I’m going to shake things up and leave out the obvious contenders–Lelouch/Shirley (shirlulu), Izaya/Namie (izanamie), and Betty/Jughead (bughead)–and I’ve talked Akihiko/Mitsuru before too, so I’ll save that for another time, I think. Now, let’s talk unsung OTPs. In no particular order:
Oh my god, I am such a sucker for brooding boy/gentle girl who is actually silk hiding steel. It’s like my favorite trope. Sakura’s love for Sasuke starts as a childish crush, but it grows so much from there, and she truly sees him, yeah? And he values her, cares for her even in Part I. Like, let us never forget the Forest of Death scene when he’s all “Sakura, who hurt you?! RAGE RAGE RAGE” and then she hugs him and his curse seal retreats and it’s just *chef’s kiss*. Sakura is as close to his equal as a non-Naruto person without ridiculous plot powers is going to get, power-wise, and he respects her for her abilities and strength by the end. Let us not forget the smirk when she wrecks people’s shit, and that epic moment of eye sex is the stuff of shippers’ dreams. I feel that quote of Lelouch’s applies here too, the concept of “her smile saved me,” yeah? But he inspired her to work hard and be better, too, and I think that’s beautiful.
Look at them, they’re full of justice. Tsubaki is like the only person Jin likes and respects, and he is just so concerned for her wellbeing. Like, I love that moment when he’s with Hakumen and Hakumen’s all “Fuck, is Hazama going after Tsubaki?” and Jin is just like “WHAT DID YOU DO WITH TSUBAKI,” and it’s amazing. I don’t remember why Tsubaki likes Jin, but she does, and she’s very devoted to him, yes, but she isn’t afraid to confront him when she thinks he’s in the wrong. And hell, in that one timeline, she basically dies for him, yeah? Because she loves him and respects him and wants him to be safe and healthy. I think it’s the respect that I love there, honestly. They respect each other and their abilities, even when they clash ideologically, and it’s beautiful. ALSO, when she tragically dies, he names a technique after her, that fucking NERD. (Hakumen/Tsubaki is technically a whole other can of worms, but I had to include that here.)
- Zuko/Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
They are so perfectly suited for each other though. Like, the thing I like about zutara is the balance between the two. They’re very equal, yeah? I have very, very few enemies-to-lovers ships (they just aren’t my thing most of the time), and I think part of what appeals to me about them is that, for the first two seasons, it isn’t personal. Like, yeah, they’re on opposing sides, but they aren’t fighting because they hate each other; they’re fighting because of what amounts to circumstance and could be friends otherwise, as we later see in canon. Also, I love how responsible they both are in the gaang. They are 100% Team Mom and Team Dad, and I am SUCH a sucker for fics that play that up. And can I say that I love love love how Zuko doesn’t judge Katara like ever? He just helps her on her vengeance quest with no insisting she acts one way or the other, and it’s great. And the hug when she forgives him! Ahh, too cute! They settle into such an easy relationship after that, and I love it so much.
- Kyon/Haruhi (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
God, I love these two dicks. Like, they’re dickish in different ways, and maybe Haruhi is more of an asshole than a dick, but whatever, that’s splitting hairs. They both grow though, and they let their guards down, and it’s beautiful. Something about her high energy and his “okay, let’s dial it back a notch” that’s still mixed with his interest in what she’s doing delights me. Kyon complains about Haruhi’s nonsense, but ultimately he enjoys it, and I love when he admits that. And it’s so nice for Haruhi to have someone in her life know about her magic bullshit but also be all “Haruhi is Haruhi” and just see her as a person. I’m actually not sure what Haruhi sees in Kyon, maybe that he always sees her and her weird ways, but I love her little bits of jealousy and the way she values him. Like, when she chooses to remake the world, the person she wants to take with her is him, and that’s so cute in a weird way. And idk, I just think they’re well-suited for each other. Apart, she’s too wild and he’s too apathetic, but together they’re just right.
- Togami/Kirigiri (Danganronpa)
These genius assholes, I love them so. There’s an intellectual connection here that I absolutely love. Again, it’s a matter of respect. They’re both so condescending to, like, everyone else in the first game except each other. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re nice to each other (they’re not), but it’s so enjoyable to watch. They’re equals in a way that I find hard for both of them to find outside each other. I just want them to drink coffee and complain about bad crime shows together, with the occasional break to help Naegi with all his hopefulness.
