In an often male-dominated genre and world in general, anime tends to favor and over-represent the action-packed adventures of male characters realizing their true strength. Fortunately, despite this there are some excellent anime out there that showcase the complexity and tenacity of female protagonists.
From magical girls to shojo high school adventures to heartstring-tugging drama, here are some excellent anime female-led anime series that are available to watch for anyone who has Netflix.
Ouran High School Host Club
Considered a timeless shojo classic, the story of Ouran High School Host Club focuses on Haruhi Fujioka, a financially poor but exceptionaly bright pupil studying at the prestigious Ouran academy. After stumbling upon the school's Host Club -- a club where attractive boys amuse the girls of the school -- her tomboy-ish attire gets her mistaken as a boy.
Haruhi accdientally breaks an expensive vase and is forced to work as a Host herself in order to pay for the mistake. As her secret is slowly revealed to the club and romances form, she must navigate between keeping her biggest secret and honoring her friendships.
Kill la Kill Delivers Female-Led Action With Comedy
In the mood for an action-packed zany comedy that's a little naughty? Kill la Kill is the anime for you. Led by Ryuuko Matoi who seeks revenge for her murdered father, she ends up at Honnouji Academy, a brutally competitive school ruled by the Elite Four who don special clothes called "Goku Uniforms" that grant wearers unique superhuman abilities.
After being defeated in her first fight at the school, Ryuuko stumbles upon a Goku Uniform of her own: the sentient Senketsu, who awakes after coming into contact with her blood. Through Senketsu, Ryuuko receives immense power and makes it her mission to become the top student of her school and find her father's killer.
Sailor Moon Crystal, A Story of Badass Female Superheroes
Part of one of the most recognizable anime franchises of all time, Sailor Moon Crystal is a truer-to-the-manga 2014 adaptation of the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon series by Naoko Takeuchi. The clumsy and emotional 14-year-old student Usagi Tsukino has her life turned upside down when a mysterious talking cat named Luna gives her a magical brooch that allows her to transform into Sailor Moon, a magical girl who protects love and justice.
In their search for the legendary Silver Crystal and the other Sailor Scouts that have been reincarnated into Usagi's current life, she must protect the world from the Dark Kingdom and their ruler, Queen Beryl. The companion movies to the modern adaptation, Sailor Moon Eternal Parts I & II, are also available on Netflix, and it was recently announced that a movie adaptation of the final manga arc, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos the Movie, will be released in Japan in summer 2023.
Madoka Magica Takes a Darker Approach to the Magical Girl Genre
A complete antithesis to the previous title and a modern masterpiece, Puella Magi Madoka Magica gained its popularity through presenting the concept of magical girls through a dark and twisted lens. Following regular middle schoolers Madoka and Sakaki and the newly transferred Homura, their lives are completely changed when a seemingly kind cat-like familiar named Kyuubey offers them a single wish in exchange for them to become magical girls.
Magical girls are in charge of fighting witches, invisible beings who cause despair wherever they go. Homura, who is already a magical girl, is determined to stop Madoka from accepting the deal at all costs. When it is revealed that witches are former magical girls whose soul gems are completely tainted, Madoka Magica takes a dark turn and viewers witness the corruption of what it really means to be a magical girl.
Violet Evergarden Is a Heartstring-Tugging Story of Love and Growth
Another modern masterpiece, Violet Evergarden stars the series' namesake who was raised to kill opposing forces in the front lines of The Great War. After the war ends, Violet is left tattered and without purpose; the story follows her as she rehabilitates and finds purpose in life. Witnessing the work of a writer who transcribes people's thoughts and words into feelings, Violet is moved to become an "Auto Memory Doll" herself. As she learns how to write and inspire her clients, she discovers more about herself and who she really is on the inside.