shaping Lelouch’s personality, wasn’t popular with many fans, who found her naive and irritating. She was overly pushy about her feelings for Lelouch and didn’t seem to understand how difficult his life really was. Sadly, her story was just starting to improve when she was unexpectedly killed off.

Nami Definitely Deserves Better Than What Sanji Can Give Her

Sanji and Nami didn’t start off as friends in One Piece, especially at first with Nami, but they’ve become very close. They’ve saved each other many times and share a strong connection as members of the Straw Hat crew. Sanji has also been deeply in love with Nami from the very beginning.

Okay, so I love One Piece, and honestly, Sanji’s a bit of a problem when it comes to romance! He’s got a thing for pretty much any woman he sees, and a lot of us fans – especially those who are really rooting for Nami – worry he’s not the right match for her. Nami deserves someone completely devoted, and Sanji… well, let’s just say his affections are spread pretty thin! He’s got a whole sea of potential partners, and it makes us question if he could ever truly give Nami the unwavering love she deserves.

Kirito & Asuna Just Don’t Offer Anime Fans Anything Remarkable

When Sword Art Online debuted in 2012, it quickly became a favorite among anime fans. A big part of its appeal was the realistic and heartfelt relationship between the main characters, Kirito and Asuna. They were deeply devoted to each other, willing to face any challenge together—and they certainly did, enduring incredibly difficult times.

Many viewers of Sword Art Online also find both characters rather underdeveloped. This makes their relationship feel flat and forced, like it’s just following a predictable pattern instead of being a believable or original love story. While they’re devoted to each other, their connection lacks the spark that would make it feel real and engaging.

Ichigo & Orihime Don’t Feel Like the Endgame Romance That Bleach Deserves

In the manga and anime series Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki ultimately marries Orihime Inoue. Though some fans predicted this pairing, it surprised many others. Many viewers felt that Ichigo and Orihime didn’t have much romantic connection or development, and believed that Ichigo’s relationship with Rukia was a much stronger and more fitting love story.

Orihime often feels like a stereotypical love interest, simply existing to fill that role. Many Bleach fans believe her character isn’t developed enough to be a good match for Ichigo. Ichigo and Rukia have a deep, shared history and have supported each other through incredibly difficult times, whereas Orihime’s connection to Ichigo is primarily based on her romantic feelings for him.

Sakura & Sasuke Doesn’t Feel Like a Fulfilling Ship

I’ve noticed fans still passionately debate who Sakura should have ended up with in Naruto, even years after the show finished. Some really rooted for her and Naruto as a couple, while others are happy with her eventual relationship with Sasuke. Honestly, even with how often Sasuke’s away, they seem genuinely content together.

Many viewers of Naruto initially believed Sakura would end up with Naruto because her relationship with Sasuke seemed so unlikely when they were younger. Some fans even felt that Sakura ending up with Sasuke was a step backward for her character and didn’t make sense given their past.

2025-10-30 18:42