Married couples in anime

[Senna]

After finishing Please Teacher, I began to think about the seemingly few married couples I've seen in anime (at least as important characters and not just, say, the protagonist's barely there parents). I can only think of a few that feature a married main character, and expanding my criteria to married couples as secondary characters adds a few more series.

Here's my preliminary list:

Married couple as main characters:

-Please Teacher
-Clannad After Story
-Itazura na Kiss
-Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo

Married couple as secondary characters:

-His and Her Circumstances (Yukino's parents get an episode to themselves)
-Clannad (Nagisa's parents)
-Mushishi (various one-shot characters)
-Saikano (I forget their names ...)

I suppose the lack makes sense since most anime have young protagonists, but I'm sure I've missed a few. For clarification, I'm not counting any anime where characters get married in the last episode. Let's also say, no hentai.

So ... anime with married couples?

[Buster Blader 126]

It's funny, with me attempting to rewatch Love Hina and having completely forgotten where I left off, I was thinking of giving Please Teacher! a much-needed rewatch - I never did hear the dub for that show, so I'll be getting my money's worth(?) soon enough.

One couple comes into mind at the moment, though - Makoto and Yura from Step Up Love Story.

[LKK]

I haven't seen the show, but the trailer for Godannar touts the fact that the lead couple is married. Of course, the trailer could be misleading the viewer, I suppose. :sweat:

[Fenris21]

Well, there is Shin-chan, where you have Shin's parents getting quite a bit of air time. It's a familly-oriented series, after all.

[Roujin0308]

(Legend of) Black Heaven.

[Calathan]

Quickly scanning a large list of anime I've seen, I came up with:

Dragonball Z
Rurouni Kenshin OAVs
Fushigi Yuugi Eikoden

[Prede]

Hmmm these are just some that come to mind:

Death Note - Light's Mother and Father (both are pretty important IMO)
Eureka Seven - Charles and Ray Beams Holland Novak and Talho Yuuki (they get married at the end/are getting married at the end right?)
Domain of Murder - The plot revolves around Detective Goro (Hedgehog) tracking down this women's missing housband. (Both housband and wife are very important to the plot and get a lot of screentime)
Serial Experiments Lain - Lain's mother and Father get decent screen time.

Hmm this is harder then I thought it would be...

[Dennis_Mullin]

So ... anime with married couples?

Zone of the Enders: Dolores,i (the couple has split screen time -- one main / one supporting)
DNAngel (supporting)
Fancy Lala (supporting)
Cardcaptor Sakura (supporting -- one alive / one in spirit)
Kamichu! (supporting)

and on a more minor note:
Spirited Away (supporting)
Kiki's Delivery Service (supporting)

[Betenoire]

Primary characters:
Godannar indeed is about a married couple.
Later in the series there is a marriage in El-Hazzard.
Rurouni Kenshin TV-Though we never see her, Saito is married.:eek:
Kogoro Mouri is still married but separated in Detective Conan. His wife appears in some eps.
Gungrave-Maria Asagi and Big Daddy -at least long enough to move the story forward.
Ikari Gendo-technically Yui is missing and part of her is in the 01 so she is not exactly dead.
Mikiyasu Shinshi from Patlabor is the only member of Section 2 Division 2 who is married.
Ranma 1/2-Saotome Genma is married to Nodoka who makes a few appearances.
Rara Hiroshi and Rara Ayuko in Dual!

Edit: Forgot about the parents in Marmalade Boy whose switch kicks of the whole premise.

Secondary:

Chris Avenir and Arque Avenir in Zegapain.
Meimi's parents in St. Tail who help her quite a bit.
Karin Maakas parents play a decent role in Karin.
Shinichi Kudo parents who appear from time to time are married in Detective Conan.
Lum's parents who stop by from time to time in Urusei Yatsura are married, as are Ataru's parents.
Maison Ikkoku-Mr. and Mrs Ichinose.
D.N.Angel-Niwa Emiko and Kosuke are married.
And there is a web of who is married to who in the royal family in Tenchi Muyo! and it's spin offs.

[Thomas Alan]

After finishing Please Teacher

It's funny, when I saw the title I thought of Please Teacher!...but I wasn't thinking of Kei and Mizuho (who, though technically married, are just beginning a relationship and are little different than any other young inexperienced couple).

No, I was thinking of his Aunt Konoha and Uncle Minoru. Those two made for a great married couple. They stole quite a few scenes. It might well be the only time I've seen a lech anime character be paired with a woman with the weight to handle (and satisfy) him without setting womankind back a couple decades.

I haven't seen the show, but the trailer for Godannar touts the fact that the lead couple is married. Of course, the trailer could be misleading the viewer, I suppose. :sweat:

The trailer's accurate. They're married in the opening scenes. The show's a rather great reminder that there's plenty of material to mine out of a newlywed couple.

[pi8you]

A few more from my list of shows watched, all secondary roles-

El-Hazard's Masamichi Fujisawa and Miz Mishtal finally tie the knot in The Alternative World
Gankutsuou's got several couples that are being revenged upon
Moribito has Chagum's royal parents
Any number of Ghibli films...
Magical Index provides some great comedy with what's-his-face's parents
Vandread's Jura and Barnette?

I swear I'm missing some more or less minor death-flagged couples, but they're not coming to mind.

[Yukino Miyazawa]

My Wife is a High School Girl - Asami and Kyosuke (main characters)

Sailor Moon - Usagi and Mamoru are married in the future with a daughter, Chibi-usa (main characters)

Sazae-san - Sazae and Masuo (main characters)

Rumiko Takahashi Anthology - some of the main characters in each segment/short story are married.

Rose of Versailles - Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI

Paranoia Agent - Detective Ikari and his ailing wife, Misae

Here is Greenwood - Kazuya's brother and his wife, Sumire (Kazuya's first love)

Azumanga Daioh - the pervy teacher and his wife

Code Geass - Charles and Marianne

Fullmetal Alchemist - Hughes and Gracia

Junkers Come Here - Hiromi's parents

Spirited Away - Chihiro's parents

Hime-chan no Ribbon - Himeko's parents

Dragon Half - Mink's parents

Yawara - Yawara's parents

Daa! Daa! Daa! - Miyu's parents

Boys Over Flowers - Tsukushi's parents

Doraemon - Nobita's parents

Kiko-chan Smile - Kiko's parents

[tenton]

Sailor Moon - Usagi and Mamoru are married in the future with a daughter, Chibi-usa (main characters)
Usagi's parents are around, which is more than most anime parents. :catgirl:

I'll mention A-ko's parents from Project A-ko, even though it's just a brief cameo. Superman and Wonder Woman!

If CCS counts, then maybe Lucky Star counts, too. :catgirl:

Ai Yori Aoshi, Aoi's parents play important roles.

Seto no Hanayome, San's parents also play pretty important roles, and Nagasumi's parents are always around.

[Orihimes_Boyfriend]

Izumi and Sigg Curtis from FMA. They both seem to care deeply for the Elrics as if they are there real sons.

[LKK]

Not sure how I managed to forget about this show, but in Tears to Tiara, leads Arawn and Riannon are wed.

[KomoriKiri]

From what hasn't been mentioned already:

All Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku - The parents fighting over custody is a main point of the series
Battle Athletes Victory - Spoiler to say who and whose, but there are parents around playing a significant role.
Dennou Coil - Yasako's mother and father both play a supporting role.
Dragon Half - Although not in the anime, it's not just Mink's parents, but Lufa's and Pia's as well.
Detatoko Princess - Princess Lapis's parents are always showing up.
Emma: A Victorian Romance - William's father is a big player, but his mother gets some good screen time as well. Elanor's parents get a fair bit as well.
Higepiyo - Hiroshi's parents are both minor supporting characters.
I'm Gonna be an Angel - Noel's parents are pretty significant in the series.
Magical Project S - Sasami's parents are all over this one.
My Neighbors the Yamadas - The parents are main characters.

KomoriKiri (né Wraith)
"He must be brave to want to marry Nami."
-- Luffy ("One Piece")

[vanfanel]

Lum and Ataru from Urusei Yatsura...at least Lum seems to think so :)

Oh well, at least there's Mr. and Mrs. Moroboshi, and Mr. and Mrs. Invader.

[Spirit Of The Stage]

A lot of ones I thought of have gone, but here's a few others...

Supergals - Ran's dad gets some decent airtime, her mom not so much but she usually comes up with a flute and becomes amusing..
Sasami Magical Girls Club - Again, more the dad gets the decent screentime (shame they weren't like Magical Project S...) but they both get their moments here and there...
If Lucky Star and CCS count, then I guess in a way count Haruhi's parents in Ouran Host Club - one is deceased, but her nature is one of the reason why both Haruhi and her dad become who they are...
And what about Nanoha's bad ass parents in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha? They've certainly been in the wars a bit - not that much air time but the hints and moments they get are a lot of fun and thinking.
You have Amu's silly parents in Shugo Chara (complete with school thinking they are bigshots much to Amu's schgrin) and then you have the whole clusterf**k of the Tsukoyomi family, which plays a big part in Ikuto's character.

For the record, my favourite married couple is Akio and Sanae from Clannad. They're awesome.

[Shiroi Hane]

Dennou Coil - Yasako's mother and father both play a supporting role.


You also see Daichi's father a few times and his mother at least once.

I can't remember if wee see the Hiiragi father or just the mother and sisters in Lucky Star?

Ichika's parents Izumi and Masahito are secondary characters in Uta~Kata.

[Betenoire]

The Daichis Earth's Defense Family. The parents are married, though the wife wants out.

[Yukino Miyazawa]

Here are some more:

NANA - "Hachi" Nana and Takumi (Hachi is a main character)

Kamisama Kazoku - Osamu and Venus

Chibi Maruko-Chan - Maruko's parents

Ponyo - Sosuke's parents

Samurai 7 - Rikichi and Sanae

Lovely Complex - Risa's parents and Umibozu and his wife

Kimagure Orange Road - Ushiko and Umao (married couple that shows up constantly as a running gag).

Wolf's Rain - Hubb and Cher are divorced, but still love one another.

[EmperorBrandon]

I can't remember if wee see the Hiiragi father or just the mother and sisters in Lucky Star?

You see him at least a few times throughout the series, as with the rest of the family. That does make me wonder - we see Miyuki's and Minami's mothers, but we never see the father in either case. Wonder what's up with them? That also makes me think of Tomoyo's father in CCS (who apparently exists, but is never seen and rarely mentioned).

[Jimmie M]

Two others no one's mentioned yet:

Mikiyasu & Tamiko Shinishi (Patlabor-The Mobile Police)
Daimaru & Sena Nakajima (You're Under Arrest!)

EDIT: My mistake-Betenoire had already mentioned the Shinishis.

[danhawk]

marmalade boy, parents get divorced and remary each others partner and movie into a huge house toghter. very funny

[Kellory]

I can't remember if wee see the Hiiragi father or just the mother and sisters in Lucky Star?

You see him at least a few times throughout the series, as with the rest of the family. That does make me wonder - we see Miyuki's and Minami's mothers, but we never see the father in either case. Wonder what's up with them? That also makes me think of Tomoyo's father in CCS (who apparently exists, but is never seen and rarely mentioned).

In the cast of Miyuki and Minami I always just assumed that like many working class salaryman fathers in Japan, you never see them because they are always at work. Those guys work insane hours even to me.

And I always kind of assumed (I'm not sure why...probably due to the character's attitudes) that Tomoyo's father was either dead or separated. Although, come to think of it, it would not surprise me to find out that Tomoyo's mother simply went to a sperm bank...

---

Shingu - Pretty much all the kid's parents are around at some point or another and you do see them pretty frequently.

Adding to Full Metal Alchemist, you do see Ed and Elric's parents.

World of Narue, both Narue and Kazuto's parents play fairly strong roles. You only see Kazuto's father once I believe when Rin is introduced, but you do have an entire episode with Narue's mother and her father is, of course, always around and in trouble.

I am not sure if Anime's most iconoclastic dysfunctional family counts as you dont really see Shinji's mother.

Does Max and Miriya from Macross/Robotech count? And depending on how far you take Robotech there is always Rick Hunter and Lisa.

Crest/Banner of the Stars you do get to meet Lafiel's parents, although not at the same time until the Birth OVA. But both had very strong parts in shaping her.

Armitage Polymatric, they are married by the time of that OVA.

[stfram]

In the cast of Miyuki and Minami I always just assumed that like many working class salaryman fathers in Japan, you never see them because they are always at work. Those guys work insane hours even to me.


I've always thought that Miyuki's father was dead.

Especially since her mother is always described as lonely and likes chatting with telemarketers. I guess he could be a salaryman, but it's odd that he NEVER gets screentime (in a show where they generally show both parents), and Miyuki is a "major" character in LS.

[EmperorBrandon]

Especially since her mother is always described as lonely and likes chatting with telemarketers. I guess he could be a salaryman, but it's odd that he NEVER gets screentime (in a show where they generally show both parents), and Miyuki is a "major" character in LS.

I was kind of leaning towards something like Kellory's theory when first thinking about it - Miyuki and Minami are supposedly rich, right? Part of that could be the father being very busy at whatever job makes all that money.

Could be that Miyuki's father is dead, though... Kind of sad that fact wouldn't get any attention when Konata's mother being dead does, though (I know we're (mostly) not supposed to care about guys in Lucky Star :P, but still...)

[Mitsuki]

While we're on married couples in Lucky Star, Yui is married.

I also always assumed Miyuki's father was dead and Minami's was at work -- Mrs. Takara just always struck me as a "single mother" type in the way she was so close to her daughter. (And the loneliness mentioned earlier...)

[EmperorBrandon]

While we're on married couples in Lucky Star, Yui is married.

Ah yeah, his voice is heard briefly in the show (though don't think he was shown, or at least can't remember).

[Doom86]

Only one I can think of that hasn't been mentioned:

Gurren Lagann - Simon and Nia for 15 seconds :sweat:

[Yukino Miyazawa]

Trapp Family Story - Maria and Captain von Trapp (main characters)

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Marco's mother and father

Excel Saga - Pedro and his sexy wife

Hare + Guu Deluxe and Final - Weda and Dr. Clive

Legend of Basara - Shido and Senju

Kiki's Delivery Service - Osono and her husband the baker

[CheechMonger]

Only one off the top of my head:

Maison Ikkoku - Kyoko's parents (who pop up in a number of episodes) and Yagami's parents (only in a few episodes, and her father was usually the main focus).

[DenpaWa]

Ryou Takatsuki's parents in Project Arms (Misa and Iwao). If I could pick anyone to be my parents, they'd be it. They don't appear together as I recall, but their appearances are memorable. :laugh:

[Shiroi Hane]

Didn't the geeky tech guy join the crew of the Nadesico in order to escape his wife and children?