The best female martial artists in anime

Summary

  • Female martial artists in anime shine just as brightly as their male counterparts.
  • Characters like Sakura and Boa Hancock bring unique fighting styles and power to the screen.
  • Fighters like Yor Forger are refined, lethal, and among the best martial artists in anime.



Action, especially martial arts, is one of the most popular genres in anime. In fact, it doesn't matter what subgenre the action follows – action/fantasy, action/comedy, action/adventure, etc. – they are guaranteed to have some martial arts elements in them.

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That being said, most iconic martial artists in manga are male, such as Goku from Dragon BallTourniquet from The man with one punchand Rock Lee in Narutoto name just a few. However, this does not mean that this is a discipline created exclusively for men. On the contrary, there have been quite a few female martial artists who have graced the screen as well. With that in mind, here are some of the the best female martial artists in anime.


7 Sakura Haruno

An Earth-Destroying Boxer

Sakura Haruno from Naruto

release date
October 3, 2002

seasons
5

Studio
Pierrot

  • First Appearance: Episode 1
  • Martial Arts: Taijutsu/Boxing


Sakura was never good at hand-to-hand combat (Taijutsu). As a ninja, she is definitely better than the average person and can hold her own in a regular battle as well. However, compared to a competent taijutsu practitioner like Rock Lee or her teammates Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura definitely lacks. But that all changed when he studied under the tutelage of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.

Sakura not only learns about medical jutsu from Tsunade, but also learns about martial arts that focus on his fist, a kind of boxing. Furthermore, Tsunade teaches Sakura how to conserve her chakra so that she can use it to improve her speed, strength, and regeneration ability. Due to the combination of proper boxing technique along with enhanced muscles and chakra, a single punch from Sakura has enough power to destroy an entire building. So far, she is easily the strongest puncher in Konoha right now.


6 Boa Hancock

A petrifying Kicker

Boa Hancock and Salome defend Luffy in the Marineford War in One Piece

release date
October 20, 1999

seasons
20

Studio
Toei Animation

  • First appearance: Episode 409
  • Martial arts: Capoeira/Taekwondo

Amazon Lilly is a society full of warriors. As such, the only way to gain respect in this place is to also be a powerful warrior. As Empress Lilly of the Amazons and Captain of the Kuja Pirates, Boa Hancock is therefore the most powerful warrior in her homeland.

Hancock's fighting technique focuses heavily on her long, flexible legs to generate a powerful strike that looks like a combination of Capoeira and Taekwondo. Her blow has enough power to shatter the hard shell of a Pacifista. Add to that her devil fruit petrifying ability, and the result is an amazing pirate empress who can turn anyone to stone and leave them as nothing more than tiny rubble with one hit.


5 Annie Leonhart

A huge fighter

Annie Leonhart (Attack on Titan)

release date
April 7, 2013

seasons
4

Studio
Wit Studio, MAPPA

  • First appearance: Episode 2
  • Martial Arts: Muay Thai/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

From every character in attack on titan Annie is probably the most talented fighter in the series. Trained by her father since childhood as a means of self-defense, Annie was already an expert in hand-to-hand combat when she infiltrated Paradise Island as a teenager.

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Although never officially mentioned in the series, Annie's stance and movement are similar to Muay Thai with a bit of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sprinkled on top. Therefore, unlike other changelings who rely on their titan's special ability, Annie's main offensive prowess comes from her martial art. Even when she transforms into the Female Titan, she still raises her guard and is ready to unleash a lethal blow at any moment.


4 Yoruichi Shihouin

A mind-blowing mixed martial artist

Yoruichi Shunko – BLEACH
Yoruichi Shunko – BLEACH

release date
September 6, 2006

seasons
16

Studio
Pierrot

  • First appearance: Episode 15
  • Martial Arts: Hakuda/Mixed Martial Arts

In a world where everyone fights with a sword, Yoruichi Shihouin is the only one who always fights with her bare hands. Yoruichi is an expert in hand-to-hand combat known as Hakuda, which is similar to real-world Mixed Martial Arts. Every shinigami in the Gotei 13 knows Hakuda, but Yoruichi takes this technique to greater heights. We should think of her as Might Guy from Naruto.

Additionally, as the former commander of the Onmitsukido (Soul Society Special Forces), Yoruichi prides herself on her extraordinary speed. As if that wasn't enough, she has also mastered an advanced technique called Shunko. Once activated, this technique will envelop his body in lightning-like Reiatsu, further increasing his speed and power.


3 Maki Zen'in

A heavenly universal

Jujutsu Kaisen Maki Zenin Split Soul Katana

release date
October 3, 2020

seasons
2

Studio
MAP

  • First appearance: Episode 5
  • Martial Arts: Mixed Martial Arts

Maki Zen'in was born under a sacred binding oath called the Heavenly Restraint. This technique severely restricts Maki's production of cursed energy, making it impossible for her to use a cursed technique or even see cursed spirits. However, in exchange for this glaring weakness, Maki is granted strength, speed, and agility beyond what a normal person can generate.

Through intensive training from a young age, Maki has now become an expert in melee combat and can use all kinds of melee weapons. Due to her absurdly strong and flexible body, Maki's fighting style is incredibly fluid. She can flawlessly chain kicks and punches that inevitably lead to her breaking her opponent's bones or at least suffocating them in an instant.


2 Violet Evergarden

A battle hardened fighter

Violet Evergarden In Flames

release date
January 11, 2018

seasons
1

Studio
Kyoto animation

  • First Appearance: Episode 1
  • Martial Arts: Mixed Martial Arts

Every martial artist discussed so far has used their fighting technique in tandem with their innate ability, either through the power of the devil fruits or titan shifting. For Violet Evergarden, however, it's all about martial arts. As someone who was trained to be a killing machine and spent years on the battlefield, Violet has perhaps the most dangerous fighting style of most anime martial artists. The reason is simply because she would go to the battlefield just to kill the enemy without worrying about what would happen to her in the process.


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This reckless approach means that there is nothing anyone can do to scare her and nothing will stop her from killing the enemy. That's why she never hesitated to jump into a group of soldiers and start breaking their arms, legs and especially their necks while dodging their bullets. She isn't tied to any specific technique either and simply uses the most appropriate move to defeat the enemy, be it a headshot, gut punch, or devastating choke to name a few. During this dark time in her life, Violet Evergarden was truly the embodiment of a living weapon.

1 Yor Forger

An extremely lethal mixed martial artist

Spy x Family S2 E8 decidedly Yor

release date
April 9, 2022

seasons
2

Studio
Wit Studio, CloverWorks

  • First appearance: Episode 2
  • Martial Arts: Mixed Martial Arts


Similar to Violet, Yor Forger is also trained from a young age to be a killer. The difference is that while Violet was forced to be a soldier, Yor became an assassin by her own choice, though the reason is mainly because she needs the money to raise her brother. Both are extremely lethal martial artists with hands and feet that can kill their target. What makes Yor superior to Violet is her far more refined techniques and inhuman strength harnessed through years of deliberate muscle training.

As an assassin, Yor is extremely well versed in human anatomy and knows where to strike to incapacitate his target. Not only that, but her attacks also have enough power that she doesn't need a weapon to take out her target. Her sidekick can break a target's arm and her right hook can break their jaw.

If that's not enough, she can slam a potential threat onto the concrete with a shoulder toss, disrupt their oxygen supply with a triangle choke, or even snap their neck with a classic guillotine choke. With such a vast arsenal of techniques that he can use to take out his targets, it's safe to say that Yor Forger is the best female martial artist in anime and one of the best martial artists in general.


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