Who Are The Most Popular Female Anime Characters (All Time)

In all honesty, there are too many popular female anime characters.

But, as usual, there can only be a certain number that are the MOST popular of all time.

How are we measuring their popularity?

Longevity.
How often they come up in conversations online.
The amount of cosplayers we see for these female characters.
Their “waifu” status.
How they’ve shaped anime culture.
The popularity of their anime.
Trends.

These are the measurements being used for the most popular female anime characters.

Let’s talk about it.

1. Asuna Yuuki (Sword Art Online)

Asuna Yuuki is the darling waifu of the anime community. This is in spite of the hate train that carried on for too many years (for the anime).

She’s one of the most famous anime women of all time, and that won’t be changing this century of anime and it’s newer characters that are to come.

2. Lina Inverse (Slayers)

Lina Inverse might be the most powerful mage there is as a woman. There are things she’s capable of that similar female characters can’t do by themselves.

She is still also one of the most popular, and the anime is still one of the best selling light novels in history.

3. Lucy Heartfilia (Fairy Tail)

Lucy Heartfilia is the darling of Fairy Tail, and often the narrator after many dramatic scenes or endings take place.

She’s the star of the show along with “Team Natsu” and has brains, not just beauty, to match her popularity and likeability factor.

Her dubbed voice actress is also famous.

4. Sakura Haruno (Naruto)

Sakura Haruno is the pink haired female character, probably the most famous one (aside from Zero Two) and is too popular to not include in a list like this.

She’s hated, praised, called useless (not true in the “trolling” context), and has become part of anime culture. Deeply embedded and never going away.

5. Mikoto Misaka (A Certain Scientific Railgun)

Mikoto Misaka, the Railgun of Tokiwadai middle school and the “shock princess” in the words of Kuroko Shirai.

She is a level 5 esper and one of the most loved espers in Academy City. She handles her celebrity status well, but in real life, she is an introvert and prefers privacy.

She’s become one of the most popular female anime characters of all time since her debut in Index and Railgun.

Relevant: 14 Types Of Anime Protagonists You’re Bound To See

6. Kagome Higurashi (Inuyasha)

Kagome Higurashi is a high school girl who ends up in another world and meets Inuyasha, the anime’s main character.

Both are off to a rocky start but eventually fall in love with each other.

She’s famous for saying “sit boy” and is considered one of the most famous characters in the genre of “classic” anime shows.

7. Nagisa Furukawa (Clannad)

Nagisa Furukawa is a soft spoken girl from Clannad who becomes friends with Tomoyo Okazaki and many others. Her time to shine is a slow progression but eventually, it’s what leads her to her popularity.

In season 1 we see Nagisa develop and grow her confidence, personality, guts, among other things. In season 2 she becomes a parent, and the rest is history.

8. Momo Ayase (Dandadan)

Momo Ayase is a 2024 anime character who has become popular thanks to the manga adaptation and the reception of the anime series.

She has a personality and a role similar to characters you’d see in “whacky” shows like Gurren Lagann, Kill La Kill, also with similar art style.

She is obsessed with the supernatural.

9. Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach)

Rukia earned her place as not just one of the best black anime characters, but also one of the most popular female anime characters. In any genre for that matter.

She’s a key part of Bleach, of Shounen, and is one of the best written there ever was.

Plus she’s a powerful asset as a soul reaper.

Relevant: 13+ Of My BEST Anime Characters From Bleach

10. Mikasa Ackerman (Attack On Titan)

Mikasa Ackerman from Attack On Titan. In the beginning, she comes across as a quiet girl who doesn’t talk to too many people, and this causes others to underestimate her.

They soon find out she’s strong and not weak in the slightest.

11. Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)

Erza Scarlet, titania as she is also called or “queen of the fairies” is one of the most loved anime female characters.

Many fans recognize her even if they’re not fans of the Fairy Tail series itself.

She’s morally correct, a giving person, and loving, but also will put her foot down when it comes to the slightest bit of disrespect.

She’s a versatile fighter with one of the most balanced abilities.

12. Chichi (Dragon Ball)

Chichi is one of the strongest humans aside from Mr Hercule in DBZ. She’s a martial artist, a mother, and a wife who holds down the fort and takes care of the family.

She is one of the most popular female anime characters of all time, but sometimes for the wrong reasons due to biased incorrect assumptions.

13. Ryuko Matoi (Kill La Kill)

Ryuko Matoi, the “scissor blade” girl goes on the hunt for her father’s killer and swears vengeance. She doesn’t get it so easily, and she learns some hard truths down the line.

Like her anime, she has become one of the most loved and famous female anime characters, all for good reason.

14. Nezuko Komado (Demon Slayer)

Nezuko Komado is the cute younger sister of Demon Slayer and one who is always seen as innocent. This is also why when she fights, it’s the complete opposite as she becomes a savage.

His sibling relationship with Tanjiro is one of the many reasons she has become so popular and liked by many.

15. Raphtalia (Shield Hero)

Raphtalia from Shield Hero is one of the more popular demi human type anime characters. She’s also the main waifu of Naofumi Iwatani, the MC who is betrayed and is falsely accused of r*pe.

Loyalty is one of Raphtalia’s stand out traits, and her relationship with Naofumi has earned her a reputation.

16. Misaki Ayuzawa (Maid Sama)

Misaki Ayuzawa, just like her anime, is one of the most popular of all time within their categories.

Rom com wise, Misaki is famous and even beyond this despite her not being featured in any new anime since the release of Maid Sama.

Fiery, is passionate, but very stubborn in the beginning. She is initially sexist but this changes as she starts to open up her mind thanks to her lover Usui.

Her character development is one of the best examples out there.

17. Flare (Redo Of Healer)

Flare, the princess of the Jioral Kingdom has earned herself a reputation for all the wrong reasons as far as popularity.

She is the woman who appears kind, sweet, innocent, and ethical, only to find out she is the reason the MC is r*ped, tortured, gang banged, drugged, abused, enslaved, and worse.

This is how she becomes the victim of his eventual REVENGE scene, which also spiked her popularity to the point of no return.

18. Nobara Kugisaki (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Nobara Kugisaki, the “hammer” girl is one of the anime’s most liked Jujutsu Kaisen female characters. Season 1 is where she shined the most in the anime.

Her fighting style, personality, and relationship with Yuji are why she has become so famous and retained her popularity.

19. Marin Kitagawa (My Dress Up Darling)

Marin from My Dress Up Darling was popular in the manga world, this then carried over into the world of anime.

She is an Otaku but one who is extroverted has a big social group of associates and friends and is a bit of a social butterfly.

She loves to cosplay as her favourite characters, and this is partially how she became so popular.

20. Taiga Aisaka (Toradora)

Taiga Aisaka, the “palm top tiger” is a little girl judging her height, but with a fiery attitude and a bad temper. Similar to Misaki Ayuzawa, she has sexist views early on that comes from some form of trauma.

Her relationship with the MC and the romantic drama that follows in many episodes (being a Tsundere as well) has earned her the popularity she’s gotten.

21. Lucy (Elfen Llied)

Lucy is famous for all sorts of reasons. For one, Elfen Lied is one of the most famous horror anime series. Two, the anime has erotic scenes and lewd episodes that go beyond fanservice.

Three, her messed up, complicated relationship with the MC Kota. And four, her satisfying moments of savagery.

She is in a league of her own when you consider all the facets of her character.

22. Esdeath (Akame Ga Kill)

Esdeath is the eventual main villain of this anime series based around assassins, corruption, the government, and creating a revolution to shape society.

She is a psychopath based on how she is raised, what she is taught, and how her experiences shape her into the person she becomes.

Torture is one of her favorite pass time hobbies and she has a thirst for war.

Despite all of this, she is seen as a “waifu” based purely on her beauty.

23. Rias Gremory (High School DxD)

Rias Gremory is famous for a reason. She is probably the most famous devil female character and one with red hair.

She is open to letting her boyfriend share other girls with her, and of course, it’s an ecchis series where fanservice is ripe. Especially with Rias.

The anime is in a league of its own in the world of ecchi, as are its characters.

24. Hinata Hyuga (Naruto)

Hinata Hyuga is the introverted female character of Naruto, and the one to marry Naeruto after Shippuden.

She has the eyes of the Byakugan, being part of that clan, and despite starting out relatively weaker, she becomes much stronger over time in more ways than one.

She has always been one of the most attractive Naruto anime girls and her popularity is based not just on looks, but mostly substance.

25. Bulma (Dragon Ball)

Bulma is the standard face of Shounen. She is known all over the world and is one of the many characters people fancied from the beginning.

She’s smart, intelligent, is an inventor, a scientist, and is the daughter of a scientist as well.

She starts out promiscuous, but evolves over the course of the series, giving more power to her popularity and likability.

There’s a lot to like about Bulma.

26. Shana (Shakugan No Shana)

Shana, similar to Taiga Aisaka, is one of the four Tsundere wonders, which means she is one of the main influences of Tsundere characters today.

Usually with black hair, Shana is a straightforward person who rarely holds back what she thinks. But when she transforms, she becomes “the flaming haired blazing eyed hunter” with a weapon (and a demon) that can challenge the god of creation.

Her glittering appearance has been iconic ever since the release of the anime, and her franchise is also one of the top selling of all time.

27. Revy Rebecca (Black Lagoon)

Revy Rebecca, or “two hands” as she’s nicknamed, is one of the more entertaining female anime characters.

She has been through traumatic experiences that shape her sometimes dark, nonchalant mentality and “I don’t give a fuck” attitude.

Working under Dutch, the lagoon company, they specialize in smuggling. Revy’s role is usually shooting first and asking questions later.

Of course, she is a classic tomboy character and an attractive one at that.

28. Zero Two (Darling In The Franxx)

Zero Two is undeniably one of the most popular female anime characters. The anime may have flopped towards the end, but the character’s popularity has lasted ever since.

The famous “darling” phrase, which is inspired by older anime like Urusei Yatsura, her drama with blue haired Ichigo and he relationship with Hiro (MC) are why she is so famous.

Timing and social media hype aside.

29. Anya Forger (Spy x Family)

Anya, the cute psychic kid who is the adopted daughter of Yor and Loid Forger is another famous female character but for different reasons.

Her school life, her wholesome relationship with her family, her interactions with others, and of course, the famous “smirk” face a nd the silly controversies on Tiktok played some role in elevating her popularity.

That fame has sustained itself.

30. Ochako Uraraka (My Hero Academia)

Ochako with her rosy cheeks and unique design plus her soft personality and genuine goals to make money to help her family out of poverty. It’s all part of why she was an instant “hit”.

She is more than just the girl who is interested in Deku, romantically, though at times the anime could have handled her better.

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