Today’s criteria? Purple haired gals, a color often overshadowed by the yandere pinks or the kuudere whites. But surprisingly there’s a lot of purple-haired princesses strewn throughout anime! And yes, lilac, violet, all those colors are included here for the sake of my sanity.
40. Dorothy Unsworth
Anime: Black Clover Out of all the squad captains, Dorothy probably has the most interesting powers in this series. Being asleep at any given second, even her powers represent her endless need to hit the snooze button. So she takes you to her dreamy world, where if you’re unlucky enough, you might just have your endless sleep. On a side note, why can’t everyone hear conversations, walk, and catch evil dudes while sleeping like Dorothy? Seems like the most valuable power ever.
39. Sheele
Anime: Akame ga Kill Sheele is two things: amazingly sweet, and terrifying. From our band of assassins she is definitely the most compassionate, giving her nakamas a shoulder to cry on and such. But man does she not flinch when murdering people. And then you give her these large scissors that can cut through anything, truly a frightening sight. She’s also extremely clumsy, so she seems to be the embodiment of “don’t run with scissors”. Only somehow you end up without a finger and not her.
38. Ritsu
Anime: Assassination Classroom If sci-fi shows have taught me anything, it’s that machines are way better at killing than humans are. And that was initially the case for Ritsu. Be it she was a big hunk of metal with a cute lilac-haired screen saver, she was still the most formidable foe. Later on she would attain a more human form and personality, and get severely nerfed. So she stuck around more as a supporting role to the rest of the class. Nevertheless, she’s a literal e-girl and should be loved.
37. Cornelia li Britannia
Anime: Code Geass Army type characters usually have a very specific character arc. Either learning how to play by the rules, or fighting for their loved ones. Cornelia is definitely the latter, as initially she’s the picture perfect soldier and commander. With an undying love and loyalty to Britannia, she has led her solders to many victories, earning her the nickname of the “Goddess of Victory”. But further down the track, with some help from the literal saint Euphemia, she starts to question her previous convictions.
36. Azusa Hamaoka
Anime: Grand Blue Azusa is truly one of the boys. Unlike most of the female cast in this show, Azusa does not shy away from the guys and their naked roughhousing. She just enjoys life, hangs with everyone, isn’t afraid to down a few drinks, get provocatively dressed up, or just naked. And on top of all of that, she’s quite intelligent and bisexual. So we could all fall for her. The second we’re able to bring anime characters to life, I’m taking Azusa out for a drink or something. She seems like the life of any and every party.
35. Kirie Motoba
Anime: Himouto! Umaru-chan Okay, I get that Kirie can be a wee bit mean towards her brother. And okay, she might pop out of nowhere because she has some ninja-like stalking skills. But how are people afraid of her? I mean look at those messy bangs and that ponytail, she looks like an adorable little dork! She isn’t even outgoing, so odds are if you’re not a child, she won’t even have the courage to talk to you. I swear, people these days with their “menacing auras”, give my girl Kirie her loving justice!
34. Anko Mitarashi
Anime: Naruto As far as female Naruto characters go, Anko was definitely S class in character tiers. She was a badass looking woman with snake powers, was under Orochimaru, had the whole curse mark deal, through and through just an action packed concept. She also didn’t try to put Itachi under genjutsu, so way ahead of her competitors. When she first appeared she threw a kunai at Naruto and then proceeded to lick the blood off the blade, like come on. And then “Naruto junior x technology – the anime” happened, and our girl definitely fell off grace. Not fat shaming here, in fact we love our bigger anime friends, but she definitely doesn’t do anything badass anymore.
33. Shampoo
Anime: Ranma ½ You know what they say: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”. I think they should have specified not to end up in love with your enemies at some point. Shampoo’s character is best seen in regards to Ranma. At first he gets the tsundere treatment, as god knows this woman is not a stranger to violence. But she softens up over time. Well now that she has softened up on him, everyone else that dares lay a finger on him, or catch feelings, is going to catch her hands.
32. Kae Serinuma
Anime: Watashi ga Motete Dousunda You hear it all the time, how a girl lost weight for a boy, because of bullying, societal pressure… but rarely do you hear of a full-body transformation that stemmed from mourning an anime character. Yep, that’s how Kae went from a chubby girl nobody looked at twice, to the babe of the school. But don’t let her newfound appearance fool you. Her heart still pumps otaku blood through her veins, as any mention of anything anime-related will give her a super Saiyan powerup.
31. Maya Natsume
Anime: Tenjou Tenge Maya is definitely not an orthodox teacher. But hey, it seems most martial arts related teachers aren’t. Maya constantly trains her subordinates in very odd and indirect ways. But it always works out in the end, almost like she’s always one step ahead of everyone else. She usually stays in her child form to preserve chi, so you often forget that she’s a beautiful woman who’s definitely going to have back issues down the line. Her family situation is all kinds of messed up too. But hey, at least it doesn’t affect her as a sensei.
30. Blair
Anime: Soul Eater Blair is one dangerous kitten. Although her natural form is that of a cat, she possesses enough power to be mistaken for a fully-fledged witch. And we see many times that she’s a force to be reckoned with. Luckily, she seems more than content with taking bubble baths and walking around naked, as opposed to going after anyone. She has her fun. Sometimes it can be dangerous, other times a bit goofy, but it’s definitely a good thing she’s not a central antagonist. I mean, they would have to kill her 9 times to truly off her. Just imagine how long that final fight would be!
29. Rize Tedeza
Anime: Is the Order a Rabbit? Rize is definitely a tough cookie through and through. Mentally she seems far more mature than her friends, which is why she often takes on the role of an all-knowing guru. Her maturity also comes from not beating around the bush. She is very direct and can even come off as a bit blunt. Oh yeah, she’s also probably packing heat at any given moment. So I guess more accurately, she doesn’t shoot around the bush.
28. Chihiro Shindou
Anime: EF a Tale of Memories Whenever you see a little girl in anime with an eyepatch, you know she’ll either be the most adorable and unlucky person ever, or a psychopath. Luckily, it’s usually the former, as is the case here. After an accident, Chihiro is left with retrograde amnesia. Meaning after each day she can only remember things that happened in the previous thirteen hours. Her condition made her a lot more shy than she used to be. But she also grew her love for books and writing. God she is so cute.
27. Akane Shinjo
Anime: SSSS.Gridman Oh sweet baby of Jesus, you do not want to piss this woman off. In fact it’s best to just stay clear of her wherever and whenever. Because although she keeps up the appearance of a nice timid girl, her fuse is shorter than Bakugo’s. You knocked over her food? Have fun dealing with this dragon looking kaiju as you run for your life. And if that wasn’t scary enough, she herself can turn into a kaiju and severely mess you up. She’s cute though, with purple hair, so she qualifies for this list. I am a simple man.
26. Izuna Hatsuse
Anime: No Game No Life Izuna is so cute and so fluffy I just want to die-desu. And even character wise, when she’s not trying to win a game and coming at you like a ferocious beast, she’s so adorable-desu. Paired up with Sora and Shiro they look like the weirdest three musketeers, who are simultaneously an absolute power(mad) house-desu. And if you haven’t caught on, she says desu a lot in an attempt to be more polite. Such a lovable lass.
25. Izumi Kyouka
Anime: Bungou Stray Dogs For the most part, Izumi falls in line with the usual child assassin archetype. Being deceived, doubting her own self-worth, being ready to die for a mission, never taught how to solve any issue without some genocide, and so on. But she plays her part very well. And even though some of her old tendencies remain, she becomes an extremely valuable asset to the team. It also helps that she genuinely has such a lovable personality, and watching her receive care and attention for the first time always warms up the old ticker.
24. Moriko Morioka
Anime: Netoju (Recovery of an MMO Junkie) Moriko did what we in the industry call “a pro gamer move”. After working a corporate job for eleven years and not finding any enjoyment in it, she decides to quit and devote her life to the all-mighty power of MMORPGs. She decides to make some new connections and finds herself within the virtual world. And honestly girl, same. Plus, you have to remember that this is a fully grown woman we’re talking about. So no living in her mom’s basement. She actually has to find a way to sustain her lifestyle, as well as throw some rom-com action into the mix.
23. Aoi Yamada
Anime: Working!! Where to even start with Yamada, if that’s even their real name! Initially she was just a cute addon in the latter part of the series, and seemed to have quite the tragic backstory. But then you realize she has a knack for lying and things get a bit more interesting. What are the morals of this girl? I don’t know, she doesn’t mind stealing from the restaurant and is a class-A manipulator. But then again, she isn’t a bad person. And she definitely makes the dynamic of the show a whole lot more interesting, so she gets my stamp of approval.
22. Jirou Kyouka
Anime: Boku no Hero Academia I was really starting to lose hope for this character, as in the first dozen episodes she’s basically just an extra. But with the musical performance of class 1A, Jirou finally gets some screen time! And it’s used pretty well. We learn that she has a real knack for not only performing music, but also teaching it. And her voice was definitely top-tier stuff. Now we can just hope that she’ll get some more battle experience and show off her very unique quirk in future seasons. She’s too cool of a character to leave on the bleachers.
21. Toko Fukawa
Anime: Danganronpa Toko definitely isn’t for everyone. Because unlike some of the princess-like characters on this list, Toko hasn’t been dealt the best hand in life & suffers trauma because of it. She didn’t seem to care about her lack of social skills, and instead chose to distance herself from people, seeing herself as an outcast. She has grown afraid of the dark, of baths, of ghosts, and has a very twisted outlook on sexuality. She does get better later on, after finally finding a true friend. And we can see tremendous growth from there. Bonus points, she’s a top class writer.
20. Kamishiro Rize
Anime: Tokyo Ghoul This character definitely had three distinct phases: just a cute girl who showed interest in our MC, a merciless ghoul whose name echoes with terror, and finally “how did those pipes get here and why is she in my head”? That final phase lasted the longest, as she became something like a foil to our MC. But also lowkey like a therapist. Two things are for certain: the power she gave Kaneki was absolutely ludicrous, and always follow the story of the manga.
19. Kagami Hiiragi
Anime: Lucky Star Okay now I’m going to do a combo platter, because I honestly didn’t feel right leaving out either of the Hiiragi sisters. Kagami is the tsundere of the group in every way possible. She gets agitated easily, especially when she has to help her sister with trivial things. But just like every tsundere, she really does care about her loved ones. Will she insult you? Probably. Will she mean it? I don’t know man, tsunderes are outside of my grasp of understanding.
18. Tsukasa Hiiragi
Anime: Lucky Star Yeah I like Tsukasa a little more, sue me. As opposed to her sister’s tough outward appearance, Tsukasa is very straight forward and very openly loving. She seemingly never gets mad, and just has this tranquil aura around her at all times. Of course this is heavily contrasting her sister. Tsukasa’s air-headed nature has its downfalls too, as she usually needs help to do everyday things, like sending a text. She can cook, though. And as they say, love is through the stomach, so I’m using that as justification for putting her higher on the list.
17. Hotaru Shidare
Anime: Dagashi Kashi It’s honestly insulting to say that Hotaru has a sweet tooth. She has full sugar laced, candy crush grills. Being that her parents were in the candy making industry, Hotaru inherited this sugary enthusiasm. And this works in two ways. First, she wants to see her company grow and we can see her constantly attempting to gain a valuable worker, Kokonotsu’s father. Second, she is really committed to her craft. Always being seen putting something delicious into her mouth.
16. Road Kamelot
Anime: D.Gray-man I mean, in theory Road is a really swell gall. She cares deeply for her family, often times comforting them and showing affection. She’s a tad bit childish despite being in her mid-30s, constantly wanting someone to entertain her. But that’s cute in a way. But then we get to her superiority complex over ordinary people, and noticeable sadism when dealing with those she dislikes. Or those who plan to harm her family. Anyone would get less cute after they nail someone’s hands to a clock. She did get some badass points though, so it evens out.
15. Kurumi Ebisuzawa
Anime: Gakkou Gurashi! Kurumi is one of the rare characters I have seen that’s firmly in the badass territory, but actually doesn’t step into the sociopath zone. Considering this is a zombie show, you would expect your usual trademarks: the ruthless assassin and the emotional person who can never pull the trigger. Kurumi is definitely no pushover. In fact she is by far the strongest and most capable of the group. But even then, if she sees a small sign of humanity in a zombie, she hesitates and gets thrown off. And let’s not mention her mental state at night. That is a whole different story.
14. Konno Yuuki
Anime: Sword Art Online This next part will be a bit spoiler-y, just a heads up. Yuuki is the “legends never die” type character. Even though she had a terminal illness, she refused to bow down to life and was an absolute badass in the virtual world. She won countless duels, even against god himself Kirito, and made a name for herself as an excellent duelist. But the most impressive aspect of her character? Her mental strength, as not only did she live life to the fullest(even though her time was so limited) but she also helped out many other people who were in a similar predicament. Absolute bamf.
13. Kotomi Ichinose
Anime: Clannad The shortest way to describe Kotomi is a book smart dandere who’s held back by her past. She spends most of her time at the library, and her love for books is very real. As she’s not even bound to just her native language. She’s usually in the top ten of any given subject, and just gives off those smart people vibes. Granted she is shy as hell though, and usually needs someone to spot her in any social situation. In regards to her past, well I’m not going to spoil it much, but it’s a very touching story. Especially with the final memento she gets.
12. Hifumi Takimoto
Anime: New Game! Hifumi is definitely the “modern age” character. It’s like yeah, she’s a dandere so she doesn’t particularly like maintaining eye contact or talking to people in person. However, give this girl a keypad and she will type away to oblivion. She also uses a lot of emojis so it’s safe to say that she’s quite the bubbly person online. It’s also safe to say that she falls under the “those who rarely speak are great listeners” category, as her intuition and people-reading skills are on point.
11. Akatsuki
Anime: Log Horizon Man, this girl really needs more “don’t judge a book by its cover” people in her life. I mean sure, she has Shiroe. But everyone else seems to just assume she’s a naïve child because of her small stature and cute face. No wonder her first online persona was a tall, mysterious man. Of course, this shambled her self-esteem. And she constantly belittles herself and her abilities, even though she’s like a badass shadow crawling assassin. I mean, even in love & romance she feels like she falls short, no pun intended, to a literal middle schooler!
10. Yoruichi Shihōin
Anime: Bleach Yoruichi gives off some mad Blair vibes. I mean, she also prefers to just chill in her cat form most of the time. And usually transforms back just to see the reactions of people around her. She also gets bonus surprise points, as most people assume she’s male because of her very masculine choice of words, and ironically non-feline voice. She’s also perfectly okay with being naked around people, as she’s technically always naked as a cat. And lastly, she’s very laid back. But also extremely powerful. I demand a Blair/Yoruichi crossover!
9. Sumire Kakei
Anime: Boruto Ah, the class rep character. So mature, so well liked, so intelligent, and oh boy she must be hiding something. Spoiler warning: she was in fact hiding something, a whole lot of something. But staying true to the formula, she gets talk-no-jutsued back to the righteous path of the “believe it” ninja way. From that point on she gets a bit more bland in terms of plot, but gets way more relevant on the battlefield, as Nue is as cute as he is deadly. Plus it’s been a while since we had a solid human-animal duo in the universe, KIBA.
8. Faye Valentine
Anime: Cowboy Bebop Faye is the lone wolf, catch hands not feelings type of character. Especially early on in the show. She seems to go by the “leave before you get abandoned” principle and never really sticks around for long. She’s also quite the hedonist, as she constantly gambles, drinks, smokes, gets into altercations if she feels like it… basically everything your parents warned you not to do. Having these characteristics at the beginning only make her that much more interesting as her character develops. Because let’s face it, everyone enjoys seeing a 100% lone wolf finally find a pack of their own.
7. Minene Uryuu
Anime: Mirai Nikki This show actually had me rooting for a terrorist. Just by seeing what show she’s from, you already know that a lot of trauma is involved. And that Minene seems absolutely psychotic, especially when she first stepped onto the scene. She has a wide knowledge of weapons, explosives, and everything that can make you go away. She also has an Escape Diary, meaning that she can Houdini herself out of most predicaments. And god knows she has been in quite a few pickles. Unfortunately, the one cage she can’t seem to fully escape is her past. As constant flashbacks torment her throughout the show.
6. Saeko Busujima
Anime: Highschool of the Dead In a zombie apocalypse, your best bet of survival is befriending Saeko. Unlike most of these characters who rely on guns, Saeko is fully capable of just grabbing a blunt object, a wooden sword, or maybe real sword, or even just go in unarmed and just kick the ever-living (or should I say dying) hell out of anyone that stands in her way. On the other hand, if you happen to be on the other end of the bloodied stick, don’t expect mercy. Unless you’re a cute kitten or a child. And I mean, even then…
5. Misato Katsuragi
Anime: Evangelion I swear, Evangelion characters are always the hardest to describe. You can never chalk them up into a few sentences. The best way to describe Misato without getting into her flashbacks is that she’s the laid-back, friendly-yet-distant adult of the show. She allows Shinji and Asuka to live at her place. But is also a slob, a softcore alcoholic, and would make any food critic throw up. But that’s just her “home” personality. On the job she’s extremely reliable and calm, handling most of the boring bureaucratic stuff, as well as being a field commander. She tends to keep her relationships shallow, but her pendant definitely has a deep story to it.
4. Yuki Nagato
Anime: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Yuki is as kuudere as a kuudere can get. Considering that she ends up in the SOS brigade to observe Haruhi and report back to the Data Integration Thought Entity, she rarely shows any emotion whatsoever. Slight spoilers here: in the second season, being that she was the only one to keep her memory through those endless time loops, the mere fact that she’s still sane shows how far she is from humanity in that regard. And yet she feels like such an essential part of the group. I can’t really explain why, but the SOS brigade just wouldn’t be the same without that little girl in the background reading a book silently.
3. Touka Kirishima
Anime: Tokyo Ghoul Throughout Tokyo Ghoul, Touka has filled two significant roles for me. At the very beginning she definitely gets your adrenaline pumping, as she’s portrayed as a badass fighter. When she faced old tissue sniffer for example, her power and overall presence was felt. Later on in the show, she tended to get my heart pumping more than anything as Kaneki’s love interest. With their first scene in the :re café, and then the big day later on, she fell off as a powerhouse. But definitely struck some relationship gold.
2. Motoko Kusanagi
Anime: Ghost in the Shell Kusanagi is the strong independent female character the anime community often craves. She doesn’t rely on others all that much, especially in the first season of the anime, and seems to be far more than just reliable. She is a leader. Motoko does start off as a “by the book” type leader, as even with the Tachikomas, she valued efficiency more than anything. And doubted whether a consciousness was optimal for their duties. She does have a change of heart over time, and even sticks it to the man on few occasions. If you’ve never seen SAC then it’s absolutely worth a watch.
1. Hitagi Senjougahara
Anime: Bakemonogatari If you like to live in the fast lane, Senjougahara is definitely the gal for you. The first time she met Araragi, she shoved a stapler in his mouth. And yet somehow they fell for each other. Go figure? And as a girlfriend she’s definitely bae, but with a lot of caution labels attached. On the one hand, she has shown tremendous understanding for Araragi, plus her skillset is impressive. Especially if interrogations are needed. On the other hand, she can get quite jealous, which is deadly regardless of the amount of vampire you have in you. And she seems to enjoy watching her boyfriend squirm. But her genuine moments are cute beyond all belief, so number 1 it is.
