History Main / Miko

* [[RedOniBlueOni Cloche and Luca]] from ''VideoGame/ArTonelico2''. They are not called "miko" or "shrine maiden" in the [[TranslationTrainWreck US release]], but you will hear them referred as such in the Japanese version.

Not to be confused with [[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick this Miko]]. Or '''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime that]]''' one. Nor [[WebAnimation/{{Hololive}} a certain virtual streamer]] that is named "Miko", is described as a miko and is dressed in a miko-esque outfit.

* The ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'' series have Shrine Maidens with similar, albeit [[DarkerAndEdgier darker]] roles.
** From the [[VideoGame/FatalFrameI first game]] there were the Rope Shrine Maidens chosen to be [[HumanSacrifice sacrificed]], in a rather atrocious way, in order to prevent the ''HellGate'' from opening.
** The second, ''VideoGame/FatalFrameII: Crimson Butterfly'', had the [[CreepyTwins Twin]] Shrine Maidens, [[spoiler:one of them was supposed to sacrifice the other to, guess what, prevent the hell gate from opening]]
** The third, ''VideoGame/FatalFrameIII: The Tormented'', had [[FourIsDeath four]] Handmaidens, also known as Pacifiers in Europe and Japan, that wore full miko attires and performed daily shrine and housekeeping activities, as well as helping and eventually [[spoiler:impaling]] the Tattooed Priestess, another kind of Shrine Maidens chosen because they experienced the pain of losing a loved one. They had the pain of others tattooed in their skins [[spoiler:and were sacrificed to prevent the Rift, an infernal force, from spilling into the dreams of the living.]]
** In the fourth game, ''VideoGame/FatalFrameIV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse'', there were the Kanade and the Utsuwa who performed the Rougetsu Kagura ritual to worship the [[TotalEclipseOfThePlot lunar eclipse]] [[spoiler:and summon the gate to the other world so that the souls of the deceased could pass on, of course, things go terribly wrong and the ritual fails.]]. It also includes the Tsukimori Shrine Maidens.

* Subverted in ''Manga/FutureDiary'', as the Miko we meet (Tsubaki Kasugano) is not only one of the Diary Holders, but a member [[spoiler:and prisoner/SexSlave]] of a ReligionOfEvil [[spoiler: which didn't ''start'' as an evil cult, but was turned into such after her parents' murders]]. [[spoiler:In an AlternateUniverse, though, Tsubaki ''is'' the real deal and an {{all loving hero}}ine.]]

* Miko from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' may be the least likely of the cast to do manual work, but to celebrate her birthday, official Twitter account shared a character art of [[JustForPun Miko dressed as a miko]]. [[https://twitter.com/anime_kaguya/status/1521867249690107904]]

** Nozomi Toujou from ''Anime/LoveLive'' works as a part-time Miko at Kanda Shrine, where Honoka, Umi and Kotori first start their fitness training to be an [[IdolSinger idol group]]. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanda_Shrine Kanda Shrine]] is in fact [[RealPlaceBackground a real shrine]], located in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo; Nozomi might be the only fictional miko whose real shrine sells [[https://youtu.be/NXZ_PBlMrPg?t=3m merchandise of her]]. Being a mundane series, Nozomi doesn't have any supernatural powers, though she is fond of fortune telling.

* In the setting provided in the ''Mecha Vs Kaiju'' RPG the intelligence branch of Japan's mecha defense force is made up entirely of Mikos. This makes some sense considering [[spoiler: The original Kaiju was an Oni mutated by the Hiroshima bomb and samples of his DNA were used to create most of the others, and the leaders of the evil organization that control the Kaiju have Oni ancestry themselves]]

** The fifth installment in the series, ''VideoGame/FatalFrameMaidenOfBlackWater'', focuses on the traditions of Mt. Mikami. In the past, an order of Mikos used their psychic powers to [[spoiler: take in the final thoughts of suicide victims so they could pass peacefully. Eventually, they would exhaust their powers through absorbing so many thoughts from the dead and would be placed into a ceremonial box, and sunk beneath the lake in order to purify it]]. After the mountain became cursed, legend stated anyone that encountered a ghostly miko would be DrivenToSuicide.

* ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'' gives us Miko Cho, whose name should indicate that she is a Miko. [[spoiler: Kagu]] also becomes one, in order to fight off King Fury.

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'''s version of the [[http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Shrine_Maiden Cleric class]], Shrine Maiden, is referred to as "Miko" in the Japanese version, with Princess Sakura and [[spoiler: her potential daughter]] Mitama starting off as this. This carries over into one of the Shrine Maiden class' promoted classes, [[http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Priestess_(Fates) Priestess]]. Unlike the case mentioned above, the Shrine Maiden and Priestess outfits actually ''do'' resemble Miko clothing, due to both classes being exclusive to characters from the [[{{Wutai}} Japanese-esque nation of Hoshido]].

* Itsuki in ''VisualNovel/{{Suika}}'', though eventually she realizes that there's no way she could be since she doesn't do the rituals and doesn't remember becoming one. [[spoiler: She has been DeadAllAlong.]]

* In ''Otaku Elf'', Elda, the titular elf is enshrined in a Shinto shrine and has a miko, Koito, to take care of her needs, force her outside for certain ceremonies, and [[ServileSnarker offer up the snark]] when she's done something ridiculous again, which happens about once a chapter.

* In ''LightNovel/OurHomesFoxDeity'', Ko is the family sentinel, a miko with powers.

* In ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'', (most) magic isn't religious, but Tatsuya recommends that Miyuki wear a miko's outfit during the [[spoiler:ceremony to return his full power to him]]. [[GoingCommando (Yes, including that.)]] The idea is that its simple texture and construction will keep her focused while he draws out [[spoiler:the Pledge spell]] from her brain, since any sort of distraction could have really bad consequences.

A miko (巫女) is a shrine maiden in the UsefulNotes/{{Shinto}} religion. Given the strength of Shinto in Japan and the position shrine maidens hold in it, it is no surprise that they are a common character type in anime. Straight portrayals and dramatizations are used just as frequently as a priest or nun would be in North American or European media. If a main character, she might be [[MagicalGirl endowed]] with [[UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}} mystical powers]] in order to fight demons, hang [[PaperTalisman [=Ofuda=]]] so that [[SealedEvilInACan she won't have to fight the demons in the first place]], receive visions, etc. Otherwise fictional and non-fictional Miko work in [[ShrinesAndTemples shrines]], often as an afterschool job. Their outfits traditionally consist of red ''hakama'' (trousers) or a long red skirt, and a white ''haori'' (kimono jacket).

Historically, a miko served as an oracle, offering prophecy in the form of a dance. In real life, most modern Miko will help out with shrine functions such as cleaning, perform ceremonial dances based on the historical versions, offer fortunes (omikuji, those little slips of paper that tell you what your luck will be like), and sell souvenirs, sometimes as a part-time job. A male miko is called a ''geki'', a ''kannagi'' or ''fugeki'' (all are gender-neutral terms).

Not to be confused with [[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick this Miko.]] Or '''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime that]]''' one. Nor [[WebAnimation/{{Hololive}} a certain virtual streamer]] that is named "Miko", is described as a miko and is dressed in a miko-esque outfit.

* ''Literature/{{Campione}}'': Yuri Mariya has worked/served as a miko for a shrine since she was a child due to inheriting magical powers. When she is not attending school, she tends to wear the traditional miko outfit.

* ''LightNovel/{{Campione}}'': Yuri Mariya is officially called a "Hime-Miko" (a woman with divine ancestry that gives her spiritual powers), but she otherwise fits the trope to a T, dressing up in a kimono and working at the local shrine.

* Akeno from ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'' is probably a (double?) subversion, she wears the traditional miko outfit when she uses her strongest magic and is known as the Priestess Of Lightning (in Japanese Miko is used)... but she's also a demon.

* ''Literature/Campione'': Yuri Mariya has worked/served as a miko for a shrine since she was a child due to inheriting magical powers. When she is not attending school, she tends to wear the traditional miko outfit.

* Sakura Miko from ''WebAnimation/{{Hololive}}''. Her original description is that she was friendly if lazy shrine maiden who was sent by the Virtual Gods to our world to become an idol and through that would learn about the popular culture to enrich the realm she came from. Overtime though, she would faze out of that and became a {{Womanchild}}.

* Koyori, the SeriesMascot of ''VideoGame/SengokuAce'' is a miko that uses the typical attire... with some liberties, as using a NavelDeepNeckline to stand out her "[[BuxomIsBetter atributes]]" and [[GogglesDoNothing aviator goggles over her hair]]. Apart of that, she attacks with seals and even has a {{Mon}} she summons in at least one of the games.

%%* The ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow'' games feature the love interest Mina Hakuba.

Miko are more common in [[HGame H-Games]], because they don't have a ''permanent'' vow of chastity; they can just take over their temple when the head priest(ess) dies or quits, or else they can quit being miko, and then they can do whatever they want. Japanese depictions of most priestesses and other low-rung religious functionaries tend to borrow from miko, [[NunsAreMikos including nuns]].

* Shirayuki from ''LightNovel/AriaTheScarletAmmo'', often wears a tradition shrine maiden outfit, although she has some [[{{Yandere}} darker traits]].

* Miko are all over ''Manga/InuYasha'' in both major and supporting roles, particularly Kikyou, her younger sister Kaede (also leader of her village), and Midoriko, the "creator" of the Shikon No Tama; Kagome, although not really identified as a miko prior to people in the Sengoku era simply jumping to conclusions, also has many of the powers of a miko, as a result of being Kikyou's reincarnation. There's also an ''evil'' miko, Tsubaki, who started as a normal one [[RivalTurnedEvil but was driven to evil]] over her jealousy against Kikyou.
** Kagome's family does run what appears to be a traditional Shinto Shrine, however. Though Kagome doesn't seem to perform miko tasks when in there.
** In addition, [[spoiler:Kagome was dressed as a miko at the end of the series, implying she has taken up the position now that she lives in the feudal era.]]

* Ren-tan from ''Anime/BinchouTan''.

* Madoka from ''VisualNovel/ABridgeToTheStarrySkies''.

* ''Manga/DestinyOfTheShrineMaiden'': Himeko and Chikane (obviously)

* Ayako in ''Manga/GhostHunt''.

* ''Manga/HappyLesson'': Yayoi Sanzenin, also the SchoolNurse.

* Akimoto, Misono, Ryouko and Manabe from ''Manga/JinjyaNoSusume'', a manga that takes a more or less realistic look at running a Shinto shrine and the work Miko do.

* ''Anime/{{Kamichu}}'': Matsuri and Miko.

* Tsumugi in ''Manga/TheMikosWordsAndTheWitchesIncantations''.

* Mayura of ''Manga/MythicalDetectiveLokiRagnarok''.
* ''Manga/NagasareteAirantou'': Ayane, Machi, Chizuru, Yashiro.

* Kureha Akabane from ''Anime/NightWizard The Animation'' deserves a mention here.
* In ''Manga/OtakuElf'', Elda, the titular elf is enshrined in a Shinto shrine and has a miko, Koito, to take care of her needs, force her outside for certain ceremonies, and [[ServileSnarker offer up the snark]] when she's done something ridiculous again, which happens about once a chapter.

* Yomogi Inaba from ''Manga/OtogiMatsuri''; she can see spirits and has inherited a group of five small spirit foxes.
* Tomoe from ''Anime/QueensBlade''.

* Kirara in ''Anime/SamuraiSeven''.

* Hikaru and Kaoru Midou from ''Manga/TsukuyomiMoonPhase''.

* [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Akina]] from ''Manga/UFOPrincessValkyrie''. She also [[ACupAngst has feelings of inadequacy]] and [[{{Tsundere}} attitude problems]].

* ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'': Sakura, who is also the school nurse.

* A miko was needed in ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzilla'' to awaken King Caesar.

* Shirayuki from ''LightNovel/AriaTheScarletAmmo''.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* Nobuta from ''Series/NobutaWoProduce''.
[[/folder]]

* In the setting provided in the ''MechaVsKaiju'' RPG the intelligence branch of Japan's mecha defense force is made up entirely of Mikos. This makes some sense considering [[spoiler: The original Kaiju was an Oni mutated by the Hiroshima bomb and samples of his DNA were used to create most of the others, and the leaders of the evil organization that control the Kaiju have Oni ancestry themselves]]

* The ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow'' games feature love interest Mina Hakuba.

* Sayo-chan (a.k.a. [[DubNameChange Pocky)]] from the ''VideoGame/KikiKaiKai'' / ''Pocky & Rocky'' series of CuteEmUp games.
* Mikado in ''VideoGame/BushidoBlade''.

* The Reimu Look-a-likes in ''[[VideoGame/{{Something}} Something Else]]''. Their village is under attack by mischievous ghosts, and their leader went missing.

* ''VisualNovel/YuminaTheEthereal'' has the sisters Youko and Tsukuyo Sakaue, with one that is a {{Seer|s}}.

* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'': Vivi's paternal grandmother is a small old woman who wears blue hakama with a white haori and carries a shakujo.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* It turns out Vet-san from ''WebAnimation/NekoSugarGirls'' is also a shrine maiden. She does a TransformationSequence to change from being a HospitalHottie to being a miko.
* Miko Sakura from ''WebAnimation/{{Hololive}}'' is this.
[[/folder]]

* The Hiiragi twins in ''Manga/LuckyStar'' work as part-time miko along with their older sisters, given that their father is a Shinto priest. Unlike most other examples, the Hiiragi sisters are more based on modern mikos and have zero connection to spiritual stuff. It's easy to forget that they are actual mikos since they are all portrayed as normal girls in a slice of life comedy show.

* Mikuru Asahina from the ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'' light novels is forced to dress up as one of these at one point to exorcise some ghosts.

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has the playable hero Kiriko Yamagami, who's a thematic mixture of a miko, a ''[[GratuitousNinja ninja]]'', and [[AsianFoxSpirit a magic kitsune spirit]]. Her costume is a stylized, more futuristic and streetwear-like interpretation of the usual "white kimono jacket/red long skirt" outfit, and for gameplay, she wields technologically-tinged variants of Shinto charms like {{Paper Talisman}}s and Suzu bells, along with [[AssistCharacter the aforementioned magic kitsune]] which leaves behind holographic torii gates in its wake. While she isn't seen working at a shrine, she nonetheless carries a spiritual edge in being tied to her family's line of work, and is also connected to a {{Youkai}}-themed gang of vigilantes who [[GangOfHats adorn themselves in similar mixes of ancient and futuristic Japanese aesthetics]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has the playable hero Kiriko Yamagami, who's a thematic mixture of a miko, a ''[[GratuitousNinja ninja]]'', and [[AsianFoxSpirit a magic kitsune spirit]]. Her costume is a stylized, more futuristic and streetwear-like interpretation of the usual "white kimono jacket/red long skirt" outfit, and for gameplay, she wields technologically-tinged variants of Shinto charms like {{Paper Talisman}}s and Suzu bells, along with [[AssistCharacter a magic kitsune]] which leaves behind magic torii gates in its wake. While she isn't seen working at a shrine, she nonetheless carries a spiritual edge in being tied to her family's line of work, and is also connected to a {{Youkai}}-themed gang of vigilantes who [[GangOfHats adorn themselves in similar mixes of ancient and futuristic Japanese aesthetics]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has the playable hero Kiriko Yamagami, who's a thematic mixture of a miko, a ''[[GratuitousNinja ninja]]'', and [[AsianFoxSpirit a magic kitsune spirit]]. Her costume is a stylized, more futuristic and streetwear-like interpretation of the usual "white kimono jacket/red long skirt" outfit, and for gameplay, she wields technologically-tinged variants of Shinto charms like {{Paper Talisman}}s and Suzu bells, along with [[AssistCharacter a magic kitsune]] which leaves behind magic torii gates in its wake. While she isn't seen working at a shrine, she nonetheless carries a spiritual edge in being tied to her family's line of work, and is tied to a {{Youkai}}-themed gang of vigilantes who [[GangOfHats adorn themselves in similar mixes of ancient and futuristic aesthetics]].