15 Great Anime That Set the Bar for Strong Female Protagonists

Anime creators, much like with any popular fiction medium, understand the importance and nuanced presence of strong female characters within their projects. They can conjure up icons that represent the franchise, or create lasting, impactful character arcs that’ll be talked about years after their given series ends.

This doesn’t mean squirreling away strong female protagonists in the usual, classically-gendered shoujo, josei, or general magical girl tropes. They undoubtedly are well-represented, but one can find a multitude of exceptional anime across the spectrum, with these 15 being solid examples of the best, most iconic anime with female stars.

15

Nana Is a Beautiful Story Of Female Friendship

Anime Series by Studio Madhouse

Nana tells the story of two women who, despite sharing the same name, couldn’t be more different; where one is helpless and naïve, the other is proud and bold. Nevertheless, they end up becoming close friends and supporting each other through life.

Nana’s story is that of friendship, romance, and the difficulties of transitioning to adulthood, and the execution is where this anime truly shines. Nana relies on realistic dialogue and thought processes, relatable characters that act like real people, and believable plot lines that resonate in order to explore themes relevant to young adults who are stumbling through adulthood.

14

A Place Further Than The Universe Is Adventure At Its Finest

Anime Series by Studio Madhouse

A Place Further than the Universe was one of the best anime of 2018. The adventure comedy follows four girls traveling from Japan to Antarctica, and their story is so incredibly earnest, inspiring, and heartwarming.

A Place Further than the Universe is about having the courage to follow a dream; it’s about conquering the paralyzing fear of living life. On their journey, the four girls support each other in facing their fears, all the while engaging in all kinds of shenanigans that will make the audience burst into laughter and tears.

13

Shy’s Take On The Superhero Genre Is A Sight To Behold

Anime Series By 8bit; Based On The Manga By Bukimi Miki

8bit’s Shy has a unique take on the superhero genre by combining it with the emotional themes of magical girl anime. Shy‘s titular hero does a good job of growing into a strong hero while never abandoning her ability to empathize with others. Shy isn’t the most popular anime around, but with its strong character writing and stylish direction, it’s still plenty worth watching.

12

Violet Evergarden Is One Of Kyoto Animation’s Most Gorgeous Anime

Anime Series by Kyoto Animation

Violet Evergarden is known for its gorgeous animation, but it’s far from being style without substance. It follows the titular hero, Violet, as she attempts to reintegrate into society after returning from the battlefield and learn the meaning of emotions, most notably why her superior officer said that he loved her.

To do this, Violet becomes an Auto Memory Doll, a ghostwriter for people who can’t write but want to convey their emotions in a letter. The emotional growth Violet goes through in Violent Evergarden is always rendered most poignantly, and it plays a big part in why the series has so much appeal.

11

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex Is A Great Alternative To The Classic Film

Anime Series by Production I.G

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex follows Major Motoko Kusanagi and Public Security Section 9 as they investigate highly sensitive criminal cases in a world where many people have become cyborgs.

But these amazing advancements in technology also have drawbacks; the existence of cyberbrains led to a whole new class of dangerous crimes, as criminals can take control of people’s cyberbrains, alter memories, and manipulate their sensory input. With action and thought-provoking ideas, Stand Alone Complex is a must-see series for any anime fan, especially those seeking a strong female lead.

10

Sailor Moon Crystal Is The Perfect Update To The Legendary Classic

Anime Series by Toei Animation

Regarding anime with strong female characters, it would be remiss not to mention Sailor Moon Crystal. Not only does Usagi undergo an incredible transformation throughout the manga and both anime series, but she also saves Tuxedo Mask consistently throughout.

In addition, the rest of the Sailor Senshi are some of the most epic sidekicks anyone could ask for, each offering their own unique personality along with a skill they’ve honed from day one.Teamwork, feminism, and general butt-kicking are all part of the Sailor Moon series, and it’s iconic in every category.

9

Fruits Basket Is A Hallmark Of Romantic Drama

Anime Series by TMS Entertainment

Fruits Basket tells the tale of Tohru Honda, a young girl who finds herself in the company of Yuki Sohma and the Sohma family. The Sohmas have a secret, however: when under stress, embarrassed, or when hugged by a member of the opposite gender, they transform into a corresponding animal of the Chinese Zodiac.

Throughout this story, Tohru vows to keep the Sohma family curse a secret and quests to find a cure for the strange ailment. Fruits Basket is a tale of love, loss, and everything in between and exists as a tentpole shoujo anime series that almost anyone will enjoy.

8

Yona of the Dawn Is an Essential Shojo Experience

Anime Series by Studio Pierrot

No discussion of anime series with a strong female protagonist is complete without Yona of the Dawn, one of the shojo demographic’s greatest fantasy series. However, its reason for deserving such a high appraisal is due to its titular character’s development from a sheltered, spoiled princess into a capable warrior. That the series manages to work in some romance on top of this only adds to shojo’s flexibility.

Yona of the Dawn isn’t as serious as its high-concept, mythology-inspired premise might suggest. The series juggles comedy and relatable characters to provide another elegant experience from Pierrot. However, despite not receiving a second season, the anime is only the start of the Yona experience, while the manga only just finished its run in December 2025.

7

Little Witch Academia’s Hero Is As Funny As She Is Engaging

Anime Series By Studio Trigger; Created By Yoh Yoshinari

Studio Trigger’s Little Witch Academia isn’t as deep as some of their other work, but from start to finish, Akko Kagari is always at the heart of what makes Little Witch Academia work.

Through Akko’s comedy and constant determination, and the show’s gorgeous artwork and animation always did a lot to sell that. It’s one of Studio Trigger’s best works, and Akko undoubtedly played a big part in that.

6

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Helped Redefine The Magical Girl Genre

Anime Series Created By Masaki Tsuzuki

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha was a major examples of a magical girl anime incorporating high-octane action with the typical emotional beats of the genre.

Fittingly for such a premise, Nanoha is always a character who does a great job of balancing emotional appeals with a willingness to be as destructive as possible. The series might not be well-known outside of Japan, but it’s a great one to watch, nonetheless.