Girls in anime can just be the cutest damsels in distress, naïve and pure, with a heart of gold and a no-violence mentality that would make Gandhi proud.

But sometimes they’re badass, kick-ass, take names powerhouses!

Today we’ll be looking at those rough & tumble anime girls. Although moe is always great to see, our female warriors also need a turn in the spotlight.

So let’s rank ‘em down across a whole bunch of series!

30. Irina Jelavić

Anime: Assassination Classroom

Okay misses Bitch-sensei might get a bad rep among her class.

But let’s not forget that she’s one of the best assassins in the world!

Her effortless skills in seducing and manipulating any man, only to put a bullet between their eyes, is quite impressive.

And although her skills don’t get as much spotlight as mister thunderclap or the red hot chilly pepper, she still comes through when needed.

It’s not all about raw strength. Sometimes an abundance of charm, intelligence and a steady mind is all you need to get the job done.

29. Shura Kirigakure

Anime: Ao no Exorcist

Although not given nearly enough time to show off her badassery, I really love Shura.

There’s just something about a blade-wielding, snake controlling, cocky babe that makes me hyped beyond belief.

The woman has guts, no doubt about it. Going head to head with the likes of Satan as well as taking it upon herself to mentor our own beloved demon spawn, Rin.

I also just really enjoy the trope of the mentor who will beat the ever-living hell out of their student to show just how much they’ve yet to grow.

28. Karen Araragi

Anime: Bakemonogatari

If there was a spinoff series of just Karen being in the military, I would binge it in an instant.

Although there are stronger females in the show, I respect Karen for being ridiculously strong. Even without any kind of spirit or amp.

Had she fought her brother in earnest prior to his Twilight treatment there is no doubt in my mind that she would have basically one-shot the poor guy.

She must be a fairy type Pokémon though, because she’s clearly very weak to poison.

27. Kyouka Izumi

Anime: Bungo Stray Dogs

Kyouka has that beloved train to kill design to her, perhaps comparable to the Zoldyck Zappy Boy.

And that type of a mentality makes for a very dangerous adversary as they don’t care much for their life. All that matters is that the target has been eliminated.

She does become softer later on, only sometimes bringing up murder in order to resolve an issue, as well as learning how to control her power.

And man would I love to see a spin-off with her as the protagonist after a time skip.

You could imagine the havoc she could wreak after a few more years of training.

26. Shuka Karino

Anime: Darwin’s Game

This girl just has a ridiculous KDA. So far so that she was deemed the undefeated queen.

Except that one time when Kaname pulled a pikaboo, but let’s not talk about that.

Besides being the undefeated queen, she’s also the queen of thorns, as in battle her two chains are seemingly everywhere & always ready to slice off a limb or two.

She swats most players away like flies and even plays around with one of the big dogs of the show.

If it weren’t for her relationship with Kaname I would be convinced that she was a demon.

25. Kohaku

Anime: Dr. Stone

Kohaku is the equivalent of creating a character and just putting all of your points into offence.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s far from dumb. And even has a really impressive judgement of character.

But man, is she a monster when it comes to strength and agility.

In a village where even the blacksmith has a 12 pack, Kohaku manages to beat everyone in a one-on-one duel for the sake of her sister.

Post optician Kinrou might be close but I doubt even he could defeat her.

24. Android 18

Anime: Dragon Ball Z

Android 18 is what we in the business like to call “a pure baddie”.

Do you remember when the Androids were first introduced? Before everything went to a cosmic level, the Androids were among the strongest.

Do you remember when Vegeta fought Android 18 for the first time? She slapped him around like a preschooler, broke his arm in a single kick, and taunted him the entire time.

You definitely do not want to get on her bad side.

And amongst the many Ls Krilin has taken over the years, ending up with this badass was definitely his victory royale.

23. Neferpitou

Anime: Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Neferpitou is hands-down my favorite female antagonist of all time.

Ever since her first appearance, when Kite tried to “single-handedly” defeat her, I have loved her ferocious design and power.

Youpi might beat you to a pulp. Shaiapouf might make you never trust or love again.

But Neferpitou would make you curse your very existence.

With the power to jump hundreds of miles, senses so sharp that nothing can escape her, and the most terrifying nen-puppet, I can confidently say that she’s a nightmare come to life.

22. Ryuuko Matoi

Anime: Kill la Kill

In terms of physical toughness, personally it’s a toss up between Ryuuko and Satsuki.

However, Ryuuko has that sweet sweet underdog trait that you just can’t help but adore.

Ryuuko has taken so many beatings, the first that comes to mind is when Uzu went all blind monk on her. But she always just gets up, reveals even more skin, and keeps fighting her fight.

She also just has moxie, you know. Even when she’s losing she’ll be a smartass about it.

Honestly that’s the mentality I strive to have.

21. Morgiana

Anime: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Daenerys might break the chains, but Morgiana would break the chain, use said chain to knock you out, and then wear the chain as an accessory.

Like how badass is that?

How mentally strong do you have to be to not run away from a past so dark and horrific?

Add in her legs where the gluteus is seemingly a maximus and you have a very deadly combination.

And on top off all that, she’s just a lovable character that you can’t help but root for.

20. Yuno Gasai

Anime: Mirai Nikki

I honestly can’t tell which part of Yuno terrifies me the most: her psyche or her skill.

On the one hand, she has seemingly mastered every weapon on this earth and can fend off multiple attackers at the same time.

It isn’t even raw strength she is just beyond capable in battle.

On the other hand, she’s a lunatic.

How could you ever predict what Yuno is about to do when she is chaos incarnated? Her love for Yuki seems to be the only constant. But if you so much as lay a finger on him you’re now missing an entire arm.

19. Tsunade

Anime: Naruto Shippuden

Tsunade, along with every other female character in Naruto, gets a lot of flak for being weak.

And okay, they might not be meteor dropping, village destroying, reality-bending powerhouses like some of the men.

But Tsunade is still far from weak.

I mean, if we’re talking about characters that are tough as nails she seems more than qualified.

If you’ve seen the great ninja war arc then you might recall the absurd amounts of damage Tsunade took and seemingly walked it off.

Unlike Sakura’s vow to become stronger, Tsunade is definitely durable and rock solid.

18. Shalltear Bloodfallen

Anime: Overlord

Can we all just agree that Salltear should be nerfed?

Like what kind of final boss shenanigans is this?

From the beginning we knew that she was strong, and she wouldn’t be at Ainz’s side otherwise. But it’s only later that we see her full potential.

In her fight against Skeletor himself, she basically had him on the ropes.

Ainz had to do so much prep, both with power ups and setting traps everywhere as well as borrowing power from his friends, and he still couldn’t flat-out overpower her.

He had to play the meta game for the win. That just puts into perspective how powerful Shalltear truly is.

17. Altair

Anime: Re: Creators

In the world of Re: Creators, every character is bound to their story.

A singular story. And then you have Altair who’s like the entirety of DevianArt.

She’s an absolute monster in the universe, being able to hold her own against the entirety of the other characters as well as their creators.

She has swords that she can control at will, as well as something resembling hacks.

The best part? She is never even phased by battle, no matter how many mechs and flying knights you throw at her.

16. Rem

Anime: Re: Zero

If you’ve only seen a few episodes of Re: Zero then you probably wouldn’t have expected to see Rem on this list.

She comes off as timid, maybe a bit cold hearted, but far from a warrior.

But if Puck has thought me anything, it’s that the cuter the person in this universe, the stronger they are. I mean just look at that handsome Petelgeuse face!

So when Rem gets angry, or dare I say “horny” you better run.

She’ll murder you in cold blood and splatter your insides all over the freshly painted walls.

15. Suzuha Amane

Anime: Steins;Gate

Kurisu might be the brains, Mayuri might be the heart, but Suzuha is definitely the muscle.

Not to say that Suzuha is a walking bicep; she has shown to be really kind as well as clever and intuitive but her skills in combat definitely shine through the most.

Being skillful with every weapon in the book, as well as some impressive hand-to-hand combat, she’s far from helpless.

Perhaps the master swordswoman Ruka could stand a chance against her but that is about it.

14. Raphtalia

Anime: The Rising of the Shield Hero

The sharpest sword paired with the unbreakable shield, Fatgum would be proud.

Initially just a source for the most moe of moe scenes, Raphtalia soon became a vital part of the story as the main offence in Naofumi’s team.

Just like Morgiana, Raphtalia was initially a slave. Meaning that there’s no amount of damage that you can do to her that would break her will.

Endlessly thankful to Naofumi, she would go to the depths of Hell to retrieve her partner, all the while looking adorable might I add.

13. Mereoleona Vermilion

Anime: Black Clover

Black Clover actually has a bunch of strong female characters, from the sheep god of hunger to the do it for the vine tsundere.

But none come close to Mereoleona in my opinion.

I mean, her signatures are a lioness and fire, what about that even remotely resembles helplessness?

We’ve seen throughout the show the respect everyone gives her as well as her unhinged personality when in battle.

She’s definitely the type to give her opponent a senzu bean.

And with her extreme training camps I am sure many more badasses are bound to follow.

12. Akame

Anime: Akame ga Kill

In a show where characters don’t flinch after losing an arm, it’s safe to say that any of these ladies could have made it onto this list.

But Akame is by far the strongest.

With her demon sword Murasame, she seems almost invincible at times. And could definitely give Rurouni Kenshin a run for his money; in both their ability with the sword and their guilty conscience.

And when she actually unleashes her full power, oof. If you’ve seen her battle with Esdeath you know the pure hype that emanated from every clash.

11. Kallen Stadtfeld

Anime: Code Geass
The queen pin herself, Kallen.

I’m actually really glad that the show portrayed Kallen as one of the big guns, instead of focusing solely on Lelouch and Suzaku.

When Kallen enters the battlefield it’s very much noticeable, as she’s basically a one-man army. Or should I say a one-woman army.

On top of that she lives a double life, still attending school and portraying a meek and honest student.

She does make up a big part of the fanservice in the show. But hey, no one’s complaining.

10. Yokko Littner

Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

If you think about it, Yokko is definitely the strongest character in the series.

She doesn’t need drill power or a mech in general, just give this woman a sniper and watch as enemies start dropping like flies.

Sure she might not be as charismatic as Kamina, or as plot protected as Simon, but she doesn’t need to be. She’s powerful purely because she’s a master at what she does.

And because she made herself powerful through training, that too.

Bonus points for also being such an understanding and well balanced character. The type of character that would ensure that future generations also make themselves strong.

9. Boa Hancock

Anime: One Piece

You know what they say: kill them with kindness.

I suppose turning someone into stone by firing heart arrows counts.

Boa is definitely a femme fatale, with emphasis on the fatal part.

Being the captain of the Kuja pirates and an empress of the Amazon tribe, it’s safe to say that she holds a lot of power and demands a lot of respect.

It also helps that everyone with a pulse and a surplus of testosterone falls in love with this woman… okay except bungee boy.

8. Milim Nava

Anime: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

It’s hard to even call Milim a warrior because most of the time she just seems like a chipper teenager ripped straight from a B class slice-of-life anime.

But the reason she’s so laid back and childish is because she’s honestly a god in this universe.

She one-shots every enemy she sees. And we’ve yet to see her actually be phased by someone.

If Rimuru had fought her in earnest and not used his/its head the show would have ended the second Milim was introduced.

7. Tanya Degurechaff

Anime: Youjo Senki

You don’t get the nickname of the “Demon of the Rhine” for nothing, you know.

She’s absolutely ruthless, to friend and foe alike.

She has no issues with punishing her troops severely if they misbehave and can’t even be bothered to remember the people she has killed.

And she has killed many.

Being an absolute beast on the battlefield she has defeated entire platoons by herself on multiple occasions, as well as trained the up and coming beasts within their ranks.

She’s clever, she’s still a child, and she really hates commies. A dangerous combination.

6. Maki Oze

Anime: Fire Force

I like my anime characters goofy and I like them strong. As you could imagine Maki fits both categories exceptionally well.

By appearance alone, you could see that she follows the hard working lifestyle of Akitaru more so than the “just be gifted” mentality of someone like Arthur.

At first she came off as just another air-head, obsessed with love and everything fate related. But after her little show on the rooftop we all saw that she’s much more.

Her power is rather interesting, but the fact that she doesn’t even have to rely on it all that much make her a true warrior!

5. Erza Scarlet

Anime: Fairy Tail

Erza is a must-have in these kinds of lists. As she has always been on the radar for badass female protagonists.

She has a very similar vibe to Tsunade, only the writers were way more generous and didn’t power cliff her when the stakes were down.

Out of combat she’s this happy and assertive person who’s respected by the entire guild.

On the field, however, she’s like a dancing swordsman who can’t make up her mind on what she wants to wear, all while pummeling you into oblivion.

4. Rumi Usagiyama

Anime: Boku no Hero Academia

Rumi, hero name Mirko, is definitely one of the most impressive heroes to have ever been featured in BNHA.

If you haven’t read the manga, this might come as a bit of a surprise as she has only recently been introduced in the anime. And (as of this writing) the anime hasn’t shown off her fighting capabilities… yet.

But if you’re caught up on the manga then you know what an absolute monster she is.

With a mentality that leaves her not fearing death itself, Mirko can suffer tremendous damage and not even blink.

She has also battled multiple high-end Nomu at once and is the only top hero to not need any kind of agency to boost her numbers.

I honestly can’t wait for her to reappear and kick ass in glorious anime fashion.

3. Mikasa

Anime: Attack on Titan

This spot could have easily gone to Annie as well, but I don’t feel like getting lynched by the Mikasa army.

The kuudere we all know and love, who alongside Levi seems to be the only reason that humanity actually stands a chance.

Flying like a butterfly and stinging like a bee on steroids, she’s definitely a horror on the battlefield.

This is further amplified whenever Eren is in danger.

Because as we all know he was the one who gave her a real home by saying “Mikasa es su casa”. I am not sorry.

2. Asuka Langley

Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Another cult classic, Asuka.

Honestly just being from the Evangelion series and remaining somewhat mentally sound already makes you a badass in my book.

But man, the pure fighting spirit this woman has is unreal.

Even as the iron rain fell from the sky she still wanted to fight on, never once losing her will to press on.

Even by her lonesome she has battled hordes of enemies, again never turning back.

I can say without a doubt that she’s a pure warrior and will appear on these types of lists for many years to come.

1. Princess Mononoke

Anime: Princess Mononoke

With cities and society people grow lazy and content. So someone raised in the wild will always come out on top in combat.

Mononoke, being raised in nature, has remained in a way ferocious and more importantly a predator.

She’s also very passionate in regards to her home and its protection.

Put all of these things together and you get a woman who would march into war fearlessly, and wouldn’t back down no matter what.

I have said it before and I will say it again: as far as strong female leads go, Mononoke will always be near the top.

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