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 sophisticated, deadly, and among the best martial artists in anime.



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

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However, most legendary martial artists in manga are men, such as Goku from Dragon BallGarou out One Punch Manand Rock Lee in Narutoto name just a few. However, that doesn't mean this is a discipline exclusively for men. On the contrary, there have also been some notable female martial artists featured on screen. With that in mind, here are some of them best female martial artists in anime.


7 Sakura Haruno

An earth-shattering boxer

Sakura Haruno from Naruto

Release date
October 3, 2002

Seasons
5

studio
Pierrot

  • First appearance: Episode 1
  • Martial arts: Taijutsu/Boxing


Sakura has never been good at hand-to-hand combat (taijutsu). As a ninja, she is certainly better than an average human and can hold her own in a normal fight. However, compared to a skilled taijutsu practitioner like Rock Lee or her teammates Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura is definitely lacking. But everything changed when she studied under the tutelage of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.

Sakura learns from Tsunade not only about medic jutsu, but also martial arts that focus on his fist, similar to boxing. Additionally, Tsunade teaches Sakura how to store her chakra so that she can use it to increase her speed, strength, and ability to regenerate. Thanks to the combination of proper boxing technique and enhanced musculature and chakra, a single punch from Sakura has enough power to destroy an entire building. She is now by far the strongest puncher in Konoha.


6 Wow Hancock

A terrifying 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

The Amazon Lilly is a society full of warriors. Therefore, the only way to earn respect in this place is to also be a strong warrior. As Empress of the Amazon Lilly and captain of the Kuja Pirates, Boa Hancock is the most powerful warrior in her homeland.

Hancock's fighting technique focuses heavily on her long and flexible legs to produce a powerful kick that looks like a combination of capoeira and taekwondo. Her kick has enough force to shatter a Pacifista's hard shell. Add to that her ability to petrify devil fruits, and the result is a stunning pirate empress who can turn anyone to stone with a single kick, leaving them in tiny ruins.


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 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 Paradis Island as a teenager.

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Although it is never officially mentioned in the series, Annie's stance and movement are similar to Muay Thai, with some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on top. Because of this, unlike other shapeshifters who rely on her Titan's special ability, Annie's main attack ability relies on her martial arts. Even when she transforms into the Female Titan, she remains alert and ready to unleash a deadly kick at any moment.


4 Yoruichi Shihouin

A thunderous 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 their sword, Yoruichi Shihouin is the only one who always fights with her bare hands. Yoruichi is an expert in hand-to-hand combat named Hakuda, which is similar to mixed martial arts in the real world. Every Shinigami in Gotei 13 knows Hakuda, but Yoruichi takes this technique to an even higher level. Think of her like Might Guy Naruto.

Additionally, as a former commander of the Onmitsukido (Special Forces of the Soul Society), Yoruichi takes great pride in her exceptional speed. As if that wasn't enough, she also masters an advanced technique called Shunko. Once activated, this technique envelops her body in lightning-like reiatsu, further increasing her speed and power.


3 Maki Zen'in

A heavenly all-rounder

Jujutsu Kaisen Maki Zenin Split Soul Katana

Release date
October 3, 2020

Seasons
2

studio
MAPPA

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

Maki Zen'in was born under a sacred binding vow called the “Heavenly Constraint.” This technique severely limits Maki's cursed energy output, making it impossible for her to use a cursed technique or even see cursed spirits. However, in exchange for this apparent weakness, Maki gains strength, speed, and agility beyond what a normal human can produce.

Through intensive training from a young age, Maki is now an expert in hand-to-hand combat and can also use all types of melee weapons. Thanks to her incredibly strong and flexible body, Maki's fighting style is incredibly fluid. She can string together kicks and punches perfectly, which inevitably results in her breaking the opponent's bones or at least suffocating them in no time.


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 along with their innate abilities, whether through Devil Fruit Power or Titan Shift. However, Violet Evergarden is all about martial arts. As someone trained to be a killing machine and spending years on the battlefield, Violet arguably has the most dangerous fighting style of most martial artists in anime. The reason is simply that she entered the game just to kill the enemy without thinking about what would happen to her in the process.


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This ruthless approach means that no one can do anything to scare them and nothing can stop them from killing the enemy. That's why she never hesitated to rush into a group of soldiers and start breaking their arms, legs and especially their necks, all while dodging their bullets. She is also not tied to a specific technique and simply uses the most appropriate move to defeat the enemy, be it a kick to the head, a punch to the gut, or a devastating choke hold, to name a few. During this dark period of her life, Violet Evergarden was truly the embodiment of a living weapon.

1 Your counterfeiter

A highly deadly mixed martial artist

Spy x Family S2 E8 resolute Yor

Release date
April 9, 2022

Seasons
2

studio
Wit Studio, Clover Works

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


Similar to Violet, Yor Forger is also trained to be a killer at a young age. The difference is that Violet was forced to become a soldier, but Yor became an assassin of her own free will, although the reason is mainly because she needs money to raise her brother. Both are extremely deadly martial artists with hands and legs that can kill their target. What makes Yor Violet superior are her much more sophisticated techniques and her inhuman strength, which she harnesses through years of targeted muscle training.

As an assassin, Yor is well versed in human anatomy and knows where to attack to incapacitate her target. Additionally, her attacks are also so powerful that she doesn't really need a weapon to take out her target. Her sidekick can break a target's arm and her right hook can break their jaw.

As if that weren't enough, she can slam a potential threat onto the concrete with her over-the-shoulder throw, destroy their oxygen supply with a triangle choke, or even snap their neck with a classic guillotine choke. With such a large arsenal of techniques to take down her targets, it's safe to say that Yor Forger is the best best female martial artist in anime and one of the best martial artists ever.


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