Best Red Haired Anime Girls Of All Time

Red hair is used in anime to depict a fierce and kickass individual with a romantic history, identified by her hair colour alone with a sword hung from her belt! Stereotypes aside, there are so many different powerful and adorable female lead characters in anime that happen to have red hair, there was an absolute need to make a list dedicated just to them. Inspired by myths and legends from Japan to England and iconic historical figures like Boudicca, here are the best redhead girls in Anime of all time!

25. AE3803 from Anime: Cells at Work!

A determined yet scatter-brained red blood cell whose complete lack of direction often gets in the way of her deliveries, AE3803 us one of countless red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrients all across the body of the human she resided in. One of the quirkiest story perspectives, even for an anime! Even though she may often get lost on her travels, she consistently presses on and tries her best to help her peers and fulfill her duties. She is very apologetic and her goofy, and her bubbly personality makes her a great character to tag along with and watch! She is definitely an iconic red haired anime character wholly worthy of making this list!

24. Shura Kirigakure from Anime: Ao no Exorcist (Blue Exorcist)

One of the best badass anime girls, Shura is just cool in every way, the kind of character we aspire to be. Redheads often have a reputation for being cool and fiery and she adheres to this stereotype in every possible way. Her hair basically looks like fire, she can pull out a demon sword out of her chest, she has spiritual ties to snakes, and is kind of a lazy drunk. She's the fiery anime girl equivalent of a pirate, pretty much. There’s a lot to love. She is reknowned for her honest and forthcoming ways and never really beats around the bush. She will quite happily air any opinion she has, which makes her a very interesting character to watch! But a running theme in many anime is the character that switches between two very different sides, that secretly lives a different life that none of the other characters in the anime know about. Shura is not quite this character, but is shown to be quite the undercover agent as she put on a whole completely different act when pretending to be just a student.

23. Miu Amano from Anime: Blend S

One of the waitresses who fulfills the older sister trait, she usually wears glasses and might be assumed to be  that sweet, sensitive, nervous anime character, as she physically seems to fit that mold. But then you come to realize that the S in 'Blend S' stands for Sadistic oneesan and things get a lot more interesting. Miu’s character revolves around her dōjinshi, as she is constantly looking for new material and inspiration to draw and create new lewd and well, let's say controversial, artwork. Everyone has a secret side to them! Her adoration of adult comics, coupled with her role as the mature and responsible one among the girls, makes for a very interesting character and group dynamic, making her unforgettable! It's always the quiet ones, for sure.

22. Akane Sakurada from Anime: Joukamachi no Dandelion

One of the most shy anime girls for sure, Akane hates to be anywhere near the center of attention and doesn't like to stand out. She even has the desire to remove CCTV cameras around the city so they don’t record her. The trouble is that she belongs to one of the most high profile and highly watched families in her area, so cameras are everywhere. She decides that, to accept her families high status and her own role as a queen, then all of the cameras must disappear. She is one of the most relatable characters in anime for her nervous and shut in temperment. There is an entire fan club dedicated to her introverted nature, with so many being able to identify with her fears, concerns and dreams! So to all the shy shut-ins, bow to your queen.

21. Edward Wong from Anime: Cowboy Bebop

An elite net-diver from Earth, hacker "Radical Edward" is a very strange, somewhat androgynous, teenage girl assumed to be around 13 years in age. A super smarty cookie and one of the most intelligent anime girl characters out there, Miss Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV is one of the best hackers known to man, while only in her early teens! Redheads often have a reputation for shining in the academic field and having that fierce and fiesty personality that gives them the edge when it comes to creative projects and competitions. Ed definitely adheres to these stereotypes and ticks every box, as there is no holding her back. She is one of the greatest go getter anime characters ever and her amazing red hair is one of the most iconic parts of her image, along with her memorable quotes like: “If you see a stranger, follow him” or “Hot dog bun, not too young”. So much fun!

20. Grell Sutcliff from Anime: Black Butler

This might be an odd pick as Grell brings up feelings of fear more so than she does feelings of appeal. But hear me out. Like Thanos said, it is all about balance. So on the one hand you have a shy, clumsy butler. And on the other a raging Shinigami with a knack for murder. That is balanced, right? She is very extroverted at least, so there is little of the shy, quiet, will-never-confess-my-feelings trope present in her personality. I mean, she blatantly screams her love for Sebastian every chance she gets. So even if you might think that she is otherwise insane, you can’t deny she has good taste in men.

19. Karin from Anime: Naruto Shippuden

Another wildcard entry on this list, but definitely worthy of a mention is Karin, who may often come off as initially annoying in the anime, but definitely becomes more well rounded with age. She is such a multifaceted character which makes her so interesting to watch, as there are many different sides to her personality. It often fluctuates and she will appear tough and in control at times, to the point of being violent and critical, and at other times will appear highly flirtatious. Also, loyalty and the forgiveness are always important traits in any lovable character. Granted Karin full on forgives a certain edge lord after being pierced by lighting, but hey, love does crazy things.

18. Mito Jūjō from Anime: Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End)

A super badass red haired anime girl with the coolest ponytail we have ever seen (and always wanted to recreate), this woman in uniform is a very popular character when it comes to cosplay. Mito is part of the Guren squad, meaning that she is highly trained and an incredibly efficient fighter. She also carries the royal Jujo bloodline, meaning that she is noble but also can be stuck up. She is an incredibly fun and interesting character to watch, especially scenes featuring her obvious crush on the lieutenant, which end up hilarious, while her actions on the battlefield are just epic. And her long red ponytail is just iconic.

17. Miia from Anime: Monster Musume

Part woman, part snake, Miia is known as a Lamia, basically a snake girl who plays a central role throughout the series. She has a pleasant personality, but gets very obsessive and overprotective over her crush, Kimihito and sees herself as his primary marriage candidate. Because of this, she can be particularly sour towards the other girls, seeing them as potential threats. She is not a good housekeeper and an abysmal cook; on several occasions, she accidentally gives the other household members food poisoning, due to her sense of taste being far weaker than a human's and her frequent use of inappropriate ingredients! Her character strength comes from the fact that she is very realistic and very human, which is ironic considering the whole half-snake business. She is petty, loud and definitely impulsive but also kind and caring and leads from her heart.

16. Stella Vermillion from Anime: Chivalry of a Failed Knight

An A-Rank Blazer and is the second princess of the kingdom of Vermillion. She is also the main Love Interest of Ikki Kurogane and later becomes his Fiancée. Stella is the textbook example of adorable when it comes to anime. Being both shy, relatable and clingy, submissive towards Ikki but hyper aware of, and very volatile towards, any other girl that takes interest in him, and being adorable by design. Her red pigtails are iconic and her crimson eyes & hair make for a very fierce look. Her name accords perfectly with her image, as Vermillion is known to be both a brilliant red or scarlet pigment, originally made from the powdered mineral cinnabar. She is the perfect love interest for Ikki and their relationship is one of the few in anime that actually goes beyond just shipping and teasing, which is super refreshing to see.

15. Uzumaki Kushina from Anime: Naruto Shippuden

A Konohagakure kunoichi who originated from Uzushiogakure's Uzumaki clan, Kushina actually starts off hating her bright red hair, only growing to love it thanks to her future husband Minato. It would later become her signature style and look and she would be reknowned for it, with her outbursts of anger crowned her the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. She’s portrayed as such a caring mother and loving wife and gives me Boudicca vibes, as she is such a legendary figure, an amazing mother figure in the anime and her reunion with Naruto, although be it because of the Nine tails chakra, is truly heartrending and makes me deeply emotional every time.

14. Morgiana from Anime: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Morgiana has a really tough backstory and comes from a troubled place as she was a slave to Jamil, along with Goltas, for most of her life, before she met Aladdin and Alibaba Saluja. Because of this she has an inferiority complex, with defensive behaviours as well as a pretty numb heart. A pure-blood Fanalis, she finds herself as the only one of her kind as the Fanalis people are from a different continent and are largely sold into slavery. Unwilling to cut her harsh background out of her personality, she instead channels it and uses it to become the strong, caring redheaded demon of the battlefield we know and love. Her red hair also seems to give her a fierce nobility and regality, used as a shining halo to illustrate her power. Choosing the Household Vessel that she did, and wanting to travel to her homeland, just shows how strong she is.

13. Yona from Anime: Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn)

The Crown princess of Kouka Kingdom, Yona stars in this interesting flipped twist on the usual rags to riches story - this is instead a riches to rags story! As a princess, Yona is pretty used to living a pampered life, surrounded by luxuries and was completely oblivious to the many hardships that were taking place all over her kingdom. This anime is so fascinating and satsifying to watch as after certain events occur, she is made to have a reality check and learn what it means to live with nothing. Yona is a real and relatable multifaceted character and it is extremely entertaining to watch her grow, learn and realise what her world is really like. There are moments where she is as dense as a rock, but also inspiring ones as you see her form real bonds and accomplish real feats.

12. Mereoleona Vermillion from Anime: Black Clover

Vermillion, meaning the pigment from which red paint powders is derrived, is a common theme when it comes to red haired characters! A noblewoman and the first daughter of the Clover Kingdom's House Vermillion, one of its royal families, she is also the captain of the Crimson Lion squad and the Royal Knights squad. This strong female character is the embodiment of passion and battle lust. Her 'no fluff' style makes the biggest names in the Back Clover universe shake in their boots and is an absolute beast on the battlefield. Even though she seems fierce and maleficent, Mereoleona is far from stone hearted, she just has the softer side of her firmly under control.

11. Shirayuki from Anime: Snow White with the Red Hair

A bright and resourceful herbalist, determined, able to speak her mind, and knowledgeable in both botany and medicine. Born with unique and rare apple red hair, she often has to hide it due to how it easily attracts attention. In the anime her iconic red hair gets her noticed by Prince Raj, who orders her to become his concubine. Refusing his orders, she cuts her hair and leaves it behind, as she knew that he only wanted her for her unique hair colour, and she escapes to the neighboring kingdom of Clarines. She is such an amazing character to watch as she knows her own mind and there is so much depth to her. She also has an interest that isn’t music or fighting related, kind of rare in anime! My girl just wants to be the best botanist this side of the Mississippi.

10. Chise Hatori from Anime: The Ancient Magus’ Bride

Chise is another character with a deeply heartrending and troubled backstory as, after being abandoned by her parents, Chise is forced in to selling herself into slavery to survive. In the anime we watch her become stronger and more confident, slowly discovering her self worth. Despite her lack of self-confidence, Chise is extremely dedicated to her role as an apprentice and her studies. She is very intelligent, though is rather naive - best evidenced by the fact that she is often tricked by fairies and similar creatures, who derive joy from her confusion. She is such a powerful and multifaceted character and this anime is not afraid to tackle dark and deep themes such as depression, suicide and self image and esteem.

9. Lilith Asami from Anime: Trinity Seven

A super memorable and iconic anime character is Lilith Asami, a teacher at the Royal Biblia Academy and part of the Trinity Seven. During an investigation mission, she discovered the existence of the Demon Lord Candidate Arata Kasuga before introducing him to the world of magic. As a character, Lilith is extremely clever and often tries to put up a tough demeanor, but is never really convincing. Whenever she’s teased, especially if it’s anything of the NSFW variant, she usually goes completely red and blows her fuse. Introduce the smug and mischievous Arata and some great supporting characters he can bounce off, Lilith is actually adorable most of the time she’s on screen.

8. Rias Gremory from Anime: High school DxD

As the main love interest of the protagonist, Issei Hyodo, Rias is a beautiful redheaded princess who is a 12th grade student and the prettiest girl in the academy. The main female protagonist of High School DxD, she is also the heiress of the Gremory Clan and is a powerful and confident character with set principles she must abide by. She sports a beautiful halo of iconic long red locks and is pretty much the dream girl for every man ever. One of those characters that all the guys want to date and all the girls want to be. She isn’t extremely complex, but she doesn’t have to be. Her character makes for the perfect focal point of the anime and she is just iconic because of that.

7. Kallen Stadtfeld/Kozuki from Anime: Code Geass

A highly skilled Knightmare Frame pilot, rivaling the abilities of even the Knights of the Round, Kallen is just overall such a masterfully written character. In the anime we see her struggle with her identity, being part Japanese and part Britannian which makes her an incredibly multifaceted character to follow. In school, she portrays herself as a weak-bodied high school student who obeys all of the formalities, and goes by her Britannian name of Stadtfeld. However, her personality changes into a very strong-willed and forceful one when she acts as a resistance fighter. There are so many funny moments too, with a running gag in the anime that sees her getting caught in awkward situations wearing very little, like the time Lelouch sees her naked after she accidentally pulls back a shower curtain in the third episode! Alongside that we see her be very compassionate but also maintain a firm sense of justice, exhibiting honesty, loyalty, and strength, yet still remaining completely relatable as a character with her competitive spirit!

6. Erza Scarlet from Anime: Fairy Tail

One of the coolest badass redheads in anime and characters in general, Erza immediately comes to mind when you think of kickass female leads. On encountering Erza, one might feel a little scared and intimidated as she can be very strict and oozes dominance. But there is definitely a softer side to her as we see she’s actually super kind-hearted and a lot of fun to be around. A S-class mage of the Fairy Tail Guild, the strongest still active female, and one of the main female protagonists in Team Natsu, she is confident and powerful and shines supremely on the battlefield. Her fighting style is so interesting because it’s comprised of so many different armors, abilities, and stats. Her wild red hair serves her fierce personality well and also conveniently adheres to the 'scarlet' in her name.

5. Stephanie Dola from Anime: No Game No Life

A favourite for cosplayers all round is loving Stephanie, an expressive and emotional big blue eyed, flower wearing girl that leads from the heart to the point where she cannot hide her emotions very well, but her outbursts are always endearing and super entertaining. She loved her grandfather (the former king) dearly and becomes angered when people call him a fool. She loves her kingdom and the world and believes in the potential of Imanity. She is such a good character as her forever optimism is exactly what we need on a daily basis, she is pure of heart and wears it on her sleeve. Plus in the same way that good girls rarely make the news, gentle characters rarely end up with a feature on lists like these. She makes for such a good contrast to Sora and Shiro, clashing their cynicism and remarkable intelligence with optimism and naivety, and the trio definitely wouldn't be the same without her. Uniquely, she combines a sense of naïvety with great intelligence and insight - if that makes sense - she just knows her feelings and is a softer female lead in anime we just love to watch!

4. Minori Kushieda from Anime: Toradora

Minori had to make a feature on the list of best red haired anime characters! She comes from the Holy Grail of anime known as Toradora, after all. One of the most admirable characters in the anime, Minori is a girl in Ryūji's class and is initially the object of his affections, and she is also Taiga's best friend. She is hard-working, loyal to a tee, responsible, and capable. Constantly hungry and longing for snacks, she is a diet warrior at the same time. She believes in UFO's and is the typical genki girl next door. In contrast to the violent nature of Taiga, Minori is always smiling and cheerful.

3. Maki Nishikino from Anime: Love Live! School Idol Project

What a cutie! Although basically the entire main cast is adorable. But Maki has especially adorable and endearing qualities that go along with her being a tsundere, an infectious smile and childlike ways and quirks. Somehow her extremely stubborn ways make her all the more precious and entertaining to watch and the times she has the emotional maturity of a shoe only serve to make her moments of sincerity that much better. Her family is also pretty well off so Maki will in fact likely be the breadwinner (or bread-ginger) in this household. She is such an iconic cute character it would be wrong not to mention her here!

2. Yoko Littner from Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

One of the most mature and rational members of the group, this flame haired bikini wearing warrior hails from Jeeha's neighboring village Littner. She is a clever fighter and good at holding her own, used to chasing down the Gunmen who attacked Jeeha village, wielding an extensive range of firearms which include a long range sniper rifle (which she uses most frequently) modeled after the Barrett M82 and hand guns (which can be assumed is used for mid-range or close combat) and has previous experience fighting Gunmen. Like a lot of characters on this list, Yoko is very solid on her own, but becomes especially stellar when paired with the right people. Her calm and rational demeanor balances out Kamina’s all-in personality and she is a perfect asset to the team as well as an incredible character in her own right!

1. Makise Kurisu from Anime: Steins; Gate

As the daughter of Shouichi Makise, Kurisu is a genius girl who graduated from university at the age of seventeen and is the human embodiment of raw intelligence, temper, and ambition. It's fair to say she's unforgettable. She can be a tsundere from time to time, but this is far from her defining trait. This red-haired, lab coat loving, fork wanting Kurisu is just a masterfully written character with a strong personality. She does not want to show weakness to others, so she always has a stern expression. However, she is very curious, and when she builds interest, she adores experimenting and is a mad scientist in the making! She is such a complex and masterfully built character with so many real elements and it is fascinating to watch her. Her relationship with Okabe seems pure and believable too. And if her Hououin Kyōma rendition didn't move you to tears then nothing else will! She is one of my favourite female characters in anime of all time!

If you enjoyed this definitely check out Cutest Anime Girls with Horns, Best Vampire Girls in Anime, Best Tomboy Anime Characters, Best White Haired Anime Girls and Best Fox Girls in Anime!