Best Waifu Anime Characters of All Time, Ranked
“Minasan, konnichiwa!” from your friends at MoeFlavor. If there’s one thing that brings us all together here, it’s a love of anime and Japanese culture. From the cosplays to the anime and manga stories themselves, what’s not to love?
One thing that is particularly easy to bond over is our love for characters from our favorite franchises, specifically in anime and manga. There are tons of dreamy characters to choose from, so it can be hard to narrow down our favorites. Luckily for you, we have some characters that we think deserve to be appreciated for their cuteness and for being all-around awesome characters!
Here is our list of the best waifu anime characters of all time and where we rank them … let us know how we did! Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @MoeFlavor and tag us in your own ranked character lists, cosplays, or art! Let’s dive right in.
What Is a Waifu?
Before we begin, let’s go over a few definitions for those who may be new around here or need a refresher! The term waifu is often used by anime fans, but those who haven’t been in the anime realm for long may not recognize it at first glance.
The Origins of “Waifu”
If you’re wondering what a waifu is and where to get one, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. “Waifu” is best defined as a fictional character (usually in anime) that someone has a huge crush on. This term first gained popularity in the 2000s thanks to the anime Azumanga Daioh, in which a character says the phrase “my wife” in Japanese.
While this doesn’t sound like anything remarkable, the phrase was transcribed as “mai waifu” due to pronunciation and transliteration traditions in Japan.
After fans picked up this catchy phrase from Azumanga Daioh, they began using waifu to refer to any anime character — or fictional character in general — that was an object of their affection. This term was eventually added to Urban Dictionary in 2007, forever cementing it in the anime lexicon.
The term is also sometimes used to describe a character with desirable traits like loyalty, intelligence, beauty, or humor that the viewer would look for in their IRL dream girl.
What About Husbando?
In contrast to the term waifu, there’s also husbando, another term often used by anime fans. As you might have guessed, husbando is the male equivalent of waifu. While anime enthusiasts use this term on the regular, it’s technically not a Japanese word. The Japanese borrowing of husband is hazu.
What Are the 5 Best Waifu Anime Characters of All Time?
As for the most waifu characters of all time, you may already have a few in mind — and we hope that your Waifu makes our list!
Enjoy our ultimate top five list of the best waifu anime characters of all time ranked. Sāikō!
5. Nana Komatsu (NANA)
Nana was created by Ai Yazawa, who also illustrated the popular manga series. Its original run was from May 2000 to May 2009, and it’s currently on hiatus — but fans can’t wait for the return.
The series also has a companion anime and a series of live-action films, in which Mika Nakashima plays the titular Nana Komatsu.
Nana Komatsu is one of the sweetest characters you could find in any show. She often can be a little naive at times, but we love her just the same. When it comes to her physical appearance, Nana is slender and beautiful with big brown eyes that you could easily get lost in. She has long brown hair that falls in her face and bangs, too. She is one of the most classic and traditionally feminine waifu characters around, and she definitely deserves a spot on our list.
4. Revy Rebecca (Black Lagoon)
Revy Rebecca is not your traditional girl-next-door … and we are here for it. She is the tough, sarcastic, loud, and tempered main female protagonist of the Black Lagoon series. She’s even considered a cynical and aggressive nihilist in many ways, but somehow, this is all part of her charm.
Revy believes in using brute force to get her way in life. Her deep amber brown eyes match her personality as well, as she usually wears her hair in a loose ponytail and sports her tribal tattoos no matter the outfit. This is one true baddie who deserves a spot on our ultimate list of waifus.
3. Esdeath (Akame ga Kill!)
Another deserving waifu is none other than Esdeath from Akame ga Kill. This series focuses on a young villager and a group of assassins, including Esdeth (voiced by Satomi Akesaka and Christine Auten).
Esdeath loves nothing more than to fight and respects her enemies and opponents in her own unique way. Despite her reputation of being a bloodthirsty sadist, she’s powerful, sexy, and a little scary … which is why we love her so much!
Fans are obsessed with the romance between the show’s main character, Tatsumi, and Esdeth, who is obsessed with him. In addition to that steamy romance, the fans also can’t get enough of Esdeth’s powers, including freezing time, encasing people in ice, and much more.
2. Chizuru Ichinose (Rent-a-Girlfriend)
One of the dreamiest of all waifu characters is Chizuru Ichinose. One of the main characters of the romantic comedy anime Rent-A-Girlfriend, Chiziru is a college student who works as a rental girlfriend in her free time. She lives next door to a 20-year-old named Kazuya, who falls in love with her after renting her services.
Chizuru is stunning, clever, and feminine … and everything you could want out of a character and a waifu! She is depicted as a madonna character, almost like the woman next door that you just can’t have. With her long chestnut brown hair, bangs, and soft brown doe eyes, Chizuru is a no-brainer for our number three spot.
1. Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)
We went back and forth on this one since it is such a big decision … but we believe that the person worthy of this number one spot is none other than Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail.
With hair that matches her last name and one beautiful brown eye (along with a prosthetic), Erza is one of the strongest, toughest, and best waifus — and one of the best characters in general. She is full of passion and won’t stop for anything or anyone.
She’s confident and caring without being a pushover or a villain, and she is a complex character and person. We love her and believe she is deserving of our top spot.
Conclusion
Don’t forget to grab adorable and sexy cosplay pieces from MoeFlavor to help channel your inner waifu — because, at the end of the day, you’re the number one waifu in our hearts!
Sayonara!
Sources:
waifu | Origin and History | Dictionary.com
10 Facts About Chizuru Ichinose Only True Fans Know | 9 Tailed Kitsune