45 Best Anime Waifus Of All Time (2024)

The world of Japanese anime is home to thousands of fictional characters of all sorts, and these characters can be hugely popular for various reasons. Classic shonen protagonists are famed for their strength and courage, and shojo heroines are inspiring role models for girls everywhere. Anime waifus are equally admirable.

An anime waifu is the theoretical ideal life partner for a viewer—typically a female character with desirable traits such as beauty, intelligence, personal loyalty, certain talents/skills, a fascinating worldview, a good sense of humor, and more. It's ultimately a subjective field, but certain waifus have established themselves as clear favorites and can be approximately ranked according to popularity and merit.

Updated on July 22nd, 2024 by Louis Kemner: Fan-favorite anime waifus stand out for their stellar personalities and intriguing stories. They are all different, but all equally admired by fans around the world. This article has thus been udpated yet again with five more entries from a rich variety of anime series that fans love.

45 Misaki Ayuzawa is a Fierce and Loyal Tsundere Maid

Misaki Ayuzawa of Maid-Sama! fame ranks at the bottom of the list of anime waifus because she's rather hostile to boys as a whole, creating a high barrier of entry for anyone imagining her as their girlfriend. Misaki is also a famously stubborn, tough, and hot-tempered tsundere, and some fans will like that while others will not.

There's still plenty to love about this anime waifu, though, especially for fans of tough tsunderes like her. Misaki is a highly responsible and caring person who pushes herself to the limit to support her struggling family and improve life for her classmates, and she is a loyal friend, too. Misaki also has a generous heart, having found love with Takumi Usui despite the latter's obnoxious antics as a "pervy space alien."

Maid-Sama!

Seika High, once an all-boys school, undergoes a transformation into a co-ed institution. Misaki Ayuzawa, the first female student council president, maintains a strict and disciplined image at school while secretly working at a maid café to support her family. Her hidden life is discovered by Takumi Usui, a popular boy, leading to an unexpected romance that faces challenges due to Usui's complicated familial background, eventually culminating in their marriage ten years later.

Release Date

December 24, 2005

Author

Hiro Fujiwara

Artist

Hiro Fujiwara

Genre

Romantic Comedy , Shojo

Chapters

85

Volumes

18

Publisher

Hakusensha, Tokyopop (former), Viz Media

44 Touka Kirishima Cares More About Her Friends Than She'll Admit

Plenty of anime fans enjoy meeting somewhat edgy and dark anime waifus who skirt the line between wholesome heroines and flamboyant bad girls. Touka Kirishma from Tokyo Ghoul, for example, is a compelling antihero who actually balanced the ghoul and human worlds in her mind even before she met Ken Kaneki.

Touka is comfortable being a ghoul, but she is not a vicious predator like her brother or Rize Kamishiro. Touka is willing to integrate into human life, such as attend public school, and she will defend her ghoul and human friends alike from harm. She's a protective big sister type, whether or not she would admit it, and Touka is also a great friend and eventual lover for Ken Kaneki, the new one-eyed ghoul in town.

Tokyo Ghoul

TV-MA

Action

Horror

A Tokyo college student is attacked by a ghoul, a superpowered human who feeds on human flesh. He survives, but has become part ghoul and becomes a fugitive on the run.

Release Date

July 4, 2014

Cast

Natsuki Hanae , Sora Amamiya , Rie Kugimiya

Studio

Pierrot

43 Shion Appointed Herself Rimuru's #1 Protector and Secretary

The slime hero Rimuru Tempest gathered an impressive variety of friends and allies during his isekai adventure in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, including the six survivors of an ogre village. One of them was Shion, a one-horned woman who didn't just join Rimuru's team -- she embraced him as her best friend and even named herself his secretary, no arguing allowed.

Shion's enthusiasm, goofy humor, good looks, and formidable combat skills all endeared her to Tensura fans as a true standout character even in a world of redeemed orcs, lizard folk, wizards, and much more. She also tends to butt heads with her friend Shuna, another ogre lady who wishes to be Rimuru's #1 friend. The two of them are known to actually fight over Rimuru, stretching his slime body as they play tug-of-war with him.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

TV-PG

Action-Adventure

Average 37-year-old Minami Satoru dies and is reincarnated as the most unremarkable creature imaginable-a slime.

Release Date

October 2, 2018

Cast

Miho Okasaki , Megumi Toyoguchi , Mao Ichimichi , Makoto Furukawa

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

Eight Bit

Creator

Fuse

Sequel

The Slime Diaries

Number of Episodes

48

42 Kyoko Hori is the Quintessential Anime Girlfriend

Horimiya is widely admired for emphasizing normal, healthy, and realistic friendships and romances between likable teenage boys and girls. The single best example is the romantic pairing between Kyoko Hori and Izumi Miyamura, who both learned that there's more to each other than they first thought. Izumi is a fine young man with a gentle, big-brotherly attitude while Kyoko is a responsible, smart, and outgoing young woman who can get along with -- and handle -- anyone she meets.

Kyoko is one of the best anime waifus simply because she needs no gimmicks to be endearing to anime fans. If fans want a break from flashy anime girls or weirdly compelling yanderes, then a wonderful girl-next-door type like Kyoko Hori is a safe bet. She helps remind fans that there's something glamorous about "normal" in the world of love.

Horimiya

TV-14

Comedy

Drama

Two very different people - an academically successful schoolgirl and a quiet loser schoolboy - meet and develop a friendship.

Release Date

January 10, 2021

Cast

Haruka Tomatsu , Koki Uchiyama , Seiichiro Yamash*ta

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Creator

Hiroki Adachi

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Production Company

Aniplex, CloverWorks

See Also

35 Best Anime Waifus Of All Time: The Ultimate Ranking – FandomSpotThe Most Iconic and Beloved Characters – Japan Daily70 Best Anime Waifus of All Time: The Heartthrobs of Otaku Culture10 Best Anime Waifus, Ranked

Number of Episodes

26

Network

Crunchyroll

41 Winry Rockbell is Amestris' #1 Engineer

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has a few waifus and husbandos to offer, from the handsome and homely Maes Hughes to the cool kuudere Riza Hawkeye and most of all, the brilliant Winry Rockbell. She is the actual girl next door for the Elric brothers, being part of a childhood trio with them. She never learned science or alchemy, but Winry did learn the ways of automail.

In the anime's main story, Winry stood out with her expertise in mechanics, being the only person Ed trusted to tune his automail arm and leg, which says something about the strength of their friendship. As for Winry's personality, fans love what a kind, energetic, and responsible character she is, with equal parts humor, romance, friendship, and drama defining her arc.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

TV-14

Action

Adventure

Drama

Fantasy

Original title: Hagane no renkinjutsushi.
When a failed alchemical ritual leaves brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric with severely damaged bodies, they begin searching for the one thing that can save them: the fabled philosopher's stone.

Release Date

April 9, 2009

Cast

Romi Pak , Rie Kugimiya , Shinichirô Miki , Fumiko Orikasa

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Production Company

Bones

Number of Episodes

64

40 Shoko Nishimiya Is a Quiet Girl Trying to Express Herself

Shoko Nishimiya is the dandere co-star of the dramatic anime movie A Silent Voice. She is a kindhearted and compassionate person who always sees the best in others and will forgive anything, which greatly impressed anime fans, considering all she's been through.

Shoko completely forgave Shoya Ishida for bullying her, and she will give him a second chance now that they're older. Shoko is a wonderful waifu and human being, though she also has a lot to figure out about herself and her family's affairs. Shoko Nishimiya is a wonderful character to love in the A Silent Voice movie and has plenty of fans as a realistic, charming anime girl, though she's not memorable or unique enough to beat the industry's best waifus ever. So, Shoko humbly ranks close to the bottom of the industry's best.

A Silent Voice (2016)

Not Rated

Drama

A young man is ostracized by his classmates after he bullies a deaf girl to the point where she moves away. Years later, he sets off on a path for redemption.

Release Date

October 20, 2017

Studio

Kyoto Animation

Cast

Saori Hayami , Miyu Irino , Yui Ishikawa , Megumi Han

Runtime

130 minutes

Main Genre

Anime

39 Sawako Kuronuma Is Much Kinder Than She Looks

Kimi Ni Todoke is a popular shojo romance anime starring the dandere Sawako Kuronuma. She may look like The Ring's villain on the outside, but she is actually a friendly and supportive person who wants to build relationships with her peers and express herself more clearly.

Sawako may seem like a fairly conventional shojo lead, but fans still adore her as a gentle, compassionate person who wants what's best for everyone. She can also be charmingly dense or goofy at times, which makes her feel more well-rounded.

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You

TV-PG

Drama

Comedy

Sawako's one wish in life is to make friends. That's a difficult proposition due to her resemblance to Sadako from The Ring. Her life starts to change after she befriends her classmate, Kazehaya, an easygoing guy who is nice even with her.

Release Date

October 6, 2009

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

Production I.G.

Number of Episodes

38

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix , Hulu , Crunchyroll , Tubi

38 Kosaki Onodera Is the Sweet Girl Next Door

Even if Kosaki Onodera is not part of Nisekoi's main couple, anime fans often like her better than Chitoge Kirisaki because Kosaki is not a typical violent tsundere. Chitoge has her merits, but she can also be annoyingly brash and aggressive, which fans don't usually like.

Kosaki is the charming girl next door who runs a sweets shop with her mother and younger sister. Kosaki dearly hoped that she was Raku's promised girl, but no matter which girl has the key to Raku's locket, Nisekoi fans agree that Kosaki—not Chitoge—should end up with Raku as a wonderful waifu and girlfriend.

Nisekoi

TV-PG

Comedy

Romance

The heir to a Yakuza Family is forced to be in a relationship with the daughter of the head of a gangster family to avoid a gang war, much to their chagrin.

Release Date

January 11, 2014

Cast

Koki Uchiyama , Nao Tôyama , Kana Hanazawa , Yûki Kaji

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Creator

Naoshi Komi

37 Yumeko Jabami Savors the Erotic Thrill of Gambling

Kakegurui is an unusual high school anime series where the sons and daughters of society's elite learn to gamble in high-stakes games of all kinds, so they can practice risk-taking and reading other people. Hyakkou Academy has strict rules and a rigid hierarchy, but then Yumeko Jabami arrives.

Yumeko is a whirlwind of reckless gambling, rule-breaking, and gleeful pleasure, and fans love how she's a bull in a china shop while also being a loyal, trusting friend to Ryota and Mary. Yumeko is popular as a somewhat edgy, roguish antihero waifu who is beautiful, funny, and vicious all at once. She's the one who revels in the erotic thrill of gambling, adding a new layer to the tense narrative of Kakegurui.

Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler

Drama

Mystery

A gambling prodigy comes to an elite school run by games and turns the order upside down.

Release Date

July 1, 2017

Cast

Saori Hayami , Minami Tanaka

Seasons

2

Studio

MAPPA

Number of Episodes

24

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix

36 Tohru Honda Has Boundless Empathy For the Needy People Around Her

Tohru Honda is the heroine of the classic shojo anime Fruits Basket. Her father Katsuya died when she was small, so Tohru was raised by her kind single mother, Kyoko. Growing up, Tohru learned all kinds of life lessons from her doting mom, including the importance of giving other people another chance.

Even with Kyoko gone, Tohru still carries the lessons she learned from her mother, which helped inspire her to help the Sohmas, who have curses and personal baggage to deal with. Only with her incredible empathy, kindness, and patience can Tohru help people like Kyo and Yuki break free from their mental prisons. Tohru also made two excellent friends at school, Saki and Arisa, both of whom needed a friend like her.

Fruits Basket

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Drama

After Tohru is taken in by the Soma family, she learns that twelve family members transform involuntarily into animals of the Chinese zodiac and helps them deal with the emotional pain caused by the transformations.

Release Date

April 5, 2019

Cast

Manaka Iwami , Laura Bailey , Nobunaga Shimazaki , Jerry Jewell

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

3

Production Company

TMS Entertainment

Number of Episodes

63

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Hulu

See Also

The 5 best anime waifus of 2022 that stomped us hard

35 Mai Sakurajima Wishes People Could See the Real Her

Mai Sakurajima from Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai is a lovable tsundere who wants to stay on the down-low despite her status as a model and actress. Her mother forced her into the industry at a very young age, so Mai feels disenchanted since most people only see her for the characters she's played instead of who she really is.

Mai's Adolescence Syndrome grants her the anonymity she's always wanted, but it also gradually erases her from existence. However, Sakuta loves her for who she is and helps stop the syndrome from getting worse. Mai may have a cold exterior, but she's loyal and protective of the people she cares about. Fans of emotionally complex characters have plenty to love about Mai, hence her place among the best waifus, though she's not memorable enough to rank that high.

Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai

TV-PG

Drama

Fantasy

The seemingly normal life of Sakuta Azusagawa, a high school student changes drastically when he meets a wild bunny girl that seems to be invisible to others.

Release Date

October 3, 2018

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Studio

CloverWorks

Creator

Hajime Kamoshida

Number of Episodes

13

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix , Crunchyroll , Hulu

34 Asuna Yuuki Fights By Kirito's Side In Digital Dungeons

Yuuki is Sword Art Online's Best Girl by a comfortable margin, and she's a great example of a lovable sword-wife character. Like Kirito, Asuna decides to play a virtual fantasy MMORPG, only to get trapped in that digital world. Instead of giving up or grieving other players, though, Asuna toughens up and fights for survival with Kirito.

Asuna impresses SAO fans with her ferocious combat skills, her loyalty, and her friendly, supportive personality. She needs Kirito to save her from Oberon, but returns the favor and rescues Kirito from the Underworld despite the danger both in the game world and the real world.

Sword Art Online

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

In the year 2022, thousands of people get trapped in a new virtual MMORPG and the lone wolf player, Kirito, works to escape.

Release Date

July 8, 2012

Creator(s)

Reki Kawahara

Cast

Yosh*tsugu Matsuoka , Haruka Tomatsu , Ayana Taketatsu , Miyuki Sawashiro , Ai Kayano

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

4

Production Company

A-1 Pictures, ASCII Mediaworks, Aniplex, Bandai Namco Games, Genco

Number of Episodes

100

33 Raphtalia Vowed to Become Naofumi's Loyal Sword Arm

The Rising of the Shield Hero has relatively few likable characters, so a fine anime waifu like Raphtalia stands out all the more. Raphtalia suffered greatly in her childhood, but now she is empowered as a strong and fair-minded hero who will save others from any threat, from monsters to slavers.

Raphtalia is lovable because of her cheerful, goofy personality and her fierce loyalty to Naofumi and Filo, two other members of her found family. In a fight, Raphtalia is courageous and fierce, favoring swords in close-range combat while relying on Naofumi's shields to protect her from harm.

The Rising of The Shield Hero

TV-14

Action

Adventure

A gamer is magically summoned into a parallel universe, where he is chosen as one of four heroes destined to save the world from its prophesied doom.

Release Date

January 9, 2019

Cast

Kaito Ishikawa , Asami Seto , Rina Hidaka

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

3 Seasons

Creator

Aneko Yusagi

Production Company

DR Movie, Kinema Citrus

Number of Episodes

50 Episodes

32 Shoko Komi Wishes to Make 100 Friends in School

Komi Can't Communicate stars one of anime's best dandere characters, the beautiful but terribly shy Shoko Komi. At first, she had no friends and was widely misunderstood, but then her new friend Hitohio Tadano extended a hand in friendship.

Now Shoko Komi is much happier with friends who understand and support her, which helps Shoko show her best side. Anime fans simply adore her as a precious anime waifu, wanting to protect and cheer her on as she strives to make even more friends in high school, especially in Season 2 of Komi Can't Communicate, when Shoko Komi branched out to make some new gal-pals during a Kyoto school trip.

Komi Can't Communicate

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Drama

An elite and aloof schoolgirl is in fact severely withdrawn and anxious about communicating with others. An ordinary schoolboy befriends her and helps her to open up and talk with people.

Release Date

October 21, 2021

Cast

Aoi Koga , Gakuto Kajiwara , Rie Murakawa , Rina Hidaka

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

31 Katarina Claes Just Wants to Make Everyone Happy

My Next Life as a Villainess is a delightful shojo isekai anime starring Katarina Claes, who earned the nickname Bakarina thanks to her incredibly dense and goofy personality. Katarina may be clueless half the time, but she means well and can be surprisingly crafty with her meta-knowledge.

Katarina is a charming anime waifu with genuine compassion and altruism; combined with her innocent, friendly demeanor and classy but unpretentious looks and aura, Katarina is an excellent waifu. She's so good at what she does, as Katarina accidentally created a co-ed harem around her—which might include a few anime fans too.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Drama

A young girl dies and is reincarnated into a video game. But when she finds out that her role is the villainess destined for doom, she takes measures to change the game and avoid that fate.

Release Date

April 4, 2020

Cast

Maaya Uchida , Tetsuya Kakihara , Shouta Aoi , Miho Okasaki

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

Silver Link

Creator

Satoru Yamaguchi

Number of Episodes

24 +OVA

30 Yui Is Gabimaru's Adoring Wife

Yui and Gabimaru’s marriage may have been arranged, but the way Yui treats Gabimaru is as if they had been in love this entire time. Although she disapproves of Gabimaru’s work, she understands and accepts him. Most importantly, though, Yui shows Gabimaru that he is deserving of love.

Yui grew up with an abusive father with death all around her, yet she remains just as kind as ever. She does her best to make their marriage more real and never complains when Gabimaru has to go away. Yui is a supportive, loving person who would do anything for her husband and her family. She may seem a bit straightforward compared to more exotic warrior-waifus, but sometimes, anime fans like a refreshingly straightforward, lovable character like Yui, so she earned a place among the best waifus of all.

Hell's Paradise

TV-MA

Anime

Action

Adventure

In the Edo period of Japan, a select group of convicts awaiting execution are offered the chance to be pardoned and freed the Shogunate of Japan if they go to investigate an island recently discovered southwest of the Ryukyu Kingdom. the convicts are accompanied by elite guards to ensure they won't escape.

Release Date

April 1, 2023

Cast

Chiaki Kobayashi , Yumiri Hanamori , Alejandro Saab , Rie Takahashi

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Number of Episodes

12

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

29 Yor Forger is the Ultimate Assassin Mom

Spy x Family's Yor Forger lives in the best of both worlds as an unassuming city hall employee by day and master assassin by night. Despite her reputation as the Thorn Princess, Yor's real personality isn't intimidating at all. She gets flustered easily and even seems naive in most situations.

However, Yor's martial arts skills paired with her weapon expertise make her a truly deadly assassin. She can instantly cut down mobs of people without giving it a second thought and come out relatively unscathed—though Yor would rather not have Loid or Anya see her like that.

Spy x Family

TV-14

Comedy

Action

Anime

A spy on an undercover mission gets married and adopts a child as part of his cover. His wife and daughter have secrets of their own, and all three must strive to keep together.

Release Date

April 9, 2022

Cast

Takuya Eguchi , Atsumi Tanezaki , Saori Hayami

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

Wit Studios / Clover Works

Creator

Tatsuya Endo

Number of Episodes

37

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Hulu

28 Kana Arima is a Child Actor Turned Tsundere Love Interest

Kana Arima is one of the supporting characters in Oshi no Ko, and Kana is immensely popular as a lively tsundere with relatable insecurities and fears. She was a successful child actress, which was when she met Aqua Hoshino, and by her teens, Kana isn't entirely sure how to keep her career going. She might make it big as a pop idol alongside Ruby Hoshino and Mem-Cho, at least.

On a personal level, Kana is a tough, smart, and largely self-reliant girl who has amusing chemistry with the Hoshino twins, who intrigue and annoy her. She might even get swept up in a love triangle with Aqua and Akane Kurokawa, which promises to deliver all kinds of drama and humor in the upcoming Season 2 of Oshi no Ko.

Oshi No Ko

TV-14

Drama

Fantasy

A doctor and his recently-deceased patient are reborn as twins to a famous Japanese musical idol and navigate the highs and lows of the Japanese entertainment industry as they grow up together through their lives.

Release Date

April 12, 2023

Cast

Rie Takahashi , Yumi Uchiyama

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Creator

Aka Akasaka

Production Company

CyberAgent, Dogakobo, Kadokawa, Sentai Studios, Shueisha

Number of Episodes

12 Episodes

27 Holo Enjoys Teasing Everyone Around Her

Holo from Spice & Wolf is a wolf spirit who doesn't take life too seriously. She's always teasing Lawrence, the series' protagonist. Holo is a classic hiyakasudere, so she loves bantering and poking fun at the people she cares about.

However, Holo's generally cheerful and lighthearted personality shouldn't be mistaken as naivety. She's a wolf goddess, after all, so she has five centuries' worth of wisdom in her arsenal. Holo constantly makes fun of Lawrence because she's been around the block enough times to know that his negotiating skills could use a lot of work.

Spice and Wolf

TV-14

Adventure

Drama

Kraft Lawrence goes from town to town to make profits as a travelling merchant, with the help of a wolf deity by the name of Holo.

Release Date

January 8, 2008

Cast

Jun f*ckuyama , Ami Koshimizu , J. Michael Tatum

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

2 Seasons

Creator

Isuna Hasekura

Production Company

ASCII Mediaworks, Brains Base, Flying Dog

26 Darkness Is a Goofy Yet Noble Crusader Fighting For Kazuma's Team

The parody isekai anime Konosuba has some of isekai's wackiest waifus of all, including the explosion-loving Megumin and the goofy, juvenile goddess Aqua. Fans mostly like Aqua for her good looks and Megumin for her personality, while Darkness (or Dustiness Ford Lalatina) is the best-rounded of all.

Darkness may be an ineffective crusader/paladin warrior, but she still has a noble, heroic heart and values her new friends deeply. She is also a relatively responsible and idealistic fantasy adventurer and, as a noble-born girl, really knows how to dress up for an evening ball. Now anime fans can see more of Darkness in action in the third and newest season of Konosuba, which is currently airing in the Spring 2024 anime season.

KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! (2016)

TV-14

Comedy

Adventure

It was a happy day for Kazuma - right up to the moment he died. A goddess intervenes and offers him a second chance in a magical land.

Release Date

January 14, 2016

Cast

Jun f*ckushima , Sora Amamiya

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

3

Studio

Studio Deen, Drive

Number of Episodes

20 + 2 OVAs