Well-written female characters in anime are rare. Most are simply used as “waifu” material and if they’re not, they are often forced to fit into tiny boxes of anime tropes, something which they seldom manage to climb out of.
Of course, there are some female characters that are written excellently and are loved by the entire fandom. Such characters are far and few in between. As is the case, the popularity of an anime determines how popular their female characters will also be. Here are the 10 most liked female characters, as favorited by the users of MyAnimeList.
10 Asuna Yuuki (Votes: 25,048)
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the lead female character of anime’s most popular isekai, Sword Art Online, features on this top 10 list. Asuna has extremely likable qualities to her – she’s loyal, smart, is a strong fighter, and doesn’t hesitate to put her life in danger to save the life of the ones she loves.
But with the progression of the SAO franchise, Asuna soon became nothing but a wife for Kirito, something that was heavily criticized by the fandom.
9 Shinobu Oshino (Votes: 25,813)
Many fans may not be able to recognize her, as she is from a relatively lesser-known anime called Bakemonogatari. Despite her young appearance, she’s extremely old. She usually has a bitter expression on her face and prefers not moving from her favorite spot. She’s unfriendly but creates an exception for Meme and Koyomi.
Later in the series, she becomes more cheerful and talkative, without once letting go of her ego for her superior knowledge.
8 Saber (From The Fate Series) (Votes: 26,818)
Saber has always been one of the main characters of almost all of the Fate anime series out there. As a servant who servers her master, her strength has often been acknowledging to be at par with some of the other strongest servants out there.
Her statistics are near perfect in almost every fight category. She is shown to be devoted and loyal to her master, but also someone who’d keep her word (even if it was a pact made with another servant).
7 Taiga Aisaka (Votes: 29,214)
Taiga is among anime’s most popular tsundere characters (of all genders). She is a schoolgirl who is quite self-conscious of her short height. She likes her classmate Ryuuji’s best friend, but later on, develops strong feelings for Ryuugi himself.
Her nickname is the Palmtop Tiger (due to her height). She has a sharp tongue and doesn’t hesitate to physically assault people in order to compensate for any emotional embarrassment that she might feel.
6 Yuno Gasai (Votes: 29,538)
Yuno Gasai is anime’s most famous yandere. As the surprising protagonist of The Future Diary show, this pink-haired crazy (literally) girl immediately caught the attention of most of the fans watching the series.
That’s because not only is she cute to look at, her psychopathic nature is a complete foil to her looks. She has one target of obsession – Yukiteru and she goes to great lengths to keep him safe, including killing people.
5 Megumin (Votes: 29,907)
Megumin is one of the many protagonists of the anime series KonoSuba. She is a powerful arch wizard who, despite her strength and strong lineage, knows only one skill – explosion magic. She’s obstinate, as consistently shown by her refusal to learn new tricks.
She is eccentric and in your face. She loves being dramatic and can be seen regularly boasting about her skills. However, when she’s backed into a corner, she immediately drops her act.
4 Hitagi Senjougahara (Votes: 30,816)
It is not a surprise to see the lead female character of Bakemonogatari in this list. She is frail-looking because of a mysterious disease. Her harsh words keep people away from her, but most people never notice the sincerity in her words.
She calls herself a tsundere, although she’s a kuudere in reality. Her manner of speaking is quite abusive, and by the end of the events in Tsukihi Phoenix, she becomes a lovable person.
3 Mikasa (Votes: 35,337)
Mikasa Ackerman needs no introduction. As one of the strongest (physically and mentally) female characters in anime, she is understandably a favorite of many fans.
She harbors strong one-sided feelings for Eren, but that has never come in the way of her duty as a soldier defending her people from the might of the titans. She is strong and kind, and an incredibly skilled (possibly naturally gifted) at various fighting styles.
2 Rem (Votes: 40,861)
Rem is a maid who works for Roswaal L Mathers, along with her twin sister. Despite her polite speech and appearance, she’s shown to be rash and extremely violent when the situation arises.
She does not hesitate in dispensing her duties, whatever the cost. She has an inferiority complex because of her sister, who she holds in high regard. She is eventually shown to fall in love with the show’s protagonist, Subaru.
1 Kurisu Makise (Votes: 46,052)
Definitely a surprise entry, Kurisu is the female lead of the sci-fi anime Steins;Gate. The Victor Qondria University's Brain Research Program has her as its research member, and she’s popular in America because of her theses papers.
She is a teenager who is strong, confident, and extremely intelligent. Her curiosity often lands her in trouble and she is shown to be a classic tsundere.