Have you ever watched a group of anime friends enjoying each other's company and wished you could be part of it? If you have, you're not alone - the best friend groups in anime have that effect on many people.
One of the greatest friend groups in anime history is the Straw Hats from One Piece. The love and devotion they have for one another is seriously hard to beat. But such groups don't have to engage in world-changing endeavors to have value: Tohru Honda, Saki Hanajima, and Arisa Uotani from Fruits Basket aren't fighting super-powered enemies together, but they support one another through hardships.
Which anime friend group would you most want to join?
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The Straw Hats - 'One Piece'
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One of the best things about One Piece is the relationships between the members of the Straw Hat crew. For one thing, they have lots of fun together. Whether it's Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper goofing off together, Robin and Chopper vibing about intellectual things, or Nami and Usopp bonding over how ridiculous and reckless the rest of the crew is, they all have their own relationships.
They're not afraid to criticize each other, but the love is obviously there - even Sanji and Zoro, who are constantly bickering, care deeply for each other.
All that alone would be enough to put the Straw Hats on this list, but they're also fiercely loyal to the point that they'd do literally anything - even go to war and risk their lives - to support one another.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 2
The Black Bull Squad - 'Black Clover'
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One of the best things about Black Clover is the Black Bulls. Many members of the squad have never really fit in anywhere else. Asta is an orphan whose closest friend Yuno didn't exactly think highly of him; Noelle has been severely mistreated by her family for not having “good enough” powers; Henry siphons magic from the people around him and was alone in a room slowly wasting away until the Black Bulls found him - and the list goes on.
In the group, everyone finds acceptance among people who are just as weird and chaotic as they are. All in all, they're a ragtag band of misfits who have come together to raise hell.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 3
Tohru, Hanajima, & Uotani - 'Fruits Basket'
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Fruits Basket is mostly about family relationships and romance, but friendship plays an important role, too. Several friend groups in the show are worth highlighting, but for now, let's focus on the main character, Tohru Honda.
Tohru has two best friends, Saki Hanajima and Arisa Uotani. To them, Tohru is a precious baby angel who must be protected at all costs - both because she'll sacrifice everything for someone else if no one stops her, and because her late mother played a pivotal role in their lives.
Saki is a witchy goth girl who can and will use her psychic powers on anyone who messes with Tohru, and Arisa is a former gang member who knows how to intimidate others. But their friendship isn't just about Saki and Arisa being guard dogs - they have a fun time together, too.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 4
The Ouran Host Club - 'Ouran High School Host Club'
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The Host Club at Ouran High School is dedicated to providing the best hosting experience possible to the ladies of their school… and to have a fun time hanging out. Each member has their own neurosis and the type of difficult past common when being raised in the upper echelons of wealth.
But they're all open to spending time with people outside of their class - if not for that, they wouldn't love Haruhi so much. So, don't worry if you're not a rich pretty boy - you could still have a great time in this friend group.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 5
The Sailor Scouts - 'Sailor Moon'
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If you're going to spend most of your free time transforming into a magical person and fighting otherworldly enemies, you're much better off among close friends. Luckily, the Sailor Scouts have a strong bond both in and out of battle.
Rei and Usagi razz each other over small things, and most of the girls can't really relate to Ami's nerdy priorities, but from defending their fellow scouts in battle to helping each other with romantic pursuits, these girls are all there for one another where it counts.
And if you want to be a Sailor Scout too, plenty of planets outside our solar system haven't been accounted for!
Wish they were your BFFs? - 6
The Yorozuya - 'Gintama'
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The Yorozuya is sort of a friend group, sort of coworkers, and sort of a found family. Gintoki, the oldest and the “boss” of the group, is a war veteran with PTSD who spends most of his time lying around picking his nose and drinking strawberry milk - that is, unless he's trying to hustle some money or needs to protect his friends.
Those friends are Kagura and Shinpachi. Kagura is an alien who lives with Gintoki and loves screaming, riding around on her giant dog, and eating so much sukonbu that it's a wonder she hasn't turned into it. Shinpachi is the “straight man” of the group, though with his idol obsession he's just as weird as everyone else. The trio never stop insulting one another, but they do it in hilarious ways, and with good hearts.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 7
Sawako, Chizuru, & Ayane - 'Kimi ni Todoke'
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When Kimi ni Todoke starts out, the girls don't really mesh: Ayane is a social recluse who thinks Chizuru is too extroverted and Sawako is too creepy; Chizuru can't really understand either of the others; and Sawako feels like she'll never make friends no matter how hard she tries.
But all three of them move past their initial impressions and begin to open up and show one another trust and respect. Their growth over the series is impressive, and who wouldn't want to be part of that?
Wish they were your BFFs? - 8
Kessoku Band - 'Bocchi the Rock!'
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Music anime isn't just about the music - it's also about the bonds between the people who make it. In Bocchi the Rock!, protagonist Hitori Gotoh is so socially anxious that she can barely bring herself to speak to other people. But through the power of music and the support of her bandmates, she manages to not just play music in public, but also make genuine friends.
They don't necessarily understand why she's so anxious, but the fact that they just accept it and roll with it is heartening to say the least. If you can relate to Hitori at all, this is an ideal friend group to be part of.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 9
The Misfit Trio - 'Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun'
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When Iruma Suzuki first starts attending Babyls High School, he's terrified that he's going to be surrounded by evil demons who want nothing more than to devour his human flesh. While still hiding his human identity, he soon learns the demons in his school are pretty awesome - especially his closest friends from the Misfit Class: Clara Valac and Alice Asmodeus.
Clara is a playful, childish person who just wants to have a good time, while Alice is an egotistical, super-powered demon obsessed with Iruma. Clara is too, actually - the two are constantly competing for his affection. Iruma can get a little overwhelmed by all this, but he loves his friends.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 10
The SK8 Squad - 'SK8 the Infinity'
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The SK8 friend group is weird but fun. Age doesn't seem to matter: it includes Miya (13), Langa and Reki (17), Shadow (24), Cherry, Joe, and Adam (26), and Tadashi (28). The one thing they all have in common is their participation in “S,” an illegal underground skateboarding race.
With all the age differences, there are obviously some individual relationships - Langa and Reki are besties whose friendship is one of the main themes of the show, while Cherry and Joe act like an old married couple. What makes the group click is that pretty much anyone can be part of it, as long as they love to skateboard.
Some people refer to them as the SK6, because they want to leave Adam and Tadashi out of it. That's fine for most of the show, as they serve as antagonists and Adam is just plain creepy. But by the end, omitting the pair is definitely not something Cherry or Joe would want. Adam is their childhood friend, and once he's acting reasonable again, they want him in their lives - and Tadashi, of course, is along for the ride.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 11
The Van Gang - 'Durarara!!'
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This one might be kind of a deep cut, but the Van Gang is so joyfully ridiculous that this list wouldn't be complete without them. Kyohei Kadota, Walker Yumasaki, Erika Karisawa, and Saburo Togusa are all former members of the Blue Squares who followed Kyohei out of the gang.
They spend most of their time driving around in a van they don't hesitate to hit their enemies with, and helping other members of the Dollars when they see them in trouble. The friends also indulge in their own passions, which include all things otaku - and setting fires if you're Walker. The group members are unflaggingly loyal to one another, and especially to Kyohei, whom they see as their leader.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 12
The Antarctica Girls - 'A Place Further Than the Universe'
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A Place Further Than the Universe is all about the power of young girls and what they can achieve when they work together. The four protagonists don't know one another at first, but they come together through a shared goal that they all want for different reasons - to travel to Antarctica.
Shirase hopes to find out what happened to her mother, who disappeared there during an expedition, while Mari wants to ensure her youth is exciting. Yuzuki wants to make friends outside of show business, and Hinata is trying to prove something to herself. While their reasons and personalities are different, they support one another in achieving something extraordinary - and have a blast doing it.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 13
Mitsumi's Crew - 'Skip and Loafer'
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When Mitsumi Iwakura arrives in Tokyo from her home in the countryside, she's worried she won't be able to make any friends she loves like her bestie back home. She doesn't mind - her main goal is to focus on her studies - but she ends up with a wonderful new group of friends.
Her first friend is Yuzuki, who's often misjudged because of her popularity with boys. Mitsumi sees what kind of person Yuzuki is right away, but it takes another friend, Makoto, a little longer. Makoto assumes Yuzuki is someone who bullies others, but she soon realizes this is untrue, and they become incredibly close. There's also Mika, who starts off trying to act like a rival but ends up being taken by Mitsumi's pure heart. And of course there's Shima - but that's a bit more about romance than it is about friendship.
Basically, this whole group is filled with multi-dimensional people who grow and change - who wouldn't want friends like that?
Wish they were your BFFs? - 14
The Amars - 'Princess Jellyfish'
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Are you a socially awkward otaku who doesn't want to deal with men - or with anybody who doesn't “get” you? Then you'd fit right in at Amars, a boarding house for young women with a very particular personality.
Banba is obsessed with trains; Mayaya can't stop talking about the Three Kingdoms; Chieko runs the place and is wild about traditional Japanese clothes; Jiji fantasizes about elderly dudes; Juon is a mysterious manga creator no one ever sees; and Tsukimi is a jellyfish fanatic who's a little more socially adept than the others.
Even if you don't share their interests, you'll still vibe with this crew if you have special interests of your own. It's definitely not the right place for everyone, but for some, it's perfect.
Wish they were your BFFs? - 15
The Motion Picture Club - 'Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!'
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Midori Asakusa and Sayaka Kanamori are total opposites: Midori is a creative genius whose practical skills are lacking, while Sayaka is a sharp businesswoman who knows how to rake in the cash. Together, they're almost unstoppable - but they also need Tsubame Mizusaki, who brings “understanding other humans on an interpersonal level” into the mix.
Together, the trio form the Motion Picture Club so they can create anime while lying to Tsubame's parents, who don't approve of her involvement with anime. The three support each other - especially Sayaka, who brings in the cash because she wants to keep Midori's creative dreams alive.
Wish they were your BFFs?
