Top 10 Badass LGBTQ+ Anime Characters

Throughout its twenty-year-long runtime, One Piece has introduced countless characters: most recently, this beautiful samurai from Wano Country has caught our attention. While she is biologically male, Kikunojo wears feminine clothing and has stated that she is a woman at heart. At first glance, she looks like an average teahouse girl, getting harassed by pushy customers who won’t take no for an answer. But behind her soft-spoken manners, Kikunojo is actually a highly trained warrior who isn’t afraid to stand up for the weak and innocent. Known as one of the best swordsmen in her country, she even impresses the Straw Hat Pirates with her fighting skills – which is no small feat.

Nothing says badass like plotting to overthrow an oppressive government. As a former major in said government’s army, Bulat joined the rebel group Night Raid after realizing how corrupt the Capital had become. Despite his intimidating appearance, this gentle giant is just as compassionate to his comrades as he is frightening to his enemies. He becomes a mentor and big brother figure to newcomer Tatsumi… while flirting with him pretty heavily. Aside from being a powerful warrior, Bulat also has a strong sense of justice and loyalty: even when he comes face to face with his former general, he doesn’t hesitate to fight to the death to defend Night Raid.

Like most of her colleagues at the Public Safety Bureau, Yayoi treads the line between law enforcer and criminal. But no matter which side of the law she’s on, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Whether she’s busy tinkering with robots or controlling drones, Yayoi looks like the kind of woman who gets things done. She’s the epitome of the quiet badass: doesn’t say much, always keeps a level head, rarely shows any emotion -- and absolutely rocks a sleek black suit. Even with her lover and total bombshell Shion Karanomori, she rarely lets her feelings get in the way of her work. Oh, and did we mention she used to be in a punk rock band?

Unlike a lot of anime characters, Suruga is refreshingly straightforward about her sexuality. This brash tomboy is basically the definition of “loud and proud.” While she’s very vocal about her love for ladies and BL literature, there is one secret she hides: her Rainy Devil’s arm, a dangerous entity that grants her subconscious wishes –and just happens to give her incredible destructive power. Don’t get us wrong: Suruga’s devil arm gave us an epic battle scene, but ultimately, we were glad to see it go. Besides, who needs a supernatural monster arm, when you’re already this badass on your own?

As a member of the 104th corps, Ymir has no mercy for Titans –and little patience for her teammates. Her no-nonsense attitude often makes her come off as insensitive or downright rude. But like most of the characters in “Attack on Titan,” there’s more to her than meets the eye. Ymir carries the weight of a tragic past: her toughness is founded on a strong sense of pride and responsibility. And though her bluntness can rub people the wrong way, no one can question her skills. Despite seeming distant, Ymir can be incredibly selfless when it comes to her love interest, Krista – aka Historia. All of her actions are motivated by her desire to protect her, even when it puts her own life in danger.

Although his name means “rat” in Japanese, Nezumi is really more of a lone wolf. After losing his family to a massacre, he’s learned to survive on his own -- with the help of his sharp knife and even sharper survival instincts. As a typical loner, Nezumi believes that attachments of any kind will only make him weaker. While this “kill or be killed” philosophy has served him well, there is one exception to his rule: Shion, a naive boy who once saved his life. The two share several sweet moments and unsurprisingly develop romantic feelings for each other. Against his better judgement, Nezumi soon finds himself using his badass fighting skills to protect not only himself, but also Shion.

In terms of muscle mass and fighting power, Valmet is a real beast of a woman. Like the other members of Koko’s Squad, she’s a former soldier turned bodyguard. She’s especially deadly in close combat, and fast enough to dodge bullets at close range. After losing her platoon and her eye in an ambush, Valmet rose from the ashes by training harder than ever. Valmet is pretty obviously in love with her boss Koko, and often even gets flustered or flirty around the other woman. Her squad mates are aware of her feelings and respect them; after all, they know better than to get on her bad side.

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#3: Ash Lynx
“Banana Fish” (2018)

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Top 20 Most Badass Female Anime Characters

Few people can boast of being the leader of several mafia gangs at age seventeen; Ash Lynx is one of them. While he’s often noticed for his dashing good looks, this young man is more than just a pretty face: he’s also an expert in hand-to-hand combat, and he’s pretty much unstoppable with a gun. Talk about Beauty and the Beast all rolled into one! Surprisingly, the young Japanese reporter, Eji Okamura, gets him to lower his defenses. As the two men work to unravel the mystery of Banana Fish, Ash finds himself disarmed by Eji’s innocence. While it’s unclear whether the two ever enter a sexual relationship, the manga’s author has referred to them as “soulmates.”

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#2: Sailor Uranus
“Sailor Moon” Franchise (1992-)

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Top 10 Best Sailor Moon Characters

It’s not easy to balance protecting the world from evil with being a regular high school student. We think it’s safe to say that Haruka Tennô, does a stellar job of it. In fact, she’d probably make this list even without her supernatural powers and awesome combat skills. Sailor Uranus is a strong-willed, daring girl who isn’t afraid to challenge conventional gender roles. As a civilian, she wears a lot of masculine clothing and is often mistaken for a boy because of her androgynous appearance. Despite her tendency to flirt with other pretty girls, Sailor Uranus is in a loving relationship with Sailor Neptune: when the two girls team up in battle, they basically form the ultimate power couple.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Nathan Seymour
“Tiger and Bunny” (2011)

Yawara Chatora
“My Hero Academia” (2016- )

Juzo Sakakura
“Danganronpa 3” (2016)

Junior high isn’t usually where you’d expect to enter a dueling tournament, but Utena isn’t one to walk away from a challenge. In fact, this pink-haired fighter is the exact opposite of a damsel in distress. Screw waiting to be saved by a prince; she’ll become a prince and do the saving herself! At Ohtori High, Utena finds herself in the middle of a dueling competition for the hand of the mysterious “Rose Bride.” Thanks to her unwavering will and sword-fighting skills, she emerges victorious. But unlike the other duelists who want to make the Rose Bride their slave, Utena develops genuine feelings for her and encourages her to stand up for herself. Girl power doesn’t get any more badass than this!