Summary
There’s plenty of anime where siblings are rivals or even enemies. However, family bonds are equally, if not more, powerful to friendship in anime. Especially when the main characters have to face challenges and get through with the support of their family. It’s rare, but it’s beautiful when siblings make each other more powerful. Being a strong character on your own is good for development and complexity, but family having your back is always a plus.
Sibling duos often play off of each other to either become more powerful or live their lives to their full potential. While they might not fight together, or at all, depending on the anime, you can see how well they work together when they protect each other or even just interact regularly.
10Maki And Mai Zenin
Jujutsu Kaisen
These sisters have a complicated and tense relationship, especially since Maki separated from the Zenin clan due to not being a sorcerer, leaving Mai to be mistreated on her own. Both of them were mistreated for their low abilities, and they each overcame that in their own ways.They’re a tragically underdeveloped duo too, only working well together when faced with taking down their own father.
Eventually, when they’re close to defeat from their father’s attack,Mai sacrifices herself for Makiso at least one of them can continue, an ending that both makes complete sense and is devastating. They could’ve been such a powerful duo with more time together.
9Kurona And Nashiro Yasuhisa
Tokyo Ghoul
These half-ghoul twin sisters' stories have another tragic end, but they still cared for each other above all else.Being experimented on and witnessing their parents' murders did nothing but strengthen that bond, as well as ensure they could protect each other. The fact thatneither of them can live without the otherbecomes irrelevant when Nashiro is struck down and Kurona absorbs her into her kagune to try and save her.
Despite Kurona’s plan not working, their bond and how well they fight together remains their strongest characteristic as a sibling duo.If they had both survived, who knows how powerful they would’ve become?They might’ve even joined Kaneki.
8Reiju And Sanji Vinsmoke
One Piece
These siblings were similarly separated when Sanji managed to escape their corrupt family with help from Reiju, who was left behind. However,the two of them still care for each other despite the rift between them. Sanji always comes to Reiju’s aid whenever she needs him and vice versa. Even thoughSanji is unquestionably more powerful, Reiju is still a vitally supportive, protective older sister figurein his life.
Despite the corruption and abuse from the rest of their family, Sanji and Reiju emerge from it with an even stronger bond, and it helps that they both can hold their own, either politically or physically.
7Yor And Yuri Briar
Spy x Family
For being a close-knit family,Yor and Yuri know very little about each other’s real professions. With one of the most violent and illegal livelihoods ever, Yor has many reasons to keep her life a secret from Yuri, her military brother. Out of many secrets in this anime, this one seems the most likely to cause tension and strife between siblings. YetYor looks out for her brother, and Yuri views his sister with all the love in the world.
It’s hard to believe that they would ever separate, even if Yor’s secret was revealed.She’s all the family Yuri has, after all. It’s a good thing both of them care for each other so deeply. They both have the skills and experience to protect each other, too.
6Kaoru And Hikaru Hitachiin
Ouran High School Host Club
These two,often referred to as “the twins”, are inseparable. They appear together all the time, finish each other’s sentences, and move as a unit, so it goes without saying that they’re extremely close.It’s a common trope that identical twins are so similar, but these two make it an art. Hikaru is the more immature one of the two, especially when faced with anyone closer to Haruhi than him.
Both of them develop feelings for Haruhi, and while this would be a reason for a rift to form between siblings, Kaoru actually helps Hikaru understand his feelings better and the two become closer instead. There’s nothing that could split these two up.
5Mirajane And Elfman Strauss
Fairy Tail
These two are absolute powerhouses, and just about the sweetest wizards you could run into - when you’re on their good side.Mirajane is one of the most powerful members of Fairy Tail, earning a reputation as one of the scariest fighters due to her Satan Soul magic. Elfman is one of the strongest-looking members,
and his Beast Soul magic is devastating in battle. Outside the battlefield, though, these siblings have a strong bond.
The two of them looked out for each other when their younger sister, Lisanna, seemingly died as a child. They look out for every member of Fairy Tail like their family, butMirajane and Elfman’s bond is strong enough to make both of their magic powers far stronger.
4Sora And Shiro
No Game No Life
These two are another inseparable sibling duo, so much so that all their abilities are only strong when they’re together. Although they’re technically step-siblings,both of them have an anxiety of separation so strong it’s a major weakness for both of them. They’re both excellent strategists in battle, although Sora is less precisely calculated than his sister is.Shiro is basically a supercomputer on her own.
Sora and Shiro rely on each other for their success in battle, andworking together has made them the best players in over 280 games. With such high levels of skill, it’s no wonder they’re better as a pair; they have far more practice fighting together than apart.
3Android 17 And Android 18
Dragon Ball Z
These two are, predictably, extremely powerful, beingable to match the power of Super Saiyans with ease. The two of them fight as a unit, making them quite literally a well-oiled machine. They were originally humans named Lapis (Android 17) and Lazuli (Android 18), but were transformed into androids with god-like abilities to combat Goku. They even killed their creator with ease.
This makes them feared by many, andinseparable even in the face of Super Saiyan opponents. If they hadn’t been cut down, they might have even been able to match Goku’s strength.They care for each other more than any other being alive, too.
2Nezuko And Tanjiro Kamado
Demon Slayer
Nezuko and Tanjiro are the definition of commitment to your family members. The two of them stick by each other despite the demon blood Nezuko has in her veins, andTanjiro’s love for his sister means she’s protected no matter which Demon Slayers would hunt her down. Nezuko is also fiercely protective of Tanjiro, fighting to make sure he’s safe in every battle they’re in together.
When they fight together, they watch each other’s backs, and even when they aren’t together they’re both fighting to protect the other.Even in the final arc of the show, Nezuko and Tanjiro’s bond is unshakeable.
1Edward And Alphonse Elric
Fullmetal Alchemist
Besides the fact that boththese brothers are willing to sacrifice everything for the other, they’re the most equal protagonists in their anime, sincethey share the exact same goal. Finding the Philosopher’s Stone is the most important to both of them, especially because they both lost limbs to alchemy, and they hope to bring them back. Al needs his entire body back, too, so it’s no surprise both of them need to find that stone.
When the two of them fight together, they’re nearly unstoppable, and althoughtheir personalities are direct opposites, that only makes them a stronger duo and a stronger family. Ed and Al are a prime example of family ties being strong enough to overcome anything.
