Bros Become Foes – Anime Series Where Best Friends Become Bitter Enemies

Friendship is occasionally complicated.
Sometimes you fight about who ate most of the fries off a shared
plates, and sometimes you argue over why you sacrificed your friends
to become a king. Of course, in anime series where friends become
enemies, the latter is probably more likely to become true. Of
course, the joy is discovering whether the rift that split these
friends is something they can overcome, making them compelling
characters to watch interact.

Code Geass

The main character Lelouch and Suzaku, his friend, have a complicated relationship. They met as children, and though Suzaku initially didn’t like him, they grew to be friends. This is mirrored throughout the rest of the series as they become on and off again friends throughout the rebellion. They are quite morally opposed, however. Lelouch is willing to do whatever it takes while Suzaku is one to always prefer a more peaceful solution to things.

Gungrave

Much of Gungrave has to do with the
relationship in the past between two friends – Harry and Brandon.
Eventually, a craving for power comes between these two and splits
their friendship so irrevocably, one character comes back from the
dead for vengeance. (Technically, he is brought back, yes, yes.)

Naruto

While there are many plots in Naruto,
one of the major ones comes from the friendship of Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto continues to believe in his friend, even as he does terrible
things while Sasuke is motivated by other feelings. His motivations
make it so he has even tried to kill Naruto at several points.

Blade of Tempest

Yoshino and Mahiro are built to be at odds in this series. They are fundamentally different in every respect. Yoshino is cool and collected while Mahiro is hot-headed and stubborn. Adding to that, Yoshino was dating Mahiro’s beloved little sister who also happens to be dead for various reasons. They hide their relationship from Mahiro and that is something that will come to a boil.

Berserk

A more interesting case of bros
becoming foes there never was in anime. Gutts, a lone mercenary by
choice, was compelled to join a mercenary group solely by Griffith,
the young but charismatic leader. They form a strong bond of
brotherhood on the battlefield, but much of the series is about Gutts
trying to find his own place in the world and Griffith doing anything
for his ambitions. It creates a rift between them that literally
plunges the world into hell.

91 Days

The bros becoming foes in this mafia series happens a bit in reverse. Angelo, desiring revenge, decides to befriend Nero. He is successful in this attempt so far that they are considered brothers, but his desire for vengeance is still strong and it leads to a pretty brutal clash.

Ga-rei: Zero

Kagura and Yomi were raised together by
Yomi’s family. Though not related by blood, they became close as
sisters. Furthermore, they both started working as skilled exorcists.
However, throughout the series, one of the most interesting things to
watch is the division that grows between these two once very close
girls, and how that all comes to a head.

Devilman Crybaby

This series is heartbreaking by the end
when it comes to the main character, his best friend, and his love.
When they all collide, it creates one of the most brutal cases of
this trope that has happened in recent years. Even if you find
Devilman hard to get into, this is worth it.

If you have any more anime
recommendations where friends become enemies, head on down to the
comments section below.