Best Families In Anime

There are several anime available to watch that focus on family bonds and relationships. These dynamics can range from endearingly obnoxious to downright toxic and everything in between. After all, anime is a medium full of colorful characters, where even the simplest of family gatherings can turn into engrossing watches due to how boisterous and in-your-face some of these interactions can be.

Several families in anime have become iconic for a host of varying reasons. These groups have either carved their way into the hearts of fans or hammered their names in their minds, depending on the context. Here are some of the most memorable families to have ever appeared in the history of anime.

Updated November 11, 2024, by Hamza Haq: While the protagonist in an anime is undoubtedly the most important character, they rarely exist in a vacuum. Often, more than the main character, it’s the supporting cast and how interesting they are that make the anime worth watching. Families in anime are a great example of this, regardless of whether they are related by blood or not.

18 The Kamado Family

Demon Slayer

Tanjiro’s family was the source of his happiness for the longest time. However, the arrival of Muzan changed the course of this boy’s destiny, setting him on a path to become a Demon Slayer who would finally take revenge for his family.

The Kamado family has been a source of motivation for both Tanjiro and Nezuko over the course of Demon Slayer. Their death was a shame, but it’s nice to see that their presence is still quite palpable in the series.

17 The Todoroki Family

My Hero Academia

There was a time when Shoto hated his fire powers and outright refused to use them in battle out of hate for his father. However, this changed when Midoriya told him to use that power to make himself stronger and become a worthy hero.

In the recent events of the anime, there’s a greater focus on the rest of the Todoroki family. This, coupled with Endeavor’s new role in the show, has drawn a lot of eyes to this anime family.

16 The Yeager Family

Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan has captured the attention of the world with its incredible fourth season, which has elevated this show’s quality to a whole new level. The new level of focus on the Yeagers has served the series well and turned them into one of the most well-known anime families of all time.

Only time will tell just how Eren’s plan will play out in the anime. His genocide has been quite shocking and will hopefully be reversed before any permanent damage is done.

15 The Ikari Family

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered by many to be one of the greatest anime of all time. Its protagonist, Shinji Ikari, seems like a whiny crybaby who can’t get anything done…but subsequent episodes paint him in a rather sympathetic light.

This is mainly due to the sheer evil nature of his father, Gendo Ikari. His impact on Shinji and the way in which he used his wife for his own nefarious purposes messed the family up for good.

14 The Kusakabe Family

My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro is a great film from the brilliant Studio Ghibli and is considered by many to be their best work. The heart-warming look at the Kusakabe family and how they take care of their sick mother is a treat to watch.

Tatsuo Kusakabe is the strong link of this family. This happy-go-lucky father gives his children the time of their life every time, shining a ray of happiness in their hearts while also taking care of his ailing wife.

13 The Uzumaki Family

Naruto

There was a time when Naruto was nothing more than the World’s Number One Hyperactive, Knuckleheaded Ninja. Watching him transform from a troublesome brat into one of the most powerful shinobi around was an amazing journey for fans.

What made this transformation even better was that he ended up with a family of his own too. It’s the perfect ending Naruto deserves — although the events in Boruto might end up leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

12 The JoJo Dynasty

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

The JoJo lineage is easily one of the most notable families in the history of anime, with each part focusing on a different descendant. The sheer manner in which this dynasty has spread all over the world is pretty incredible.

It helps that each member of the JoJo family has amazing abilities of their own, making them some of the most riveting characters in anime history. With the fifth part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure coming soon, fans can’t wait to see what this anime has in store for them.

11 The Elrics

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The Elric Brothers form one of the most endearing sibling relationships around, but their entire family should be given credit for this bond. Unfortunately, the untimely death of their mother forced their hand to try out a forbidden alchemy technique.

The bad luck didn’t stop for the Elric brothers, with Alphonse losing his entire body while Elric lost a part of it. However, they don’t let these events bring them down, and embark on a journey to revert the wrongs that they’ve gone through. The Elrics stick by each other through it all, a testament to their brotherly bond.

10 Hyuga Family

Naruto

The Hyuga are among the biggest clans in Konoha, the Leaf Village, with all members of the family possessing the legendary bloodline Byakugan, which turns their eyes white and allows them to gain nearly 360-degree vision and the ability to directly see Chakra as well as X-Ray vision.

The Hyuga clan is divided into two families. The main family consists of only the head of the Hyuga, his elders, and his children. All remaining Hyuga are part of the branch family, who have the bird seal placed on their heads from a young age, which prevents their eyes from being stolen by enemy ninjas and gives the main family the ability to directly control them if they wish to. Some of the most powerful characters in Naruto are from the Hyuga family, the most notable being Neji Hyuga, a member of Team Guy and Rock Lee’s teammate, and Hinata Hyuga, a member of Team 8 and Naruto’s eventual love interest and wife. Owing to their unique bloodline, the Hyuga can train in a unique taijutsu style called the Gentle Fist, which allows them to directly block their opponent’s ability to use Chakra.

9 The Son Family

Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball is one of the most iconic shonen series ever, and it makes sense that this show also features an iconic family of its own. Goku and Chi-Chi’s marriage led to the birth of two lovely children who are simply adorable.

The family continued with Gohan’s marriage to Videl, leading to the birth of Pan as well. Suffice to say, the Son family will be around and kicking for quite some time, passing down skills through generations.

8 The Noharas

Crayon Shin-chan

Shinchan is one of the funniest anime around, mostly thanks to the eccentric nature of the family that’s always in the spotlight. Shinnosuke is a naughty kid, but don’t let that take away from Misae’s explosive anger and Hiroshi’s lecherous drunkenness.

Things take an even more explosive turn with the introduction of Himawari, who ends up causing her fair share of outbursts as well. Ultimately, the Nohara family should be given due props for being one of the most dysfunctional anime families of all time.

7 The Ackermans

Attack On Titan

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Attack on Titan has established itself as one of the greatest anime ever made, so it’s only expected that one of the twisted families featured in this show bags a spot on this list too. Their bonds are a little more fraught than other entries, but the individual characters are all iconic.

Although the Ackermans aren’t exactly family in the show, they still share the same bloodline and fighting prowess. Their aptitude in combat is excellent, making them some of the best parts of the entire show.

6 The Uchihas

Naruto

Just like the Ackermans, the Uchihas are also part of the same clan and don’t necessarily have to qualify for the title of family in a conventional sense. However, the brotherly relationship between Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha is very much real.

It’s this sibling relationship that leads to one of the best twists in the entire show. Suffice to say, the Uchihas have marked their territory in the realm of anime for the long haul, especially among Shonen fans.

5 The Nobi Family

Doraemon

Doraemon is another wholesome anime, which features a boy’s adventures with a talking robot sent from the future. The premise sounds ridiculous, but it’s the manner in which Doraemon manages to churn out hilarious episodes week after week that makes it so special.

The Nobi family is quite entertaining in their own right, with the supporting cast also marking their territory in a resounding fashion. The hijinks that Nobita and Doraemon get up to are fun to watch, with the episodes focusing on his family being particularly notable.

4 Vegeta’s New Family

Dragon Ball

When Vegeta was introduced for the first time in Dragon Ball Z, it was hard to imagine that the Prince of all Saiyans would ever settle down with a human in the end. It’s a testament to the growth Vegeta went through that he’s become such a fan-favorite character.

It helps that both Bulma and Trunks are also amazing in their own right, with the latter’s Future version appearing in two of the best arcs in the series. With more Dragon Ball content to come further down the line, fans can’t wait to see what else this family has to offer.

3 The Reiss Family

Attack On Titan

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Most viewers are mainly familiar with both Rod Reiss and his illegitimate daughter, Historia, when it comes to the Reiss family. However, the overall impact they’ve had on the events of Attack on Titan has been extremely palpable.

While Historia might be taking a backseat in Attack on Titan right now, there’s no telling what might happen further down the line. Until the final season draws to a close, there are no concrete statements that can be made about this family’s ultimate importance.

2 Clan of D.

One Piece

In One Piece, the Clan of D. is a group of individuals who have D. as their middle name. According to lore, these characters are not just random run-of-the-mill individuals but rather inheritors of the Will of D. It’s said that those who inherit the Will of D. are called the Natural Enemies of god, which in the context of One Piece, means they will always stand against the strongest authority in the world, the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.

While there are certain members of the Clan of D., like Monkey D. Garp, who are a part of the World Government themselves, it’s because they do not realize the true meaning of the Will of D. and have thus not fully come into their own yet. The members of the Clan of D. include legendary names like the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, the infamous pirate Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard), the protagonist of the series, Monkey D. Luffy, his adopted brother Portgas D. Ace, and his father Monkey D. Dragon, and more.

1 The Forgers

Spy x Family

Spy x Family is one of the most popular anime of the past decade, following the story of a small family of four: a spy named Loid Forger, who has the cover identity of a psychiatrist, his wife Yor Forger, who is also a spy but is a civil servant on her day job, their adopted daughter Anya Forger who has the ability to read minds, and Bond Forger, a dog who is the product of a research experiment gone wrong who has the ability to see the future.

Spy x Family is a heartfelt found-family storym as despite all members of the Forger family lying to each other in some capacity, they come to learn the value of the bonds that they share. As an anime that’s entirely focused on family dynamics and how they would work if all members were supernaturally talented in some capacity, the Forgers are among the most iconic families in all of anime.