Everywhere I look now, games like Genshin Impact and Overwatch seem to be using waifu-bait to attract new players – and it’s working. Well, at least it works on me. The term “waifu” comes from the Japanese pronunciation of the English word “wife.” Western anime and manga fans have used it to refer to their 2D significant others for a while now. And it’s made its way into mainstream geek culture too. But these 2D heart-throbs aren’t anything new for gamers – we just didn’t have a word for it. So let’s take a look at some lovely video game ladies we’d love to call “mai waifu.”
25. Rebecca Chambers
Game: Resident Evil 0 We kick off our waifu pageant with Rebecca Chambers – the most adorable character in Resident Evil, full stop. She’s cute as a button and knows how to handle a gun. She’s also a bit of a genius, as evidenced by her current position as a biochemistry advisor to the BSAA. Rebecca was barely 18 when she was deployed into the Arklay Mountains as the medic for STARS Bravo Team – and yet she’s the only one who manages to make it out of the Spencer Estate alive.
24. Elizabeth
Game: Bioshock Infinite Most of your adventure in the flying city of Columbia revolves around securing and protecting Elizabeth – the daughter of Father Comstock and heir to his cult. She may be a bit sheltered – after all, she was kept in a tower Rapunzel style for decades – but this has also made a free spirit. Rather than crave the safety of her tower, Elizabeth wants to see everything the world has to offer. Determined and resilient, Elizabeth would make a fantastic waifu if you like adventure. She can even manipulate tears in the fabric of space-time!
23. Chun-Li
Game: Street Fighter Chun-Li was one of the first female characters in arcades, making her one of the first waifu candidates in gaming. At first she was just an athletic Chinese martial artist working for Interpol. She was cool, but not necessarily hot. However as time went by, Street Fighter’s artists started slowly adding some volume to her thighs. In our thigh-loving day and age full of thigh-high socks and sultry leggings, Chun-Li’s thick, muscular legs have never been so relevant.
22. Cindy Aurum
Game: Final Fantasy XV Car-lovers worldwide would fight to the death for a chance at making the star of Hammerhead Service Station their waifu. This drop-dead gorgeous gal is the daughter of the previous royal mechanic. With skills passed down from her grandfather, she keeps the Regalia in tip-top shape during your adventure. If she can maintain and even enhance the FF equivalent of a Rolls Royce, surely pimping out your Toyota Corolla won’t be an issue. Cindy is Square’s hottest waifu with a sunny personality, and has one of the sexiest outfits I’ve seen in Final Fantasy.
21. Nowi
Game: Fire Emblem Awakening Fire Emblem is well-known for its lovable cast and high-quality waifus. But if I had to pick a favorite, I don’t think I could do better than the adorable and supportive Nowi. She may look young, but this dragon girl is definitely older than you. In fact, she’s over 1000 years old, and even has her own children by the time you finish Fire Emblem Awakening. Despite being sold into slavery early in her life, Nowi remains optimistic – after all, she still has thousands of years left to live.
20. Etna
Game: Disgaea Another franchise with many lovely waifu candidates is Disgaea, which continues pumping the world full of adorable demons, angels, artificial lifeforms, and everything in-between. One of the first characters that made me exclaim “MAI WAIFU” back in the day was Etna, an ambitious demon loli whose 2000s rave girl outfit leaves little to the imagination. As a demon, Etna doesn’t have the most agreeable personality – and even her closest friend Laharl doesn’t trust her all that much. She’s a waifu for those of you who like dominant personalities who might step on you and call it a reward.
19. Nero Claudius
Game: Fate/Extra The Fate franchise has come a long way since the visual novel days, in significant part thanks to the immensely popular mobile gacha game Fate/Grand Order. One character who rode the wave to new levels of popularity was Nero, who has gone from “the red Saber” to one of the most sought-after waifus of all time. She’s the fifth Emperor of Rome – an accomplished musical performer, lover of the arts, and most likely the hottest woman in the empire during her time. If you want a girl who’ll call you by roman political titles, Nero Claudius is the Caesar for you.
18. D.Va
Game: Overwatch From the very beginning, D.Va (real name: Hana Song) has set herself apart from the pack in the race for best Overwatch waifu. The way she shows off her slim figure in a tight bodysuit has contributed a fair bit to her popularity. It’s sexy and easy for cosplayers to pull off, making real-life D.Va lookalikes a common sight on social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok. Hardcore gamers also find her backstory relatable and even a bit idyllic. After all, who wouldn’t want to go from professional StarCraft player to nationally-acclaimed MEKA pilot?
17. Mercy
Game: Overwatch Dr. Angela Ziegler is a brilliant scientist whose medical discoveries and inventions have advanced the field tremendously. These have also allowed her to look not a day older than 25, despite being almost 40. According to her Overwatch comrades, she makes terrible coffee – but she’s a gifted medical doctor. She’d keep you alive and save you a ton on hospital bills. As is the case with most of Overwatch’s cast, there is a ton of Mercy fan art online, ranging from beautiful illustrations to high-quality 3D animations – both SFW and NSFW.
16. Princess Peach
Game: Super Mario Bros. After her first appearance in 1985, Princess Toadstool has conquered the hearts of generations – quickly becoming a synonym with video games like her beloved Mario. She used to also be a synonym with damsels in distress. But more recent games have portrayed Peach as an accomplished athlete, precise racer, and self-sufficient hero. But beware: royal public relations are complicated. And you’d have to put up with Mario being her official partner in the eyes of the media. It’s a steep price for a royal waifu.
15. Quiet
Game: Metal Gear Solid V Some might fault me for giving this spot to a girl who doesn’t have a single line of dialogue. But in Quiet’s case, it actually gives her character a lot of depth. This sexy sniper won’t speak a word to anyone in Mother Base, because if she did, she would start the spread of a terrible parasitic disease. Parasites are also the reason for her bold outfit choices. Unique parasites were used to heal her after Big Boss set her on fire in the game’s opening mission. They couldn’t save her lungs, so now she breathes through her skin. If you value a girl who’s efficient and objective-driven, this silent female Rambo can become a trusted companion.
14. Cortana
Game: Halo We all need to move to a new city or quarantine for medical reasons at some point – and loneliness can be crippling. So why don’t you date Cortana? This blue holographic hottie is a UNSC-developed sentient AI who’ll never leave your side. After all, she lives in a portable chip you can plug into basically anything. Despite being a computer program, Cortana has a witty and playful personality. She’s great for deep conversations and heated debates.
13. Lara Croft
Game: Tomb Raider Lara Croft is a gaming icon from the late 90s, who’s known how to re-invent herself to get with the times and remain relevant. Back in the 90s she used to be a bombshell and one of gaming’s most prominent sex symbols – a remarkable achievement considering how polygonal graphics were at the time. Since the 2013 reboot of the series, Lara has gone from playboy girl territory to something a little bit more realistic – though your heart would still skip a beat if you saw her walking down the street. This adventurous archaeologist is always off on an adventure, so you better be ready to move if you want the Tomb Raider to be your waifu.
12. Bayonetta
Game: Bayonetta If this ranking focused exclusively on sexiness, Bayonetta would be at the top. There’s just no competition. This powerful Umbra witch has a dreamlike body and a killer fashion sense that always made it hard for me to concentrate on cutting down foes. What seems like a tight leather or latex outfit is none other than her hair, magically wrapped around her curves to create a skin-tight bodysuit. She also needs to use that hair as a medium to summon demons, so the sight of a stark-naked Bayonetta power posing next to a giant bad-ass fiend is not uncommon. If her experienced allure isn’t enough to convince you, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Her real name is actually “Cereza,” which means cherry in Spanish. Isn’t that the cutest thing?
11. Princess Zelda
Game: The Legend of Zelda The original Legend of Zelda came out back in 1986 – long before the term “waifu” started circulating in English-speaking circles, and long before having a fictional sweetheart was a thing. You could say Zelda herself was one of the first proto-waifus for gamers back in the late 80s. She may have been just a bunch of pixels with little dialogue to speak of, but after braving the dangers of Hyrule for her sake, it’s easy to become attached. By the time A Link to the Past rolled around in 1991, Zelda had a more distinctive design with pointed ears and a royal dress that finally allowed players to properly fawn over the official artwork. Nowadays, gamers get to pick which version of Zelda to call their waifu. There’s the cold and regal one from Twilight Princess, the adorably homey one from Skyward Sword, and the list goes on.
10. Catherine
Game: Catherine Classic Having a cheerful and upbeat girlfriend with a killer body and a cute face – a girl like Catherine – is every man’s dream. That’s as true for the main character Vincent as it is for the player. I know what you’re thinking: “Weren’t half the endings in Catherine a bloody mess?” Well, yes. It’s to be expected when you’re two-timing a demon – especially one as possessive as Catherine. But that shouldn’t be an issue for us flesh and blood humans. Ask your local pastor. It’s not cheating if she’s 2D.
9. Palutena
Game: Kid Icarus On the other side of the good vs. evil scale, we find Palutena – a gorgeous Goddess of Light with a soft spot for humanity. Much like she champions humankind, Palutena would be your personal cheerleader. Moreover, it’s always good to have friends in high places. Palutena is written like a genuinely fun person to be around. She’s funny, spontaneous, and very kind – though she can be a little selfish and proud at times. It’s only fair, considering she’s a goddess.
8. Amber
Game: Genshin Impact Genshin Impact was one of the biggest games to come out in 2020. And that is (probably) 100% thanks to its fantastic waifu catalog. Amber is the first character you’ll meet in Mondstadt – and the first waifu you’ll have under your command. She’s not the smartest, but this Outrider of the Knights of Favonius is resourceful and devoted to justice. She also looks great in tight shorts and thigh-high boots. Amber has a high-energy, straightforward personality that makes her endearing for a lot of people. Her dancing booby trap – the Baron Bunny – is also adorable, and the memes are priceless.
7. Mona Megistus
Game: Genshin Impact If you go up one more star in Genshin Impact’s rarity rating, you’ll find Mona, a Mondstadt-based astrologist appreciated by fans for her shapely butt and revealing outfit. You can’t really blame it on the fandom being horny, though. MiHoYo knew what they were doing with Mona. Her design is exceptionally sexy, and every story cutscene involving her starts or ends with a shot of her bubble butt. She’s also a skilled Hydro spellcaster who’ll drown your enemies in glittery magical water, making her both a lovely waifu and a powerful addition to any adventuring party.
6. Mipha
Game: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Zelda may be the series’ protagonist, but she’s not the best waifu material in her own legend. That accolade goes to Mipha, the champion of the Zora people who pilots the Divine Beast Van Ruta against Calamity Ganon in Breath of the Wild. Mipha has the childhood friend appeal to complement her adorable appearance. Her face and demeanor couldn’t be cuter – and she’s a red Zora! In my time, we only had the light blue kind (shout-out to Princess Ruto, also a major TLOZ waifu).
5. Isabelle
Game: Animal Crossing Hey, stop looking at me like that! I know that Isabelle is technically a dog, which would qualify her as a pet rather than a waifu… But that’s not what most people online are saying. It’s hard not to love this adorable Shih Tzu after watching her give it her all as the Mayor’s secretary in New Leaf, an interior designer in Happy Home Designer, and a new resident advisor in New Horizons. Human waifus are great and all. But will they tap their foot when you scratch them behind the ears?
4. Samus
Game: Metroid Samus Aran became the first playable female character in a mainstream video game after the release of Metroid for the NES, making her the most coveted video game waifu of 1986 and the following years. Competition has become fiercer every year since then. But Samus remains immensely popular thanks to an evolving design. Her appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series has cemented her as a quintessential video game waifu, thanks to the Zero Suit outfit featured since Brawl. This now-iconic look consists of a tight blue bodysuit, high-tech neon-lit heels, and a gun that doubles a plasma whip. Kinda hard not to get some impure thoughts after seeing that ensemble.
3. Tifa Lockhart
Game: Final Fantasy VII Remake It’s hard to find a female video game character more well-known for her waifu quality than Tifa Lockhart. This eco-terrorist was everyone’s waifu back when Final Fantasy VII came out. Not only was it one of the biggest games at the time, but Tifa’s design captured a generation of horny teenagers (and adults) who couldn’t overlook her voluptuous figure – even if it was a little polygonal. I decided to give the spot to her Remake version for having more realistic (if ideal) proportions, and for wearing thigh-high socks. What a way to improve a character!
2. 2B
Game: NieR Automata Tifa’s ancient seat as the most coveted woman in video games is now held by NieR Automata’s 2B – a gorgeous battle android created to dominate the machine lifeforms that have occupied the Earth. 2B is made to look like the most beautiful human being possible, though it’s unclear how that’s supposed to help her kill machines. She even has a beauty mark. And the way her thighs slightly spill out of her thigh-high boots has nothing to do with combat. That said, you’d do well to remember her primary function is dismantling dangerous robot weapons. Make her angry at your own risk.
1. Makoto Nijima
Game: Persona 5 She may not be the most coveted, but the Phantom Thieves’ Makoto is by far the best video game waifu in our current video game climate. Not only does she look gorgeous in both a school uniform and a bad-ass biker bodysuit, but she’s the smartest and most supportive girl in the entire game. Persona 5 is full of incredible waifus. But Makoto is the only one who doesn’t have some trauma or situation Joker can help her improve. She has her stuff figured out from the get-go, and you spend your time together in the game trying to help others. As a waifu, Makoto is the kind of girl who pushes you to improve yourself and reach your full potential. She’d also look fabulous on a Harley Davidson.
