As her name suggests, Nadeshiko Yamato was raised to be one in her youth by her strict and traditional parents, but now it's an Ironic Name since she actively strives to defy this trope. She hated being one so much that when she discovered an American movie and saw how much freedom American children were allowed, she began modelling her entire identity after American culture, to the point where she prefers to be called "Naddy". She has commented that Chiyo reminds her of her past self.
Played straight with Yaku Yakusen, who always wears a kimono and is very polite and wise despite her youthful appearance; however, this is because she's actually in her eighties, having taken a drug her granddaughter invented that permanently makes her look like a child.
Ah! My Goddess: Belldandy, which standardizes Kikuko Inoue's typecasting. Though the in-story reason for her being a yamato nadeshiko is that if she wasn't, the universe would be in serious danger. She presents an interesting case in that she so deliberately invokes this trope personality-wise but doesn't fit many of the above-defined physical descriptions, not to mention the fact that she's a Norse goddess who would have no reason to have ever even heard of Japan, let alone take on their ideal of femininity. Kikuko Inoue count: 1
Ai Yori Aoshi: Aoi Sakuraba (who provides the main page image for the trope) is a textbook example thereof, that other characters use the term in discussing her. She always wears a kimono because the family business is making kimono, and it wouldn't do for her to be seen wearing something other than her family's product. It's also justified in that she wants to be a yamato nadeshiko for Kaoru in every way, and has been practicing at it since childhood. Since she comes from a very traditional family, you would expect her to be a very traditional example. This makes her devotion to Kaoru specifically all the more significant, since brazenly defying family for the sake of love is emphatically non-traditional.
Akatsuki no Aria: Subverted with Beniko Kujou, Natsuo's fiancée. She looks the part eerily well with her dark hair and super beautiful kimonos — but she's also rude, arrogant and stuck-up. So much that Aria and Ayako team up in their shared dislike of her, Aria ends up slapping her at some point, Natsuo breaks off their engagement because of how much of a bitch she is, and at some point she snaps and stabs Natsuo.
Basilisk wiki entry: Hotarubi is reminiscent of the traditional Japanese beauty whereas Oboro is the large-eyed innocent, Okoi the sassy tomboy, and Akeginu and Kagerou (and even Ogen during her youth) representing the concept of the sensual femme-fatale.
Battle Royale: In the manga version, Noriko Nakagawa fits this description. She's feminine, a good cook, not aggressive by nature at all...and still tough enough to survive a bullet wound early on loyal to her chosen man, and, much later, to politely give the very tough Shogo Kawada a talking-to when she feels he needs to hear it. She's the one who delivers the death blow to Kazuo Kiriyama, who was all but unstoppable.
Bitter Virgin: Hinako Aikawa has a lot of the traits associated with this archetype — she's sweet, humble, and outwardly extremely vulnerable, but she shows plenty of unexpected courage in confronting those who harm her or people she cares about (albeit, understandably, usually only if they're female, due to her personal trauma).
Black Lagoon: Yukio Washimine is a deconstruction. She has the perfect looks and at the tender age of 17, she's the heiress of the Washimine Clan and is fully willing to take it over as it's the family tradition, despite those loyal not wanting her to sacrifice herself this way and her inexperience. What follows is the most likely outcome from this premise and situation, if it happened in Real Life: a total, complete mess that destroys her life. Ultimately, she commits seppuku via cutting her throat (though with a katana due to not having a dagger handy), like a yamato nadeshiko was required to do to keep her honor beyond death, having lost absolutely everything.
Bleach: Soul Society resembles feudal Japan in its architecture, style of clothing, samurai upperclass, etc, so there are a number of YN here.
Tobiume herself feels she epitomized this concept and took pride on it. While her appearance was spot-on (clothing and hairstyle) her personality was not.
Miyako, former 3rd officer of the 13th division and wife of its lieutenant, Kaien Shiba. She's a more by-the-book yamato nadeshiko because she's beautiful, tall, feminine, ultra-polite and graceful. When remembering her, Rukia Kuchiki says that Miyako was her idol. Her voice? Sumi Shimamoto, in one of her rare contemporary appearances.
Kanae Katagiri (Ryuuken's wife and Uryuu's mother) fits both the physical description (long dark hair, wide eyes, modestly and femininely dressed) and the personality traits (clearly has domestic skills since she works as a maid, holds Undying Loyalty to Ryuuken, is a competent Quincy warrior when necessary). Her silk hides serious steel: she's the one to convince Ryuuken to return home after his nastyHeroic BSoD and she does so via a gentle, heartfelt appeal instead by force.
A villainous example: Sun Sun, the most feminine and collected of Harribel's all-female fraccion. She also dresses in a modest kimono-like outfit.
Kana Ushiro is a YN in training, being very quiet and hardworking as well as un-naturallyWise Beyond Their Years.
Takami "Komo" Komoda (who is voiced by Mamiko Noto) fits pretty well, specially due to her looks as well as her Silk Hiding Steel personality, which lets her keep her cool almost all the time like in her Thanatos Gambit from the manga.
In Captain Tsubasa, Yoshiko Fujisawa fits in very well despite being just 15 years old. She's very humble, sweet, hard-working (sometimes to her own detriment, which is not shown as a good thing due to her Stepford Smiler traits) and well-loved by everyone.
Sakura's dead mother, Nadeshiko. Oh look, another one. However, she's really more of a downplayed example despite her name; while she was gentle, soft-spoken and devoted to her family, she was very clumsy when she was young, and she was also known to be a Lethal Chef. She only started resembling the trope after getting married to...Sakura and Touya's father Fujitaka, who fits the trope much better than she does aside from being male.
Among Sakura's friends, the one who embodies the trope closely is Rika Sasaki. Sakura thinks that Rika's very beautiful and mature, if not more than the other girls. Sakura's best friend Tomoyo also has a few elements of this trope (namely having long black hair and very polite speech patterns), but she's more of an Ojou.
Maki Matsumoto, the beautiful and sweet owner of the local pawn and toy shop.
Gender inverted with Yukito Tsukishiro, Touya's best friend and Sakura's crush and the embodiment of the less YN-ish Yue. Yukito's kindness and YN traits were so strong that Sakura's Precocious Crush on him was based on how similar he was to her father Fujitaka. When Sakura confesses to him, he gently confronts her on such a fact and turns her down just as sweetly in favor of her brother.
Kaho Mizuki qualifies more for this trope in the anime, where she's more quiet and aloof (in the manga, she's more of an occasionally mysterious Cool Big Sis) but she's still elegant and kind with a touch of steel. In both the manga and anime, she's the daughter of a Shinto priest and she sometimes works as a Miko at her family's shrine.
Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran, being a show about Rōnin in Japan, has a few of these. One of them in particular is a lord's mistress: she's kind, gentle, family / house oriented, looks the part with a fancy kimono and has enough inner iron to save her infant son via Heroic Sacrifice.
There's an episode in which Ran and Sonoko get fortunes at a rooster festival telling them what their boyfriends' "ideal type" is, Ran's tells her to be this. The words "yamato nadeshiko" can be heard in the dialogue. (It turns out this was actually Sonoko's fortune; she switched it with Ran's real one that just said "be yourself" because she didn't like it.)
Ran is definitely one, considering that she is kind to everybody to the extent that BO member Vermouth calls her "angel", great at cooking and housework, and patiently waits for Shinichi's return no matter how long it takes.
Many female characters (whether more or less around or only peripheral) invoke the trope in different ways, like Heiji Hattori's mom Shizuka who wears kimonos with ease and is not to be trifled with. Even more than one female Sympathetic Murderer falls into this, like Innocent Flower Girl Midori Nozaki, whose devotion to her dead older sister makes her go out for blood.
Nunnally might be Britannian, but she has yamato nadeshiko traits. She's gentle yet strong willed and shows an interest in Area 11's culture as seen in the 'traditional japanese promise' with her brother. She proves that she is not an Extreme Doormat by politely demonstrating to her handlers that she will not be a Puppet KingAfter becoming the new viceroy of Area 11.
Kallen's biological mother, Mrs. Kouzuki. She's devoted to her daughter and her dead son, but the war left her psychologically damaged and she was addicted to a drug that makes you relive happier times. Kallen also thought her mother was still devoted to her biological father, who just used her, not realizing her true reasons until she witnessed the depth of her mom's psychological damage. Though after the Grand Finale, she's clearly no longer imprisoned and it's shown that she's still bedridden thanks to the extreme side effects of her drug use.
Another Britannian one is Cecile Croomy, Count Lloyd Asplund's beautiful lab assistant. She'd be the perfect yamato nadeshiko if not for two things: her status as a Britannian... and her ''creative'' cooking. Kikuko Inoue count: 2
Played with in D.Gray-Man, where the pale and dark-haired girl who loves serving coffee and is a total sweetie towards her friends...is also a fearless Kick Chick and professional soldier. Ladies and gentlemen, here's Lenalee Lee!
Dangaioh: Miya Alice is this when off-duty. She is a Japanese schoolgirl who was kidnapped and made into a Super-Soldier due to her latent Psychic Powers.
Dear Brother: Nanako Misonoo is one in training and she's already graduated from cooking and caretaking. She likely got it from her own mom, a beautiful and kind woman who is a great cook and is always seen in a kimono.
Before becoming a demon, Nezuko was ladylike, motherly, a renowned beauty with Raven Hair, Ivory Skin, and enjoyed traditionally feminine activities like sewing. She also cared greatly for her family, as her last conscious act as a human was to try to protect her younger brother. After becoming a demon, she becomes more childlike and acts more on instinct (which is further amplified by her ability to shrink her size), though she still proves to have a strong resolve when it comes to her refusal to harm humans.
Tamayo is a gentle yet strong-willed Japanese woman in a floral-patterned kimono. She's frequently described by Yushiro as beautiful, with Raven Hair, Ivory Skin, and a petite build.
One of Genki Girl Miyako Inoue's image songs is called Yamato Nadeshiko Panic; the lyrics are about how much she wants to be more of a yamato nadeshiko. In the Distant Finale, she is. Kinda. Note that the song was released after the finale, along with image songs for the girls from predecessor Digimon Adventure and successor Digimon Tamers.
Toshiko Takenouchi, Sora's very traditional mother (she's the owner of an ikebana school and is seen wearing a kimono in a flashback), combines this with Education Mama. Satoe Tachikawa, Mimi's mom, is this and One of the Kids. Also Yoshie Izumi, Koushiro's mom, who may be the straightest example after Toshiko.
Renamon, in spite of being a yellow kitsune, is a Lady of War devoted to her tamer Ruki and much more polite to the other two main tamers. She's a very furryyamato nadeshiko, you might say.
Ruki's grandmother Seiko is notorious because of the heavy emphasis on her wisdom and subtle touch of iron, and there's an episode in which she dolls up in a kimono and attends a kabuki performance alongside Ruki. Also, Seiko-grandma always knew Renamon was there for Ruki, but kept quiet about it since she believed Renamon was her grandchild's guardian spirit.
Doraemon: Shizuka Minamoto is a soft-spoken, nature-loving, and caring girly-girl who addresses the Failure Hero Nobita using polite honorifics. She's shown to be pretty good at almost everything except playing the violin.
The Elder Sister-like One, aka Ane Naru Mono gives us the dual-persona of Chiyo. Most of the time, she plays the beautiful and demure older sister of Yuu. But if anyone threatens him, she assumes her normal form of the Lovecraftian demon Shub-Niggurath, sporting long rending talons and ichor-dripping tentacles.
Played with in regards to Karin Koizumi. The best quarterback in the whole country is... a sweet girl who adores piano playing and shoujo manga and was forcefully recruited by the Teikoku Alexanders.
Fairy Tail: Kagura Mikazuchi is this mixed with a few Samurai attributes. She has the dedication, grace and stoicism of a true Yamato Nadeshiko, though she may not act innocent at first it is only the Samurai-like output that hides her true modest and submissive nature. Her appearance also backs-up the mixture complete with a Hime cut.
Megumi Tadokoro could be considered a Yamato Nadeshiko in training. She's sweet and soft-spoken, but suffers from performance anxiety problems that hamper her extraordinary culinary talent. As the story advances she becomes more assertive and gains more confidence in herself, and many characters have commented she'll make a good wife one day. She also has the family-loyalty trait ingrained, as her family owns a ryokan inn that she's expected to inherit one day.
Hinako Inui subverts the trope; outwardly she looks the part with her kimono and Motherly Sideplait, speaks politely and has mastered Japanese traditional cooking. But she's also known for being quite goofy and childish despite being in her mid-twenties, loves to tease people and flirt with young schoolgirls.
Tohru Honda is a downplayed example. She's a Nice Girl, a great cook and homemaker, speaks very politely, and does have a touch of steel that comes out when it's necessary, like when her friends really need her emotional support or to offer kindness to the deeply desperate and wounded Yandere of a Big Bad, Akito, ultimately being one of the strongest forces behind her Heel–Face Turn. Her character design in the 2019 anime even changes her hairstyle slightly into more of a Hime Cut. However, she still doesn't quite fit the trope since she's also clumsy, naive, and tends to be an Extreme Doormat due to her very low self-esteem.
Her mother Kyouko is the opposite; she has more steel than silk. After marrying Katsuya, she is happy to be a loving mother and housekeeper and finally experience living in a happy family, which she couldn't due to her Abusive Parents... and then, in Uotani's backstory, we see that she beats the tar out of a group of delinquents to save Uotani. In Yuki's flashback to when little Tohru went missing, we also see her threaten to "rain death upon [the police's] miserable souls" if they don't find her baby.
Ren Mikihara, a minor addition to the side-story cast, along with student body president Atsunobu Hayashimizu, whom she clings to.
In one episode Kaname dresses up as and acts like an archetypical YN and goes unrecognized by other characters who know her. She lampshaded it herself, saying that she always wanted to be "more classy", but this position in their family was already taken by her older sister, so she felt that she had to become a Tsundere instead.
Future Diary: Tsubaki Kasugano aka the Sixth plays the part and looks like one, but is a Cute and Psycho-type Manipulative Bitch, priestess of a Religion of Evil, and the local Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds. On the other hand, the Tsubaki we see in Paradox and in chapter 58 of the original series is one of these to the core, with special emphasis on wisdom and selflessness. It's hinted that Paradox!Tsubaki, who has the same backstory of abuse of the original one save the loss of herTragic Keepsake, could potentially snap if the right circumstances are met.
Gankutsuou: Mercedes Herrera/de Morcerf is a French(ish) variant but otherwise fits the trope (graceful, forgiving, loyal but strong willed, etc) and is voiced by you know who (count: 3).
Gintama: Otae is a subversion. While she appears to have the mild mannerisms, warm smile and naginata, she also a legendarily awful cook, and quite violent to those that tick her off- which isn't all that hard to do. Hinowa fits the description better.
Girlfriend, Girlfriend: Nagisa worked as hard as she could to become one for three months, in order to make herself presentable as wife material to Naoya. Even in the present, she still does most of the cooking and chores around the house.
Girls Saurus: Akira Sakou is the Ojou who lives in a Big Fancy House and is an extremely traditional yamato nadeshiko (and is explicitly described as resembling and behaving like Nadeshiko herself)... however, she is also a hardcore Bokukko with very complicated gender identity issues outside of home, and it's implied that her attraction to Shingo is out of a strange inversion of Sitch Sexuality, because he's the only boy who (she thinks) thinks of her as a boy.
Girls und Panzer: Hana Isuzu was raised to exhibit these characteristics, and even though she rebels against family tradition, she still maintains her dignity and traditional skills until she can reconcile with her equally YN-archetype mother.
Mirai Yashima from Mobile Suit Gundam is more this than the Ojou, considering her down-to-Earth behavior and motherly disposition. She's even more of one in the sequels (Zeta Gundam and Char's Counterattack) where she's married to Bright Noah and has two children with him.
Gundam SEED has Lacus Clyne (with heavy emphasis on the wisdom), a yamato nadeshiko who uses her Idol Singer status to become a political juggernaut because her family business just happens to be politics and her dad, ex PLANT chairman Siegel Clyne, is murdered because of it. Her yamato nadeshiko side is more obvious in Gundam SEED Destiny, where she spends her days as a homemaker/mother figure to a gaggle of orphans. The ending of Destiny makes her status as this trope complicated. See the note. note Given that it's the only government of a major power that's still intact (the previous leader of the PLANTs had conquered the Earth Alliance and killed its leaders) and the minor nations had already sided with her beforehand, this particular yamato nadeshiko effectively now rules the world. Special Edition outright states it. In Japan traditionally yamato nadeshiko could and did control things (there were even women Empresses), but did it discreetly and indirectly, as direct control was considered crass for women. So Lacus would come out more as the Ojou— she has the behavior, but not the mindset and is too much ambitious for classical yamato nadeshiko. Who, in her situation, would be perfectly prepared to let Kira Yamato take the position and then helphimfrom the shadows.
Kira Yamato's mother, Caridad Yamato, who was very sweet and soft-spoken as well as fitting the appearance nicely. She's Kira's adoptive mom as well as his and Cagalli's biological aunt, being the little sister of their Missing Mom Via Hibiki. She showed the Silk Hiding Steel part by risking her own life to rescue her baby niece and nephew after the murders of Ulen and Via, literally running away from the murder site with both children in her arms; afterwards, Caridad and her husband Haruma raised Kira as their own child, and it's assumed they also contacted Uzumi Nara Attha and his wife and gave them baby Cagalli to raise and keep safe. Kikuko Inoue count: 5
Gundam 00: Anew Returner, the new Wrench Wench from Celestial Being has the mannerisms and the soft-spoken, hardworking behavior. Subverted later: her yamato nadeshiko side was a façade, since she was a brainwashed Manchurian Agent. And when her boyfriend Lyle tried to give Anew a Last-Second Chance and she was about to take it, her boss Ribbons mind-controlled her and the boyfriend's partner Setsuna had to kill her. OUCH.
Anti Villainous example: Nanai Miguel, Char's second-in-command and lover from Char's Counterattack.
Queen Dianna Soleil from ∀ Gundam counts as one too.
Toyed with inG Gundam. When Rain Mikamura gets the Rising Gundam to use in battle, it has a heat naginata polearm that can become a bow with heat arrows as its main weapon, following the example of the yamato nadeshiko who's trained in weapon handling to defend herself and her household. Rain has many traits, personality wise: she is extremely devoted to Domon, to her Professor father and their mission... but is also more fanservicy, stubborn and outspoken than the standard.
Haikara-san ga Tooru: Invoked and discussed, where main character Benio Hanamura has the looks and even wears traditional clothes... but does not want to become one and thus stop being The Lad-ette, no matter what her very traditional father says. She starts taking up some of the traits (more going by the will of iron) as she gets involved in a Perfectly Arranged Marriage with Nice Guy Shinobu Iijyuin, though.
The most straight-up YN in the series is Miss Kichiji. She's a Geisha, so being a yamato nadeshiko or at very least playing the part in public is her main work gig.
Hamtaro: Parodied with Charlotte/Sakura, Teacher Philip/Ichiro's girlfriend and later wife. She can play the part well when needed and has been raised as one by her very overprotective dad... but you'd never know it if you met her outside her Big Fancy House, since she's a Genki Girl bordering on Wild Child whenever she gets out.
Hanamaru Kindergarten: Hinagiku is a 5 year old version of this, skillfully commanding her mafia don father when he gets scary.
Hanaukyō Maid Team: Head maid Mariel is attentive, polite, demure, intelligent and capable enough to be the head maid. Although she's always obedient to Taro's wishes, she can usually get him to do what she wants anyway. The best example is in episode 10, where she gets him to do his chores by saying she'll have to lay off maids if he doesn't. She's much more so in the first season than later. Deconstructed in La Verite.
Hand Maid May: Mami was created with this idea in mind; she's a domestic genius who wears a kimono, and she's voiced by Kikuko Inoue (count: 6), but she also has American traits and can skate up walls.
Haou Airen had Kurumi's mother. Kurumi was shaping up into one of these as well, until her life... "changed". She seems to have become a real one after Hakuron's death.
Hell Girl: Played with in one episode. A beautiful orphan girl named Inori has the looks and is offered a nice marriage prospect with the handsome son of the sponsor of her Orphanage of Love. The only problem is that there's a BIG catch: her mother in law, Mrs. Kyokotsu, only wants Inori to be a "living prop" who will spend her life quietly sitting around in a corner, watching life pass by in front of her - like the dolls that the family makes for a living. Completely alone since her Jerkass husband takes his mom's side, Inori tries to endure this Domestic Abuse... but she snaps and, despite Hajime's warnings, she sends the old woman to Hell.
Japan is the character who plays with this trope the most, to such an extent that it's not clear if he's more of a straight than parodic example or the other way around. On one hand, he's polite, soft-spoken, humble, mature (especially when compared to the rest of the cast), usually wears a kimono or yukata, is shown to have domestic abilities (and not to mention he puts on a female kimono and apron when he plays house), andWord of God uses the term "Yamato Nadeshiko" to describe what he would have been like as a female. On the other hand, he's also a socially awkwardInscrutable Oriental who once turned against his family (which is his political commentary), and his YN traits are used for humor/parody as often as they're played straight (e.g. he can be too polite for his own good) Possibly the best way to describe him is as a blend of bothInscrutable Oriental and yamato nadeshiko, with the latter being more obvious when he's with people/nations he feels comfortable around. Then in the manga and CD drama ("The World's Pervert Ambassador") Japan lays bare his Otaku side and proudly proclaims that everybody should turn to the 2D "Moe" universe because it wouldn't soil the body (although it will soil the heart, just a tiny bit). Technically speaking, YN's of either gender are not allowed to reveal their carnal desires, especially of the fujoshi variety...
In Nyotalia, the female interpretation of Japan acts exactly like a YN. She has straight bangs, wears flowers in her hair, is usually seen in a kimono or a black, more feminine version of Japan's military uniform, and is described by Estonia as "quiet-looking". However, given the flip side of her male counterpart's nature...
Taiwan seemed to be a good candidate being dainty-looking and dressing girlishly but both the "East Asia" sketches and her speaking part in China's CD's drama track characterize her as a PluckyGenki Girl instead, who isn't shy about making fun of her older brother China's "hipness" or telling him to leave Japan alone, and interacts in an open manner with her family members. YN was systematically debunked.
Saeko Busujima is a polite Heir to the Dojo that wields a katana and knows VERY well how to use it, not to mention she has the basic looks (is very tall, has dark hair in a Hime Cut, etc) and apparently is rather good at housework. These traits, however, are mixed in with Ax-Crazy and Blood Knight (which are the opposite of the trope) when she fights. The other twist is under that polite exterior there's a sadist itching to get out and beat the crap out of everyone. Fortunately for her friends, there's a lot of zombies to kill, and holy shit she enjoys it.
Yuriko Takagi aka Saya's mother. Whenever her husband Souchirou is speaking, the beautiful Yuriko can be seen maintaining a demure composure... Until "They" break into the complex and she and her husband have to fight for their lives. Considering they're a Battle Couple and she's a Lady of War, she kicks ass.
Hime-chan's Ribbon: Aiko fits this personality, even though nobody else in her family shows a personality like this. Her younger sister, Hime-chan, wished she was more like her but over time she realizes she should be herself.
Himouto! Umaru-chan: Gender inverted with Umaru's older brother, Taihei, almost by necessity. He's hard-working, quiet, domestically talented, and is constantly trying to instill in Umaru and her friends an appreciation for Japanese values and culture. He sort of has to be this way with his Lazy Bum of a sister to take care of.
Umaru herself is this way when she's in her outside form: sweet, pretty, smart, polite, and talented at everything. Of course her Umaru-chan/UMR form is lazy, selfish, despises domestic responsibilities, and is all-around unladylike, and she'll often use this trope to try and manipulate people, primarily Taihei.
His and Her Circumstances: Soichiro's aunt and adoptive mother, Shizune Arima, pulls off all aspects of this perfectly. This includes the "hidden steel" part of the trope, when she coordinates with Yukino to get a chance to deliver a beatdown on Arima's abusive biological mother Ryouko. Rika is clearly one in training.
In Ikki Tousen Great Guardians, there's Hakufu's sweet and polite "adoptive sister", Sonken Chuubou (Sun Quan) or to be exact, Shoukyou (Xiao Qiao).
This trope is parodied in the last episode of Dragon Destiny, where Lady of War Chou'un Shiryuu dresses up in a formal kimono, takes up ikebana flower arrangement... and utterly fails.
Sango is an interesting version of the trope: she's a willowy, dark-haired, pretty-not-beautiful girl who follows her family tradition... of demon-slaying. Her existence is testament to the idea that the traditional family girl can still be handy to have around in a tight spot. note She might be inspired by the fact that traditionally, the daughters of samurai were required to know how to defend themselves and their homes in case they were under attack while their fathers or husbands were away. The naginata polearm is an almost exclusively female weapon of choice; it lets her keep the attackers at bay, using the longer reach to her advantage and reducing the chance to have the Action Girl hurt. She also wields an enormous boomerang as her signature weapon, which one wouldn't normally associate with a yamato nadeshiko (though she does use a katana for close combat).
Kikyou is a Miko who was very much a yamato nadeshiko when she was alive: she was graceful, kind, and a very competent Action Girl who also watched over her beloved village and expelled demons, and only rarely showed her secret misgivings over her mission. Then she tragically died, Came Back Wrong thanks to a witch, and took a stint as a mix of Yandere and Dark Magical Girl since both her tragic death and her forced revival fucked her up badly. Afterwards Kikyou gradually recovers her sanity, very slowly loses her rage against the world and reverts to her original yamato nadeshiko self. Then she dies again, but much more peacefully.
Iono the Fanatics: Iono is a queen from a foreign country who, on the surface, is very much a yamato nadeshiko, and she's even described as such by two government officials. However, her weak spot for black-haired girls also prompts her security officer to nickname her "horny queen", which is much more fitting.
I"s: If you can see through her Ms. Fanservice traits, you'll notice that with her kindness, dedication and humble personality, Iori Yoshizuki fits this trope. She's even voiced by Kumi Sakuma!
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure uses this for a dark and dramatic parody with Yukako Yamagishi. She's beautiful, has all the skills needed to be the perfect housewife, initially comes across as sweet and soft-spoken, is voiced in the anime by a lady known for her YN roles, and is very dedicated to Koichi. The problem is that Koichi doesn't return her feelings at first and her dedication drives her to kidnap him and forcefully mold him into an "admirable man" by such methods as withholding food and building an electric chair (which she thankfully never gets to use). Yamato Nadeshiko strive to improve their husband so he can achieve his goals, but she does it against Koichi's will and consent. Long hair was traditionally considered desirable for Japanese women: hers is weaponized. The prerequisite of Undying Loyalty is taken to its full extreme as a Yandere. She very definitely has an inner steel, but it makes her come across as violently temperamental. Being a Determinator that stays hidden behind the scene just gives this young woman a Stalker with a Crush vibe.
Kakegurui: Subverted with the main character, Yumeko Jabami. Jabami at first appears to be a soft spoken and demure Japanese beauty, with long black hair and conservative dress habits. However, she has near sexual reactions to anything related to gambling, and stops caring about any social norms on the drop of a hat.
Kekkaishi: To the public eye, Yukimura Tokine is a picture-perfect example: graceful, aloof, and lives in a house that looks like it belongs to an old-fashioned Japanese princess. The Silk Hiding Steel aspect is her secret work as akekkaishi. When the sun goes down she becomes a scarily competent and ruthless Action Girl who not only has the tendency to hit allies who annoy her over the head and but also cold-heartedly executes enemies. Regarding cooking (or in this case baking), Yoshimori is more proficient than her...
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple: Miu Furinji is a blonde Ms. Fanservice, but otherwise she's a good example. She's polite and kind. She cleans and cooks for the dojo and makes sure it doesn't run out of money. In fact, the grand master mentions that they wouldn't live so well without Miu's care. So as long as no one makes her her jealous or angry, she will be this to a T; her "inner iron" is not the least bit subtle.
Akemi, the Kasuga family's deceased matriarch, was a very gentle woman who also had quite the strong will when she had a goal in her mind. Most exemplified in her and Takashi's backstory, when Akemi goes against her parents's Parental Marriage Veto by secretly helping Takashi with the task they gave him as condition to date her.
Manami, one of Akemi and Takashi's daughters, inherits her mom's YN-ness and shows it via being quiet, sort-of a "small mother" for the Kasuga family, and keeping her more gung-ho twin sister Kurumi in line as much as she can.
Madoka, the main female character, qualifies too. Despite being a Broken Bird, apparently aloof, abrasive and believed to be a delinquent, she's actually a noble and heroic person with a heart of gold. She's selfless, kind and devoted to the guy she loves.
Kimi ni Todoke: Sawako Kuronuma. Not only does she fit the looks of the trope with her long, dark hair, she also has a penchant for skirts and girly clothing. She takes turns cooking for her family, makes cookies to thank others for small favors and makes all of her own Christmas gifts by hand.
Komi Can't Communicate: Komi plays with this. She fulfills the trope in both appearance and demeanor, though it's not actually intentional from her, and both came from two very different sources. Her looks came from her mother, while her demeanor came from her paternal grandmother. However, Komi is more of a mess than what the trope suggests, being considerably less collected than she appears to be.
K-On!: Ui Hirasawa doesn't have the typical looks of a yamato nadeshiko, but personality-wise she fits this trope to a T. Everything she works for being for the good of the family? Check. Loyal? Check. Really good at cooking and cleaning? Check. Mature? Check, and arguably moreso than any other character on the show. Polite? A given. Finally, there's tea.
The sisters who form the group Kono Hana wa Otome all hail from a noble family in Yamato, the Fantasy Counter Part Culture of Japan. They all use traditional Japanese arts like fans, kimonos, and musical arrangements but combine that with their beloved Western rock for an East/West fusion that is uniquely theirs. In particular, their leader Nadeshiko is incredibly fond of Western culture and frequently blindly imitates all the elements she sees such as KISS facepaint, (attempting) to blow fire or rappelling down from the ceiling on a rope. She's also noted to be a Mood-Swinger on-stage, losing her demure personality as she rocks on her guitar and gleefully tells the audience to "Go to hell!"
Yuzuriha of the now-defunct group Ray looks and acts like the ideal noble young lady from Yamato... until you learn that she has a massiveForeign Culture Fetish for all things Western and transferred to Waleland for that and the women as well. She's a proud Lipstick Lesbian who even went so far as to form the school's Cabaret Club which doubles as a hostess club to facilitate her womanizing.
Motoko Aoyama from Love Hina is a subversion; she has the looks and traditionalist mindset of a yamato nadeshiko, but she's too brash and immature to really fit in terms of personality. Motoko herself doesn't believe she's feminine enough to qualify and frequently grapples with Tomboy Angst.
Umi Sonoda from Love Live! is a downplayed version. She has long dark hair, comes from a traditional family (her father runs a martial arts dojo while her mother is a master of traditional dance), and tends to be stubborn when it comes to the people she cares about. However, while she's usually modest, calm and rational, she does tend to get flustered fairly often.
Dia Kurosawa from Love Live! Sunshine!! is a subversion. She has the looks (long, dark hair in a Hime Cut), comes from a traditional family, and tries very hard to be polite, mature and dignified. However, she's ultimately too temperamental, hammy and melodramatic to fit the trope in terms of personality, being more of a Harsh type Tsundere instead.
Lyrical Nanoha: When off-duty, Nanoha herself fits in very well. While on leave at home, she was mistaken for a normal House Wife. If she's working expect some serious "befriending"... and once that's done, she'll be back to her YN self. It Runs in the Family, considering her also very YN-ish mother Momoko.note So yes, a Yamato Nadeshiko with the relative firepower of the Yamato and Nadesico
Played with in Maison Ikkoku. Kyouko Otonashi was always a Tsundere and started as such, then became a YN after her beloved first husband Soichirou died early in their marriage. Her starting to regain her Tsundere-ness is a sign that she's being herself again, and that the YN traits came from her trying to cope with such a loss.
In the Manga version, the Nadeshiko picked up an addon unit on Mars, named Yamato, and after the upgrade, is renamed Yamato Nadeshiko to play it straight, and think about it, it's Space Battleship Yamato Nadeshiko. The unit received heavy damage in the last battle, and after they purged it, the ship returned to just Nadeshiko. (note: Manga story is VERY different from anime version.)
Mutsumi embodies this to a T, between her haircut, sense of style, and supportive, loving demeanor while maintaining the ability to remain cool under pressure. She's also incredibly hardworking and works round the clock to support her family. She does have a tendency to be The Gadfly, however.
Keiko, Mutsumi's grandmother, is matronly, firm, kind, and supportive. She even wears a kimono compared to the western-style dress of her husband and grandkids.
Morita-san Wa Mukuchi, Yumi, Mayu's mother aside from her fits of jealousy against her husband.
My Bride is a Mermaid: Sun is extremely devoted to Nagasumi, to the point that she decided to follow him to Saitama and live under the same roof as his fiancée. She's also big on honor, family tradition, and the family business, although she's more rough-spoken than most examples.
Momo Yaoyorozu from My Hero Academia. While she is a Ms. Fanservice in a StripperifficLeotard of Power, otherwise she hits many of the qualifications, especially out of costume. She is a kind, polite, and selfless young lady, beautiful with long black hair and fair skin, acts calm and demure, takes the Team Mom role towards her classmates, and proves to be a tough Lady of War.
My Love Story!!: Takeo's girlfriend Rinko Yamato is highly feminine, has a calm and sweet disposition, is very shy about matters of physical intimacy, and is a fantastic pastry chef. She is also determined to hold on to Takeo's affections, and will chew out anyone who speaks ill of him. Takeo's mother tries to fill this role behavior-wise whenever Yamato visits (wearing nicer clothes, prettying up the house, making fancy refreshments) in a bid to impress her son's first-ever girlfriend. Other than that, she subverts this trope in almost every respect except her domestic skills and her altruism.
Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok: The Mysterious Thief Freyr refers to Mayura Daidouji as "Yamato Nadeshiko" note The dub renders this as 'Classical Japanese Beauty' but she doesn't quite fit the standards because she is spacy and bull headed.
The manga Nadenade Shikoshiko features Cherry, a cavewoman in the modern age, trying to reach this ideal because the boy she loves, Totoki, prefers that type of girl to the point of attending a high school that has being taught its traits as part of the curriculum. Some of the humor is derived from Cherry's misinterpreting some of the details, such as standing "three steps behind" so as to protect her man from beasts.
Gender Inverted with Haku. He's a kind, soft-spoken, androgynous (if not outright feminine-looking) boy who probably has some significant domestic ability aside from that which we see onscreen (the herb-picking). He bows to Zabuza's authority but retains that hint of steel the article talks about...when it comes to protecting Zabuza.
Hinata Hyuga. She may seem pretty weird at first, but she has long dark blue hair and fair skin in Part II. Not only that, she is also exceptionally kind, polite, and soft-spoken to everyone, and she is devoted to Naruto, whom she later marries. The inner iron, while always present, takes a while to manifest, but when it does...it does: In the Chunin Exams preliminaries, she correctly guesses Neji's actual psychological problems and, once she stops fearing him (thanks to Naruto cheering her on), she tells him so to his face, even though she knew he'd surely snap and beat her to death (and he almost did). In the Invasion of Pain arc, she steps out against Pain because of her love for Naruto, even though she knew she would most likely die (and she almost did, which enrages Naruto). Finally, in the Canon movie The Last: Naruto the Movie, she fights off Toneri for the sake of her younger sister, Hanabi, reclaims Hanabi's stolen eyes, and finally becomes not only Naruto's girlfriend, but also his Battle Couple partner.
Mikoto Uchiha. A mother who cared very much for her two sons, Itachi and Sasuke, and tried to keep the peace between them alongside praising Sasuke in front of her husband Fugaku. Along with Kushina Uzumaki, she was an extremely powerful kunoichi and held in high regards. She was fiercely loyal to Fugaku and it's hinted that she played a part in the Uchiha's plan to take over Konoha. She even sat calmly and offered Itachireassurance as he killed her and Fugaku.
Konan was this towards Yahiko and Nagato. When Jiraiya and the Sannin left, things for the Ame Orphan's quickly went downhill. Over time Konan became devoted to the two men, to the point of accepting Nagato becoming Pain using Yahiko's body as a weaponized remnant. In the end, Konan's loyalty to Pain was the last obstacle Tobi needed to destroy and reclaim the Rinnegan.
Akira Okochi has been getting her yamato nadeshiko points up with her sisterly concern for her friend Ako Izumi's feelings for Negi or more exactly, his "alter ego" Nagi.
Rei II in the Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance after defrosts and particulary in Rebuild where she tries to get her love interest and his father (who also happens to be the closest she herself had for a father) to get along by inviting them to a home-cooked dinner. She is also quiet, serious, would die for any of those two at any given moment and, in the original series, reacts with a Luminescent Blush to being told that she'd make a good housewife.
Hikari Horaki in the original series. Despite being a minor character, she appears in a lot of Japanese market pictures and figure sets. It's discussed whether Hikari is a Type B Tsundere or a YN who happens to be friends with two kids (Asuka and Touji) who are THAT good at irritating people.)
Noir: Altenna is beautiful, motherly, soft-spoken, sincere about what she believes in — but considering what she's so dedicated to, she's also creepy as hell.
Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo has Ureshiko. Given the name but the cultural differences between East and West are a plot point. While she has a traditional eastern wedding it's only because the western one requires a kiss. (Kikuko Inoue count: 8)
Otomen: Cake baking, clothes mending, soft toy making, and cute bento lunch cook Asuka is close to this this trope. The one big exception is that he's a guy. However, he almost wins a yamato nadeshiko competition on behalf of Ryo, the girl he loves (who is anything but a yamato nadeshiko).
Tamaki often imagines Haruhi, who is a Bifauxnen, as one; before coming to Ouran and cutting her long hair, she resembled one, as well. She is a good cook, but other than that the trope doesn't apply to her.
In the manga a girl named Kanoya falls for Tamaki. She seems to have all these traits, and also very closely resembles Tamaki's inner mind version of Haruhi.
Outlaw Star: Twilight Suzuka is something of a hybrid. She is half this trope with her outfit and wooden sword and classic appearance and half Lady of War with her fighting style and poise.
Paranoia Agent: Misae Ikari uses most of episode 11, "No Entry" to show a Reconstruction of this trope. While her "selfless" behavior came from clinical depression she retains the quiet dignity and inner iron of the trope. No one else in the series was capable of forcing Lil' Slugger to sit down and listen to her like a good little boy.
Sakura-chan's four older sisters. Satsuki (Jolteon), Sumomo (Vaporeon), Tamao (Umbreon) and Koume (Flareon) can wear fancy headgear and kimono gracefully, serve you the most delicious green tea, play the shamisen beautifully, arrange flowers like pros... and kick your ass in style with their Mons. Little Sakura is still too young to fully qualify, but she and her Eevee/Espeon are getting there.
Dawn's Togekiss was originally trained by a princess. Bonus points for being voiced by you-know-who (count: 10)!
Erika the Gym Leader gets points for wearing a kimono and beng the sweetest girl until you insult her perfume and Grass Pokémon Gym. As a grass gym leader she's associated with FLOWERS. She speaks in keigo in the Japanese version as well.
Pokémon Adventures: Daisy, Green's older sister. She's kind, polite, good at nursing Pokémon, brewing tea, and helps her grandfather out in his studies, and later Bill.
Pretty Cure has several of these across multiple continuities. Most, but not all, are associated with the color blue.
Futari wa Pretty Cure MaX Heart has Honoka (white which is associated with blue) and later Hikari (pink/yellow). Honoka is an intelligent, calm and responsible girl from a wealthy family, and she even knows how to cook. Hikari is also very calm, friendly, and formal..
Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash★Star has Mai (white which is associated with blue) who is a shy, but friendly and formal girl. She's not rich, but her family is wealthy.
Yes! Pretty Cure 5 has Komachi (green) and Karen (blue). Karen is a formal and noble girl who comes from a very rich house, and she is the Student Council President as well. Karen even imagines herself a traditional Japanese wedding when asked, while the others dream of Western style weddings. Komachi, who is also on the student council, is not rich, but much calmer and friendlier than Karen... although her ideal wedding situation was something of a Shotgun Wedding.
Doki Doki! PreCure has Alice (yellow) who is another Ojou with a calm, friendly and formal personality.
Star★Twinkle Pretty Cure has Madoka (purple), the Student Council President, who is being brought up by her father to become a proper ojou. Among other things, she's trained in flower arrangement, tea ceremonies, archery, and piano playing, which leads to her being somewhat emotionally distant; Hikaru takes her out shopping solely to let her relax. Her character arc has her learning to follow her own path rather than what her father lays out for her.
In the manga and OAVs, Sakuno Ryuzaki is portrayed as more mature and less klutzy and thus fitting the yamato nadeshiko better than in the anime.
Gender inverted with Choutarou Ohtori, especially in the anime. Polite? Check. Wise Beyond Their Years? Check. Focused on his goals? Check. Very competent in his "mission"? Check. Very devoted to his partner Shishido? Double Check.
Gender inverted with Shuuichiro Oishi. He's a Team Mom who's extremely devoted to Tezuka and Eiji and later makes many sacrifices for The Team. Such as when he forfeits his regular position to let Tezuka (manga) or Ryoma (anime) make use of it, clearly knowing that he's screwing himself over and that this won't be beneficial to Eiji either.
Some of the mothers of the players, such as Fuji's mom Yoshiko who is called one in manga canon. Ryoma's mother Rinko is of an exception. tho: she was a fiery Type B Tsundere when young, but even when she's much more mild now, she doesn't give Nanjirou the whole control of their relationship and is hinted to be the main breadwinner of the household (he's a lazy monk, she's a lawyer).
Nanako Meino, Ryoma's Cool Cousin. While certainly sweet and compliant, she's not afraid to tell her uncle Nanjirou what she thinks of him. In a Very polite manner, mind you.
Hitomi Shizuki is very ladylike, soft-spoken, determined when she has a goal and good at very traditionally Japanese things like Japanese dance, tea ceremonies and piano playing. She attends after-school classes for them, feeling that she should learn them even if it means less time for school duty.
Madoka's father, Tomohisa, is a Rare Male Example. He's soft-spoken, homey, and a Supreme Chef who takes care of the home while his wife Junko is the breadwinner.
Mami also fits this trope. She's feminine, polite, good at cooking, acts like a Big Brother Mentor towards the other girls, and has a graceful fighting style. In one scene, she calmly sips tea immediately after a battle. She ve It's part of her facáde. She would have probably played this straight if she wasn't a Puella Magi, but after all the witch hunts, she has become a Broken Bird who uses this sort of mindset to keep from breaking down. She even says Ara ara often.
Queen's Blade: Tomoe is one: the Hime Cut, the priestess uniform, the polite and sweet yet tough as nails personality, her homeland is Wutai; she nails every bull's eye. In a cast with so many female characters it's surprising that she's the only YN.
Ramen Fighter Miki: Parodied when Miki Onimaru (normally a mean and cranky waitress) got drunk and started to act like one.
Kasumi Tendo is the responsible eldest sister, and when Mrs. Tendo died, she became the house's mother figure. She even has a traditional view on sex and marriage, chastising Ranma and Akane when she thinks they've been sneaking around having sex. She adopted a public face of yamato nadeshiko, but allowed her own selfish and snarky (though always feminine and polite) side to show at home. Later on, she was Flanderized to follow this trope unto the point of parody. Kikuko Inoue count: 11
There were two characters in the manga that tried to get revenge on Shampoo for beating them up as kids by using some weird flowers that turned whoever wore them into a yamato nadeshiko, even if they were male.
Nodoka Saotome, Ranma's mother, is the very image of the yamato nadeshiko: a reserved lady in a kimono that carries a katana meant to preserve the family's honor. When she hears how someone is menacing Akane or Ranko and she gets out the katana. Even if she's clumsy with it, there's a reasonArrogant Kung-Fu Guy Genma calls her a "formidable woman."
Akari Unryuu is occasionally derided as a Relationship Sue because she plays this trope perfectly straight, without any 'little quirks' like the aforementioned characters have. Let's make a list: long dark hair, pretty but not beautiful, loyal to her guy (indeed, she thinks his curse is more reason to love him), and carries on her family's tradition of raising sumo pigs. Word of God confirmed that she was created with Ryoga's Happily Ever After in mind.
Konatsu is a "genius" kunoichi (female Ninja) that also works as a kimono clad waitress in Ukyo's shop. Since this is Ranma ½, Konatsu is male.
Played with in a filler episode. We meet a guy who wants Ranma to marry his daughter Kaori, and she seems to be the perfect one: always in a bridal kimono, chaste, humble etc. Then Akane and Ranko enter a race to see what to do... Kaori shreds her bridal clothes and rises to the challenge, and we see that she's a Cute Bruiser who will do anything in her power to win Ranma's "hand in marriage".
RG Veda: Lady Kendappa is willowy, dark-haired, gentle, artsy, and ladylike. And she chose to kill herself rather than fighting her beloved girlfriend Souma.
Double-Subverted where Tomoe Yukishiro is sweet, hardworking, so calm and collected she looked borderline cold... and was a spy who wanted to kill Kenshin for murdering her fiance. She opens up and genuinely falls for Kenshin, "her Second Love", and dies. Several years later, Kenshin falls for theTsundere Kaoru, who in the infamous Seishouhen OAV grows up into a yamato nadeshiko. This is also present in the manga epilogue, but it's handled more subtly.
The two girls from the Oniwabanshuu (Masukami/Omasu and Omime/Okon), when they're off-duty. They work as waitresses in the Aoiya when not kicking ass alongside the group, while the guys are the cooks of the place.
Sayo Mutou aka Magdaria is also one of these, as she is a very calm and soft-spoken young woman who takes the Team Mom role towards a whole Japanese Christian community. She's also colder than the standard due to her Dark and Troubled Past, but slowly defrosts with Sanosuke's help.
The most straightforward example is post-Character Development!Megumi Takani. She has the looks, is The Medic and the Team Mom, is very good at traditionally feminine deals, and pulls Kaoru out of her Heroic BSoD when Kenshin leaves to Kyoto.
Downplayed by Usagi's mom Ikuko, who more often than not acts like this but is also more nagging than the standard (especially in The '90sanime) and is hinted to have Usagi's dad whipped.
Reiko Aya aka Sailor Aluminium Siren from the Stars anime is the very rare villainous example. She is very ladylike and soft-spoken, and even kinda ditzy, but she's on the side of the Big Bad Galaxia and devotes herself to follow her evil orders. Kikuko Inoue count: 12
Saint Beast: Gender inverted with Rey. He's the most typically feminine and domestic member of The Team but is perfectly competent in a fight and stronger than he seems.
Sakura Gari: When Masataka stops by Dr. Katsuragi's house, he meets his beautiful, polite and soft-spoken wife Asayo, who seems to be the perfect example of the trope. Then, Masataka notices the bruises on her neck and wrists, and the deal becomes a LOT more unsettling.
Kaede Kimura in tries to be a true yamato nadeshiko to Itoshiki Nozomu (she uses the term) but her years spent overseas, as well as a mental breakdown she suffered when she returned to Japan, have left her with a second, more dominant personality: Kaere, who has a stereotypical aggressive foreigner attitude. Hilarity Ensues.
Played for Laughs with Matoi Tsunetsuki, who wears a kimono and acts like an exaggerated version of the trope andStalker with a Crush in regards to Itoshiki-sensei.
Kiri Komori mixes this with being an Eerie Pale-Skinned BrunetteHikikomori. She's sweet, calm, polite, feminine, and domestic... while also being adorably creepy and constantly locking herself in the school.
Saiyuki: Gender inverted with Cho Hakkai, complete with Politeness Judo: watch the group's antics carefully, and you'll see that while Sanzo is nominally in charge if Hakkai wants something done, it happens. He'll also break your arm without ever losing his smile...but only if you're threatening innocents or his True Companions.
School Rumble: Yakumo Tsukamoto, Tenma's little sister. On one hand she is kind, good-hearted, a good cook, helpful to her sister (and Harima), and fits the appearance nicely. On the other her seeming perfection hides her inability to interact with others (the manga shows that she has trouble making friends), her Heavy Sleeper tendency gets in the way of housework, and her devotion to Tenma and Harima causes her to ignore her own emotional needs.
In Seiyu's Life!, the former child star/Idol Singer and veteran seiyuu Noriko Hidaka is portrayed as one, sharing her wisdom and experiences with the cast to help them, and doing so in a gentle and ladylike way. She also mentions having played some YM women in her career (like the aforementioned Kikyou).
Sekirei: Miya Asama is airon-willed yet perfectly graceful example. She will have her way and make you like it.
Kaoruko Hanayagi is a subversion; on the surface she seems to be one, as she's very skilled in traditional Japanese dancing, comes from a traditional (and wealthy) Japanese family, and uses a naginata during stage combat. However, personality-wise she doesn't fit the trope at all, being arrogant, selfish and lazy.
The mobile game Re LIVE introduces Tamao Tomoe, who's a much straighter example. She has a similar background to Kaoruko as she's also very skilled in Japanese dance, but unlike Kaoruko she actively strives to be as much of a yamato nadeshiko as possible, living by her school's motto of "Strongly, Gracefully and Beautifully".
Shugo Chara!: Nadeshiko Fujisaki would be a completely straight example (it's even right there in the name) if it weren't for the fact that he's actually male (his real name being Nagihiko), as it's a tradition in his family to raise their sons as girls so they become more graceful dancers. Nadeshiko's Shugo Chara, Temari, also applies... except that she also has an Ax-Crazy side.
Sing "Yesterday" for Me: Shinako is a demure, reserved, and conservatively dressed woman. She spends nearly all her free time serving and cooking for her adopted family, the father and brother of her dead high school crush, seeing it as an extension of her nursing of the crush on his deathbed. She does this out of a self-centered sense of obligation, as the family neither asks for nor particularly appreciates this motherly role. This deference to the family and sense of obligation keeps her from becoming the lover that Rou wants, but also keeps her from her own happiness or personal growth. Her sense of obligation to the family and Rou keeps her from getting together with Rikuo, and keeps her constantly sad and obsessed with the memory of her dead crush. While she shows some signs of a backbone, being willing to lecture Rou in a motherly way if she thinks it's best for him, she's overall something of an Extreme Doormat, finding herself completely unable to stand up for him or clearly explain her own feelings, which ultimately ends her relationship with Rikuo.
We have two high school-aged examples: Oda's girlfriend Youko Shimamura and Akane Mizusawa from the fourth OAV. Female lead Haruko Akagi would count as well (and Youhei does describe her as a yamato nadeshiko in the beginning) if she was less accident-prone and Oblivious to Love, but she's likely to grow up into one.
A grown-up example is Anzai-sensei's wife, who even dresses up in a kimono.
Kiminobu Kogure is often considered as one of the very rare male examples. He is handsome but not gorgeous, acts as sub-captain and Team Mom to Shohoku, defers a lot to captain Akagi, is very devoted to his close friend Mitsui, and tends to try defusing crisis with gentle words rather than force (i.e., the very rebellious Sakuragi adores Kogure and is very protective of him)... but when the Shohoku team is under fire, the steel comes out like whoa, and Kogure proves himself to be mentally strong enough to do things like fearlessly telling the still not Heel Face Turn-ed Mitsui to NOT mess up with his team or scoring a three-pointer exactly at the moment when it's needed, being vital to the victory against Ryonan and letting Shohoku go to the Nationals.
Soul Eater: Tsubaki Natsukasa. How else would she be able to put up with Black☆Star? Her 'touch of iron' is shown for the first time when she confronts her big brother Masamune, in a pair of chapters/episodes which refer to both aspects of the trope.
Steel Angel Kurumi: Encore: an entire episode centered on this idea which went so far as to have a character named "Nadeshiko". She exemplified this concept, and much humor resulted in the Genki Girl main character trying to imitate her.
Sumomo Mo Momo Mo: Momoko takes the entire series to demonstrate the concept, going from a childish stalker to a devoted girlfriend thanks to Character Development. This later culmunates in her willing to follow her man into the next world.
Tenchi Muyo!: Depending on which series you are watching and how you watch it, a number of the cast fall in this category.
The Fantasy Counterpart Culture of Jurai with Japan and their royal nature means Sasami and Ayeka could be this: the former is domestic, kind, and strong willed, while the latter has the quiet dignity and devotion... when she's not involved in the race for Tenchi's love, that is.
There is also Empress Funaho, Yosho's mother and Ayeka and Sasami's stepmother. She has the perfect looks, the quiet and graceful demeanor that contrasts with Emperor Azusa's other wife Misaki, and is very loved and respected by everyone. Even more so when you learn that Funaho is Japanese — she was a woman from Feudal Japan that Azusa brought to Jurai and married.
What might be oddest is in that in one or two spots, this looks like what Ryoko wants to be. This is someone whose personality is a laundry list of what a yamato nadeshiko is not...
Parodied in Tenjho Tenge, where Aya Natsume in the very first chapter becomes an obnoxious, over-the-top Clingy Jealous Girl mixed with yamato nadeshiko because of a family tradition: any woman from the Natsume clan must give their lives to the first one who sees their naked skin, and Souichirou had the tough luck of being thrown into the dressing room while Aya was showering inside.
Both Mirei and her mother, with Psychic Powers as a bonus. Mirei's mom even pulls an Heroic Sacrifice to help her daughter and Subaru catch a Serial Killer who had targeted her.
Gender inverted with Satoru Miyazaki. He's possibly the one who was the basic design for Fujitaka and Aoki, considering his looks and behavior. No wonder he and Mirei not only have the same powers, but they end up together.
Vampire Princess Miyu: In the manga, Ranka is one of these. In the anime, she's less YN-ish but she can still make herself look like one real well. In fact, she meets her lover Kei when she's walking around clad in a kimono.
And then there's Miyu's mother, whose devotion to her daughter and wish to give her a normal life leads her to either defy the higher-ups and try running away with little Miyu, then giving her her own blood when her powers awake anyway (OAV) or attempt to kill the girl with her own weapon (manga) to free her from the terrible and lifelong duty of being the Guardian.
The plot relays on transforming the leading lady, Sunako, into this archetype (the series' original Japanese title is Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge, literally "Perfect Girl Evolution"). She has the domestic skills and looks (when she isn't drawn chibi-style) and the Undying Loyalty to her loved ones; she's just made the conscious decision to let all the other traits slide (due to her first love going sour, and in the J-Drama, bullying from her classmates), becoming a withdrawn and very creepy Dark Action Girl.
Ranmaru's arranged fiancée, Tamao Kikunoi, is sweet and demure but also has the subtle touch of strength too. She's said to be the only girl able to tolerate Ranmaru's attitude, and he seems to be gradually cleaning up his act for her.
Wandering Son: Nitori Shuuichi is a soft-spoken, docile child who's good at baking and is quite feminine. She says what she feels and has spoken up for her friends at times. In later chapters she breaks more out of this trope but still fits.
Wish: Hisui is one of this in the CD drama. Only... uh, Hisui is genderless. After awakening, Kohaku tries to become one to help Hisui in homemaking.
Witchblade: Rihoko combines this skillset with a Cheerful Child persona, which makes the people around her melt. She's very good at steering her mom, Masane.
Seishirou's mother, Setsuka, is one of the creepiest versions ever. She loves her son deeply (VERY deeply) has the perfect yamato nadeshiko looks, her hobby is ikebana aka traditional Japanese flower arrangement, is said to wear kimonos all the time, is completely devoted to her family business... and said business is being professional murderers.
Kotori Monou is one in training, specially in the TV series where her shyness and frailty are downplayed and she's shown approaching Kamui in spite of his jerkass facade, doing so rather calmly and with next to no fear, and telling him about her very traditional goal in life: become a kimono designer able to use indigo dye, which is verySerious Business in Japan. She's also voiced by Mamiko Noto, who is kinda pigeonholed into such roles. Unfortunately, poor Kotori didn't live enough to fully embody the trope.
Kamui's mother Tohru, too. From what the audience sees she was a beautiful Aloof Dark-Haired Girl, raised Kamui on her own in a very traditional society (and calmly bearing quite the stigma, according to the TV series), and in the TV series was voiced by Kikuko Inoue (count: 13). Her death also was sorta based in the concept, as she perished in an Heroic Sacrifice to be a "Shadow" for global heating (It's... complicated), and while burning to death she told Kamui to search for his Destiny.
Yaiba: The beautiful Lady of War "Nadeshiko Yamato" who is a one-shot character.
Miyuki Kobayakawa is seen as this even when she's working at her traditionally male job or up to her elbows in the engine compartment of either her patrol car or her personal vintage Toyota S800 because the woman is very dedicated to her job and her hobbies, and takes them all very seriously.
Parodied with Miyuki's coworker and friend Aoi Futaba, who is also a trans woman. She looks and acts the part so damn well that Yoriko says she's more feminine than any of the girls in Bokuto station. (Miyuki included!) Aoi is the only yamato nadeshiko role played by Rica Matsumoto, making her a case of Playing Against Type.
In Yuki Yuna is a Hero, Yuna's best friend Mimori Togo actively strives to be this- she's the most feminine of the cast, is great at cooking (or at least making sweets)... as the other girls note in Episode 7, even her eating is beautiful. She tries to embody traditional Japanese values so much that when she attempts suicide in episode 10, the very traditional jigai form of seppuku (via an Impromptu Tracheotomy) is the first method she tried.
Yumeria: Nanase raised Tomokazu, her younger cousin, is admired by younger girls denies food as punishment and is voiced by ... guess who (count: 14). However, she's not "modestly endowed".
The titular Yuuna can cook, takes care of the Inn whenever she's helping Chitose out, wears a yukata nearly all the time, and can be tough when someone messes with her loved ones. She also acts like Kogarashi's wife, even though they aren't married until the end of the manga.
Chisaki is a kind Japanese girl who can cook, clean, and looks out for other people. Many even consider her the ultimate woman.
are female and have the YN looks. So does the prefecture of Kyoto
Relationship Sue because she plays this trope perfectly straight, without any 'little quirks' like the aforementioned characters have. Let's make a list: long dark hair, pretty but not beautiful, loyal to her guy (indeed, she thinks his curse is more reason to love him), and carries on her family's tradition of raising sumo pigs. Word of God confirmed that she was created with Ryoga's Happily Ever After in mind.
