I know this says Top 10 but all women are queens so please DO NOTTT come for my neck because I love them equally. And I guess beyond this point is spoiler-land. You’ve been warned! (*´◡｀​*)

10. Raphtalia - The Rising of The Shield Hero 

Never thought I’d say this but anime really got me simping for a half-raccoon. As the main heroine and companion of Naofumi, the Shield Hero, Raphtalia is known for her undying loyalty and faith in him as a hero. Since Naofumi bought her as a slave to fight but has never treated her as such, she’s grown to be pretty attached and devoted to him and developed a strong desire to protect. 

She may be soft and adorable, but don’t underestimate her skills in battle. On her journey she continues to hone her fighting skills that fighting monsters and buff-ass men looks easy to her. On top of that, she’s also not afraid to stand up for herself and defend what she believes in.

9. Rem - Re:ZERO

One of the most popular waifus, probably. People love her and it’s all for the right reasons -- her cute demeanor, sky blue hair, selflessness, commitment and loyalty, badassery, and most importantly, her character development throughout the show. 

She’s not there to simply serve as arm candy for the main character dude. Instead, she has an emotional development arc of her own where she deals with her own issues while helping Subaru with his, despite him loving another person. The extreme tldr is that the fact that she’s not all sunshine and rainbows adds depth to her character instead of just having her as waifu-bait. I feel like the reason many people like her is because she is so relatable and pretty well-developed that they either self-insert as her or Subaru.

8. Mai Sakurajima - Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

The reason why my TikTok FYP was full of bunny suits cosplays at some point. Actress/model-on-hiatus Mai Sakurajima attends a normal high school as a third-year. She’s very polite and intelligent, but because of her background and the fact that she joined late, she’s pretty isolated at school until she meets Sakuta Azusagawa, a male student one year her junior. 

With Sakuta, Mai’s true personality shows and she appears to be very sensible and kind. She’s juuuuustttt a liiitttle bit of a tsundere, which makes her interactions with a rather confident Sakoto and his lewd remarks very refreshing and cute to watch. Similar to the other girls on this list, I love seeing her character and feelings explored, especially her anxiety over her break from acting, making it easy to relate to her.

7. Nobara Kugisaki - Jujutsu Kaisen

A first-year at Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School, Nobara is a talented jujutsu sorcerer who’s proven to be more talented than the grade she’s assigned. Though she may come off somewhat arrogant and brash at first, she warms up to her fellow sorcerers pretty quickly and tends to get caught up in their silly shenanigans. I really like how Nobara is portrayed as a girl that’s confident about her appearance, character, AND abilities as a jujutsu sorcerer. 

In battle, she’s quick-thinking and sort of sadistic as she would throw sass at her enemies before fighting them. We can talk more about her techniques and powers, which are pretty frickin’ dope, but that’s going into manga territory. Go watch Jujutsu Kaisen! (=ﾟ▽ﾟ)/

6. Shinobu Kocho - Demon Slayer

Our adorable Insect Hashira always wears a smile and enjoys teasing others, especially Water Hashira Giyuu Tomioka. But don’t let her friendly personality and cute appearance fool you -- this girl does not mess around when it comes to fulfilling her duties as a Demon Slayer. If it weren’t for Giyuu’s intervention, Shinobu could’ve killed Nezuko upon first seeing her as she did not hesitate. She also saved a fellow Demon Slayer from the Daughter Spider Demon and executed the demon with her poison.

Though she lacks the physical strength to behead a demon like the other Hashiras, Shinobu makes up for it with her agility and admirable knowledge of medicines and poisons. The latter is demonstrated in the show when she came to Zenitsu’s rescue and prevented him from being consumed by the spider poison. I love how she doesn’t let her weakness define her, but rather uses it to become stronger in other areas, an example being modifying her sword and sheath for easy access to poisons in combat !(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑. 

5. Maki Oze - Fire Force

Just look at her!! Maki Oze is a driven, hard-working, and kind-hearted girl who’s part of the Special Fire Force Company 8 as a Fire Soldier. She has a desire to help others and never want to hurt people, which was one of the reasons why she left the Tokyo Army. Even so, she will not hesitate to kill if it means keeping those she cares about safe. 

Aside from being so very attractive (yes I’m still not over how pretty she is), Maki’s badassery lies in her combat skills and flame-manipulating abilities. Being a Second Generation Fire Soldier, she possesses the ability to generate fireballs to deflect enemy fires, providing her team defense in combat. As Spike Spiegel would say, “I love the kind of woman that can kick my ass.”

4. Makise Kurisu - Steins:Gate

This girl has both beauty and brains. Incredibly smart. Science-lover. Certified memer (poggers). The tsundere. Kurisu is everything a person could want in life (´∀`). Ever since Kurisu was young, she’s been exceptionally intelligent and has accomplished more than most in the research and science realms, therefore, stirring up jealousy from others and her own father. Though that part of her past is the reason she puts on a facade, she’s a lot more soft and timid than meets the eye. 

As one of the main characters of the show, Kurisu’s contributions to the Future Gadget Lab’s inventions are vital. I love how she is portrayed as more than capable (and as a fitting love-interest for Okabe heh) and that her character is explored instead of just... being there.

3. Annie Leonhart - Attack on Titan

Yeah, this girl is crazy. Like Mikasa, Annie has a no-nonsense attitude and will kick your ass if you get in her way. Despite her cold and detached demeanor and her important mission iykyk, she was the one that taught Eren her fighting techniques and even started to warm up to him as comrades. She’s also risked her life to save a fellow scout Connie from a Titan and showed great respect for Armin, whom she convinced not to join the Scouts and spared from death when he came across her Female Titan form. 

Like a lot of AOT characters, Annie’s story is complex and filled with gray areas, and I think that’s what makes her development very interesting to watch. I obviously don’t support her murdering innocent scouts to get to Eren, but I respect her dedication to the goal. I mean, if you send me to go after the Jägermeister, I’d probably kill, too *tucks hair* (〃￣ω￣〃ゞ.

2. Mikasa Ackerman - Attack on Titan

Drinking game: take a shot every time Mikasa says “Ereh.” This girl is the definition of a ride-or-die. Having witnessed her parents get murdered at a young age, Mikasa grew up to be a strong-willed girl who would do anything in her power to protect those she cares about, namely her adoptive brother Eren and best friend Armin. She is an emotional girl at heart but manages to stay calm and collected most of the time. And let’s not forget to note that she’s a complete badass who gets shit done. 

Mikasa is one of the Survey Corps’ greatest assets thanks to her incredible strength and superior fighting skills. She is righteous and is not afraid to speak her mind, and most importantly, she will not hesitate to kill if she deems it necessary. What I love most about Mikasa is her undying loyalty to her friends and her will to live, even though she recognized very early on that the world is a cruel place and that she has to fight for her survival.

1. Kiyoko Shimizu - Haikyuu!!

The biggest thing the Haikyuu boys and I have in common is that we all simp for the one and only Kiyoko Shimizu. As the manager for the Karasuno volleyball club, she is very devoted to the team and cares a lot about the players. She is a straightforward girl of few words, but that does not mean she is cold and dismissive to others.

Kiyoko’s development in the show is super heartwarming and inspirational. No longer on the track as a Track and Field athlete, she now commits to helping Karasuno get to Nationals by compiling players’ information, training Yachi Hitoka to be the new manager, and providing emotional support. She also volunteers to retrieve Hinata’s shoes before their first Nationals match after his bag accidentally got switched at the stadium, explaining that even though she is not on the court as a player, this is her battle to win as well, proving her determination to fulfill her role and the deep connection she has with the Karasuno boys.