As long as there have been gundams, there have been gundam girls.

The gundams have given us giant mecha suits, sci-fi knights fighting epic battles both on Earth and in space, and the girls have given us something very nice to look at, to make all the space battles worth it! 😉

The women of the gundam franchise are a surprisingly diverse bunch, in every way. They come from different backgrounds, serve in different roles and capacities, some are pilots, some are princesses, some are soldiers, some are civilians, and their personalities cover a huge spectrum.

And, of course, they have all sorts of appealing appearances. Blonde, brunette, redhead, slim, voluptuous, pretty, cute, sexy… four decades on, there is a good range! Mind you, as the years have passed, they’ve tended to go more in the, ah, well-endowed direction, but there is no denying that the ladies of the gundam franchise have always been distractingly appealing in every visual way.

So as I decided to pick out my favorite gundams, I also decided to give a nod towards this other integral aspect of the franchise. Big machines and pretty girls, that’s what Gundam offers. …as well as, you know, intricate storylines with meaningful themes and lovable characters in general, ya know. 😉

To be clear, coming from across most of the series I’ve seen, this little list is not a list of crushes, nor even of the “best” girls, nor anything else except which ones happen to rivet my attention to them based on their appearance and only their appearance, their physical allure, how pretty, cute, and sexually attractive they are. Have I made myself clear? Good!

Now enjoy the show and feel free to comment on who you find to be the hottest in the franchise! 😉

10) Renee Costa
The Witch from Mercury

The latest gundam series is actually appreciable for at least toning down how overtly (and overly) sexy the girls are. Suletta and Miorine and the rest are nice enough to look at, but not distracting or bedazzling, ya know? It’s just not a priority with this show, and I find that somewhat refreshing.

Out of all  of them we’ve met so far, I’d say Renee Costa comes out on top. Small wonder she’s so popular with her schoolmates, with her looks, her elevated status and connections, and her fiery, aggressive personality. Out of the all-female crew which surrounds one of the male characters, she stands out.

Mind you, her arrogant attitude, especially how she’s bought into all that crap about being superior to other humans just because some are from space and others were born on Earth, is a substantial turn-off. She’s one of those girls which are riveting to look at, but the wise man keeps his distance.

9) Lucrezia Noin
Gundam Wing

On the opposite side of the spectrum from Renee, we have one of my favorite gundam girls of all time. Though Noin also comes from a show where they did not overly prioritize the various girls’ looks, Noin is still very pretty, albeit in a more tomboyish fashion.

A female soldier and a leader, Noin is a kickass woman, strong and capable, steadfast and loyal. She’s obviously in love with one of the leading men, but she’s more than just a gundam pilot’s romantic interest. She stands up for what she believes in, puts her neck out for people in need, devotes herself entirely to her own ideals, and yet is remarkably calm and grounded. It makes her a pretty magnificent guardian and a most worthy ally, without even getting into her skills in battle as a mobile suit pilot, which are entirely on par with the gundam pilots.

Seriously, this woman  is one of the more amazing female characters in anime I’ve ever seen. Her pretty, pretty face is just a fabulous bonus!

8) Nastasha Zabigov
G Gundam

There is a reason why it was Nastasha featured in one of the brief moments in this anime that are not intended for children, a’la Sai Saici accidentally seeing her full, voluptuous figure (from the backside) as she bathed. And no, Sai, turning around and shooting at you for that particular trespass was not much of an overreaction.

Nastasha is a military woman, not entirely unlike Noin, but far more strict and, well… dominating in her demeanor. We might never see her fight, but she is clearly a capable leader, standing firm and rallying her allies to honorable victory even in dire, drastic circumstances. She knows a thing or two about loyalty and courage, rebuking one crew member for the shameful suggestion of abandoning their allies, and taking it quite personally when her own superiors show how little they trust her. This is probably what attracts her to her charge, the former space pirate who never took a life and was ready to die both to save complete strangers and to pay for a tragedy which he inadvertently caused.

All of that loyalty and force of personality wrapped up in such a mature, curvaceous package like Nastasha’s, with all that long, flowing hair? Yes, yes, I can definitely see the appeal, yes, I can.

7) Kudelia Aina Bernstein
Iron-Blooded Orphans

She might start out as absolutely the usual epitome of annoyingly naive, but dang, one’s eyes get glued to her. There’s the pretty face, the bright eyes, the slim but curvy figure filled out in all the right places, and, I confess, I’m a complete sucker for that long, shining, blonde hair.

I will admit, for growing up so privileged, she is surprisingly grounded and respectful – unlike others of such high station – and not afraid to get her hands dirty doing real work like cooking, even if she’s bad at it. She doesn’t want anyone to die for her, but she is also reasonable enough to respect when others willingly put themselves on the line for her. She keeps her innocence even as she loses her naivete, works as hard as anyone to do whatever she can, and pursues what she wants without becoming self-centered or ruthless. She truly is a strong woman.

And one heck of a beauty!

6) Rain Mikamura
G Gundam

I may prefer Allenby over Rain, but there’s no denying that Rain was drawn to be as femininely attractive as possible. And she occasionally kicks ass, too!

She’s a medic and a mechanic, the childhood friend and love of the male lead, who is very aggressive, stubborn, and hotheaded. She needed to be quite spirited to keep up with him, especially in high heels, as she brought class and sass and her utter devotion into the mix. She was, every inch, designed to be the beauty of the show, the girly girl with tricks up her sleeve, complementing her man’s aggression with her own kind of fire. Which occasionally erupted, and Hell hath no fury like Rain! 😉

Personally, I never found her hotter than she was at this moment in the second episode, no matter that she was shown pretty much naked towards the end of the show.

5) Christina Sierra
Gundam 00

They knew very well what they were doing with Christie. I swear, the only thing better than seeing her from the front is seeing her from the back, with that hair and her shoulders. Gets me every time!

It would be easy to think that Christie is flighty, being so outgoing that she gets a bit obnoxious with her overwhelming interest in cute clothes and cute boys, as well as her bright, bubbly demeanor. But as a member of Celestial Being, and part of the crew of the Ptolomaios, she is surprisingly capable and clever, and a good friend. When the situation was dire, and death was imminent, she tricked her friend into going to a slightly safer place, and with her last breath she wished only the best for others, and regretted a lost opportunity. No, she was never flighty, she just lived every moment to the fullest, and there’s something respectable about that.

I’m not sure I’d ever really get along with a girl like her, but I wouldn’t hate her, I think, and I’d find it very difficult to avoid looking at her.

4) Aina Sahalin
8th MS Team

Aina is probably one of the most classically beautiful women in anime. I mean, just look at that angelic face! With those eyes and that smile!

Aina is a soldier, accustomed to killing or being killed on the battlefield, but when one particular enemy chose to be a friend instead, she chose reason and care over mindless hatred. She is open and caring to the people around her, including the enemy who becomes her true love, her mentor who is as a second father to her, the soldiers around her whom others would use and cast aside in the name of necessity, and even a brother who goes mad and tries to kill her alongside everyone else. All she wants is peace, and she comes to care for her enemies as well as her friends. Alas, it is only after much loss that she gains her freedom to be a person instead of just some doll her brother keeps.

We generally don’t see much of Aina’s full figure (though there is that one moment in the bath) but she has the usual feminine curves, quite graceful and tasteful. Still, again, it is her face which sets her apart and propels her so high on this list. They did very well with that!

3) Lafter Frankland
Iron-Blooded Orphans

Feisty and sexy, both to an extreme! My kind of girl!

Lafter is arguably the best and fiercest member of her crew, as well as their captain’s harem of wives. Not only does she have a wicked figure, which she clearly does not hesitate to show off, but she is strong enough to fight on par with the best of her opponents single-handed. And seeing her with all of their kids, so gentle and loving, adds a warm, maternal side to her as well, which makes her ferociousness on the battlefield all the greater, as she fights to protect her family.

It is all the more endearing to behold her gradual, growing affection for one male character in particular, and one can’t help but think, just a little, “lucky bastard!” Which, of course, makes it that much more heart-wrenching as tragedy after tragedy destroys so many of our favorite characters, including this absolute bombshell. (grrrr!)

2) Sumeragi Lee Noriega
Gundam 00

Yes, yes, I like big boobs, I cannot lie, and Sumeragi, like Christie, hails from the very height of Gundam’s recent veering into making them super busty. Topped off with that long, lustrous, thick hair, which I will never forgive them for cutting so short in the second season, and she very nearly took the top spot here!

The tactical forecaster for Celestial Being has both beauty and brains as she skillfully outmaneuvers the majority of their opponents, bringing calm composure to a crew that would otherwise be beset by panic and error. Still, she has issues, including losses in her past and a proclivity for drunkenness in the face of sorrow. And she can be quite cold-blooded, using the feelings one man had for her against him. It must be said, though, she does not run and hide from the truth or from the consequences of her actions. She would be the first one to put herself on the line in defense of her comrades, and she is layered and complex enough to stand as an independent woman who relies on those around her.

And did I mention that absolutely killer figure, and how she can weaponize her allure?

1) Amida Arca
Iron-Blooded Orphans

Seriously, a figure like that just cannot be challenged. Not on physical terms alone, at least!

The foremost wife of her captain, Amida is all class and power, with a perfectly-sculpted body and a sultry demeanor. Sleek, curvy, mature, and every bit as fiery as Lafter but more contained and directed, she is bold and amorous with her man. Physically strong, dangerous, and clearly resilient, as shown by scars which she is comfortable with and never hides, she is confident and a formidable presence on any battlefield.

Who doesn’t love warrior women? And this one’s got it all, the whole lustrous package!