The Best Gyaru Girls In Anime

Summary

• Gyaru fashion is all about freedom and goes against traditional Japanese beauty norms.
• Many gyaru characters in anime are intelligent, caring, and friendly, debunking negative stereotypes.
• Gyaru girls stand out with their unique fashion choices, confidence, and sense of style.

Gyaru (also known as gal) is a Japanese fashion subculture that has been around since the 1970s. They are known for wearing lots of accessories like hair clips, necklaces, and bracelets, wearing colorful makeup and nail polish, and usually having dyed (often blonde) hair, and tanned skin. It’s all about being free with their fashion choices which often go against the norm in traditional Japanese beauty.

There are some negative stereotypes revolving around this subculture, but this is not the case for some people in it and most certainly not for these characters. They are intelligent, caring, and some of the friendliest characters in the anime world. These gals are perfectly happy dressing up as they please and look fabulous doing so.

Updated on December 14, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Gyaru anime girls are relatively common, with most seasons including a few characters that fit the descriptor. In fact, one of Fall 2024’s best characters is a gyaru, and she is straight-up awesome. Click on the below link to jump to this girl.

1 Marin Kitagawa

An Otaku Gal Who Loves Cosplaying And Nerdy Hobbies

Marin has captured the hearts of fans thanks to her style, confidence, and friendly personality. Her sense of style is top-notch, and she always has some accessories and her pink contacts when she’s out and about. Her nails are always done and have a pink glittery shade on them.

She has a variety of outfits that she wears outside of school, and what she wears depends on where she’s going. Even if she wears outfits that are somewhat revealing, Marin is very confident in wearing them.

However, she does get embarrassed over the little things like when she forgot to put her contacts on when Wakana visited her. What makes Marin a great character is that she’s quite mature and makes no attempts to hide her friendship with Wakana. She doesn’t like when others judge people for their interests and hobbies, having been judged for being an otaku.

2 Momo Ayase

A Strong Personality With A Clear Sense Of Style And Identity

One of the most popular anime of 2024, Dandadan‘s success can be credited to plenty of things. The animation is top-notch and complements the humor and action really well. The blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural gives the story a unique flavor that sets it apart from most other battle-shonen stories. While not lacking in fights, the anime also focuses very heavily on the relationship between the main characters, to the point that an argument could be made that Dandadan is first and foremost a romantic-comedy rather than an action series.

Finally, Momo Ayase is simply a fantastic protagonist, and comfortably the best character in a show that has almost nothing but great characters. Although she goes through bouts of self-doubt or hesitation, Momo is unapologetically herself, and that extends to her gyaru fashion sense. She is bold, intelligent, funny, and empathetic, all the while showing enough flaws to still be a three-dimensional figure rather than an idolized character.

3 Junko Enoshima

Her Clothes And Accessories Foreshadow Her True Personality

At first, Junko comes off as a simple-minded girl with a temper, but there’s more to this gyaru than meets the eye. Her style is top-notch and matches the gyaru trends. However, her overall appearance is a darker take on it whereas most gyaru usually wear brighter colors. If anything, this is a foreshadowing of her true personality.

Junko may present herself as a typical gyaru by being overly friendly and cheerful, but she’s very apathetic and her moods are extremely erratic. She gets bored very easily if she has to keep up her appearance for too long. Junko is quite intelligent, manipulative, and violent and doesn’t feel any remorse for her actions. She’s able to switch her moods on the spot, keeping others guessing and scared of what she could do next.

4 Akari Watanabe

A Gal Willing To Make A Fake Marriage Work

An outgoing gyaru that is extroverted and confident, but still sweet and kind to those around her. Akari has a bright and colorful appearance that matches the gyaru culture, having pink hair and wearing accessories with her school uniform. Akari’s appearance isn’t too over-the-top, but she certainly stands out when standing around her friends or family.

After being paired up with Jiro, Akari is kind to him and they work together to be a great couple for the marriage simulation program. Even though she wants to be paired with someone else, Akari is determined to make the pseudo-marriage work so that she and Jiro can both transfer and be with their current crushes.

5 Lisa Imai (BanG Dream!)

A Gal Who Plays Bass And A Big Sister Figure For Her Bandmates

• Release Year: 2017
• Genre: Musical
• Number of Episodes: 13
• Studio: Xebec, Issen
• My AnimeList Score: 6.99

BanG Dream! might not be for everyone, but the franchise is wildly successful, producing a bunch of manga, anime series, movies, and games. The band-themed franchise has a wide cast of characters, and while not always taking the spotlight, Lisa is an eye-catching member in her own right. She has been a part of most seasons of the anime, even if she occasionally takes a supporting role.

Part of the Roselia group, Lisa plays the bass, which she is fairly skilled at. Often playing the big sister role in her band, Lisa is a level-headed and approachable person with a killer fashion sense.

6 Sakura

A Laidback Gal Who Loves To Have Fun And Tease Others

Sakura comes off as a sweet yet flirty girl, but there’s a little more to her than meets the eye. She is very popular among her male peers and loves teasing Naoto Hachiouji. However, Sakura does have a manipulative side to her, but she doesn’t do this with malicious intent. She simply likes to be spoiled and play around with the people around her.

With her kind and laidback personality and being fashionable even in her school uniform, it’s easy to see why Sakura is part of the popular clique. She’s not as glamorous or accessorized as some other gyaru, but her dyed hair, tan skin, and the few accessories she does wear make her stand out.

7 Saki

A Magician Who Knows How To Draw In A Crowd

Saki is a third-year high school student who has an interest in street magic and leader of the Street Performance Club. She’s very talented at making balloon animals, but Saki is very clumsy during her performances. Saki often makes provocative remarks and isn’t afraid to be a little more open with her comments even if other people are a little uncomfortable.

Despite her clumsy performances, Saki knows how to dress and accessorize. She’s not afraid to wear revealing clothing and loves to wear clothes that make it look good. With her hair clips, long wavy hair, and soft red nails, Saki stands out even when wearing something as plain as her school uniform.

8 Asami Yuki

A Smart And Observant Gal Who Enjoys Being Different

Asami fully embraces the gyaru subculture and regularly dyes her hair, tans her skin, and speaks the gal language to differentiate herself from others. But she does switch to speaking proper Japanese when she wants to be taken seriously or if she’s upset. Though most gyaru are seen as less intelligent, Asami is quite smart and gets good grades in school.

Though she can be a bit intense and suggestive when she talks, Asami is overall a nice girl who gets along with just about anyone. She’s also very observant and can tell when someone is lying, and is usually rational when interacting with others.

9 Shiipon, AKA Shino Goto

A Gal Who Looks Fabulous And Colorful Even In A Maid Outfit

A free-spirited girl who doesn’t stay in one place for too long, Shiipon is a gyaru who just happened to find herself working at the Oinky Doink Cafe one day. She’s not exactly sure how she got there or got the job, but she enjoys being a maid there and gets along well with her coworkers. Overall, Shiipon is a very chill and laidback girl who just wants to have fun while working.

She’s also very talented in applying makeup as seen with her blue eyeshadow, soft blush, and pale pink lip color. Most people would have a hard time pulling off this combo, but Shiipon looks effortlessly beautiful in it and stands out among her peers.

10 Kaede Hozuki

This Gal Isn’t Afraid To Use Her Assets For An Advantage

Kaede is a kind and caring girl who is the older sister of Momiji. She is willing to help anyone in need and cooks for her friends and family, even teaching them how to do so. It’s easy to see why most of the characters look up to her as a big sister as she teaches a lot of other things like fashion and acceptive of others and their different personalities.

She might be sweet, but Kaede isn’t afraid to use her assets to her advantage and usually wears clothes that compliment her figure very well. Kaede will use her knowledge of fashion to help her sister and her friends find what best suits them and their bodies, often giving them a variety to choose from.

11 Minami Fuyuki

A Gal Who Loves Dressing Nice Even If She’s Cold

Minami is a popular girl in high school who Tsubasa Shiki befriends on his first day of school. She decides to take Tsubasa under her wing since he’s new in town and become friends. Minami does have a crush on him and enjoys flirting and teasing him because of his reactions. She’s overall a nice girl and it’s easy to see why Tsubasa has feelings for her.

She dresses in the typical gyaru fashion with dyed blonde hair and accessorizes her school uniform. Though some might question why she doesn’t wear stockings or something to cover her legs during the winter months since she doesn’t cover up. If anything, fans can admire how devoted she is to sticking to her fashion choices.

12 Yuria Niguredou

Dresses In A Darker Aesthetic When Compared To Most Gyaru

Another gyaru that has a darker aesthetic compared to most. Yuria might look young, but she’s actually a high school student. She has the typical gyaru bleached blonde hair, but the tips are a faded pink. Her uniform is usually decorated with mushroom accessories, or she adds some gothic lolita fashion items to her look. Overall, her look is a darker spin on what is typical in gyaru fashion.

Like her appearance, Yuria doesn’t act like a typical gyaru. She’s pushy, fearless, and assertive and some people are scared of her. However, she’s very shy, having never had real friends before, and now spends a lot of her time with Miko and Hana. Yuria is a good person and just wants to be a great medium despite her weak powers.

13 Nana Sunohara (Miss Caretaker Of Sunohara-Sou)

A Younger And More Energetic Version Of Her Older Sister

• Release Year: 2018
• Genre: Romance, Comedy
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Silver Link
• My AnimeList Score: 6.75

Nana is the younger sister of Ayaka, and looks like her sister, but is a gyaru. She has tan skin, which is popular in the gyaru subculture. Her hair is naturally blonde like Ayaka, but Nana’s hair is a little bit longer than her sister’s. She doesn’t wear a lot of accessories, but she wears different and fashionable outfits throughout the show.

Much like her sister, Nana is a kind and patient girl, but she’s more energetic and optimistic. She’s usually friendly in her interactions with Aki, who is shy and anxious around people because he’s insecure about his looks.

14 Lords Of Pastimers

A Standout Among All The Gals

Compared to most of the gyarus on this list, Lord of Pastimers has a different gyaru aesthetic. Most of the girls in this list fall under the agejo gyaru subcategory whereas Lord of Pastimes falls under the ganguro or yamanba gyaru subcategory. Her makeup, tan, and accessories are a little more dramatic and she stands out compared to most gyaru.

She does have a promiscuous reputation, and most students assume she’s all the negative stereotypes that come with the gyaru subculture. This includes most people assuming she has low intelligence since she says she doesn’t study at home. However, Lord of Pastimers is an intelligent girl as she’s one of the top 100 in the national exams.

15 Naruko “Anaru” Anjou

Easily Influenced By Others, But Is A Very Caring Girl

While Naruko doesn’t heavily accessorize like most gyaru girls, she does accessorize a little more than her classmates. Her orange hair makes her stand out and it’s a stark contrast to her natural brown hair. She wears her hair in two pigtails that are held by a cute star-shaped accessory. Her nails are usually painted pink and she’ll usually repaint them if she’s going to visit Jinta.

She also has a variety of outfits that she’ll wear outside of school and is one of the stylish characters in the show. Though Naruko is easily influenced by other people around her, she still cares for her old group of friends.

16 Galko (Please Tell Me! Galko-Chan)

A Gal Who Isn’t Anything Like What Most People Assume

• Release Year: 2016
• Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Feel
• My AnimeList Score: 7.01

A girl who is often judged for her physique and fashion choices, making others think she’s promiscuous and trying to be seductive. It also doesn’t help that her name is a direct reference to the gyaru subculture, or that her best friends look very different/normal next to her. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Galko is inexperienced and innocent and easily gets embarrassed when others talk about her physique. Though she accessorizes her outfit, she’s quite scared of body modifications like piercings, but she does have earrings.

She also loves cooking and often makes her own lunches. Galko and her sister, who is also a gyaru, often exchange clothes and accessories with each other though Galko doesn’t like it when her sister borrows her school uniform.

17 Sakura Hibiki (How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift?)

A Sweet Gal With A Big Appetite And Bigger Muscles

• Release Year: 2019
• Genre: Comedy, Sports, Slice of Life
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Doga Kobo
• My AnimeList Score: 7.23

Sakura is a nice girl with a big appetite. While she doesn’t accessorize much, her blonde hair and tan skin make her stand out among her peers. Sakura decides to start going to the gym after she realizes she’s gaining a little weight from her overeating habits. She has a rough start because of her lack of exercise and getting easily fatigued, Sakura improves as the series goes on.

She finds out that she has a talent for combat sports, specifically boxing. Though she was intimidated at first when she joined the gym, Sakura has become more confident in herself and has improved a lot.

18 Kaede (Gal & Dino, AKA My Roomie Is A Dino)

This Gal Lives In Style With A Dinosaur Roommate

• Release Year: 2020
• Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Kamikaze Douga, Space Neko Company
• My AnimeList Score: 6.44

Kaede is a young girl who ends up having Dino as a roommate after a night out. She is loud and foul-mouthed, often cursing when she talks. However, she is nice when she needs to be and cares for Dino, learning a lot from him even though he can’t talk. She wears a lot of different clothes and accessories, and even her apartment is pretty colorful.

She grudgingly let Dino live with her and took responsibility for him, showing her good heart. While she’s not experienced in taking care of a dinosaur, Kaede does her best to care for and provide for Dino and forms a strong friendship bond with him.

19 Yuzuko “Yuzu” Aihara

Proud To Be Gal Even If It Gets Her In Trouble

A girl who proudly claims her gyaru status. Yuzu loves to wear a lot of accessories, loves to wear makeup, and piercings. She hates that the school has a no-makeup policy and tries to be as girly as she can despite this. Yuzu loves customizing her school uniform, but this usually ends up with her getting in trouble with the student council.

There are times when she comes off as not too intelligent and seems more obsessed with her looks, but Yuzu isn’t dumb. She gets good grades and has a more domestic side to her, usually making meals for herself and Mei.

20 Ran Kotobuki (Super GALS!)

A Gal With A Strong Sense Of Justice And Fashion

• Release Year: 2001
• Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
• Number of Episodes: 52
• Studio: Pierrot
• My AnimeList Score: 7.39

This is one gyaru that most won’t want to mess with. Ran comes from a long line of police officers, but she doesn’t have any desire to be one after learning that she can’t dye her hair or wear her favorite accessories. Even though she doesn’t plan on becoming an officer, Ran still has a strong sense of justice and a lot of junior high girls look up to her because of this and her sense of style. She loves tanning, shopping, and fashion, often bleaching her hair to maintain its color.

Ran excels in sports and is very athletic, having trained with her father to perfect her skills. She is a bit ditzy, but when she puts her towards something, Ran shows that she can be very smart. However, she is known to be very scary when she gets angry and very few will mess with her when she’s like this.