Anime and manga that once catered to more rigid demographic expectations like shōnen and seinen can frequently have some of anime’s best women, their wits and power pronounced, and their stories ranging from tragic to mystifying. That’s before even factoring in shōjo and josei anime, which, while introducing underrated anime women every season, also create male icons like Mafuyu Sato.
The best anime women, much like all-time male greats including Guts of Berserk or Astro Boy, are often just as unique when grouped together. Whether well-written, groundbreaking, or raising a massive, prescient mirror to society, these characters often outlast even the longest of anime runs, with these 10 standing above all others.
10
Maomao
The Apothecary Diaries
Maomao is the best female lead to have made her way into the anime sphere. From the hit historical drama series, The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao has proven to be not only hilariously relatable but also compassionate, intelligent, and devious to boot, which makes her incredibly interesting to watch from episode to episode.
What makes her so intriguing is that she’s not your typical female lead; she’s more interested in the palace mysteries that run anywhere from wayward politics to the consorts’ drama and the corruption sown amongst them all. Her sense of justice can get her into trouble, but her wits are just enough to save her skin time and time again.
9
Sophie
Howl’s Moving Castle
Despite being cursed at the beginning of the film, causing her to turn into a decrepit old woman, Sophie remained headstrong in the face of her situation and did everything she could to find a solution – even if it meant cleaning up behind Howl. Her headstrong, devoted attitude and warm heart make her a standout among female protagonists, and is part of the reason Howl’s Moving Castle has become such an iconic, timeless film.
By the end of the film, Sophie and Howl end up together, but their romance doesn’t come without a lot of sacrifice, with Sophie enduring a range of Howl’s own insecurities and struggles that confirm her love for him. The two are an absolute Ghibli power couple, and without Sophie’s incredibly written personality, the couple would be far less interesting to see develop.
8
Oscar François de Jarjayes
The Rose of Versailles
Oscar François de Jarjayes was a groundbreaking shojo protagonist who even inspired other iconic anime characters like Utena, thanks to the realistic portrayal of her internal conflicts by having to disguise herself as a man to serve as captain of the Imperial Guard, which traps her between what her duty means and finding her gender identity.
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Oscar loves men and women alike, which entails numerous struggles as she lives in a classist and conservative society, but also makes her a character to whom many viewers can relate, which explains why her story keeps being relevant even after 50 years. Oscar is also incredibly brave, and despite living surrounded by the nobility, once she is aware of the precarious situation of other people, she understands their suffering and supports them.
7
Madoka Kaname
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
From the subversive Magical Girl series Madoka Magica, Madoka isn’t just one of the strongest or most admirable characters in the series – the fate of the entire universe revolves around her. In the original series, Madoka makes a wish to remove all “Witches” from existence, effectively saving every magical girl from a terrible fate.
Despite this selfless choice erasing Madoka from consciousness due to her having to transcend reality to make the wish come true, it gave a powerful resolution to a grim world. Even now, in the films continuing the series, Madoka is a crux of many of the major events throughout the series, making her nothing short of an icon.
6
Shizuku Tsukishima
Whisper of the Heart
Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart stars Shizuku Tsukishima, a young girl who finds herself lost when it comes to love and what she wants to do with her life. Everything changes when she meets aspiring violin maker Seiji Amasawa, though, as their budding romance inspires Shizuku to put genuine effort into figuring out what she wants to do with her life.
What sells Shizuku as a character is the realism attached to her character. Shizuku’s struggles with self-worth and the growth that it invokes are always handled in an incredibly grounded way, and that level of realism makes every emotional low and small moment of joy she gets hit even harder. There are few Studio Ghibli heroes with characterization as thorough and well-executed as Shizuku’s, and it’s why she’s one of their best, despite Whisper of the Heart‘s relative lack of attention.
5
Yona
Yona of the Dawn
If there’s a prize for the best character development of a heroine in anime, it should go to Yona. Yona starts as the typical spoiled princess, but she suffers an unfortunate event that forces her to leave the comfort of her life in the castle and live in exile with her bodyguard, Hak. But rather than remain as the damsel in distress always saved by Hak, little by little Yona adapts to her life of survival and grows stronger.
Yona goes from being a delicate princess to a respectable warrior, courageous, and worthy of leading a nation, and who fights not only for being independent and to protect herself, but also to save others. Still, the best part about Yona is that even though she struggles most of the time, she allows herself to be vulnerable and show her emotions but picks herself up again in every situation. Yona’s inspirational journey to support her country makes her one of the best female protagonists in anime.
4
Fujiko Mine
Lupin The Third
Having originally aired in 1971, Lupin the Third’s Fujiko Mine has seen many different renditions of her character portrayed through writers, producers, and teams alike, but in each, she’s not a woman to make light of. As a prominent, notorious thief, Fujiko sets out with a goal in mind and executes no matter the sacrifice against friend or foe alike.
As the only one truly able to outwit Lupin, she’s clever and deceptive depending on who’s behind the pen. Her spin-off series, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, showcases all of her best sides and focuses entirely on her history and unique connections to the Lupin crew.
Fujiko’s ability to be unapologetically herself and continue to thwart Lupin made her an incredibly interesting threat in Part II, always keeping the audience guessing her true intentions. When she’s finally part of the team, that question still remains because, down to her core, she’ll always be a thief at heart.
3
Asirpa
Golden Kamuy
The deuteragonist of Golden Kamuy and the most important person in the narrative, Asirpa is the real deal. The 12-year-old Ainu girl travels around Hokkaido and Karafuto together with the war veteran Sugimoto in search of a huge amount of gold that will lead her to find the truth about her father’s murder. Despite her age, she holds her own in deadly wilderness and battles with convicts and soldiers. She demonstrates her expertise and wisdom many times as she guides Sugimoto and Shiraishi in the wild, and as she teaches them all about the culture of her people.
Asirpa has so many interesting characterizations that make her such a beautifully written character. From her challenging gender norms in her tribe, her relationship with her father, her respect for her culture and wanting to preserve it, and many more aspects of her character. It also helps that she is extremely hilarious, and her range of facial expressions is such a good touch.
2
Jolyne Cujoh
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean
As the daughter of one of anime and manga’s most legendary heroes, Jotaro, Jolyne had a lot to live up to with her debut in part 6 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Luckily for fans of the franchise, Jolyne not only lives up to her mythic father, she exceeds him in many ways.
For Hirohiko Araki, creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, industry expectations and JoJo’s own mechanics have set the terms for women characters.
What defines Jolyne is her unbreakable determination. Jolyne experiences some of the series’ toughest fights, and yet every time she gets back up ready to fight again. On top of that, Jolyne’s story is a tragic one as she experiences some of the most heartbreaking moments in JoJo’s history. All of that adds up to Jolyne earning a respectable rank among the best anime characters of all time.
1
Mima Kirigoe
Perfect Blue
The late Satoshi Kon’s first anime film, Perfect Blue, focuses on a former idol named Mima. Unfortunately for Mima, her post-idol career is interrupted by an obsessed former fan-turned-stalker. What follows is a slow-motion psychological breakdown as Mima’s sense of self and reality deteriorates day by day. Mima’s quest to reclaim her identity isn’t just a fascinating character study, it’s also a brutal deconstruction of the culture of possession surrounding idols.
It’s heartbreaking to watch Mima lose her sanity, which makes the brief glimmers of hope all the more uplifting. Mima’s story might have its tragic moments, but it’s ultimately a cathartic story that leaves Mima as anime’s greatest female character.