30 Day Anime Challenge – #8 My Favourite Anime Couple

#8 Who is your favourite anime couple?

Izumi and Sig Curtis

Sure, if I asked you to conjure up an image of an iconic Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA) couple Izumi and Sig Curtis probably wouldn’t be at the forefront of your mind! That’s understandable. The FMA franchise has several power couples, including: Ed and Winry, Roy and Riza, and Ling and Lan Fan, and compared to this trio, Izumi and Sig do not get much screen-time. Not to mention that they lack the excitement of will-they-won’t-they, as they were already married long before the shows began. Nevertheless, Izumi and Sig have long been my favourite FMA couple, no, my favourite anime couple, for a number of reasons…

Firstly, there isn’t exactly a surplus of married couples in anime. They are usually relegated to the unenviable position of the protagonist’s parents and can consider themselves lucky to get even an iota of screen-time. That’s if they escape being killed off for the sake of Tragic Backstory™! There isn’t even a wealth of long-term relationships in anime, since the overarching plot of many romance shows is pairing off the two protagonists, and once that’s done, roll credits! So it makes a pleasant change to get to watch such a heartwarming portrayal of a married couple in an anime. Especially given that, as I’m now married myself, these are the couples I look to for guidance and encouragement!

And, boy, do Izumi and Sig warm the cockles of my cold, shrivelled-up heart! It goes without saying that you shouldn’t make assumptions about a person based on their appearance, but we all know that that’s easier said than done! Sig is this big, hulking, mountain of a man, the kind that you might not want to meet in a dark alley! So you might be forgiven for making the mistake of assuming that he plays a very domineering role in his marriage, like maybe he’s quick to anger or maybe he frequently banishes his wife, Izumi, to the kitchen while he traipses off to the pub with his equally burly mates? But, contrary to what his appearance might suggest, Sig is the biggest sweetheart! He might be twice the size of his wife, and his fists might be bigger than her head, but he treats her with such tenderness… You can see just how much he cherishes her by the way he holds her or gently places his hands on her. And despite Izumi’s poor health, Sig never stops her from doing what it is that she feels she needs to do. He respects her decisions, affords her autonomy, and quietly and persistently supports her. This dichotomy between Sig’s appearance and his treatment of Izumi is a large part of what makes them such a sweet couple.

Whilst on the theme of appearance… Izumi and Sig may not be your stereotypically stunning anime couple, all perfect hair and stick-thin limbs… No, they are both gloriously normal, Izumi without a shred of make-up and Sig rockin’ his textbook Dad bod. But the way that they look at each other says: you’re the most beautiful person in the whole wide world and I’ve only got eyes for you! It’s delightful!

The final reason why the Curtises are my favourite couple is that, even though they have gone through such a horrific ordeal, they are still going strong. They miscarried a child and Izumi, in her grief, attempted to resurrect he or she using alchemy. This went badly wrong and Izumi suffered irreparable damage to several of her internal organs, which meant that they wouldn’t be able to conceive again. Barring the rather fantastical element of alchemy, miscarriage and/or the inability to conceive is something that many couples struggle with and, sadly, is something that can destroy even the strongest of couples. So to see Izumi and Sig still so happy in one another’s company is uplifting and encouraging. It makes me think that if they can go through that and still come out the other side, still loving one another, and still taking joy and strength from being in the other’s presence, my hubby and I can definitely overcome our, comparatively minor, struggles!

Thanks for reading! Be sure to leave a comment telling me who your favourite anime couple is and why!