7 animes where the bad boy falls in love with a girl

Noah
Keiko yelling at Yusuke (Image via Pierrot)
Keiko yelling at Yusuke (Image via Pierrot)

Most anime series feature at least a bit of romance throughout the story. This theme helps develop relationships between characters as well as adds tension to the plot. We often see a romance between two people have an impact on others who are not even romantically involved with the couple in question.

For better or for worse, a good woman sometimes falls for the edgy bad boy in an anime series. Sometimes, the lady desires to change her crush, and sometimes, she wants to become more like him. Both situations lead to interesting outcomes, and we will explore some of the most interesting dynamics involving bad boy relationships.

Note: This article contains spoilers.


Anime bad boys who love the good girls

1) Inuyasha

A modern-day high school student named Kagome Higurashi is dragged down into the Bone Eater's Well by a centipede demon, taking her back to the Sengoku period. In order to stop the demon, Kagome releases Inuyasha from the sacred tree where Kikyo's arrow had pinned him.

Kagome and Inuyasha’s relationship in the anime gets off to a rocky start. It turns out that the young lady is a reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo, who betrayed the anime protagonist in a past life. Through their adventures, the two adapt to working and fighting as a unit. Kagome eventually realizes that she is jealous of Inuyasha's relationship with her former incarnation. With her mind clear, Kazome finally comes to terms with the fact that she views Inuyasha as a man. Cue the romantic music.


2) Naruto

Sasuke and Sakura (Image via Pierrot)
Sasuke and Sakura (Image via Pierrot)

Sasuke is the king of the anime bad boys. His mission to kill his older brother began in his youth, accompanied by the darkness of seeing his entire family slaughtered. The ninja brushes off his teammates' attempts to build a bond, and he soon leaves the village to train under the villainous Orochimaru. Sasuke gives in to his dark side and embarks on a crime spree with the goal of destroying his home town.

Sakura tries relentlessly to break through to Sasuke. The latter only falls in love once he's been to the brink of death and back multiple times, and is forced by Naruto to seek an alternative life path.


3) Tokyo Revengers

Emma and Drakken (Image via Liden Films)
Emma and Drakken (Image via Liden Films)

The mighty Tokyo Manji Gang boasts a roster of unbelievably strong high-schoolers. Amongst them is the gang's second-in-command, Ken Ryuguji. This blonde brawler is better known by his nickname, Drakken. Throughout the anime, we get glimpses of his relationship with his girlfriend Emma. Drakken is a loyal follower of Mikey and tends to be busy smashing in the heads of Toman's rival gang members.

Despite living the life of a stone-cold warrior, Drakken shows that he cares for his lady. Emma is spunky enough to handle her boyfriend's tough outer shell, and the two make a good couple.


4) Berserk

Guts and Casca kiss (Image via Hakusensha)
Guts and Casca kiss (Image via Hakusensha)

The lonely mercenary Guts was born from a dead corpse. Parentless, he spends his life fighting for the highest paying customer. Raised by violence and blood, Guts is a stranger to love and affection. He lives by his sword, constantly wondering about his place in the world.

He first felt camarderie in the anime after joining the Band of the Hawk, where he met Griffith, Casca, and Rickert, among others. Despite his welcoming companions, Guts still deals with his wounded heart. He falls in love with Casca, the only female warrior in the group. Although the lady swordsman is far from being a "good girl", she attempts to mend her lover's strife. Their relationship follows many twists and turns throughout the dramatic series.


5) YuYu Hakusho

Yusuke Urameshi is too good for school, responsibilities, and even the underworld. The street punk brawler-turned-underworld detective never breaks away from his roots. Even as an agent of King Emna Jr., the anime protagonist punches his way through gritty scuffles and curses out his enemies.

Keiko has known Yusuke since childhood, and she constantly tries to keep him in line. The unruly young man turns his nose up at her attempts to reform him, and makes romantic advances that are far too forward to be a sign of love. Throughout his fight to protect humanity, Yusuke developed into a man more worthy of Keiko's respect.

His emotional maturity seemed to have blossomed when they met at the Dark Tournament, but not by much. As the two lovebirds grow older and develop a deeper understanding for one another, they build a fiery and passionate high-school anime romance.

Keiko fires up Yusuke (Image via Viz Media)
Keiko fires up Yusuke (Image via Viz Media)

6) Devils' Line

Devils' Line is a supernatural anime featuring Tsukasa, a university student, and Anzai, a half-vampire cop. Any world where humans and vampires coexist is going to be messy. The vampires face discrimination, and humans are killed by the blood-thirsty beings.

Tsukasa is a kind-hearted human girl who quickly falls in love after meeting Anzai. Although the half-vampire police officer sees the young woman injured, he follows his strict oath of never drinking human blood. A one-time kiss turns into a budding romance as the two become more involved in each other's lives.

Despite the clichés, their relationship can be endearing at times. Tsukasa is continually saved by her half-vampire in shining armor, and she in turn loves him despite his mixed blood.


7) Castlevania

Although their relationship is far from perfect, Trevor and Sypha bring romance to the anime. Trevor's jaded and apathetic demeanor is contrasted by Sypha's kindness. The two first met when the vampire saved his love interest from freezing. The duo's personalities regularly clash, but they eventually complement one another in beautiful and complex fashion.

Part of their charm is the lively dynamic highlighting their differences. Love or hate, they can't stop thinking about one another. Their cushy exchange in Season 4 of the anime is sure to please romance fans, as they profess their love in a typical Trevor-Sypha style.


Summary

When it comes to anime, it seems like the trope of women wanting a bad boy is true. The tough, edgy guys on this list snatched the hearts of their lovers, although most took their sweet time before acknowledging their feelings. Not just any woman can tame a bad boy, though. It takes toughness, perseverance, sympathy, and in some cases, being willing to get attacked by demons.

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Edited by Sandeep Banerjee
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