This International Women's Day, we celebrate anime role models who embody the mantra “Give to gain”.
International Women’s Day is a time to recognize the achievements, resilience, and influence of women across industries and cultures. In anime, female characters have long served as role models for viewers; not only through displays of strength, but through empathy, leadership, and personal growth.
Many of these characters embody the mantra “Give to gain.” Whether as mentors, teammates, sisters, or leaders, they invest in others, build communities, and create change through compassion and determination. In doing so, they demonstrate that giving time, trust, guidance, or care, often becomes the foundation for their own growth and success.
This International Women’s Day, we spotlight the anime women who show that generosity and ambition are not opposites, but powerful forces that thrive together.
Jolyne Cujoh (Jojo's Bizzare Adventure: Stone Ocean)
Few protagonists embody growth through hardship like Jolyne Cujoh. Wrongfully imprisoned, her journey in Green Dolphin Street Prison becomes one of resilience, leadership, and selflessness.
At the heart of her character is sacrifice. Jolyne repeatedly risks herself to protect her allies, showing that survival is collective: giving her strength and trust builds a network strong enough to face overwhelming odds.
Her Stand reflects this journey–stretched thin, it is weak, but together with her allies, it becomes formidable. By giving her power, bravery, and strength, Jolyne gains loyalty, love, and support, proving that giving and gaining are inseparable.
Olivier Mira Armstrong (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Olivier Mira Armstrong stands as a model of unwavering leadership and discipline. As the commanding officer of Fort Briggs, she balances strictness with loyalty, demanding excellence from her subordinates while always protecting those under her command.
Her strength is defined not only by her combat skill, but by her commitment to her people and her sense of duty. Olivier gives rigour, guidance, and trust to those around her, and in return earns their respect, loyalty, and readiness to follow her into near impossible odds.
In Olivier, giving and gaining are inseparable: she sacrifices comfort and personal indulgence to uphold her ideals, proving that true power comes from serving others with unwavering resolve.
Yona (Yona of the Dawn)
Yona transforms from a sheltered princess into a resolute leader, learning to carry the weight of a kingdom on her shoulders. And although her journey towards the woman she becomes is marked with betrayal and tragedy, she doesn't allow it to define her.
Yona embodies full belief and trust, in both herself and her comrades. She repeatedly risks herself to protect her allies, nurture their growth, and unite them toward a common goal. In giving her guidance, empathy, and faith, she gains not only loyalty and adoration, but the strength and determination needed to reclaim her homeland.
Yona’s path proves that true leadership is forged through pure selflessness. Her kindness, love, and, courage pave her way.
Hange Zoe (Attack on Titan)
Although in prior seasons, Hange Zoe thrives on curiosity and dedication, placing herself in danger to study Titans simply because of her pure, childish wonder. Latter arcs of Attack on Titan slowly prove that her one-track mind not only sees the Titans as a case study to observe and experiment on.
Zoe is deeply in the people around her. Through various scenarios, often in the face of danger, she offers guidance, encouragement, and unwavering trust. Through her devotion, she earns respect, loyalty, and a collective intelligence strong enough to challenge forces far beyond individual capability. Hange embodies the principle that knowledge and care, when shared, become power.
And in the end, though how miniscule it may all seem in front of the world-ending threat of the Rumbling, without her sacrifice, Armin and the others would have never been able to save humanity.
Nobara Kugisaki (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Nobara Kugisaki combines fierce independence with a commitment to her friends, throwing herself into battles to protect and support those around her.
Although initially characterised as selfish and crass, Nobara is a woman who acts with infectious confidence and a strong belief in her capability. Through this unwavering point-of-view, Nobara also sees her comrades through her own lens: she believes in their capabilities to become powerful Jujutsu sorcerers, and she, in her own way, shows just how much she roots for them.
Her bravery is matched by loyalty: by sharing her strength, skill, and resolve, she builds bonds that amplify everyone’s power. Nobara’s journey demonstrates that courage alone is not enough; it is in giving to others that her own abilities and influence truly grow.
Ochaco Uraraka (My Hero Academia)
Ochaco Uraraka balances determination with empathy, consistently putting herself in challenging situations to support those around her. Her heroism is defined not by a desire for personal glory, but by the care and encouragement she gives her classmates, lifting them when they falter, and celebrating their victories as if they were her own. Her battles are never fought with selfish intentions.
Her optimism and generosity inspire trust and confidence, and in giving her strength, guidance, and belief, she gains growth, courage, and the ability to confront her own challenges. Ochaco’s journey shows that heroism is a shared endeavor: by investing in others, she discovers the power to rise alongside them.
Shirayuki (Snow White with the Red Hair)
Shirayuki is defined by diligence, kindness, and a quiet determination that quietly reshapes those around her. Though gentle, she is not passive; she navigates challenges with thoughtfulness, offering care, trust, and support to her friends and allies, and even in herself. Her influence comes from the consistent, unassuming ways she invests in others, helping them grow while quietly pursuing her own goals.
Through her generosity, Shirayuki gains loyalty, deep connections, and the confidence to forge her own path. Her journey illustrates that kindness and ambition are not opposites; by giving to others, she strengthens both herself and those who follow her.
Misaki Ayuzawa (Kaichou wa Maid-sama)
Misaki Ayuzawa’s leadership is built on discipline, strength, and care. As class president and a maid in secret, she balances authority with compassion, guiding her peers while protecting them from harm. Her dedication is evident in the sacrifices she makes, giving her time, energy, and guidance to those around her, even when it costs her comfort or recognition.
Through her selflessness, Misaki gains respect, loyalty, and admiration. She demonstrates that true leadership is not about control alone; it is about investing in others, creating trust, and showing that strength is most effective when shared.
Miyo Saimori (My Happy Marriage)
Miyo Saimori navigates a world shaped by expectation, pressure, and inherited tradition, yet she carries herself with quiet resilience and patience that she herself, painstakingly built through her suffering. She gives her attention, understanding, and loyalty to relationships that are often distant or fraught, offering support even when it is not immediately returned.
In giving care and trust, Miyo builds bonds that transform her circumstances and provide stability, allowing her to grow alongside those she supports. Her journey illustrates that selflessness is not weakness: by investing in others, she gains the strength and security to claim her own agency, and to grow as her own woman.
Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)
Tohru Honda moves through life with unwavering kindness, offering empathy and care even in the face of personal hardship and tragedy. She gives her energy, warmth, and understanding to everyone she meets, often putting their needs before her own. Through her generosity, Tohru creates profound bonds of trust, love, and loyalty, transforming the lives of those around her while finding her own resilience and strength in the process. She becomes the core of a found family that is unshakeable and unbreakable.
Her story demonstrates that giving is not losing; it is a form of growth. By investing in others, Tohru gains the connections and courage to navigate the complexities of the world, proving that selflessness can be a source of enduring power, even throughout its many challenges.