30+ Strongest & Most Loving Moms in Anime

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Anime expert Eunice Ibama shares some of the most iconic anime moms of all time

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Hana (Wolf Children)

2 Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball)

3 Lisa (Ponyo)

4 Yor Forger (Spy x Family)

5 Inko Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

6 Trisha Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

7 Maquia (Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms)

8 Ikuko Tsukino (Sailor Moon)

9 Miyako Ishida (A Silent Voice)

10 Ai Hoshino (Oshi No Ko)

11 Sachiko Fujinuma (Erased)

12 Bell-mere (One Piece)

13 Natsuki Naoko (Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World)

14 Kushina Uzumaki (Naruto: Shippuden)

15 Mito Freeccs (Hunter x Hunter)

16 Sanae Furukawa (Clannad)

17 Delia Ketchum (Pokémon)

18 Clara Magnolia (Violet Evergarden)

19 Kyoko Honda (Fruits Basket)

20 Tomoko Higashikata (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

21 Ojiya (Dororo)

22 Kurumi Saiki (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K)

23 Takae Niijima (TsumaSho)

24 Emma Spring (Astra Lost in Space)

25 Hinata Hyuuga (Boruto)

26 Yui Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

27 Irisviel von Einzbern (Fate/Zero)

28 Carla Jaeger (Attack on Titan)

29 Effa (Ascendance of a Bookworm)

30 Bulma (Dragon Ball)

31 Mari Katsuragi (The World God Only Knows)

32 Yasuko Takasu (Toradora!)

33 Queen Serenity (Sailor Moon)

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Co-authored by Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: September 1, 2026 Fact Checked

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Moms play a key role in shaping the lives of their children—in real life and anime. Many anime series tend to kill off the main character’s mother, but whether they’re alive or not, they’re usually a driving force in the protagonist’s life. We partnered with an anime expert to help us compile a list of some of the best anime moms of all time, including the sweet and encouraging and the tough and independent. Keep reading to see if your favorite made the list.

Top Anime Moms

Anime expert Eunice Ibama says that some of the most iconic mothers in anime include Ikuko Tsukino (Serena’s mother from Sailor Moon), Inko Midoriya (Deku’s mom from My Hero Academia), and Hana (the mother from Wolf Children). Other fan-favorite anime mothers include:

• Chi-Chi from Dragon Ball
• Yor Forger from Spy x Family
• Lisa from Ponyo
• Trisha Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist

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1

Hana (Wolf Children)

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1. 
   Ibama says that Hana from Wolf Children is one of the best examples of a mother in all of anime. Taking care of children is hard enough, but it’s even more challenging when they can also turn into wolves. But despite the challenges, Hana always shows her children how much they’re loved and does her best to provide them with a good life.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Eunice Ibama is an anime expert and one of the founders of Black Girls Anime. She was also one of the first Black judges for the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
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2

Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball)

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1. 
   Chi-Chi is one of the toughest mothers in all of anime. She’s forced to be brave as her husband and children take on dangerous villains. She also encourages Gohan to focus on his education, and she’s one of the few characters who can actually tell Goku what to do. That makes her pretty cool if you ask us!

3

Lisa (Ponyo)

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1. 
   When her son, Sosuke, brings home a magical goldfish named Ponyo, Lisa accepts her immediately and treats her like her own child. Lisa is a unique mother because she lets her son call her by her first name, showing she respects him as an individual. She’s exhausted trying to take care of her family while her husband is away at sea, but she’s fiercely dedicated and loving.
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4

Yor Forger (Spy x Family)

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1. 
   Yor is a mother who can do it all: she’s smart, kind, an excellent homemaker, and, oh yeah, a killer assassin. Although she was nervous about taking on the role of mother, she adapted quickly. She’s willing to do anything to protect her adoptive daughter Anya and even teaches the girl to throw a heck of a punch. What more could you ask for?

   • Yor is also one of our favorite anime waifus!

5

Inko Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

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1. 
   It’s pretty hard to find a My Hero Academia fan who doesn’t love Deku’s mom. In fact, Ibama names Deku’s mom as an example of what a mother should be—always supportive, encouraging, and loving. She’s constantly torn between wanting to protect him and wanting to support his dream of becoming a hero. But, she takes out her frustrations on All Might rather than Deku, as All Might gave Deku his Quirk in the first place.

   • Ibama adds, “Almost any time we were introduced to a parent in My Hero Academia, especially a mom, they were always iconic.”
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6

Trisha Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

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1. 
   As a single mother, Trisha Elric had her hands full raising Alphonse and Edward. Though she died early on in the series, she tried to give her children everything they could possibly need while she was alive. Her love and dedication are why her sons tried to bring her back from the dead, even though it would cost them.

7

Maquia (Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms)

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1. 
   Maquia faces many struggles as a mother. She loses her home and family and has to raise her son, Ariel, on her own. Though she doubts herself, she is a loving mother who gives her child the best life possible. She never gives up, even when things get hard.
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8

Ikuko Tsukino (Sailor Moon)

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1. “All roads lead back to Serena’s mom from Sailor Moon, says Ibama. She explains that some people might consider Ikuko clueless, but she’s a protective, in-tune mother who always guards (and feeds) her daughter. Ibama adds Ikuko might not have always known exactly what was happening, but she “always had a sense that her daughter was out there fighting for justice.”

9

Miyako Ishida (A Silent Voice)

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1. 
   Miyako Ishida loves her son unconditionally, but she’s also not afraid to hold him accountable for his actions when he reveals that he bullied Shoko. Shoyo hates himself, and Miyako stands by him through his darkest moments. With her kindness, she helps him heal and overcome his guilt.
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10

Ai Hoshino (Oshi No Ko)

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1. 
   Ai Hoshino had her kids at just 16, and while she wasn’t always the most responsible mother, she cared about her children, Aqua and Ruby, deeply. She always wanted them to be happy, and she made sure they had a good role model in Miyako Saitou. When she sacrificed herself to protect her children from an assassin, she used her last words to thank them for teaching her about love.

11

Sachiko Fujinuma (Erased)

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1. 
   When her son, Satoru, travels back in time to attempt to prevent a series of murders, Sachiko Fujinuma is willing to put her own life in danger to help him. Her incredible detective skills and quick thinking help save the day, and she’ll always put her son’s needs before her own.
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12

Bell-mere (One Piece)

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1. 
   Bell-mere is the adoptive mother of Nami and Nojiko, and she also happens to be an ex-Marine. When Bell-mere first saw two-year-old Noji holding baby Nami in her arms, it gave her a reason to continue living. Though she had no experience raising children, she did her best and was willing to sacrifice her life to protect her daughters.

13

Natsuki Naoko (Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World)

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1. 
   While we don’t see much of Natsuki Subaru’s life in the real world, we do see that he had an incredibly supportive family, including his mother Naoko. Naoko could always tell when something was bothering Subaru, and she always encouraged him to do his best. She supported him through thick and thin.
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14

Kushina Uzumaki (Naruto: Shippuden)

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1. 
   Both Naruto’s mother and father sacrificed themselves so he could live, so we don’t actually see a lot of Kushina Uzumaki in the series. However, Naruto does get to meet her through chakra, and she tells her son how she and his father met and about the day Naruto was born. Naruto is lonely throughout much of the series, so this heartwarming moment with his mother reminded him that he’s not alone.

15

Mito Freeccs (Hunter x Hunter)

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1. 
   Mito Freeccs may not be Gon’s biological mother, but she was the mother he needed. She raised the energetic child on her own, and his antics even turned her hair gray prematurely, but she always did her best. And it worked—when Gon had the opportunity to discover who his biological mother was, he didn’t feel the need because Mito had been his true mom his whole life.
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16

Sanae Furukawa (Clannad)

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1. 
   Sanae Furukawa is endlessly devoted to her sickly daughter Nagisa. She’s always there to provide emotional support and encouragement, and she helps Nagisa in any way that she can. Like other incredible mothers on our list, her love is unconditional.

17

Delia Ketchum (Pokémon)

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1. 
   Pokémon fans love Delia Ketchum because she is unconditionally supportive of her son, Ash, and his quest to become a Pokémon master. She always looks out for him and makes sure he has what he needs for his journey—even after 20 years.
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18

Clara Magnolia (Violet Evergarden)

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1. 
   Clara Magnolia’s story is pretty heartwrenching. She was a loving, energetic mother who unfortunately got really sick. Worried about what would become of her daughter, Ann, after she passed, she began writing letters for Ann to open each year on her birthday. Clara wanted to ensure Ann would continue to feel her love long after she was gone.

19

Kyoko Honda (Fruits Basket)

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1. 
   Kyoko Honda died before the events of Fruits Basket began, but her presence lingers throughout the series. In flashbacks, the audience sees how much of an impact Kyoko left not only on her daughter, Tohru, but on everyone she interacted with. Despite her own neglectful childhood, Kyoko was determined to give Tohru unconditional love and acceptance.
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20

Tomoko Higashikata (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

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1. 
   When viewers are first introduced to Tomoko Higashikata, she smashes a guy’s face into his car when he hits on her. That pretty much sums up her personality. Tomoko is tough but lovable, and as a single mother, she raises Josuke to be a kind and brave young man.

21

Ojiya (Dororo)

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1. 
   Ojiya was a fierce and self-sacrificing mother to Dororo. She did her best to keep him warm and fed during war and famine. One of her most notable scenes is when she poured scalding hot soup directly into her hands to allow her son to eat.
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22

Kurumi Saiki (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K)

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1. 
   Kurumi Saiki is a kind, cheerful mother, which is exactly what her psychic son, Kusuo, needs. Kurumi taught her son good morals, and her trusting personality helps keep him grounded and prevents him from using his powers for evil. While she’s a bit scatterbrained, Kurumi will still do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones.

23

Takae Niijima (TsumaSho)

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1. 
   Takae Niijima is one of the more interesting moms on our list, as she mostly appears not as herself, but as a 10-year-old child who claims to be her reincarnated spirit. She knows her family is grieving after her death, so she chooses to return to them to help them heal and move on.
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24

Emma Spring (Astra Lost in Space)

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1. 
   Initially, Emma was only briefly supposed to act as a surrogate mother to Aries, but she grew attached and began raising her as her own. Though they aren’t actually related, Emma cares deeply for Aries, and their relationship remains unchanged after Aries finds out the truth.

25

Hinata Hyuuga (Boruto)

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1. 
   We first met Hinata as a shy and timid teen and watched her grow into a brave, confident ninja who married Naruto. In Boruto, she has to put up with her husband’s antics, and her son’s as well. She’s a very empathetic mother and provides stability for her children, especially while Naruto is away.
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26

Yui Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

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1. 
   Yui Ikari is one of the most powerful presences throughout Neon Genesis Evangelion. During a freak accident, her soul was absorbed by an Evangelion Unit. So, even though she “died,” her soul lives on in the machine her son, Shinji, pilots. Yui can take over the machine any time her son is in grave danger, showing how powerful a mother’s love can be.

   • Which Neon Genesis Evangelion character are you most like? Take our quiz to find out!

27

Irisviel von Einzbern (Fate/Zero)

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1. 
   Irisviel von Einzbern may be a homonculus, but she feels motherly love just like any human mother. As she developed a personality, she often struggled to understand her emotions. However, there’s no doubt that she felt true love when she held her daughter, Illyasviel.​​
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28

Carla Jaeger (Attack on Titan)

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1. 
   Carla Jaeger’s sacrifice was the catalyst for the plot of Attack on Titan. In the very first episode, young Eren Jaeger watches his mother get eaten by a Titan. From then on, he vows to join the Survey Corps to eradicate the Titans once and for all. While Carla didn’t get much screen time, it’s clear how much she meant to her son.

29

Effa (Ascendance of a Bookworm)

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1. 
   When her daughter became bedridden due to a mysterious illness, it would have been easy for Effa to lose hope. However, she remained strong for her children. Effa kept a smile on her face and continued working hard as a seamstress to provide for her family. She maintained an optimistic attitude, even when everything seemed to be against her.
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30

Bulma (Dragon Ball)

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1. 
   Throughout the Dragon Ball franchise, we watch Bulma grow from a brilliant teen into a loving mother. She tries to support her children and let them make their own choices. But she’s also fiercely protective and will do whatever it takes to keep her family safe.

   • Alongside her husband, Vegeta, Bulma is one of the most popular Dragon Ball Z characters.

31

Mari Katsuragi (The World God Only Knows)

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1. 
   Don’t let her looks fool you; Mari may seem like an average mother, but she actually used to be a gangster. She’s pretty frightening when she’s angry, but she’s a loving mother who constantly worries about her son. You definitely don’t want to get on her bad side.
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32

Yasuko Takasu (Toradora!)

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1. 
   At first glance, Yasuko Takasu may not seem like the most responsible mother. However, she’s trying her best. After her husband died, she had to take on multiple jobs to take care of her son. She’s stretched herself pretty thin, but it’s important to recognize all her effort.

33

Queen Serenity (Sailor Moon)

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1. 
   Queen Serenity is yet another mother who wasn’t afraid to sacrifice her own life to protect her child. She used the full power of the Imperium Silver Crystal to seal away Queen Metalia and send the souls of her daughter and the Sailor Guardians to Earth to be reborn. Princess Serenity is then reborn as Usagi (Sailor Moon) and remains in touch with Queen Serenity’s spirit.
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