My Hero Academia is one of the most popular anime in the world, and for good reason. Kohei Horikoshi helped tear down the narrative that women are meant to be damsels in distress by putting them on equal footing with their male counterparts. The series has showcased different female characters; while some are more iconic than most, they are all equally important to the story. Some of these characters would even give some guys a run for their money. Here are some of the strongest female characters in My Hero Academia.
Star and Stripe
Cathleen Bate, known famously by her alias Star and Stripe, served proudly as America’s number one hero. She was a long-time fan of All Might, modeled after him, and considered him her master. However, Star proved she was more than just a substitute for her master. Her quirk, new order, helped her cement her place as the strongest Hero in America and the strongest female hero in the world. New order allows her to set rules on whatever she touches, provided she knows its name. While her fight with Shigaraki did expose its weaknesses, it is still one of the strongest quirks in the series. Star and Stripe proved herself in her battle against Shigaraki, even sacrificing herself to take him down from the inside.
Mirko
Rumi Usagiyama, aka Mirko, has become a fan favorite since My Hero Academia season 6. Her fight against the Nomus was breathtaking and one of the best fights in the series so far. Her quirk, rabbit, gives her incredible leg strength, allowing her to jump and kick like a rabbit. She also has rabbit-like ears, which allow her to hear sounds from a great distance. However, Mirko’s most powerful skill is her pain tolerance and determination. She soldiered on despite losing an arm and a leg in her battle against the Nomus. Even with her handicaps, she was able to hold back Shigaraki long enough for Deku to arrive. Her title as the number 5 hero in Japan is well-deserved, but many fans believed she deserved a higher spot.
Lady Nagant
Lady Nagant is one of the most beloved yet complicated characters in My Hero Academia. Despite starting as a pro-hero, due to the corruption in the PSC, she decided to become a villain, killing her higher-ups. She was later freed from Tartarus by All For One and was one of the assassins sent to capture Deku. Her quirks—rifle and air walk—make her one of the best sharpshooters in the series. Her fight with Deku was extraordinary, as she took the hero to the limit, forcing him to deploy a new quirk.
Nejire Hado
Despite just graduating in the recent chapters of the manga, Nejire is regarded as one of the strongest women in My Hero Academia. In her time in the U.A., she was one of the big three who were revered as the most powerful heroes in the school. Her quirk, wave motion, allows her to use her vitality as energy and shoot it out as spiral waves. Despite the quirk’s lack of speed, she makes up for its weakness with her mastery over it. Even before graduating, Nejire was strong enough to defeat some pro-heroes. This is one of the reasons why she was put on the assault team to face Shigaraki.
Ryuko Tatsuma
She is known popularly by her hero name, Ryukyu; she is the number 10 pro-hero. Despite her calm demeanor, Ryuko is one of the strongest women among My Hero Academia characters. Her quirk, dragon, allows her to transform into a massive dragon with great speed and strength. During the paranormal liberation arc, she proved her strength as she battled the enhanced Shigaraki. Despite it not going on for very long, she proved she was strong enough to hold her own against the villain.
