Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-184.157.31.215-20140304191951/@comment-4010415-20140305053308

Darkcloud1111 wrote: I don't think the characters are based off of people that cross-dressed so much as just "opposite gender" versions of people in history/mythology from certain places. However it is interesting that most of these people have some kind of cross dressing story about them. Actually, Darkcloud, Monty did say that the characters they're based on dressed as the opposite gender in their stories.

Someone asked him who Ren is based on, so he replied "hmm, a good hint might be. All of team JNPR disguised themself in the other gender in their inspired character."

Adding onto the theory that Pyrrha is based on Achilles: In the DVD/Bluray commentary, Miles said that Pyrrha's nickname is The Invincible Girl.