10 Best Anime Rivals of All Time, Ranked

A good competitor in anime Can get the most out of the series’ hero. While some characters may be in a league of their own due to their superhuman intelligence or strength, A competitor can become very reasonableChallenging them when they might have thought they were in the clear. The best rivals in anime are either as smart or strong as their eternal enemy, or they have a skill that gives them an advantage in one-on-one. Nor are rivalries short-lived, as the best rivalries will span years, or even generations.

Rivals do not always have to fight against their enemy. Sometimes they fight alongside each other, only considering each other’s rivals because there is no one left in the universe that can compare. The best anime rivals are fairly competitiveAre always pushing their fellow rivals to their limit, and may have the strength to pass them one day.

10

l – Death note

The only person who can compete with light

Light Yagami is one of the smartest characters in anime, and when he got the titular Death Note in his possession, There was no stopping him. He was able to kill anyone in the world just by writing their name in the book, and he was smart enough to hide his actions from the police and anyone else trying to find him, until L. L is the moniker for Light’s nemesis, as L knows that all Light needs to kill him is his name. L spends the series deciphering Kira’s patterns, trying to find the real identity behind the global serial killer.

He is the only man in all Death note Even getting close to finding out Kira’s true identity. He has a sneaking suspicion that Kira is light at the end of the series, but never gets to confirm it. Instead, his name goes in the death note, and when he dies in his rival’s arms, he Gets to see a smile that confirms Kira’s identity once and for all.

9

Hisoka Morrow – Hunter x Hunter

Hisoka is constantly on Gon’s tail

Hisoka is a true hunter in Hunter x Hunter. While other characters are hunters in name, Hisoka actually takes the time to stalk his prey before he strikes. He is more than powerful enough to kill Gon at several different points in the series, but chooses otherwise. He keeps Gon alive because he sees potential in the boy And wants to fight him when he is much stronger in the future. Just because Hisoka wants to keep Gon alive doesn’t mean he won’t get in his way, however, as Hisoka is a huge obstacle for Gon many times.

Although Killua stands by Gon for most of the series as his equal, there is never enough animosity between the two for the pair to be rivals. Hisoka and Gon have a great rivalry Instead, how the killer clown is always one step ahead of his future prey.

8

Bakugo – My hero academia

From bully to best friend

Katsuki Bakugo was part of the life of the protagonist of My hero academiaIzuku Midoriya, from an early age, but his role is not always positive. When it became clear that Izuku was queerless, Bakugo started isolating himself and even outright bullying him. Despite this, Midoriya always considered Bakugo his best friend, which only exacerbated the hot-tempered Katsuki. When Midoriya finally joined UA, and with a strong quirk, Bakugo began to develop conflicting emotions that ranged from jealousy to a desire to challenge and be challenged by Deku.

While their friendship steadily develops, it’s only in the final arc that it blossoms into one of the best in all of anime. When Bakugo finally apologizes And admits that he bullied Deku because he was afraid of his willpower and inner strength, it creates one of the best scenes in the series. Bakugo also stubbornly refuses to accept the role of “supporting character” to Deku, and his actions and feats in the final war prove that he has always been Midoriya’s equal.

7

rainer braun – Attack on Titan

Reiner is Eren’s Marlian equal

Reiner Braun is the perfect rival to Eren Yeager. They are two sides of the same coin, and they even come from rival nations. Although they spend most of the series in stark opposition to each other, they share a lot in common. Both Reiner and Eren set themselves up with terrible goals as children.With their parents manipulating them to achieve their goals. They were both forced to become tools of war, turning into the very thing they hated.

Reiner tries to tell Eren that they are really equal for the most part attack on titan But Eren doesn’t get it. He doesn’t see Reiner’s point until he sneaks into Morley, takes a hostage, and transforms into the Attack Titan in the middle of their gathering. Eren then goes on a rampage, decimating civilians and enemies alike, Finally emulating his rival Reiner.

6

Uno Greenberry – Black clover

Yuno may be Wizard King one day

Yuno Grinberryall is Asta’s rival And the character who deserves to become the Wizard King the most after his anti-magic friend. He is one of the strongest men in Black Clover thanks to his powerful wind and spirit magic. He is the exact opposite of Asta in every way, making their rivalry even better. While Asta is hot-headed, always running into battle first and thinking later, Yuno is cool, calm and collected. He rarely lets his emotions get the best of him and is smart enough to see a way to win every battle.

Although Yuno and Asta are sure rivals, They are at their best when they work together. Their fight against Zagred is one of the best in black clover, With the pair using each other’s powers to great effect. Nothing looks better than seeing Yuno shoot Asta in the air like a bullet, only for Asta to cut cleanly through their opponents.

5

Dio Brando – Jojo’s Strange Adventure

Dio is the rival of a whole family

Dio Brando terrorized entire generations of the Joestar family. Dio is the antagonist of two parts of Jojo’s Strange AdventureBut his influence is felt throughout the series. He started out as a rival to Jonathan Joestar, the first ever JoJo, before later becoming a rival to Jotaro Kujo. When Dio is in jojo, He is the main problem. He is a villain to his core who only cares about himself.

Dio is one of the most enigmatic characters in anime. He is flashy, flamboyant and never afraid of a fight. He represents evil incarnate, and as such he stands in opposition to every Joestar’s heroic act. interesting, JojoThe author Hiroiko Araki wanted to show that although justice can run in the blood of a family, evil does not necessarily, and Dio’s son becomes the hero of part 5, Golden wind.

4

Madara Uchiha – Naruto: Shippuden

Madara’s anger spanned generations

Madara is such a strong competitor in Naruto That he planted his hatred in other characters. He is quite Hashirama’s rival And is ready to wait hundreds of years to fight his enemy once again. Like Dio Brando, Madara is insane enough to implant his enemy’s cells into his body to gain an advantage. He is one of the strongest characters in Naruto For several reasons, and one of the few characters strong enough to fight the first Hokage on equal footing.

Madara is responsible for one of the coolest one-man army moments in anime When he takes on the entire shinobi alliance at once. He is one of the few characters in the series to even attempt such a feat. As often happens in these relationships, Hashirama always saw the best in Madara, and Madara remained rigidly fixated on the path that led to conflict and tragedy.

3

Sukuna – Jujutsu Kaisen

The King of Curses and Yuji’s half

Sukona is a lot of things in Jujutsu Kaisen: The strongest villain, a means to move the plot forward, but what defines him most, perhaps, is the connection he has with the protagonist, Yuji. The story begins when Yuuji is forced to ingest Sukuna’s finger to save his friends, thus reincarnating the strongest evil jujutsu sorcerer in history. From then on, Yuuji had to keep Sukuna confined in his body, but the finale of the story revealed that their relationship was much more than that.

Jujutsu KaisenThe ending revealed that Yuji was actually “learning” a lot from Sukuna, acquiring his cursed technique just by sharing a body with him. however, Sukuna also learned something from YujiEven after his death, he expresses regret and the desire to take a different path in life, if given the chance. It was a shocking revelation, but one that underscored just how deep the dynamic between Yuji and Sukuna was throughout the series.

2

Sasuke Uchiha – Naruto

Naruto’s shadow

Sasuke Uchiha has one of the most tragic backstories in anime. He grew up as a happy child in a beautiful family, before his older brother Itachi destroyed their entire clan. He spent the rest of his childhood far from the people around him, never allowing his friend Naruto to get too close. Naruto is also an orphan, so he did his best to free the last of the Uchiha. When Sasuke leaves the village to become stronger, so does Naruto. Naruto leaves Konoha so he can find the strength to bring his true friend and rival back.

What makes this one of the best rivalries in anime is how the two characters started from similar circumstances but went on opposite paths. Naruto strove to find the acceptance of the people who shunned him, while Sasuke shunned the world to focus on his revenge, first against his brother and then against the village. Only Naruto’s stubbornness could lead Sasuke back on the right path, thus succeeding where Hashirama had failed with Madara.

1

Vegeta – Dragon Ball p

Vegeta brings out the best of Goku

Vegeta is the most famous and iconic competitor in all of anime. He is always pushing Goku to become even stronger by trying to surpass him. He started the series as an angry, insecure prince of a fallen race before having one of the best character arcs in dragon ball, Turned into a loving husband and respectable father. No matter where he is emotionally, however, the Prince of Saiyans always wants to fight his rival Kakarot. He doesn’t care if he’s fighting for good or evil too sometimes, leading to Vegeta’s best fights in Dragon Ball.

As the franchise continues with Dragon Ball SuperGoku and Vegeta are both acquiring new, exciting forms built to push their rival to his absolute limit. Whether it’s Goku’s mastered Ultra Instinct form, or Vegeta’s brand new Ultra Ego form, They are always pushing each other to the limit.