If there’s one iconic image that springs to mind when thinking about anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture, it’s undoubtedly cats and their charming catgirl counterparts. For decades, catgirls, or “nekomimi” as they’re known in Japanese, have graced our screens and pages, becoming a beloved and instantly recognizable character archetype. A catgirl, in essence, is a girl blessed with feline features – most notably, adorable cat ears and often a playful tail. But the charm doesn’t stop there. These characters often embody a range of cat-like mannerisms, from delicately folding their hands into paw-like shapes and playfully nuzzling or licking their “paws,” to emitting genuine cat sounds and generally behaving in the most endearing ways imaginable. Objectively, it’s an undeniably quirky concept. Yet, the undeniable cuteness of these characters often makes them irresistibly charming, even if the premise is a tad unusual.
Anime and manga are absolutely brimming with catgirls. Their prevalence is so significant that “catgirl” has become a recognized character trope, standing alongside classics like “the chosen one” or “the girl next door.” It’s safe to say, Japan has a profound affection for its catgirls.
Given the vast universe of catgirl characters, narrowing it down to a definitive list is no easy task. However, after careful consideration and a deep dive into the genre, we’ve curated a list of the top 15 catgirls in manga and anime. Dive in and discover where your personal favorites rank!
#15. Eris (Cat Planet Cuties)
Cat Planet Cuties (Japanese title: Asobi ni Iku Yo!, which playfully translates to “Let’s Go Play!”) is a series that spans light novels, manga, and anime, spinning a tale around Kio Kakazu. After attending a family funeral, Kio’s life takes an interstellar turn when he encounters Eris, an alien catgirl with a mission to learn about Earth and its inhabitants.
Eris hails from the Catian planet and is on Earth as a scout. Her striking features – she’s tall, beautiful, and generously proportioned – immediately draw attention from both humans and Earth’s feline population.
As the series unfolds, Eris and Kio’s relationship blossoms and deepens, culminating in Eris choosing Kio as her life partner.
ASSESSMENT
- GENEROSITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- WAIFU-NESS: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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#14. Yoriko Sagisawa (Da Capo)
Yoriko Sagisawa cat anime girl from Da Capo
Da Capo, initially an adult visual novel launched in Japan around 2002 and later in the US in 2009, unfolds the story of Juni’ichi Asakura on the whimsical island of Hatsune.
On Hatsune, Juni’ichi and many of his companions have developed unique abilities and physical traits. One day, his cousin, Sakura Yoshino, returns from America, reminding him of a childhood promise they made to each other.
Originally a frail cat named Misaki, Yoriko’s story takes a magical turn. After her wish is granted by the island’s mystical sakura tree, Misaki inhabits the body of her cat, Yoriko, transforming into a catgirl version of herself.
Interestingly, the anime adaptation presents a slight variation. In the anime, Yoriko transforms into a catgirl resembling her owner and embarks on adventures in her owner’s place.
ASSESSMENT
- COURAGE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- CURIOSITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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#13. Ao Nanami (Yozakura Quartet)
Yozakura Quartet (Yozakura Karutetto in Hepburn romanization, 夜桜四重奏 ～ヨザクラカルテット～ in Japanese) is a manga and anime series brought to life by Suzuhito Yasuda in 2006.
The narrative centers on four teenagers – Ao, Hime, Kotoha, and Akina – each possessing extraordinary and distinct powers.
Throughout the series, these four protagonists harness their abilities to safeguard their town from impending threats that seek to disrupt the delicate equilibrium between their world and the mystical youkai realm.
Ao Nanami, a fifteen-year-old, is instantly recognizable for her cat ears, which she often cleverly conceals beneath hats or headphones. Beyond her feline features, Ao possesses the remarkable ability to read people’s minds and the unique gift to communicate with animals.
ASSESSMENT
- SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- FAME: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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#12. Cyan (Show by Rock!!)
Cyan cat girl anime character from Show by Rock!!
Show by Rock!! is a dynamic mobile video game that masterfully blends rhythm-based gameplay reminiscent of Rockband or Tap Tap Hero with elements of sim-raising games.
The game’s storyline revolves around Cyan Hijirikawa, a first-year high school student who finds herself trapped within a mobile rhythm game on her phone. To escape back to her own world, she must collaborate with newfound friends within the game. (Yes, it’s delightfully meta.)
While ordinary in the human world, Cyan undergoes a transformation when pulled into the game’s Sound World, becoming a charming catgirl adorned in a Gothic Lolita outfit. Though initially shy, she’s a gifted guitarist, wielding the legendary “Strawberry Heart” guitar. Together, they must confront and defeat dark monsters to save Sound World and pave Cyan’s path back home.
ASSESSMENT
- SHYNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- CUTENESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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#11. Himari Noihara (Omamori Himari)
The manga and anime series Omamori Himari (おまもりひまり, aptly named “Protective Charm Himari”) tells the story of Yuto Amakawa, an orphaned boy who, on his sixteenth birthday, encounters Himari, a samurai spirit catgirl.
Himari pledges an oath to Yuto, vowing to shield him from harm, confronting a host of demons and monsters intent on ending his life.
Known as a “bakeneko” (a term for a cat spirit or demon), Himari is both stunningly beautiful and lethally skilled. She is a master swordsman, capable of vanquishing formidable demons with relative ease.
Himari can seamlessly shift between her human form and her cat form. Moreover, even in her human guise, she can manifest her cat ears and tail, achieving the quintessential catgirl appearance.
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ASSESSMENT
- FLIRTATIOUS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- LETHALITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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#10. Nozomi Kiriya (Mayoi Neko Overrun!)
Nozomi Kiriya cat girl anime character from Mayoi Neko Overrun!
Mayoi Neko Overrun! (迷い猫オーバーラン!, Mayoi Neko Ōbāran!, literally “Stray Cat Overrun!”) began as a light novel series and has since expanded into manga and anime adaptations.
The story centers on Takumi Tsuzuki and his circle of friends who frequent the Stray Cats cafe. Takumi’s life takes an unexpected turn when his sister brings home Nozomi Kiriya, a mysterious girl, to live with them.
Nozomi Kiriya, as enigmatic as she is lovely, is taken in by Otome Tsuzuki, Takumi’s sister, and becomes a member of their household.
She spends much of her time at the Stray Cats cafe and often comes across as aloof and difficult to decipher. Despite her reserved nature, she embodies many classic catgirl traits, such as saying “Nya~” (akin to “Meow”), exhibiting a somewhat airheaded personality, and, most notably, sporting a hairstyle that distinctly resembles cat ears.
ASSESSMENT
- CAUTIOUSNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- TALENT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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#09. Koneko Toujou (High School DxD)
High School DxD (ハイスクールD×D, Haisukūru Dī Dī in Hepburn) unfolds at Kuou Academy, a school that was once exclusively for girls but has recently become co-ed. Unbeknownst to most humans, the academy is also populated by fallen angels, angels, and devils.
Here, Issei Hyodo, a second-year human student, is tragically killed by a fallen angel, only to be resurrected as a devil servant by the beautiful devil, Rias Gremory.
Koneko is a rare species student at Kuou Academy known as a Nekomata, another term for catgirl in Japanese folklore.
In her Nekomata state, she exhibits a range of catgirl characteristics, including a detached and reserved demeanor, along with feline ears and a matching tail. As the series progresses, Koneko increasingly displays more cat-like traits, solidifying her place in the catgirl pantheon.
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ASSESSMENT
- FORCE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- SOFTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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#08. Karyl (Princess Connect! Re:Dive)
Karyl cat girl anime character from Princess Connect! Re:Dive
Princess Connect! Re:Dive, a Japanese role-playing game launched in Japan in 2018, is the sequel to Princess Connect! released in 2015.
The game’s plot leans heavily on the Isekai trope, where the protagonist is transported to another world with amnesia. In this new world, the player encounters numerous characters and must unravel the world’s mysteries.
Karyl embodies the quintessential tsundere character beloved by manga and anime enthusiasts. She establishes the Gourmet Edifice guild alongside Yuuki, Pecorine, and Kokkoro. True to her tsundere nature, she begins the game as a spy for the enemy but ultimately forms strong bonds with her targets, becoming their friend. In the game, Karyl possesses the Princess Knight ability, granting her control over various monsters.
ASSESSMENT
- GOOD HEARTED: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- TSUNDERE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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#07. Chocola (Nekopara)
Nekopara, an online visual novel created by Neko Works, tells the heartwarming story of Kashou Minaduki, an aspiring chef who leaves his family home to open his own confectionery bakery.
During unpacking, he discovers that two twin catgirls (“Nekos”) have stowed away with him. Together, the trio works to run his shop, encountering a cast of other characters along the way.
Chocola is the twin sister of Vanilla. Despite being twins, the sisters are strikingly different in both appearance and personality. Chocola is known for being exceptionally playful and outgoing, readily befriending and engaging with anyone she meets.
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ASSESSMENT
- INTELLIGENCE: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
- AMIABILITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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#06. Vanilla (Nekopara)
Vanilla cat girl anime character from Nekopara
Vanilla, the twin sister of Chocola, is markedly different from her sister in almost every aspect except for their shared affection for Kashou. While Chocola has chocolate brown hair, Vanilla’s is vanilla white.
Vanilla is the younger of the twins and is generally quite reserved and inexpressive in her interactions. This aloofness often leads people to mistakenly believe she is less kind or caring than her sister, which is far from the truth.
ASSESSMENT
- INEXPRESSIVITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- CHEEKINESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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#05. Coconut (Nekopara)
Securing the #5 spot is Coconut, the tallest among the Minaduki sisters and arguably the most mature in appearance. Despite her mature look, she is the third youngest, older only than Chocola and Vanilla.
Coconut outranks her sisters due to the captivating contrast within her character. She is among the youngest yet possesses the most developed physique of her siblings. She’s the tallest and least petite, yet yearns to be seen as cute rather than strong.
Beyond her striking appearance, Coconut’s personality is equally compelling.
ASSESSMENT
- SEX APPEAL: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- CHEEKINESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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#04. Alicia Rue (Sword Art Online)
Alt Text: Alicia Rue from Sword Art Online, a regal anime cat girl with a confident pose, showcasing her Cai Sith lord attire, feline ears, and bell collar in a fantasy anime style.
Claiming the #4 position is Alicia Rue from Sword Art Online (ソードアート・オンライン, Sōdo Āto Onrain in Hepburn). The series follows Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya and his wife, Asuna Yuuki, as they navigate various virtual reality worlds.
Originally a web novel series from 2002 to 2008, it later evolved into a manga and then an anime series.
Alicia Rue is the esteemed lord of the Cait Sith (literally translating to “Cat fairy family”) and embodies numerous catgirl traits. She has a delicate physique, cat ears, and a tail.
Uniquely, Alicia’s cat ears are positioned on the sides of her head, similar to human ears, rather than on top, a common depiction in most catgirl portrayals. She wears a distinctive bell collar and wields clawed weapons, fully embracing her catgirl identity.
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ASSESSMENT
- STRATEGIC: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- SEDUCTIVE: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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#03. Blair (Soul Eater)
Breaking into the top 3, and one of the most recognizable catgirls in recent anime and manga, is Blair from the Soul Eater manga series.
The series follows Maka and Soul, a “meister” and “demon weapon” duo, alongside their friends as they study at Death Weapon Meister Academy.
The story chronicles their adventures as they confront formidable adversaries and sinister entities, including the witch Medusa and her child, Crona.
Initially mistaken for a witch, Blair is actually a catgirl with the ability to transform into both a cat and a human.
Initially an antagonist to the main characters, she eventually becomes a friend to Maka and Soul. While her human form doesn’t typically display prominent catgirl physical traits, her personality, feline transformation, and overall feline nature perfectly combine to create one of the most memorable catgirls in anime and manga.
ASSESSMENT
- SEX APPEAL: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- CHEEKINESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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#02. Rem Galleu (How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord)
Rem Galleu cat girl anime character from How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord
Securing the #2 spot is Rem Galleu from How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord (異世界魔王と召喚少女の奴隷魔術, Isekai Maō to Shōkan Shōjo no Dorei Majutsu in Hepburn, translated as “The Other World Demon Lord and the Summoning Girl’s Slave Magic”).
The series follows Takuma Sakamoto, who is transported from the real world into a virtual game world. There, Takuma embodies his in-game persona, the Demon Lord. Alongside his two lovely female servants, Rem and Shera, they journey through the world as Takuma seeks a way to return home.
Rem Galleu is a Pantherian adventurer and invoker who carries the spirit of the Demon King Krebskrem within her. She is petite with long, waist-length black hair, feline ears, and a tail.
While perhaps not as overtly expressive as some others on this list, Rem is somewhat emotionally reserved, tending to be more introspective, especially in contrast to her counterpart, the well-endowed Shera.
ASSESSMENT
- TSUNDERE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- DEVOTION: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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#01. Yoruichi Shihōin (Bleach)
And finally, claiming the coveted #1 spot is Yoruichi Shihōin.
Originating from the acclaimed Bleach manga and anime series, Yoruichi embodies the essence of a catgirl in many compelling ways.
She possesses the ability to transform into a black cat and spends a significant portion of the initial seasons in her feline form.
Her personality exhibits numerous cat-like behaviors. Later in the series, she even gains a transformation that fully manifests her as a catgirl, complete with adorable cat ears and a tail.
While the appeal of catgirls can be subjective and varied, Yoruichi masterfully embodies so many quintessential catgirl traits, making her an undeniable choice for the top position.
ASSESSMENT
- LETHALITY: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- SEX APPEAL: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- PURRRFECTNESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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BONUS: Cat Girl Variants!
Anime characters with cat ears merchandise
Characters don’t have to be inherently catgirls within their anime or manga series to have catgirl merchandise! Popular characters like Rem and Ram from RE:Dive and Hatsune Miku also frequently feature in catgirl merchandise variations! To check if your favorite character has catgirl themed goods, you can add 猫耳 (nekomimi – cat ears) to your search terms!
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