When it comes to relationships with people, whether it'd be family, friends, or our significant others, there are many joys and hardships that come with those bonds that can ultimately strengthen a tie or even break one. These are a few anime that portray those relationships in a way that is both touching and relatable.
1. "Usagi Drop."
"Usagi Drop" is a heartwarming story about a 30-year-old man named Daikichi Kawachi, who takes in his grandfather's young illegitimate daughter Rin, when everyone else in the family expresses disinterest in raising her. "Usagi Drop" is a relaxing anime that displays the day-to-day life of an inexperienced father and a young child growing up. Even though the two main characters are not blood-related, the anime depicts what it truly means to be family and going through life with the ones you love, in both the joyful moments and the hard ones. Those who are raising a child of their own, especially single parents, can relate heavily to this anime, as it portrays the struggles of a parent learning how to raise a child.
2. "Anohana."
"Anohana," also known as "The Flower We Saw That Day" in English, begins with Jinta Yadomi spending his days skipping school and playing video games, when suddenly his deceased childhood friend Menma appears before him, explaining that there is a wish needing to be fulfilled before she can disappear. This anime tells a beautiful story about friendship and the nostalgic feelings that come from childhood memories. "Anohana" shows that despite the pain and regrets that people go through within a friendship, there will always be room for reconciliation, even sometimes bringing people closer together. This anime ultimately displays how time and distance won't ever separate a true friendship.
3. "Say 'I Love You.'"
"Say 'I Love You'" is a sweet love story between two individuals -- Mei Tachibana, a gloomy girl who lives her high school life in seclusion, and Yamato Kurosawa, who is one of the most popular boys at school. Through drama of past relationships and confrontations, this anime relates much to the issues of trust and insecurities within a relationship, and how two people can overcome those together. Although the setting is placed in high school, "Say 'I Love You'" portrays the real hurt one goes through in relationship, but also the joy in being with the person that you care about -- the growth of a romantic relationship to one day be able to say "I love you" to your significant other.
There are many more anime that portray the real emotions one might feel in these different relationships. Hopefully one of these anime will peak your interest and give you a touching story in which you can relate to you in your own life.
