10 anime characters who would be perfect friends to have

Anime characters can come in several forms but there is no denying that some stand out because of their friendly and loyal nature. Some of these characters have been part of some crazy adventures and have always been there for the people they care about, which is evidence that they would be great friends to have in real life.

These anime characters are also known because of their friendly and outgoing personality, which would make a friendship with them even nicer to have. In that regard, these characters are defined by their loyalty to their friends and even have arcs in their journeys, focused on their bonds and commitment to them.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the series mentioned here. Any opinion expressed on this piece belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

10 anime characters who would be great friends to have and why

1. Chad (Bleach)

One of those anime characters who would be a very good friend (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Chad was probably one of the worst-treated characters in Bleach as far as the main cast goes and one of the weakest moments of author Tite Kubo's writing. However, no one can deny that he is one of the most loyal anime characters out there and is a great friend to have.

Ichigo Kurosaki and him were bullied in school because of their unique looks and, eventually, they became friends in the process, oftentimes fighting side by side. Because of that, they promised to always back each other, and Chad has followed that promise throughout the series.

Even when going to places such as Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, Chad has no qualms about going there to help Ichigo and is willing to put his life on the line. He was never forced to do so and chose to do it because he cared about his friend, which says a lot about his character.

2. Chopper (One Piece)

Chopper is one of the friendliest anime characters (Image via Toei Animation).

One Piece is a series where friendship is an important thing and can be shown through the connections made by the Straw Hats as the story progresses. In that regard, as far as anime characters go, Tony Tony Chopper stands out as a great example of a person who knows what it's like to be rejected and how to cherish these connections.

Chopper grew up in Drum Island and was mistreated by humans and reindeers alike because of the appearance he gained after eating a Devil Fruit. His tragic backstory made him grow with strong insecurities but also with a major understanding of how important friendship is.

Throughout his time in One Piece, Chopper is one of the most loyal anime characters, he has claimed that he could only be a part of Luffy's crew and no one else's. He is loyal to his crew and has put his body on the line to help them.

3. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)

One of the most outgoing anime characters (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Naruto is not only one of the friendliest and most loyal anime characters out there but he is also someone who knows what it's like to be alone. Due to him growing up on his own and being hated by the people of the Hidden Leaf Village because he had Kurama within, he knows the value of having friends and cherishes that greatly.

A good example is how he never left Sasuke Uchiha behind and always tried to save him from his inner darkness. That is something that has also been shown time and time again with several characters across the story, which shows how loyal Naruto is to his friends.

In that regard, one of the most notorious elements of Naruto as a series is the value of friendship and the protagonist embodies it till the end. That shows how much of a good friend Naruto is and that it would be great to have a friendship of that ilk.

4. Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Itadori would be good friends with almost anyone (Image via MAPPA).

Jujutsu Kaisen is a series where there are not a lot of good people who are willing to help others and Yuji Itadori stands out because of that. While anime characters who are selfless and noble are far from being a rarity in the medium, his arc in the series involves not giving up on people and constantly trying to save as many people as possible.

Yuji is caring and friendly, which is why he tends to get along with many people throughout the story. He is also capable of showing a lot of empathy, which is a sign of a good person, and is why many tend to view him as someone who would be a great friend.

A good example of that is how Yuji was fighting Ryomen Sukuna in the final arc and still had the idea of saving Megumi Fushiguro, whose body was controlled by the King of Curses. It would have been easier to just kill Sukuna and take Megumi's loss as collateral damage for the greater good but he still kept fighting to save his friend and managed to do so.

5. Kazuma Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Kuwabara is one of the most loyal anime characters (Image via Studio Pierrot).

There are very few anime characters that define the traits of friendship and loyalty as well as Kazuma Kuwabara and that was something that author Yoshihiro Togashi displayed since the early days of Yu Yu Hakusho. The first few chapters of the manga already featured Kuwabara avoiding fights and studying hard for his exams so one of his friends didn't lose his part-time job, showing how caring he is.

Moreover, Kuwabara always had a degree of respect for the protagonist, Yusuke Urameshi, and the series shows how much they care for each other. A great example was how Kuwabara was willing to give his life against Younger Toguro in the Dark Tournament arc so Yusuke could unlock his potential to win and save the day, which proved to be one of the most shocking moments of the series.

Very few anime characters have proven to be as willing to take one for the team as Kuwabara has done time and time again. The Chapter Black arc displays Kuwabara's loyalty to his friend and how he wanted to avenge Yusuke after he was killed by Shinobu Sensui.

6. Ami Mizuno/Sailor Mercury (Sailor Moon)

Sailor Mercury is one of the best friends among anime characters (Image via Toei Animation).

As far as friendly anime characters go, any of the five main Sailor Senshi in Sailor Moon could have counted on this list. However, Ami, also known as Sailor Mercury, stands out as the most mature and logical member of the team, often serving as the straight girl among the insanity of the other ladies.

Moreover, the 90s anime even goes as far as exploring her commitment to her friends and her passion for academics, making her find a balance between these two things. It shows how much she cares for her friends and always strives to be there for them through thick and thin.

7. Leorio (Hunter X Hunter)

Leorio Paradinight from Hunter X Hunter (Image via Madhouse)

Hunter X Hunter is a series that celebrates the journey and the people you meet along the way and one of the biggest connections that Gon made is Leorio. That is shown time and time again throughout the story but most importantly when Gon was massively hurt during the events of the Chimera Ant arc and was put on life support.

Gon's father, Ging, had no interest in seeing his son while being hospitalized and Leorio stepped up, going as far as punching him in front of the Hunter Association. This goes to show how much Leorio cares for his friend, which is also displayed by his wanting to help Kurapika so he doesn't fall too much into the dark side because of his revenge against the Phantom Troupe.

8. Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Another one of the most loyal anime characters (Image via Studio Bones).

Riza Hawkeye might not be the most outgoing and extroverted as far as anime characters go but her role as an officer in the Amestrian State Military in Fullmetal Alchemist says a lot about her personality. She is a high-value asset to her comrades but is also very important to her superior, Roy Mustang.

Anyone who has watched or read this series knows that Mustang and Hawkeye have a great relationship and the latter has been a major support system to the former, especially when it comes to the main events of the story. Riza shows that being a good friend is not just about having good times but also being there when it matters the most.

9. Robert E. O. Speedwagon (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Speedwagon is one of the best friends in anime (Image via David Production).

Robert E.O. Speedwagon might be one of the most unique anime characters out there in the sense that his actions and sacrifices for his friends transcend his own life. While he was initially a friend and loyal ally to Jonathan Joestar during the events of the first part, Phantom Blood, the truth of the matter is that his biggest contributions were after his death.

At some point after Phantom Blood, Speedwagon found oil on American soil and became a millionaire, which is why he founded the Speedwagon Foundation. While this foundation is mostly focused on helping people across the world, it also had a division dedicated to dealing with the several supernatural elements that the Joestar family has to deal with throughout the series.

Speedwagon was inspired by Jonathan's noble and selfless nature and became a lifelong friend of the Joestar family, even going as far as helping raise his grandson, Joseph. Even after his death, the Speedwagon Foundation is still there helping the different Joestars throughout JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, which is a feat that not many anime characters can brag about.

10. Joey Wheeler/Katsuya Jonouchi (Yu-gi-oh!)

Joey Wheeler in Battle City Finals (Image via Image via Toei Animation.)

Whether fans know him as Joey or Jonouchi, there is no denying that he is one of the most loyal anime characters out there. The most interesting part is that he started as a bully to Yugi Muto, the protagonist of Yu-Gi-Oh!, but they eventually became friends and Joey/Jonouchi tried several times across the story to make up for him for his past mistakes.

His commitment to his friends has been a major character arc of his as well as his undying love for his sister, Shizuka Kawai/Serenity Wheeler. All of this is a lot more telling of Joey/Jonouchi's value as a person when considering that he came from an abusive home and managed to grow as an individual.

Final thoughts

There are more anime characters who would be great friends in real life but these are some of the best examples because of their exploits throughout the series. Moreover, these characters are all part of prominent series and have managed to have greater reach to audiences because of that.

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Edited by Bharath S