Anime lovers have seen a vast number of epic battles between good and evil. Throughout anime's colorful history, fans met many unique characters and, among them, plenty of powerful female villains. These villains ranged from being cold-blooded to acting innocent but hiding an ulterior agenda. If neither, some could even truly be kind, but have their heart in the wrong place.
Anime's female villains often shocked fans with their cruel actions, and they proved challenging to defeat. Without strong villains, not even the most popular anime heroes would be appreciated since they couldn't reach their absolute potentials. These extraordinary opponents became responsible for some of the saddest anime deaths, the most visually stunning fights, and surprising plot twists.
Updated on August 1, 2022 by George Voutiritsas: When it comes to anime, most heroes and villains tend to be male, but fans have seen several prominent female characters as well. Female villains are often just as strong, cruel, and frightening as their male counterparts, and when they decide to fight, their battles prove quite entertaining. If a group of anime fans were asked to name the strongest female villains, many of them would likely give the same answers because certain villains are more popular than others, but there are several other women who deserve to be recognized for their strength.
15 Daki Killed Numerous Hashira (Demon Slayer)
In Demon Slayer, the Twelve Kizuki are the twelve strongest demons in existence, and Daki held the position of Upper Rank Six with her older brother. When she was human, Daki was a teenage courtesan, but she was burned and left for dead after stabbing a samurai for insulting her brother.
After being turned into a demon, Daki continued to work as a geisha because it provided her a suitable cover. Daki demonstrated prideful and twisted behavior. She enjoyed hurting people, and she often toyed with her victims before killing them. Thanks to her Blood Demon Art, she killed and ate seven of the Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira.
14 Minatsuki Takami Had A Lethal Side (Deadman Wonderland)
Minatsuki Takami was an ordinary girl until an earthquake hit Japan. She was caught under rubble, and her mother decided to save some flowers instead. Her mother died in the incident, and Minatsuki started journeying down a dark path. After killing her father, she was sent to Deadman Wonderland, where she earned the name Hummingbird.
Like other characters in Deadman Wonderland, Minatsuki possessed a blood-based power known as a Branch of Sin. Hers looked like a pair of whips which extended from her hair. Minatsuki acted like a kind and caring person when she was first introduced, but in battle, she revealed her darker side.
13 Android 18 Was The First Real Female Goku & His Friends Faced (Dragon Ball)
Dragon Ball Z was full of remarkable characters, and Android 18 became a fan-favorite. Previously human, she became Dr. Gero’s 18th android as a result of his work. Android 18 proved especially strong because she could learn new things. For example, Android 18 didn't have a Ki sensing device, but later she learned Ki sensing.
Android 18 possessed many abilities, including finger beam, infinity disc, and quick blast. No. 18 had a sarcastic sense of humor, which was appreciated by fans. She became a good person, but fans will always remember how she made her debut.
12 Lust Was The Only Female Homunculus (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
When Father created the homunculi, there was only one female among them: Lust. The second creation was terrifyingly strong and exhibited cruel tendencies. Despite her name, she wasn't lustful. While other homunculi’s personalities reflected on their name, Lust was different.
During fights, viewers got to see how powerful and cruel Lust could be. She took pleasure in torturing humans, since she didn’t value them at all. She was immune to all contaminants and could regenerate instantly. Lust quickly established a reputation as one of the strongest antagonists in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.
11 Kasane Kujiragi Wielded A Powerful Demonic Blade (Durarara)
Kasane surprised many Durarara fans when she revealed herself to be a villain. She was very smart about keeping her identity secret and managed to fool everyone. Kasane was a wielder of Saika, a demonic blade that could possess anyone it cut.
The blade made Kasane very strong, and when she cut someone with it, pain and fear filled them. Overall, viewers found Kasane intriguing due to her cunning and scheming mind. Always well organized, catching her proved nearly impossible.
10 Isabella Raises Children So They Can Be Fed To Demons (The Promised Neverland)
In the beginning, Isabella appeared to be a caring person who genuinely wanted to help children at the Grace Field House orphanage. Later, however, it turned out she was simply trying to save her life by raising children as livestock for demons.
Fans were stunned when they learned Isabella purportedly loved those children in her own twisted way. She displayed high levels of intelligence and had extraordinary strength. Isabella’s character raised a lot of questions but she was easily one of the most powerful characters in The Promised Neverland.
9 Rize Kamishiro Was A Dangerous S-Ranked Ghoul (Tokyo Ghoul)
Many considered Rize to be one of the strongest ghoul in Tokyo Ghoul, but her eating habits lead to her defeat. Her purple hair and beauty often enchanted others and she could easily charm everyone.
No creature wanted to be on bad terms with Rize, and nearly everyone who opposed Rize died. Her rampage ended when Kanou captured Rize to harvest her Kakuhou. Later, she transformed into her dragon form and was killed by her love, Kaneki.
8 Annie Leonhart Possessed The Power Of The Female Titan (Attack On Titan)
Some of the biggest twists in anime took place in Attack On Titan. While most humans were trying to keep everything safe, Marley’s Warriors were conspiring to get their hands on the Founding Titan. Fans were on the edge of their seat when a giant female Titan attacked the Scout Regiment during the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission.
The Female Titan wiped out most of the Regiment and when she was finally cornered, the Titan crystallized herself, so she couldn’t be killed. It later turned out that the powerful Titan was, in fact, Annie Leonhart, the Military Police Brigade’s exceptional combatant.
7 Himiko Toga Is A Lieutenant In The Paranormal Liberation Front (My Hero Academia)
Himiko is one of the nine lieutenants of the Paranormal Liberation Front, and she's become a particularly deviant character who's divided fans. Some of the My Hero Academia fans are fond of her because she displays an odd sense of humor.
Others really hated Himiko and found her joyful personality annoying. Himiko got very dark over the course of a few episodes; she was wanted for mass murder, cannibalism, and kidnapping. Thanks to her Quirk, she had no trouble disguising herself, and now that her power awakened, Himiko could use the Quirks of those she transforms into.
6 Arba "Gyokuen Ren" Was A Powerful Magi & Empress (Magi)
Gyokuen Ren became the Empress of the Kuo Empire after both her husbands passed away. Right at the beginning, Arba possessed her, therefore fans had little time with Gyokuen.
Arba was one of Solomon’s Three Wise Magi and after her master replaced Ill Illah as a God, she transformed into a different person. As time passed, Arba acted cunningly and heartlessly. Later, while she possessed Gyokuen, Arba seemed to be overjoyed by killing people, cementing her reputation as one of Magi's most heartless villains.
5 Esdeath Was The Empire's Greatest Weapon (Akame Ga Kill!)
The High-ranking general became a very strong character in Akame Ga Kill. Esdeath got promoted to lead the Jaegers and while she was considered an antagonist, she fell madly in love with Tatsumi. Everyone feared and praised Esdeath’s skills.
Esdeath possessed a Teigu which allowed her to manipulate ice and freeze time. Once, she vanquished an army of 100.000 soldiers alone, showing how strong she was. Besides her physical capabilities, Esdeath displayed strong mental fortitude. She never expressed fear and remained cool in stressful situations.
4 Medusa Gorgon Was A Faithful Servant Of Kishin (Soul Eater)
Also known as Dr. Medusa, she used to be Death Weapon Meister Academy’s nurse. Some fans thought Medusa was a kind person, but most couldn’t be fooled; she was up to something evil. As it turned out, she had aspirations to unleash Kishin, and she succeeded.
Medusa was a witch, so she had magical powers that paired with exceptional hand-to-hand combat skills. Additionally, Medusa was remarkably intelligent and had great observational skills, allowing her to always adapt quickly. Medusa quickly became one of the most hated and beloved Soul Eater characters and inspired many fan arts and cosplays over the years.
3 Priscilla Was The Epitome Of Awakened Beings (Claymore)
In Claymore, an organization created half-human, half-yoma hybrid warriors to fight monsters, but when they use too much of their Yoki, they eventually awaken and become the very creatures they hunted. The main antagonist, Priscilla became one of the few Claymores who could fight without having to use Yoki.
At first, Priscilla acted like an emotionally distraught child, but when she awakened, she becomes quite distant and gained pleasure from eating human flesh. Her mind eventually deteriorated, but she regained her memories later on. When her memories returned, Priscilla became far more intelligent and arrogant.
2 Big Mom Can Manipulate Souls (One Piece)
When she was a child, Big Mom was kindhearted, but she would sometimes lose control and go on violent rampages whenever she craved a specific food. Her parents tragically abandoned her, and as a result, she became one of the strongest pirates in all of One Piece.
She may act like a child at times, but Big Mom is smart and can be very cruel when she needs to be. She has no problem killing people, and her goal is to create a world without prejudice. Deep down, she's actually quite emotional. Thanks to her Devil Fruit, Big Mom can manipulate souls, and with it, she can give life to inanimate objects or extract the life out of others.
1 Kaguya Otsutsuki Was Viewed As A God (Naruto)
Kaguya Otsutsuki was arguably the most overpowered villain in Naruto, and after betraying Isshiki, she became the matriarch of a branch family on Earth. Her strength was so great that many considered her a god. She could travel through dimensions at will and produce bones from her body that she could wield as weapons.
Kaguya's Byakugan gave her a near 360° field of x-ray vision, and her Rinne Sharingan granted her greater perception. She was kind and caring when she first arrived, but when chakra began spreading, she became obsessed with becoming the world's only chakra wielder.