10 Best Female Anime Characters Of All Time

Something that always seems to be contentious among anime fans is how they handle female characters, and it’s easy to see why; not only do many anime neglect their female characters in favor of the male characters, but they often get little to do that doesn’t revolve around romance or fanservice, which almost always makes them boring to watch.

As much of a sticking point as female characters in anime can be, among old and new anime alike, there are plenty of anime that do a surprisingly great job with their female characters. A few of them especially stand out, as each one is nothing if not some of the best female characters in anime, by far.

10) Tia (Zatch Bell!)

Tia is the female protagonist of Toei Animation’s Zatch Bell! In the battle to decide the demon king, Tia felt like she couldn’t trust anyone after being betrayed by her friend, but after reuniting with Zatch, she regained her trust in others and quickly became one of Zatch’s closest allies.

Not only does Tia always contribute plenty to the action, despite having more support-based powers, but her growth into a more confident and competent character is a consistent highlight of the series, especially in the manga. Tia has always been a strong female character, and the fact that she was written in the 2000s makes her even better.

9) Casca (Berserk)

Casca is the female protagonist of OLM, Inc.’s Berserk. Introduced as Griffith’s second-in-command in the Band of the Hawk, Casca’s loyalty to Guts and Griffith helped both of them grow to achieve their dreams, and it’s the love Guts and Casca would eventually feel for one another that would become one of the driving forces of Berserk’s narrative.

Between Casca’s genuine competence and the depth she has developed as an individual and through her romance with Guts, Casca has always been an incredible female character to watch. The only thing that holds Casca back is the structure of Berserk’s story, but it’s still easy to see why she’s been beloved for so many decades.

8) Fujiko Mine (Lupin III)

Fujiko Mine is the female lead of the Lupin III franchise by TMS Entertainment. While Fujiko is ostensibly a member of Lupin’s gang and Lupin’s most consistent love interest, it’s all too common for Fujiko to betray the group and claim their target for herself, although that never stops them from letting her in on their next heist.

With her cool demeanor, the way she owns her sexuality, and how she almost always knows how to outdo the rest of the cast, Fujiko is the perfect embodiment of the femme fetale and everything fun that comes with it. Fujiko has been one of anime’s most popular characters for decades, and overall, it’s easy to see why.

7) Kagome Higurashi (Inuyasha)

Kagome Higurashi is the protagonist of Sunrise’s Inuyasha. After being transported to feudal Japan, Kagome accidentally uses her newfound spiritual powers to shatter the mystical Shikon Jewel and scatter its fragments across the land, and she must now team up with the half-demon Inuyasha to reclaim the Shikon Jewel and ultimately save the world.

It’s one thing for Kagome to be the protagonist of a shonen anime, and with how much growth she goes through, all while never abandoning her emotional personality and maintaining her romance with Inuyasha, she’s always fun to watch. Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most popular mangaka in history, and the masterful way Kagome was written perfectly showcases why.

6) Shizuku Tsukishima (Whisper Of The Heart)

Shizuku Tsukishima is the main character of Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart. Shizuku has spent her teenage years not knowing what she wants to do with her life, but after meeting aspiring violin maker Seiji Amasawa, their budding romance inspires Shizuku to become a writer to be worthy of being with Seiji and give herself some self-worth.

Whisper of the Heart works because of how grounded its writing is, and that’s perfectly encapsulated with Shizuku, as the realism in her struggles with self-worth makes every emotional moment hit as hard as possible. Shizuku’s strong, realistic growth makes her one of Studio Ghibli’s best protagonists, and it’s unfortunate that Whisper of the Heart is still so underrated.

5) Momo Ayase (Dandadan)

Momo Ayase is the female protagonist of Science Saru’s Dandadan. After awakening to spiritual powers in a confrontation with aliens, Momo’s daily life becomes filled with constant battles against alien and spiritual threats who threaten to kill her and her friends, all while slowly developing a romance with the story’s co-lead, Okarun.

Not only is Momo’s punkish attitude a welcome change of pace among female protagonists, but with how she’s almost always the one to take charge in a fight and help everyone win, she’s refreshingly competent as well. Add in how organically Momo’s romance with Okarun is handled, and she’s one of the best female characters in modern anime, by far.

4) Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End)

Frieren is the eponymous hero of Madhouse’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Frieren fought alongside Himmel the Hero to save the world from the Demon King, and after Himmel died decades later, Frieren, not realizing how much she cared until it was too late, set off on a new journey to learn how to better understand people.

As much as Frieren is defined by her stoicism, she’s a surprisingly emotional person underneath it all, and seeing her become better at expressing that always makes for incredibly strong growth to behold. Few modern anime characters are as popular as Frieren, and with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 2 on the horizon, there’s plenty more in store for her.

3) Nana Osaki (Nana)

Nana Osaki is one of the two eponymous protagonists of Madhouse’s Nana. Nana Osaki is a young punk rocker who moved to Tokyo to kickstart her music career, and among the various relationships she ended up entangled in, none ended up more important than her newfound friendship with the effeminate Nana Komatsu.

While both Nanas are great characters in their own right, Nana Osaki especially stands out for her cool looks and strong, independent personality that still leaves room for insecurities about making friends and other facets of depth. Nana has always been the biggest name in shojo anime, and with its fantastic leads, it’s easy to see why.

2) Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

Jolyne Cujoh is the daughter of Jotaro Kujo and the protagonist of David Production’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean. After being framed for murder by DIO’s surviving henchmen, Jolyne must learn to adapt to prison to not only save her father, but also to finally put an end to DIO’s legacy of evil, once and for all.

Between her incredible action and how great her growth from a troubled young woman into a strong person was, Jolyne is easily one of the best protagonists in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and was the perfect capstone to the original continuity. Stone Ocean was JoJo creator Hirohiko Araki’s self-imposed challenge to write a female protagonist, and he succeeded in every regard.

1) Nami (One Piece)

Nami is the female protagonist of Toei Animation’s One Piece. Once a thief desperate to free her village from villainous pirates, Nami found solidarity in Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as a found family of sorts, and after finally saving her village, she joined them in the Grand Line as the crew’s resident navigator.

While One Piece’s female characters are often written off due to the anime’s excessive fanservice, Nami has always been great for her tremendous growth and competence, and for not being defined by her relationships with the male characters. Few anime characters are as well-written as Nami, and sure enough, there’s no better contender for the best female character in anime.

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