Summary
Anime used to be a word that only referred to cartoons from Japan. Today, it can mean almost any kind of serialized anime regardless of the country of origin, but the iconic image of the anime girl with blue hair still seems to be confined to cartoons from Japanese animation studios.
The term “bluenette” is part of the anime lexicon, and it actually refers to any character with hair that’s not a natural color. That means even characters with green or purple hair can be referred to by this term. However, the anime girls featured here literally do have blue hair and are famous for it.
Updated on July 02, 2025 by Mark Sammut:TheWinter 2025 anime seasonis steadily approaching its end. At this point, none of its newblue-haired anime girlsseem likely to rank among the most iconic of all time, although that might change given time. Three more characters have been added to this discussion: Shampoo, Roxy, and Shea.
Mabel’sbackground has a lot to do with the color palette the artists chose for her, including her blue hair. She also has blue eyes and is usually shown wearing a white and blue dress.
As the last surviving member of the Ice Clan, which explains some of her powers, Mabel is also the keeper of a legendary ice sword, and any negative feelings she has cause nearby things and people around her to freeze. On the other hand, when she has positive feelings, which include love, they cause things to melt, which creates some awkward moments when someone she likes is nearby.
Rough start aside,Arifuretamanaged to evolve into an above-average isekai anime that is worth recommending to general fans of the genre, even if newcomers should attempt to track down thesuperior light novels or manga. Similar to most other female characters in the anime,Sheais somewhat overshadowed by Yue, a vampire who comes across as Hajime’s main partner rather than just a member of his expansive harem.
Still, Shea gets her fair share of moments to shine, particularly during season 3. As the most recent season pushes rabbitmen to the forefront, Shea is effectively the storyline’s MVP, which allows her to show off her fighting abilities and dedication to her race. Also, her design is just all-around fantastic.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnationis one of the most divisive isekai anime, but that reputation is almost solely due to Rudy, the male protagonist. For the most part, the other characters are well-liked, andRoxyis right up there with the best of them. Introduced as Rudy’s magic teacher, this powerful mage leaves a great initial impression with her calm demeanor and subtle incorporation of humor. She also has a fantastic design that shows a lot of personality despite being fairly traditional for a mage.
After the opening arc of the anime, Roxy disappears from the story for a very long time, only returning towards the end of season 2. Even though she does not appear on screen for dozens of episodes, Roxy’s presence is continuously felt due to Rudy’s appreciation for his sensei.
OK, this one might be controversial. As one of the most recognizable light novel characters, Index’s anime version is also very well-known, even ifA Certain Magical Index’s adaptationleaves something to be desired. However, she is not universally beloved and might be regarded as one of the show’s weakest elements, overstaying her welcome after the opening arc. Index does not always treat Touma well, and she is certainly not as adored as Misaka Mikoto.
That said, Index is among the best-designedblue-haired female anime charactersof all time, arguably perfecting the look of the “priestess” archetype. Love or hate her, there is no forgetting Index.
Narutomay have many strengths, but one area where it wholeheartedly fails is in its depiction of women. Most females inNarutoend up playing second fiddle to their male teammates and partners, which is a shame given the sheer influence this series has.
A blue-haired character inNarutowho plays a fairly central role in the grand scheme of things isKonan, a unique ninja who uses jutsu related to origami and paper. Unfortunately, barring one fight against Obito where she shows the full extent of these powers, Konan doesn’t really do anything major aside from being a steadfast companion to Yahiko and Nagato.
Danganronpaloves to subvert expectations, with the anime adaptation being a decent, if somewhat rushed, way to enjoy this mind-bending story. The protagonist, Makoto, is one of many high school students caught in a twisted killing game.
Things feel slightly better when he becomes friends withSayaka, only for this character to be the first person to be killed by a student. What makes things worse is that everyone deduces that she was actually planning to kill Makoto, only for it to be revealed later on that she decided not to go through such a heartless act with the one person she became close friends with in the short time she was alive.
A 16-year-old high school student who has equal experience living in both Japan and the United States as the daughter of a UN ambassador,Kaname Chidoriis also one of the main characters of both the anime and light-novel versions ofFull Metal Panic!Part of the drama of this storyis why several different intelligence organizations seem so interested in this blue-haired anime girl.
Sousuke Sagara is an agent for one of these organizations, known as Mithril, one that happens to be tasked with protecting Kaname. He enrolls in the same high school as her, and a complex plot unfolds.
This part of the series bringsthe vast universe ofSAOtoStory Arc 3and a new FPS MMO calledGun Gale Online.Shinodoesn’t star in the arc, but in literary terms, this blue-haired anime girl is the deuteragonist of the story. This means she’s as important to the plot as the main protagonist and can even switch places with him.
Shino started playing Gun Gale Online to get over her own fear of guns, and the result is that she becomes one of the most lethal snipers in GGO. This continues in other games featured in the popular isekai franchise including ALfheim Online, in which she plays a Cait Sith archer.
Esdeathis most recognizable in her General’s uniform and is one of the Empire’s highest-ranking officers. She’s known for her cruelty and lust for power, which contradicts her love for Tatsumi. On the other hand, any affection she has for the main character might be just another sadistic obsession.
Her long blue hair is one of her most beautiful features, and her charisma inspires a close to fanatical loyalty in her supporters. However, Esdeath isn’t completely without heart or empathy. Despite her love for Tatsumi, she has given her subordinates clear orders to destroy him should he endanger their lives.
Toradora’s main female characters are pretty much all iconic, even if they can be somewhat divisive. Despite coming into the picture later than Taiga or Minori, Ami is almost as popular as both of them, and she tends to be less polarizing as well.
Now, like most of the anime’s characters, this model does not start as a purely great person as she tends to rely on manipulation, something she learned through her career. However, as the series progresses, Ami gradually lets down her guard and builds proper friendships with the rest of the characters. More than anything, she is just a fun personality to have around.
