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Pokémon Sword & Shield shocked us with the sheer number of adorable anime girls populating the Galar region, running the Stadiums, and making the Pokémon world a better place.
Does anyone even play as the male protagonist? I had to run a Google search to make sure there even was a male option since people prefer the Scottish-inspired cutie Gloria by such a large margin.
Such an overabundance of waifu material brings forth the all-important question that has kept people in Internet forums debating since the game was released:
Who’s the best waifu in Pokémon Sword & Shield?
5. Bea
One thing we all want to feel in love is that we’re special to our significant other.
After years of hardcore Karate training to uphold her family’s legacy, Bea has become a seemingly unshakable stoic whose poker face is only matched by her fighting spirit.
It’s rumored among her fans that she has long since lost the ability to feel emotion. If you managed to get even the slightest smile from Bea, it would fill your heart with immense warmth.
Stow-on-Side Stadium’s champion is a massive catch – even if you need to break some bones earning the trust of her Fighting-type Pokémon first.
4. Marnie
If I ranked the most popular Sword & Shield waifus with more bias, Marnie would be at the top.
This Dark-type specialist has a legion of fans in-game and in real life.
It’s easy to see why they love her so much, too. She has the skill and grit to make it to the top, but she’s cool and adorable in equal measure.
She’s similar to her beloved Morpeko – one side is cute and endearing, while the other is rough and tough.
In waifuology, we refer to characters like Marnie as “kuudere” – aloof, poker-faced people who’re warm and sweet like a freshly-toasted Poptart on the inside.
3. Melony
The Ice-Cold Professional looking over Circhester Stadium in Pokémon Shield is a mother of five who carefully balances raising children with training Pokémon to strike fear into the hearts of those who challenge her.
A gym leader since her twenties, Melony knows the ins and outs of Pokémon battles and can read younger trainers like an open book.
Don’t let the fact that she trains Ice-type Pokémon fool you.
Melony is warm like few others – as shown by how tenderly she hugs her Lapras before G-maxing.
2. Nessa
If you’re more into young, slender beauties, you can’t go wrong with the leader of Hulbury Stadium: Nessa.
As a fisherman’s daughter, Nessa grew up in close connection to the sea – leading her to specialize in Water-type Pokémon.
A childhood by the sea also seems to have imbued Nessa with a calm and serene nature hiding a fierce competitive heart that motivates her to be the best at what she does: whether that’s training Pokémon or working as a high-fashion model.
Even if you don’t feel your waifu radar going off, you have to admit Nessa is one of the coolest characters in Pokémon Sword & Shield.
1. Sonia
Ironically, the best waifu in all of Pokémon Sword & Shield can barely be called a Pokémon trainer.
Sonia is introduced to us as Professor Magnolia’s assistant. She’s one of the few “grown-up” characters with significant roles in the story, making her much more relatable to older fans.
Her character arc is about finding herself and deciding what she wants to dedicate her life to. She exhibits journalistic passion when researching Legendary Pokémon and the history of the region, something we can all relate to as we discover the secrets of Galar.
With a sharp outfit, hearts in her hair, and a bright and bubbly personality, Sonia is the cool waifu everyone wants to travel the world with.
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.
