Legendary mecha series tend to focus on dark and tortured male protagonists. Well, what about a talented female mecha pilot who can handle heavy machinery. Let’s shift focus and take a look at the lady pilots of fighting suits. The lovely maidens of battle who command powerful mobile suits deserve respect, too. We’re counting down some of the best mobile suit waifus, so please watch from a respectful distance. If you get too close, your waifu might stomp you into oblivion.
1. Asuka Langley Sohryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Asuka is the queen of mecha pilot waifus. This tsundere girl with red hair has no competition. Asuka takes great pride in being an EVA pilot, and she has the power to back up her attitude. This mecha pilot waifu sits in the cockpit of Evangelion Unit-02. She even survives the end of the world, depending on which canon you follow. To be abundantly clear, she is also the Best Girl of Evangelion.
J-List has what every Asuka fan really needs for their cultured collection. The Asuka Langley 1/6 Figure -Last Scene- from Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is now available for purchase.
Studio Gainax released this series from October 4th, 1995, to March 27th, 1996. However, there have been multiple additions to the series since then. There are many manga series and anime films that fans can enjoy.
2. Kallen Kozuki / Kallen Stadtfeld (Code Geass)
Kallen is another fiery redhead who expertly pilots a mecha. She piloted many Knightmare Frames during her rebellion, but one of her most powerful units was the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N. Eight Elements. Though a seasoned mecha pilot in her own right, she was still a top-tier waifu, and the Best Girl of her series. That Lelouch couldn’t see that makes him less intelligent than he lets on.
C.C. ties Kallen for Best Girl, since she is immortal, magical, and loves pizza. If you want to support her, J-List can help. The B-style Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion C.C. BUNNY Ver. is now available for purchase.
Sunrise began producing numerous anime series based on Lelouch’s conquest from October 6th, 2006, through February 9th, 2019. The series will continue sometime in the future with Code Geass: Z of the Recapture.
3. Yoko Littner (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)
Yoko has amazing wardrobe choices. She’s hot, she knows it, and she’s proud to flaunt it. Her fiery temper befits her long crimson hair. Besides her eye-catching wardrobe, she’s also a proficient fighter who can pilot almost anything. Yoko is also a Spiral Being, which grants her superhuman abilities. The Tengen Toppa Yoko W Tank is her most powerful mech. Yoko is the Best Girl in the series, but her series was not made for happy endings.
Gainax aired the series from April 1st, 2007, to September 30th, 2007, in 27 episodes. Plans were made to create a film that retells the series, but nothing came of it.
4. Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
The Major’s battles against Umibozu and other such dangerous enemies would have been way easier with something like a Gundam or a Knightmare Frame. However, she did just fine with the Tachikomas. Yes, cute sentient tanks count as mechs, so Motoko Kusanagi is still a mecha pilot. Her combat suit is practical, but she has to leave it behind when she engages in tactical nudity. Despite that, she’s still our genius, though robotic, Best Girl of this series.
Masamune Shirow first drew out a possible future for humanity for Ghost in the Shell from May 1989 to November 1991. Kodansha published its single volume in Young Magazine.
5. Deunan Knute (Appleseed)
Deunan is the daughter of Gilliam Knute, a scientist who created the Bioroid race, and Carl Knute, a distinguished and decorated war veteran. She lost her mother at a young age, so she was raised, and trained, by her father. Deunan became an extremely talented ESWAT soldier, who is most proficient in hostage situations. Her mecha of choice is the Landmate. It’s smaller than a Gundam, but it gets the job done.
Masamune Shirow wrote and illustrated his manga series from February 15th, 1985 to April 15th, 1989. Seishinsha published all four volumes in Comic Gaia.
6. Mika Seido (Geneshaft)
Mika is unique on this list of mecha pilots because her mech isn’t stylized. The titular mech doesn’t even have a head unit. Any Gundam or Knightmare Frame would fly and blast circles around it. The Shaft’s primary weapon does look like the Gundam Wing’s buster rifle blast, so that’s cool.
Mika herself is unique in her own universe. Geneshaft‘s world is one of totalitarianism. Human births are all artificial, genes are manipulated and graded on color, and both love and family are outlawed. Mika is coded as “white,” an unrefined and inferior gene type. Despite this, she becomes a proficient mecha pilot, and works with her former enemy to save everyone.
Kazuki Akane (Escaflowne) directed this original anime series. Satelight and Studio Gazelle produced thirteen episodes between April 5th, 2001 and June 28th, 2001.
7. Haman Karn (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam) & Rain Mikamura (Mobile Fighter G Gundam)
It’s a mixed bag here. Haman Karn is an iconic Gundam villain and the Neo Zeon leader. She fought against Char Aznable and Judau Ashta, though she had a fondness for them both at different times. Haman was a harsh woman, but even Judau had some sympathy for her. In contrast, Rain Mikamura is primarily a Gundam engineer, and a brilliant woman to boot. Despite her official job of building and repairing Gundams, she had piloted the Shining Gundam more than once to aid Domon Kasshu, Neo Japan’s Fighter and her love interest.
If you’re a Gundam fan, have you seen the trailer for Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance? Check it out.
If you want a cute Gundam pilot of your own, J-List has a suggestion. The Suletta Mercury LookUp Figure from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury awaits.
Yoshiyuki Tomino directed Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam for Sunrise. Fifty episodes were aired from March 2nd, 1985 to February 22nd, 1986. Yasuhiro Imagawa directed Mobile Fighter G Gundam for Sunrise. Forty nine episodes aired between April 1st, 1994 to March 31st, 1995.
8. Kotona Elegance (Zoids: Genesis)
Kotona was born in a secluded village to a family of assassins. As fun as that might have been, she had a twin. As Kotona was the stronger twin, her sister Rinna would have been killed. Deciding that this was a bad thing, Kotona left to protect Rinna. They came across mecha Rainbow Jerk, a unique flying type Zoid. Kotona henceforth joined Ryuuji’s forces to fight Jiin.
Kazunori Mizuno directed this anime series for Shogakukan Productions. Fifty episodes were aired from April 10th, 2005 to March 26th, 2006.
9. Eureka (Eureka Seven)
Eureka is a Coralian, but she’s still quite compatible with humans, as proven by her husband and their children. She has a bond with their primary mech, the Nirvash type ZERO. Rather, she’s a co-pilot, alongside Renton. The Nirvash type ZERO is the oldest mecha in their world, and its already considerable powers continue to evolve and expand as the series progresses. Eureka herself evolves just as much. Her fights against Dewey Novak, and her love for Renton, make her stronger.
Tomoki Kyoda directed the anime series for studio Bones. Fifty episodes and one special were aired from April 17th, 2005 to April 2nd, 2006.
10. Sakura Shinguji (Sakura Wars)
Sakura is a mecha pilot of many talents. She comes from a long line of demon slayers, and she has certainly inherited their power. Sakura is also a girl born for the theater. Her great love of theater presents itself on the stage for all to see. She takes that love onto the battlefield, and inside her Koubu mech, to fight the forces of darkness and protect the people of Tokyo.
Sega released the first Sakura Taisen game on the Sega Saturn on September 27th, 1996. Sakura Wars (2019) (Shin Sakura Taisen) is the most recent release. This game was released on the PlayStation 4 on December 12th, 2019. Sega developed the game internally, though Oji Hiroi did not have creative oversight. Kohei Tanaka returned to compose the soundtrack, however.
What do you think of our list of powerful and lovely mecha pilots? Did you find new pilots you would fight alongside? Would you recruit someone else? Let us know in the comments below.
