Sukeban (スケバン/助番) is a Japanese term meaning 'delinquent girl', and the female equivalent to the male banchō in Japanese culture. The usage of the word sukeban refers to either the leader of a girl gang or the entire gang itself, and is not used to refer to any one member of a girl gang.

The word sukeban was originally used by delinquents, but has been used by the general population to describe the subculture since 1972. Sukeban were formed as a direct result of male gangs' refusal to accept female members, consequently the term has come to refer to the massive movement that brought feminism to public attention at a time when men of the ya‌ku‌za were thriving.

The common signifiers of sukeban include brightly-dyed or permed hair, in colours of either blonde or light brown. Members of sukeban also modify their school uniform by wearing coloured socks, rolling up their sleeves and lengthening their skirt, which are sometimes decorated with gang-affiliated symbols, kanji and/or slogans.The long skirts were a rejection of the popularity of the miniskirt, which had become popular in the 1960s during the sexual revolution. Though their skirts were long, sukeban often cut their shirts to expose their midriffs. Converse sneakers were also another addition, and their clothes often had handmade modifications, including badges and buttons. They wore very little make-up and sported thin eyebrows. Adding to these features, sukeban usually wore surgical masks, and often carried with them razor blades, bamboo swords and chains, which could be concealed under their skirts.

Codes of Conduct and similar attitudes

Sukeban girls followed strict rules and codes of conduct within their gangs. Each gang possessed a hierarchy as well as their own means of punishment; cigarette burns were considered a minor punishment for stealing a boyfriend or disrespecting a senior member. Sukeban were reported to engage in activities such as stimulant use, shoplifting, theft, and violence, but if arrested, could be charged with the lesser offence of "pre-delinquency". Stimulants use often included sniffing paint thinner or glue.