With the latest popular gyaru anime like My Dress-up Darling or More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, there is no way you haven’t heard the word gyaru yet. These anime’s attractive gyaru girls made sure that viewers got familiar with and perhaps even admirers of the gyaru subculture.
But what does the term gyaru mean? Well, gyaru (or gal) is a Japanese fashion subculture that has existed since the 1970s. They are notorious for accessorizing heavily with necklaces, bracelets, and hair clips, sporting vibrant nail polish and cosmetics. Typically, they have colored hair and a tanned complexion. Gyaru draws greatly from the American Valley Girl aesthetic with its own spin on it. The look tends to be exceedingly flamboyant and/or skimpy, which has given it a reputation for sexual promiscuity.
In this article, I’ll introduce 5 iconic gyaru girls that stole the entire show.
Let’s get started!

5. Galko (Please Tell Me! Galko-Chan)
Never have I felt so bad for a gyaru character like for Galko-chan.
Galko is a young well-endowed girl with a voluptuous figure. She prefers to wear skimpy and colorful outfits that showcase her gorgeous figure. As a result, people judge her only by her looks and fashion choices. Which is clearly wrong. This anime teaches us to never judge a book by its cover since doing so might hurt people unnecessarily and also reflects badly on us because it shows our superficial mentality.
Galko, her name, is a reference to “Gal” or Gyaru. Despite her name and outward appearance, she is a very innocent and gentle girl who gets easily embarrassed about her looks, actions, and even thoughts. Mainly when she occasionally says inappropriate things by accident.
Despite having problems waking up in the morning, she becomes more energized throughout the day. She is also quite sentimental and easily becomes overcome with emotion while watching or reading a book. Galko enjoys cooking and frequently prepares her own yummy meals. Interestingly, even though she wears earrings, she is afraid of getting bodily modifications like piercings.

4. Yuzu Aihara (Citrus)
Another iconic gyaru girl comes from a popular yuri series Citrus.
Despite some people thinking that she is just another dumb blonde, she has proved to be capable of earning good test scores with some effort.
Yuzu tries her best to make the people she loves happy while at times acting childish. She is extremely cheerful and caring, but also clumsy and bold.
Her daring gyaru fashion choices and make-up often get her into trouble with the Student Council. However, she doesn’t really care about the school rules or conforming to upper-class beliefs.

3. Yukana Yame (My First Girlfriend Is A Gal)
Yukana Yame was among the first gyaru anime girls I stumbled upon. It was also the first time I googled what gyaru or gal means. My First Girlfriend Is A Gal holds a special place in my heart because it was my first gyaru anime & there are multiple gyaru girls in this anime series that are all unique and charming.
Yukana is the embodiment of gyaru. While she is quite a tease master with her flirty and seduction techniques, she is also a loving, soft, and innocent person who is loyal to her friends and boyfriend.

2. Akari Watanabe (More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers)
Everyone who ever read my blog knows I love pink-haired anime characters. My anime Instagram is also filled with anime girls who have pink hair—I somehow always end up falling in love with anime girls who have pink hair. And Akari Watanabe is no exception to this rule.
Akari has a harsh nature at the start. She acts tsundere-like towards Jirou (the male MC) while also having an outgoing, friendly, and fun-loving persona when hanging out with others. While there is still a lot to be revealed about Akari in the future as more episodes air, I appreciate that she is already becoming kinder and more upfront with her feelings.

1. Marin Kitagawa (My Dress-up Darling)
When My Dress-up Darling started airing in January, it was more than obvious that Marin would become the best girl of 2022. She might appear as your typical gorgeous high school girl but once you get to know her, you’ll know there is so much more to her than her beauty. This is why I decided to place her as the most iconic gyaru girl.
She is beautiful both inside and out. Marin is kind, funny, open-minded, self-assertive, and humble. She inspires those around her to pursue their goals and realize their full potential without holding back, which makes her a fantastic friend and potential partner.
Marin also loves the entirety of the otaku culture, which includes anime series, video games, conventions, and cosplay. And she is entirely honest about her hobbies and interests rather than being embarrassed by them.
I mean, who wouldn’t want a friend like Marin in their life?
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short of coughing up 100 million yen, we’ll probably never see my favorite gyaru (and her squad) animated. That being Rumiko Manbagi from Komi Can’t Communicate. This also means Muutan, Gonzales, and Yukapoyo.
You don’t think we’ll get more Komi?
I love Yuzu from Citrus, but I wish Momo from Peach Girl was mentioned. I named my dog after her!
I wonder if Ayane Yano from “Kimi no Todoke” qualifies as gyaru…
Gyaru characters are so much fun! I think the first time I came across a gal character was Momo in the anime Peach Girl. The series definitely emphasized how people shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover!
Yay, it’s already published!
thank you, Irina 🧸❤️
no Thank YOU