Selenornis's Anime
These are anime that do relatively well on a feminist reading. They may still have some problematic elements, but if you're looking for strong relationships between women or female agency, it's a good place to start.
| Feminist-friendly▲▼ | Rating▲▼ |
| Angel Beats! (TV) | So-so |
| A mediocre but nonetheless enjoyable anime (for the most part), Angel Beats has several good female characters. While they and the bonds between them aren't particularly well-developed, this isn't any different than for the male characters. In fact, the female characters are generally the more interesting. | |
| Blue Drop (TV) | Decent |
| Blue Drop is a sweet series focusing on the relationship between its female leads and the other girls at the school. There's nothing revolutionary about it, but it boasts a mostly female cast, including one overweight character is portrayed in a positive light. The yuri elements are not played for fanservice. | |
| Bodacious Space Pirates (TV) | So-so |
| If you can look past the name, this is actually a remarkably feminist series. The cast is made up predominantly of likable female characters with a diverse range of personalities. The high school girls especially are portrayed as being more competent at what they do than people give them credit for. The romantic relationship that arises between two of the girls is probably the most respectful depiction of same-sex relationships I've seen yet. The one downside (other than the often incoherent plot) is the frequent mild fanservice. | |
| Claymore (TV) | Good |
| Claymore has plenty of problems from a feminist perspective, but its emphasis on the camaraderie between its women fighters is what makes it worth watching. (TW for attempted rape, among the more obvious other issues) | |
| El Cazador de la Bruja (TV) | Good |
| El Cazador de la Bruja focuses on the relationship between its female leads. It doesn't exactly call for destroying the patriarchy, but it depicts its female characters as human first and foremost without subjecting them to sexist stereotypes or gendered violence. While there is some fanservice, it's not particularly noticeable. | |
| Ga-Rei-Zero (TV) | Good |
| I'm honestly not sure if this really belongs here. It has two diametrically opposed readings: one extremely sexist, the other a critique of patriarchy. There is lots of fanservice and some sexualized violence against women, so there's little doubt about which ways the creators intended for it to go. Still, the characters of Yomi and Kagura are interesting and worth analyzing from a feminist perspective. | |
| Haibane Renmei (TV) | Very good |
| Haibane Renmei has a predominantly female cast that is a bit committed to traditional gender roles. However, I think it still belongs on this list by virtue of portraying its female characters in a positive light. | |
| Jormungand (TV) | Decent |
| Another flawed entry, Jormungand is an action anime that doesn't aspire to be too deep. What's notable is that in spite of the fanservice, the women are given quite a bit of agency and depicted as being better than a world full of men at what they do. (TW for implied rape and one scene involving pedophilia near the end) | |
| Jormungand Perfect Order (TV) | Decent |
| See "Jormungand" | |
| Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing (TV) | Good |
| The core cast is predominantly female, and the plot is driven mostly by women. In general there is a strong emphasis on the bonds between the characters. Definitely more feminist-friendly than its predecessor. | |
| Little Witch Academia (movie) | Very good |
| Little Witch Academia is a delightful show that evokes the wonder of childhood and the stories my generation grew up with. I don't think there's a single male character with speaking lines. | |
| Michiko & Hatchin (TV) | Very good |
| I was really impressed with this series. It's one of the more feminist-friendly series I've seen, and the characters are great (even though giving all of the characters Japanese first names in spite of the setting being Brazil was a little odd). It also provides a nuanced view of the economically and socially disadvantaged, even those who turn to crime like Michiko or end up in spoiler-y situations like Hatchin does in the end. It doesn't condemn them for their choices. | |
| Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit (TV) | So-so |
| Moribito is notable for its reversal of gender roles, if nothing else. The woman is a warrior who doesn't want to settle down even after a taste of family life; the man who likes her is a healer who wants to get married and have children. Personally I didn't find this series all that engaging, but that's due to personal taste more than to anything problematic. | |
| Noir (TV) | Decent |
| Pretty much everything I said about El Cazador de la Bruja applies to Noir as well. The main differences between the two is that, in my opinion, Bruja is the better show because it maintains its momentum through the second half of the show. | |
| Princess Jellyfish (TV) | Good |
| It's based on a Jossei, so it's a story about women, for women. I could see AMAB people who don't entirely fit with the gender they were assigned at birth finding Kuranosuke offensive, but, not being one, I don't feel I'm qualified to give a detailed critique of him. | |
| Princess Tutu (TV) | Very good |
| The narrative of Princess Tutu is all about reclaiming agency and deciding your own fate. When applied to the show's two major female characters, it's easy to see why many consider it feminist. | |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) | Masterpiece |
| Full disclosure: I love Puella Magi Madoka Magica. It was my first anime, and to date it is my favorite. However, it's feminism is far more complicated than that of the other entries on this list (except Ga-Rei-Zero). The series lends itself readily to being seen as both a metaphor for horrible way patriarchy treats women and a resounding call for its dismantlement. Seeing as how Urobuchi's other work is generally quite sexist, this is likely entirely accidental. | |
| Sasameki Koto (TV) | Good |
| A light-hearted seinen comedy, Sasameki Koto is a decently respectful depiction of high school girls who like girls. There is fanservice, but it generally takes a backseat to character and relationship development. | |
| Shigofumi - Letters from the Departed (TV) | Decent |
| Shigofumi attempts to tackle issues -- child abuse, suicide, mental illness -- that are generally avoided by media. The result isn't exactly the most nuanced or sophisticated treatment of these topics, but it is also not wildly offensive. It has multiple strong female characters, and the depiction of one of the main character's mental illness, while most likely not scientifically accurate, at least manages to convey that she is a competent human being deserving of just as much respect as the next person. | |
| Sound of the Sky (TV) | Very good |
| Don't be fooled by its K-ON! like character designs. Sora no Woto has a serious and thoughtful core, with themes that explore the meaning of life when you have every reason to believe your world could end at any moment. Since most of the major cast is female, there is a strong emphasis on the relationships between women and showing that women are competent and human. The series generally avoids fanservice, though there are a few face-palm worthy scenes near the end (and potentially in episode 7.5, which I haven't seen but have heard about). | |
| Wandering Son (TV) | Excellent |
| As of this writing, this is the best anime I've seen in regards to LBGTQ issues. A must-see if you consider your feminism intersectional. | |