Join Our Newsletter
  • Visit Our Store
  • Come Write for J-List!
J-List Blog
Visit J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
No Result
View All Result

Why Are Russian Girls in Anime So Popular?

Peter Payne by Peter Payne
4 years ago
in Your Friend in Japan

One of the fun aspects of anime is the way people from other countries are represented in caricature form. Americans are always tall, big-hearted (and if female, big-breasted) characters with positive personalities who eat as many hamburgers as possible. Characters from England are depicted as a blonde (a minority in the country) and generally the daughters of well-born nobility, always drinking tea and speaking extremely polite Japanese to show how well-born they are. Another nationality anime creators seem to have a fascination with are characters from Russia. Why are there so many adorable Russian girls in anime? Let’s find out!

Russian Girls In Anime

As I’ve written before, the Japanese seem to have a unique relationship with the nation of Russia. In a way Russia is very far from Japan culturally, yet they’re also the closest Western nation geographically, and thus the most familiar. Japan has always had cultural intermingling and intermarrying with Russia, and the Russian Orthodox Church has been active in Japan since the 1860s.

The stereotype of Russian girls in anime is generally that they’ll have white hair (making them something close to Tolkien Elves) or blonde, and generally be mysterious to many Japanese who try to understand them. They depicted as being so skilled at what they do, it’s often close a kind of magic.

(Are you watching Golden Kamuy, a great anime about the history of Japan and Russia in the early 20th century? Read my blog post on this great anime here.)

Sanya V. Litvyak From Strike Witches

One of the top Russian girls in anime is Sanya V. Litvyak from Strike witches, who tries her best to defend her homeland of Russia from the evil Neuroi.

How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift Gina Fixedtumblrwebp

Gina Voyd — whose name is a blending of Russian porn stars Gina Gerson and Krystal Boyd, the Internet tells me — is another fun Russian character, super strong and with a strong patriotic spirit. Anime is How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Gina How Heavy Ae The Dumbbells You Lift

Gina gets her incredible motivation from Vladimir Putin, apparently.

Irina Vladimirovna Putina My Girlfriend Is The President Russian girls in anime

Speaking of Mr. Putin, if you’ve secretly wanted to date a female version of him, you can vicariously in our awesome game My Girlfriend is the President, which features Irina Vladimirovna Putina as a romanceable character, because why not? “Putin” also shows up in Eiyu*Senki, though the character is cleverly cloaked as Rasputin because not everyone in the Russian government has a sense of humor.

Russian girls in anime: Anastasia Idolmaster

Another popular Russian girl in anime is Anastasia from Idolmaster Cinderella Girls. Here she receives some fanservice.

Oniai Anastasia

The name Anastasia pops up quite often in anime, for example, Anastasia Nasuhara, a half-Russian, half-American girl living in Japan for some reason, from Oniai.

Eli Ayase

While haafu (half) Russian characters are common, there are some who are kuootaa (quarter), like Eli Ayase. Being raised by her grandmother, she speaks random Russian words.

https://blog.jlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/katchusha-song-from-girls-und-panzer.mp4

Another famous “Russian” character is Katyusha, who is actually born in Japan and speaks very little Russian. Her name is a pun on the Japanese word for a girl’s hairband, which is also the name of a popular song by idol group AKB48, but it’s also the name of a famous mobile rocket launcher used by the Soviets in WWII. Hence this patriotic song from Girls und Panzer.

Hibiki Kancolle

Another dubious “Russian” character is Hibiki from Kancolle, who is based on a Japanese destroyer who was turned over to the Soviets as a spoil of war and renamed the Верный.

Chaika Trabant

Then there’s Chaika Trabant from Chaika: The Coffin Princess. She’s considered Russian because of the white hair trope, and also because Chaika is a famous Russian automobile.

Menma Anohana

Another famous (half) Russian is Menma Meiko Honma, daughter of Russian Irène Honma, who married a Japanese man in AnoHana.

Russian girls in anime: Kudryavka Noumi

One of the most charming Russian girls is Kudryavka Noumi from Little Busters, who has little bat hairpins because Russia is close to Transylvania, I guess.

Uzamaid Misha

My own favorite Russian girl in anime is Misha from Uzamaid!, a cute girl who came to live in Japan but hates the way everyone treats her like a doll because of her blonde hair. She’s got a kind of creepy maid who loves taking care of her, perhaps a bit too much.

Ecchi With A Rural Russian Housewife
Ecchi with a Rural Russian Housewife

We hope you’ve enjoyed experiencing Japanese and Russian culture with us today! Did we miss your favorite Russian anime character? Tell us below, or on Twitter!

Jlist Wide Figures Nov30 Email

We love our jobs at J-List because we get to look at so many incredibly cute anime figures as part of our daily work. Why not browse the newest anime figures we added to the site for you?

Tags: anime magazinesHow Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?idolmasterKantai CollectionLove Live!NendoroidonaholesRussianstrike witchesUzaMaidvisual novels

More Posts Like This

Happy News! J List's Fiscal Year End Sale Gives You The Best Anime Deals
Your Friend in Japan

Don’t Miss the Best Anime Deals in J-List’s Fiscal Year-End Clearance!

by Peter Payne
3 days ago

Can you believe it's May already? Whether we're marking time with the passing of each anime season or busily adding...

Happy Birhtday To Nao Toyama
Your Friend in Japan

Happy Birthday to Voice Actress Nao Tōyama!

by Peter Payne
2 months ago

Today is the 33rd birthday of Nao Tōyama, the lovely voice actress who has brought life to many of our...

Anime You're Not Watching

Nine Current Anime Series You’re Not Watching! Why Not?

1 year ago
Sex With Your Otaku Friend

The Official Sex With Your Otaku Friend Ero Toy Is Mindblowing!

1 year ago
Sensual Meister ~ Gal Mama J J 41

Three New MILF-Themed Ero Toys from Japan!

1 year ago
Happy Birthday Rie Tanaka Best Voice Roles

Happy Birthday to Seiyu Rie Tanaka! What’s Her Best Voice Role?

1 year ago
Next Post
The 15 Best Isekai Anime Series

The 15 Best Isekai Anime, According to MAL

Trending Today

Please Put Them On Takamine San PV2 5
News

The Power of No Panties, Please Put Them On, Takamine-san

3 months ago
Spring 2025 Ecchi Anime Web Cover
News

Spring 2025 Ecchi Anime and Where to Watch Them

2 months ago
Shock! Manga Artists Who Also Created Hentai
Your Friend in Japan

Shock! 15 Famous Manga Artists Who Also Made Hentai

1 year ago
Anime Reverse Image Search Ultimate Guide
Your Friend in Japan

Find That Anime! The Ultimate Anime Reverse Image Search Guide

1 week ago
Summer Pockets Blog Post
Your Friend in Japan

Summer Pockets: Rewinding to a Simpler Era of Visual Novel Anime

6 days ago
Get the Newest Figures from J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
Happy News! J List's Fiscal Year End Sale Gives You The Best Anime Deals
Your Friend in Japan

Don’t Miss the Best Anime Deals in J-List’s Fiscal Year-End Clearance!

by Peter Payne
May 19, 2025

Makina-san a Love Bot?!, Episode 1 — Gyaru Sex Robots?!

Makina-San a Love Bot?!, Episode 2 — Hands Off My Virginity

Makina-san a Love Bot?!, Episode 3 — It’s a Shower Episode?!

The Makina-san a Love Bot?! English Dub Premieres April 30

Makina-san a Love Bot?!, Episode 4 — Bashful Love Bots

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Discord
  • YouTube

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.