The job of an assassin is not to merely to defeat their target, but to kill them as swiftly and as stealthily as possible. It's dirty (and bloody) work, but there's also something fascinating about the craft. The smoothness and professionalism with which assassins secure their kills stir a morbid curiosity. That's why so many assassins appear in movies, TV shows and other forms of entertainment. With works of fiction, the art of assassination can be given an additional dramatic flair where the killings are performed with a degree of style and grace that might not be possible in real life. It's a subtle type of spectacle that's often a pleasure to watch.
One way to make an assassin character particularly entertaining is to make them female. Having a woman in such a role could have a lot of implications. On one hand, it could be the writer's way of showing how a woman can be just as capable and deadly as any man in the position. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it could represent how women can be cold and deceitful and do whatever they have to to get the job done. Or it could just be that the writer wanted some cute girls in their story. Finding out about the motivations of the femmes fatales is always an exciting prospect. Here are some good anime that feed into the intrigue of the female assassin.
Assassination Classroom
The students of Kunikigaoka Junior High's Class 3-E have one job- kill their teacher by the end of the school year. However, this isn't a simple task; Korosensei's name comes from the Japanese word for "can't kill" (殺せない, korosenai) for good reason; he can move at Mach 20 and hosts an innumerable set of strange and amazing abilities. If his students want to kill him, they need to catch him by surprise, like an assassin.
In order to aid in their efforts, the students are provided with a couple of teachers who instruct them in the art of assassination. They learn about hand-to-hand combat, parkour, marksmanship and other skills that could prove useful. They're also taught well by Korosensei, which makes them as sharp as their knives. Assassination Classroom's Class 3-E hosts 12 girls and one female AI. All of these girls have the potential to become fearsome professional assassins.
Ghost in the Shell
Public Security Section 9, a covert unit of the Public Safety Bureau. On the surface, they're a search and rescue organization. The truth, however, is that they're responsible for counter-terrorism and anti-crime operations. The cybernetically enhanced members of this unit operate at their own discretion and use whatever means they deem necessary to get the job done. They often go up against hackers and cyber-terrorists. They execute their tasks with professionalism and skill unlike anyone else.
Section 9's leader in the field is Major Motoko Kusanagi. Her body is almost entirely cybernetic. It gives her enhanced speed, strength and durability, so she shouldn't be underestimated for looking like a beautiful young woman. She also uses therm-optic camouflage to blend into her surroundings and better get the drop on her enemies. She fights with the cold, calculating mind of a machine, which is ironic since her brain is her only organic part.
Gunslinger Girl
The whole premise of Gunslinger Girl revolves around female assassins. Like Ghost in the Shell's Section 9, the Social Welfare Agency's Special Ops Section 2 secretly deploys cyborgs for counter-terrorism purposes. The difference: The Agency uses little girls who have nearly died and been refitted with cybernetics to get the job done.
These little girls look cute, but they are not to be underestimated. That's how they get the drop on their targets. Once they pull out their guns, they fire with precision and kill with cold blood. Even without their guns, they are able to fight hand-to-hand with many opponents thanks to their cybernetics. They're also small and agile, which makes them even harder to hit. A lot of terrorists think they can put up a fight against these girls, but, in reality, their best option is to get out of the line of fire and run away. Fast.
Akame Ga Kill
In Akame ga Kill, Night Raid is the Revolutionary Army's special unit of elite assassins. They are responsible for taking out key officials in the corrupt Empire. They use powerful artifacts called Imperial Arms to aid them in combat with their special powers. They even take the liberty of relieving Empire soldiers of their Imperial Arms. As far as the guys-to-girls ratio is concerned, Night Raid definitely leans in favor of the fairer sex.
One especially lethal member of this group of assassins is the eponymous Akame. Her Imperial Arm is the One-Cut Killer: Murasame. As its moniker suggests, this katana has the unique ability to instantly bring death upon whomever it cuts. It also kills anyone unworthy of wielding it. Even Akame has to be careful with this deadly weapon; she can technically cut herself with it to receive a power boost, but it's risky. Akame most certainly kills.
Spy x Family
The Forger family is loaded with secrets. The father Loid is secretly a spy specializing in information-gathering. The daughter Anya is secretly a mind-reading esper. The mother Yor is secretly a trained killer. The three of them live under the same roof and try to pass off as an ordinary family. Only the mind-reading daughter knows about their secret identities. Spy x Family is funny and wholesome, but also action-packed.
As for Yor, she's a top-class assassin. She can clean house and fight armed guards twice her size without breaking a sweat. She's also got a modest disposition that makes her easy to get along with. She initially became a Forger in order to appear less conspicuous, but she's steadily learning to genuinely love her new "family." When the anime finally hits Japanese television in April, she will get to show off her charm and skills to a worldwide audience.
