20 female Anime characters more fleshed out than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen

Nobara Kugisaki from Jujutsu Kaisen is among the female anime characters who quickly became a fan favorite due to her fierce attitude and great powers. Of how much she's favored by fans, Nobara's development across the series sometimes comes across as a little limited compared to other leading female anime characters.

Although Jujutsu Kaisen presented Nobara with high potential, her rather essential backstory and personal development were not entirely fleshed out. In contrast, most of the other female lead characters from anime received fuller story narratives, along with emotional depth and development that makes them stand out even more in their respective series.

From intricate backstories to sophisticated emotional arcs, these girls have been etched as multilevel characters whose characters and roles bear weight in their respective stories. Here are the twenty female anime characters better fleshed out than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen.

Disclaimer: This list is ranked in no particular order and contains the writer's opinions. Readers' discretion is advised.

Nami, Bulma, and 18 other female anime characters more fleshed out than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen

1) Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan)

Mikasa Ackerman as seen in anime (Image via MAPPA)

Compared to Nobara Kugisaki, Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan is much better developed, with an enriched background and emotional depth formed by prolonged development. Her horrible past, like her family being killed, translates into fierce loyalty and protection towards Eren.

Throughout the series, Mikasa struggles with her identity, confronts the matter of her dependence on Eren, and undergoes development from a strong warrior to a woman who questions her motivations and desires. This makes her one of the female anime characters more fleshed out than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen.

2) Sakura Haruno (Naruto)

Sakura Haruno as seen in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sakura Haruno from the Naruto series undergoes major character development throughout the story. She is introduced as a lovesick, somewhat shallow character and grows up into a skilled and determined shinobi.

Her growth was marked by her training under Tsunade, which transformed her into one of the most powerful medical shinobi in the series.

It goes deeper into Sakura's issues with self-worth and dedication to friends. One of the female anime characters better developed than Nobara Kugisaki, she is noticeable in her emotional depth, personal growth, and major story arcs.

3) Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach)

Rukia Kuchiki as seen in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach is one of the well-developed female anime characters, and her personality trait spans throughout the series. From the initial days as Ichigo's sensei to the guilt of Kaien Shiba's death, there is much emotional baggage associated with Rukia's past.

The depth of her relationship with her adoptive brother, Byakuya, and the growth from being a self-doubting Soul Reaper to becoming a confident and powerful captain comprise much of what has made her character development meaningful. Her development is something that is implicitly related to the core narrative and lends her much depth and layers in return.

4) Asuna Yuuki (Sword Art Online)

Asuna Yuuki as seen in anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Asuna Yuuki, originally a powerful warrior and mistress in the virtual world of Sword Art Online, continues to be fleshed out richer through a deep past, complex emotions, and, deep involvement with the main character Kirito.

Throughout the story, the internal and external battles of the character deepen, touching subjects of strength, weakness, and growth, which are simultaneously both topics on a warrior level and a personal one.

Asuna's character growth does not stop at fighting techniques but includes various aspects of her life, such as motivations and emotional attachment, marking her as one of the female anime characters with more depth than Nobara.

5) Bulma (Dragon Ball Z)

Bulma as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

From Bulma being a curious, adventurous teenager, Dragon Ball fully traces her development into a brilliant scientist. As opposed to Nobara, Bulma's personal growth is quite well-developed, taking the reader through her relationships, motherhood, and saving the world.

She is resourceful, intelligent, and extremely useful to the Z Fighters, which explains enough as to why she is much more than just a side character. That is why she is among the better-developed female anime characters compared to Nobara Kugisaki.

6) Nami (One Piece)

Nami as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece's Nami has an added layer to her motivations and actions, with the tragic past of losing her mother and being under the dictatorship of Arlong. It is a story of the transformation of Nami from a distrustful thief to a dedicated and kind-hearted crew member, with much detailing of vulnerabilities and strengths.

In contrast to Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen, the development in the case of Nami was continuous and spanned through several story arcs, making Nami's journey much more nuanced and emotionally authentic and placing it among the female anime characters with greater complexity than her in the story.

7) Zero Two (DARLING in the FRANXX)

Zero Two as seen in anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Zero Two from DARLING in the FRANXX is one of the female anime characters better developed in comparison with Nobara Kugisaki, mainly owing to exploring her complex emotional depth and backstory. A hybrid human with Klaxo Sapien blood, Zero Two seeks an identity and yearns for acceptance.

The relationship between her and Hiro, from the development of a cold, independent fighter to learning to trust and love, further fleshes out her character. The story elaborates on her struggles, desires, and ultimately the sacrifices that she makes, thereby making a multidimensional story.

8) Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)

Erza Scarlet as seen in anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Erza's slavery in the Tower of Heaven, the amount of guilt and trauma experienced, and how she rises beyond them, make her a deep character. Relations with other guild members, especially her mentor Makarov and childhood friend Jellal, delve much deeper into her emotional depth.

Unlike Nobara, Erza's weaknesses, strengths, and development are very well explained and fleshed out, hence making her one of the female anime characters with more detailed development than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen.

9) Emma (The Promised Neverland)

Emma as seen in anime (Image via CloverWorks)

Going by the complex moral dilemma and evolution of leadership, Emma from The Promised Neverland has much more development as a character. Starting as that hopeful and decided child, Emma's further shaping into a much more profound development could only be due to the harsh realities unravelling in her world.

This is where Emma developed more as a character as she grappled with that desire to help everyone against the realization of all the hard decisions that would come with that. In contrast to Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen, the story of Emma is dense in empathy and endurance, rendering her one of the female anime characters more fully realized.

10) Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill)

Ryuko Matoi as seen in anime (Image via Studio Trigger)

The story of Ryuko Matoi from Kill la Kill explores her quest for identity, the loss of her father, and her conflict with her estranged sister, Satsuki. She becomes a multidimensional character through the course of the series as her inner turmoil, growth, and relationships develop.

Ryuko's fights against the Elite Four also have an added dimension of psychological resonance as she learns about humanity and what it means to have power.

This runs much deeper in terms of characterization as compared to Nobara in Jujutsu Kaisen, placing Ryuko Matoi among female anime characters better explored than her.

11) Noelle Silva (Black Clover)

Noelle Silva as seen in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Noelle Silva in Black Clover is a royal who, at the beginning of the anime, has less control over magic and is shunned by her family. Later, she matures to be very strong and confident as a magic knight. Her development from self-doubt to having many good friends, and finally, standing against family expectations.

Noelle's emotional and power development is deeply explored, making her one of the female anime characters better developed compared to Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen.

12) Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Rei Ayanami as seen in anime (Image via Gainax/Tatsunoko Production)

Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion is deep and mysterious, developed through her connections with the central plot and her role within it. An identity crisis, gradual emotional awakening, and the philosophic themes of her existence allow her to show profundity in depth.

The series explores her struggles with humanity, purpose, and individuality, making her character central to the narrative. She progresses on many levels, and this progression remains influential upon the characters and the audience long after it has taken place.

Unlike Nobara, Rei's journey is linked to the greater themes of the story, which will go on to make her one of the unforgettable female anime characters.

13) Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Winry Rockbell as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Winry Rockbell is an intensely intertwined character in the emotional heart of Fullmetal Alchemist. She did a lot more than just being a mechanic, she is a childhood friend, companion, and emotional hold for the Elric brothers.

Winry's development explores her grief over the death of her parents, her struggles regarding her position in a war-torn world, and her relationship with the Elrics.

Her journey becomes enriched with personal growth as she can handle professional ambitions with personal relationships. This makes her one of the female anime characters better explored than Nobara in Jujutsu Kaisen.

14) Misa Amane (Death Note)

Misa Amane as seen in anime (Image via Madhouse)

Misa Amane from Death Note shows more complexity through her motivations and relationships. Her passion for Light Yagami is not just plain love that is blind to everything; it has some motivational background of a tragic past and the urge to seek justice after losing her family. The double nature of her normal public face balanced with the darker, calculating side of a Death Note user makes her a well-developed character.

With a firm character, pressed by strong emotions and personal goals, she is much more than the usual supporting character with driving actions. Misa grows in character through the morally complicated Death Note world and brings about a richer narrative, placing her among the female anime characters more deeply portrayed than Nobara Kugisaki.

15) Akame (Akame ga Kill!)

Akame as seen in anime (Image via White Fox)

Akame from Akame ga Kill! offers a richly detailed character arc that extends well beyond her initial introduction. Her tragic past includes the loss of her family and the harsh training by which she was turned into a skillful assassin.

While Nobara Kugisaki's character growth in Jujutsu Kaisen was constrained by the role, with Akame, themes of loyalty and sacrifice add personal conflict. These set up deeper underpinning in her developing relationships with other characters and internal struggles, which instantly make her one of the better-explored female anime characters.

16) Kagome Higurashi (Inuyasha)

Kagome Higurashi as seen in anime (Image via Sunrise)

Kagome Higurashi from Inuyasha, who began as an ordinary high school girl but became a time traveler, shows developing responsibilities, emotional struggles, and personal growth. Unlike Nobara Kugisaki, Kagome’s experiences span both modern and feudal eras, adding layers to her character.

Her development is seen in the complex relationships and conflicts across two worlds, which she does extremely well, giving her a more rounded existence with a nuanced presence within her story, enough for placing her among the female anime characters more fleshed out than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen.

17) Saber (Fate/Stay Night)

Saber as seen in anime (Image via ufotable)

Saber from Fate/Stay Night stands out for her intense character depth and development. Her tragic story from her time as King Arthur, speaks of duty and the search for identity. Compared to Nobara Kugisaki, Saber has a complex history with many personal struggles interwoven into the narrative.

It does flesh out her noble ideals and really adds depth of character that guides her through her actions and decisions for the rest of the series. All this exploration does give a richer and more nuanced portrayal of Nobara's one-note role, making Saber one of the female anime characters with deeper narrative development than Nobara.

18) Ochako Uraraka (My Hero Academia)

Ochako Uraraka as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Ochako Uraraka from My Hero Academia has depth, gained through her personal struggles and dreams. She had enough backstory to understand that what she's really doing doesn't concern herself but her family and its needs. From there, this sense of duty and overcoming self-doubt present her character well.

It is at those moments of weakness, development, and complicated connections with the rest of the characters that make her story detailed in its entirety and place her among the female anime characters more deeply portrayed than Nobara Kugisaki.

19) Nico Robin (One Piece)

Nico Robin as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

In One Piece, the tragic past of Nico Robin with her home being destroyed and her becoming an outlaw adds dimension to her character. Her quest for knowledge and personal growth toward becoming one of the Straw Hat Pirates gives her depth and complexity. Compared to Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen, Robin is definitely one of the most realized and emotionally engaging female anime characters.

20) Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)

Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket gives a broad and complex character study of tender-hearted interactions and self-development. Her background information is underlined with a tragic past and resilience in the face of a very complicated situation, the Sohma family curse.

Deep emotional development is followed regarding Tohru and how she faces and rises above her past while making good connections with other people. Thus, the full details of Tohru's journey and the deep touching impact she has on other people make her one of the better fleshed-out female anime characters than Nobara Kugisaki.

Final thoughts

While Nobara Kugisaki of Jujutsu Kaisen may be a bold and intense character, her development pales in comparison to other prominent female anime characters. Figures like Mikasa Ackerman, Sakura Haruno, and Rukia Kuchiki have more substantive backstories and emotional depth that flesh out their respective narratives.

Characters like Asuna Yuuki, Bulma, and Nami are deep in the heart of their series, featuring very elaborate, progressive character arcs. Their actions and development bring meaning to the plot, making them great characters in anime that further showcase a wider variety of developed characters than Nobara Kugisaki.

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Edited by Bharath S