One of anime’s most enduring and defining tropes is using unusual hair colors. Whether it’s a high fantasy epic or a mundane school life setting, we can always count on seeing someone withbright blue, purple, or other bizarre colorsin their hair. These hair colors are usually natural, too – no hair dye necessary.
Among the various hair colors depicted in anime,red hairis among the more realistic options. While there are plenty of exceptions, red-haired characters tend to be hot-headed and reckless. Here are somefemale redheaded anime charactersthat nearly every fan of anime will recognize.
In this case,anime girls with red hairalso encompass older characters who might be in their 20s.
Updated Jun 21, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Red-haired anime girlsare, once again, getting their time in the spotlight.Summer 2025has Sakamoto Days' Lu Shaotang, Rent-A-Girlfriend’s Sumi, Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex’s Marie, Bad Girls' Atori, and Solo Camping for Two’s Shizuku, and that is not an exhaustive list. Except for maybe Lu, none of these seemed destined to be among the most iconicanime redheads, but it is still early days.
I’ve added Kobayashi and Lovely Complex’s Risa to the full list.
40Stephanie Dola
No Game, No Life
OK, “iconic” does not necessarily mean loved, andNo Game, No Life’sStephanie Dolatends to be polarizing, although I would argue that is not her fault but rather due to her fanservice-driven role. Still, theanime is among the most popular in the isekai genre, and Steph is effectively its secondary protagonist after the NEET siblings. She introduces Sora and Shiro to Disboard’s rules, races, and culture, along with serving as a comedy relief throughout pretty much the entire series. During Sora and Shiro’s games against god, Steph does not contribute all that much, but she is usually there for moral support, which is something.
No Game, No Life’s most divisive aspect is its fanservice, and Steph is pretty much the central figure. Due to so many of her scenes going down this route, she does start to come across as if titillation is her main reason for existing. I mean, she still has her good moments.
39Uta
One Piece
Surprisingly,One Piecedoes not have all that manyredheaded anime girls. Bell-mère deserves a mention as she is an important figure in Nami’s life, but she is ultimately such a minor character that I cannot justify including her. However, Uta just about qualifies, as she was effectively the protagonist of a movie that drew more than $150 million at the box office, which is not too shabby. Sure, she was probably not the deciding factor that lured most people to theaters, but she was also not a hindrance.
Uta’s history ties her directly to Shanks and Luffy, and she comes across as a big deal even though she is not canon. She also has impeccable stage presence, as one would expect from a character who is presented as a top idol in theOne Pieceuniverse.
38Kusuri Yakuzen
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
Considering100 Girlfriends' premise, ared-haired girlwas guaranteed to show up at some point in the story, and she does not take long to make an appearance. The fifth girlfriend introduced, Kusuri Yakuzen, is arguably the most important character in the show besides Rentarou, largely due to her scientific background. While she does not necessarily take center stage, her experiments frequently trigger the anime’s most bizarre and absurd storylines, making her a very welcome presence.
For example, Kusuri creates two separate potions that cause the girls to switch bodies and become babies, along with another drug that supercharges Shizuka’s cuteness. She even nearly causes the end of the world in season 2, episode 9. Even if a few other girls are more popular than her, Kusuri’s debut had more of an impact on100 Girlfriendsthan pretty much any other character. She also has two forms, although her “older” version only shows up sporadically.
37Akari Akaza
Yuru Yuri
YuruYuriis one of thebest cute girls doing cute things animeof all time, and Akari Akaza is initially presented as the protagonist. However, she goes through a peculiar arc that sees her gradually slip further into the background and become the fourth most important character in the series, and that is being a bit kind.
This is all by design, as Akari’s main selling point is that she is just nice, which makes her less interesting than her schoolmates, who have big personalities. Even though she might not leave the strongest impression, Akari is still likable and gets a couple of big laughs throughout the three seasons.
36Risa Koizumi
Lovely Complex
Ashojo anime classic,Lovely Complextells the mostly comedic love story between the taller-than-average Risa and the shorter-than-average Atsushi. Risa drives their relationship forward the most, as she develops a crush on Atsushi and makes it her mission to convince him that they would make a good couple.
While the male lead carries his own, Risa is by farLovely Complex’s best character, as she is a three-dimensional figure who comes across as a typical teenager rather than an idolized version. She is really funny too.
35Nena Trinity
Gundam 00
Initially,Nena Trinityand her brothers seemed like welcome allies for the paramilitary organization Celestial Being, having saved them from certain death in the middle of a battle. However, their thirst for blood and overall viciousness made them a hindrance to the group’s goal, with Nena easily being the worst. Impulsive, selfish, and cruel, Nena was a large part of the reason why the factions of Earth joined together to destroy the Celestial Being.
Though Nena made for an awful ally, she played quite a dangerous villain, especially in the second season. Now operating under Wang Liu Mei, Nena Trinity was a wild card who cared only for herself. She is easily one of the most psychotic Gundam characters, considering she’s up against some fierce competition.
34Benten
Urusei Yatsura
Bentenis one of Lum’s many alien friends inUrusei Yatsura, having known her since childhood, along with Oyuki and Ran. She is a member of the Fukujin clan, which often engages in various competitions against Lum’s Oni clan. Despite having a relatively low number of appearances, she is a popular character in the show.
A fiery girl with a biker aesthetic, Benten’s personality matches her bright-red hair. She is easily the most rambunctious troublemaker among Lum’s friends, and while she is certainly a tomboy, she does know how to use her charm to get what she wants. I tend to prefer Benten’s portrayal in the modern remake, but the classic version is also fun.
33Kushina Uzumaki
Naruto
Kushina Uzumakiis the mother of Naruto, who had already passed by the time the story began. The previous Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails before it was handed over to Naruto, Kushina was once mocked and bullied by her fellow ninja students for her bright red hair, which she paid back with righteous anger. Her hot temper would only be quelled by Minato Namikaze, the man who would eventually become her husband and the Fourth Hokage.
Kushina had very little screentime, appearing only as a spirit to help Naruto gain control of the Nine-Tails. However,she has had a strong and long-lasting impact on the anime’s story, making her a fan favorite in the community.
32Kobayashi
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Perhaps due to her subdued personality, habitual drinking, or office job, Kobayashi might seem older than she is, but she is only 25 at the beginning ofMiss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid. Yeah, she is quite young to suddenly find herself taking care of a dragon maid (who has a huge crush on her) and a child dragon (who is relentlessly adorable but also naive). A few drunken situations aside, she tends to take on an almost mature, motherly role, helping Tohru and Kanna to gradually grow accustomed to human society.
Although she is somewhat overshadowed by other characters, Kobayashi is the glue that holds this anime together. She is not only a fantastic comedic foil to counter the other sillier personalities, but she can also be pretty hilarious herself, even if she is not specifically trying to be funny. As far asred-haired anime womenare concerned, Kobayashi has her life surprisingly together.
31Masami Iwasama
Angel Beats
Despite featuring prominently in only one episode and disappearing about a quarter of the way through the anime, Masami Iwasama is nevertheless among the more famousAngel Beatscharacters. Her presence lingers long after she departs the story, to the point that it is felt during the very last scene of the show.
As part of the Afterlife School, Masami is caught in limbo, just like all the other teenagers. Aloof and cool, she is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Girls Dead Monster, a band that supplies most of the best songs in the series. Iwasama’s storyline might be short, but it is among the most important in the series, as she showcases the process that the characters should arguably be going through. She finally reaches acceptance, allowing herself to move on.
