Shoujo is a demographic aimed at young women. While it covers many genres from fantasy to slice-of-life, the usual protagonist is a female so that it can appeal more to the target demographic. Over the years, there has been an abundance ranging in age. The protagonist can be a high school girl who saves humans from demons or an adult who works in a restaurant to support her family.
Unfortunately, there has been an unfortunate number of heroines we couldn't stand while some we were able to cheer on with our pom-poms. We are going to list the five best shoujo heroines in anime and five we couldn't stand.
10 BEST: TOHRU HONDA (FRUITS BASKET)
We're beginning this list with Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket, the perfect example of the ideal shoujo heroine. Kind, polite, and cute, she is usually what other shoujo heroine's try and duplicate. Tohru lost her mother and became an orphan before being taken in by the Sohmas, yet she barely complains and puts the well-being of others before herself.
Although she always does her best to stay cheerful so others do not worry about her, she is by no means a robot and can express herself. Tohru is a heroine that sets an excellent example for young women, with her 2019 counterpart acting less like a maid and more as a teenage girl, which makes her even better for the times.
9 WORST: MEI TACHIBANA (SAY I LOVE YOU)
Mei Tachibana from Say I Love You is not someone young girls should aspire to be. Mai is a shy girl who caught the interest of the most popular boy in school and was basically harassed into dating him. One of the first scenes between them is him cornering her in a back alley after school and stealing her first kiss.
Then what is the problem with Mai? She's completely OK with his actions. Who wants a heroine who allows a boy to do things to them because he's attractive?
8 BEST: SAKURA KINOMOTO (CARDCAPTOR SAKURA)
Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura is a treat to the magical girl genre. The protagonist of this popular magical girl series is a delight to watch. Sakura does her best in her duty as well as her school activities. She's a cheerleader, a great cook, and a fantastic friend.
After entering middle school, a wonderful girlfriend can be added to that list as well, as she begins to date Syaoran Li. Nothing comes to mind when trying to badmouth her either, which makes her one of the rare flawless shoujo heroines.
7 WORST: NAHO TAKAMIYA (ORANGE)
What makes Naho Takamiya a bad heroine lies heavily on her actions throughout Orange. Everyone should know that the future relies upon your past to craft it. If you have the power to change the future, you shouldn't because it will only twist your present even more.
But even after discovering her future, Naho can't seem to leave the past alone, and even her future self appears to be the same. In the future, she marries her childhood friend and has a child. Why would you wish to change something so drastic?
6 BEST: SAWAKO KURONUMA (FROM ME TO YOU)
Sawako Kuronuma, the heroine of From Me To You, is a good girl. She's probably still the biggest cinnamon roll in shoujo anime and manga to this day. Despite her classmates and the entire school spreading a rumor about her because she looks like the protagonist from The Ring, she doesn't give up on her efforts to change herself.
She has a bright smile and is surprisingly stubborn when the times comes. She is also nice to people who most definitely don't deserve it. Who could ever hate Sawako when she shines so bright?
5 WORST: SATOU MATSUZAKA (HAPPY SUGAR LIFE)
Satou Matsuzaka of Happy Sugar Life should probably be reported to Child Protective Services instead of attending high school or freely walking around. Satou has sworn to protect Shio, a little girl of unknown age who lives in her apartment. She doesn't allow her outside.
She's in love with a little girl. She has a two-faced personality. She's a murderer. There are many reasons why Satou is such an awful heroine. It doesn't matter that her aunt made her crazy -- that is no excuse for the horrendous things Satou has done throughout the series.
4 BEST: MISAKI AYUZAWA (KAICHOU WA MAID-SAMA!)
Misaki Ayuzawa of Kaichou wa Maid-sama was a great heroine when she made her debut, and she reigns as an amazing heroine still to this day. It's understandable why Takumi finds her so attractive. While Misaki is the usually stone-faced and serious student council president at school, she works at a maid cafe after school to support her impoverished family.
She's not one to fall for Takumi's teasing easily, but she also shows a surprisingly girly side to her that she typically conceals. Why can't all heroines be as strong as Misaki?
3 WORST: ERIKA SHINOHARA (WOLF GIRL AND BLACK PRINCE)
Erika Shinohara is the heroine(?) of Wolf Girl and Black Prince. Is she, though? Firstly, she lies to her so-called friends that she has a boyfriend so she can fit in with them. Secondly, she snaps a picture of the most popular boy in school (how does she not know of him, then?) and asks him to lie.
Lastly, she agrees to become his dog and falls in love with him because he protected her from a guy who is just as bad as him. Talk about not having any self-worth.
2 BEST: KYOUKO MAGAMI (SKIP BEAT!)
Kyouko Magami of Skip Beat is a timeless example of what the shoujo genre needs more of in its works. How hard is it to create a powerful, no-nonsense, and hardworking heroine we can all cheer for regardless of gender?
After Kyouko was scorned by her childhood friend who treated her as a maid, she decides to get revenge on him by beating him at his own game: showbiz. When she realizes she honestly is interested in the craft, however, she begins to work harder at it. She's easy to like and cheer on, which is the most essential aspect every shoujo heroine should have.
1 WORST: HEROINE (AMNESIA)
We finally come to the worst shoujo heroine in shoujo anime: a character that isn't even worth a name — Heroine from Amnesia. Or what fans like to call sexual harassment the anime. Because she does not speak in the otome game it is based on, she barely says anything in the anime.
Over the course of twelve episodes, she didn't say more than ten words. While the best thing about an anime should be the main character, the only good thing that came about of the adaption is the bomb opening. Because of how stale and boring Heroine is, she is the shoujo heroine we can't stand the most.