Second blog/feature about Badass Female Characters that represent the gender proudly. Though I haven't finished the videogame features yet, I wanted to switch back and forth between different categories to make it more interesting. For those who recommended some females on the last post, do not worry, I'm still compiling different list and you shall see them soon.
That said, these are six badass characters from various anime. Again, they are not in any particular order and, I am aware, there are many more characters that I have not included, but I might do so in the future. So, if you have any suggestions feel free let me know via comments.
I. Riza Hawkeye [Full Metal Alchemist] I know Full Metal Alchemist has plenty of kick-ass women. In fact, I know some would not agree that Riza is the toughest of the bunch. However, there's a reason why I picked her over the rest and that is because she doesn't have any skill in alchemy. Yes, that's right, despite not using alchemy she still manages to hold her own in a battle alongside all the alchemy users. Her skills and supports have even proven invaluable in numerous occasions.
Riza Hawkeye is in her middle twenties and has already become an officer in the Amestrian State Military. She works under Colonel Roy Mustang and becomes his personal bodyguard/nanny. A sharpshooter and firearms specialist, Lt. Hawkeye is an invaluable asset to the Colonel's team --treated as Roy's right hand in and outside the office. At some point in the series, Riza demands Roy sacrifices her life in order to avoid him becoming corrupted by alchemy. This even was hard proof of her courage and commitment. No matter what's said about her, Riza Hawkeye is a bloody queen of the battlefield.
II. Revy [Black Lagoon] Though Black Lagoon is filled with awesome female fighters as well, Revy is still at the top. Admittedly, I wasn't too sure about her at first. I mean, she looked like a girl come out of a guy's wet dream. So my initial judgment was that she was simply that: a walking fan-service with a potty mouth. I couldn't have been more wrong, though.
Now, Revy isn't the perfect heroine, in fact she would be the worst role model out there. Let's start by saying this series wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. The characters are all complex shades of gray and Revy is no exception. In fact, Revy would be a dark shade of gray since she's pretty indifferent to people's struggle and she wouldn't normally go out of her way to save an innocent (unless that person is Rock).
Revy is a mercenary true and true. Her harsh past makes her a cynical woman who likes to smoke, drink, cuss and takes life one day at a time. She also possesses superhuman skill when it comes to fighting. She can dodge bullets, has perfect shooting and is even a fearsome demoness in hand-to-hand combat. Few can stand against her and live to tell the tale. Due to her ambidextrous marksmanship, she's nicknamed "Two Hands" by the denizens of Roanapur and respected by the majority the crime lords. Revy ends up becoming something like the unofficial bodyguard of the latest addition to their group, Rokuro "Rock" Okajima, who becomes the brain of their operations. Her attraction to him, however, is as complex as her story. Though she's aware of the darkness inside of her, she cannot help but be pulled by the light that is Rock, who fights against his own corruption and stands unstained in a sea of poverty.
III. Morgiana [Magi] Morgiana may not be the strongest character of this new series, in fact she hasn't even gotten a djin (lamp genie) of her own. Instead, she got a household vessel, which means she might never be a candidate for Queen herself. She's also not an ambitious character, her only wish is being useful to her friends (Aladdin and Alibaba) and support them through their struggles.
Regardless, she hails from the Fanalis, a clan of the strongest warriors of the dark continent. Unfortunately, her life wasn't one of glory. When she was a child, she was capture and slaved. She barely remembers her parents, doesn't know if she has siblings, and the home she cherishes is but a hazy dream. She was mistreated by owner, enslaved both physically and psychologically by his cruelness.
Even when she's set free, Morgiana still struggles with her past as a salve, holding onto it even as she tries to let it go. Her growth as a character is nevertheless undeniable. Morgiana is an expert in hand-to-hand combat and has the strength to lift ten grown men without breaking a sweat. All in all, the potential for her to become a force to be reckoned with (even more than she is now) is indisputable and therefore she makes it to the list.
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IV. Kou Shuurei [Saiunkoku Monogatari] So she's probably the character that would stand out the most in this list because she isn't your typical badass character. In fact, she doesn't really fight per se. So why include her? Well, because her intelligence, wit and determination makes her a person to behold and to be wary of.
Though she's only sixteen, she became the first female official in the Imperial Court --passing the exam with the third highest score, obtaining the title of "Tanka" (which is a feat all by itself). She later becomes co-governor of the Brown Province (which was going through a rough period) and manages to bring peace and prosperity to the place --though she sacrifices her position to do it. Kou Shuurei's battlefield is therefore the world of politics and her strength lies in her strategic mind and creative thinking. She may not be physically strong, but hell, she commands enough grunts to do that work for her! She has the brains, the looks and the ability to bring an Emperor to his knees and that makes her pretty badass!
*BTW, I have to add a memorable quote from the anime that helps understand this character. When Kochou--an influential courtesan of the red district-- gives Shuurei her first make up kit and helps her put it on, she says this: "Makeup is a woman's battle armor, because when a woman wears makeup, she won't allow herself to cry." (I may be paraphrasing a little). :thumb153798671::thumb163040021::thumb303732347::thumb325457977:
V. Tsunade [Naruto] Alright, so I stopped watching this series a long time ago. Right around the time the filler episodes started happening (after Sasuke is taken). Still, I've included her because my first impressions were that she was one badass woman. Never mind that she casually disregards her work and drinks during office hours, she is strong in combat and is at the top when it comes to medicine. I remember that even Orochimaru was scared of her and, hey, if she can become Hokage and command a bunch of really strong men, that means she's the boss, right? Therefore, she makes the list!
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VI. Blasa [Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit] Probably my favorite character out of the whole list. Balsa is a skilled warrior who was forced to escape her hometown, the land of Kanbal, when her father was declared a traitor. At the beginning of the series, she is 30 years old and a bodyguard-for-hire.
As the story progresses, you find that she's really fighting not for money, but to atone the sins of Jiguro --the warrior who saved her and raised her as family when she was just a child. Jiguro (who owed her nothing, but who couldn't just stand watching her be executed for a crime she didn't even commit) was forced to kill eight of his friends in order to save her. Though he never blamed her and accepted the cost, Balsa knew part of him regretted what he'd done. In payment for all his suffering, she promises him on his deathbed that she will save eight lives in exchange for those he sacrificed.
As a result, Balsa is pragmatic, mature, tough and intelligent. But she's also kind and gentle when needed be. At the start of the series, Balsa is asked by the Empress to save her son the Prince Chagum, who is about to be executed because he's possessed by a spirit thought to bring disaster. Despite the dangers, Balsa ends up in the shoes of Jiguro, raising and protecting a child that is not her own. A child that represents the eight live she has sworn to save.
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** I have not included any characters from Avatar because I consider those cartoons. I'll feature them when I do a cartoon feature.