In fact, it’s still one of the best around! Of course, what made it so lovable was the cast. Every character with more than two minutes of screen time became instant waifu material. So we’re going to rank them all and see who stands on top!
8. Nodoka Manabe
As a character, Nodoka fulfilled the classic “student council member” role. She always came off as very mature and serious – often having to remind the Light Music Club about their responsibilities. Her character wasn’t given much aside from that, but it worked to her benefit. She brought a nice balance to the cast and exemplified how scatter-brained the other characters can be. And god knows that Yui desperately needed Nodoka. If it weren’t for her, Yui probably would’ve forgotten that she even goes to school. Overall, she’s a rather important part of the cast but doesn’t have much going for her individually. A true team player!
7. Sawako Yamanaka
Sawako follows a pretty similar route as Nodoka – with a few notable exceptions. Just like Nodoka, she’s more important as a cast member than an individual character. She allows for a lot of jokes and running gags – only occasionally getting serious and fulfilling her role as a mentor. However, her character definitely isn’t one-note. She’s initially introduced as the sweetest teacher one could ever hope for. But that façade is quickly dropped as we learn about her past. And things only get crazier from there. She’s had many an outburst, (throwing it back to her rocker days) and her tragic pursuit of a boyfriend certainly does darken the mood sometimes. But she also brings in all the costumes for the cast – which causes some of the cutest scenes in the entire show. Overall, her whacky personality does wonders for the show. But I wouldn’t really say that it makes her waifu material.
6. Ritsu Tainaka
Ritsu is the troublemaker of the group – and it’s really hard not to love her for it. She tries to solve every problem with either blackmail or ghoul masks. Needless to say, this leads to a lot of hilarious moments. Her rowdy personality also makes her a frequent punching bag for Mio. And considering they’ve been friends forever while having polar opposite personalities – what else could you expect? Overall, I think Ritsu is one of the most interesting characters. She brings out the best of Mio (usually through either anger or embarrassment) as well as Yui (as they both love to lay around all day). However, she can’t really compete with the rest of the cast when it comes to raw cuteness. In fact, even Ritsu herself doesn’t seem to care too much about being cute. She’s just here to have a great time. So, ten out of ten character, eleven out of ten friend, but at number six in this waifu ranking.
5. Azusa Nakano
Azu-nyan could’ve been a top-three waifu had she been there from the start. But considering she only got introduced in episode eight, I didn’t feel as attached to her. But that’s not to say that she didn’t make a noticeable impact. Even the mere fact that her nickname is Azu-nyan already speaks volumes of the vast amount of moe she brought to the table. Initially coming off as a true kuudere, she’d have her little angry fit and then slowly chill out throughout the rest of the show. And the more chill she became, the more likely she was to melt my heart. Even the other characters basically treat her as the cutest cat girl who’s ever lived – patting her on the head and putting cat ears on her whenever possible. However, I do have to point out that she serves a pretty similar purpose to Mio – just with less screen time. So (while I do love her to death), I have to place her in the number five spot.
4. Tsumugi Kotobuki
Mugi also could’ve been top-three material had the show given her a bit more love. I say that because she’s drastically unutilized in the first season – only occasionally being the focus of a scene. That being said, she’s also just adorable. She probably has the most unique visual design out of the entire cast and just looking at her makes me feel more relaxed. Even her voice actress was picked perfectly – with a voice as smooth as silk. And given how her character is also extremely mellow and wholesome – it all ties in together perfectly. Her scenes mostly revolve around either her wholesomeness or her vast wealth, but the show does give her a few interesting traits. For one, her love for girl-on-girl action made her stand out quite a bit. Overall, she’s just the type of character that you want to curl up into a blanket and cuddle with for the rest of your life. She might not have the most screen time – but the time she does get is always well spent.
3. Ui Hirasawa
The Hirasawa family is honestly just overpowered when it comes to moe. Every scene that takes place within the Hirasawa home is guaranteed to make you feel loved and cherished. And the Ui – Yui dynamic is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen. Going against the usual trope, Ui is the responsible little sister that basically does all of the work around the house. She feeds Yui, prepares parties, takes your coat, probably files the taxes, and keeps everything in order. But she’s far from a strict person. In fact, she somehow manages to be just as cute as her lazy sister while also scoring some grownup points! Truly an accomplishment not many can boast about. For all of these reasons, she honestly beats out most of the main cast in my eyes. Especially when she’s around her big sister – as that’s the purest form of copium you can get in life.
2. Yui Hirasawa
For the longest time, Yui was my number one pick for these kinds of lists. However, upon a recent rewatch, I’ve decided to nerf her slightly. But first, let’s talk about why she’s so beloved. By far she’s the most precisely crafted moe character in all of anime. Every time she’s on-screen, you know that something cute is going to happen within the next five seconds. Plus, her relatability factor is just too high. She’s the laziest character out of the bunch – usually not even studying for tests but rather just goofing around. And I’ll be darned if she doesn’t have some form of ADHD. My girl literally couldn’t stay focused while reading a book on how to remain focused. That’s some comedic irony right there! But when she does actually try – she’s among the best. That being said, she usually just prefers not to try -a sentiment I’m sure we’ve all related to at some point in our life. Overall, she’s just ridiculously cute and remains to this day a source of infinite “mood” gifs. However, as I’ve grown older, I no longer consider her the uncontested waifu queen.
1. Mio Akiyama
That’s right – I’m team Mio now. This is mostly due to the fact that she’s way more well-paced than Yui. She isn’t bursting with moe whenever she’s on-screen but rather builds up that energy and then blows you away when you least expect it. Plus her character is a bit more dynamic. She might have her cute moments, but she also knows when it’s time to be serious. She tries her best to keep the group on the straight and narrow – which I appreciate quite a bit. And because she’s the serious one, whenever the rest of the group tries to win her over, it’s the cutest thing ever. Well, that and when she just curls into a ball in the corner fearing for her life after seeing anything remotely scary. Overall, her relative maturity mixed in with just the right amount of moe makes her the best of the best if you ask me. The fact that her visual design is also top tier definitely helps as well. The rest of the cast have been saying this since the beginning (and I think it’s finally time I join them) – Mio is the moe queen and the true waifu of the show.
