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Credit: NieR Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition
One of the main features of Japanese RPGs is their adorable female characters.
Romance is an excellent selling point. Even if some men make fun of romantic comedies and Twilight, we’re all suckers for a good romance – and JRPGs are a low-profile way we get our fill.
Some of these characters are so lovely, we end up falling in love for real.
Whether you’ve only got a slight crush or want to travel to Japan to marry your favorite 2D gal, we’ve all got our top JRPG waifus in this ranking.
Reducing the world of JRPG hotties to just this list is an impossible feat – but hopefully this collection can satisfy every RPG fan.
20. Beatrix (Final Fantasy IX)
Beatrix is a top-ranking general in the all-female army of Alexandria, and one of the most powerful foes in FFIX.
She’s also the biggest heartthrob in the game.
Something that makes her irresistible is how she’s invincible every time you fight her.
Have you ever gotten obsessed with someone because they rejected you? This is similar.
She’s a stoic and powerful woman that strikes admiration in the hearts of her soldiers and her enemies.
19. Noire (Hyperdimension Neptunia)
We’re taking a look at some of the best waifus in JRPGs – not the best games!
Hyperdimension Neptunia’s gameplay isn’t the most creative or unique – but its characters are another story.
Among them, Noire is a real fan favorite.
She’s a tsundere who appears haughty and hostile because she can’t be honest with herself. She’s also a humanized representation of the PlayStation brand – which weebs love.
18. Camilla (Fire Emblem Fates)
It had been a while since I’d seen a character get as much fanart as Camilla from Fire Emblem Fates.
The ample cleavage on her all-black armor (with armored stilletos) definitely played a role.
But this Princess of Nohr is a complete package.
Just keep in mind Camilla has a bit of a jealous streak. She’ll march an army on you at the first sign of anything fishy.
17. Chie (Persona 4 Golden)
Persona 4 is full of great waifus.
So to keep this ranking varied, I’m choosing Chie to represent them.
She’s the typical sporty gal who’s full of energy no matter the time. Her martial art ability is unrivaled among the cast members, as is her dedication to her friends.
Chie is also obsessed with becoming stronger to remain self-sufficient and stay on top of everything.
It’s a relatable (if misguided) view of life – and it’s wonderful to see her open up to relying on others as the game goes on.
16. KOS-MOS (Xenosaga)
In the future, people will fall in love with hyper-realistic AIs living in their desktop computers.
In Japanese media, it’s been happening for decades.
KOS-MOS is a “Special Humanoid Anti-Gnosis Annihilation Weapon,” which in JRPG terms seems to mean “hottie with major firepower.”
She’s also an attempt to rebuild Mary Magdalene from, like, the Bible? Xenosaga is a weird series.
15. Tharja (Fire Emblem Awakening)
Nowadays, telling people’s futures through astrology has become surprisingly popular. Regrettably, it doesn’t work.
But telling the future with dragon’s scales? Definitely!
That’s only one of Tharja’s many magical abilities. Hexes, curses, foresight – it’s all in her job description.
I’d say she became famous due to her bold outfit, if I had to guess. It brings together elements of ancient Egyptian aesthetic with a dark witch concept and leaves very little to the imagination.
14. Rosetta (Rune Factory Frontier)
Most people claim their waifus after rolling them on gacha games with terrible drop rates.
Me?
I show them I’m a reliable partner by taking care of my farm and eventually propose to them.
Romance in Rune Factory takes up just a couple minutes every day, with some lengthy events here and there. It’s balanced and keeps you looking forward to your next date.
Of every available girl in Rune Factory, Rosetta – the shipping box girl from Frontier – is easily the best waifu.
She’ll make you delicious Corn on the Cob, and her business administration experience could revolutionize your farm.
13. Etna (Disgaea)
Even though its gameplay hasn’t evolved much since Disgaea’s 2003 release date, the franchise keeps bringing people in thanks to its colorful and creative characters.
Things in the Netherworld are more or less contrary to the human world.
Being a schemer, a betrayer, or a tyrant are considered desirable traits.
Etna is all of these at one point or another. She’s a prototypical demon and a shrewd one at that. Get distracted, and she might empty your bank account and leave you for dead in the desert before you can say “Prinny.”
Still, deep down, she has a good heart – and she’s adorable.
Get her to scheme with you instead of against you, and you’ll have made a valuable life-long ally.
12. Rorolina “Rorona” Frixell (Atelier Rorona)
The Atelier series is well known for its adorable character designs and top-tier waifus.
Rorona is the protagonist of 2010’s Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland, easily one of the most popular and influential releases in the long-standing franchise.
She’s one of those people who just can’t hold in their excitement.
Together with her clumsy streak, it can make things pretty chaotic. It’s all part of the appeal.
Get on her good side – which admittedly isn’t hard – and she’ll even give you a cute nickname.
11. Zero (Drakengard 3)
On the other side of the cuteness spectrum lies Zero from Drakengard 3.
It’s not that she isn’t attractive – in fact, she’s a bombshell.
But her violent nature is just too dramatic to overlook.
I mean, there’s a scene in Drakengard 3 where she repeatedly stabs someone in a blind rage. It’s censored, but it’s there.
Still, Zero isn’t like this for no reason.
The world she lives in is hostile to her, and her childhood was absolutely terrible – “Sold into slavery” terrible.
The more you know about it, the more understandable and even relatable Zero becomes. It’s easy to fall in love with tragedy.
10. Magilou (Tales of Berseria)
Magilou is about as unhinged as Zero – but at least she’s not on a constant murdering spree.
This jester-looking character is one of the main party members in Tales of Berseria, an entry in the franchise that shines for following a group of questionable people rather than the usual heroic team.
She presents herself as an “unlicensed” sorcerer of great power.
Still, her primary role in the party is setting the mood with her wacky personality and outrageous claims.
This colorful witch is one of those characters you can just look at and figure out whether you like them or not.
Her appearance reflects her personality – and there’s a lot to love in both.
9. Sheena (Tales of Symphonia)
If I had to choose a single character to represent the entirety of the “Tales Of” Waifus, I’d go with Sheena from the massively popular Tales of Symphonia.
She’s a bit older than the main characters and the rest of the main cast (barring the villains). So her role is geared toward being the voice of experience.
Still, that age difference coupled with her ample cleavage and mysterious ninja background made Sheena irresistible for little old me back when I first played ToS on the GameCube.
Reading the party banter excitedly just hoping for a sliver of romance and vulnerability from Sheena really made the game much more exciting.
8. Futaba Sakura (Persona 5 Royal)
Futaba is an adorable, extremely timid girl who’d rather flirt through League of Legends chat than actually meet up and have some coffee.
In the game, you slowly fall in love with Futaba as you see her tackle significant problems in her life the best she can.
She’s scared out of her mind, but with a tiny bit of help, she’s able to overcome her trauma.
7. Pyra/Mythra (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)
If you’re into JRPGs, chances are you like hot girls and badass weapons.
But what if they’re one and the same?
Pyra and Mythra are two appearances of a legendary Aegis Sword. They have different looks, personalities, and fighting styles, but they share one soul.
Or would the whole “magical sword” thing be more impressive than her fame?
6. Cindy Aurum (Final Fantasy XV)
Who doesn’t like a gal who can fix up your car and tune it?
Cindy is a technical genius and an accomplished entrepreneur.
In FFXV, we see her acting as the royal mechanic and fixing up the Regalia. But off-camera, she’s responsible for bringing the Hammerhead auto repair shop to every corner of Lucis.
She’s also one of the hottest girls in the entire Final Fantasy franchise – and the competition is fierce.
If you feel your heart rev up at the sight of this blonde bombshell, you’re not alone.
She’s a total heartthrob, and even FFXV’s Prompto’s name is on the waiting list!
5. Aerith (Final Fantasy VII Remaster)
Aerith is the kind of pure girl who’ll get to your heart through kindness and effort.
She’s not the sexiest or the most intriguing Final Fantasy character. But her heart is always in the right place.
In the game we can see Aerith is exceptionally selfless, and has the courage to defend what she loves.
I’m sure her power to speak with the planet and cast powerful magic made her a target for Sephiroth, but the indomitable justice of her heart was a bigger problem for the villain.
I’m giving this spot to FFVII Remake’s Aerith because of the high-poly character model and the added depth to her personality.
4. Tifa (Final Fantasy VII Remaster)
Even Aerith can’t overcome the good vibes and massive sex appeal of Tifa.
This beautiful eco-terrorist became a total gamer sex symbol when FFVII was released in 1997.
Even in her low-poly PS1 incarnation, her beauty and generous proportions were too great to ignore. And gamers embraced her as the apex waifu of the late 90s and early 00s.
The 2020 remake did a lot to renew the character, such as giving her more normal human proportions, but she still has a prodigious figure.
Like Aerith, Tifa is defined by her disposition to throw herself into danger to protect her friends.
In FFVII Remake, we also get to see a more fun and flirty side, earning her many points.
3. Yuna (Final Fantasy X)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a whole fandom agree so unanimously like Final Fantasy fans agree on Yuna’s supremacy.
After first playing FFX, I was stupefied by her great moral fiber and profound human values.
She was willing to give it all for the common good, which is precious – especially in our age of isolation.
She’s also well-loved for her classic and modest beauty. It’s a great match with her outfit, which brings together a tribal fantasy aesthetic with typical Japanese shrine maiden clothes.
It’s also moving to see her grow in FFX-2 as she learns to fight in her own interest, rather than just put everyone else ahead of her own needs.
2. Makoto Niijima (Persona 5 Royal)
People tend to focus on physical attributes and superficial stereotypes when choosing a waifu.
But with age comes good taste, and my non-teenager self finds Makoto to be the best P5 has to offer.
She’s the kind of person who always has everything under control. If you find something that isn’t, you bet she has a plan to solve it.
In P5, your romantic character interactions with her revolve around helping a fellow female student get away from an abusive relationship. Talk about wholesome!
So if you like dominant girls and could use someone to pull your ears when you’re being a slob, Makoto is the ideal JRPG waifu for you.
1. 2B (NieR: Automata)
Nothing can withstand 2B’s absolute dominance over all things waifu.
The only accolade 2B didn’t get was a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate invitation.
She’s in Soul Calibur, Monster Hunter, and many other games.
What’s the reason?
2B sells.
JRPG fans have been completely converted. 2B reigns supreme over our hearts. Nothing has ever been or will ever be as big in the world of waifus as 2B – and if I’m wrong, I’m scared of what comes next.
If someday humanity goes extinct and only perfect androids like 2B roam the land, I’d say our civilization will have given the universe something of note: a planet of waifus.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
