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Some of the most popular women in the series (Image via Rooster Teeth)

10 best female characters in RWBY, ranked

In a series where the four main characters are entirely women, there is no shortage of finding popular and powerful gals in RWBY. This show might be a western animation, but its inspirations are clearly anime-based. Not only that, but it is getting an anime soon, so the thoughts of its beloved characters are often in the minds of its fans.

Breaking the fourth wall for a quick second, listicles ranking powerful or popular women seem to be doing very well lately. Hence, it would be interesting to do the same for an underrated show like RWBY.

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The upcoming anime (RWBY: Ice Queendom) should be released in 2022, although how much it will differ from the original show remains to be seen.


Top ten best female characters from RWBY

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10) Cinder Fall

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How entertaining Cinder Fall is to the viewer depends on a few factors. If they watch RWBY Chibi, they will find her nefarious tendencies to be humorous. Otherwise, they might just see her as a cold villain who works under Salem and gives her some powerful relics.

Nonetheless, Cinder Fall is one of the most iconic characters in RWBY, especially since she's Ruby's main rival. Some fans still hate her for killing off Pyrrha, but a hated character is still a memorable one.


9) Raven Branwen

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Raven isn't a good mother by any means, but that doesn't mean she's a bad character. Sometimes, a person's flaws make them more enjoyable to watch, and Raven's cynicism and manipulative personality can keep some scenes tense and dramatic.

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She's exceptionally powerful as a Spring Maiden, being capable of defeating Cinder and getting away safely afterward.


8) Penny Polendina

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A robotic girl seeking to become human isn't a new trope, but Penny Polendina executes it well. She's Ruby's friend, and her first death was one of the starting points when the RWBY series started to become darker and less light-hearted.

Dying once is unheard of, but being killed a second time was tragic. Still, she had captivated the RWBY fanbase with her kind nature, which was especially sweet when she finally got a human form.

She was also an exceptionally good fighter, although it is unlikely that RWBY fans will ever see her again.


7) Blake Belladonna

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Catgirls are a common anime trope, and Blake Belladonna is one herself. Unsurprisingly, some gags on the show play into this characteristic. On a more serious note, the growth of her character when she was more distrustful and ran away from Adam to see her happy with Yang and being more cooperative is nice.

She's one of the four teammates that form Team RWBY, meaning that she will always be relevant in the storyline. However, her quiet personality is often overshadowed by her teammates.


6) Yang Xiao Long

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Bumblebee is a very popular ship in the RWBY fandom, which makes sense when one looks at Yang and Blake's interactions. While Blake is more subdued, Yang is energetic and very social. It's a fun juxtaposition, although it's not the only reason why Yang is popular.

She's part of Team RWBY, and she's also the half-sister of Ruby. Like the rest of the team, she's a fun person with her own individual identity. She can be hot-headed sometimes, which ultimately is why she has her iconic robotic arm.


5) Maria Calavera

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Maria is arguably one of the coolest elders in any anime. A grim reaper motif is often cool (if not a little edgy) on its own, yet it's perfectly fitting for Maria. She might have brutally lost her eyes, but she's still capable of going toe-to-toe with Neopolitan despite her old years.

Like other elders in other TV shows, she's a wise character who helps out the younger generation. It never feels too cheesy when she helps Ruby and company, either.

Some RWBY fans still anticipate seeing her on the show after her and Pietro's fates remain unknown.


4) Ruby Rose

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The main protagonist is, unsurprisingly, a very popular character. A bland protagonist often means the show is boring. Hence, it's fortunate that Ruby Rose is an interesting character with flaws and motivations that make it enjoyable to see her adventures.

Predictably, she also gets extraordinary powers like Silver Eyes, which makes her one of the most notable fighters in the series. Aside from her storyline importance and impressive battling capabilities, Ruby Rose is a character that has many interesting interactions with other characters, such as:

  • Jaune
  • Yang
  • Weiss
  • Qrow
  • Torchwick
  • Cinder

3) Nora Valkyrie

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There have been several arguments in online forums in the past about whether Team JNPR is better than Team RWBY. Some websites prefer the characters and interactions of the former team over the latter team, with Nora Valkyrie being exceptionally popular.

Her bubbly and sometimes wild personality makes her a fun character (especially in contrast to Ren). She's sometimes associated with him too much, but that plays into the Risk episode where she tries to figure out her own identity without him.

Also, her role in RWBY Chibi was a consistent highlight on the show.


2) Weiss Schnee

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All Schnee family members are interesting in their own right, but Weiss's role as one of the main characters makes her stand out above the rest. She started sort of Tsundere-like, but her personality thankfully grew to be more complex than that later on.

Fans of Weiss should be pleased that she will be very important in RWBY: Ice Queendom, based on BoringGeoff's comments:

"As you've probably deduced from the key art, Weiss will have more of central role in this story. And yes, we do really plan to fit both V1 and V2 into two episodes."

1) Neopolitan

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While some people might find Neopolitan to be overrated when it comes to her popularity, there's no denying that there are some cool aspects about her. She has a brilliant name and design and somehow manages to charm her fanbase even though she's mute.

Neopolitan is a tough fighter who debuted as a partner to Roman Torchwick, although she managed to stay relevant long after his death. It's pretty interesting that she is trying to hunt down Cinder given their complicated history, although one must wonder if she will return after what happened to her and Ruby Rose at the end of Volume 8.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.

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Edited by
R. Elahi
 
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