Best Anime Maids

Key Takeaways

• Anime maids play various roles, from caretakers to skilled fighters, adding depth and complexity to anime plots.
• Maids in anime, like Silver Lady and Maomao, showcase unique personalities, and backstories, and provide support in various ways.
• Popular maids in anime like Rem and Misaki Ayuzawa bring depth, loyalty, and intrigue to their respective shows.

The iconic maid outfit is a staple within the anime community. Maid costumes are especially popular in Japan due to the abundance of maid cafes and cosplay events there, so it’s no surprise that the style found its way into anime and video games. Anime characters that wear maid outfits are much-loved by anime fans, and many people love to cosplay as their favorite anime maid.

In recent years, mangakas and anime producers have started to include maid cafes more and more in their content, with some anime solely focused entirely on the dynamic within a maid cafe. Many anime fans dream of being able to go to a maid cafe in Japan due to the unique aspects and cute outfits.

Updated October 29, 2024, by Oluwatokiloba Folami: Maids are often known to be caretakers, but in anime, they are more than that, as some take on more than their conventional roles. These characters are more often than not secondary or background characters, but that does not limit them from making an impact in the anime they appear in. Anime maids act as devoted caretakers and fierce protectors, but they also have compelling backstories that add depth and complexity to the plot of the anime they are in. These maids often leave a lasting impression on fans by the support role they play either by managing chaotic households, standing by their masters through thick and thin, acting as comic relief, or displaying unexpected strength or hidden powers.

28 Silver Lady

The Ancient Magus’ Bride

In The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Elias buys Chise during an auction, and he introduces Chise to a whole new life of acceptance and love as she has been discarded her whole life, especially by her parents. Elias takes Chise to his home in rural England, where he teaches her magic while she gets accustomed to her new life as Elias’s slave and, after a while, his bride.

In their little world of magic and mystical beings exists Silver Lady, their maid, who shows little to no emotions. Silver Lady, also known as Silky, is a type of race that enjoys doing domestic work. Silky is devoted to her tasks, and although she rarely shows emotions, she shows feelings of worry, displeasure, depression, or contentment whenever Chise does something like eat her food, is sick, or is away for too long. Silky also has quite a sense of humor, as she enjoys playing silly pranks on Chise and Elias.

27 Myucel Folan

Outbreak Company

Spreading the news of anything new and unfamiliar can be quite a task, as one is not sure of how others might respond to such news. Outbreak Company tells the story of Shinichi as he finds himself in a fantasy world with the main aim of spreading the message of Japanese culture. In a strange land with no relations to anyone, Shinichi tries to build a community for himself while doing the job he was sent to do.

In the process, Shinichi meets Myucel, a maid appointed to him by the holy Eldant empire. Myucel is quick to learn the Japanese language from Shinichi, making her one of the first few people to learn this language from Shinichi. As a half-elf, she faces discrimination from humans and elves, but with Shinichi, she learns to be more open and confident as he does not discriminate against her about her race. She is loyal to those whom she serves, especially Shinichi, and as the anime progresses, he begins to fall for Myucel.

26 Anne Shelley

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

Most times, villains always have a tragic end because of all the atrocities they cause, and Katarina is on track for doom. She realizes that she is the villain of an otome game she enjoyed playing in her previous life and that her end is going to be tragic. Katerina tries to avoid her inevitable doom at all costs but to no avail. In the process of avoiding her fate, she builds meaningful relationships, turning potential enemies into friends and allies.

One person Katerina is grateful to have in her corner is Anne. Anne is her loyal maid, whom she most of the time confides in. She acts as Katerina’s big sister and is always supportive of Katerina’s decisions, but she will caution and scold her when necessary.

25 Hildagarde

Beelzebub

Every demon king was once a baby, and although most anime do not dwell on that, Beelzebub does. It tells the story of baby Beel, the son of a demon king who would eventually be a demon king himself when his father descends from the throne. Being a demon king is a lot of work, and unfortunately, there is no time to train or take care of a baby, which is why baby Beel is under the care of Tatsumi, a delinquent, and Hilda, a demon maid.

Hilda takes her job very seriously and is loyal to Baby Beel. To others, Hilda is cold and manipulative, but once in a while she breaks her usual character and acts affectionate and sweet to baby Beel. Hilda’s character undergoes a major change after she develops amnesia, and she is more gentle and affectionate afterward.

24 Maomao

The Apothecary Diaries

Although Maomao was kidnapped and put in unfamiliar territory, she did not let that put out her spark of curiosity. Before she was kidnapped, she worked beside a pharmacist, and the skills she learned and the knowledge she acquired helped her after she was kidnapped. As a maid in the Imperial Palace, she noticed that some of the king’s children and his concubines were mysteriously falling sick. She put her medical knowledge to the test and solved this mystery.

Maomao is iconic because she made the best of her unfortunate situation. Being kidnapped can be traumatic, and not only did she not focus on that, but she also used her medical knowledge to help those connected to her kidnapping. She enjoys learning, and she saw her position as a maid as an opportunity to learn and help others while maintaining an anonymous status. However, her good deeds could not go unnoticed, as people tend to seek her out to solve mysteries.

23 Siesta

The Familiarity Of Zero F

After being mistakenly summoned from Japan by Louise, a young noble who is terrible at magic, Saito adjusts to his new environment and tries to help Louise with her magic. After spending much time together, these two start having romantic feelings for each other. However, there is someone who wants Saito just as badly: Siesta, a maid who works at the Tristain Academy of Magic.

Siesta finds herself in a love triangle, as she also has strong feelings for Saito. She has a soft spot for him, and this causes her to treat him kindly, and sometimes she intentionally allows him to be mistreated so that she can give him extra care and attention. There is a lot of drama, magical conflicts, and adventures going on, but all Siesta cares about is Saito and performing her duties as a maid to him.

22 Sayoko Shinozaki

Code Geass

Lelouch wants to find his mother’s murderer, and also make the world a better and safer place for his sister, Nunnally, who witnessed their mother’s death and was left paralyzed. Being the only one his sister had, Lelouch felt at peace leaving his sister under Sayoko’s care as he carried out his plans as Zero using his Geass.

Sayoko is the maid put in charge of Lelouch and Nunnally as they arrive in Japan. She takes good care of Nunnally and even teaches her how to make origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. She is very loyal to Lelouch, as she is aware of his identity as Zero but keeps it a secret and assists whenever she can. Sayako is also very protective of Nunnally and cares for her deeply. Although she is a maid, she is highly skilled in martial arts.

21 Mahoro Andou

Mahoromatic

Mahoromatic fans can meet one of the cutest yet deadliest maids in anime history. The story follows the combat android Mahoro who decides to live her remaining days as a maid. Even though she could have chosen any life, she decided to serve Suguru Misato, whose father was tied to her past.

Mahoro is iconic because she’s not an everyday maid. While she has normal duties, fans can also witness her incredible combat skills as well as get to know her emotions and personality. Anime fans love her for her dedication to Suguru and her internal struggles with her history and short lifespan. Her character reminds viewers that even in the mundane tasks of life, there’s a story of passion and purpose.

20 Anna Kurauchi

He Is My Master

He Is My Master is a quirky and laugh-out-loud funny tale of two sisters who end up working for a young millionaire. Anna Kurauchi, the energetic and assertive friend of the sisters who later joined the household, made the dynamics even more entertaining. Anna’s bold and somewhat aggressive nature towards her crush makes her unforgettable.

Her antics often lead to comedic situations, but it’s her unwavering dedication and protective attitude toward her friends that make her such a beloved character. Anna epitomizes the idea that maids in anime aren’t just background characters but can be at the forefront of comedy and drama.

19 Maria

Hayate The Combat Butler

Hayate the Combat Butler not only introduces viewers to one of the most iconic anime butlers but also to Maria, the personal maid and confidante of Nagi Sanzenin. While the series revolves around the comedic adventures of the unfortunate Hayate and his role as Nagi’s butler, Maria shines with her calm demeanor and wisdom beyond her years.

She often acts as the voice of reason in the chaotic Sanzenin mansion and offers guidance to both Hayate and Nagi. Maria’s serene presence amid the whirlwind of craziness and her motherly instincts toward the household make her a fan favorite. She’s beloved because she is fun, yet she still embodies the essence of a true caretaker in the wild world of anime maids.

18 Haru

The Secret World Of Arrietty

Even beautiful Studio Ghibli movies have hated characters, and one of its most unpopular ones is Haru, who was the seemingly kind elderly maid who worked for Sadako Maki. Unfortunately for Arrietty and her family, Haru was an ignorant person who cared about nothing but rules and thought that the only way to protect the household was to get rid of the Borrowers.

Haru never looked at Arrietty as an equal or a sentient being but only as a tiny thief who disrupted the order of the house. While she is the most unlikable anime maid, her presence is still vital for The Secret World of Arrietty‘s story since it adds more tension to it as well as serves as a reminder to viewers that they shouldn’t be intolerant and prejudiced towards new people and new things.

17 Lilia Greyrat

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Even though Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is not an anime about maids, it still has many different kinds of maid characters. However, its most important and memorable one is Lilia Greyrat, who worked at the Greyrat family home.

While Lilia was a reliable, diligent, and hardworking maid, she wasn’t without faults either, and because of her loneliness and attraction the Paul Greyrat, she ended up pregnant. Even though the family had to overcome this difficult period, she eventually stayed at the Greyrat household, and over time she developed an even stronger relationship with all its family members.

16 Virgo

Fairy Tail

Fairy Tail is one of the funniest battle shonen anime shows of all time, and its most mischievous and cute character is Virgo. She’s one of the most magical anime maids since she’s not a simple human but one of the celestial spirits of the Zodiac sign and can be summoned by her master, Lucy.

Virgo is one of the most interesting anime maids since she not only helps Lucy with household tasks like cleaning and cooking but is a capable fighter who can use earth magic and supports her during battles too. She’s also one of the most loyal celestial spirits and often asks for punishment since Virgo is also a masochist.

15 Saber

Carnival Phantasm

Saber is one of the most hilarious characters in Carnival Phantasm who, thanks to a special event, had a chance to become a member of a fun maid cafe. Naturally, Saber got to wear a maid outfit as well as had to serve customers at the cafe.

While many characters and even fans idolize anime maid cafes, Saber has a surprisingly hard experience and ends up realizing just how hard it can be to work at a maid cafe as a waitress. However, thanks to Saber’s stoic and fun personality, this episode became one of the most entertaining ones in the anime.

14 Maid Chan

The Pet Girl Of Sakurasou

Maid Chan is an AI program in The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, owned by Ryuunosuke, who is the programmer who created her. She mostly helps with blocking and replying to messages with words that she has learned through exposure to texts and the internet. Maid Chan is also highly skilled in hacking and can create malicious viruses.

She also likes to give Sorata advice while he’s playing a video game on his computer. Ryuunosuke plans to eventually produce an artificial body for Maid Chan so she can live in the real world.

13 Narberal Gamma

Overlord

The iconic Narberal Gamma is a member of the Pleiades Six Stars, a battle maid squad in the anime Overlord. She is a battle maid for the Great Tomb of Nazarick and is a caster of magic. Narberal is well-known amongst the Sorcerer Kingdom’s adventurers due to her impressive skills and battle techniques.

She sees humans as inferior but isn’t a fan of killing them unless they give her reason to. Nerberal is loyal to a called Ainz and was created by Nishikienrai, who is, in fact, one of the founders of Ainz.

12 Lilith

The Maid I Hired Recently Is Mysterious

Lilith is hired as the new maid for Yuuri, but she seems to be hiding something. While she appears to be a brilliant maid, her suspicious behavior makes Yuuri extremely cautious of Lilith. Her cooking skills are amazing, and she leaves the mansion spotless after a cleaning session. Lilith is portrayed as an extremely beautiful woman who works hard. She enjoys teasing Yuuri but is surprised when Yuuri responds bluntly.

Lilith worked for Yuuri’s family previously but left after being offered a permanent position. She worked for another family for a period of time but ended up working for Yuuri again after finding out the news of his parent’s passing.

11 Roberta

Black Lagoon

Despite being a maid, Roberta isn’t the best at cooking a meal or cleaning, which is the complete opposite of what a maid’s skillset should be. While working for the Lovelace family, she became close friends with the youngest son, Garcia Lovelace.

Roberta was trained as an assassin in Cuba while she was part of the F.A.R.C guerrilla, making her a wanted criminal. She’s often referred to as the “Bloodhound of Florencia” but is a polite woman overall. Fans of Black Lagoon often see Roberta trying her best to repent her past actions, showing that she feels guilt for what she has done.

10 Chihiro Komiya

Shonen Maid

Chihiro ends up alone with no home after his mother suddenly passes away. One day, he meets a rich man called Madoka Takatori, who ends up being Chihiro’s uncle. He then moves into Madoka’s lavish mansion but is surprised when he notices how much of a mess the home is. Chihiro is a very neat individual, so this instantly makes him want to start cleaning the mansion up.

He officially becomes the housekeeper while wearing a cute maid dress that was created by Uncle Madoka. Not only is he great at cleaning, but he’s also a fantastic cook and makes meals every day for the household. Because Chihiro is still a child, he’s surprisingly mature and tries his best to spark up Madoka, who has started to become a little bit too relaxed when it comes to daily chores.

9 Kaho Hinata

Blend S

Kaho works at Stile Cafe and plays the archetypical tsundere anime maid. Her true personality is quite bubbly, and her favorite hobbies consist of playing video games and spending all of her wages at the arcade. Kaho is a popular maid at Stile Cafe as the tsundere act is popular amongst the customers, and her love for video games makes her more relatable to them.

When she’s teased for her love for video games by her co-workers, her actual tsundere side appears. Kaho also loves to take her co-workers to the arcade throughout the show, creating some heartwarming and fun scenes between friends.