Summary
If anything is certain about the world of anime, it’s that there’s no shortage of fan-favorite female characters, and the women of anime are easy to like. In a medium populated by characters famous for their cartoonish varieties of hair color, it’s not surprising that black-haired women might seem few and far between.
For anime fans, hair color is a defining aspect of how people personally relate to their favorite characters. Prospective cosplayers look to characters who share physical traits with them to plan their next outfits.
Updated June 17, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:Anime has given rise to many beloved series and characters, including many popular girls and women. These characters are popular for a variety of reasons, and many are even defined by their appearance. In a world of bluenettes, the raven-haired heroines don’t get enough love. Thus, these anime girls with black hair are as iconic as ever, whether they’re from a high school, a dystopia, or a pirate crew.
Masquerading in-game as the blue-haired sniper Sinon, Asada makes her first appearancein the second season ofSword Art Online.Asada crosses paths with Kirito in the post-apocalyptic video game world ofGun Gale Online, where the two compete against each other in the Bullet of Bullets tournament. Later, the two work together to defeat the mysterious player Death Gun.
In the real world, Asada sports black hair and escapes into her blue-haired persona as a coping mechanism for PTSD following a gun-related incident. After Kirito rescues her from her friend who tries to assault her, she joins him and the other characters in ALfiem Online, taking up the mantle of an archer.
Bleachstarted as a shonen anime that evolved into a whole franchise, and Rukia has been there since the very first episode. She helped the main character, Ichigo Kurosaki aka Bleach, fulfill his destiny by becoming a Soul Reaper.
Her early story is a tragic one of death and loss, which makes sense for a being with her past. But is one of many stories that make up the world of the Shinigami and specifically, the 13th Division. Rukia’s distinctive black hair is often worn up in a lopsided ponytail, with a few strands hanging over her face.
14Ruby Rose (RWBY)
An Inspirational And Selfless Protagonist
Ruby is the titular character of the American web seriesRWBY, known for its Japanese anime-influenced art style. Wielding the Crescent Rose, a hybrid between a scythe and sniper rifle, she is a selfless albeit naive girl who has always dreamed of being a Huntress. As such, she has always remained the moral compass of the show.
Ruby is often seen sporting short black hair, usually paired with a Little Red Riding Rood-inspired outfit. While she has proved herself as a skilled fighter time and time again, her best quality is her consistent ability to inspire hope in others. A character like Ruby was made to be cosplayed given her various looks and outfits throughout the years.
The protagonist ofKimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You, Sawako Kuronuma is a kind and gentle girl, who initially suffers from being bullied and ostracized by her peers. Baseless theories sprang up around her tied into the fact she and her name bear resemblance to the evil “Sadako” from the horror movieThe Ring.
This unfortunate mocking by her classmates eventually led to her being very isolated and “a total loner”, as she herself admits. That was, until her ultimate love interest, Shouta Kazehaya, befriended her and encouraged her to break down the ‘misunderstandings’ that had occurred between her and her classmates.
Sawako’s story grows from being withdrawn and nervous to enjoying friendship, especially with Chizuru and Ayane, and ultimately a romance between her and Kazehaya. Uniquely, Sawako’s long black hair served to completely define her and how others saw her. Her heartwarming, and at times emotional, story makes her a relatable and well-loved character from one of the most iconic shoujo romance anime series.
Secretly a deadly assassin, Yor Briar caught the attention of Loid Forger, aka “Twilight”, who needed to secure a wife to also pose as Anya’s mother, thus helping him continue his top secret mission. Unknown to Loid, though, is that Yor had secrets of her own, and agreed to marry him to also continue in her mission as the assassin “Thorn Princess”.
Yor may seem gentle, though much like Sawako, unusual and “weird” to those around her, due to her seemingly withdrawn and socially awkward nature. However, Yor possesses great skill and strength as an assassin, something her co-workers haven’t the faintest idea about. Her dual nature, as well as her hilarious posing as a member of the Forger family, makes her one of the most belovedanime girls with black hair.
When Nico first encounters Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, it’s as the vice president of Baroque Works, where she serves under formerOne Pieceantagonist Crocodile. She eventually abandons the Baroque Works and joins the Straw Hat Pirates as their archaeologist.
Often seen sporting a pair of sunglasses or cowboy hat with her iconic black hair, Nico mostly keeps to herself and is the most adult of her crewmates. Her goal is to find the Rio Poneglyph, an artifact that allegedly tells the true history of the world. This ability to read Poneglyphs, however, puts a pretty large bounty on her head.
Few other anime shows have reached the same heights of popularity asSailor Moon, and Sailor Mars was introduced to the show early in the first season after Mercury was discovered. She’s intended to be the total opposite of the bumbling Serena. Where personality and social skills are concerned, Hino Rei seems to have everything in her life worked out. Her fans often point to her red pumps and lustrous, raven-black hair as a big part of her appeal.
However, Rei is lacking in attributes like empathy, and her belief that her natural role is as the group’s leader is rooted more in greed than compassion. Her friendship with Serena is an interesting character arc, and shows how she learns to have a more sympathetic point of view.
Nezuko is the younger sister of Tanjiro, the main protagonist of both the manga and anime adaptation ofDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Originally a human, Nezuko was transformed into a demon following an attack that saw her and her brother as the sole survivors of their family. As a demon, she wears a bamboo muzzle around her neck to keep her controlled.
While she retains most of her appearance, including her black hair, from her human form, the transition to a demon has cost her most of her memories, as well as her ability to speak. All that’s left is her instinct to protect Tanjiro, making her a valuable ally for their demon-hunting journey.
Her full name is Kaguya Shinomiya, and she’s one of the two main characters in the anime seriesKaguya-Sama Love Is War. She was inspired by a legendary character of the same name, a princess of the moon who was famous for giving her suitors impossible tasks. This time, Kaguya is the Vice President of the student council and a member of the Archery Club, and she’s caught in a similar type of game with another student, Miyuki Shirogane.
The show is both a romance and a comedy, with Kaguya and Miyuki sharing mutual feelings but trying to trick the other into confessing first. Kaguya initially has trouble dealing with her feelings, seeming to go through whole personality shifts when faced with a difficult situation, but she learns to be a happier and more friendly person.
Along with her iconic white eyes, the black-haired Hinata grew up as the heiress of the Hyuga clan. However, her failure to succeed in combat against her younger sister Hanabi caused her father to reconsider her promised role. Nevertheless, she encounters Naruto during their training at Konoha’s Academy and is inspired by him to become a stronger person.
Hinata and Naruto’s relationshipbecomes a prominent dynamic inThe Last: Naruto the Movie.In the film, Naruto rescues Hinata from the capture of Toneri Otsutsuki, who plans to force Hinata to be his wife. Eventually, Naruto and Hinata marry and start a family together.
