Shojo is a beloved anime demographic that has featured some of the greatest protagonists of all time. From classic romance heroines to famous magical girls, many of shojo’s main characters have influenced anime as fans know it. But though there are many iconic shojo leads, it’s hard to deny that a lot of them have become overrated with time.
Though they’re the darlings of anime, many of these beloved heroines are way too overhyped. They often overshadow the many other great shojo characters out there and usually dominate their fandoms as everyone’s favorite. While there are still plenty of reasons to love them, these protagonists ultimately steal the show and get way more praise than they deserve.
10 Misaki Ayuzawa (Maid Sama!)
Maid Sama! is a beloved shojo classic that’s often praised for its strong and independent protagonist, Misaki Ayuzawa. To most shojo fans, she’s one of the best female leads in the demographic, thanks to her spunky, no-nonsense attitude. Unlike most shojo heroines, Misaki is able to take care of herself. She doesn’t need a pretty-boy love interest to sweep her off her feet.
However, that’s exactly what happens as the story progresses. Much of what makes Misaki such an empowering character is lost in her relationship with the lead male, Takumi Usui. Around him, she’s reduced to a typical damsel and falls into all the usual shojo tropes that many fans have grown tired of.
9 Sawako Kuronuma (Kimi Ni Todoke)
Kimi ni Todoke’s Sawako Kuronuma is probably one of the sweetest shojo protagonists in history. Over the years, she’s easily become a fan favorite and has earned a place among some of the most beloved heroines within the demographic. But while most can’t help but fall in love with her cute looks and shy demeanor, there’s no denying that she’s hyped up by fans much more than she deserves at times.
Throughout most of the series, Sawako’s incredibly dense when it comes to relationships, to the point where it gets downright frustrating to watch. On top of this, her shy and soft-spoken personality often leaves her feeling bland compared to the rest of the cast, making it much harder for the audience to connect with her.
8 Shirayuki (Snow White With The Red Hair)
From the very start of Snow White with the Red Hair, it’s clear that protagonist Shirayuki isn’t a typical shojo damsel. She’s strong, independent, and has much more agency than most heroines within the demographic. As a result, it’s only natural that Shirayuki has become a well-loved and popular shojo protagonist over the years.
However, as the series progresses, there’s much less emphasis on Shirayuki as a character. Instead, the story focuses far more on her budding romance with Prince Zen, leaving little room for anything else. Sadly, thanks to this decision, Shirayuki fails to live up to the hype she once had and has essentially settled into a typical lovestruck heroine role.
7 Yuki Cross (Vampire Knight)
Back during shojo’s peak, Vampire Knight reigned as one of the most popular series out there. Likewise, its protagonist, Yuki Cross, was a popular heroine that every anime fan recognized. Though she’s always been a rather controversial heroine, Yuki saw a lot of popularity during the height of the Vampire Knight craze.
However, over the years, many shojo fans have found reasons to criticize Yuki’s character. From her weak personality to her lack of agency throughout most of the story, Yuki has proven to be a very flawed and unlikable character overall that most fans can’t root for. She possesses all the worst traits of a typical shojo protagonist, and many now believe she’s undeserving of her former popularity.
6 Amu Hinamori (Shugo Chara)
At the start of Shugo Chara, young protagonist Amu Hinamori is an adorable and lovable heroine and feels like a great addition to the magical girl genre. With her incredible fashion sense and unique set of powers, it’s hard not to fall in love with her. However, some argue that Amu is just a little too lovable at times.
Throughout most of Shugo Chara, the story tries to paint Amu as this perfect heroine who can do no wrong. She has all the best powers, gets the most transformations, and all the boys seem to be head-over-heels for her. As a result, Amu gets dangerously close to Mary Sue territory, making her far less likable over time.
5 Katarina Claes (My Next Life As A Villainess)
My Next Life as a Villainess is one of the most successful new shojo series of the decade. Its lovably dense protagonist, Katarina Claes, has captured the hearts of anime fans everywhere with her kindness, humor, and charm. She’s easily one of the most popular modern shojo girls, and it feels almost impossible not to love her. However, that doesn’t mean she’s without her flaws.
One very frustrating aspect of Katarina’s character is that she doesn’t seem to grow or develop throughout the series. She’s pure, caring, and lacks much common sense, and while these are all endearing aspects of her personality, they hardly provide any depth to her character. Katarina is still a great protagonist regardless, but there’s no denying that she could be better.
4 Sakura Kinomoto (Cardcaptor Sakura)
There’s no doubt about it — Cardcaptor Sakura is one of the most beloved magical girl anime series of all time. It’s one of the few titles that helped shape the genre, and many modern magical girls now follow in Sakura’s footsteps. However, one could argue that this iconic heroine gets a bit more praise than she deserves at times.
While there’s no denying how influential her story has been, Sakura herself is a pretty generic heroine for the most part. She’s got all the basic traits of a typical magical girl heroine, and fans have seen a protagonist like her many times before. As a result, though she’s an all-around likable character, Sakura fails to really stand out among the crowd.
3 Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon)
Sailor Moon is easily one of the most recognized anime series of all time. For decades, it’s been a cultural phenomenon that has influenced titles of every genre. At the helm of this incredible franchise is Usagi Tsukino, one of shojo’s most beloved protagonists. But despite her immense popularity, there’s no denying that the iconic Pretty Guardian is way overhyped at times.
From her crybaby personality to her many power-ups that sometimes feel unearned, Usagi’s character can often be very frustrating. However, due to her iconic role in anime, most fans tend to overlook these issues and prop her up as a near-perfect heroine.
2 Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)
Fruits Basket’s Tohru Honda is undoubtedly one of the most beloved shojo heroines of all time. With her kind heart and loving personality, she’s able to melt even the coldest of hearts. However, some might argue she’s a little too nice. In a lot of ways, Tohru is the quintessential shojo protagonist, for better or worse. While she’s a very lovable character, she often feels pretty generic and even stereotypical to the basic shojo heroine.
Like many other protagonists, Tohru often feels like the typical Mary Sue type that’s prevalent throughout the demographic. As the series progresses, she actually gets a tremendous amount of development that makes her stand out a lot. However, that doesn’t change the fact that early on, she’s pretty much just like every other shojo protagonist out there.
1 Haruhi Fujioka (Ouran High School Host Club)
Ouran High School Host Club‘s Haruhi Fujioka is praised as one of the best shojo heroines of all time. There’s no denying that she’s an incredibly groundbreaking character, and few protagonists have managed to come close to her influence. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that while she’s definitely deserving of the love she gets, Haruhi is very overhyped by fans.
Though she’s hailed as one of shojo’s most empowering protagonists, Haruhi still falls into many of the same old shojo clichés. As a result, she sadly loses much of her agency throughout the series and receives little to no development. That said, Haruhi is still an amazing heroine. Nevertheless, she’s flawed, just like any other protagonist.