Popular Waifus in Roleplaying Games

Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you will have a wonderful time at the celebration! They say love is blind – but is it blind enough to ignore an entire missing dimension? Everywhere I look now, games like Genshin Impact 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.”

1. 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. 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.

3. Ada Wong

Game: Resident Evil

Ada Wong is the pseudonym of an enigmatic unnamed spy of Asian-American descent. She has gained notoriety in the corporate world for being able to handle serious situations and the most difficult requests without guilt. She acted secretly in the background of many biohazard incidents and collected information which became useful to several organizations, while at the same time operating to undermine them. However, Ada follows only her own "true purpose" and has often betrayed the organizations and customers she is affiliated with to achieve it.

4. Raiden Shogun

Game: Genshin Impact

The Raiden Shogun, real name Raiden Ei, is a playable Electro character in Genshin Impact. She controls a puppet while meditating inside the Plane of Euthymia. Her current form is the vessel of Beelzebul, the current Electro Archon of Inazuma. The Raiden Shogun is an adult woman with long braided violet hair behind her back and a hairpin on her right side. She wears a small crimson ribbon on her neck as a choker. Her kimono has an assortment of patterns in different shades of purple and crimson, along with a badge bearing the emblem of Inazuma tied to the front of her clothing below her right breast. She wears dark purple thigh-high tights with small diamond openings at the top. On the back of her outfit, she wears a crimson bow with tassels. She also wears high-heeled sandals; the one on the right is adorned with two pale violet flowers. It is unknown if the fan pin on her back is a false Vision or just a simple marking. It does not glow when Elemental Bursts are ready, but it has the Electro mark inscribed.

5. 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.

6. 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. Yorha 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.

8. Aerith Gainsborough

Game: Final Fantasy VII Remake

Aerith Gainsborough, alternately known with the first name Aeris, is a playable character in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Remake. She is one of the lead protagonists of the novel Final Fantasy VII Remake Trace of Two Pasts, and a major character in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, appearing in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- and Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. Aerith is the last of the Cetra, an ancient race with powerful magical abilities, and so the Shinra Electric Power Company hunts her throughout her life, seeking to exploit her powers. She meets Cloud Strife in Midgar, and the two become close, leading her to join his quest to fight Shinra and hunt down Sephiroth. Aerith is upbeat, carefree, and joyful, being flirtatious towards Cloud and compassionate towards others. Aerith wields staves in battle, and is in the back row by default, as she primarily uses magic from equipped Materia in battle. Her Limit abilities are defensive, either providing restorative powers, healing other party members, or bestowing status enhancements.

9. 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.

10. Saber

Game: Fate/Grand Order

Saber is one of the three main heroines of Fate/stay night. She is the Saber-class Servant of Kiritsugu Emiya in the Fourth Holy Grail War and Shirou Emiya in the Fifth Holy Grail War. After becoming the Servant of Sakura Matou in the Heaven's Feel route, she is known as Saber Alter or Black Saber. Saber has the appearance of a young woman in her late teens with a slender physique and light, soft blonde hair. When not in battle, she wears an old-styled dress normally obscured by her armor. She is actually older than her appearance would show, as her body did not age from the moment she pulled Caliburn from the stone to the time of her death. The age of her body was probably a year younger than Shirou.

So, does your waifu make it on this TOP 10 List or not? If not, no worries, we would be thrilled to see your answers for waifus in the comments!