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10 Best Anime Goth Waifus, Ranked

Nov 29, 2023Nov 29, 2023

Some anime ladies have fashion that Morticia Addams would approve of. Their gothic fashions and mysterious personalities make them top tier waifus.

The gothic aesthetic is an extremely popular style, even in anime. There's a special category of gothic waifus that a particular fanbase finds appealing. Frilly lace and heavy velvets, sweeping black gowns and cloaks, and chunky boots tend to go hand-in-hand with witch and vampire characters in anime. Waifus dressed in dark colors and intricate designs have a certain kind of grace, or a threatening presence.

Gothic style draws from many places, including Elizabethan fashion, Victorian mourning traditions, and punk accessories. They have a look of otherworldly mourners, whether they're a vampire or not. Gothic style, in and out of anime, was popularized by pop culture figures like Morticia Addams, Vampira, and David Bowie, and Robert Smith – so many fans' favorite waifus were inspired by these famous figures.

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Gothy characters tend to have an air of otherworldly wisdom about them, be it benevolent or nefarious – especially in fantasy anime. Fran of Wandering Witch is Elaina's raven-haired mentor. Just because she dresses morosely doesn't mean she has a morose personalit – rather, the opposite.

Fran has the classic look of a witch and the soft, smiling countenance of a good, effective teacher. She's open-minded and very wise for her 35 years. The dark hair swooping over her eye makes her look like a vampy Veronica Lake.

Domi is a Vampire of the Crimson Moon in Case Study of Vanitas. Her name sounds like a moniker someone would introduce themselves with at a goth club. Domi has more of a stereotypical snarky personality for her character type. She's spiky on the outside, and sensitive on the inside.

Domi may not have much luck in love in Case Study of Vanitas, but the fandom certainly has a lot of love for her. It must be her sensitive nature, flowing dark hair, and piercing golden eyes. Domi proves that there's never enough gothy lady knights.

Cordelia may be the antagonist of Diabolik Lovers, but many would be tempted to try and change her ways with their love. Her dark purple hair perfectly accents her birdlike bone structure, peridot eyes, and thin 1990s eyebrows. Though it must be said that Cordelia may not be capable of actual love – but only covetous obsession.

Goth characters can be wholesome, not all of them are twisted. But Cordelia is shamelessly wretched in nature, and she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants. A shame, because she's absolutely gorgeous.

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Aurora is goth from head to toe from in The Eminence in Shadow, from her violet woebegone eyes to her long dark hair, to the mantle of mystery she pulls around herself. She's also dubbed the Witch of Calamity, which is possibly the most metal moniker a witch can have. Her dress is similar to a ghostly veiled woman in mourning.

Aurora may not be a vampire queen, but she has powers that could rival one. She can possess people and one of her manifold magical abilities is blood manipulation. She's the total opposite of what her name, (Aurora meaning dawn), suggests.

As her name denotes, Arachne Gorgon of Soul Eater wears enough spiderwebs to impress Coraline's The Other Mother. Even her hair resembles a comfy spider in a web. Arachne is like a black widow, personified.

Arachne can grace a web or a ballroom with her cultivated elegance. Most of the fandom like her for her vampy, exaggerated looks, but she makes a great antagonist, as well. And like a black widow, her pretty looks only thinly veil a lethal plan. She's a fitting ally both in looks and demeanor for Death.

Not all vampy queens must dress in shades of black and gray; some have hair the color of emeralds, like Tatsumaki of One Punch Man. Tatsumaki has a spitfire personality and surprisingly complex feelings. She's not a witch, vampire, or ghost but a hero.

Though, as an esper who can also fly, Tatsumaki comes as close to a witch as the One Punch Man world has. As a matter of fact, the fandom often associate Tatsumaki with being a witch in crossover fanart. It's no surprise as Tatsumaki wears a black dress fit for a Hogwarts professor. All that's missing is the conical hat.

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Liu Shouxue is fittingly titled the Raven Consort in Raven of the Inner Palace. Though she's naturally a blonde, her long hair which is dyed black and her blood-red lips make her a perfectly ghastly wife. She has formidable psychic abilities, to boot.

Liu Shouxue is also appropriately mysterious. Many wonder about her but don't dare approach her, and she doesn't mind keeping it that way. Though her attention can be bought with her favorite dessert from time to time. She needs the change after tending to spirits and helping solve ghostly mysteries all day.

No one loves eternally quite like Fine in Vampire in the Garden. She's sensitive for a vampire, and appropriately haunted by the past. There's no questioning her love and devotion. She would go to the ends of the earth, and the bottom of the sea, to rescue the person she loves.

Fine wears a long cloak almost like a nun's robes, making her moonbeam-hued hair shine brightly in contrast. She's also a lovely dancer in ballroom settings, which highly recommends her for waifu material. All Fine wants is peace and someone to see her for who she really is.

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If Sailor Moon is the bright moon, then Queen Nehelenia is a lunar eclipse. She's the photo negative to Usagi with her long dark hair flowing from its odango, and her floor-length Regency-era gown. Appropriate, as she reminds Usagi that every bright thing has a shadow, and she is Queen Serenity's long shadow. If the anime were based on a gothic novel, Nehelenia would be called Serenity's "dark double."

Like many other goth waifus, spiderwebs are a strong theme in Queen Nehelenia's aesthetic and her magical abilities. She's a true queen of the night. She's one of the few Sailor Moon villains to never die -– just like how one can never get rid of their shadow.

Striga stands out even among the other vampires in Castlevania. And not just because she's so tall. Her long wild hair has the look of ruffled ravens' feathers, and she wears black pauldrons and a billowing cowl-necked cloak the color of midnight.

Striga's a side character but she's incredibly complex. She's a war general, but she's no warmonger. She's stronger than most people, but that strength is tempered with careful intelligence. And though her business is war, nothing matters more than the person who holds her heart.