The fall 2022 anime season is set to be one of the best in fans' recent memory, with couples like Loid and Yor giving fans plenty to root for outside of saving the world in Spy x Family or conquering the world of sports in Blue Lock.

Romance is a huge part of nearly all media, but it can be a bit complicated in anime. Many anime, especially shonen, opt to save their big romantic moments until the very end. However, some anime have beautiful romance arcs with great depth. Many of the best arcs follow the course of a real relationship with its many twists and turns along the way.

Winry & Ed (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Edward Elric and Winry hugging at the end of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The titular protagonist of Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, frequently relied on his childhood friend Winry for . However, the remake of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood gave the pair one of the most iconic romantic endings in anime.

Sadly, Winry and Ed had a very close friendship that constantly felt like it could be something more for the vast majority of the series. It would have been fantastic to see more of them as a couple, but what fans got was great. Ed's "equivalent exchange" monologue where he asks Winry to give him half of her in exchange for half of him was among the top moments in the series.

Lelouch & C.C. (Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion)

Lelouch and CC from Code Geass kiss.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion follows a young boy named Lelouch Lamperouge, a high schooler granted the power of Geass by a mysterious young woman named C.C.

While their ambitions and power as a duo grew, so did Lelouch and C.C's affections for one another. At first, it seemed they'd be nothing more than platonic allies in the anime while Lelouch ended up with his friend, Kallen. However, Lelouch's "witch and warlock" monologue set him and C.C. up as the show's main couple. After the movie, Lelouch of the Resurrection, their implied marriage cemented one of the darker love stories in anime.

Vegeta & Bulma (Dragon Ball)

Bulma leans into Vegeta

Vegeta may have been the egotistical Prince of All Saiyans, but after allying with earth he fell in love with the human Bulma. However, the Goku's rival and Bulma had a rockier road than most Shonen Jump anime couples.

Part of what makes Vegeta and Bulma work so well is how big a role Bulma played in Vegeta's redemption arc. Slowly building a family made Vegeta kinder and nobler. Unlike Goku, who never changed throughout his relationship with Chichi, Vegeta managed to go from one of the worst villains in the galaxy to a loving father and husband.

Historia & Ymir (Attack On Titan)

Attack on Titan - Ymir and Christa

Shonen anime aren't especially known for including LGBTQ+ couples, which made Historia and Ymir a breath of fresh air. Starting out as friends in the cadet corps, their relationship slowly blossomed into something more.

Tragically, just like the majority of good things on Attack On Titan, their love ended in tragedy. Ymir going back with Reiner and Bertholdt sadly doomed her, but she left with the hope that Historia would be safe. Ymir's final letter to Historia showed that they were arguably the most tragic love story in Attack on Titan, in a show full of them.

Kurisu & Okabe (Steins;Gate)

Steins;Gate key art featuring Okabe and Kurisu.

Makise Kurisu and Okabe Rintaro are two of the most iconic characters in anime, even independently of one another. The Steins;Gate protagonists are some of the most brilliant and hilarious characters in anime.

Oftentimes, one half of an anime couple feels secondary to the protagonist. However, Kurisu was always more than just a love interest for Okabe. Watching them grow as people alongside one another, while slowly developing feelings for each other made their eventual romance feel so much sweeter. In the end, throughout every possible reality in Steins;Gate, they found each other.