Both the science fiction genre and the anime industry are plagued by unfortunate stereotypes that target only male audiences. This has changed in recent years, with both sci-fi and animated films opening up to wider and more diverse audiences. From some of the most iconic anime of all time to underrated cult classics and new favorites, the number of anime is ever increasing. sci-fi anime featuring a female protagonist.
Recent anime seasons tell more stories focusing on female protagonists, especially in relation to works of Science Fiction. However, there have been popular science fiction anime series with prominent female protagonists since at least the 1980s.
11 Bubble crisis
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Unmistakably a product of the ’80s and set in the distant 2030s, Bubblegum Crisis has bright lights, big hair, a nonstop ’80s soundtrack and clear influences of Blade Runner. However, Bubblegum Crisis is much more action-oriented than the previous Blade Runner. The heroines of Bubblegum Crisis are called the Knight Sabers, a team of female mercenaries in powerful armor who fight rogue robots created by an evil megacorporation called the Boomers. Overall, the action has a gritty feel, much like Power Rangers, but the series has a certain mature and gritty edge.
9 Martian Successor Nadesico
In many ways, Martian Successor Nadesico is a movie that feels like Evangelion if it were a comedy, a fact supported by the English dubs of both movies starring several voice actors in featured roles. The Nadesico is an interplanetary warship with a prominently female crew. Like Evangelion, Martian Successor Nadesico sees teenage pilots fighting alien threats using giant robots.
Unlike Evangelion, Martian Successor Nadesico is a fast-paced, offbeat comedy. Since most of the characters are huge fans of in-universe mecha series, there are a lot of self-aware jokes about mecha anime and the conventions of the genre. Martian Successor Nadesico has moments of genuine emotion and tragedy: the male lead, Akito, is traumatized by living through the devastation of a Martian colony during his childhood and one of the most famous episodes of the series focuses on a seemingly important character being killed off in a strange way. turn off.
8 angels exploded
Taking place in a lawless and devastated near future, Burst Angel follows a group of female mercenaries. While other anime use setting to convey a thematically deep story, Burst Angel commits to ridiculous action. That’s not to say Burst Angel isn’t attractive; gunfights are the main attraction of the series, and they sometimes escalate to all-out battles with machines with roller skates and jetpacks. It sounds ridiculous and it is, but it’s also incredibly fun. Interestingly, three of the four main female characters are named after the two sisters from Little Women, which is probably one of the most contrasting themes ever seen in an anime series.
7 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Although not the first film directed by Hayao Miyazaki in his iconic anime career, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was the first film Miyazaki directed independently as head of the Studio. Ghibli. Based on a manga also written by Miyazaki several years earlier, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind tells the story of the main heroine, the princess of the Valley of the Wind, as she tries to guide the residents of the Valley of the Wind. to live in peace with nature and people. The film delivers a strong anti-war and environmental protection message and is considered one of Miyazaki’s best films. The original English release was heavily edited and altered which influenced Miyazaki’s strict no-cut policy for English versions of his later films.
6 Proxy Ergo
With a title based on the famous quote by French philosopher René Descartes “cogito ergo sum”, Ergo Proxy clearly deals with deep philosophical and psychological themes. A post-apocalyptic detective story with engaging storytelling and a Georgian hymn-like soundtrack, Ergo Proxy follows Re-l — pronounced like “Ree-El” — and her robot partner Iggy as they investigate a series of murders in a domed city humanity has been forced to survive on an environmentally devastated Earth.
Re-l soon meets strange humanoid creatures called Proxy and an amnesiac man named Vincent, and finds himself pushed deeper and deeper into a sprawling mystery. In addition to its beautiful art style, Ergo Proxy’s philosophical and psychological themes and heavy use of symbolism make it a novel centered around cyberpunk fantasy.
5 Mobile SuitGundam: Witch from Mercury
The Witch from Mercury is the first installment in the Mobile Suit Gun series to feature a female protagonist. The series follows Suletta Mercury as he transfers to the Asticassia School of Technology, where she is quickly thrust into a Mobile Suit duel that culminates in her winning the right to marry corporate heiress Miorine Rembran.
With a smaller plot scope and a greater focus on corporate politics, The Witch from Mercury is a change of pace from the previous anime series while remaining true to the themes and spirit of its predecessors. that in the franchise. Although the series’ ending was criticized by fans for not committing to Suletta and Miorine’s relationship, The Witch from Mercury was a groundbreaking entry in the anime series because of its focus on the relationship between female characters.
4 chili powder
The poster for Paprika’s English release features the tagline “This is your brain in anime” – a reference to an old anti-drug campaign. Paprika definitely feels a change of heart. An Inception-like plot revolving around Paprika, a virtual avatar of a therapist created by a machine with the ability to enter dreams and affect people on a subconscious level, becomes even more bewildering. enhanced by its surreal art style and animated sequences. The outstanding soundtrack is provided by electronic music composer Susumu Hirasawa, who previously provided several memorable compositions for the anime Berserk. Paprika is unlike anything else so it’s absolutely worth experiencing at least once.
3 powerful space pirates
Space pirate Bodacious/Satelight.
Centering on high school student Marika Kato after taking over her father’s ship and crew, Bodacious Space Pirates is an exciting Space Opera with an almost entirely female cast. The series never really took itself too seriously, notably the space pirates in the series still wore the stereotypical costumes of the Golden Age Pirates era and existed mainly as a formality. dinner theater, staged attacks on cruise ships for wealthy passengers to experience. the thrill of a pirate raid without endangering yourself. Like the pirate series One Piece, this is primarily a comedic series and even at its most intense, it never reaches the level of violence of One Piece. There are moments of realistic piracy and real money fighting, however, space piracy mainly serves as a vehicle for comedy.
2 Ghost in the Shell
Masamune Shirow’s iconic cyberpunk manga has inspired several anime adaptations since the 80s, including a recent Netflix film and anime series, a video game, and a series The 2017 live-action film caused controversy when it cast Scarlett Johansson as the Japanese Motoko Kusanagi. and established at the box office. Although the exact plot and details vary between adaptations, Major Motoko Kusanagi’s main character is the series’ constant. Motoko is a robot police officer who works for the 9th Public Security Division, a special operations division of the Japanese government. Throughout the various adaptations of the series, the examination of the relationship between humans and technology has always been a central theme, driving the series’ stylish cyberpunk action.
1 Kill is Kill
A marked change of pace from Studio Trigger’s other recent series like BNA: Brand New Animal and Little Witch Academia, Kill la Kill is, to put it mildly, bizarre. Luckily, Kill la Kill is fully committed to its ridiculous premise and embraces its own oddities. In a dystopian world, protagonist Ryuko rebels against the fanatical and oppressive student council of a dictatorial school with the help of half a pair of giant scissors and a sentient sailor uniform. . The art and animation are cartoonishly exaggerated to emphasize both action and humor. The plot doesn’t really hold up, but at least serves as a delivery system for the action and humor. Kill la Kill is at once unforgettable and incredibly entertaining.
With the science fiction genre opening up a larger and more diverse audience. More and more science fiction works focus on female characters. However, female protagonists are not a new idea. At least since the 80s, there have been many sci-fi anime featuring a female protagonist.
