An anime’s popularity depends a lot on the quality of its characters. Despite being famous for being a male-dominated space, many anime over the years have given us some unique, complex and strong female characters.
While they are still often reduced to one-dimensional love interests, there are also many badass female anime characters from various genres such as romance anime, detective anime, horror anime, samurai anime, masterpiece anime, action anime movies, sad anime movies, yuri anime, vampire anime, witch anime, vampire anime girl, and Dragon Anime who have received lots of love and appreciation from fans over the years.
Naturally, then, fans would try to figure out the rankings of popular female anime characters. While the topic of favorite anime female characters is definitely subjective, we have tried to include here all sorts of unique female characters including popular female anime villains who have wowed fans with their skills and personality.
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Contents
9 Anime Female Characters
Ochaco Uraraka
Series: My Hero Academia
Number of Episodes: 138+ 9 OVAs(as of April 2023)
Created By: Kouhei Horikoshi
Voice Artist: Ayane Sakura(Japanese); Luci Christian(English)
We begin our list of popular female anime characters with My Hero Academia’s Ochaco Uraraka. She is one of the most loved female characters in not just the series but the anime world in general. And why not? She is one individual who is truly committed to her dream of becoming a professional superhero.
Ochaco’s ability to make objects weightless by touching them is not the greatest or flashiest superpower but she works hard and knows how to use her ability to turn battles in her favor. She is friendly and cheerful and tries to help anyone who is kind to her or needs help.
Despite her laid-back demeanor, Ochaco can be intimidating when the situation calls for it. She’s a fun person but has also proved her usefulness several times in the series.
Mikasa Ackerman
Series: Attack on Titan
Number of Episodes: 94
Created By: Hajime Isayama
Voice Artist: Yui Ishikawa(Japanese); Trina Nishimura(English)
In the male-oriented world of Attack on Titan, Mikasa Ackerman stands out for being one of the most badass female characters. She grew up in a loving environment on a farm before a group of traffickers murdered her parents. The protagonist Eren Yeager’s family then took her in and she lived with them until the fall of Wall Maria.
Mikasa’s unwavering loyalty to Eren is one of her defining traits. Along with him, she joins the Survey Corps to fight against the Titans. Generally, this would mean that her character is confined to being a cheerleader for the main character but Mikasa is anything but that.
She is one of the most skilled warriors in Attack on Titan and balances out Eren’s active talks with her calm personality. The duality between her stoic nature and the charming side that comes out with Eren is appreciated by viewers. Her tragic past, strong mentality and loyalty to Eren make her one of the most favorite anime female characters.
Mai Sakurajima
Series: Rascal Does Not Dream
Number of Episodes: 13
Created By: Hajime Kamoshida, Keji Mizoguchi
Voice Artist: Asami Seto(Japanese)
Rascal Does Not Dream’s Mai Sakurajima is certainly an interesting character. She is a celebrated actress and model who decides to take a hiatus due to work pressures and her abusive mother. As a result of her past experiences, Mai is anxious that she will be forgotten by everyone.
So, she stands in the middle of the school library in a bunny girl outfit to test whether people would notice her or not. That moment will certainly go down as one of the most unforgettable introductions of a female anime character.
Mai may initially come across as stoic and emotionally distant but behind that chilly exterior is a girl with a pure heart and strong will. She is levelheaded, polite and also has an unexpected funny side. Her relationship with Sakuta’s younger brother Kaede is one of the best parts of the anime.
Violet Evergarden
Series: Violet Evergarden
Number of Episodes: 13+ OVA
Created By: Kana Akatsuki, Akiko Takase
Voice Artist: Yui Ishikawa(Japanese); Erika Harlacher(English)
Violet Evergarden is an emotional anime and its heroine is definitely a unique female anime character. She lost both her arms in war and now has to use metallic prosthetics in order to work as an Auto Memory Doll.
Violet is determined to use the power of typed letters to help people connect with each other. Her emotional vulnerability and search for the meaning of love resonate with the viewers. Violet’s journey of reintegrating back into society while trying to find life’s purpose has cemented her status as a fan-favorite anime female character.
Nezuko Kamado
Series: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Number of Episodes: 55(as of June 2023)
Created By: Koyoharu Gotouge
Voice Artist: Akari Kito(Japanese); Abby Trott(English)
In Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the Kamado family is slaughtered by a demon leaving only two survivors- the protagonist Tanjiro Kamado and his sister Nezuko. It is clear that the latter has been turned into a demon though she still shows signs of human emotions and thought.
Nezuko may not have as much screen time as the characters in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, but you bet she leaves an impact when she does appear. She is a cute and likeable character who cares a lot for her brother. Her adorable moments make her a popular female anime character.
However, do not forget that Nezuko is a demon who often craves human flesh. How she overcomes that to become an ally of the Demon Slayer Corps gives her character considerable depth. The siblings’ relationship and love for each other is one of the best parts of the series.
Megumin
Series: KonoSuba
Number of Episodes: 20+ 2 OVAs(as of July 2017)
Created By: Natsume Akatsuki
Voice Artist: Rie Takahashi(Japanese); Erica Mendez(English)
When it comes to unique female anime characters, we have to mention Megumin from the KonoSuba series. She is a sorcerer who joins the main character Kazuma Satou to defeat the Devil King.
Rather eccentric and cocky, she specializes in explosion magic and…nothing else really. Megumin refuses to learn any other type of magic and is obsessed with perfecting her one explosion spell. In KonoSuba which itself is a satire, she stands out as a particularly hilarious parody of most anime witches and magical girls.
However, despite her antics and arrogance, Megumin is fairly intelligent and the one with the most common sense in Kazuma’s group. Her gags and memorable personality make her a popular female anime character.
Rem
Series: Re: Zero
Number of Episodes: 50+ 2 OVAs
Created By: Tappei Nagatsuki
Voice Artist: Inori Minase(Japanese); Brianna Knickerbocker(English)
Rem is a famous anime female character from the Isekai series Re: Zero. Along with her sister Ram, she works as a maid for Roswaal L. Mathers and supports Emilia’s faction. While she doesn’t have the best personal or fighting skills, her mental resilience is admirable.
Rem is highly protective of Ram and loyal to Subaru. Her willingness to defend them no matter what it takes has earned her lots of fans.
Makima
Series: Chainsaw Man
Number of Episodes: 12
Created By: Tatsuki Fujimoto
Voice Artist: Tomori Kusunoki(Japanese); Suzie Yeung(English)
Ah yes, Makima. The intelligent, eerie, dangerous and also incredibly popular Control Devil from Chainsaw Man. She serves as the head of the Public Safety Division 4 and is like a foster mother for Denji. Kind and compassionate on the surface, she is also highly cunning and manipulative.
Sure, Makima is a brutal villain but she is also a well-written character. She shows true affection for Denji but also uses his love for her to keep him working for the Public Safety Division.
The nuance in her character, her distinct personality and her badass skills have contributed to making her a famous anime female character.
Yor Forger
Series: Spy x Family
Number of Episodes: 33(as of November 2023)
Created By: Tatsuya Endo
Voice Artist: Saori Hayami(Japanese); Natalie Van Sistine(English)
The anime Spy x Family’s Yor Forger seems to be the flavor of the season. She is the fake wife of Loid and the young Anya’s pretend mother in the series. However, she is far from being a typical mother figure.
Yor is actually a professional assassin who is known as “Thorn Princess” and even has a day job at the Berlint City Hall. She may be caring, considerate and somewhat of an airhead in everyday life but she can quickly show her powerful and tough side when the situation calls for it.
Yor may have spilled a lot of blood as an assassin but she is not a malicious person. She has shown a lot of resilience in raising her younger brother Yuri by herself and joining the assassin group at a young age.
Her aloof nature, social awkwardness, badass fighting skills and genuine love for her family have endeared her to fans as a strong adult female anime character.
