Like any form of media, anime has many popular character tropes and trends that have come up over the years. One fan-favorite archetype is the shrine maiden, also known as a Miko. These characters are tasked with maintaining a Shinto shrine and acting as a guide or caretaker for guests who visit.

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Shrine maidens come in a variety of personalities, but most are stern, responsible, and take their jobs very seriously. With their beauty, grace, and strong presence, they're often the fan favorites of a series. Whether they're the protagonist or take on a supporting role, shrine maidens are beloved by fans and almost always steal the show.

10 Saya Is Both A Shrine Maiden & A Monster Slayer

Blood-C

Saya Kisaragi from Blood-C Working as a Shrine Maiden

Saya Kisaragi is the beautiful and deadly protagonist of Blood-C. By day, she's a lovely and kindhearted shrine maiden who takes her duties very seriously. She seems like any other ordinary teenager, though a bit oblivious at times. However, by night, Saya becomes a fierce killer, slaying fearsome creatures known as Elder Bairns.

Saya's double life is all for the sake of protecting humanity from these bloodsucking monsters. Though she has so much resting on her shoulders, Saya effortlessly performs her duties as a shrine maiden, high school student, and monster slayer, somehow balancing all of her responsibilities throughout the series.

9 Kagami & Tsubasa Are Two Adorable Twin Shrine Maidens

Lucky Star

The Main Girls of Lucky Star Dressed as Shrine Maidens

Lucky Star is a 2000s classic featuring the daily lives of a group of cute young girls and their adventures together as friends. Kagami and Tsubasa Hiiragi are two of the series' main characters, as well as the resident shrine maidens of the cast.

These twin sisters work as shrine maidens at their family's local shrine, and they can often be found sporting traditional attire throughout the series. Kagami and Tsubasa stand out among most shrine maidens, as they're much ditzier and easy-going compared to the usual archetype.

8 Mayura Is The Daughter Of A Shinto Priest With A Love For Mystery

Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok

Mayura from Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok Looking Flustered

Despite being the daughter of a Shinto priest, Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok's Mayura Daidouji is far from spiritual. She spends most of her time obsessing over mysteries and the occult, and as a result, she winds up working for the Enjaku Detective Agency as Loki's assistant.

Mayura's passion for all things mystery often comes in handy when on the case, making her a vital part of the team. She may not be the typical shrine maiden, but the tradition still runs in her family, so she's likely to take over the business at some point.

7 Miaka Yuki Is Chosen As The Priestess Of Suzaku

Fushigi Yuugi

Miaka from Fushigi Yuugi Smiling

Fushigi Yuugi is a historical fantasy classic starring Miaka Yuki, a young girl who finds herself transported into a magical realm inside an ancient book. In this new world, she discovers that she's been chosen as the priestess of Suzaku, granting her the power to summon the god and obtain three wishes.

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Miaka isn't the traditional shrine maiden, but she still has many of the same responsibilities. As priestess, she represents her god and must perform duties as his faithful servant, protecting the mysterious land she now calls home.

6 Mitsuha Feels Unsatisfied With Her Life As A Shrine Maiden In The Country

Your Name

Mitsuha From Your Name In School

It's easy to forget that Your Name's female protagonist, Mitsuha Miyamizu, is actually a shrine maiden, especially since she longs for nothing more than to escape the quiet life of the countryside where she works. Nevertheless, she works as a priestess at her family's shrine, and it's the only life she's ever really known.

Before the events of the film, Mitsuha has grown tired of her small-town life, wishing she could abandon her duties as a shrine maiden and live an exciting life in the city. Throughout Your Name, she finally gets the chance to live the life she's always wanted through the eyes of the story's male protagonist, Taki Tachibana.

5 Ruka Is Okabe's Beautiful Young Protégé

Steins;Gate

Ruka Urushibara from Steins;Gate Dressed as a Shrine Maiden

Ruka Urushibara is a supporting character in the sci-fi hit Steins;Gate, as well as the protégé of series protagonist, Rintarou Okabe. Though she's born biologically male in most timelines in the series, Ruka wishes she had been born a girl instead, and she lives her life accordingly.

Ruka's a strikingly beautiful character, dressed in the traditional Miko attire, and has all the grace expected of a shrine maiden. Though a series like Steins;Gate seems like the last place to find a shrine maiden, Ruka fits in perfectly with the setting and story, and she's often a vital part of the group.

4 Machi Is A Shrine Maiden Who Dreams Of The Big City

Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear

Kuma Miko characters together

Machi Amayadori is the young protagonist of Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear and works as a shrine maiden in a remote village in the mountains. With her bear guardian Natsu by her side, it's her job to watch over the old mountain shrine where she grew up.

Because she's lived in the country her whole life, Machi finds it a completely dull lifestyle. As she grows older, she longs to spread her wings and explore life outside her tiny village. She finally gets that chance after starting high school in the city. However, Machi soon learns that there's a lot more to city life than she realized, and she may not be up for the challenge.

3 Rika Furude Hides A Dark Secret Behind Her Innocent Eyes

Higurashi: When They Cry

Rika Furude Breaking Character

Higurashi: When They Cry's Rika Furude is a cute young girl who works at her family's local shrine. At first glance, she seems like the very picture of a sweet and innocent shrine maiden. However, this doesn't last long.

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Though she may look harmless, Rika has a dark side to her that she normally keeps at bay. She's cunning and manipulative, using her cute appearance to her advantage so she can get what she wants. When things don't go her way, she unleashes a cruel and terrifying side that can strike fear into the bravest souls.

2 Kikyo Is A Resurrected Priestess Tied To The World Of The Living

Inuyasha

Kikyo From Inuyasha drawing her bow

Out of all the shrine maiden characters in anime, few are as powerful and mysterious as Kikyo. After her untimely death before the start of Inuyasha, she finds herself resurrected fifty years later. Now trapped in the world of the living, Kikyo must wander the land, collecting human souls to maintain her new form.

Though Kikyo often treads the thin line between hero and villain, she's good at heart and longs for nothing more than to be able to help those around her. Even in her tragic state, Kikyo never abandons her priestess duties and carries on as she did in life.

1 Rei Is A Shinto Shrine Maiden & A Sailor Guardian

Sailor Moon

Rei Hino from Sailor Moon throwing paper talismans

Without a doubt, Rei Hino is one of the greatest shrine maiden characters in anime history. She first appears in Sailor Moon as a dedicated and skilled Miko, working alongside her grandfather at their family shrine. Rei is extremely hard-working and takes her role as a shrine maiden very seriously. She's developed strong spiritual powers over the years, and she even uses these skills when fighting evil as Sailor Mars.

She might seem mean, but Rei is often the voice of reason in the group and pushes the other girls to do better. She's a force to be reckoned with and a powerful heroine that seems capable of just about anything.

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