Not all rivalries are bitter. Some are actually quite friendly with both parties [[WorthyOpponent getting along very well]]. The rivalry usually manifests in a competitive drive to one up each other with both parties developing their talents. If the rivalry involves people of the opposite sex, there is always the possibility of them becoming more intimate with each other.

Can be related to FriendlyEnemy, depending on the circumstances.
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!!Examples:

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[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* {{Bakuman}} is loaded with them. Just about every character is competing with one another, but you'd be surprised how well they get along.
* Tycho Science and Princess Lal'c in ''[[DieBuster Aim for the Top 2! Diebuster]]''. As the top two ranked pilots, they constantly traded friendly jabs at kill counts.
* There are a number of examples in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''
** Naruto and Sasuke (pre-time skip) as members of Team 7.
** Sakura and Ino become this upon Sakura's discovery that Ino also has a crush on Sasuke.
** Guy and Kakashi, as proclaimed (multiple times) by Guy. Kakashi, true to character, is rather apathetic about the whole thing.
** Though only vaguely alluded to, the reader gets a sense that Jiraiya and Orochimaru had a relationship much like the one shared by Naruto and Sasuke.
* ''{{Eyeshield 21}}'': Sena has friendly rivalries with both Shinn and Panther; in the case of the latter the two of them are practically friends, despite being on opposite teams. The same can be said of Ootawara and Kurita, and Sakuraba and Monta; one gets the feeling that if they played at the same school they would be the best of friends. Quarterback Youchi Hiruma isn't particularly civil to anyone, but his rivalries with Ojou quarterback Takami and Seibu quarterback Kid is about as close as he gets. He and Hakushuu quarterback/safety Marco verge on FriendlyEnemy.
** An interesting case is Hiruma and Shien, who for some reason (considering Hirumas personality) get along splendidly. They both think the other one is the best quarterback in the region. Even in the final arc, Hiruma still trolls Agon by saying Shien is a better quarterback than him.
* ''HarlemBeat'': Kuwata from Yotsuya Unohara team has no qualms about teaching Naruse or conversing about team management with Kobayashi; both from rival team Johnan.
* In ''MahouSenseiNegima,'' Negi has this relationship with Kotaro. Likewise, his father Nagi has this relationship with Jack Rakan.
* In the manga incarnation of {{Higurashi}}, this is the way Mion thinks of Keiichi. She also has a major crush on him too.
* Ichigo and Ishida of Manga/{{Bleach}} become this after some time.
* Tomo and Kagura of ''Anime/AzumangaDaioh'', both having learned that Sakaki doesn't particularly rival back -- she just wins and gets on with her life -- seem to settle into this by the end of the third season.
* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', Natsu's [[TheRival rival]] started out as Gray until their relationship gradually turned into this, while his former EvilCounterpart Gajeel became his new [[TheRival rival]] and he gained ''new'' [[EvilCounterpart Evil Counterparts]] in [[spoiler: the short-lived]] Zancrow and [[ShadowArchetype Sting]]. [[spoiler: Though Natsu may end up forming a friendly rivalry with both Gajeel ''and'' Sting, too]].
** Happy sometimes sees Lily as this, especially when it comes to Carla.
** Gray has his own with Lyon, who also started off as his [[TheRival rival]] and even EvilCounterpart.
* Though not without jerk rivals, Ash of {{Anime/Pokemon}} has several rivals he's friends with, most notably Bianca and Stephan. All of Dawn's rivals aside from Ursula are also friendly, and May has Solidad and Drew. (The latter after seeing May progress.)

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[[folder: Comics ]]

* This is how Franchise/SpiderMan and [[ComicBook/FantasticFour The Human Torch's]] dynamic was for years. They become less competitive with each other as they get older, but there's still an element of ragging on each other/trying to outdo each other there, only now mixed with actual respect - to the extent that Johnny left instructions for Peter to replace him on the team in the event of his death.
* {{Superman}} and {{Batman}} went through a lengthy phase of this in roughly the middle third of their friendship. These days, it's entirely down to the occasional joke between them - but the rivalry seems to have been handed down to {{Superboy}} and the third {{Robin}}.

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[[folder: Literature ]]

* In Creator/DavidWeber's ''[[Literature/HonorHarrington The Honor of the Queen]]'', relations between chancellor Prestvick and Protector Benjamin Mayhew were described as this concerning interpretation of of monarchical power limits.

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[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* Early in ''{{CSI}}'', Nick and Warrick competed over who would solve 100 cases and make CSI 2 first.
* Zach and Hodgins on ''{{Bones}}'' were like this. They both wanted to be honorary "King of the lab".
* Inspector Gideon Pryke in the ''Series/JonathanCreek'' episodes "Black Canary" and "The Case of the Savant's Thumb". While his style is very different from Jonathan's, he's always happy to have someone else intelligent look at the case, and he and Jonathan are usually neck-and-neck in the deductions ... until Jonathan gets the EurekaMoment and Pryke misses it.


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[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Many neighbor countries have some bitterness to each other, but are still major commercial partners - UK and France\Ireland, Brazil and Argentina, Japan and China\South Korea...

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[[folder: Sports ]]

* In UsefulNotes/{{Tennis}}, the most famous example would probably be John [=McEnroe=] and Bjorn Borg. Some other examples are Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

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[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Flynn and Yuri in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''.
* Unlike previous rivals in ''Pokémon'', some of the rivals in future generations (Wally in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Ruby/Sapphire]]'' and Cheren and Bianca in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Black/White]]'') are very friendly towards the protagonist.
* In ''SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters'', Danette is Revya's childhood friend/rival. In her ending (male), it is heavily implied that they will become intimate.
* RyuAndKen of ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', obviously.
** Sakura and Karin, too (mainly in ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Alpha 3]]'' and ''NamcoXCapcom'').
* Despite his denials, Mao and Raspberyl of ''{{Disgaea 3}}'' are friendly rivals.
* A friendly rivalry between the protagonist and Jamie in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon: Magical Melody'' is possible. Since Jaimie is always the opposite sex, the option of marrying him/her is always an option. Doing so lands you a rare NonStandardGameOver good ending.
* This is apparently the relationship that [[{{SonictheHedgehog}} Tails]] and [[{{SuperMarioBros}} Yoshi]] have in the Mario & Sonic series.
** As well as with the main duo Mario and Sonic themselves.
** And Peach and Amy; Daisy and Blaze; most of the rivalries in the games... However, it's averted with Luigi and Shadow, who spend most of the time on-screen glaring at each other.
* In ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', Knuckles is described as Sonic's friend and rival. This doubles with the fact they're also {{Vitriolic Best Buds}}.
* Jack and the Blacker Baron in ''AnarchyReigns'' are in constant competition with each other, and neither can resist chances to land verbal (and sometimes physical) jabs at the other's expense... but when actually pushed, the two will immediately band together to crush anything that threatens either.
* Flavia and Basilio from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' rule the East and West halves of the militant nation of Regna Ferox. Flavia tends to call Basilio an "oaf" due to his grumpy attitude, and the two hold regular CombatByChampion competitions (usually won by Basilio) to determine the full ruler of Ferox, but they are quite friendly with each other, both on and off the battlefield.

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[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Applejack and Rainbow Dash from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are great friends, but that doesn't stop them from competing against one another.

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