Although webtoons have been popular for many years now, there are some romance stories that center around cliché and overdone plot lines – similar to many popular shojo anime and manga series. In fact, there are some great WEBTOON comics with excellent female protagonists who would fit rather well in a typical shojo and romance universe.
That said, shojo manga doesn’t always have to focus on high school romances and can dive deep into more “mature” topics. These four WEBTOON ladies are each perfect candidates to lead their own shojo series thanks to their strong personalities and willingness to persevere against all odds.
Nari Oh (Odd Girl Out) Has the Leadership Abilities to Make an Ideal Shojo Lead
Odd Girl Out is a well-written web series created by Morangji. The story follows a high school freshman named Nari Oh, who has always been unpopular and was bullied for being overweight and “ugly” when she was a child; she hopes to change this upon finally entering high school. Nari prides herself on losing weight and learning how to “take care” of her appearance. However, things turn unexpectedly when her childhood bully, Yuna Lim, wants to become Nari’s friend. Two other pretty girls also take interest in Nari, wishing to befriend her as well. Suddenly surrounded by “pretty people”, Nari’s once-peaceful high school debut turns into a life full of unexpected twists.
Nari and her friends share a close bond, and it’s fun and wholesome to watch their dynamic grow and strengthen as Odd Girl Out progresses. At first, Nari wants nothing to do with Yuna, Mirae or Seonji. She says they stand out too much, and doesn’t want to fall into their shadows as the “ugly” friend. Even from the beginning, the girls lift each other up and slowly become close and great friends. Their friendship is inspiring, and the series perfectly showcases Nari’s natural leadership abilities — which is why she would make an excellent lead in a shojo manga.
Camilla (Brass and Sass) Has a Strong Personality That Shojo Could Use More of
Brass and Sass, a series on WEBTOON created by Antlerella, tells the story of a high school freshman named Camilla. Once she enters high school, Camilla is eager to start playing an instrument and join her school’s band class. After trying a multitude of instruments, Camilla learns she isn’t “musically gifted.” Discouraged, the band teacher finally assigns her a trumpet — which she quickly falls in love with. She still can’t get the hang of it right away though, so she receives help from her classmate Victor.
One of Brass and Sass’ main elements is romance; primarily the budding rom-com relationship between Camilla and Victor. However, this has little to do with what makes Camilla a good, potential shojo heroine. She has a strong personality, is highly tenacious and will stop at nothing until she is forced to give up. She would make an excellent contrast to a typical shojo heroine who doesn’t hold a strong narrative presence.
Gourmet Hound: Lucy Fuji’s Perseverance Would Be Refreshing in Shojo Anime
Gourmet Hound focuses on Lucy Fuji, a young adult with an uncanny sense of smell. After her grandmother passes away and her favorite restaurant, Demanche, changes kitchen staff, Lucy becomes depressed. Despite her depressing backstory, Lucy always moves forward and looks ahead but is slowly losing everything that once felt like home to her. Then she meets Graham Ramos and Brie Malik, two chefs who used to work at Demanche and are now opening their own café called Gourmet Hound. Even after meeting them, Lucy is determined to find the taste that made Demanche feel like “home” to her, so she works with them to track down the old chefs who used to work there.
Lucy has a standout personality, but all the characters in Gourmet Hound stand out in their own ways. She doesn’t know when to give up, which is the primary element in the story’s plot. Lucy’s perseverance sets her apart from typical shojo heroines who let their love interest lead them around on a leash, so to speak. She likes to do things herself and is independent and capable. The developing romance between her and Graham is endearing and heartwarming, especially since they don’t experience love at first sight.
Sarah Lin (The Kiss Bet) Is a Relatable High School Protagonist for Many Shojo Fans
Written by Ingrid Ochoa, The Kiss Bet stars Sara Lin, a high school senior who is still waiting to experience her first kiss. Sara Lin has a great life, filled with friends she cares about and a self-proclaimed “cool” dad. So, she doesn’t have time to worry about being the “only” high school senior who hasn’t had her first kiss. That is, until her friend Patrick challenges her to a dare: ask a stranger at the subway station if she can kiss him. Sara’s life can’t get any worse until she learns she’s failing math and has to get a tutor — and that tutor just so happens to be the boy she met at the subway station.
Despite having a dynamic personality, Sara Lin is probably the best fit for someone wishing to read about a “traditional” shojo protagonist. The Kiss Bet heavily centers around high school romance and related developments. Aside from the story’s setting, Sara cries easily and becomes frustrated when presented with a minor inconvenience; she’s a little bit like Sailor Moon’s Usagi without the cool powers. This might make her relatable to some readers, especially if they are facing similar problems in high school.
