ANIME HEAT EP3: Women in Anime: A Look At Female Representation

By Alessandra Henriquez

Anime is known for its many iconic characters. From overpowered protagonists to tender-hearted heroines, these personas bring a series to life and connect with viewers beyond the screen. However, not every character is written equal. It is very common to find an incredible anime only to see its female cast completely sidelined or reduced to mere eye candy. This is especially prevalent in shonen anime, or series targeted towards boys and young men. 

While this won’t come as a shock for most seasoned anime watchers, it is an ongoing issue that harms both the story and the viewer. As such, in honor of Women’s History Month, let’s discuss some of anime’s worst and best written female characters to assess the medium’s representation of women.

The Bad

Image Credit: Studio Pierrot

Sakura Haruno (Naruto)

If you Google “worst-written women in anime”, the number one name on almost every list is Sakura Haruno. In fact, several forums reveal the anime community’s general distaste for Naruto’s female characters. Sakura bears the brunt of the hate trains, though, because despite being a main character, she is much weaker and less developed than her fellow teammates Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. 

I still remember the frustration when I started watching Naruto back in elementary school. Every episode with Team 7 in action, Sakura was either too busy fangirling over Sasuke or too powerless to help take down the villain. When they were not in combat, her actions still revolved around her crush on Sasuke or were reduced to her bickering with Naruto. It made her character feel rather annoying and one-dimensional, as it was hard to grasp why she became a ninja in the first place.

What baffles me is that Sakura was canonically aware of her weaknesses. Yet, even after training to become more powerful by the start of Naruto: Shippuden, the author still sidelined her character. In the end, Sakura never shakes off her dependence on Sasuke and somehow marries him despite his poor treatment of her. It was disappointing to see a character with so much potential remain underdeveloped and, even worse, lose their self-respect for the sake of a man.

Orihime Inoue (Bleach)

Image Credit: Studio Pierrot

Another Big Three shonen anime woman, Bleach’s Orihime Inoue seems to be the internet’s second most hated female anime character. Like Sakura, she forms a trio with the main character Ichigo Kurosaki and fellow classmate Yasutora Sado. However, her lack of combatant abilities against formidable enemies and naive personality often lead her to become a damsel in distress. In a series where most women are written to be powerful or possess more character depth, Orihime comes across somewhat flat.

Now, I want to clarify that I don't think Orihime is useless or terrible, as many people believe. I actually liked her more than Sakura when I first watched Bleach. She comes across as very human, and she helps Ichigo countless times with the Shun Shun Rikka, a manifestation of her spirit that enables her to attack, defend, or heal through event rejection. The issue is that Orihime never evolves to her full potential.

Her powers were teased in the Arrancar arc to be much more important than they appeared, only to be reduced to a healing mechanism for the rest of the plot. Furthermore, despite being Ichigo’s main love interest and future wife, very little mutual romantic development was shown in their relationship over the course of the series. While I disagree with those who say she had no growth at all, I do think the writing wasted key opportunities to engage more with her character.

Tamaki Kotatsu (Fire Force)

Image Credit: David Production

Fire Force to me is one of those anime with an interesting plot and solid cast of characters, only for it all to be ruined by fan service. The main culprit here is Tamaki Kotatsu, who boasts incredible abilities and a decent personality, but does little outside of being a plot device or somehow losing her clothes at the worst moments.

Frankly, I dropped the show because I couldn’t take the tonal whiplash of watching an intense, emotional moment, then getting slapped in the face by blatant nudity. From what I’ve read online, though, the disservice to Tamaki’s character doesn’t end there. Her powers are continuously underutilized, with her ultimately turning into a damsel in distress. What’s more, she is often the victim of sexual harassment and physical assault, which is played off as a gag for comic relief.

This harmful portrayal of women as sex objects both interrupts the viewing experience and normalizes values with negative real-world implications. It really sours the quality of what could have been an otherwise amazing story.

The Entire Female Cast of My Hero Academia

Image Credit: Studio Bones

Let me take a deep breath here. I generally like My Hero Academia, but the author’s treatment of its female characters is quite frustrating. I will never understand why a literal purple grape baby (aka Mineta Minoru) gets a pass to sexually harass his female classmates the entire series. While My Hero has a great collection of girl characters and even gives the heroes’ mothers a spotlight, most of these women are severely underdeveloped.

Following the same trend as the other shonen anime listed in this article, My Hero’s young women lack significant characterization in comparison to their male counterparts. It’s not that they aren’t interesting or are powerless. Rather, they never get the time to showcase their strength and, as a result, leave less of an impact on the story. 

They also lack the emotional complexity and flaws of other male characters. Although we get to know many of their backstories, they are mostly relegated as side stories and not really plot-relevant. This happens even with popular female characters such as Ochaco Uraraka and Tsuyu Asui, leaving the story unbalanced when other popular male characters like Shoto Todoroki receive more attention.

The Good

Maomao and the Ladies of The Apothecary Diaries

Image Credit: Toho Animation Studio

The Apothecary Diaries is easily one of my favorite anime as of the Winter 2025 season. As a series with a strong female protagonist and women-centered storyline, it is refreshing in its realistic portrayal of the female experience. While the show is set in a historical palace setting, the characters feel relatable and the narrative spotlights feminist issues relevant to today’s social climate.

Contrary to many of the previously mentioned titles, The Apothecary Diaries shows its female characters are human before they are women. As a result, they have individual identities that go beyond the commonly used stereotypical tropes. Maomao, our female protagonist, has motivations outside of her romance storyline with the mysterious Jinshi, and her experiences show the harsh realities of women trying to succeed in a patriarchal, classist society. 

What I especially love about this anime is how it shows women supporting women, even in situations where they would receive criticism in the modern world. Equal respect is given to female characters young and old, with Maomao’s conversations reflecting how a younger woman might speak to her peers or look up to an older lady. Also, despite featuring courtesans and concubines, none of these women are heavily sexualized, either. Instead, they are portrayed as complex individuals with emotions and struggles. It’s honestly surprising to know the light novel and manga were published as seinen, which is a genre targeted towards men.

Haruhi Fujioka (Ouran High School Host Club)

Image Credit: Studio Bones

If there’s one female character who breaks the gender norms of anime women, it’s Haruhi Fujioka. As a gender nonconforming female, Haruhi serves as a deviation from traditional shoujo protagonists. She pretends to be a guy to pay off her debt to Ouran Academy’s host club, but her androgyny goes beyond a ruse to earn money. The reality is Haruhi feels comfortable being perceived either as a boy or as a girl.

In addition to challenging cisgender norms, Haruhi is also strong-willed and adaptable. She stands up for her friends and accepts life’s negative experiences with her head held up high. This makes for a compelling female lead, empowering women and gender fluid individuals in the process.

Additionally, while Ouran High School Host Club does feature romance elements, Haruhi is never reduced to the classic shoujo tropes of fawning over the male lead. She continues to assert her personality and, as a result, has earned a name as one of the most beloved female leads of anime.

Kagura (Gintama)

Image Credit: Studio Sunrise

Gintama is my second favorite anime of all time and, in my opinion, is a must-watch for seasoned anime lovers. It gets better the more familiar you are with Japanese media and, despite its supernatural setting, has some of the most human characters I’ve seen in anime. One character who especially caught my eye is Kagura, the female member of the Yorozuya trio. 

At only 14 years of age, she leaves her home planet to find happiness on Earth. Upon arrival, she has no money or work experience, only physical strength inherited from her violent clan. After joining a gang to obtain food and shelter, she gets tired of the violence and runs away, ultimately encountering Gintoki Sakata and Shinpachi Shimura. The latter two become her found family under the Yorozuya Odd Jobs name, with the story of Gintama detailing their antics. 

Due to the show’s comedic genre, Kagura’s personality is somewhat of a gag: she is lazy, crude, relatively masculine, which is uncharacteristic of most women in anime. However, this makes her all the more realistic when we consider her age. Young girls are often sexualized in anime, especially in shonen, yet Gintama does not give into these tropes. Furthermore, the series shows her vulnerabilities as a result of having to grow up quickly, with moments where her “girly” side shines through. This makes Kagura a complex character and an example of great writing.

Kurisu Makise (Steins;Gate)

Image Credit: White Fox

We can’t talk about expertly written female characters in anime without mentioning Kurisu Makise. I had put off watching Steins;Gate for a long time, and after finally getting around to it last month, I can see why so many people sing her praises. 

Despite being only 18 years old, Kurisu is already an accomplished scientist and is responsible for what leads to the invention of time travel. This puts her on the receiving end of envy from her peers (and even her own father), which explains her initial cold exterior. However, at her core, Kurisu is a caring girl with big aspirations and a geeky personality. Her interactions with other characters feel very natural, and even when she is shown to fall into the “tsundere” trope, it doesn’t feel forced or too overdone. 

I think Kurisu is one of the most realistic anime women ever written, which is funny considering Steins;Gate is about circumstances far from our current reality. However, as the show’s female lead and the main character’s love interest, she makes for a refreshing departure from stereotypical female characters.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the representation of women in anime may have its flaws, but the medium has its fair share of amazing female characters. Hopefully, as problematic tropes and blatant character neglect receive more scrutiny from the anime community, we will have even more great characters to add to our “best girl” lists. 

Do you agree with these takes? Let us know in the comments and share your favorite and/or least favorite female characters.

IG POST CAROUSEL: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGiIYTPMWs/r4sgvO4R0-MWMTtvJ9Rz6g/edit?utm_content=DAGiIYTPMWs&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton 

CAPTION

Anime is known for its wide range of female characters. From genius scientists to bashful schoolgirls, the medium features all kinds of women young and old. However, does the inclusion of these characters equal proper female representation? In honor of Women’s History Month, our blog ANIME HEAT takes a look at some of the best and worst written women of anime.

Let us know in the comments: Who is your favorite or least favorite anime girl? Why?