https://blackgirlnerds.com/black-women-anime-characters-to-fall-in-love-with/

Happy Black History Month! It’s a time of reflection and celebration of the Black icons who inspire and bring happiness to us. So let’s give some love to the Black women of the anime world who show up and show out, from the women who make every second of screen time count to those we think deserve more time in the spotlight. Let’s take some time out this Black History Month to give flowers to the Black women of anime whom we love. 

Michiko Malandro — Michiko to Hatchin

There’s something so enthralling about a rough-around-the-edges woman with a soft side. Michiko has not had the easiest life between growing up in an orphanage and having quite a few run-ins with the law. But she’s always maintained a protective and caring spirit about herself. After she fell in love with Hiroshi Morenos, something that was not intended, the two begin dating. One day, though, a bus that Hiroshi was supposedly on explodes, seemingly killing him.

Michiko is heartbroken and ends up getting arrested, where she runs into a former friend, Atsuko. It’s there that Atsuko taunts Michiko with a photo of Hiroshi’s daughter Hana and how he’s alive and has moved on without her. This sets Michiko on a mission of her own to not only find Hana but see for herself if the love of her life really is alive and had moved on. 

She would of course have to wait for that as she was still in prison. Twelve years later, Michiko breaks out, and this sets our main story in motion. Can Michiko heal from her years of tangling with law enforcement? Can she be a proper guardian to Hana? Is Hiroshi really alive or was Atusko just trying to get a rise out of Michiko? You can watch Michiko to Hatchin on Crunchyroll. 

Yoruichi Shihouin — Bleach

Whether in cat or woman form, Yoruichi is one interesting Shinigami. Her mature and calming presence makes her enthralling to watch. However, on occasion she’s not above showing her playful side. This is especially true when it comes to teasing the men around her, specifically Ichigo. The scenes of Yoruichi having her fun with Ichigo at the hot springs is one of the funniest scenes in Bleach, which is really saying something. 

It’s still not known how exactly Yoruichi acquired her cat form, but she seems to be the only Shinigami we meet with this exact power, making her for a versatile and interesting character. This is doubly intriguing as her cat form has a masculine voice that her woman form doesn’t have. This makes for a funny reveal when a character sees her transform for the first time. You can see everyone’s favorite feline Shinigami on Hulu. 

Coffee — Cowboy Bebop

It’s a shame we didn’t see more of Coffee on Cowboy Bebop. She was not only a bounty hunter with a cool car, but she had a distinct look as well. The silhouette of the large fro and the skin tight clothing brings to mind the ’70s Blaxploitation era, one that has had its fair share of scrutiny but love and acclaim among the Black community as well. In fact Coffee’s inspiration was none other Pam Grier herself in the movie Coffy. 

We meet Coffee as she asking around about a man by the name of Domino Walker. Domino had a big bounty on his head, and who can blame Coffee for wanting to get her hands on that prize pool? She crosses path with everyone’s favorite Bebop duo, Ed and Ein, who are trying to find some food to bring back to the ship. In exchange for a watermelon purchase, she asks the watermelon seller to help her in her pursuit of information.

This sets off a chain of events in which Coffee ends up with Ed and Ein in the trunk of her car and her getting arrested for kidnapping. Then she becomes one of the people chasing after Domino as he runs across the top of a train, Coffee in her car of course. Thanks to Shaft falling into her car, she crashes but does survive. You can see Coffee’s brief time on Cowboy Bebop in the hilarious episode “Mushroom Samba” on Netflix. 

Karui — Naruto/Boruto: Naruto the Next Generations

Karui is another character that we really could use more of. She’s the wife of resident foodie and sweetheart Choji Akimichi and the mother of their daughter Chocho. Though Karui currently lives in the Leaf Village with her family, she’s originally from the Hidden Cloud Village, home to the bombastic and talented Killer B. Karui is headstrong, devoted, and fiercely protective of the Raikage, the aforementioned Killer B. She yells at Team Kakashi for letting Sasuke get away with attacking B and even lets out her anger on Naruto for doing so, though it’s later said by her teammate Omoi that she feels bad about it afterward. This shows that she’s not a fan of her temper. 

Later on she falls in love with Choji and the two get married, even having a daughter by the name of ChoCho, who is a perfect mix of her parents in both looks and personality. We can see that in the new era, Karui is more laid back and relaxed in contrast to her temperament during the war. She even questions if ChoCho requires training as they are in a time of peace.

You can see Karui in the 4th Great Shinobi War arc in Naruto on Netflix and as a mother on Boruto on Crunchyroll.