19 Badass Female Anime Characters Who Definitely Steal The Show

Move aside, anime men — it’s time for the women to shine.

If characters like Naruto or Goku are the first that come to your mind when we talk about powerful anime characters, then it’s time to remind everyone of the raw power of female characters in anime.

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It’s an endless list — trust me — but to make things easier, here are 19 of the fiercest female characters in anime.

1. Mikasa Ackerman

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A one-woman army and protective adopted sister to protagonist Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman of Attack on Titan is a powerful woman, plain and simple. Described as having prowess equal to a hundred ordinary soldiers and brilliant at her job, Mikasa, who ranked first out of all the cadets in the 104th Training Corps, is skilled and more than slightly terrifying. 

2. Kagura

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Gintama's Kagura may seem sweet and harmless, but there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. The daughter of a famous alien hunter, her natural talent for fighting is no surprise. And when she’s in Yato mode? She’s downright scary — doing everything from killing enemies in one move to catching bullets with her mouth! 

3. Android 18

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Like a Saiyan, only better, Dragon Ball's Android 18 has proven time and again that she’s able to hold her own against the strength of a Saiyan. Whether she’s throwing vehicles or breaking Vegeta's arm, Android 18 definitely knows how to put her limitless stamina to great use. 

4. Ochako Uraraka

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My Hero Academia’s Ochako Uraraka's Zero Gravity quirk is a deceptively strong quirk that allows her to nullify the effects of gravity on a person or object, thus rendering them helpless. If her ability to lift three tons of weight from very big heights isn’t enough, she also has the martial arts strength to bring you down, even without her quirk. 

5. Erza Scarlet

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An S-Class Mage of the Fairy Tail Guild, Erza Scarlet is famous for being the only sword Mage who is efficient at re-equipping weapons and armor during a fight. But beyond that, she’s got pretty much every talent in the book, from telekinesis and sword magic to swordsmanship, archery, and hand-to-hand combat.

6. Sakura Kinomoto

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With incredible power that belies her young age, Sakura Kinomoto may appear to be a sweet, optimistic school girl on the surface. But she’s a Cardcaptor, taking on the responsibility to find, seal, and wield the elemental powers of 52 cards created by magician Clow Reed. Becoming the world's greatest magician while balancing the ups and downs of preteen life sounds like a lot, but Sakura does it all with a beaming smile. 

7. Usagi Tsukino

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Another average high school student with a powerful alter ego, Usagi Tsukino as Sailor Moon is the leader of the Sailor Senshi, a group of cosmic superheroes who guard the Earth from evil. With immeasurable, destructive power based on sound, healing, and love, Sailor Moon also happens to be the only Solar System Senshi immune to turning evil.

8. Izumi Curtis

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Master alchemist and martial artist Izumi doesn’t let the physical impact of a failed Human Transmutation keep her from being one of the strongest characters of Fullmetal Alchemist. Equally skilled at combat and alchemy, the highly intelligent woman’s best attacks may have been followed by her spitting up blood, but she overcomes this to become and remain one of the toughest characters — not just women — of the series. 

9. Misa Amane

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Death Note’s Misa Amane may not possess any magical skills, but she’s definitely the most deadly human being to exist, next to Light, in Death Note. Having made the deal to get the power of Shinigami Eyes, Misa, who can see the name and lifespan of anyone she looks at, has killed quite a lot. 

10. Akame

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The titular female protagonist of Akame ga Kill is undeniably the toughest member of the group Night Raid. With the ability to move as quickly as lightning and with superhuman strength, Akame wields two swords for maximum fatality.

11. Major Motoko Kusanagi

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The lead protagonist of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, Major Motoko Kusanagi is technologically and physically one of the most advanced cyborgs in pop culture history. A cyber brain specialist capable of controlling external humanoids and a fighter fast enough to intercept bullets, she’s as iconic as the series. 

12. Merlin

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A mysterious figure from The Seven Deadly Sins, Merlin’s magic has been established as the strongest in the series so far. With intelligence and power that surpasses both goddesses and demons, Merlin, who uses her powers to keep her loved ones safe, is a frightening character with a heart of gold.

13. Tatsumaki

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Tatsumaki of One Punch Man is recognized as one of the strongest heroes of all time. With her terrific psychokinesis powers and her ability to levitate as well as create magical barriers, she’s capable of defeating even the worst enemies.

14. Homura Akemi

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She might look like a petite, unassuming teen, but Puella Magi Madoka Magica’s Homura Akemi is one fearsome spell-caster. With the ability to manipulate time and also use her shield as a weapon, she is undeniably gifted. 

15. Shihouin Yoruichi

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A standout in a world of standouts, Bleach’s Shihouin Yoruichi is one of the strongest female characters of the show. Quick on her feet and brilliant at hand-to-hand, her nickname “Flash Goddess” couldn’t be more apt. 

16. Setsuno

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If young girls are powerful in anime, then the elderly women are just as strong. Toriko's Setsuno is a living legend in every sense of the word. A chef ranked in the world's top five and an enterprising businesswoman with an awe-inspiring ability to microwave her opponents by heating up the air around them, Setsuno is one intimidating woman. 

17. Lucy

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Elfen Lied’s main female protagonist, Lucy is a humanoid species that possesses psychokinetic abilities, fast healing, and telepathy alongside an ability to create fatally dangerous psychic "Vectors" that can annihilate humanity. 

18. Kale

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Pure-blooded Saiyan Kale is timid, but when she unleashes her Super Saiyan state, she’s not just the strongest female character of Dragon Ball Super, but someone capable of keeping up with, if not overpowering, even the toughest men of the show, including Goku. 

19. Kaguya Otsutsuki

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The very first wielder of chakra and later the Ten-Tails, Naruto’s Kaguya Otsutsuki has almost no weakness. The ultimate celestial being with the ability to control nature and read people’s thoughts, this fierce character is tough to beat. 

Who are your favorite female anime characters? Tell us in the comments!