The anime industry has long been dominated by male-centric shows, resulting in the overlooking of numerous outstanding series featuring female protagonists by most anime enthusiasts. Such an oversight is a significant blow to the community, considering the profound, captivating, and wholesome narratives that these shows offer.
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From action-packed adventures to heartwarming slice-of-life tales, these shows prove that female characters can be just as compelling and relatable as their male counterparts. To shed light on these underappreciated gems, we’ve compiled a list of the top anime series with female leads that are not only worth watching but also showcase the remarkable talent of women in the industry.
10Sailor Moon
If we are going to talk about iconic anime with a female lead, we cannot leavethe genre-defining Sailor Moonout of the picture. Regarded as one of the most beloved anime, Sailor Moon tells the story of Usagi Tsukino, a young girl who is given a Moon Crystal, which allows her to transform into the titular warrior, Sailor Moon.
For many young women, Usagi’s adventures as the savior of the cosmos were the first time they ever encountered anime. Sailor Moon is a show that teaches girls they do not need to be perfect or flawless to be heroines and has been teaching this lesson for more than 2 decades.
9Lycoris Recoil
In the world of this show, Japan is considered the safest country in the world, with the least amount of crimes. The people of the country are not aware that this miraculous statistic is possible thanks to the Lycoris, a group of special agents that disguise themselves as school girls to prevent crime.
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Takina is a Lycoris who was kicked out of the program after being considered too reckless during a mission. She is sent to Lyco Reco Café, a place where another former Lycoris lives. This action-packed and wholesome show has everything from stunning fights to heartwarming scenes, all while highlighting the skills and emotions of its almost all-female cast.
8Yona Of The Dawn
Yona was once the princess of a magical and peaceful Kingdom where she grew up with a loving father. This all changed when her uncle betrayed her father and killed him to become the new ruler. To prevent Yona from taking revenge on him, the villainous man banishes the princess.
After this tragedy, Yona began training her swordsmanship skills, fueled by the desire to bring her uncle to justice. Yona of the Dawn is a show that never shies from showing its female lead as a powerful and righteous warrior. Adda little bit of romance, and you have a show that fans of all anime genres can enjoy.
The Grimm are monstrous creatures that love nothing more than despair and suffering. To stop this threat from reaching humanity, the world of Remnant has been training young warriors to become Hunters and Huntresses for centuries. Those with the skills necessary to become Hunters are enrolled in one of the four academies created for them.
Ruby Rose, a 16-year-old girl who was accepted into Beacon Academy two years earlier, will have to join forces with her sister Yang, a cold and sophisticated girl named Weiss, and the enigmatic Blake to prevent the world from falling into the Grimms’ claws. If you want a show with stunning fights and many comedic moments, RWBY is the anime for you.
6Madoka Magica
Madoka and her friends are normal girls who signed contracts with Kyubey, a creature that has the power to turn them into Magical Girls. They are tasked with hunting Witches, evil creatures who use magic for evil. However, there appears to be more to Kyubey and his true motives than meets the eye.
Maho Shoujo anime are usually filled with cute moments, adorable creatures, and themes of friendship. Madoka Magica took this typically child-friendly genre and turned it upside down, creating one of the most beloved horror anime.
5Violet Evergarden
Throughout her childhood, Violet has known nothing but violence. Due to her status as an orphan, our protagonist was taken by the government and transformed into a human weapon. She was given to Gilbert, a soldier who would verify Violet would fulfill her duties and help her country win the war.
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Once the war was over, Violet had to learn to live in a world she never belonged to. This becomes even harder, as Gilbert was presumably killed during the war, leaving her alone after saying some final words Violet never understood. Violet Evergarden is a show that will pull at viewers’ heartstrings with each episode, with its emotional and devastating lessons.
4Kill La Kill
In Kill La Kill, our heroine Ryuuko Matoi is searching for the one who killed her father. This search leads her to Honnouji Academy, a school ruled by its student council and its leader, Satsuki Kiryuuin. On her first day, Ryuuko finds a living sailor uniform, Senketsu, which gives her special weapons and abilities. She uses these powers to fight the council members, who gain special powers thanks to their Goku Uniforms.
Along the way, she makes unexpected allies and discovers a deep conspiracy happening at school. The show explores themes of power, oppression, accepting one’s body, and not feeling shame about our appearance.
3Ghost In The Shell
In a future where technology has advanced to the point where human brains can be enhanced with machines, Major Motoko Kusanagi leads Section 9, an elite force of highly skilled officers. This team manages all kinds of cases involving hacking, cyber-terrorism, and political corruption, often delving into the depths of the digital world to uncover the truth.
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As Mokoto begins questioning her own humanity, she must also face off against enemies who seek to exploit technology for their own gain. Ghost in the Shell is a groundbreaking anime movie that explores what makes a human and the role of technology in society. This film has been acclaimed by critics all over the globe,inspiring countless moviessince it was first released.
2The Promised Neverland
Emma, Norman, and Ray, orphans at Grace Field House, live a wonderful life thanks to their caretaker Isabella. Their entire lives change when they discover the horrifying truth that they are being raised as food for human-eating demons. Together, they must now find a way to save their friends and escape their impending doom.
Unfortunately, the demons are not their only concern, as they will have to evade their human allies who seek to capture them. Promised Neverland is a gripping anime that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with itssuspenseful storytelling and themes of survival and trust.
1Kino’s Journey
Accompanied by her talking motorcycle named Hermes, Kino travels the world, staying in each country for only three days at a time. By doing this, she can experience a plethora of different cultures and learn more about her home planet. Through her travels, Kino is faced with many different societies, each with their own traditions, way of life, and stories to tell.
Kino’s Journey is an anime filled with lessons about morality, diversity, human interaction, and cooperation. Each episode of the show tells an individual story, focusing mostly on the culture of the country Kino visits and less on the conflict, giving the audience a unique and rich viewing experience.
