Anime warrior girls are feared by enemies and cherished by fans!
There are so many different elements that make up a character. Appearance, personality, background, you name it. But one aspect that definitely ups a character's cool factor is their skill. Who wouldn't want to have a powerful ally by their side, someone to protect them from all the baddies lurking in the shadows. Now imagine how wonderful it would be if that super strong friend also happened to be super hot. The possibilities are endless. This fantasy becomes reality (not literally) in the form of the anime warrior girl. She will defend you, love you, and stay by your side no matter what.
But seeing as how our medium is home to so many action series, each filled with an array of fighters, it is difficult to filter out the finest. To help solve this issue, we have gathered the twenty-two most capable cuties, most of which have saved the world from destruction at least once, into one comprehensive list.
However, as lists are subjective, we obviously weren't able to include everyone's favorite anime warrior girl - there are just too many awesome options to choose from. But, hopefully, along with the lady warriors you already know and love, you might get to know some lesser-known characters too. As they say, the more the merrier!
Come check out 25 of the badass anime warriors in existence!
Asuna Yuuki
From Sword Art Online
Asuna Yuuki, known as "The Flash" for her lightning-fast sword strikes, is one of the best gamers in Sword Art Online. She is a rapier specialist and the sub-leader of the leading guild in Aincrad, the Knights of the Blood. With many sword skills at her disposal, she is definitely a fearsome combatant in the virtual realm! But even this badass anime warrior has a softer side, which is probably the half that takes over when she's cooking for Kirito and her friends.
Saber
From Fate/stay night
Saber is a Saber-class Servant who used to be known as the "King of Knights". Her swordsmanship is at a very high level, although she excels even more at using her vast amounts of magical energy, a result of her dragon's blood. With her holy sword, Excalibur, and her "Mana Burst" ability, she is one of the most powerful Servants. Saber is loved by fans worldwide for good reason: she is kind, valiant, and fierce, all traits that make for one divine heroine. None would mind putting the fate of the world in this blonde beauty's hands.
Mikasa Ackerman
From Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)
Mikasa Ackerman is a military genius, with amazing combat abilities, physical strength, agility, and near mastery of the 3D Maneuver Gear. She has been described by her superiors as worth 100 soldiers, which just proves what a prodigy she is, and why she is such an amazing anime warrior girl. The fact that she has been forced to overcome so much throughout her life only adds to her popularity with fans.
Erza Scarlet
From Fairy Tail
Erza Scarlet is an S-class mage of the Fairy Tail Guild, a member of Team Natsu, and a master swordswoman. She uses a magical form of Requip known as The Knight to swap weapons and armor while fighting, and she is known as "Titania" for her immense strength. In addition, she has super endurance, speed, agility, and an artificial eye to mitigate the effect of certain eye techniques. Plus, she possesses powers of telekinesis, a vast amount of magic energy, and excellent hand-to-hand combat skills. Truly a well-rounded warrior, Erza has few weaknesses.
Sakura Haruno
From Naruto: Shippuuden
We have watched Sakura blossom from a little shinobi-in-training into a powerful anime warrior girl. By the second season of the series, Naruto: Shippuuden, she has become one of the most acknowledged ninja in her hometown of Konohagakure. Not only is her punch a force to be reckoned with, she also has the ability to heal the wounded by using her keen sense for controlling her inner energy force called chakra. All this combined with her quick temper (she literally has an angry voice inside that goes crazy every time she gets mad) makes Sakura one serious badass.
Homura Akemi
From Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Homura Akemi has the appearance of any other magical girl: a cute face, long shiny hair, and, of course, ribbons! However, this petite cutie has a dark secret just waiting to break free. As you will find out fairly quickly in the series, Homura is one of the most powerful anime warriors of all time. She has shooting skills and magical abilities that surpass your average baddie by far. Since this series has one of the most mysterious plots in anime, we will let you explore the depth of her strength on your own, but believe us... you will most definitely be impressed.
Motoko Kusanagi
From Ghost in the Shell
Are you familiar with the Matrix? Well, Motoko is like all the main protagonists of it combined to make one unbelievably powerful anime warrior. After an incident as a child, her mind was implanted into an entirely prosthetic body. This rebirth of sorts transforms her into a cyborg of unlimited possibilities, fully equipped with a cyberbrain able to hack into the networks of other robotic beings and forcing them to fight for her. Even without this ability though, Major Kusanagi has superhuman strength and agility, making her nearly unstoppable. Technology can be truly frightening, but Motoko also portrays its beauty.
Ran Tsukikage
From Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran (Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran)
Ran Tsukikage is a female ronin who wanders around Japan, looking for adventures with her friend Meow. Ran loves sake, and loves to call herself beautiful. Of course, her most iconic characteristic is her amazing skill with the sword. Although very laidback (some might say lazy), she is one of the best samurai out there. She easily dispatches her enemies with a unique one-handed sword technique.
Maka Albarn
From Soul Eater
Maka Albarn is a Scythe-Meister who is partnered with the "Demon Scythe" Soul Eater. When partnered with Soul, she is very proficient at a number of Soul Resonance attacks, such as Witch-Hunt and Demon-Hunt. Her Grigori abilities also allow her to take flight. As the protagonist of the series, she has many opportunities to spin her scythe to her heart's desire!
Casca
From Berserk
Casca, the only female soldier in the original Band of the Hawk, is a great swordswoman, second in ability only to Griffith and Guts. She is extremely devoted to Griffith because when she was being threatened with rape at age twelve, he gave her a sword so she could defend herself. She has honed her combat skills since that moment.
Yoruichi Shihouin
From Bleach
Yoruichi Shihouin is the former captain of the 2nd Division of the Gotei 13, as well as the former commander of the Onmitsukidō. Known as the "Goddess of Flash", she is regarded as the fastest Hohō master Soul Society has ever produced. She is also an extremely skilled hand-to-hand combatant, and almost never uses a zanpakutō or other weapon. Despite this, she more than holds her own against many powerful characters.
Hikaru Minamoto
From Otogizoushi (Otogi Zoshi: The Legend of Magatama)
Hikaru Minamoto is a highly skilled archer and swordswoman. She must impersonate her brother Raiko, who is terminally ill, on a quest to find the Magatama of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. With the help of her companions, she defeats many enemies along the way.
Satsuki Kiryuuin
From Kill la Kill
Satsuki Kiryuuin is incredibly proficient with her sword, the Bakuzan. Even without the use of her conveniently skimpy Kamui, Junketsu, she is an extremely powerful fighter, with enhanced speed, strength, endurance, and reflexes. Her false toenails, made of the same material as the Bakuzan, can also be used as a weapon—which is totally absurd, but cool at the same time.
Lina Inverse
From Slayers
Lina Inverse is a very powerful sorceress who specializes in black magic, although she also uses shamanistic and white magic. Her magic ability is immense; she is able to cast extremely high-level spells such as the Ragna Blade and Giga Slave. Notorious throughout the world for the destruction she tends to leave in her wake, even dragons are known to be afraid of this short-tempered sorceress.
Sara
From Samurai Champloo
Sara, a blind shamisen player, is one of the most skilled fighters in the series. She is incredibly proficient with the kamayari, or sickle spear. Her blindness doesn't hold her back. In fact, this badass anime warrior girl actually uses it to enhance her other senses, and to perceive her opponents' movements during battle.
Utena Tenjou
From Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena)
Utena Tenjou is a tomboyish teenage girl who models her behavior on that of a noble prince. She is motivated to participate in a series of sword duels to protect her friend Anthy, who is given to the winner of each duel as the Rose Bride. Utena can also call on the spirit of Dios to enhance her dueling abilities.
Shana
From Shakugan no Shana
Shana is considered one of the most powerful Flame Hazes. She has great proficiency with her sword, the Nietono no Shana, and can summon and wield flames to enhance her abilities. In addition, she can manipulate the Power of Existence, and can even fly with Wings of Crimson. Hot!
Shiki Ryougi
From Kara no Kyoukai (The Garden of Sinners)
Shiki Ryougi has an unbelievably high tolerance for pain. When wielding a Japanese katana, she undergoes a kind of self-hypnosis, or self-suggestion, which greatly enhances her mental and physical capabilities. For example, while her range with a knife is only three meters long, it triples to nine meters with a katana. Most importantly, she possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception," which allow her to perceive lines, and points, of death. When she cuts along those lines, or pierces those points, she can kill both things with form, and concepts without life or form. Impressive, though scary!
Sango
From InuYasha
Sango is a master demon slayer, although she has no spiritual or demonic powers. Still, she is adept at a number of weapons, most notably a giant boomerang named Hiraikotsu. Along with Kirara, her two-tailed demon cat, she fights and slays powerful demons. Sango is one of the coolest anime warrior girls out there because even without any supernatural abilities, she is an extremely strong and capable fighter.
San
From Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)
San, or Princess Mononoke, is a wild warrior girl who was raised by wolves. She carries a dagger made from a wolf's tooth, and is also proficient with spears. Due to her upbringing in the forest, she is agile and fast, and able to dodge arrows, darts, and other weapons. As a symbol of nature, which mankind has forsaken, she is not only physically powerful, but also spiritually pure.
Youko Nakajima
From Juuni Kokuki (The Twelve Kingdoms)
Youko Nakajima is just an ordinary high school girl, until a man named Keiki gives her a sword and transports her to the Twelve Kingdoms, where she finds herself alone, a stranger in a strange land. To make things worse, she is under constant attack by demons, which she must fend off on her own. Although she starts off as weak and helpless, she grows stronger, both physically and mentally, throughout the series. Her transformation into a badass anime warrior girl is truly compelling.
Makie Otono-Tachibana
From Blade of the Immortal
Makie Otono-Tachibana hides her weapon, a double-bladed three-section-staff, in a hollowed-out shamisen. She is incredibly fast and skilled, both with her own weapon and with others'. Although her unparalleled ability with the sword has brought her only pain and suffering in her life, she is acknowledged to be the most dangerous warrior, man or woman, in Blade of the Immortal.
Teresa
From Claymore
Teresa of the Faint Smile is considered to be the most powerful Claymore of all time. She is a jack of all trades, but also a master of all trades. Although she does not have a specialized sword technique of her own, she has an incredible sensitivity to Yoma energy. Her own enormous yoki reserves allow her to overpower even the strongest Awakened Beings. In a series full of badass female warriors, Teresa is the most badass of them all.
Morgiana
From Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
As a Fanalis, Morgiana is an incredibly strong fighter. She has superpowered legs, which can (literally!) kick the ass of any mighty beast. Not only that, but she is extremely fast, and has a highly developed sense of smell. She uses a set of fiery chains, which once shackled her as a former slave, as her Household Vessel.
Balsa Yonsa
From Seirei no Moribito (Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit)
Balsa Yonsa is a wandering bodyguard-for-hire, and an exceptionally talented spear-wielder. When she takes on the task of protecting Prince Chagum from his many would-be assassins, she begins a perilous journey both to save the young boy's life, and to complete her atonement for a tragic incident in her past.
And there you have it! These badass anime warrior girls have made their mark in the world of anime as some of the most powerful and valiant beings in existence, bringing you excitement and joy with every epic battle they participate in. But excitement is more than just one character.
If you are looking to get pumped up a bit more, why not check out the action anime or anime action scenes articles for more thrills!
