Anime with strong female character/s

[careph]

When I say “strong”, I am not necessarily referring to battle prowess, but it can also be a part.

Examples are:

Balsa from Seirei no Moribito
Caska from Berserk
Isayama Yomi from Ga-Rei: Zero
Revy from Black Lagoon
Gasai Yuno from Mirai Nikki

Please don’t recommend rom-coms. Comedies are OK, as long as they don’t emphasize the romantic component too much. If possible, the characters should not be teenagers. I’m tired of the cliché school setting.
Violence, gore and tragedy are very welcome, but not necessary.

I haven’t watched much anime in the last three years, so recently aired series would be especially helpful. Anything older than 5 years is probably irrelevant, since I have likely already seen it.

I plan to watch Attack on Titan and Psycho Pass, and I have seen everything related to Type-Moon. Tokyo ESP is out of the question.

[Darthtabby]

Can you provide any more detail about what you mean by "strong"? You say you're not necessarily referring to battle prowess, but most of the examples you've provided are notable for their battle prowess. Are you looking for characters with strong wills? Depth of character?

Actually if you could provide a few examples of characters you admire for something other than their battle prowess that might be useful.

[careph]

It is true that most characters I have listed can handle themselves well in battle, but that is by no means their only strength.

Balsa and Yomi are both very caring.
Caska's mental fortitude easily exceeds her fighting skills.
Yuno is very intelligent and cunning.
Revy is ... Revy.

Looking for attributes like: strong-willed, independent, multi-faceted, intelligent, able, determined, etc.

Yeah, I know. Anime is probably not the ideal medium for what I'm looking for ...

Also doesn't have to be a protagonist. Interesting female villains are much appreciated.

[Lagann_Horizon]

Pandora Hearts is about a boy named Oz who is sent to the abyss. While he is there he meets a "Chain" named Alice. I love her character. As one of the main focuses of the show, she is strong in battle, independent, and has an attitude. I highly suggest you check it out.

Also, Elfen Lied is about a girl/girls born with special powers. It is very bloody and very good. Caution, there is some nudity. I suggest it highly as well.

Edit: How could I forget Attack on Titan!? Mikasa is well... Mikasa. IMO she is the most badass chick I have seen in anime.

[Darthtabby]

Its just outside your five year range, but did you watch Macross Frontier? Sheryl Nome has all the things you listed on your attributes list and is pretty much awesomeness incarnate. The show does have a bit of a school life component but aside from the atrocious eighth episode its not particularly prominent and largely fades out towards the end of the series.

I'd sort of like to recommend Hataraku Maou-sama/The Devil is a Part Timer but it skirts a bit close to rom-com territory despite the level of animosity in the relationship between the Demon King and the Hero(ine).

The first two episodes of Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse do an incredible job of establishing the series main heroine. Yeah, the high school girls learning to pilot mechs part is ridiculous but things get pretty brutal after they get sent to the frontlines. I'm not sure you'd like the rest of the series quite so much though. Its source material is a spin off of an H-game, so there's fan service and harem-esque antics, plus it portrays humans (including some of the main characters) as having trouble getting past their petty nationalism even in the face of an alien invasion.

[Sackett]

No teenagers is a difficult requirement. Not a school setting is a bit easier, so that's how I'm going to interpret that, as not teenagers and not rom-com very rapidly depletes my knowledge of anime to four:

Yomiko Readman in the Read or Die OVA; Izumi Curtis, Hawkeye, and Colonel Olivia Armstrong in Fullmetal Alchemist; the women of Space Battleship Yamato 2199; and Togame and Nanami of Katanagatari.

If you accept the above loosing then:

Chrono Crusade with Rosette, the nun with a gun.

Hataraku Maou-sama is primarily comedy, virtual no romance other then some subtext. Emi is pretty a good choice for a strong female character - even if she was defeated by a locked door.

Crest of the Stars a space opera with Lafiel, the competent action princess.

If you will loosen up a bit more (school setting is background noise and not emphasized) I'd suggest:

Homura from Madoka Magica
Mikoto from A Certain Scientific Railgun S (second season), the Sister's Arc anyway.
Maka and Tsubaki in Soul Eater (and you can also watch Soul Eater Not, the recent prequel which violates almost all your restrictions. The moe is a lie! It's a lie I tell you. All is tea and cakes to start, but the madness soon begins, and then it's the train to crazy town.)

[Dawnstorm]

Benten from Uchouten Kazuko. Mix between villain and main character ally; extremely influential and charismatic. Does her own thing. The show is a comedy about Tanuki in Kyouto, but at its heart is a tragedy: the father of the "eccentric family" has been eaten by humans, in an annual tanuki hotpot tradition.

Saki from Shin Sekai Yori. A SF dystopia that starts out as a horror mystery and ends as an epic. Saki is 15 (?) at the beginning of the show, and 25 (?) at the end of it. Has to make some very hard decisions.

Koto from Kyousougiga. A fantasy that takes place in an alternate Kyouto. The multiverse on crack. Koto smashes herself into this particular universe with a special hammer and she's looking for a rabbit. Leaves a trail of chaos. It's impossible to describe the show without spoiling things, and it's still very hard to describe it while spoiling. It's like early 70ies psychodelia in getting a modern makeover. But there is a coherent story in there.

[risingstar3110]

12 kingdoms?

If you haven't , watched it now!! School girl, yes. School setting, no. 10 years since i watched it, and it still has the best character (the heroine) development in anime realm

[careph]

Thanks for all the input. I've seen most of the older suggestions, but there are definitely a few new options for me to look into

[sayde]

Fairy Tail. Erza Scarlet is by far one of the most powerful main protagonists in that anime. She even has plenty of moments where she outshines the main character. There's also quite a few other powerful female characters as well from both protagonists and antagonists.
*edit*
Claymore's also a given. Practically the entire cast is composed of powerful female characters.

[risingstar3110]

How's about Kill La Kill?

Actually, go watch Kill La Kill if you haven't. It's one of those "should not be missed" just simply for its unique style (solid plot and very likable character too). Definitely in my top 10 of all time

[Devaki]

Isn't that sometimes (or a lot of time?) a strong female heroine would be downgraded to a merely damsel in distress, or a benchwarmer, or a crying bucket.... when she become the main love interest/lover of the protagonist?

Or could it be better if there is no romantic development involved?

[konokon]

Yeah Love makes people emotional and Girls get emotional more easily than guys and Love makes main entry to show the Male hero as the prince on white horse .

Every Shoujo Manga has Strong Girl and later on as Love developments and Life Developments happen you come to see Male Hero start to shine a lot and Main female Girl start to depend or rely upon Main Guy Hero more

Most have related ACTION with Main Strong Girl which i think isn't right thing to do

MORE powers not make you more strong .

Gekkan Shoujo Nozuki Kun and CHIHAYAFURU and pick few Slice of Life Stories .

[kitten320]

Ein and Drei from Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom

Chihaya from Chihayafuru, while it is school setting, series focus more on Karuta than school. Chihaya is determined and passionate about her love for Karuta and strives to become the best at it.

Touka from Tokyo Ghoul.

Akuma no Riddle is full of great charas but sadly story lacks quiet a lot.

I take it you have watched Claymore?

If you want a cunning character, I think you'll like Kyoko from Jormungand.

FMA: Brotherhood is full of strong female charas.

Magi has a lot of strong female characters as well like let's say Morgiana.

Noragami has Bishamon, Hiyori is cool too.

Shinsekai yori follows character life from early age till they are adults. Has a bit of romance including yuri/yaoi but that strongly only appears in episode 8 or so, otherwise it is story driven.

Zetsuen no Tempest has 2 strong female characters, one of them does not appear until later in the series.

Ongoing Akame ga Kill! has strong females.

[DreiFast]

Newer:

Ben-to
Beelzebub
Coppelion
Kakumeiki Valvrave
Noragami
Oda Nobuna no Yabou
Otome Youkai Zakuro
Rinne no Lagrange
Sabagebu


They are a bit old but i'll try anyway...

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (starts with her young but the story progresses till after she matures)
Gundam Seed (For Lacus Clyne)
Shakugan no Shana
Bakuretsu Tenshi
Grenadier
Saiunkoku Monogatari
Seishou Tenshi Angel Links

[Ravagerblade]

If you don't mind a bit of yuri, possibly Airi? from Simoun? O.o lol Kanazuki no Miko? Chikane more than Himeko I'd say.
Saber from Fate? Queen's blade maybe? Yoko Litner (w/e it's spelled) Gurren Lagann?


hmm I can't think of anymore? I guess my list fails big time.

[Zoltor]

The Legend of Condor Hero(It's older then 5 years, but It's a safe bet you haven't seen it, because basically no one has)

Here's a overview/review for it: http://www.anime-forums.com/showthre...or-Hero-review

Kemono no souja erin(odds are pretty high you haven't seen this)
Here's a overview/review of it: http://www.anime-forums.com/showthre...-no-Souja-Erin

There's sort of a school setting in this, and it centers around a girl's life, from 7-18 years old, but It's not like anything you would expect from a anime with such a young female character in it, that also involves a school setting(also note, It's not a real world/modern day Japan School setting either)

Aside from that, watch Kingdom, Qiang Lei is the most awesome, badass female char ever created, and she's even smart to boot.
Here's a overview/review of this as well: http://www.anime-forums.com/showthre...omplete-series)

I'm also gonna suggest Moribito Guardian of the Spirit

and

Saiunkoku Monogatari, but you probally watched these two already.

[SoulX]

Try Okami-San and her Seven Companions here's something that can help you understand it! http://myanimelist.net/anime/7769/Oo...o_Nakama-tachi - hope it interests you

[blood-doll-aishiteru]

if you want violent monster like women then elfen lied
skip beat (is a love comedy, the anime doesn't show much love though) she's not physically strong but she has a very strong personality
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge (comedy kinda romantic but not much) she's surprisingly physically strong but mentally she has her moments
nana and paradise kiss have women that are strong in their on way, more like they become stronger as they pass trough difficult situations, more of a emotional strength.
saiunkoku monogatari (mentally strong)
if you're okay with manga then:
crazy girl shin bia
he's dedicated to flowers
red river
saver
Yume No Shizuku, Ougon No Torikago
the legend of nereid
those all have woman that are physically and/or mentally strong, that fight and get stronger.

[DOmus]

Medaka Box, she sure is strong in many areas...
Oda nobuna no yabou
Cross ange ... u may like it
Sekirei ...some ecchi, but good plot
Akame ga kill