“Most popular anime girls of all time” is a tricky thing to figure out.
There are literally hundreds of cute, tough, sexy, smart, funny, shy, and/ or nerdy female characters to choose from.
Before I wrote this, I looked through a lot of “best girl” lists. Many lists are biased in favor of current anime series, which excludes some great characters. Others prefer serious drama over comedy. Cosplay is another good indicator of popularity.
With that in mind, here’s my “most popular anime girls of all time” list, based upon online lists, cosplay observations, and my own gut feelings.
List of the Most Popular Anime Girls
- Ochaco Uraraka, My Hero Academia
- Mikasa Ackerman, Attack on Titan
- Taiga Aisaka, Toradora!
- Nezuko Kamado, Demon Slayer
- Rem, Re:Zero
- Erza Scarlet, Fairy Tail
- Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon
- Asuna Yuuki, Sword Art Online
- Megumin, KonoSuba
- Hinata Hyuga, Naruto
10. Hinata Hyuga, Naruto
There are many kunoichi in Naruto, but few of them appear in top 10 lists as often as Hinata. Fans may be attracted to her nice and shy personality. Or they may be impressed by how much she grows as a character.
When it came to potential Naruto girlfriend shipping, a lot of fans preferred her over Naruto’s abrasive, tsundere teammate, Sakura. And manga creator Masashi Kishimoto apparently also agrees. After all, Hinata eventually married the knucklehead ninja.
Hinata Hyuga anime girl merch:
If you love Hinata, check out this figure on ZenMarket:
9. Megumin, KonoSuba
Megumin is the explosive young wizard in the isekai comedy series KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World. The series specializes in eccentric female characters, especially Kazuma’s companions.
But Megumin’s loud, boastful, and impulsive nature, along with her destructive powers, have made her a fan favorite. Her cute witch-like outfit also makes her a memorable cosplay choice.
That might explain why the movie KonoSuba: Legend of Crimson focuses on Megumin, rather than Aqua, or Darkness.
If you’re a Megumin superfan, you might enjoy this POP UP PARADE Megumin swimsuit figure:
8. Asuna Yuuki, Sword Art Online
Asuna Yuuki is a major protagonist in the science-fiction Sword Art Online franchise. Although she sometimes uses different avatars, she remains the primary heroine in most versions of SAO.
Given that SAO takes place in a virtual reality game environment, it should come as no surprise that Asuna is a powerful swordsman, and a great leader. Of course, she also starts out as a relatively inexperienced gamer, who leans on her partner Kirito for help. In the SAO Progressive prequel movie, the stress of the situation brings her snarky side out.
But in most instances, when she’s not fighting, Asuna is generally a nice, kind, and quiet girl.
Asuna merch:
If you’re an Asuna fan, here is a figure you might like. It also won’t break the bank!
7. Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon
If we base popularity entirely upon cosplay, crossplay, and miscellaneous merchandise sales, the quintessential magical girl Sailor Moon would be a strong candidate for best anime girl ever.
Even ignoring her swag, Usagi is worthy of consideration. She grows from a whiny, crybaby teen to resolute leader of the sailor scouts. She represents the ultimate peak of transforming magical girl heroines.
Recent anime fans may well ask, “what has she done for us lately?” But even non-anime fans recognize her as an iconic symbol of Japanese pop culture.
Sailor Moon anime girl figures
For the Sailor Moon anime figure collectors, here is a great one under $30 USD.
6. Erza Scarlet, Fairy Tail
This heavy armor-plated wizard is one of the stronger and tougher fighters in the Fairy Tail guild. In many story arcs, Erza is a powerful part of Natsu’s team.
Some fans may prefer Lucy Heartfilia, who is more of a cute, comedic character. However, underneath her steel exterior and strict, no-nonsense personality, Erza does have a softer side. Her tragic past also adds to her fan appeal.
Fairy Tail Erza notebook
If you want some Fairy Tail merch that isn’t a figure, you could always use another notebook! Check this one out with awesome Erza cover art.
5. Rem, Re:Zero
Rem is the cute and polite maid from the isekai Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World. (She’s the blue-haired one; her sister Ram is the pink-haired one.)
Anime fans do like maids (which might help explain the abundance of Rem cosplay and figurines). But there’s obviously more than just that.
Rem is also an extremely loyal and supportive character. At various times, she shows strong feelings of loyalty, support, love and/ or respect toward Subaru, her sister, or royal selection candidate Emilia.
Unfortunately, she’s also a somewhat unstable and unreliable side character, which keeps her from the top of lists.
Rem nightwear figure
If you need Rem in your anime display case, this sleepwear figure is one of the more unique designs we’ve come across.
4. Nezuko Kamado, Demon Slayer
At the beginning of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Tanjiro’s little sister Nezuko gets turned into a demon. This event pushes forward the whole plot of the series.
Throughout much of the series, Nezuko is incapable of saying anything. Despite this handicap, she manages to convey a lot of emotion. As she slowly recovers elements of her humanity, she gets better. It is obvious that she is supportive and protective of her human companions, especially her brother.
She is also one of the cuter demons you will ever meet.
Nezuko Demon Slayer Tamagotchi
Did you know that Tamagotchi has anime-themed models? This Nezuko version is the perfect one for Demon Slayer fans.
3. Taiga Aisaka, Toradora!
Angry “palmtop tiger” teen Taiga is the main female protagonist of the romantic comedy series Toradora!
It would be lazy to call her tsundere, although she certainly fits the definition. Her fiery temper and perpetually violent nature somehow make her more cute and lovable, especially combined with her short stature. (Both fans of the series and characters on the show seem to agree.)
For what it’s worth, Taiga has a legitimate excuse for her angry outbursts. She’s not happy with her rich, but messed-up family, especially her father.
Taiga Aisaka anime figure
If you’re on team Taiga, then definitely check out this China Dress version.
2. Mikasa Ackerman, Attack on Titan
This tough, badass Survey Corps soldier fought hard to earn a place on many top ten lists. Of course, it helps that Mikasa is one of three main protagonists of the extremely popular post-apocalyptic survival series Attack on Titan.
Mikasa has incredible combat skills and superhuman abilities, which are vital skills under the circumstances. Unlike many of the characters on this list, she is stoic and unemotional.
Attack on Titan merch
For the hardcore AoT fans, check out this unisex Survey Corps jacket.
1. Ochaco Uraraka, My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia is another shonen action series with a lot of strong female characters.
And Ochaco, the cute, sweet girl with gravity-controlling powers, is one of the better ones in a cast full of lovable superheroes. (Lists which don’t include Ochaco often substitute funny, oddball frog girl Tsuyu Asui instead.)
At school events, Ochaco/ Uravity often gets paired with Deku (when he’s not with explosive rival Bakugo). The two do make a cute couple.
On top of all that, she’s also determined to become the best hero she can be.
POP UP PARADE Ochaco Uraraka anime figure
If you want to display Ochaco on your display stands, check out this figure.
Anime Girl Pins
In any case, every anime girl has her uniqueness. As a sincere anime fan, what peripheral products do you usually collect? Besides dolls, do you have any more surprising discoveries? I also have a very special suggestion here: If you convert your favorite anime girl characters into exquisite enamel pins, it is an excellent choice to decorate your own items or just collect them.
On YouTube, we see that many bloggers draw their favorite anime characters and convert them into exquisite badges, which greatly improves the sense of participation and accomplishment. If you want to create unique and personalized anime pins, try this enamel pin maker — enamelpins.com will turn your ideas into reality. A reality that you can wear!
Final Note on The Most Popular Anime Girls:
This was not an easy list to make. Sorry if your favorite isn’t here. I also considered Haruhi Suzumiya, Konata Izumi (Lucky Star), Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop), Yui Hirasawa (K-On!), Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket), Tohru (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid) and many others.
