The anime world is full of exciting and new things. Different types of genres are available to cater to various audiences. Be it romantic anime, comedy anime, or even a mix of both, fans will find their preferred genre.
One of the stereotypes in anime is that the series are usually led by male protagonists. Sometimes, if there is a female character, she is often portrayed as weak or always needed to be saved by other male characters. There are shows that do not follow that stereotype. Instead, these series portray their female protagonists as strong and powerful.
We decided to compile the 12 must-watch anime that has a strong female lead. Which one is your favorite?
The Promised Neverland
A popular shonen with a female protagonist? That’s The Promised Neverland for you. The series is led by Emma, one of the brightest children living at the Grace Field House. Her intelligence and optimism helped the children escape their awaiting death at the house. Even better, she is beaming with a bright personality that will make any viewer love her.
Hanasaku Iroha
Ohana Matsumae is Hanasaku Iroha’s protagonist. She is a teenager who took charge of her grandmother’s inn after her mother left her. The series started with her being a sullen teenager to a mature and hardworking woman. She is strong and smart, the ideal female lead.
Sailor Moon
One of the classic anime is Sailor Moon. It follows the story of Usagi Tsukino and other magical girls who save the Earth from the forces of evil. Like Ohana Matsumae, Usagi started as an immature girl who put her heart on her sleeves. But as the story progressed, Usagi became the leader she was destined to be. Aside from her beauty, she is courageous, kind, and strong, the perfect candidate to be a Sailor Guardian.
Black Lagoon
A strong powerful woman who can kick ass? Revy is the perfect character for the role. The Chinese-American woman can wield two guns. She might be rude sometimes, but she is confident, competitive, and skilled. Aside from Revy, the series also has other strong women like Eda, Roberta, and Balalaika.
Kill La Kill
Another badass female protagonist is Kill La Kill’s Ryuko Matoi. She wanted to get revenge on the person who killed her father and ended up in Honnouji Academy, an elite school. She is fierce and a bit stubborn. But in terms of skills, Ryuko is overpowered. Beneath that strong personality, she is calm and polite.
Fate/Zero
The popular Fate franchise has a powerful blonde knight named Artoria Pendragon or Saber. She is one of the protagonists of the series who is strong-willed, determined, and courageous. What makes Saber one of the best female protagonists is that she stands by her own morals and she faces confrontations straight on. Who said beautiful women can’t be powerful knights?
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Don’t be fooled with Puella Magi Madoka Magica’s cuteness because the series is a mixture of mature and dark. Madoka Kaname is the series’ protagonist who became a magical girl. She is a pure girl who gives her everything to help others. Despite her cute appearance, she is strong and confident with her actions.
A Place Further Than the Universe
One of the popular anime in 2018 is A Place Further Than the Universe. It is about four girls on a journey to Antarctica, where Shirase’s mom disappeared, to face their fears and experience everything about life. The lead protagonist is Mari who is curious about a lot of things. She is supportive, sympathetic, and loyal.
Violet Evergarden
An anime about love, loss, and war? Violet Evegarden is the perfect series that tackles all those themes. Even better, the lead protagonist is Violet who grew up as a soldier. After losing her superior officer, she became a ghostwriter to help people express themselves. Since she was trained to be a soldier, Violet was educated as a weapon. Her life changed when she entered the world outside the military. Her persistent, dignified, and dedicated personality made her a better person towards the end of the series.
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon
Those who are in love with Inuyasha’s story will certainly like Yashahime. The sequel focuses on the next generation of Inuyasha, specifically Rin and Sesshomaru’s daughter, Towa. Like a typical strong female protagonist, Towa hates bullies, and she protects the people she loves. She is soft-hearted, matured, and unique. She prefers to wear men’s clothing because she believes it is practical for fighting.
Wonder Egg Priority
Wonder Egg Priority is a fantasy and psychological horror anime that follows Ai Ohto, whose mission is to save many girls revealed from the gachapon machine to bring back her dead friend named Koito Nagase. Ai was a victim of bullying which explains her self-deprecating side.
She felt a strong sense of guilt after her friend committed suicide so she promised herself that she will continue saving people to bring her back. She is helpful, kind, and brave. She will do everything she can to protect the people she loves.
Fruits Basket
Tohru might not seem a strong protagonist as she is easily taken advantage of by other people but if fans take a closer look at her, she proved herself as one of the strongest female anime characters. At a young age, Tohru lived alone in a tent. She continued studying to follow what her mom wanted for her despite knowing that she could have a better life if she started working.
Aside from being independent, Tohru is pure-hearted. She touched the lives and hearts of the Sohma family with her caring words and actions. She never abandoned them and accepted them for who they are. Each time there is a difficult situation, she managed to find a way out without hurting anybody.