There are so many great women in both the cards themselves, and in the characters in the manga/anime, and so it’s worth looking at the ones that have made the most impact in Yu-Gi-Oh’s history. This list will break down all the female cards we know & love, ranging from cards that looked awesome in the anime, to others that completely rocked the meta game in real life. They’ve been played by multiple duelists throughout the anime’s history: from Mai Valentine in the original Yu-Gi-Oh series, to the Tyler twins, all the way forward in Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V. While this deck never really saw competitive play, it was certainly adored by casual fans far and wide, and old school players will remember these cards fondly.
29. Denko Sekka
Getting into the competitive side of things, Denko Sekka was widely used in multiple decks as an easy-to-summon floodgate. While Denko Sekka is on the field, set spells and traps become completely useless. This means you can’t activate set spells and traps, nor can you set any more. This effect is fantastic at shutting down spell/trap heavy decks. And there’s nothing more annoying in Yu-Gi-Oh! than thinking you’ve got the perfect combo going, when all of a sudden you get hit with a Bottomless Trap Hole out of nowhere! Denko Sekka keeps you safe from all of these traps (and more), making it the perfect addition to any deck.
28. Deep Sea Diva
Deep Sea Diva took water decks from okay to phenomenal. It’s the key searcher for these decks, and without Deep Sea Diva, you haven’t really got a water deck! When it’s summoned you can special summon any level 3 or lower sea serpent straight from the deck. Unlike a lot of searchers in Yu-Gi-Oh that simply add stuff to your hand, Deep Sea Diva lets you fill your board with powerful monsters immediately. And just because the monsters are level 3 or lower, that doesn’t mean they’re weaker than your average monster. In fact, this card is perfect for setting up XYZ summons: Simply special summon a level 2 monster off of this effect, and you’ve got an instant rank 2 monster on your hands.
27. Ruin, Queen of Oblivion
When Advanced Ritual Art was initially released, Ruin, Queen of Oblivion was part of an infamous OTK which involved Demise, King of Armageddon. If you played Yu-Gi-Oh around this time, then just seeing this card might send shivers down your spine. The idea was to quickly ritual summon these cards with Advanced Ritual Art by sending normal insect monsters from your deck to the grave, then finishing off your opponent with Doom Dozer by banishing those insects. Simple, and absolutely devastating. Ruin, Queen of Oblivion is one of the most powerful queens in card games. She truly deserves her title!
26. Trickstar Lycoris
Trickstars were one of the first decks to ever show the true potential of Link summoning. I remember being skeptical about how good Link monsters were when they were first announced. But seeing the plays that Trickstars could pull off changed my outlook completely. It’s hard to pick one Trickstar to represent the archetype as a whole, as there are so many great monsters to choose from! I went with Trickstar Lycoris as in my opinion, she’s the strongest of the bunch, and when I think of this deck I think of her. If you’ve never played with Link summoning rules, I’d highly recommend checking this deck out first!
25. The Weather Painter Rainbow
Speaking of iconic Link summoning decks, “The Weather” is an adorable archetype that players far and wide will recognize. The Weather Painter Rainbow is the boss monster of the deck, and is truly their most powerful card. It can negate the summons of your opponent’s monster by sacrificing itself, yet it’s true power comes in its second effect. Any “The Weather” monster this card points to gains the ability to banish themselves to negate effect activations. Given that this card has 3 link arrows, you’re looking at a total of 3 negates in a single turn. That kind of disruption is nearly impossible to overcome!
24. Witch of the Black Forest
Witch of the Black Forest is one of the most iconic cards from old school Yu-Gi-Oh. In fact, prior to this card having its text changed, Witch of the Black Forest was so good it was actually banned for quite some time! Whenever it’s sent from the field to the graveyard, you can search any monster from your deck with 1500 or less defense. There are so many good monsters you can search off of this – meaning the second your Witch hits the graveyard, your plays can get crazy. The classic old-school combo was to destroy this card via the effect of Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End. This was two broken effects wrapped into one even more broken combo, and if you’re playing old-school Yu-Gi-Oh, you’ve definitely got to try and pull this off sometime.
23. Darklord Ixchel
Monster effects aside, this card’s artwork is stunning. It combines the traditional anime/manga theme of Yu-Gi-Oh with a powerful looking demon vibe, and the result is a deck that looks like it could wipe the floor with you. Ixchel is definitely the most powerful Darklord in the archetype. Not only does it let you draw better cards from your deck by discarding itself, but while it’s on the field, it lets you reuse your used-up spells. Darklords are all about reviving their monsters from the graveyard with spell effects. And so without Ixchel’s effect to reuse them, you really haven’t got a leg to stand on.
22. Aussa the Earth Charmer (and all other Charmers)
The elemental charmers have some of the best artworks out of any female cards in Yu-Gi-Oh. These cards also recently got an updated artwork in the recent Charmer structure deck, but personally I’m more of a fan of the originals. It’s something about that old-school sketchy manga style that just looks great to me. Ask any duelist and they’ll have their own favorite elemental charmer! Personally, I’ve gotta go with Aussa the Earth Charmer. I played this card all the time in my Earth deck as a kid, and it’s just got the cutest artwork out of the lot.
21. Arcanite Magician
Did you know that Arcanite Magician was actually confirmed as a female character? I had no idea! I mean sure, she’s got the long hair. But this is Yu-Gi-Oh! Have you seen Yugi’s hair? Arcanite Magician was one of the most widely played synchro monsters in the early days of synchro summoning. At the time, archetypes weren’t as widespread as they are today, and so slotting a couple of spellcasters into your deck to summon this card wasn’t entirely out of the question. When it is summoned, you can use its effect to destroy up to 2 cards your opponent controls, at the cost of this card’s attack stat. This means you can get rid of spells, traps, and monsters all in one card, making Arcanite Magician an incredibly versatile tool in any deck with a tuner.
20. Chamber Dragonmaid
Chamber Dragonmaid is a highly sought-after card in modern Yu-Gi-Oh! Not only is this card adored by collectors for its artwork, but Chamber Dragonmaid is amazingly powerful in many dragon-based decks. When it’s summoned, it searches out a Dragonmaid spell or trap from your deck to your hand, allowing you to set up some crazy combos. You can then swap this card on the field for an even bigger Dragonmaid monster from your hand or graveyard – it truly is the perfect searcher.
19. Cyber Angel Benten
I absolutely loved the Cyber Angel archetype as a kid. Alexis Rhodes didn’t get enough duels in the anime to show off this decks power. And Cyber Angel Benten is iconic due to how it’s been played recently. Not only has this card dominated the meta game in real-life Yu-Gi-Oh, but it’s taken the world of Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links by storm. This card is so good that it’s actually been limited on the ban-list, mainly due to certain interactions with the new Drytron archetype. I’m sad to see Cyber Angels get nerfed, but I guess a part of me is glad that Cyber Angels are finally good enough that they need a nerf.
18. Isolde, Two Tales of the Noble Knights
As someone who lives in England, I can’t tell you how awesome it was to see English myths and legends actually represented in Yu-Gi-Oh! Isolde is hands-down my favorite Noble Knight card. The artwork just gives this fantastic royal vibe, and the effect takes Noble Knight decks from okay to unstoppable. With Isolde on the field, you can search out warrior monsters from your deck to your hand, but you can’t play said warriors during the turn they’re searched. On the other hand, by sending equip spells from the deck to the graveyard (which Noble Knight decks are in excess of) you can special summon a warrior from your deck. Both methods are a great way of getting your strongest warriors out on the field as fast as possible, making Isolde a great card for Noble Knight decks and generic warrior decks alike.
17. Shinobaroness Peacock
Shinobirds are a quite frankly bizarre archetype in Yu-Gi-Oh. They’re the only ritual-spirit decks to exist, which is one of the weirdest combinations I’ve ever heard of. Spirit monsters are cards that return to your hand during the end phase of the turn they’re summoned. So why on earth would you want that on a ritual monster? When this card leaves the field, it doesn’t leave you empty handed (or I guess, empty field-ed?) It leaves you with two level 4 Shinobird tokens, which conveniently enough you can use to ritual summon this card all over again in the next turn. Effect aside, the artwork on this card is simply stunning. The traditional Japanese artstyle combined with the bird spirit motif is perfect, and that’s actually the reason I built this deck in real life!
16. Cyber Harpie Lady
In modern Yu-Gi-Oh, you select the monsters for your deck for a variety of reasons. You analyses how particular monsters synergize with your strategy, what types and attributes they possess, and if those monsters fit into a particular archetype. In old-school Yu-Gi-Oh, the selection process was a little simpler: big attack = good. Cyber Harpie Lady was played in many decks for this exact reason: it was a level 4 monster with 1800 attack, which is pretty decent for putting the pressure on your opponent. While this card may not have seen as much use as other 1800 attack monsters like Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, it was certainly used enough to make this card nostalgic as hell.
15. Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit
Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit kickstarted the ghost-girls hand trap “archetype”, one of the most powerful sets of cards to ever exist. Each ghost-girl can discard itself from the hand to negate various effects. Ghost Ogre doesn’t quite negate, but it does destroy any card that activates its effect while face-up. This is fantastic for getting rid of big monsters and powerful field spells alike, making this card a great addition in any deck.
14. Injection Fairy Lily
Legacy of Darkness was truly an iconic set for secret rares. In one slot we have Yata Garasu, the most broken spirit monster in all of Yu-Gi-Oh. And then we have Fairy Injection Lily, a card that can get over pretty much any monster your opponent throws at you! In fact, Injection Fairy Lily was banned for a brief period of time, as people just couldn’t compete with a 3k beater that doesn’t even require a tribute. This card is super iconic for old-school players. It truly was one of the most powerful normal-summonable monsters of its time, and I have many fond memories beating down my opponents with her.
13. Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal
Burning Abyss is one of the coolest archetypes Yu-Gi-Oh has ever seen. I mean come on, demons based off of Dante’s Inferno, can you get more awesome than that? Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal is one of the best XYZ monsters this deck has to offer, and boy does it bring something special to the table. It basically allows you to Foolish Burial every single turn, setting your graveyard up perfectly for whatever plays and plans you’ve got brewing. Beatrice was also only printed twice in the TCG, in 2 absolutely iconic rarities. It was first printed as a Gold Secret Rare in Premium Gold: Infinite Gold, then later as a Premium Gold rare in Maximum Gold. It’s safe to say, the Gold foiling in combination with the light artwork and black XYZ border makes this card absolutely stunning. Truly a card for collectors!
12. Traptrix Rafflesia
Technically, this is 5 iconic women in one card, but I’m counting it. Traptrix Rafflesia is one of the most brutal XYZ monsters in all of Yu-Gi-Oh! You know all those good cards like Bottomless Trap Hole? Trap cards that let you get rid of your opponent’s monsters in a flash? With Traptrix Rafflesia, you can access whichever one you like straight from the deck, whenever you want it. You can send any normal “Hole” trap from your deck to the graveyard to have this card gain its effects. As it currently stands, there are over 16 options you can choose, with each one offering a different way to mess up your opponent.
11. Harpie Lady Sisters
Now if we’re talking groups of iconic women in Yu-Gi-Oh, then we have to mention the Harpie Lady Sisters. You can’t summon this card normally, and instead it must be summoned through Elegant Egotist. This spell card lets you special summon any Harpie monster from the deck while you control another Harpie monster – and what better option to go with than a 1950 attack monster? The artwork is truly the best thing about this card. It combines all 3 of the original Harpie Ladies in one epic looking artwork, and the Harpie ladies truly look their most menacing in this artwork. Personally, my favorite is Harpie Lady 1: that sly smile gives her that evil edge that makes Harpie Ladies so awesome.
10. El Shaddoll Winda
This is a fusion monster so powerful that many people were calling for it to be banned. Winda prevents you and your opponent from special summoning a bunch of monsters all at once, by forcing each player to only special summon once per turn. This card is also indestructible by card effect, meaning if you want to overcome this obstacle, you’ll have to beat it in battle. And the best thing about this card is that when it’s destroyed in battle, you can add a Shaddoll spell/trap from your graveyard to your hand, allowing you to fusion summon Winda all over again.
9. Yubel
I absolutely adore being able to play cards that are actually characters in the anime. Cards like Jinzo, Winged Kuriboh, and Yubel all make appearances as walking and talking characters in the Yu-Gi-Oh series. So it’s awesome being able to play them in real games. Yubel started off as one of the antagonists in Yu-Gi-Oh GX. And depending on if you watched the subbed or dubbed version it’s either madly in love with Jaden or wants to make his life miserable. Dubs really do change a lot, huh? Personally I love the style of Yubel and all her other forms. But the original is definitely the most iconic. Not only is it the coolest looking artwork, but it’s also the card that makes you feel most like the protagonist when you play it.
8. Dark Elf
Remember how I said old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! was all about big attack monsters? Dark Elf was a very popular choice amongst duelists in the early days of Yu-Gi-Oh, with a staggering 2000 attack on a level 4 monster. This card pretty much set the bar for how powerful a monster could be. Way back in the day, if you weren’t running Dark Elf in your deck, you didn’t stand a chance. While 1000 life points per attack may sound costly, you don’t even need to attack with it every turn. You can sit on it as a nice defensive wall, then strike when the time is right to deal the most damage for the least cost to you.
7. Lilith Lady of Lament
Similar to how Traptrix decks revolve around the “Hole” trap card archetype, Lilith the Lady of Lament supports “Virus” trap card decks. These are decks that include some of the most iconic trap cards in Yu-Gi-Oh’s history, such as the infamous Crush Card Virus and the brutal Deck Devastation Virus. With this card, you can tribute any dark monster you control to add a normal trap from your deck to your hand. This card alone gives Virus decks the power they need to consistently get their cards out at breakneck speeds, and before you know it, your opponent will be bogged down with more viruses than they could ever hope to deal with. Lilith gives me Burning Abyss vibes, again going for that classic fusion between modern manga style and demons from the darkest depths. It really makes Lilith feel like a force to be reckoned with.
6. Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
Modern Yu-Gi-Oh is all about one thing – negate power. If your deck has the potential to negate your opponent’s plays over and over, then your odds of winning increase exponentially. Well Apollousa is one of the best negate cards in all of Yu-Gi-Oh. It gains 800 attack for each monster you used to Link summon it, putting it at a maximum of 3200 attack. That’s not bad. And if your opponent activates any monster effects, you can have Apollousa lose 800 attack to negate that activation. The crazy thing about this effect is that it isn’t once per turn, meaning you can negate your opponent’s plays 4 times in a single turn! It’s for this reason that any deck that can link summon, will include a copy of Apollousa. Cards like these are just too good to pass up.
5. D.D. Warrior Lady
Sometimes in Yu-Gi-Oh you just can’t match your opponent’s monsters. Maybe they’ve summoned a colossal Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and there just isn’t anything in your deck that can match that kind of power. In comes D.D. Warrior Lady. If this card battles an opponent’s monster, you can banish both monsters. This means you can crash this card into your opponent’s biggest monsters, and although you’ll still take the damage, your opponent will lose their monster. D.D. Warrior Lady is easily the most iconic D.D. card out there, and has cemented itself as one of the greatest Yu-Gi-Oh cards of all time.
4. Mystical Elf
The cards used by Yugi Muto himself have always been iconic. I mean, what’s more memorable than a card used by the King of Games? Mystical Elf was also one of the best defensive options in the early days of Yu-Gi-Oh. A total of 2000 defense was a hefty amount. It was a number you could only really overcome with a tribute summon! This singlehandledly forced your opponent to tribute their monsters for bigger ones, which you could easily bait with cards like Trap Hole or Snatch Steal. But even fans who just watched the anime should probably recognize Mystical Elf.
3. Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring
One of the best things you can choose to negate in Yu-Gi-Oh is searching. If you can stop your opponent from searching out their combo pieces from their deck, then you can stop their combos before they even begin. Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring does just that, negating any effect that moves cards from the deck to somewhere else. This means you can stop Foolish Burial, special summons, drawing cards, there’s so much power locked up in this one fantastic hand trap. Ash Blossom is easily the most iconic hand trap in Yu-Gi-Oh, and one of the most iconic women in Yu-Gi-Oh’s history.
2. Tour Guide of the Underworld
Tour Guide released in the very last set of Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds, giving a hint to what was about to follow – XYZ monsters. When it was initially released, people were quite confused. Sure, it gets you a level 3 fiend from the deck. But if you can’t use it for a synchro summon then what’s the point? XYZ summoning was later announced, and this card went from pretty awful to a 1-card victory. It allows you to immediately XYZ summon a rank 3 monster from your extra deck, and at the time there were some powerful options to choose from! The price of this card skyrocketed from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars overnight, and Tour Guide soon earned herself the title of one of the best secret rare cards ever printed.
1. Dark Magician Girl
It’s no surprise that Dark Magician Girl is the most iconic lady in Yu-Gi-Oh’s history. When you think of Yu-Gi-Oh as an outsider, you think of 3 cards: The Dark Magician, Blue Eyes White Dragon, and Dark Magician Girl (and occasionally Exodia, it really depends who you ask). Dark Magician Girl is the companion to Dark Magician, getting stronger in attack points for every Dark Magician card in your graveyard. This includes copies of itself, and so with enough cards in your graveyard, this card can become overpowered very quickly. DMG has also had a lot of different artworks. If you include both the original and the TCG altered artworks (i.e. censored versions), then this card actually has more alternate arts than Blue Eyes! For me, my favorite has to be the original artwork. It’s the version of the card Yugi used throughout his duels in the anime. And it’s the version Atem uses in his final duel against Yugi. So many of us have fond memories of watching Saturday morning cartoons, turning on the TV, and seeing Yugi defeat the bad guys – many times with this magician at his side. The origial artwork to me represents the trials and challenges Yugi and Atem faced together, and how they grew as people through their passion for Duel monsters. Dark Magician Girl is truly the most iconic female we’ve gotten out of Yu-Gi-Oh, and I doubt that’ll ever change.
