They may not be the stepmothers, but they are the mothers who stepped up!
Mother’s Day is one of the most special days of the year, on which we celebrate the love, sacrifice, and dedication of our mothers. In most people’s lives, their mothers have a very significant place, and it’s not much different in anime.
Although there’s a trend of parents dying early in anime, motherhood doesn’t come only from blood. There are many shows where brave women have stepped up to care for children who are not related to them. This article is dedicated to all the found family mothers in anime and in reality who have made us believe in unconditional love.
Fortuna (Re:Zero)
Although not a lot about Fortuna’s character was shown in the anime series, we know how much impact she had on Emilia’s life. The young elf took care of her half-elven niece when her brother and his wife were no longer able to look after her. She was extremely kind and shaped Emilia into the courageous woman she became later in life. Even though she died about a century before the events of the anime, we can’t forget her influence over the main heroine.
Richita (Black Clover)
In Black Clover, Richita is Asta’s biological mother. She was forced to live away from the main village because her magic caused her to drain life force from others. After giving birth to Asta, she left him on the doorstep of Hage’s Church lest she harm him unknowingly. But she loved her son deeply and mourned this decision. Later in life, she found a devil child Liebe. And despite his status, brought him up as her own with kindness and love. Her love for the child was so deep, in fact, that she died protecting him when Lucifero tried to take over his body. Although she couldn’t be a good mother to Asta due to the unfortunate circumstances, Richita made up for it with her adoptive son Liebe.
Azusa (I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level)
Falfa and Shalsha are technically not adoptive children as both of them were technically born from Azusa. After Azusa killed thousands of slimes over 250 years, their spirits combined to give birth to two slime spirits: Falfa and Shalsha. Falfa loves Azusa like her own mother, and becomes a sweet and obedient child. Shalsha however, embodies the hatred of the slimes and plans to kill Azusa. When she fails, she also starts living with Azusa and Falfa as the former’s daughter. Their relationship with both Azusa and Laika is heartwarming as they grow under their mother’s love and guidance.
Miyako Saitou (Oshi no Ko)
In the beginning of Oshi no Ko, Miyako was shown to be quite a shallow character who only married her husband Ichigo Saitou for money. She hated it when she was strapped with the duty of caring for Ai’s twins and tried to take revenge. However, she really stepped up after Ai’s death, fostering both Aqua and Ruby and later adopting them. She loved the twins like her own, and guided them through many ups and downs. She is shown to be especially soft on Ruby and supports her dream of becoming an idol. In the manga, she is shown to deeply grieve for Aqua when the young boy passes away. Miyako’s character shows us that a person is capable of positive change no matter the circumstances.
Kobayashi and Tohru (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid)
Both Kobayashi and Tohru, despite their differences in personalities, care a lot about Kanna. Kobayashi is a levelheaded and pragmatic human while Tohru is a joyful and loving dragon who is head over heels in love with Kobayashi. But when Kanna comes into their lives, the two start caring deeply for the soft-spoken yet mischievous dragon child. Kobayashi even works harder so she could take a day off to attend Kanna’s school festival. Although they’re not Kanna’s adoptive mothers in the traditional sense, both of them take care of her just like a mother/older sister would, making them a perfect example of the found family dynamic.
Bell-mère (One Piece)
Fans met Bell-mère in Nami’s backstory during the Arlong Park Arc. We learned that despite her rowdy personality, Bell-mère used to be a Marine. She took in both Nojiko and Nami when the young girls were in desperate need of a home. She raised them as her own for nine years and shielded them from all the evil in the world. Her unfortunate and heartbreaking death at the hands of Arlong is what drove Nami to her revenge plan. Although she was unruly, Bell-mère was a loving and kind woman who loved her daughters a lot and cared for them even at her own detriment.
Touko Fujiwara (Natsume’s Book of Friends)
Touko Fujiwara doesn’t play a massive role in Natsume’s Book of Friends, but that doesn’t make her any less important. In the story, Natsume is an orphan boy who has lived with many different distant relatives throughout his life. When he first comes to live with Touko and her husband, he thinks she’s going to be like the other foster parents. But Touko is different. She cares about Natsume’s school and his life. She doesn’t overstep her boundaries as Natsume is already a teenager, but assumes the role of an adoptive mother and chastises him when necessary. Both her and her husband are unendingly kind to the young boy who has never known a steady family. The kindhearted Natsume also cares for them deeply and tries to not do anything that will worry Touko. Their relationship is indeed beautiful and one of the most realistic portrayals of an adoptive family in anime.
Hiling (Ranking of Kings)
The relationship between Hiling and Bojji is quite complicated, but that doesn’t take away from Hiling’s love for him. Bojji is Hiling’s stepson, as his father, King Bosse, married her and made her the second queen after the death of Queen Sheena. Initially, she strived to become closer to Bojji and win his trust as his stepmother despite her brusque personality. But later, after the birth of her son Daida, Hiling became quite strict with both of them. She passed over Bojji to make Daida the king, but not because of selfish whims. We learn that she’s extremely overprotective of Bojji and thinks he can’t take care of himself. She forced Daida to become stronger to keep Bojji safe, a fact that drove a wedge between the two princes. In the end, however, she realised her mistakes and supported Bojji when he claimed the throne. Although tumultuous, Hiling and Bojji’s relationship is beautiful and realistic.
Yor Forger (Spy x Family)
Yor Forger is one of the most popular anime characters of all time, and it’s absolutely well-deserved. Although she takes on the job of Loid’s offer to get married to get her colleagues off her back, she cares deeply about both him and Anya. While Loid hides his identity as a spy, Yor hides her identity as an assassin, which leads to some hilarious misunderstandings throughout the anime. Anya, who is a telepath, knows both their real identities.
Yor and Anya share an adorable bond, and the former tries her hardest to be a good mother. Not only is she supportive of Anya, but also intensely protective. As a powerful assassin, Yor doesn’t shy away from kicking a few butts to make sure Anya is safe. Overall, Yor and Anya share one of the most precious mother-daughter relationships in anime despite their unique situation.
Izumi Curtis (Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
The protagonists of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Edward and Alphonse Elric, share a deep and meaningful bond with Izumi Curtis. Before the timeline of the anime, Izumi was a powerful alchemist and martial arts excerpt. Unfortunately, she gave birth to a stillborn child after her marriage to Sig Curtis. In a bout of grief, Izumi tried to resurrect her child with forbidden Alchemy, much like what the Elric brothers did with their mother, yet failed in doing so.
Although she lost a few internal organs, Izumi Curtis is a fearsome teacher and motherly figure in the two brothers’ lives. She takes them on as apprentices and teaches them everything she knows. Both she and her husband love the two boys as their own and continue to help them with anything they need during the final fight. Despite her heartbreaking past, Izumi was able to become one of the greatest mother figures in anime due to her deep love for the two boys.
