While shonen anime does tend to focus on male characters, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some amazing shonen female characters to get hyped about. For this list, we’re counting down some of the best shonen heroines out there.
We love side characters, but this list is focused on protagonists or near-protagonists. So, Nezuko Kamado from Demon Slayer gets the spotlight, while the equally awesome Shinobu Kocho will be highlighted elsewhere.
Some of these characters aren’t just the best in shonen – they’re among the best female anime characters, period. Which ones are your favorites?
1. Mikasa Ackerman – ‘Attack on Titan’
After Titans destroyed her hometown, Mikasa Ackerman joined the Survey Corps alongside her childhood friends Eren and Armin.
Throughout all of the dangerous, life-threatening conflicts, her one goal is to protect Eren from harm. But as she learns more and more about the secrets behind the Titans – and as Eren turns out to be someone very different than who she thought he was – her goal is called into question.
2. Nobara Kugisaki – ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’
Nobara Kugisaki is a Grade 3 jujutsu sorcerer at Tokyo Jujutsu High. She works alongside Megumi Fushiguro and Yuji Itadori to take down Curses. She’s confident in her strength, and for good reason – she can totally kick butt in fights.
She fights by channeling Cursed Energy through a hammer, a set of nails, and a straw doll.
- Appears In: Jujutsu Kaisen
3. Nezuko Kamado – ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’
she’s changed significantly – she’s been transformed into a demon.
However, instead of becoming a man-eating monster, Nezuko joins Tanjiro in his mission to slay demons who harm humans, all while trying to find a way to turn back into a human.
- Appears In: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
4. Rukia Kuchiki – ‘Bleach’
Rukia Kuchiki currently serves as the captain of the 13th Division of the Gotei 13. She’s also the reason Ichigo has his Shinigami powers.
She has a wide range of swordfighting and supernatural abilities, the most noteworthy of which is probably White Haze Punishment, her Bankai. This allows her to transform into an ice princess and attack using the freezing element.
- Appears In: Bleach
- Powers & Abilities: Kido, Zanjutsu, Hoho, Hakuda
5. Akame – ‘Akame ga Kill’
As an assassin for Night Raid, Akame is both loyal to her comrades and ruthless with those who oppose her.
Using her Imperial Arms weapon – a poisonous sword called Murasame – she fights against injustice wherever she finds it.
6. Anya Forger – ‘Spy x Family’
Anya Forger is the adopted daughter of a spy named Loid and an assassin named Yor. Thanks to the psychic powers she gained as an experimental subject, she knows all about her parents’ secrets. Luckily, because of her fascination with spy anime, she thinks it’s awesome. While she doesn’t always get what’s going on, she processes what she does understand in an absolutely adorable way.
- Appears In: Spy x Family
7. Maka Albarn – ‘Soul Eater’
Maka Albarn is a student at Death Weapon Meister Academy. Her goal is to become a death-meister like her mother, and to create a living weapon more powerful than her father.
With Soul at her side, she has both a powerful ally and a partner with a completely different personality whom she has to figure out how to get along with.
8. Noelle Silva – ‘Black Clover’
Originally hailing from a noble family, Noelle Silva is currently a 3rd Class Junior Magic Knight of the Black Bull and Royal Knights squads. She fights using a combination of Water Magic and Creation Magic.
At first, she comes off as being a bit arrogant, but she improves over time as she works through the complexities of the high expectations of everyone around her and not quite meeting her noble family’s standards.
- Appears In: Black Clover
9. Kohaku – ‘Dr. Stone’
Kohaku is a chief’s daughter, but there’s nothing princess-like about her – she’s a total tomboy who spends most of her time strengthening her body or looking for ways to cure her sickly sister Ruri.
When Senku appears in Ishigami village, Kohaku is understandably skeptical of his science at first, but once she realizes he’s the real deal, she uses her strength to help him out.
- Appears In: Dr. Stone