Animehas many iconic female leads and side characters, ranging from magical girls to deadly warriors. However, many of these women lack the emotional depth and agency seen in their male counterparts. Even as the industry continues to evolve, there remains a tendency to write female characters as less complex individuals, shaped to adhere to the male gaze.
Many of these characters in anime are portrayed as embodying idealized traits, whether it’s beauty, loyalty, or strength, which cater to male expectations rather than challenging them. This simplification creates a disconnect between what truly defines strength and how that strength makes a character compelling.
This issue is especially seen in action and shōnen titles, where women can be physically or magically powerful yet remain narratively passive. It suggests that strength alone is enough to uplift and validate these characters, when in reality, many are one-dimensional. As the anime industry continues to grow, it’s imperative to consider how female characters are written and represented.
Why Are Female Characters So Hard To Write?
Outdated Habits Are Still Shaping Modern Stories
In many anime genres, especially shōnen and seinen, female characters often struggle to break free from outdated social norms. These norms influence how women and girls are perceived and valued, shaping how they are written. From submissive love interests to damsels in distress, many of these characters are created using recycled archetypes that persist because they are culturally ingrained.
Even when characters are given agency or strength, those traits are often built with certain expectations that limit their emotional depth or narrative importance. This can be seen in many tropes repeatedly used in anime, such as tsunderes and yanderes who, while instantly recognizable, are rarely given a chance to evolve, unlike their male counterparts.
Male characters that represent roles such as comic relief, emotional support, camaraderie, or fan service are usually given the chance to evolve, whether through emotional growth, narrative importance, or complex character arcs. Female characters, on the other hand,often remain stagnant or experience shallow or performative growth, specifically designed to somehow enhance the story of their male counterparts.
A perfect example of this is Hinata Hyuga, who begins as a shy, soft-spoken side character whose arc mainly centers around Naruto and being his emotional anchor. Even as she develops throughout the series, it always feels secondary to her romantic feelings. Despite being a significant character, she never receives a fully developed, complex arc, unlike many other side characters.
Many will argue that these genres aren’t “for women,”suggesting that the way female characters are written shouldn’t matter. However, that logic ignores the growing and diverse global audience of anime, and more importantly, it overlooks the fact that it’s less about who the stories are for and more about what they say.
Additionally, while these patterns are often seen in shōnen and seinen, they can also be seen in genres like shojo and josei that sometimes reinforce stereotypes in the opposite direction. This may be because the anime industry is largely male-dominated, leading to female perspectives often being excluded from creative decisions, resulting in flat characters specifically designed to be more marketable.
Even “Strong” Female Characters Tend To Lack Complexity
Many Strong Female Characters Are Male Power Fantasies in Disguise
Many anime heroines are praised for being powerful, but that strength means little if they fail to develop. For instance, characters like Android 18 fromDragon Ball, Erza Scarlet fromFairyTail, and Mikasa Ackerman fromAttackonTitanare introduced as formidable characters, yet they often stay flat, become sidelined, or are defined by their relationships to male leads.
While Mikasa initially appears to be a promising character, rather than growing, her development narrows intoa singular devotion to Eren, removing any sense of individuality. Erza, despite being introduced as an S-Class mage, is reduced to fan service, and despite receiving a compelling backstory, the series fails to fully explore it, leading to a lack of development.
Similarly, Android 18 is introduced inDragon Ballwith jaw-dropping strength, a powerful personality, and a compelling backstory that, unfortunately, never gets fully explored. She begins as a formidable antagonist, only to become a damsel in distress, and soon after assumes a domestic role, and fades into the background despite being one of the series’ most powerful characters.
It’s possible, and maybe even more powerful, to create well-rounded female characters whose strength comes from more than just physical ability, but from complexity and meaningful exploration.
Each of these characters has the potential for depth and deeper development; however, they are sacrificed to uphold a fantasy of idealized figures that do nothing but serve the male gaze. Reducing female characters to overused tropes weakens stories for everyone watching. A well-written character avoids hollow stereotypes and offers much more engaging and relatable viewing experiences.
For example, characters likeSan fromPrincess Mononokeand Major Motoko Kusanagi fromGhost in the Shelloffer insight into what true strength can look like when it is not created solely to please or impress the male gaze. San is fierce, yet flawed and complex, with her actions driven by conviction rather than attachment to a male lead.
Major Motoko Kusanagi is physically strong, but she is best defined by her philosophical depth and internal conflict in the film rather than her appearance or relationships. These characters show that it’s possible, and maybe even more powerful, to create well-rounded female characters whose strength comes from more than just physical ability, but from complexity and meaningful exploration.
Anime Can Benefit From Writing Strong Female Characters
No Matter the Genre, Strong Written Characters Are Always Better
Well-crafted female characters not only improve representation but also enrich the story. Characters with believable flaws, emotional depth, and clear agency add more without threatening established tropes. Instead, they can make the story stronger, more compelling, and more meaningful. In storytelling, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, meaning stories don’t have to sacrifice tropes as long as they are handled with care.
Female characters can still be stoic, tough, emotionally guarded, or soft-spoken, romantic, gentle, or comedic, and remain well-written if their traits serve a larger emotional arc or narrative purpose.Even fan service or stylized designs are not inherently wrong. Instead, the issue arises when many anime make those traits their entire personality.
Anime thrives when it explores the complexities of its characters. Series likeNanaandMoribitohave shown how powerful female-driven stories can be when they are approached with sincerity and given equal attention as their male counterparts. Even series likeFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodprove that well-rounded female characters who are essential to the plot strengthen the series.
As the anime industry continues to grow, evolve, and reach more diverse audiences, now is the best time to move away from overused, hollow archetypes and focus on creating fully developed characters. This change doesn’t take anything away from anime, but rather improves it for audiences to enjoy a more impactful experience.
