5 classic anime rivalries that are way better than My Hero Academia's Midoriya and Bakugo

Some rivalries have altered the trajectory of our favorite anime classics A good rivalry can spice up the most trope-heavy anime. After all, even a nuanced protagonist needs a worthy foil to push them toward their destiny. Take the rivalry between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable in Mobile Suit Gundam: Both characters are driven by their ideological visions of what humanity’s future should look like, leading them to clash on multiple occasions. There are rare moments of alliance, like in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, but Amuro and Char are doomed to oppose one another, while their rivalry shapes future generations. Sometimes, rivalries are more cerebral in nature, like with L and Light Yagami in Death Note. Light’s moral absolutism is at complete odds with L’s measured definition of justice, and this gap creates a charged dynamic that often feels like a game of mental chess. In other cases, initial hostility gradually morphs into begrudging respect (Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo in My Hero Academia) or even playful bickering despite an unshakeable trust (Sanji and Roronoa Zoro in One Piece). That said, the examples listed above pale in comparison to the five greatest rivalries in anime hi

Jul 3, 2026 → Jul 3, 2026