Anime is a popular form of entertainment that has gained a significant following over the years. While many anime series are created for a wide audience, some anime is specifically made for girls.
These anime shows are known for their unique storytelling, complex characters, and relatable themes that cater to a female audience.
Anime made for girls ranges from romantic dramas to thrilling action series and comedic slice-of-life stories. Many of these anime series showcase strong female characters who face challenges and grow throughout the series.
Themes such as friendship, love, and self-discovery are often explored in these shows, resonating with the target audience.
Some popular anime series made for girls include “Sailor Moon,” “Fruits Basket,” “Cardcaptor Sakura,” “Ouran High School Host Club,” “K-On!,” and “Violet Evergarden,” among many others.
These shows have captivated viewers with their engaging stories, stunning animation, and memorable characters, making them a must-watch for any anime fan, particularly those who enjoy stories geared toward girls.
So here are 35 Anime made for Girls and Women!
1.) Sailor Moon
But curiosity won out, and as of right now, I’ve seen 85% of the Japanese episodes. Unfortunately, this program was badly dubbed, so many people still consider it a “kid’s show.” But there’s so much more to Sailor Moon.
It covers a wide range of topics, including homosexuality, sexuality in general, violence, etc.
There is even profanity, for god’s sake. It is relatable in many aspects, such as self-consciousness and relationship concerns. Those are more “kid’s show traits,” in my opinion.
But in addition to being relatable, it also has a lot of positive outcomes.
2.) Fruit Basket
Fruits Basket tells the tale of Tohru Honda, an orphan girl who, after meeting Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Soma, discovers that twelve members of the Soma family are cursed to transform into their animal forms when they are weak, stressed, or when they are embraced by anyone.
Fruits Basket is not your typical shoujo romance, though.
As the story progresses, we see that the family is gravely dysfunctional, with several instances of heartache and rejection brought on by the characters’ humiliation over the curse.
Fruits Basket is a deep, complicated story that is not merely a soap opera or romance.
3.) Canaan
A photographer is looking for her next big scoop when she becomes involved in a plot involving a deadly virus while looking into the bizarre events at a local carnival. She receives assistance from the titular Canaan, an old mercenary acquaintance.
Of course, Canaan is also after her story’s adversary, former partner Alphard.
This is one of the few animes where the protagonist, the damsel in distress, and the enemy are all complex, multi-layered women who frequently ally and clash. The thrills and turns keep coming.
4.) Cardcaptor Sakura
Cardcaptor Sakura is one of the all-time tops recommended anime for females by anime lovers in Japan and abroad.
The popular manga series created by Clamp between 1996 and 2000 served as the basis for the popular magical-girl anime, which is also characterized by romance and fantasy.
Cardcaptor Sakura follows 10-year-old protagonist Sakura Kinomoto as she gathers magical cards known as Clow Cards in the game’s fictitious village in Tokyo.
Perhaps the best mahou shoujo anime ever made is Cardcaptor Sakura. It’s more than just a well-known series or a well-regarded title.
It illustrates a series that was not afraid to experiment and defy accepted genre norms to achieve the highest level of quality.
5.) Tokyo Mew Mew
Ichigo Momomiya, a little girl from Tokyo, Japan, goes to an exhibit on endangered animals with Masaya Aoyama, her “crush.” Ichigo and the other four girls find themselves in a peculiar light following an earthquake.
Before Ichigo, a cat makes an appearance and unites with her. She starts acting like a cat the next day and making puns about cats.
Following her encounters with Ryou Shirogane and Keiichirou Akasaka, Ichigo discovers that she was genetically manipulated to resemble the Iriomote cat. She can then change into the strong, valiant cat girl Mew Ichigo, as explained by Ryou and Keiichirou.
At first glance, Sailor Moon with maids and catgirls seems to be the main inspiration for Tokyo Mew Mew, and during the first 15 or 20 episodes, that’s pretty much exactly what the show is.
But a curious thing happened while I watched this series; it started off bad and turned shockingly good and addicting.
6.) Yona of the Dawn
The kingdom of Kouka is fortunate to have a stunning princess who attracts everyone she meets with her innocent demeanour.
She was raised under the protection of the royal palace and is known by the name Yona. But everything nice has to come to an end.
When a horrible act of betrayal threatens to destroy everything Yona loves dear, including her birthright as the princess of Kouka, her ideal world comes tumbling down.
It’s not a typical shoujo anime that exclusively emphasizes romance.
Even adults can be enticed to watch the entire episode by its highly compelling plot. However, because the anime primarily introduces the characters, simply viewing it won’t be sufficient.
7.) Kill La Kill
Certainly, not everyone like Kill la Kill. It’s odd, bordering on insane.
Dead giveaways that the audience is watching a Trigger anime include the absurd plot, the over-the-top character design, the vibrant scenery and explosions, and the novel method used to convey significant subjects.
The protagonist of Kill la Kill is Ryuko Matoi, a young woman who vows revenge on the person who killed her father.
She ends herself at the Honnouji Academy, a prestigious institution where students’ wardrobe choices heavily influence the competitive hierarchy.
Actually, the exploration of concepts like fate, freedom, and sexuality in Kill la Kill mainly relies on clothing, which explains the bizarre costumes.#
8.) Ouran High School Host Club
Haruhi Fujioka is a diligent young woman who joined the esteemed Ouran Academy. One day, while searching for a quiet location to study, she discovers what appears to be an empty music room.
Upon arriving, Haruhi is greeted by members of the renowned Host Club, a group where handsome boys entertain girls from all over the campus. The club’s founder and president, Tamaki Suou, startles the talented scholarship student, breaking an exquisite vase.
One of the best reverse harem anime shows I’ve seen is Ouran High School. The story’s central idea—that Haruhi is a girl—was clearly illustrated from the beginning rather than seeming tedious.
9.) From the New World
The 2012 animation From the New World might be what an anime lover is seeking if they enjoy books like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.
From the New World is a coming-of-age tale presented from the perspective of Saki Watanabe as she recalls the events from her childhood from the future and is set in a utopian future society where people have acquired psychic skills.
Saki lives in a mysterious, remote civilization of psychic humans governed by intricate laws. It is evident from the first episode that there is much more to this purported utopia than first appears.
10.) Yuri on Ice
These days, anime series with a sports theme are popular among ladies, and one of the most well-known anime with a figure skating theme is Yuri on Ice.
More people throughout the world have been interested in watching figure skating competitions on ice, particularly during the Winter Olympics and other important global championships. It debuted in 2016 with 12 episodes; the first anime film will come after it.
Two juvenile skaters, Yuri Katsuki and Yuri Plisetsky, are the anime series Yuri on Ice characters. Yuri Katsuki trains to win the Grand Prix Final with his Russian adversary while being coached by skating legend Victor Nikiforov.
11.) Your Lie In April
Naoshi Arakawa is the author and illustrator of the manga series Your Lie in April, a Japanese love drama.
Ksei Arima, a 14-year-old piano prodigy, gains fame after placing first in multiple tournaments. When his mother, Saki, passes away, Ksei experiences a mental breakdown while playing the piano performance.
Although his hearing is undamaged, this causes him to lose his ability to hear the music of his piano.
Ksei hasn’t picked up the piano in two years and only sees the world in black and white. He does not emphasize doing well in anything and enjoys spending time with his buddies Ryta Watari and Tsubaki Sawabe.
This is a heart-warming and tear-jerking series. But you need to see it yourself; trust me, you won’t regret it.
12.) Fate/Zero
The blonde-haired knight known as Saber is one of the Servants that the Masters can summon in the Holy Grail Wars and one of the main protagonists of the amazing Fate series.
The Holy Grail Wars, for those who are unaware, are essentially secret battle royale-style contests between seven Master magicians who enlist seven famous fighters as their Servants.
King Arthur, a woman in this realm, has returned as Saber. Six more classes exist besides Saber: Assassin, Archer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, and Lancer. Each Servant has a personal story, special talent, and duty to their Master.
The show features breathtaking animation, thrilling action sequences, and intriguing philosophical and spiritual explorations.
13.) Touken Ranbu
Touken Ranbu, a 2015 free-to-play video game, was first transformed into the Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru anime series in 2016. The second season, which has 12 additional episodes after the original 12, debuted in 2018.
In addition, three Toku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru – Setsugetsuka anime films will be released in 2022.
In the year 2205, a unique sage named Saniwa had the power to give inanimate objects life.
The Saniwa and their strongest animations—historical Japanese swords in the appearance of dashing young men—are the only ones capable of halting dark forces’ plot to travel back in time and alter the course of history.
14.) Bungo Stray Dogs
The “Armed Detective Agency” team is followed as they work to keep Yokohama safe from the mafia in this television series. The weretiger Atsushi Nakajima is the major subject of the show.
He works with other people with supernatural abilities to complete various duties, such as operating a business, unravelling mysteries, and completing missions given to them by the agency.
The characters have names of well-known classic authors, including Dazai, Akutagawa, Fitzgerald, and others.
15.) Love is Hard For Otaku
Instead of allowing us to watch a relationship grow, most romance anime prefer to concentrate on the pursuit of connection. Fortunately, Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, one of 2018’s biggest shocks, does not fall into that category.
Wotakoi relates two stories of love. There is a tale about two friends who start dating since they share otaku interests and go on to experience real love.
Then there is the previously existing, occasionally dysfunctional friendship/coworker relationship between the two. Wotakoi will feel like a breath of fresh air to anime lovers tired of the usual, mushy rom-com.
16.) Little Witch Academia
Luna Nova Magical Academy, a renowned institution for young girls pursuing witchcraft education, is the setting for Little Witch Academia. Atsuko “Akko” Kagari enrols at Luna Nova Magical Academy to become a witch after being inspired by a witch named Shiny Chariot.
Still, she struggles because she has no magical training. Everything changes when she comes across the Shiny Rod, a powerful magic artefact left behind by Chariot.
Even Akko, who seems so awkward, straightforward, and careless, was able to evolve so much more than I could have ever imagined. Her growth was extremely heartwarming.
17.) Violet Evergarden
Auto Memory Dolls was a device created as a prototype for the typewriter. Professor Orlando, an expert in letterpress printing and a mechanical doll researcher, created it initially.
While Molly, his wife, was a novelist, she lost her writing ability after going blind.
After the war is finished and Violet Evergarden is no longer a soldier, the novel follows her journey of reintegrating back into society and her search for her life’s meaning to comprehend the last words her mentor and guardian, Major Gilbert, had given to her: “I love you.”
18.) Angel Beats!
Angel Beats! is set in a high school setting in the afterlife, a kind of limbo for those who have gone through trauma or difficulties and must conquer them before dying and reincarnating.
Yuzuru Otonashi, a boy with amnesia who dies in the afterlife, is the novel’s main character. When he meets Yuri Nakamura, she offers him to join the Afterlife Battlefront, or SSS, a group she formed and is in charge of that rebels against an unnamed God for its members’ terrible treatment in life.
I enjoy this anime so much because it simultaneously manages to be both humorous and profound. Even though it’s mostly depressing, there are occasional hilarious moments that only serve to improve your attitude.
19.) A Place Further Than The Universe
A Place Further than the Universe was one of the best anime to come out in 2018. The action comedy follows four females from Japan to Antarctica on an amazing voyage.
Kimari, who has always had high ambitions but lacked the drive to follow them, meets Shirase, a young woman who is adamant about travelling to Antarctica to look for her mother.
Two more girls join them as the four set off on their epic voyage. Shirase, Kimari, Hinata, and Yuzuki’s story is wonderfully sincere, motivational, and adorable.
The theme of A Place Further Than the Universe has the guts to pursue your dreams. It involves overcoming the crippling fear of experiencing life.
The four girls support one another as they face their worries as they travel to a location beyond the Universe, engaging in all sorts of antics that will leave the audience in fits of laughter and tears.
20.) Honey and Clover
Three young guys who attend a Tokyo art college and live in the same apartment building are Yta Takemoto, Takumi Mayama, and Shinobu Morita. One day, Hagumi “Hagu” Hanamoto, a first-year art student at the art school everyone attends, is introduced to them.
She is the cousin’s daughter of Shji Hanamoto, an art professor, and she has moved in with Hanamoto.
Yuta and Shinobu fall in love with Hagu. Still, Shinobu communicates his affection in ways that only seem to frighten Hagu, like calling her “Mousey” and incessantly photographing her.
At the same time, Yuta keeps his feelings to himself and attempts to be a friend to Hagu.
21.) Fairy Tail
Numerous guilds exist on Earthland, where wizards use their magic to fulfil paid work requests. In quest of his lost adopted father, the dragon Igneel, Natsu Dragneel, a wizard from the Fairy Tail guild specializing in dragon slaying, travels to the Kingdom of Fiore.
Along the way, he meets Lucy Heartfilia, a young heavenly mage, and asks her to join Fairy Tail.
The best anime ever was Fairy Tail because it had the ideal balance of friendship, humour, and action.
I adore how Natsu believes that the ties that bind him to the other members of Fairy Tail are much stronger than any familial ties.
22.) Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
A high school student, Chiyo Sakura, develops a crush on Umetarou Nozaki, a classmate. He mistakes her for a fan when she confesses her love to him and gives her an autograph.
When she desires to be with him, he extends an invitation to his home and asks her to assist with some paintings. Sakura realizes that Nozaki is a prominent shōjo manga artist working under the pen name Sakiko Yumeno.
It is the best, most realistic anime I’ve seen so far. I recommend not getting too attached to the characters; the end will leave you in tears. That’s all I can say.
23.) Puella Magi Madoka Magica
A middle school student called Madoka Kaname and her best friend Sayaka Miki come across a little, cat-like creature by the name of Kyubey in the fictional Japanese city of Mitakihara.
It proposes a deal where a girl can fulfil any wish in exchange for magical abilities and a job combating witches. Homura Akemi, a strange magical girl and transfer student, tries to dissuade Madoka from signing the contract with Kyubey.
It is a true work of art. Unlike other magical girl animes, this one has a particular dark theme.
The soundtracks are lovely and moving and excellent to listen to when studying or unwinding. Because of how beautifully the characters are developed, I don’t really have a favourite.
24.) Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
One of the most well-known female heroines in anime is Major Mokoto Kusanagi, the Ghost in the Shell protagonist. In a world where many individuals have turned into cyborgs.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex follows the Major and her crew, who work for Public Security Section 9, as they look into incredibly mild criminal cases.
The existence of cyber brains has given rise to a whole new category of dangerous crimes because of the ability of criminals to seize control of victims’ cyber brains, change their memories, and alter their sensory input.
That said, these incredible technological advancements are not without their drawbacks. Stand Alone Complex is a must-watch series for every anime lover, especially if they’re searching for a strong female lead and loads of action.
25.) Pretty Cure
The central characters in each series are a group of young girls who are given unique equipment that enables them to change into legendary warriors known as the Pretty Cure.
The Pretty Cure fights against evil forces that create monsters to cause sorrow to Earth using their magical abilities and improved strength with the help of fairies.
The Cures acquire additional magical artefacts, skills, and occasionally friends to aid them in their battle against evil as the series goes on and tougher enemies appear.
26.) Darling In The Franxx
Nearly as soon as it was released, Darling in the Franxx became popular, and viewers weren’t only binge-watching it to see Hiro acquire self-assurance. In every scene she appeared, Zero Two—the code name was given to hybrid humans—captivated and enthralled the audience.
This anime is undoubtedly among the best mecha anime of all time because of its main character’s intensity and aggressive tendencies.
Along with other strong female characters like Ichigo, Miku, Kokoro, and Ikuno, and their Franxx, who are just as crucial to the narrative as their operators, the soundtrack also contributes to the show’s increased popularity.
27.) K-On!
A new high school year always heralds many exciting developments, including joining a club.
Yui Hirasawa, who is undecided about which club to join, discovers and applies for the Light Music Club, which she perceives as involving playing easy instruments like castanets. She visits to apologize and quit because she cannot play an instrument.
The Light Music Club, meanwhile, risks being dissolved because of a lack of participants. Because of this, the club members will say or do everything to get Yui to join, like providing food or taking it easy during club time.
Despite their best attempts, Yui refuses to stay because she lacks musical background.
They perform a piece for Yui as a last resort, which ignites her passionate rage and persuades her to join the group.
28.) Serial Experiments Lain
Lain Iwakura, a schoolgirl, sets out on an odd adventure after receiving a mystery email from a purportedly deceased classmate. This weird voyage may alter her views of life, death, and reality.
People in Serial Experiments Lain can transcend their physical forms by uploading their consciousness into The Wired, a virtual environment produced by human-made technology.
Serial Experiments Lain is one of the greatest anime series ever to have only one season, although it is strange, intellectual, and sometimes virtually impossible to follow. It’s also difficult to think of another figure who gains greater power than Lain.
29.) Haikyuu!!
In the first part of the list, I mentioned that girls love sports anime. Well, Haikyuu is definitely one of them.
Shouyou Hinata has been entranced by volleyball’s dynamic style since seeing the “Little Giant” display his amazing skills on the court.
He tried to become a volleyball regular during a middle school tournament, but it didn’t work out. He wants to show that his average height is no longer an obstacle in the face of his pure will and perseverance.
Hinata thinks he is one step closer to becoming a professional volleyball player when he enrols at Karasuno High School, the Little Giant’s alma mater.
30.) Sword Art Online
Gamers worldwide have had access to an entirely immersive virtual reality ever since the revolutionary NerveGear was released.
One of the newest games on the system, Sword Art Online (SAO), allows players to enter the marvellous world of Aincrad.
In this colourful medieval setting, they are only limited by their creativity. With the introduction of this global phenomenon, gaming has never felt more real.
However, when the inventor of SAO imprisons hundreds of players inside the game, the beautiful vision quickly turns into a violent nightmare. The only way out is to complete all one hundred increasingly challenging levels of Aincrad because the “log-out” function has been eliminated.
Any in-game death becomes final, ending the player’s life in the real world, which makes things more difficult.
31.) Chihayafuru
A sports anime called Chihayafuru is about Karuta. You inquire what Karuta is. Before watching this anime, neither did I. Memorization is essential in the card game Karuta, which is based on Japanese poetry and uses cards from 100 different poems.
Chihaya Ayase’s childhood desire was to see her older sister Chitose succeed as Japan’s top model.
After protecting her bullied classmate Arata Wataya from his tormentor, Taichi Mashima, a childhood friend of Chihaya, she learns about competitive Karuta and quickly falls in love with the game.
Based on the Ogura Hundred Poets anthology, this card game calls for participants to have outstanding recall, speed, and tremendous endurance.
In a thrilling quest to win the title given to the highest-ranked female player—Queen of Karuta—Chihaya joins the Shiranami Society with the recently reunited Arata and Taichi.
32.) Claymore
There is no denying Clare’s greatness as a character in Claymore. Since humans are rarely given access to demon blood to become formidable fighters, this anime’s plot was originally original.
Although the women in this anime are seriously kicking demon butt, the males are the ones who have the real power, which adds to the fascinating dynamic.
Despite this, it’s important to never undervalue the strength of a single anime woman’s strength, particularly when establishing one’s own equality in a biased environment.
33.) RWBY
Most famous anime shows are created by respectable Japanese studios. However, RWBY was strangely created by Rooster Teeth, an American media company first famous for its Let’s Play YouTube videos.
The fantasy-themed adventure series follows a group of teenage girls who join forces with other hunters to defend their planet against creatures known as Grimm.
Like many other Magical Girl protagonists, Ruby Rose is pessimistic, with more power than she is aware of. Still, she undergoes significant growth throughout her journey through school and around the globe.
The novel examines betrayal, loss, political battles, and power as the point of view switches from her to her comrades.
34.) Ghost Stories
Ghost Stories isn’t recognized for its highly complex characters or gripping plot; rather, the English voice cast turned the Japanese commercial flop into a comedic anime series.
Fans of dark comedy and hokey horror must see it, even though much of the humour is outdated and could be interpreted as insulting.
The novel’s main characters are Setsuku Miyanoshita and a group of his classmates, who are frequently brought together by strange things that happen at their school.
Fortunately, Setsuku’s mother was a beginner paranormal investigator who, despite her passing, imparts knowledge to her daughter through a book that details the numerous ghostly residents of the school.
35.) High Rise Invasion
Yuri Honj, a high school student, is transferred to a setting with several skyscrapers and suspension bridges linking them.
Then she discovers that she is being pursued by enigmatic, mask-wearing individuals.
Later, she learns that her brother Rika is also imprisoned in this reality. The next time she runs into other kids in her circumstances, it’s unclear if they will be allies or enemies.
In this anime, a group of individuals must escape a strange realm after being forced there unexpectedly. This reminds me a lot of the live-action Japanese TV series Alice in Borderland, which recently aired on Netflix.
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