In a world where firefighters use magic, the best support you can get is from Iris, a nun. Despite her reserved nature in everyday social situations, when it comes to being on the field, she’s willing to put everything on the line. While she may not have the abilities of her peers, she can still contribute by treating wounds or fighting other enemy combatants.

Considering her position and that she lacks any true natural abilities, she can be humble when necessary and brings a balance amongst the egos of the brigade she belongs to. Even when she’s very limited with what she can do, that does not stop her from doing the right thing for her teammates or anyone in danger.

When it comes to leading her team, Botan perfectly balances being strict and fair. She takes crap from no one and when it comes to Semimaru, a former criminal in her group, she uses reverse psychology on him to keep him in line. When he says he wants to have sex with her while she’s bathing in a waterfall, she tells him she is ok with it if he can handle having children. Upon hearing the consequences, he actually restrains himself.

Forget the fact that she’s a great supporting character, she’s simply a great leader. Thanks to her training and background as a police officer, she is very composed no matter how tense the situation gets and she does everything she can to help. We feel that if we were ever in a situation where we potentially had to survive in the wild, we’d certainly feel safe with Botan.

While Dororo is the titular character of this Osamu Tezuka remake, she is more of a co-lead with a strong supporting role. Throughout most of the series, the audience is given the impression that she’s a boy, but with how gender identity has changed in the past decade, we’ll admit Dororo’s inclusion is controversial. Due to Dororo’s upbringing and how her father wanted a boy, she was raised as a boy but comes to embrace her femininity in the end.

What makes Dororo a great co-lead is how she helps Hyakkimaru maintain his humanity as they progress in their journey. As Hyakkimaru regains his body, he starts to give into his rage and Dororo does what she can to make sure he doesn’t lose control. Despite having to steal upon her introduction, she learns to take better care of herself and the people she meets on her journey. By the end of Dororo, she learns to become a leader and does what she can to support the peasants of Japan.

If there’s someone you want to have your back in a fight, it has to be Kohaku. While she can initially be hostile to strangers, once she gets to know you, she will become one of your most valuable allies. Beyond her natural combat abilities, she is loyal to her friends and family.

What makes Kohaku an amazing supporting character is that she deeply cares for her sister Ruri, the village priestess. She goes as far as entering the village tournament to make sure that Magma, a selfish warrior, does not win because, if he does, he would have to marry Ruri and become village chief. When she starts to see the value of what Senku has to offer with his scientific knowledge, she also becomes one of his most trusted friends and willingly helps with his experiments.

Raphtalia is a true representation of someone who started from rock bottom and leveled her way up to the top. While Naofumi, the main character, initially purchases her as a slave, he truly cares for her. He bathed, clothed, and fed her when she was in a child-like state (and her body grows as she levels up).

Thanks to Naofumi’s kindness, Raphtalia starts to become a great warrior and person in her own right. Even when the spell that made her Naofumi’s slave is unsealed, she is still loyal to him. On their journey together, she sees that Naofumi is really a great guy and doesn’t give in to the propaganda that makes him look like a bad guy. Whenever they face danger, Raphtalia is willing to put herself in harm’s way for him. Her loyalty and belief in Naofumi is what ultimately makes her an amazing supporting character.