Shonen Heroines Who Were Overshadowed by the Heroes and Deserve Their Own Series

 

It is quite common that most Shonen series are entirely focused on the male protagonists, while the heroines usually don’t get much screen time. They typically play second fiddle to the hero and are generally defined by their relationships with the protagonists instead of their own beliefs. The audience usually ignores them, and it’s depressing that even to this day, Shonen heroines are yet to be treated equally with the heroes. Today we look at some of the heroines who could make their mark in different Shonen series despite the usual sexism. In particular, these heroines were so impressive that they deserve to have a series of their own. 

Anna Kyoyama

Shaman King fans know very well that Anna Kyoyama is unlike the usual Shonen heroines. She is unique since the typical heroine stereotypes do not define her. Although she is the love interest of Yoh Asakura in the series, the creators never limited her character to their relationship. She is not the type to hesitate in fighting anyone, and surprisingly she is shown to be stronger than her fiancé for a considerable part of the series. It is hard to recall any other Shonen series which has portrayed a female character stronger than their significant other. A spin-off series with her as the protagonist will allow the fans to explore her Itako magic and give her the screen time she deserves.

Erza Scarlet

Erza Scarlet is the red-headed warrior from Fairy Tail who has little patience for nonsense. She is committed to protecting her loved ones and displays a strict personality going against the usual stereotype of Shonen female character. She is well known for her bravery in battle and uses her Requip magic with perfection to arm her with all sorts of arms and armor. Her proficiency in Requip magic makes her a terrifying warrior who is not afraid of pushing herself to the limits. A series focused on her will give Fairy Tail fans a chance to explore the world after the end of the series while also getting to know her more. 

Ochaco Uraraka

Like most typical Shonen series, My Hero Academia is focused on male characters. Midoriya, Todoroki, Bakugo, and All Might usually take all the limelight, while none of the female characters are given enough screen time. However, Uraraka manages to stand out despite all the odds and make a long-lasting impression on the audience. She is compassionate with a strong sense of morality, which makes her an ideal heroine. She selflessly helps his classmates whenever possible and is not hesitant to put up a fight to defend the needy. It is noteworthy that her motivation to become a heroine comes from her desire to help her parents live a comfortable life, which speaks volumes about her. Even while choosing her goals, she puts her parents’ needs first and makes similar sacrifices throughout the series.

Although My Hero Academia still has a long way to go, and it would be interesting to see how her character develops in the future. Still, it is highly unlikely that the show’s female characters will be given more screen time. A series with her as the protagonist is, therefore, an exciting project worth looking into. 

Mikasa Ackerman

Without the help of the stoic military prodigy, Mikasa Ackerman, it is highly unlikely that the characters of Attack on Titan would have made it this far. After her family’s demise, she was adopted by the Yeager family, and Mikasa soon understood the cruel world she was born into. Only the strong can live in the ruthless world, so it was necessary that she devoted herself to ensuring her remaining family’s safety. She wants to live a peaceful life but aware of her threat, Mikasa joins the military. Although Attack on Titan did not do justice to her character, a spin-off can portray her as a strong independent character who deserves to be respected. 

Sakura Haruno

It is disappointing that a character who was shown to have so much potential was later relegated to support while her companions went on to achieve impressive feats. Sakura was portrayed as a highly intelligent character at Naruto’s beginning; however, she later played a supporting role in the entire series. She had all the potential to make a mark on the iconic series; unfortunately, it never happened, and Sakura never achieved anything as impressive as her skills. She was trained under Tsunade, who is regarded as one of the greatest ninjas, and learned medical ninjutsu while she worked on her physical strength. Despite her impressive skills, her role was overshadowed and never gave her enough screen time.

A show dedicated to Sakura Haruno can make up for the lack of attention in the original series. She would also be much more relatable for the viewers since she achieved everything through perseverance and hard work. Although Naruto has failed Sakura, a show dedicated to her will give her the respect she deserves.

Several other Shonen heroines have been portrayed as weak and dependent despite having impressive skills, but the ones mentioned above stood out. They have dedicated their lives to those around them but never got the credit they deserve. Either they are overshadowed by the Shonen heroes or underdeveloped, which is disappointing since each one of them has so much potential. Hopefully, the anime industry will rectify its mistakes by giving these deserving Shonen heroines a show of their own to make up for the past wrongs.

Source: Shonen Heroines .