I'm looking for a manga with a smart (and hopefully strong) female lead.

Examples include:
Ghost Sweeper Mikami
Basara
Animal Sense
Tenma no Ketsuzoku
Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro
Glass Mask (sort of, from what I remember it was more on the intuitive side)
P.A.
7 Seeds

By smart, I don't mean like in the case of mangas like Special A, where the main girl is hailed as a prodigy and is at the top of her class--- but it's hard to tell if she actually is smart from her actions in daily life. I would love to read about a girl/woman who is really strategic or mentally capable and can think on her feet, and make smart decisions in actual situations, even if it is not reflected explicitly through grades and what not.

Romance (at least hinted ) prefered, and please no yaoi/yuri/shoujo or shounen ai. I'm also not a fan of series with stupid male leads either; they should at least have some character growth. I am aware of the "smart female lead" tag but for the most part they didn't apply to what I'm looking for.

Sorry for the pickyness. Thanks in advance!!!



Last edited by dancebaby at 2:18 am, Nov 9 2010

mahou sensei negima > hakase,chao

warau kanako sama
ouran high school host club
haruhi suzumiya (she's whack though)
HOTD ---SAEKO SAMA
idiots and tests -- the pink haired girl
dr.rabbit
hana no kishi ( but everyone is super intelligent in this.....no stupidity manga)


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best shonen manga couples :

shinichi X ran
natsu X erza
ippo X kumi
naruto X gaara

Thank you for the suggestions, but I can't seem to find most of these-- are they animes? I'm only looking for mangas =/

Psyren if I remember correctly..?

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google them........in mangaupdates sometimes they use japanese name and english name sometimes......so it gets difficult to search

and before that search the forum and maybe try this u may find some u like here

http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=13297&hl =intelligent%20female

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best shonen manga couples :

shinichi X ran
natsu X erza
ippo X kumi
naruto X gaara

I may be suggested ones you have read or currently reading.
Skip Beat!
Tokyo Crazy Paradise
fits both your descriptions well.

The heroine in Cheese in the Trap seems to be pretty smart. (or really observant at least) Its a Korean webcomic and still ongoing, so I don't really know of any actual romance is going to happen.

EDIT: Whoops! It seems that you're reading it already, nevermind. XD

Maybe..
Saver
Silver (FUJITA Kazuko) Begins VERY naive.. but she gets better..

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Liar Game protagonist becomes this after character growth

- If you'd love a strange and seemingly-unlike-normal-shoujo twist of fantasy, history, Celtic and mythology, then try Crystal Dragon. The female lead is some sort of a warrior, and this manga's been one of my fav for years.

- If you're into shounen (since you didn't mention the genre), Claymore will be a good choice. Smart fighting.

- If you like smart, gentle and sweet maid type of Victoria era with noble romance in the air, Emma is an excellent and high-quality manga for you.

- If you want a cool and intelligent lieutenant-type, I recommend Hellsing. It has the famous Integra, though I wonder if she's the true female lead.

- Finally, extremely intelligent, cool, strategic, assassin female lead in Musashi no.9. Romance involved ^^



Last edited by Fuuma_lady at 11:04 am, Nov 9 2010

oh yayyy!!! thank you all for the wonderful recs. many of these i have read and enjoyed already but a few i will try out, like psyren, claymore and hellsing (i've read a lot of shoujo and what not but not much shounen or seinen).

also, fuuma lady, does musashi 9 really have romance? i remember reading the first volume but it seemed episodic, and does the heroine ever settle down and meet people she has lasting relationships with? or does she just keep going on different missions forever?

Female Protagonist with Tactical/Strategical Thinking
Female Tactician

I'd especially recommend Saiunkoku Monogatari for the romance angle.

I second Saver and claymore.....
Anatolia Story would also fit^^

Kagome from Inuyasha is quite smart, and can fight too

Horo from Ookami to Koushinryou I think it's the best suggestion I can give you since you didn't specify she should be human. If you don't mind that, I highly suggest you this, even the main lead is not weak, like you asked.
Lafiel from Crest of the Stars same thing as above
Veronique from Gosick (if you don't mind that she is quite unadapted to society)
Triela from Gunslinger Girl it's not the main point of the story, but still that's a series full of intelligent character. But you probably have to wait at least a couple of volumes for that.

I just realized that basically every one of them has an hint of small arrogance in their relationship with the main lead, even if they're all kind. Hope you don't mind.




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What I like in Trivial Pursuit style. Pick your category: