Love Don’t Cost a Thang: Anime Couples off the Beaten Path

Kenshin and Kaoru. Usagi and Mamoru. Miaka and Tamahome. Ranma and Akane.

Surely, any regular anime fan would recognize at least two of the four pairs listed above. These very well-known couples are much loved (or reviled) in their respective series. Despite various obstacles thrown at these celluloid sweethearts, they inevitably overcome them and find happiness and a nice domicile in the suburbs, courtesy of the power of love.

Far be it for me to carp on said couples (which would only garner me an avalanche of flame mail), though. However, let it be said that I vastly prefer romantic relationships in anime that are somewhat... different. I hesitate to use the word "realistic", since I recognize that biting the bullet for one’s paramour (which occurs in the below pairings, although I won’t say how many times) is a somewhat fanciful notion anyhow.

Anyways, below are four sets of people that I can tolerate in their respective romantic situations, along with my biased opinions on why they rock. I’m only listing canon couples, though, so I won’t be inflicting my twisted fantasies of boy-boy love on the unwitting public (unlike the other columnist on Japanimation.com).

And on with the show:

Shishio and Yumi
Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Upon first sight in the Kyoto arc, Yumi seems to be merely arm-candy for everyone’s favorite maniacal mummy. However, as the series progresses, Yumi demonstrates a fierce, if somewhat misguided, loyalty to her man that easily equals that of Kaoru to Kenshin. As Shishio says to Kenshin during their final fight, [paraphrased] "No one knows this woman better than I do, and no one knows me better than her." Their mutual innate understanding of each other that can only be interpreted as love, albeit a rather unhealthy sort. Which ends tragically, naturally, since Shishio is a villain and all. Sigh.

Julia and Spike
Series: Cowboy Bebop

Precious little about Julia, let alone her and Spike’s relationship, is revealed in Cowboy Bebop, leaving some fans to wonder if our chain-smoking hero would be better off with Faye. The creators do show, though, in brief glimpses just how much Julia and Spike care for each other. The latter refers to the former as his "other half"; strong words, for a seemingly cynical slacker. In the "Jupiter Jazz" episodes, at the mere mention of her name, he leaves Jet, his partner for several years, without a second thought. Seems like a strong argument for love there.

Although Julia gets about fifteen minutes screen time total, one has to consider what kind of woman would haunt Spike freaking "Uber Laid-Back" Speigel even after three years. She must have some positive qualities to perform such a feat.

And if one still has doubts about those two, I suggest you watch the "Real Folk Blues". That should dispel any notions about their relationship. (Not to give anything away, but it might depress you for a while too, though.)

Gatts and Caska
Series: Berserk

Talk about getting to a slow start: it takes roughly four years for the mentioned couple to even kiss. The circumstances of their first meeting probably didn’t help; in a skirmish with the Band of the Hawk, Gatts easily defeats the previously unbeaten Caska and catches the attention of Griffith (the leader of the band). To further complicate matters, Griffith happens to be the object of Caska’s unrequited affection.

Slowly, though, their reactions to each other (annoyance on Gatts’s side, unbridled hostility on Caska’s) change into mutual respect, if not exactly friendship. Finally, when Gatts makes a drastic decision, Caska is forced to come to terms with her true feelings. It’s not as cheesy as it sounds.

Setsuna and Sara
Series: Angel Sanctuary

Setsuna loves Sara, and Sara only. Sara loves Setsuna, and Setsuna only. They live fairly close to each other in Tokyo, and are about the same age. With no third party, no social/economical/species differences, or initial dislike of each other to overcome, where’s the drama? Well, there’s just one little biological hitch-they’re blood siblings.

So begins the plight of the comely teenagers in Angel Sanctuary, only amplified by the appearance of various supernatural beings and the fact that Setsuna is the reincarnation of the great Organic Angel Alexiel, who started a failed rebellion against God. Naturally, Setsuna is destined to die a painful, violent death according to Alexiel’s punishment (y’know, for the whole rebellion thing). However, Sara soon beats him to it when she shields him from a surprise attack. Cue the angst, and the subsequent epic in which Setsuna journeys to Hades to retrieve his beloved’s soul.

Despite the rather sensitive issue of incest, Sara and Setsuna’s relationship is realistically portrayed-they become pariahs when the truth is discovered, and both wrestle with the fact that their feelings are "morally" wrong. In fact, one can’t help but smile slightly when Sara follows her heart, so to speak, and dashes off from her impending flight to Europe into the arms of her brother.

I suppose that’s just the romantic in me.

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