banner_jpg
Username/Email: Password:
Forums

Two males with rivalry or love/hate relationship

You must be registered to post!
From User
Message Body
user avatar
Member

1:50 pm, Feb 26 2015
Posts: 4


So I'm a big fan of bromance in my manga and I really enjoy reading about platonic relationships between two males (though I am also a fan of shounen ai and yaoi). Recently though I've been wanting to read about two guys who are not necessarily enemies, more like rivals, who occasionally have a protective streak for the other guy (may or may not have to be because they like each other). I'm open to most genres, though I would prefer if there was no romance, but if it sounds good I may be willing to try it. The guys also don't necessarily have to be the main characters but it would be nice if this relationship is a somewhat big part of the story.

It's kind of hard to explain what I'm looking for, so here are a few examples.

Double Gauge: Alz and Haze, prime example because it's a
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
He's my prey so back off
kind of relationship (sorry I added the spoiler tag just in case)
Black Haze: Rood and Shicmuon to some extent, kind of like the one above
Fairy Tail: Natsu and Gray, kind of
Inuyasha: I think there was some of this going on with main characters/side characters if I remember correctly..
D. Gray-Man: Kanda and Allen

There might have been more I was thinking of but that's what I have for now. Thanks for any suggestions people might have! smile

user avatar
Member

9:52 am, Feb 27 2015
Posts: 38


Quote from Kota-kun
Inuyasha: I think there was some of this going on with main characters/side characters if I remember correctly.

You mean between Inuyasha and Kouga the wolf youkai?

Saint Seiya - the Lost Canvas, quite more so than the classical series, possibly has many of the elements in your OP. Tenma (main lead) and Yato (support), recently formed Bronze Saints in the story start as almost amicable rivals, though often quite bratty on occasion. Their relationship deepens a bit and both come to learn and appreciate their own roles within the story as it progresses. Then there are the Gold Saints, who are a bunch of glorified bishounen bastards which we can project some small bromances:

Spoiler (mouse over to view)
Dohko and Shion have become Gold Saints at about the same time and share a nice and trusting friendship.

Sysiphus and El Cid, one a noble, caring and widely respected figure and the other a stoic and completely badass character. They have tagged for some missions, and their relationship can be emphasized as the later holding great adimiration to the former.

Then there is Kardia and Degel, complete polar opposites who are always tagging along, for reasons that would be later explained. One is fierce and hot-blooded, while the other is calm and composed. Fire and Ice dynamics.

You also mentioned protective streaks. While not being quite a streak, Dohko is unexpectedly saved by his true and grudging rival, Kagaho. If I recall correctly, their rivalry is resolved on a sort of deep and platonic way. There is also another particular fight I was re-reading the other day between Dohko and a different character that happens to hold a very sentimental and "bromantic" feel.


With all that said, the possible "bromance" themes (with the exception of Tenma and Yato) are subtle if compared to the other bigger story themes and its pacing, which is ambiented in the context of a tragic conflict and quite combat heavy/oriented. There's a very quality anime adaptation of this series, so might be worth checking that first if interested and continuing with the manga from where it left (I recently updated the point where the manga continues where the OVAs stopped).

Not a manga, but Samurai Champloo features a rivalry between two strong and equally skilled sword masters (Jin and Mugen) who are brought together and start to wander in an adventure along with a charming and clumsy girl.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
There's a particular episode where Mugen is faced against another different swordmaster throughout the episode who proves to be a big challenge even for himself. While leaving the door for their last showdown in the middle of the night when everyone's already asleep, Jin utters to Mugen while pretending to be asleep one of my favourite and deepest lines (possibly paraphrasing here) "Remember, I'm the man that's going to kill you."


Funny, but the long standing and recently finished Naruto probably perfectly embodies a rivalry that turns into a sort of love/hate relationship between both characters (Naruto and Sasuke). They even have protective streaks among each other.

I just rewrote my post after reading the OP again, at first I was listing some of the bromances I have appreciated in the past, though that's not exactly what's being asked. If I remember more series that apply here I can post again.

user avatar
Member

11:46 pm, Feb 27 2015
Posts: 4


Yup Inuyasha and Kouga are the pair I was thinking of!

I've actually read both Lost Canvas and Naruto (the latter is a good one, can't believe I forgot it) though it's been a while since I read Lost Canvas so I don't remember much.

I've seen the first episode of Samurai Champloo before but haven't continued it so maybe I will now!

Thanks for the recs! I'll see if I can think of more examples too smile

user avatar
First-Class Logic
Member

10:14 pm, Feb 28 2015
Posts: 90


Game x Rush sounds right up your alley. The main character is a bodyguard, and his rival is a hitman, so they're always at odds, but, iirc, they have some Go-Karting with Bowser moments and are generally pretty friendly to each other. laugh

Also, it's been awhile since I read it, but I think Pet Shop of Horrors has the kind of dynamic you're looking for as well. There's a cop and a guy he suspects of criminal activity, and he's always trying to get him to slip up so he can arrest him. There are also moments where they just hang out, though, and even times where they have to help each other. ^^

________________
User Posted Image

"Now, everything is... just..."

writer | librarian | critic
user avatar
Member

9:56 pm, Mar 2 2015
Posts: 4


Thanks for recommending Game x Rush! I just finished it today and I rather enjoyed it smile Although it was a bit short for me.

I've heard of Petshop of Horrors but haven't read it yet, so I'll be adding it to my to-read list! smile

user avatar
Lone Wanderer
Member

6:21 am, Mar 3 2015
Posts: 2127


You really must read Petshop of Horrors -- it's excellent. Shin Pet Shop of Horrors fits too, between the protagonist of the main story and his new supporting lead, but it hasn't been completely scanlated or published in English.

diece -- Sort of. They used to be best friends, but the circumstances of the plot force them into a rivalry/enmity.

Shuuten Unknown fits perfectly.

Number, Adekan, Kamui -- Between the MC and the primary antagonist.

Spiral - Suiri no Kizuna, Loveless -- Between the protagonist and his brother. (They never really behave like siblings, so these titles still fit your request... I hope)

Vampire Library -- It's early days still, so I'm not 100% on this one.

Edit : Found some more:

Aegis -- More hatred on one side than the other, so a bit of an iffy rec.

Legal Drug + Drug & Drop -- Between the 2 male leads.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles -- Fay and Kurogane, totally.

xxxHoLic -- Kimihiro and Shizuka. Again shows a tendency towards one-sidedness.

Yami no Matsuei

Macaroni -- Another perfect fit.

Tokyo Babylon has the beginnings of a literal love/hate between the MC (always forget his name because I can't stand the guy) and Seishirou, but it's better emphasized in X/1999, which unfortunately seems to be on perpetual hiatus. And while we're on the subject: X/1999 itself has this between Kamui (the MC) and his BFF/enemy-of-sorts Fuuma.

And dear god, I can't believe I almost forgot to mention Eroica yori Ai wo Komete! Dorian and the Major's relationship is pretty much the epitome of love/hate between two guys. Scanlations have ground to a halt at 17 vol.s (out of 39, IIRC), but what little has been done is still absolutely worth the read; it's episodic, anyway,

Junjou Karen na Oretachi da! -- I read this ages ago, so apologies if it isn't exactly right. IIRC, they eventually become pretty good team-mates, though never actually friends.

Wild Life -- The protagonist and a fairly major side character.

Burning Hell - Kami no Kuni -- The fact that this was cancelled still makes me sad. I do recommend reading the 4 chapters that were put out, though. Fits your request very well.

Gakkou no Sensei -- A fox-boy and a rabbit-boy, believe it or not laugh They don't have very important roles so far in the plot, though. Shame, 'cos imo they're pretty much the only really interesting characters in that story.

Cantarella, Seimaden -- If my memory isn't playing tricks on me.

Midnight Sun

Gankutsuou -- An anime, but a pretty good fit.

Kootetsu no Hana -- Some of the comments compare the relationship between the MC's to Naruto and Sasuke's friendship/enmity, actually.

Soul to Seoul, Nabari no Ou, Horror Collector -- Long-ago reads, so no guarantees that these fit.

Last edited by calstine at 8:54 am, Mar 3 2015

You must be registered to post!