31 Most Iconic Anime Girls With Red Hair

One of anime’s most enduring and defining tropes is using unusual hair colors. Whether it’s a high fantasy epic or a mundane school life setting, viewers can always count on seeing someone with bright blue, purple, or other bizarre colors in their hair. These hair colors are usually natural, too – no hair dye necessary!

Among the various hair colors depicted in anime, red hair is among the more realistic options. While there are plenty of exceptions, red-haired characters tend to be hot-headed and reckless. Here are some female red-headed characters that nearly every fan of anime will recognize.

Updated November 27, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Red-haired anime girls have been popular for decades, which seems unlikely to change anytime soon. Heck, Fall 2024 has the return of Ranma, Yakuza Fiancé’s Yoshino, Mecha-Ude’s Aki, and Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc.’s Kana, all good-to-great characters.

Specifications for each anime have been added to make it easier to see these girls in all their glory.

31 Nena Trinity

Gundam 00

• Japanese VA: Rie Kugimiya

Initially, Nena Trinity and her brothers seemed like welcome allies for the paramilitary organization Celestial Being, having saved them from certain death in the middle of a battle. However, their thirst for blood and overall viciousness made them a hindrance to the group’s goal, with Nena easily being the worst. Impulsive, selfish, and cruel, Nena was a large part of the reason why the factions of Earth joined together to destroy Celestial Being.

Though Nena made for an awful ally, she played quite a dangerous villain, especially in the second season. Now operating under Wang Liu Mei, Nena Trinity was a wild card who cared only for herself. She is easily one of the most psychotic Gundam characters, considering she’s up against some fierce competition.

30 Benten

Urusei Yatsura

• Japanese VA: Yuko Mita (1981 series); Shizuka Ishigami (2022 series)

Benten is one of Lum’s many alien friends, having known her since childhood, along with Oyuki and Ran. She is a member of the Fukujin clan, which often engages in various competitions against Lum’s Oni clan. Despite having a relatively low number of appearances, she is a popular character in the show.

A fiery girl with a biker aesthetic, Benten’s personality matches her bright-red hair. She is easily the most rambunctious troublemaker among Lum’s friends, and while she is certainly a tomboy, she does know how to use her charm to get what she wants.

• 	Urusei Yatsura	Urusei Yatsura
  Release Date	1981-10-14	2022-10-14
  Genres	Romance, Comedy, Sci-Fi	Comedy, Sci-Fi
  Studio	Pierrot, Studio Deen	David Production
  Based On	Manga	Manga
  Creator	Rumiko Takahashi	Rumiko Takahashi

29 Kushina Uzumaki

Naruto

• Japanese VA: Emi Shinohara

Kushina Uzumaki is the mother of Naruto, who had already passed by the time the story began. The previous Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails before it was handed over to Naruto, Kushina was once mocked and bullied by her fellow ninja students for her bright red hair, which she paid back with righteous anger. Her hot temper would only be quelled by Minato Namikaze, the man who would eventually become her husband and the Fourth Hokage.

Kushina had very little screentime, appearing only as a spirit to help Naruto gain control of the Nine-Tails. However, she has had a strong and long-lasting impact on the anime’s story, making her a fan-favorite in the community.

• 	Naruto	Naruto: Shippuden
  Release Date	2002-10-02	2007-02-15
  Genres	Animation, Action, Adventure	Action, Adventure
  Studio	Pierrot	Pierrot
  Based On	Manga	Manga
  Creator	Masashi Kishimoto	Masashi Kishimoto
  Streaming Service(s)	Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, Crunchyroll	Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll

28 Koume Sawaguchi

Blue Seed

• Japanese VA: Kotono Mitsuishi

Koume Sawaguchi is a member of the Terrestrial Administration Center, also known as the TAC, which is in charge of exterminating Aragami, supernatural threats intent on destroying humanity. Sawaguchi is one of many agents assisting the main character Momiji Fujimiya in her battles against the vile Aragami, whether it be in combat or as support.

Koume Sawaguchi perfectly displays the hot-blooded attitude a red-haired girl would be expected to present, as displayed by her brash attitude and rugged style. Her main mode of attack is to use as big a gun as possible and to never let up on the offense regardless of whether or not she is actually hitting anything. Despite all this, she does have a sensitive side that she does her best to hide from the others.

27 Ikuyo Kita

Bocchi The Rock!

• Japanese VA: Ikumi Hasegawa

Bocchi the Rock! exploded in popularity when it premiered in late 2022, and while its protagonist Hitori “Bocchi” Goto took most of the spotlight, her friend and bandmate Ikuyo Kita also got some attention. An incredibly vivacious, outgoing, and energetic girl, Kita is the opposite of Bocchi in every way imaginable.

Even so, the two become fast friends, especially once Kita properly joins Kessoku Band. Despite having run away due to anxiety previously, Kita works hard for the band’s success, and while she isn’t the most skilled musician in the group, her gung-ho personality means she’s always willing to learn.

26 Shura Kirigakure

Blue Exorcist

Shura Kirigakure is an Upper Class Exorcist of the True Cross Order. Initially sent to infiltrate the True Cross Academy to find and destroy any signs of Satan’s influence, she decides instead to teach Rin Okumura how to control his demonic powers due to their shared connection through his adoptive father Shiro Fujimoto.

Unlike her fiery red hair, Shura is actually quite laidback, often speaking casually even to superiors and slacking off on the job. Despite that, she can be serious when the job commands it, and she is a good teacher to Rin and the other Exwires.

25 Eris Boreas Greyrat

Mushoku Tensei

Eris Boreas Greyrat is a distant relative of Rudeus, and was tutored by him in their childhood. They became close after the Teleportation Incident left them stranded on the Demon Continent, but a cruel misunderstanding saw them separate, with Rudeus heartbroken over her for several years.

Fiery, tomboyish, and rash, Eris prides herself on her physical ability, particularly her skill with a sword. Though she has incredible intuition and fighting ability for her age, she can be very short-sighted when it comes to other things, a fault Rudeus frequently covers for.

24 Morgiana

Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic

• Japanese VA: Haruka Tomatsu

Morgiana was once a slave to a man named Jamil, who abused and broke her until she followed his orders without complaint. An incredible fighter with superhuman strength and speed, she was saved and freed by Alibaba and Aladdin, who have become irreplaceable friends to her ever since. After searching for her homeland, she returns to help Alibaba in his endeavors as a king.

Despite being red-haired, Morgiana is much calmer than the usual red-haired anime girl, a result of her abuse and torment as a slave. However, as time goes by, she becomes more cheerful and energetic as she opens up to her friends.

23 Tomo Aizawa

Tomo-chan Is A Girl!

• Japanese VA: Rie Takahashi

Tomo Aizawa is the long-time childhood friend of Junichiro Kubota. Tomboyish, sporty, and full of energy, Tomo is in love with Junichiro, but their friendship has caused him to be unable to see her as anything else but a friend.

Worried that Jun doesn’t see her as a woman, Tomo begins to make efforts to be more girly. Despite this, she can’t help her natural tomboyish personality from bursting out. Ultimately, the series focuses on her coming to terms with herself as a person while also doing her best to convey her feelings to her crush.

22 Kana Arima

Oshi No Ko

Kana Arima was once a famous child actress renowned for her ability to tear up on a dime. However, as she grew older, she lost popularity, causing her to struggle in her attempts to find acting work as a teen.

While she was spoiled rotten as a child, as a teenager Kana is humble, respectful, and hard-working. The years of failure in the entertainment industry have taken a toll on her self-esteem, but she still does her best to shine in the roles she is given, whether it be as an actress or an idol.

21 Rika Nonaka

Digimon Tamers

• Japanese VA: Fumiko Orikasa

Rika Nonaka (known as Ruki Makino in Japan) is one of the main characters of Digimon Tamers, the third Digimon series. Once a prodigy Digimon Card player and a champion of the Digimon Card Tournament known as the “Digimon Queen.” Rika soon meets her Digimon partner Renamon, and this new partnership leads her on a new adventure.

Initially, Rika has a volatile and abrasive personality, appropriate considering the fiery color of her hair. She cares only about winning and at first sees her fights with Digimon as a way to become stronger. It takes some time for her allies Takuto and Henry to get her to see the error of her ways, allowing her to become a more caring and noble character.

20 Cutie Honey

Cutie Honey

• Japanese VA: Eiko Masuyama (original)

Cutie Honey is one of the oldest heroines in manga, having initially debuted in 1973 in the pages of Weekly Shonen Champion. An android named Honey Kisaragi who transforms into the scantily clad Cutie Honey to fight evil villains, her creator Go Nagai claims that she is the first-ever female protagonist in a shonen manga.

Cutie Honey is an obvious parody of the magical girl genre, what with the magical girl-like transformations that momentarily leave her naked. Cutie Honey fights her enemies with a mix of fiery justice and impish mischief. While the original series has certainly aged poorly over the decades, the legacy of the character continues to the modern day, influencing and inspiring reboots and even live-action adaptations.

19 Tia Noto Yoko

Bastard!!

• Japanese VA: Yuka Koyama (1992 OVA), Tomori Kusunoki (2022 ONA)

Tia Noto Yoko is the only daughter of the Great Priest Geo Noto Soto and the childhood friend of Lucien Renlen, whom she has protected and cared for ever since they were young. That all changes when Lucien is revealed to be the reincarnation of the great wizard Dark Schneider, who can only be unsealed by a kiss from a virgin.

Yoko soon becomes a target of Dark Schneider’s incredibly passionate affections, which she quickly rebuffs with her hot-blooded attitude and strong will. Though she initially sees Dark Schneider as a parasite inside her friend Lucien, she soon starts to fall in love with some of his better aspects. Thankfully, Dark Schneider’s constant attraction to her also allows her to keep him in check, leaving the villainous wizard at the constant mercy of a rambunctious young girl.

18 Suletta Mercury

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury

• Japanese VA: Kana Ichinose

As one of the newest Gundam protagonist, Suletta Mercury marks a first for the franchise as the first female protagonist. A transfer student from Mercury, Suletta first comes off as an enthusiastic but rather awkward young girl in search of new friends.

Her shyness and social awkwardness belie her incredible fighting capability, especially when she is piloting her personal mobile suit, the Aerial. While Suletta certainly has quite a few confidence issues, watching her grow throughout the series is part of her appeal.

17 Shirayuki

Snow White with the Red Hair

• Japanese VA: Saori Hayami

Shirayuki is a normal girl learning to be an herbalist in the Kingdom of Tanbarun, with one small exception: her red hair, which attracts attention wherever she goes. Shirayuki just wants to live a normal life, but when her red hair catches the attention of Prince Raj, he immediately demands that she become his concubine.

Shirayuki escapes to the neighboring Kingdom of Clarines, where she is protected and befriended by the prince. There, she uses her knowledge of herbs to become a royal herbalist. Hard-working and independent, Shirayuki easily proves her ability to survive without relying on others.

16 Yona

Yona Of The Dawn

As the princess of Kouka, Yona has lived her life never wanting for anything. However, when her father is killed by someone she loved and trusted, Yona is forced to flee her own country. Guided by a myth of Four Dragons who once helped the Crimson Dragon King unify the nation, Yona decides to go on a journey to gather allies to get her country back.

Though she initially starts quite sheltered, Yona is incredibly strong of heart. Quickly overcoming her father’s death, Yona learned that she needed to gain strength to survive, using guile, charisma, and whatever she could to stay alive until she could take back her kingdom.

15 Makima

Chainsaw Man

• Japanese VA: Tomori Kusunoki

Makima is easily one of the most popular characters to come out of 2022, with a charm that is both alluring and terrifying. The head of Public Safety Division 4, Makima is in charge of hunting down and killing the various devils that appear in Tokyo.

Even though she works to protect the peace of the city, Makima is an unnerving and chilling character whose motives are indiscernible. Despite this, she radiates a soothing charm that characters like Denji and Aki are simply unable to resist.

14 Shana

Shakugan No Shana

• Japanese VA: Rie Kugimiya

As a being known only as a Flame Haze, Shana’s duty is to exterminate Denizens attempting to toy with the Power of Existence keeping people alive. One such victim of such an attack is Yuji Sakai, who has a mysterious power that allows him to remain alive even though his Power of Existence is so weak.

While Shana is unconcerned with Yuji, the two’s paths remain intertwined. It is Yuji who names her Shana, and she slowly begins to care for him in her way. With her ability to wield flame and a powerful sword that serves as her namesake, Shana is both strong and capable.

13 Mereoleona Vermillion

Black Clover

• Japanese VA: Junko Minagawa

The oldest daughter of House Vermillion is also one of the fieriest characters on this list, not just in her magic specialty but also in her personality as well. She cuts a belligerent and intimidating figure, but she is also an inspiring figure who was born to lead, even if she prefers not to.

Unlike many of her family members, Mereoleona chose not to become a member of the Magic Knights, only choosing to become the temporary captain of the Crimson Lions when her brother Fuegoleon is incapacitated. She is shown as incredibly competent in that role and later leads the Royal Knights as well.

12 Lucy/Nyu

Elfen Lied

• Japanese VA: Sanae Kobayashi

Two young university students discover a young woman who is unable to speak. They call her Nyu due to the only sound she can make at the time, but they soon realize that there is more to her. Eventually, they learn that Nyu is a split personality of Lucy, a murderous Diclonius with the power to control invisible arms called vectors that can kill indiscriminately.

While Nyu is kind, peaceful, and introverted, Lucy is violent, merciless, and hates all humans. While her time living with Kouta and Yuka mellows her out slightly, she never loses her murderous tendencies, and fate as a Diclonius means that her life could never be peaceful.