Summary
Modern isekai has become more akin to power fantasies with overpowered protagonists with huge harems. There are a lot of romantic inclinations and this has meant that other meaningful relationships seem overlooked especially those betweenmale characters.
It is a lot more common to find female friendships in isekai, and there are some iconic friendships in other genres of anime, but isekai does seem lacking a bit in this department. Thankfully there are some excellent examples of wholesome male friendships in isekai anime. These aren’t romantic, nor are they superficial, but a deep bond which usually has a tangible effect on both characters.
There is very little that a slime and aDragonhave in common, but somehow, Rimuru Tempest and Veldora made it work. Veldora was the first major character Rimuru met after being transported to the new world and the two became fast friends.
Rimuru absorbed Veldora and would later set him free after figuring out how to undo Infinite Prison. The two are so close they basically share a surname and while Veldora is feared as a king of chaos, he considers Rimuru his best friend.
In theunforgiving worldofRe:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, having someone to call a friend is an important characteristic. This friendship was not even between the protagonist and someone else, but two side characters— Otto and Garfiel.
Garfiel has a tragic backstory and was initially hostile towards Otto, but with time, the two would come to respect each other. This is one of those examples of a friendship developing over the course of a show. Now, the two have a brotherly bond with Otto supporting Garf and finding him somewhat akin to his own younger brother, Regin.
Wise Man’s Grandchildwas a 2019 anime that would have flown under the radar for many as on the surface it feels like a generic harem title with anOP protagonist. Yes, Wise Man’s Grandchild is not without its problems, but it did the male friendship theme well.
Shin is a powerful character with little common sense. He has one love interest and a best friend in August von Earlshide who is the crown prince of the kingdom. The two share a close bond with August typically pranking Shin and ensuring he winds up in awkward situations.
Will was transported into another world where he was raised in an abandoned city by three powerful beings. He will eventually leave his home to face the world outside with all its problems and fears.
For such a perilous journey, anyone would need a friend, and Will finds one in Meneldor. The two share a kinship with an understanding of what it is to be an outcast. Menledor is loyal to Will, and the two go through so much together, including battles. Menel is Will’s first-ever friend, and seeing something like that isso wholesome.
Kirito and Eugeo’s friendship was a brief one, only featuring in theSword Art Online AlicizationArc. In the world of Underworld, Kirito and Eugeo are childhood friends and are tight with one another along with their other friend, Alice.
Eugeo is completely loyal to Kirito and the two experience great adventures together, are branded criminals and grow strong together. It is unfortunate that the friendship couldn’t last longer as Eugeo would later die at the hands of Quinella. The battle between Kirito and Eugeo was emotional and was one of the high points of the anime.
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kunhas a very premise in which the protagonist is sold off todemonsby his less-than-stellar parents. The demon he is sold to just wants a grandson and sends him off to demon school where he thrives.
This is another of those shows that might look like it is all about shallow themes, but it is actually a funny watch. One of the things that make Iruma-kun such a great show is the friendship between Iruma and Asmodeus. They start off on the wrong foot (as so many often do), but soon, they share an unbreakable bond. Asmodeus adores Iruma and is ready to defend him at all costs even though Iruma is actually a human and not a demon.
Sadou Maou is actually Satan who is now in the human world working at a version of McDonald’s. Along for the ride is faithful sidekick Alseil, who goes by the name Shirou. The two should be master and subordinate, but they act anything but.
Sadou works hard while Shirou is the one who typically keeps the house and is like a mom to Sadou, and later ‘Lucifer’ when he joins up with them. The two’s friendship isn’t perhaps as fleshed out as they are usually in several comedic situations, but it does reveal a deep dynamic of mutual trust, respect, and care.
Grimgar Of Fantasy And Ashis one of those shows that has a cult following and might never see a new season despite its great writing, story, and characters. One of the central relationships was between Manato and Haruhiro, the protagonist. Manato dies early on in the show after leading the group ofso-called ‘weaklings’.
It falls on Haruhiro to take his place, a task that weighs heavy on the protagonist. Flashbacks show the depth of friendship the two shared and what the party was missing by having Manato unable to lead them anymore. While short-lived and tragic, the friendship between Manato and Haruhiro added a lot of depth to the show.
