Waifu, how familiar are you with this term? For those who often enjoy creative content from Japan, especially from manga / anime, this one term seems to have become an inseparable part of culture. For those of you who are foreigners, the word “Waifu” actually comes from the imperfect Japanese pronunciation when saying the word “Wife” or wife.
So as can be predicted, this term is targeted at fictional female characters who are considered to have succeeded in stealing your heart personally, both in terms of design and personality. Waifu can come from all kinds of Japanese creative products, including even video games. Not only women, there is a opposite sex term for Waifu called “Husbando” which comes from the same pronunciation process, to target male characters.
Choosing “Waifu” itself is indeed a unique sub-culture. Many see that this process is actually nothing more than mere fun, following a trend that even ends up becoming an inevitable meme in cyberspace. Meanwhile, not a few also see it as a form of platonic love, an affection that is not at all based on sexual attraction and often goes one way.
For anime / manga / video game lovers, choosing Waifu can indeed be based on many criteria. Some choose it just from the visual form, but not a few also fall in love with the personality in the story, his role in the plot, or the emotional reaction he always shows to the main character. The indicator that we also use to select this “award” article for JagatPlay, considering that there are so many games with attractive female characters during 2022.
So, of all the female characters that appear in 2022, which one do we categorize as the best among the best Waifu? Here is the list of JagatPlay versions:
Sharon (As the Dusk Falls)
Presenting a western female character that is clearly inspired by real-life actresses may seem completely strange for this JagatPlay list. Moreover, we are talking about the characters of “mothers” who do not look sexy at all or have bodies with exaggerated proportions. but for those who have tasted As Dusk Falls, the appeal of this one character is undeniable. Living hard with a husband who doesn’t seem to love her, she acts like a she-wolf who lives only to protect her children. Even when the situation surrounding his children had a clear reek of death and misery. Interestingly? Sharon also has a complex personality. She is not a perfect mother in the eyes of others, but she is definitely the “perfect” mother for her children.
Princess Sarah (Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin)
Re-exploring the old Final Fantasy series with a new approach is a genius idea on top of an execution that also offers an interesting genre. For a story that wants to portray the birth of one of the iconic villains in the entire Final Fantasy franchise, who would have thought that it would also include a female character with a design that spoils the eye. Clearly having the identity of a strong royal princess, her design which is so thick with Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo alone makes her deserve to be on this list. These two names never fail to offer something cool and charming whenever we talk about female characters.
Ringo (Soul Hackers 2)
Regardless of the name Atlus who is responsible for it, Soul Hackers 2 is not a perfect JRPG game. It is clear that this effort to revive a long-dormant series was followed by a fairly low development budget which made some things, such as level design issues, for example, feel limited. Even so, Atlus never seems to fail in doing one thing – presenting characters with beautiful designs and pleasing to the eye. This is projected through Ringo’s design, which amazingly also has a personality that is not just two-dimensional. He is active in dialogue, throws jokes, and leaves the impression of a character who is really alive instead of falling for a certain trope. Something that deserves to be appreciated more.
Taika (Valkyrie Elysium)
Elysium may not be the Valkyrie series we want. But the fact that at least this series was born and circulated to the public at least gives certainty that Square Enix is still paying extra attention to this one title. Fortunately, from the battle concept which now involves a limited number of Einherjar, it still contains one female character with a feast for the eyes. Acting as a mage with fire as the main focus element, Taika is reminiscent of dark elf characters from fantasy stories that you’ve watched before. The design that makes it on this list is irrespective of its personality or background story which isn’t very interesting.
