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I’m guessing you know that one scene in Despicable Me when the little girl says “it’s so fluffy I am going to die!”
Well that’s basically how I view moe.
Although it’s not limited to only females, it usually refers to small, clumsy girls that make life suck just a little bit less.
And in this list we’ll take a look at these guardians of happiness as we check out some truly moe characters in anime.
30. Momo Kawamoto
Anime: March Comes In like a Lion
The Kawamoto family is just broken when it comes to moe levels.
The three sisters are all so adorable and wholesome in their own ways, that it was a challenge picking only one.
But Momo is the tiniest, and therefore the most moe in my opinion.
I mean, just look at that tiny little thing! I know this phrase gets thrown around a lot when talking about anime girls, but she really just makes you want to protect her.
29. Sylphiette
Anime: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
The dandere gang has been breaking the charts in moe tournaments for decades. And Sylphiette is a good indication as to why that is.
Like in the previous pick, she is quite young, and therefore your momma bear instincts immediately light up.
She’s also extremely shy and polite, just further building onto the cuteness factor.
The fact that we also know how badly she was treated just puts the nail in the coffin, and we’re forced to sympathize forever.
Speaking of people who just rock the short hair, let’s turn out attention towards Chisato.
Even though this is a high school anime, the teacher Chisato was by far the most moe.
This is because while everyone was goofing around and making me cry from laughter, Chisato was bringing us that wholesome content.
She’s very clumsy and shy, but she always does her best to help her students. Even when she has no idea what they’re talking about.
27. Rundellhous Kode
Anime: Log Horizon
I told you this wouldn’t be limited to just girls, now didn’t I?
Log Horizon honestly had quite a few solid picks – Akatsuki and Lenessia just to name two.
But it was Rundellhous that took the show for me personally.
At first he just seemed like a boisterous little narcissist, but that image is quickly changed. The dude is beyond wholesome.
He’s always doing his best to help everyone out, and showed a level of ambition and drive that very few characters could match.
There’s a reason why characters kept comparing him to the king of all moe, a golden retriever.
26. Michiru Inukai
Anime: Talentless Nana
Michiru was honestly born in the wrong anime.
She’s this cute little girl who just can’t stop helping others, even when it comes with major drawbacks.
However, she comes from an anime where people die constantly. So you can see why I can’t help but feel sorry for her.
Nevertheless, she heals people by licking them. So this is the second time in a row that a character just reminds me of golden retrievers.
I really should get a dog already.
25. Hinata Hyuuga
Anime: Naruto
This one might be a hit or miss type of scenario, but I honestly thought the Hinata from the original Naruto was plain adorable.
Maybe it’s just my preference for danderes showing again, but I was rooting for her all the way.
Her clothing also gave her a very warm and fluffy appearance, which is always a plus!
Later on she just becomes a total babe, and then a badass mom, but the OG Hinata was the princess of the Hyuuga and of the moe.
24. Hestia
Anime: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
This show also had quite a few strong entries. Maybe one will show up later on in this list, but Hestia definitely grabbed my attention first.
Her relationship with Bell was extremely cute and wholesome, as it was obvious that they would go to the ends of the Earth to save one another.
Her also being extremely jealous made for some really funny/adorable moments. And her overall vibe was just pure positivity.
Plus, she has one of the bravest clothing options in all of anime when it comes to the chance of a misfunction.
23. Nezuko Kamado
Anime: Demon Slayer
Nezuko basically has three forms, all portraying different attributes.
First you have her demon form. In this form she just looks badass and like someone you really don’t want to mess with.
Then you have her base form. Here she looks very cute and like your typical little sister anime character.
And then you have her tiny form. This form is blatantly overpowered, as I think the Demon Lord himself would turn to good if he saw this little thing running around the room.
This is also why the scene where the main cast just chases each other around the room is my antidepressant.
22. Megumin
Anime: KonoSuba
Although Megumin is realistically an extremely powerful sorceress who can blow up entire buildings, she’s extremely moe.
Maybe it’s her stubbornness in pursuing only explosion magic, or maybe it’s just that little troll face she makes occasionally, but I fell in love with this character instantly.
Don’t even get me started on the KonoSuba movie when we see her whole family. That just had me over the moon.
Yunyun and Wiz are also acceptable picks here too, when it comes to this list.
21. Mayoi Hachikuji
Anime: Bakemonogatari
At first I thought Majoi was just going to be a one-off character. And I have never been so glad to be wrong.
She’s just straight adorable.
Her giant backpack makes her look really cartoony, and her antics only further showcase that point.
Plus her moe levels peak whenever she’s having her little bit with Araragi where she consistently gets his name wrong.
The Monogatari series had some truly lovable characters, but Mayoi topped the charts when it came to moe.
20. Ayumi Otosaka
Anime: Charlotte
In anime, little sister characters hold tremendous power.
Ayumi is no different, as the power of her troll face alone was powerful enough to materialize a ship into reality.
I mean a relationship, not a boat, in case you were confused there for a second…
Her cuteness brought out the best in Yuu and Nao alike. And her happiness and safety were frankly the biggest plot points in the story.
And I get it; I too would go against the world if I had a little sister with these kinds of moe ratings.
19. Shouko Nishimiya
Anime: A Silent Voice
If someone told me that the Bible foresaw the coming of Shouko, I might have turned to religion.
This is because she’s a literal angel.
No matter how harsh life was towards her, Shouko always tried to be positive and kind towards those around her. Even when those very same people did not deserve any kindness whatsoever.
She’s so pure that her purity is her biggest weakness, as mere mortals cannot understand morality levels this high.
But in all seriousness, Shouko just made my heart melt whenever she was on screen. And her struggles in life hit me way more than they probably should have.
18. Mirai Kuriyama
Anime: Beyond the Boundary
Mirai hits a similar note as Shouko, in the sense that she keeps her head up high when in the face of adversity.
She’s something called a Spirit Warrior, meaning that she has supernatural abilities with the expectation of killing youmu, creatures created out of negative emotions.
However, she’s an absolute goof and can’t really commit to slaying anything that easily.
She’d rather writes articles about bonsai trees. How adorable is that?
Maybe it’s just because we’re in the same business, but I fell in love with this character pretty much instantly.
17. Yukine
Anime: Noragami
Now this show was pretty moe from the get go, as the combination of Yato and Hiyori could have easily carried the series.
But then Yukine gets introduced and the anime just reaches a new level.
He’s younger than the main duo, and his childlike dreams/struggles were represented beautifully in the show.
In fact, it was so realistic and sympathetic at times that you really just wanted to reach out through the screen and give him a big hug.
Or maybe that was just me, I don’t really know.
16. Beatrice
Anime: Re: Zero
Although Rem, Ram, and Emilia were all great in terms of waifu material, I think that Beatrice beat them all out in the moe category.
She’s just this adorable little lolly that hangs out in the library and is constantly in a bad mood.
But she’s moreso “adorable angry” than scary angry.
She even has her own little catch-phrase, making her just that much cuter.
And as a community, we’ve all agreed not to talk about her past, as I’m sure that we’re all sad enough as it is. Just focus on the moe!
15. Kaede Azusagawa
Anime: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
With a title like this, you would really expect your typical ecchi harem show. But it is so much more than that.
The show is honestly way deeper that you would expect, as well as very wholesome.
And on that latter note, we have Kaede, a panda loving little sister who wants nothing more than for her big brother to be happy.
She faced quite a bit of turmoil in her youth. But just like with Beatrice, we don’t talk about that part.
We focus on this ray of sunshine in the form of a character who just brightens up any scene she’s in.
14. Wiene
Anime: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? III
I had a feeling that the show would tackle human-like monsters at some point.
But Wiene went above and beyond my expectations.
Even though she might look dangerous to the untrained eye, a true anime lover will immediately notice the high concentration of moe poured into her design.
She’s very wholesome as well, and constantly tries to help those around her, even when that puts her into danger.
She’s like a tinier and cuter Bell. And that just sounds like a winning combination.
13. Megumi Tadokoro
Anime: Food Wars!
Another heavy-weight dandere has just entered the chat. And not only does she have a heart of gold, but she also possesses extraordinary cooking skills.
A lot of the cooks in Food Wars tend to come off as quite narcissistic. So throwing a true dandere into the mix was refreshing, to say the least.
She constantly fumbles around when people are watching her, and she even had entire rituals to calm herself down before important events.
But even when she became stronger and more independent, she still didn’t lose her moe essence.
12. Mayuri Shiina
Anime: Steins;Gate
Mayuri is another one of those characters that’s just so lovable and pure that their happiness and safety basically drive the entire story.
With her comfy and fluffy-looking dress and hat combo, Mayuri tends to hang out in the background, making the world a better place one “tuturu” at a time.
She’s very aloof, and her aura is always relaxing and hospitable. Like she’s the personification of motherly love or something.
I can totally understand why Okabe went through what he did in order to save her.
11. Rimuru Tempest
Anime: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Prior to watching this anime, I have never put the words “slime” and “moe” in the same sentence. And yet here I am today.
Even in their slime form, Rimuru is just extremely cute and wholesome. Just a big friendly blob that blushes all the time and gets along with everyone.
Plus, they have a rare mix of attributes, as they’re simultaneously moe and a complete badass who’s out here to take names.
Whenever they interact with the townspeople it just worms my soul. And Ranga is the goodest boy of them all!
10. Mikuru Asahina
Anime: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
I think it’s very fitting that her name is Mikuru, being that she’s the most well-mannered and meek person to have ever graced our screens.
She’s very shy and non-confrontational, leading her to constantly go along with Haruhi’s insane plans.
But she never seems to resent her for it.
She kind of just goes with the flow and hopes for everyone’s well-being.
In addition, don’t tell anyone this, but she’s a time traveller! So she even gets some cool points.
9. Raphtalia
Anime: The Rising of the Shield Hero
Raphtalia is essential for a healthy moe-filled diet, as she goes from an adorable little girl to a complete babe while also maintaining her moe power level.
Her pout is probably her strongest ability. But she also has a very balanced kit overall.
We can see heavy specking into the jealousy tree, as well as some points put towards battle capabilities and overall badassery.
Being that she’s also in the animal-girl subclass, I think it’s safe to say that she’s a pick or ban character.
8. Mako Mankanshoku
Anime: Kill la Kill
After watching Kill la Kill, I was very worried about Mako’s back. As she was definitely carrying that show.
She’s a high energy little goofball who just keeps bouncing off the walls and spouting equal part hilarious and wholesome statements that are sure to better your mood.
But her winning attribute is her manner of speaking. Every monologue turns into a one woman play where Mako goes above and beyond to illustrate the simplest points.
I just love her to death. And I really want to pinch her cheeks.
Who knew that in a show where the women are half naked, the wholesome character would be the most lovable?
7. Tooru
Anime: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
She;s an adorable high-energy dragon girl in a maid outfit.
Is there really any need to go on?
Tooru is just so full of life that you can’t help but love her. Even if you’re aware that she’s lowkey terrifying. She’s also a bit of a klutz, but God knows that she never allows that to soil her mood.
I would also like to cheat a little and use this time to say that Kanna is a literal gift from the heavens, and that looking at her should be mandatory in all clinics.
6. Rikka Takanashi
Anime: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
I don’t know whether there’s an explanation as to how anime has made eye-patches so adorable, but there’s no denying their power.
I think that everyone needs to have a Rikka in their life. Her rampant imagination is so infectious that you truly can find yourself immersed into a brand new colorful world.
She doesn’t let real life tie her down. She just has fun in her own way.
Also, the fact that she gets into a battle pose whenever she meets someone new is one of the most precious things I’ve seen in my life.
5. Ochako Uraraka
Anime: My Hero Academia
Out of all the class 1-A students, I sympathized with Uraraka the most.
She doesn’t want to be the very best like no one ever was, nor does she want to honor a family tradition.
She just wants to make money so that she can help out her parents.
Remember kids, relatability is key moe real estate.
The fact that she’s also a dandere with occasional bursts of energy just makes her that more lovable.
And she throws up rainbows, which is very fitting.
4. Yui Hirasawa
Anime: K-On!
K-On has plenty of moe to go around. So it’s okay if you have to mentally substitute this entry with your own best girl from the show, they’re all top-tier choices.
I just gravitated towards Yui because I understood her on a spiritual level.
She actually believed that “light music” meant that it was easy to do, and was expecting whistling to be a club.
How can you not fall in love with her based on that showcase of naivety alone?
She does everything by heart and never lets the man tell her what to do, even when she probably should.
3. Shiro
Anime: No Game, No Life
If I could reach inside of the screen and interact with anime, one of the first things I would do is pat Shiro’s head.
It looks beyond fluffy. And you can’t look me in the virtual article eye and tell me that you don’t feel the same way.
She’s like the personification of a cat – and I love her for it.
The fact that she’s so cute and cuddly while also being a 400 IQ madlass capable of running an entire country is beyond typical human capacity, at least when it comes to moe detection and love admission.
2. Taiga Aisaka
Anime: Toradora!
If you’ve watched the show, you should have known that Taiga was going to be in here somewhere.
The bite-sized tsundere queen has been dominating the scene for a few millennia. And it’s easy to see why.
Even though she puts up quite the tough façade, she’s a very lonely and loving girl who’s just trying to find a place where she can belong.
Her outbursts are always jam-packed with emotion. And by the end of the series you truly to feel like you know this person.
She’s also very portable, as she fits neatly inside a locker. Dear FBI agent, that was a joke.
1. Naru Kotoishi
Anime: Barakamon
If we go back to my opening statement, that moe is something so cute that you literally feel like exiting the mortal plane of existence, then Naru truly is my number one pick.
Maybe it’s just because she’s so young and full of energy, but I can feel her giving back years of my life that college had taken off.
She’s always getting into trouble and loves getting into other people’s business.
But it never comes from a place of any kind of malice.
She’s just a ball of positivity that keeps coming back to you regardless of how many times you try to push her away.
