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While the portrayal of self-sufficiency varies across anime, numerous anime women are considered to be self-sufficient, owing to a wide range of reasons.
From being able to hold their own in a fight and completely trounce villains, to working jobs in order to sustain their needs, many women in anime have different roles that they fill in this regard. Sometimes they're assassins, bounty hunters, or simply on the run, and forced to fend for themselves.
This list will chronicle 10 anime women, ranked based on how self-sufficient they are.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinion and will contain spoilers for many of the anime on this list.
10 anime women who can handle themselves, ranked
10) Retsuko (Aggretsuko)
A slightly more humorous and upbeat person among anime women is Retsuko from the San Rio anime, Aggretsuko. An office worker with a job in accounting, Retsuko is more than self-sufficient and is usually independent enough to sustain herself. That is, when she's not being an extreme doormat and trying very hard not to explode at her coworkers.
However, the doormat side to her character is only seen up to the anime's third season. Considering that she endured plenty of verbal abuse and overwork, the fact that she told off her boss was much appreciated.
That being said, she's got her own problems and needs help from time to time, especially when it comes to being overworked and handling money problems - ironic, considering that she works in accounting.
9) Bulma Briefs (Dragon Ball franchise)
Bulma from the Dragon Ball franchise is easily one of the most well-known mothers in anime, and among the most popular blue-haired anime women. Although by no means a fighter, she is intelligent and ultimately helpful to Goku and the Z fighters with her knowledge of technology and other aspects.
Despite being rich and more than a little brattish earlier on, Bulma did provide living arrangements and even helped Goku with things he couldn't do - like bathing himself.
She also invented the Dragon Radar alongside several other useful devices like Trunks' Time Machine in the alternate future. Lastly, being a mother to Trunks (both kid and future) and likewise Bulla might as well be a full-time job.
8) Sailor Jupiter (Sailor Moon)
Makato Kino lost her parents in a plane crash when she was young. This caused her to grow up quite fast and provide for herself in Sailor Moon. Her introduction wherein she is seen beating up three menacing guys in the original anime, set the tone for her future character development. It's rather rare for anime women to be that tough.
To wit, she lives alone, does her own cooking, takes care of plants, and is still trying to be a student along with being one of the Sailor Senshi. Despite being part of a team, she holds her own in battles and once even managed to destroy a monster while passing out from blood loss.
7) Raven Brawnwen (RWBY)
When it comes to self-sufficient anime women, the leader of the Brawnwen Bandit tribe from Rooster Teeth's RWBY definitely merits a mention. Raven Brawnwen can best be described as a social Darwinist who leads with a hard head.
She and her brother Qrow originally attended Beacon academy to learn how to fight and kill Huntsmen and Huntresses in the interest of their tribe. Qrow went on to become Professor Ozpin's top spy, whereas Raven went on to become leader of the tribe.
She is also Yang Xiao Long's mother and is an absentee parent in that regard, as she abandoned Yang shortly after her birth. To say that this resulted in a strained relationship between her and Yang is an understatement. Beneath the facade, however, Raven does show many signs of regret but is too proud and stubborn to admit it. She is also reluctant to acknowledge that her social darwinist beliefs are a cover for cowardice.
This is best shown during her confrontation with Yang at the end of Volume 5, where she tearfully leaves after Yang calls her out, and allows Yang to leave with the relic of knowledge.
6) Homura Akemi (Magica Madoka)
A dark side to self-sufficiency and time travel is that one tends to distrust those they run across. Things take a bad turn when nobody believes what the traveler has to say and thus have to watch their friends die or worse. Homura Akemi of Magica Madoka faced this very problem upon discovering Kyubey's true intent with the magical girl powers.
Unfortunately, while being a magical girl and fending for herself does cause her to become self-sufficient, Homura ends up only caring about Madoka's safety and well-being. She ends up quite broken as a result, unable to focus or care when the other anime women die or get maimed or end up horribly corrupted. She even broke time and space to be with Madoka in the Rebellion movie.
Not many anime women become the villain by the end, after all.
5) Tsunade Sarutobi (Naruto)
Pour one out for one of the great Hokages in Naruto, because Tsunade is a rarity among anime women. Despite having Shizune to aid her before becoming Hokage, Tsunade was able to handle herself in combat quite well. Her Achilles' heel is gambling - she loses a lot, and she has a blood phobia.
The handling in combat is an understatement, as she's considered the physically strongest among the Legendary Sannin. Her leadership as Hokage helped the Hidden Leaf heal after the Third Hokage's death, and scared both Pain and Madara when they attacked.
She's mostly known for being the best medical ninja, having saved the Kage and more lives than can be counted during the Shinobi World War.
4) Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean)
There's something to be said about anime women being thrown in prison for a crime that was never committed, and managing to survive. There's also something to be said about being in a prison with Stands, and managing to survive. Jolyne Cujoh might be the daughter of Jotaro Kujo, but by no means was her life easy.
First off, she got screwed over by her supposed boyfriend and lawyer. Secondly, she got thrown into a prison where people could kill her. That's not going into Father Pucci's plans of trying to thwart them. By all measures, she's pretty self-sufficient for someone in prison.
3) Michiko Malandro (Michiko & Hatchin)
The co-protagonist alongside Hana in the Michiko and Hatchin anime, Michiko was orphaned at a young age and became a criminal around that time too. Outlaws are rare as anime women and even rarer as protagonists. Granted, she became one to steal toys for the needy orphans but that spiraled after escaping the orphanage.
She lived by herself in a shanty town until holding up Hiroshi Morenos. The two dated until Hiroshi was supposedly killed in a bus explosion.
12 years later, Michiko was on the run from the law when she rescued Hana from a terrible orphanage. The two started on the run from the crooked police, assassins, and drug cartel members. Michiko is able to not only outrun but outfight them all, despite her hotheadedness returning to bite her. She is mature enough to turn herself into the police at the end, but still reunites with Hana anyway.
2) Yor Forger (Spy X Family)
The assassin known as the "Thorn Princess" in Spy X Family started out orphaned with her brother Yuri Briar in Eastern Nielsberg. While attempting to provide for him, she was recruited by the Garden assassin group and used her paychecks to pay for Yuri's books and snacks until he got a steady job in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a diplomat. Not many anime women can say that they succeeded at that type of balancing act.
Afterward, she got a job as a clerk at Berlint City Hall while still working as an assassin to pay her bills. The trouble was she was considered "suspicious" for being 25 and single. This caused her to fake marry Loid, and become Anya's adoptive mother. This particular example among anime women is still self sufficient despite being a horrible cook and a terrible liar.
Her assassin and Loid's job mutually benefited Anya and themselves.
1) Makoto Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
Although a member of Public Security Section 9 in the Ghost in the Shell anime and manga, Makoto Kusanagi aka The Major is unique among anime women for being a cyborg who is self-sufficient in many ways. Regardless of continuity, she is a high-ranked member of the squad who is highly adept at hand to hand and marksmanship.
Likewise, she's an expert hacker, above human physical conditioning with her cyborg body and other abilities like spycraft and high durability. Point being, she's more than capable of taking care of herself whether on or off missions. Working with a team isn't a drawback at all, considering the varied threats they all face.
