September 29 is Adhesion Day in Japan. The Japan Adhesive Industry Association established it from the wordplay on kuttsuku, meaning to stick together.
That idea of sticking together fits anime and games, where famous duos fight, work, and grow side by side. Some are bound by years of trust, some are opposites with perfect chemistry, and others cover each other’s weaknesses. With that in mind, Anime! Anime! asked readers: Who is the best anime duo?
The survey ran from September 16 to September 23, 2026, and drew 320 responses. About 55 percent of respondents were male and about 45 percent female. Respondents aged 19 and under and those in their 30s each made up about 40 percent.
Top 3 Anime Duos for 2026
1st: Dazai Osamu & Nakahara Chuuya from Bungou Stray Dogs
Dazai Osamu and Nakahara Chuuya earned first place with about 6 percent support. The two are ability users who once fought together in the Port Mafia and were known as Soukoku, or Double Black, a duo said to be the worst in the underworld.
Readers described them as a pair who argue constantly yet fight with flawless timing and without needing words. One comment called their strength when united on another level. Another said that even though they dislike each other intensely, they understand each other better than anyone and become the most reliable partner when it matters.
One voter pointed to Chuuya’s life-risking ability, Odaku, and said he can use it because he trusts Dazai will stop him. Even after Dazai leaves the Mafia and the two part ways, the comment added, they remain a one-of-a-kind duo.
2nd: Nishikigi Chisato & Inoue Takina from Lycoris Recoil
Nishikigi Chisato and Inoue Takina placed second with about 3 percent support. They are agent partners in the secret organization DA. While they usually work at Cafe LycoReco, their missions send them into cases with guns in hand.
Readers loved the contrast between free-spirited Chisato and serious Takina, who arrives after being transferred from DA headquarters. Comments highlighted how the two build their friendship over time and how Takina sometimes shows a goofy side while Chisato becomes the straight man. The scene where Takina imitates a fish made one reader laugh.
Others called them a perfect duo who care for each other from daily life to missions and make up for what the other lacks. Their coordinated battle teamwork and light banter at LycoReco show their compatibility across many scenes.
3rd: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio from Haikyuu!!
Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio took third, only a slim margin behind second place. The two are first-years on the Karasuno High volleyball team. Hinata’s astonishing jumping power and Kageyama’s precise tosses combine into a super-fast combo play known as henjin sokkou.
Readers said they liked how the pair start out clashing but grow into teammates who draw out each other’s strengths. One comment called it precious that they can tell each other, With me, you are the strongest. The film Gekijouban Haikyuu!! VS Chiisana Kyojin is scheduled to open in 2027.
More Reader Comments
Gojou Satoru & Getou Suguru from Jujutsu Kaisen
For Gojou Satoru and Getou Suguru, a reader recalled that during their Jujutsu Koutou days they stood side by side as the strongest pair. Getou would calm the unruly Gojou, and their private interactions showed a deep bond. Because each was irreplaceable to the other, their heartbreaking parting made the reader cry, and they still wish the two could return to the days when they were best friends.
Kirito & Sinon from Sword Art Online
One voter said that while Sword Art Online first brings to mind sword-user duos like Kirito and Eugeo or Kirito and Asuna, they want to support the swordsman-and-sniper combo of Kirito and Sinon. The difference between close-range and long-range positions makes their battles exciting, as they support each other’s presence even from a distance. The voter was especially moved in Season 2, Episode 13, when Sinon desperately thinks of a way to help Kirito after her scope is destroyed.
Edogawa Conan & Haibara Ai from Meitantei Conan
Edogawa Conan and Haibara Ai are among the few who know each other’s true identities and circumstances, and Conan often relies on Haibara’s knowledge during cases. In the film Konpeki no Hitsugi, Haibara asks, Oh, since when did I become your assistant? Conan replies, No, not an assistant, more like a partner. For one reader, that exchange sums up their relationship: Shinichi’s girlfriend is Mouri Ran, but Conan’s partner is Haibara.
Nishikino Maki & Yazawa Nico from Love Live!
Nishikino Maki and Yazawa Nico drew support from a reader who loves their relationship within μ’s. They differ in grade, height, and personality, and they argue whenever they meet, yet they also share certain similarities. Their duet song Zurui yo Magnetic today expresses how they repel and attract each other, which the reader felt fits the theme of sticking together perfectly.
Top 10 Ranking
| Rank | Duo | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dazai Osamu & Nakahara Chuuya | Bungou Stray Dogs |
| 2 | Nishikigi Chisato & Inoue Takina | Lycoris Recoil |
| 3 | Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio | Haikyuu!! |
| 4 | Maple & Sally | Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. |
| 5 | Cure Arcana & Cure Eclaire | Meitantei Precure! |
| 5 | Gojou Satoru & Getou Suguru | Jujutsu Kaisen |
| 5 | Hakurei Reimu & Kirisame Marisa | Touhou Project |
| 9 | Oumae Kumiko & Kousaka Reina | Hibike! Euphonium |
| 9 | Takamachi Nanoha & Fate T. Harlaown | Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha |
| 9 | Yoshida Yuuko & Chiyoda Momo | Machikado Mazoku |
Survey period: September 16 to September 23, 2026.
Anime! Anime! notes that the survey is part of a regular awareness survey about current anime and character interest. It is not intended to decide superiority or inferiority of any character or work, and the editorial team hopes it helps readers discover new works and characters.
