BEST GIRL
Previous Winner
2019: Marnie (Pokémon Sword and Shield)
Everyone has that character, that one that stood out to them from among the rest. Because we are so passionate about these characters, that may explain why this category is one of the most contested among out staff. Being the Best Girl means being able to captivate us with multiple attributes. These can include one’s looks, their personality, their actions over the course of the game, etc. Once again, we had a long list of nominees for this category. The selection process tough, some friendships possibly on the verge of ending, but we were able to narrow the list down to just three nominees. Which of these lovely girls will be able to take the throne this year?
Estelle Bright (Trails of Cold Steel IV)
NA Release Date: April 9, 2021 (PC and Nintendo Switch), October 27, 2020 (PS4)
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
Review
Joshua Bright has called Estelle his Sun, and with good reason. Estelle captured our hearts in the Trails in the Sky series with her courage and bright (no pun intended) personality which naturally drew people towards her. She made her triumphant return in Cold Steel IV and didn’t miss a step. She’s still the cheerful girl we always loved with a lot more experience and skill under her belt, returning to help lift the dark cloud looming over the Erebonia. Plus, she had her badass moments too, sometimes saving Class VII during dire moments. Was she able to bust enough heads to grab our Best Girl title?
Reisalin Stout (Atelier Ryza 2)
NA Release Date: January 26, 2021
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
Review
It’s no secret that Reisalin (Ryza) has a special place in our staff’s hearts. She won our Best Heroine title in 2019 and also made the top three nominees in our inaugural Best Girl award. With Atelier Ryza 2‘s release, Ryza returned as a more experienced alchemist. But, while she is more experienced, she is still the same adventurous, upbeat, and tomboyish girl we loved from the first game. Is the second time the charm? Will Ryza be able to avenge her previous defeat?
Saori Shirosaki (Lost Judgment)
NA Release Date: September 24, 2021
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Review
Of the three nominees, Shirosaki is the least like the other two. She isn’t bright and cheery, she is very calm and reserved. Inside and outside the courtroom, Shirosaki was a great ally to Yagami. Under that calm exterior, Shirosaki showed herself to be very courageous as well, willing to put herself in harms way in order to get much needed information for Yagami. Not to mention, she’s very cute too. Did she do enough to win our hearts, crack the case, and get that Best Girl verdict?
And this year’s queen is…
Reisalin Stout!
Ryza had done it! She was able to avenge her loss in 2019 and snagged the crown of Best Girl. We loved her upbeat personality in 2019 and this held true in 2021 as well. A well-deserved honor for such a great girl. Congratulations to Ryza as well as the other nominees!
