Forum - View topicAnime with Strong Female Leads/Co-Leads?
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18458 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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While Mamimi may be my favorite character in FLCL, she isn't a lead or co-lead. Besides, FLCL is already being recommended for Haruka.
Madoka strikes me more like Yoko Nakajima does: a character who ultimately becomes strong but isn't that way for much of the journey. That same reasoning is why I hesitate to bring up Stellvia. |
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nobahn
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EricJ2
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That's nice, dear--I'll have your supper waiting for you when you get back! (  )
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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^
I think he's pointing out that he can't immediately update the index or something like that. |
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nobahn
Subscriber Posts: 5150 |
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dtm42 is right on the money!
Now that I'm back, I'd like to put an idea out for everyone's consideration: How about voting (yes, no and neutral) on each nomination? (Along with rationales, of course!  ) After I finish up the indices, I'll total everything up and add the totals to the Anime Index.
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Cool. How much do I get?
I don't like the voting idea. It makes it too much like a tournament when this is just a recommendation thread. The titles aren't in a competition. That said, I do think it would be useful to mention the number of people who recommended each particular title. This could be done using parentheses next to series names in the index. For example, if two people recommended Hataraki Man, then in the index its entry would be: Hataraki Man (2) If five people recommended Crest of the Stars, then its entry would be: Crest of the Stars (5) It would allow people to easily determine which series are well-known for having strong female leads without going through something formal like voting. |
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rheiders
 Posts: 1137 Location: Colorful Colorado :) |
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I think my definition of a "Strong Female Lead" differs somewhat from others', but I can recommend some^^ (The insinuation that Youko is not a strong female character because she is flawed and dynamic like an actual human being rubbed me the wrong way, as did the insinuation that Kino doesn't count because she's "not feminine enough.") For me, a strong female lead isn't necessarily one who can kick butt and take names (I mean, that's cool and all if she can, but if that were the criteria titles like Ikki Tousen and Queen's Blade would be the first to be included, which, uhhhh...). Instead, a strong female character, IMO, is one who is strongly written--compelling; three-dimensional; a real, fleshed-out human being. As they say, I Hate Strong Female Characters!
Anyhoo, since Key issued a challenge, I have an obligation to start with reverse harem leads.  The only otome adaptation with a strong female lead that I can think of is Alice from the Alice in the Country of... franchise, but those are all manga so I can't make an "official" recommendation. Even so, she's smart, sarcastic, resourceful, and doesn't take crap from her various love interests. The drama surrounding her relationship with her sister and why she is in Wonderland form the core mystery behind all the more plot-oriented spin-offs and supply her with some depth. Unfortunately, this is undermined by the fact that the men of Wonderland tend to be as sinister and predatory as Wonderland itself. Julius the clockmaker might be the one exception, so if you ever lose your mind and want to read some shoujo smut with a surprisingly driven heroine, you might check out his route.
Now on to the real recommendations! (Actually, it might be cool to start up a similar thread in the Manga forum, since most female-targeted series never get anime.) Tohru Honda, Fruits Basket There, that's a reverse harem anime! Starting with one of my more questionable inclusions because she's always been a favorite of mine. She may not be physically or mentally strong, but her resilience in the face of great adversity makes her worth a recommendation from me. Most of her complexity is only explored later in the manga, unfortunately, but enough of it shines through in adaptation that I'm recommending it. The other female characters in the series, such as Tohru's best friends Arisa and Saki, also deserve a mention. I think the relationship the anime explores most successfully is the friendship between the three of them. Youko Nakajima, The Twelve Kingdoms Unlike others, I think that her transition from weak-willed schoolgirl to great queen is what makes her a strong female lead. As I said earlier, she's flawed and interesting and changes over time like an actual person. Better yet, even after she improves in the first arc, her flaws continue to affect her, but in different ways. In fact, I think I can recommend her on the strength of the third arc of the story alone. The other two heroines of that arc, Suzu and Shoukei, also deserve mention. Hajime Ichinose, Gatchaman CROWDS Hajime is easily one of the best parts of this show. She uses her creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to completely revolutionize the G-team and ultimately save the world. She's not the most dynamic character in the series, but she's a blast to watch and one of the most unique personalities in recent memory. Gatcha! Mikasa Ackerman (But Really, Every Female Character in the Series), Attack on Titan I consider Mikasa and Armin to be "co-leads" with Eren in this case (if Hiyori and Yukina count then this is definitely the case). This one might get long since it seems to be a bit controversial on these forums. AoT is one of the most progressive shounen series I've ever encountered in terms of treatment of female characters. Mikasa is not just one of the strongest soldiers in the 104th regiment, she is the strongest, second in skill only to Levi, who has been in the military far longer than she. She has a complex and fully fleshed-out backstory that explains her current motivations, which include the strong desire to protect her male friends (rather than the other way around) at all costs. It's true that she has an unhealthy obsession with protagonist Eren, but one has to look at the big picture here--the other female characters represent a wide variety of interests and motivations (including, if you read the manga, spoiler[a compelling and not-at-all-sexualized romance between two women]), Mikasa isn't the only character weirdly obsessed with Eren (and nobody ever accuses Armin of being a sexist character), and her obsession is treated as unhealthy within the narrative where in any other shounen series it would likely be romanticized. Other great characters like Annie, Hanji, Ymir, Krista, and Sasha make this show well worth a recommendation from me. Ryuuko Matoi and Satsuki Kiryuuin, Kill la Kill Fanservice aside, Ryuuko and Satsuki are pretty great characters, and I doubt that will change in the one remaining episode so I'm including it. Ryuuko and Satsuki not only kick a lot of ass, but their rivalry spoiler[and eventual alliance] is surprisingly compelling. Both are tough, driven characters who will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. Nana Osaki and Nana "Hachi" Komatsu, NANA When it comes to writing great female characters (really, characters in general), Ai Yazawa can't be beat, and nowhere is that more obvious than here in her most popular work. The friendship (and maybe something more...?) between the two Nanas is the core of the series and carries it through all of its ups and downs. The two heroines are wholly different from each other but both are equally realistic and wholly human. I just can't emphasize enough how great these characters are, so I'm not even going to try. It's a great show. Yukari Hayasaka, Paradise Kiss Again, this is Ai Yazawa, which really should be all that needs to be said. Like Youko, Yukari doesn't start out strong but becomes that way over the course of the series, which IMO makes her a better character. ParaKiss shows Yukari's slow maturation from an unmotivated schoolgirl into a young adult who knows what she wants to do with her life. It's downright inspirational watching her find her path. Rakka and Reki, Haibane Renmei Two truly great female leads from a truly great series. Despite going through a couple rough patches, Rakka shows extraordinary inner strength by the end of the show. Her interactions with Reki in the finale result in an ending that is truly transcendent. Reki, meanwhile, is one of the most sensitive and realistic portrayals of some very sensitive issues that I've seen. Hitomi Kanzaki, The Vision of Escaflowne Along with Youko, one of the better "girl whisked away to fantasy world" heroines. As a track star she's very physically strong and creative with how she uses that strength, but more than that she's also incredibly resourceful and gets herself and others out of scrapes numerous times. The story allows her to be a teenage girl with her emotions sometimes without letting that undermine her obvious intelligence and inner strength. |
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Touma
 Posts: 2651 Location: Colorado, USA |
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I decided to do a few of these whenever I get a chance rather than waiting until I have time to do everything in one post.
Kiddy Grade Eclair is the main character. At the start she is little more than a teenage girl with incredible physical strength and fighting ability. As the show progresses she develops doubts about herself, the job that she is doing and the people that she works for. She shows that she has more than just physical strength when she is willing to risk her career and even her life to try to correct what she sees as injustice. Lumiere is Eclair's partner and co-lead character. She looks younger but is much more mature and reliable than Eclair. She provides stability and support for Eclair and shows her own strength of character. Koihime Muso Shin Koihime Muso Shin Koihime Muso: Otome Tairan Kan'u Unchō (real name Aisha) is the lead character in all three shows. She starts as an extremely strong and skilled warrior whose only goal is to get revenge on the bandits who killed her family. As she searches she realizes that many others have lost as much as she has, or more, and that it is still continuing. Her goal changes from getting revenge to helping to relieve the suffering of others. During her journeys she gains the loyalty of many other strong women and builds a formidable army. |
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Sentire
 Posts: 981 |
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Great thread idea, by the way.
Some of the first I thought of have already been posted: Hataraki Man, The Story of Saiunkoku and Ergo Proxy. To me, a strong female character isn't necessarily without flaws. It can be any combination of physical strength, determination, strong principles and ethics, brave, forgiving, or highly intelligent and talented. It needs to be someone that makes an impact, as an amalgamation of those items above, vices included. With that being said, I'm going to go with Deunan Knute from Appleseed. How can you go wrong with an explosives and weapons expert? 
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nobahn
Subscriber Posts: 5150 |
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Bright_Spear--
If you want me to include R.O.D., then I insist that you provide links! Sentire-- I cannot claim all of the credit -- some must go to Ignatz. Melanchthon-- I will agree with you that the portrayal of Shana in Shakugan no Shana: Second is indeed a travesty. Indeed. Animegomaniac-- I insist on links! and finally, everyone please second those nominations that you agree with. |
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6584 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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Hey, nbahn, you thought it was a trial going through my first post? You should've tried writing it! I had planned to marathon the second half of Steins;Gate but didn't manage to watch any of it thanks to being inspired by your terrific thread.
Endorsements Appleseed Beast Player Erin Flowers of Evil Kino's Journey Pyscho-Pass Read or Die You missed that Garden of Sinners, Haibane Renmei and The Twelve Kingdoms each have two votes and you appear to have overlooked Chihayafuru. *** Well, given that no-one else is doing it I'll start nominating some Miyazaki.
16 more great leads / co-leads. Top row (l-r) Kemonozume, Yuka Kamitsuki Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Fujiko Mine Nodame Cantabile Paris Season, Noda Megumi Toradora!, Taiga Aisaka 2nd row (l-r) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Makoto Konno Hanasaku Iroha - Blossoms for Tomorrow, Ohana Matsumae Appleseed, Deunan Knute The Beast Player Erin, Erin 3rd row (l-r) Flowers of Evil, Sawa Nakamura Kino's Journey, Kino Psycho-Pass, Akane Tsunemori Read or Die, Yomiko Readman Bottom row (l-r) Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Nausicaa Porco Rosso, Fio GoShogun: The Time Étranger, Remi Shimada Like the Clouds, Like the Wind, Ginga Last edited by Errinundra on Thu Nov 28, 2019 3:04 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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yuna49
 Posts: 3804 |
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My list of seconds:
Beast Player Erin Claymore Dennou Coil Ergo Proxy (2) Gatchaman Crowds Hataraki Man (3) Kill la Kill Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit Nijū-Mensō no Musume (Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief) (2) Nodame Cantabile (2) Noein - to your other self Shin Sekai Yori (From the New World) (2) Shion no Oh (2) Story of Saiunkoku, The (3) Twelve Kingdoms, The I'm probably counted already for Hataraki Man, Nodame, Nijuu Mensou, SSY, Shion, and Saiunkoku. A couple I left off the list: Black Lagoon - I don't consider Revy a "strong" character because of her "shoot first and deal with the consequences later" approach. Usagi Drop - Rin has a strong character for a five-year-old, but she's still a little girl. My endorsement of Kill la Kill largely focuses on Satsuki. Ryuuko is strong in an over-the-top way, but Satsuki has much more depth. In Dennou Coil I see Isako as strong, but Yasako not so much. |
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danilo07
 Posts: 1580 |
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Hmm ,I think Jeanne from Kanashimi no Belladonna belongs on the list.The movie is about her journey from sexually tormented woman whose entire life was oppressed by men to a completely independent character who uses her femininity and sexuality as her way of getting revenge.She is indeed a strong woman and her gender is extremely important to her strength,so yeah I would say she qualifies.
Murasaki Shikibu from anime 3 people have seen Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi. The anime shows Murasaki as a talented and brave woman who would fight off against the rigid men controlled social structures in medieval Japan.Her weapon of choice was of course her book "Tale of Genji". Last edited by danilo07 on Sun Mar 30, 2014 10:53 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Ignatz
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errinundra, who is that between Fujiko and Taiga?
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2267 |
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This is cool, but I got here late as many of my favorites have been already nominated.
I guess I can throw in Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing from Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate. As a child she was a little timid, but she grows up to be a member of The Royal Order of Protestant Knights, leader of the Hellsing Organization and master to Alucard. Charismatic, possessing an iron will, a bit of a badass with sword and gun, plus dutiful to her family name and England. Sir Integra Hellsing is definitely a woman to be reckoned with. I'll come back later and post my support for some that have already been nominated and some comments about others I might disagree with. |
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