Dungeon Meshi is the ultimate takedown of “there is no platonic explanation for this” off re: the level of love someone has
Both Marcille and Laios are willing to go to extreme lengths to bring Falin back to life. Laios is willing to walk into the dungeon alone and unaided to certain death for her; Marcille is willing to follow him and face everything she fears and hates for her. Marcille uses forbidden magic that would cost her life and her place in society to save Falin; Laios casts his lot in with her and brings the sentence upon his own head for the same reason. Laios plans to replace the dungeon lord make a deal with a demon to save Falin; Marcille is the one who actually strikes that deal.
One is sibling love and one is queer romantic love.
Neither is elevated above the other, and the choices and sacrifices along the way constantly echo each other. But the *flavor* of it, the nature of their affection, is written so differently. “There is no platonic explanation for this” is more for Marcille getting flustered at what she will be wearing when Falin is resurrected, than loving Falin more than ‘just a friend’ could. THAT is the way to differentiate something as romantic, rather than putting nonromantic love on some lower tier that could never reach the same heights or extremes.