Ryan Jonathan
It is no secret that a great anime must have a great cast of characters and plot. Each character should have their own roles and goals. Motivations that progress throughout the journey and direct where the plot goes. No character should be a carbon copy, having a diverse cast with different backstories, specialties and personalities for viewers to relate to, is key to make anime interesting. In this article, we’ll explore more on what makes these female leads a unique character compared to other characters in Anime.
Asuna from Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online (SAO) is a well-known Anime that shows dark incidents in virtual gaming, uncovering the story of how a multiplayer virtual game turns into reality where the only choice is victory or death. Asuna is a skillful killing machine determined on escaping the game for good, even if it means risking her life in the process. However, after her meeting with Kirito, the main male lead of the Anime, she becomes more relaxed and accepting of the overall situation.
Her bond with Kirito motivates her further, helping him when she can as they share the same goal. However, her feelings for Kirito did not stop her from seeing the big picture and finish the game. She shares similar views with Kirito and has no intention in abandoning others, even though it might endanger herself down the line. Still, that doesn’t mean she will blindly follow Kirito’s lead. In fact, she is not afraid to challenge him or act out on her own and take matters in her own hands when needed. Besides her independence and firm beliefs, she is also willing to protect her friends no matter the cost. She even willingly used her body to shield Kirito against a fatal blow and saved her friends multiple times during their journey.
Her importance in the Anime is shown from time to time again and helps Kirito to grow as a character, as well as giving him a second chance to live. Her strong will and persistence are what helps her to achieve all that she has done.
Shizue Izawa from That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime.
That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime is an Anime, talks about how a man named Rimuru died and got reincarnated as a Slime in a foreign new world. He hopes to bring peace to this new world, forming a place where monsters, humans, and other species can live together in harmony. However, things don’t always turn out as planned as most creatures don’t share the same sentiment as Rimuru. In his journey, Rimuru then meets Shizue, who shares the same previous world as him before he got reincarnated, only from a different timeline. How they end up here differs however, as Shizue was summoned to this world, while Rimuru was reborn into it.
Shizue has been in this world far longer than Rimuru, and aims to help others like her who were forcefully summoned to this unknown land. Even with all the torment she has received, she always stays kind and caring for others, which leads Rimuru sympathizing with her and shares her compassion. At her death bed, Shizue hoped that Rimuru would be willing to finish her mission to teach her students on how to handle their powers and cope with living in this world. Rimuru then agreed to her request and completes her life’s mission. The story then progresses with Rimuru reminiscing about the tough life Shizue had and aims to follow her footsteps in showing kindness and compassion to others in need.
Raphtalia from The Rising of the Shield Hero.
The Rising of the Shield Hero is a story about 4 heroes summoned into a new world to wield different legendary weapons and save this dimension. The 4 legendary weapons are the sword, spear, bow and shield. The shield being the most useless one due to it being purely a defensive weapon and has no offensive capabilities. The main character in this Anime is Naofumi, who was summoned as a hero like his 3 new companions. While the other heroes obtained the attack type weapons, Naofumi gets the shield. This situation requires him to have someone to do the attacking for him. This is where the female lead, Raphtalia comes in. She was a timid character, traumatized by past memories of her whole village being destroyed. She was also forced into slavery and served several masters before finally meeting Naofumi.
From the others perspectives, Naofumi can be seen as taking advantage of her because of the limitations he possesses; but he also helped her realize her full potential. Raphtalia since then has helped Naofumi time and time again by acting as his sword and weapon. The mutual benefits obtained from this relationship are achieved because of their vulnerability to each other, and awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. Not only does Raphtalia covers up for Naofumi in battle, but also aids him in financial aspects of their adventure. Furthermore, even with all the hardships Raphtalia went throughout her life, she manages to keep her morals and sanity intact.
Conclusion
These female leads have shaped the anime into what they’re well known for. They may have tragic histories that happened in their lives, but it did not stop them from being who they truly are. Their perseverance and decision-making ability to either be selfless or prioritize others is what makes them so special. In addition, their choices have influenced the outcome of the story and are no less important than their male counterparts.
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