I thought I should put a graph at the top to give you a general idea of how things stand for each fighting game. Of course, please check out the rest of the data I gathered. This thread is 4 years of hard work & counting.
With so many fighting games out right now & even more coming on the horizon, I thought that now would be a pretty good time to analyze how the current fighting games out right now have handled this ratio. This is strictly as of when this post was made, so keep in mind that most of the games mentioned below will probably have more DLC long after the creation of this thread via later edits. With that said, here we go...
- STREET FIGHTER 6
- 18 characters (at launch, not counting DLC leaks)
- 7 female fighters
- Chun-Li
- Kimberly
- Juri Han
- Manon
- Marisa
- Lily
- Cammy White
- SF6's female fighters make up 42.857% of its confirmed roster
- STREET FIGHTER V: CHAMPION EDITION
- 45 characters (as of the end of Season 5)
- 13 female fighters
- Chun-Li
- Cammy White
- Karin Kanzuki
- Rainbow Mika
- Laura Matsuda
- Ibuki (Season 1 DLC)
- Juri Han (Season 1 DLC)
- Kolin (Season 2 DLC)
- Menat (Season 2 DLC)
- Sakura Kasugano (Season 3 DLC)
- Falke (Season 3 DLC)
- Poison (Season 4 DLC)
- Lucia Morgan (Season 4 DLC)
- Rose (Season 5 DLC)
- Akira Kazama (Season 5 DLC)
- SFV's female fighters make up 33.333% of its roster
- Capcom interchangeably uses he/him & they/them pronouns for Seth in-game & avoids pronouns entirely outside of the game.
- MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE
- 36 characters
- 6 female fighters
- Captain Marvel [Carol Danvers]
- Gamora
- Chun-Li
- Morrigan
- Monster Hunter (DLC)
- Black Widow [Natasha Romanoff] (DLC)
- MvCI's female fighters make up 16.667% of its roster
- TEKKEN 8
- 2 characters (so far)
- 0 female fighters
- ...
- Tekken 0's female fighters make up 0% of its known roster
- TEKKEN 7
- 51 characters (counting Season 3's characters)
- 17 female fighters
- Alisa Bosconovitch
- Asuka Kazama
- Ling Xiaoyu
- Lili
- Katarina Alves
- Lucky Chloe
- Josie Rizal (added post-launch in OG arcade release)
- Master Raven (added post-launch in OG arcade release)
- Kazumi Mishima (added post-launch in OG arcade release)
- Nina Williams (added in Fated Retribution)
- Panda (added in Fated Retribution)
- Eliza (pre-order DLC)
- Anna Williams (added in Season 2)
- Julia Chang (added in Season 2)
- Zafina (added in Season 3)
- Kunimitsu (added in Season 4)
- Lidia Sobieska (added in Season 4)
- Tekken 7's female fighters make up 33.333% of its roster
- SOUL CALIBUR VI
- 29 characters (Counting DLC & mimics)
- 12 female fighters
- Sophitia
- Xianghua
- Ivy
- Taki
- Talim
- Seong Mi-Na
- Tira (DLC)
- 2B (DLC)
- Amy Sorel (DLC)
- Cassandra (DLC)
- Hilde (DLC)
- Setsuka (DLC)
- SCVI's female fighters make up 41.379% of its roster
- DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ
- NOTE: While this game is primarily developed by Arc System Works, it was published by Bandai Namco, hence its placement.
- 44 characters (as of Season 3)
- 5 female fighters
- Android 18
- Android 21
- Videl
- Kefla
- Android 21 (Lab Coat)
- DBFZ's female fighters make up 11.364% of its roster
- SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE
- NOTE: While this game is primarily developed by Bandai Namco, it was published by Nintendo, hence its placement.
- 86 characters (Counting Echo Fighters & DLC, but counting package deal characters like Pokémon Trainer & Pyra/Mythra as one character each)
- 17 female fighters (characters with gender-choice alts & male/female duos are only counted if they're female by default & aren't the secondary character of said duo, so no Robin, Villager, Pokémon Trainer, Pikachu, Corrin, Wendy, Pichu, Ice Climbers, Banjo & Kazooie, Byleth, or Alex)
- Samus
- Dark Samus
- Dark Samus doesn't really have a gender, but I'll count her since female pronouns are typically used for her.
- Peach
- Daisy
- Sheik
- Zelda
- Lucina
- Zero Suit Samus
- Wii Fit Trainer
- Rosalina & Luma
- Mii Gunner
- Yes, I'm fully aware that you can make the Miis whatever you want. But seeing as I'm counting the Mii Fighters individually, it's only fair that I recognize that Nintendo represents the Mii Gunner as female by default in the promotional art, the Gunner you earn via Spirits, & the Amiibo.
- Palutena
- Bayonetta
- Inkling
- Isabelle
- Min Min
- Pyra/Mythra
- SSBU's female fighters make up 19.767% of its roster (33.721% if you count Female Robin, Female Villager, Female Corrin, Leaf, Female Pikachu, Nana, Wendy, Female Pichu, Female Byleth, Alex, & the other 2 Miis)
- ARMS
- 15 characters
- 6 female fighters
- Ribbon Girl
- Mechanica
- Min Min
- Twintelle
- Lola Pop (was added post-launch)
- Dr. Coyle (was added post-launch)
- ARMS's female fighters make up 40% of its roster
- SUPER SMASH BROS. FOR WII U/3DS
- See Smash Ultimate for the reason behind Smash Wii U/3DS's placement.
- 58 characters (counting each Mii moveset separately)
- 11 female fighters (same rules as Smash Ultimate apply here)
- Peach
- Rosalina & Luma
- Zelda
- Sheik
- Samus
- Zero Suit Samus
- Lucina
- Palutena
- Wii Fit Trainer
- Mii Gunner
- See Smash Ultimate for the justification
- Bayonetta (DLC)
- Smash Wii U/3DS's female fighters make up 18.966% of its roster (29.310% if you count Female Robin, Female Villager, Female Corrin, Wendy, & the other 2 Miis)
- MULTIVERSUS
- 22 characters (announced so far, not counting leaks)
- 5 female fighters (among the defaults)
- Arya Stark
- Garnet
- Harley Quinn
- Wonder Woman [Diana Prince]
- Velma Dinkley
- MultiVersus' default female fighters make up 22.727% of its current roster
- MORTAL KOMBAT 11 ULTIMATE
- 37 characters (counting DLC)
- 12 female fighters
- Sonya Blade
- Cassie Cage
- Skarlet
- Kitana
- Jacqui Briggs
- Jade
- D'Vorah
- Cetrion
- Frost
- Sindel (Kombat Pack DLC)
- Sheeva (Aftermath DLC)
- Mileena (Kombat Pack 2 DLC)
- MK11's female fighters make up 32.432% of its roster
- INJUSTICE 2
- 38 characters
- 9 female fighters
- Wonder Woman
- Supergirl
- Black Canary
- Catwoman
- Harley Quinn
- Poison Ivy
- Cheetah
- Starfire (Fighter Pack 1 DLC)
- Enchantress (Fighter Pack 3 DLC)
- Injustice 2's female fighters make up 23.684% of its roster
- MORTAL KOMBAT XL
- 33 characters
- 7 female fighters
- Sonya Blade
- Kitana
- Mileena
- Cassie Cage
- Jacqui Briggs
- D'Vorah
- Tanya (Fighter Pack 1 DLC)
- MKXL's female fighters make up 21.212% of its roster
- THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV
- 52 characters (counting DLC, including the announced-but-unreleased characters)
- 21 female fighters
- Leona Heidern
- Mai Shiranui
- Chizuru Kagura
- Yuri Sakazaki
- King
- Mai Shiranui
- Shermie
- Leona Heidern
- Blue Mary
- Vanessa
- Athena Asamiya
- Isla
- Dolores
- Whip
- Ángel
- Kula Diamond
- Elisabeth Blanctorche
- Jenet Behrn (DLC)
- Orochi Shermie (DLC)
- Nakoruru (DLC)
- Darli Dagger (DLC)
- KoFXV's female fighters make up 40.385% of its current roster
- SAMURAI SHODOWN
- 28 characters (counting DLC)
- 11 female fighters
- Nakoruru
- Charlotte
- Shiki
- Darli Dagger
- Wu-Ruixiang
- Rimururu (Season 1 DLC)
- Mina Majikina (Season 2 DLC)
- Iroah (Season 2 DLC)
- Gongsun Li (Season 2 DLC)
- Cham Cham (Season 3 DLC)
- Hibiki Takane (Season 3 DLC)
- Samurai Shodown's female fighters make up 39.286% of its roster
- THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV
- 58 characters
- 21 female fighters
- Ángel
- Mature
- Vice
- Yuri Sakazaki
- Athena Asamiya
- Luong
- Leona Heidern
- Nakoruru
- Mui Mui
- Love Heart
- Sylvie Paula Paula
- Mian
- Kula Diamond
- Zarina
- King
- Mai Shiranui
- Alice
- Whip (DLC)
- Vanessa (DLC)
- Najd (DLC)
- Blue Mary (DLC)
- KoFXIV's female fighters make up 36.207% of its roster
- SNK HEROINES: TAG TEAM FRENZY
- 15 characters (so far)
- 15 female fighters
- Athena Asamiya
- Kula Diamond
- Mai Shiranui
- Leona Heidern
- Yuri Sakazaki
- Nakoruru
- Shermie
- Sylvie Paula Paula
- Zarina
- Love Heart
- Mian
- Luong
- Mui Mui
- Terry Bogard (Fatal Cutie)
- Skullomania (Female Variant)
- Miss X (Female Variant of Iori Yagami)
- Jeanne D'Arc
- SNK Heroines' female fighters make up 100% of its roster
- Kukri is a boss character.
- GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-
- 21 characters (as of the start of Season 2)
- 8 female fighters
- May
- Millia Rage
- Ramlethal Valentine
- Giovanna
- I-No
- Jack-O (Season 1 DLC)
- Baiken (Season 1 DLC)
- Bridget (Season 2 DLC)
- GG Strive's female fighters make up 38.095% of its current roster
- Testament is non-binary, using they/them pronouns.
- DNF DUEL
- 16 characters
- 6 female fighters
- Inquisitor
- Dragon Knight
- Striker
- Kunoichi
- Launcher
- Enchantress
- DNF Duel's female fighters make up 37.5% of its current roster
- GRANBLUE FANTASY: VERSUS
- 25 characters (including DLC, as of Season 3)
- 12 female fighters
- Katalina Aryze
- Charlotta Fenia
- Ferry
- Ladiva
- Metera
- Zeta
- Narmaya (Season 1 DLC)
- Djeeta (Season 1 DLC)
- Zooey (Season 1 DLC)
- Cagliostro (Season 2 DLC)
- Yuel (Season 2 DLC)
- Vira Lillie (Season 3 DLC)
- Granblue Versus' female fighters make up 48% of its current roster
- GUILTY GEAR XRD: REV 2
- 25 characters
- 10 female fighters
- Millia Rage
- May
- I-No
- Ramlethal Valentine (made playable in later arcade update)
- Elphelt Valentine (SIGN DLC)
- Jack-O' Valentine (added in Revelator)
- Jam Kuradoberi (Revelator DLC)
- Kum Haehyun (Revelaor DLC)
- Dizzy (Revelator DLC)
- Baiken (added in REV 2)
- GGXrd's female fighters make up 40% of its roster
- BLAZBLUE: CENTRAL FICTION
- 36 characters
- 18 female fighters
- Noel Vermillion
- Rachel Alucard
- Taokaka
- Litchi Faye Ling
- Nu-13
- Tsubaki Yayoi
- Mu-12
- Makoto Nanaya
- Platinum the Trinity
- Izayoi
- Lambda-11
- Bullet
- Kokonoe
- Nine the Phantom
- Izanami
- Es
- Mai Natsume
- Celica
- BB:CF's female fighters make up 50% of its roster
- BLAZBLUE: CROSS TAG BATTLE
- 51 characters (including DLC)
- 30 female fighters
- Rachel Alucard
- Noel Vermillion
- Makoto Nanaya
- Nu-13
- Es
- Platinum the Trinity (DLC)
- Izayoi (DLC)
- Mai Natsume (DLC)
- Nine the Phantom (DLC)
- Ruby Rose
- Weiss Schnee
- Blake Belladonna (DLC)
- Yang Xiao Long (DLC)
- Chie Satonaka
- Yukiko Amagi
- Aigis (DLC)
- Naoto Shirogane (DLC)
- Mitsuru Kirijo (DLC)
- Labrys (DLC)
- Linne
- Orie (DLC)
- Vatista (DLC)
- Mika (DLC)
- Yuzuriha (DLC)
- Heart (DLC)
- Yumi (DLC)
- Neo Politan (DLC)
- Celica=A=Mercury (DLC)
- Elizabeth (DLC)
- Hilda (DLC)
- BB:CTB's female fighters make up 58.824% of its roster
- DEAD OR ALIVE 6
- 28 characters (counting DLC)
- 18 female fighters
- Kasumi
- Helena
- Hitomi
- Leifang
- Ayane
- Marie Rose
- Honoka
- Tina
- Mila
- Christie
- NiCO
- Kokoro
- La Mariposa (Lisa)
- Nyotengu (pre-order bonus)
- Phase IV (pre-order DLC)
- Mai Shiranui (DLC)
- Kula Diamond (DLC)
- Momiji (DLC)
- DoA6's female fighters make up 64.286% of its roster
- DEAD OR ALIVE 5: LAST ROUND
- 34 characters (not counting False Kasumi, who's only playable in Story Mode)
- 21 female fighters
- Kasumi
- Ayane
- Helena Douglas
- Christie
- La Mariposa
- Hitomi
- Kokoro
- Leifang
- Tina Armstrong
- Mila
- Alpha-152
- Momiji
- Rachel
- Marie Rose
- Phase 4
- Nyotengu
- Honoka
- Sarah Bryant
- Pai Chan
- Naotora li (DLC)
- Mai Shiranui (DLC)
- DoA5:LR's female fighters make up 61.745% of its roster
- PROJECT L
- 6 characters (of the seen roster so far)
- 4 female fighters
- Jinx
- Ahri
- Katarina
- Illaoi
- Project L's female fighters make up 66.666% of its known roster
- NICKELODEON ALL-STAR BRAWL
- 25 characters (so far, including DLC)
- 8 female fighters
- Sandy Cheeks
- April O'Neil
- Lucy Loud
- Helga Pataki
- Oblina
- Toph Beifong
- Korra
- Jenny Wakeman
- NASB's female fighters make up 32% of its current roster
- FIGHTING EX LAYER
- 19 characters (so far)
- 7 female fighters
- Hokuto
- Shirase (Bloody Hokuto)
- Blair
- Sanane (Nanase)
- Pullum (added post-launch)
- Sharon (added post-launch)
- Area (added post-launch)
- FEXL's female fighters make up 36.842% of its roster
- KILLER INSTINCT
- 29 characters
- 9 female fighters
- Sadria
- Orchid
- Maya (Season 2)
- Riptor (Season 2)
- Hisako (Season 2)
- ARIA (Season 2)
- Kim Wu (Season 3)
- Mira (Season 3)
- Shin Hisako (post-Season 3)
- KI's female fighters make up 31.034% of its roster
- POWER RANGERS: BATTLE FOR THE GRID
- 26 characters (counting DLC)
- 11 female fighters
- Gia Moran
- Ranger Slayer
- Kat Manx
- Udonna
- Trini Kwan (DLC)
- Jen Scotts (DLC)
- Lauren Shiba (DLC)
- Scorpina (DLC)
- Chun-Li (DLC)
- Poisandra (DLC)
- Rita Repulsa (DLC)
- Power Rangers' female fighters make up 42.308% of its roster
- DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT
- 35 characters (so far)
- 8 female fighters (counting DLC)
- Terra
- Ultimecia
- Shantotto
- Lightning
- Y'shtola
- Yuna (DLC)
- Tifa Lockhart (DLC)
- Rinoa Heartilly (DLC)
- Dissidia's female fighters make up 22.857% of its roster
- I didn't count Cloud of Darkness because CoD has no known gender, despite appearing as though CoD is a woman.
- UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH EXE:LATE[ST]
- 21 characters (counting DLC)
- 11 female fighters
- Linne
- Orie
- Vatista
- Yuzuriha
- Hilda
- Eltnum
- Nanase
- Mika
- Wagner
- Phonon
- Londrekia
- UNIEL's female fighters make up 52.381% of its roster
- SKULLGIRLS: 2ND ENCORE
- 18 characters (counting DLC)
- 16 female fighters
- Fillia
- Cerebella
- Ms. Fortune
- Parasoul
- Squigly
- Peacock
- Valentine
- Double
- Eliza
- Robo-Fortune
- Fukua
- Painwheel
- Annie (DLC)
- Umbrella (DLC)
- Black Dahlia (DLC)
- Marie (DLC)
- Skullgirls' female fighters make up 88.888% of its current roster
- THEM'S FIGHTIN' HERDS
- 7 characters
- 7 female fighters
- Arizona
- Velvet
- Paprika
- Oleander
- Pom
- Tianhuo
- Shanty
- TFH's female fighters make up 100% of its current roster
- ARCANA HEART 3: LOVE MAX SIX STARS!!!!!!
- 24 characters
- 24 female fighters
- Heart Aino
- Saki Tsuzura
- Maori Kasuga
- Weiss
- Scharlachrot
- Petra Johanna Lagerkvist
- Elsa La Conti
- Clarice Di Lanza
- Eko
- Zenia Valov
- Lieselotte Achenbach
- Dorothy Albright
- Kamui Tokinomiya
- Konoha
- Nazuna Inuwaka
- Akane Inuwaka
- Mei-Fang
- Kira Daidohji
- Catherine Kyohbashi
- Angelia Avallone
- Fiona Mayfield
- Yoriko Yasuzumi
- Lilica Felchenerow
- Minori Amanohara
- AH3:LSS's female fighters make up 100% of its roster
If I missed a game or two, I'll try to add them in. But I'll stop here for now before I lose my sanity. With that said, here's the rankings based on pure percentages for female fighters compared to the entirety of their game's current roster (this also doubles as a TL;DR section)...
- TIED (100%)
- Arcana Heart 3: Love Max Six Stars!!!!!!
- SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy
- Them's Fightin' Herds
- Skullgirls: 2nd Encore (88.888%)
- Dead or Alive 6 (64.286%)
- Dead or Alive 5: Last Round (61.745%)
- BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (58.824%)
- UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[st] (52.381%)
- BlazBlue: Central Fiction (50%)
- Granblue Fantasy: Versus (48%)
- Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid (42.308%)
- Soul Calibur VI (41.379%)
- The King of Fighters XV (40.385%)
- TIED (40%)
- ARMS
- Guilty Gear Xrd: REV 2
- Samurai Shodown (39.286%)
- Street Fighter 6 (38.889%)
- Guilty Gear -Strive- (38.095%)
- DNF Duel (37.5%)
- Fighting EX Layer (36.842%)
- The King of Fighters XIV (36.207%)
- TIED (33.333%)
- Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
- Tekken 7
- Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (32.432%)
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (32%)
- Killer Instinct (31.034%)
- Injustice 2 (23.684%)
- Dissidia Final Fantasy NT (22.857%)
- MultiVersus (22.727%)
- Mortal Kombat XL (21.212%)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate [Defaults Only] (19.767%)
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS [Defaults Only] (18.966%)
- Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (16.667%)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (11.364%)
- We've officially seen too little of Tekken 8 & Project L for me to confidently put them in the ranking, & it'll be a while before I can confidently do that for either games.
- Street Fighter 6 is off to a better start when it comes to women than past Street Fighter games, but DLC needs to keep it up.
- NASB started off decently regarding women (better than Smash, at least).
- I feel like we know enough of the roster to add DNF Duel to the ranking. And so far, not bad.
- KoFXV is already ahead of XIV regarding the ratio of women to the entire roster, so that's nice.
- Guilty Gear -Strive- is a fair bit behind its predecessor so far, but hopefully that improves with the last base roster character as well as DLC.
- Them's Fightin' Herds, Arcana Heart 3, Skullgirls, & DoA5 making up the top dogs didn't surprise me at all. To be honest, the only surprising part is that DoA didn't have a higher percentage.
- I was both kinda surprised & not surprised by how both recent BlazBlue games, UNIEL, & Guilty Gear lead the pack in terms of female combatants (behind only DoA5). I mean, I know they have a ton of female fighters, but I didn't think that they'd plow over the competition by that much.
- Likewise, KoFXIV kinda snuck up on me in terms of the number of female fighters in its roster. Then again, there's a ton of great ladies pull from.
- ARMS did amazingly well in terms of the female fighters percentage for its first outing as a fighting game IP. That said, I did expect it to rank as high as it did. And with the game's newest character, ARMS is now tied with GGXrd in the percentage of women in the game. It should also be noted that ARMS has an equal number of men & women in its roster, which should be commended.
- Tekken 7 & SFV:AE were about what I expected. Solid percentage of ladies for both games.
- Injustice 2, MKXL, KI, & Smash Wii U/3DS ranked a bit lower than I expected. Though I'd imagine that Smash 4 would have placed a bit higher if I had counted Robin, Villager, & Corrin (29.310% if all female alts are counted, which would be ahead of Injustice 2). Smash Ultimate was originally worse until Min Min showed up, so there's at least some bright side, but it took Yabuki to get her in to begin with. Smash's problem is mostly an industry one, yes. But Sakurai & Nintendo could do a much better job of taking advantage of the options that exist when it comes to women (as well as people of color). This is something I've mentioned numerous times in the past, so most of you know the drill by now.
- For as many franchises as WB has at its disposal, it's weird how few women we have from the start. Hopefully that gets fixed going forward.
- Fighting EX Layer did about how I expected it to in terms of its percentage.
- Dissidia ranking this low came to a legitimate surprise to me given the wealth of potential female characters that Final Fantasy could pull from. That said, if I were to count Cloud of Darkness, it would end up being pretty much tied with Smash Wii U/3DS in terms of percentages (which is the point of the ranking system).
- MvCI's lack of female fighters has already been discussed to death, but I have a gut feeling that some female parity rule is in place for the game. Capcom could have easily passed up Marvel in females with just veterans alone (which is also sad considering the number of great females that Marvel has, even factoring in the then-active Fox ban), but they didn't for some reason. And looking at both sides of the roster, there's the exact same number of females between the two of them (2 per side in the base roster, 1 per side in the Season 1 Character Pass). It seems like a dumb rule, but then again, Marvel has put in dumber restrictions (see the Fox ban).
- Normally I'd be more disappointed in DBFZ's female fighters count, but it should be noted that Dragon Ball historically hasn't had a ton of major female fighters that posed a major threat to the heroes or villains. It wasn't until recently with Dragon Ball Super's Universe Survival arc that this problem had begun to be rectified with the likes of Caulifla, Kale, Kefla (who's a fusion of Caulifla & Kale, in case you don't keep up with DBS), & Ribrianne. But alas, that arc came too recently to have an impact on the base roster or the first FighterZ Pass (beyond Android 17, apparently). Having Videl in Season 2, Kefla to kick off Season 3, & Lab Coat 21 close out the game is nice (outside of the latter being currently overpowered), but the game could've done better (especially considering that we have more Gokus than women).
Last edited:
