Strong female leads in Studio Ghibli you never realized were rewriting the rules

Time of India

26-05-2025

While much attention is given to Ghibli's more visible heroines like San or Kiki, characters like Naoko from The Wind Rises reflect a quieter strength. Naoko's selfless devotion reflects emotional resilience that defies expectations even as she faces illness.
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She is not bold in the traditional sense, but she quietly shapes the world around her. Her love is not passive. It's active in its sacrifice.
Umi from From Up on Poppy Hill also reframes strength. Her dedication to her household and community isn't glamorous, but it shows deep courage. Despite being a teenager, she becomes the emotional anchor in her boarding house. Her actions, rooted in care and responsibility, elevate domestic labor and emotional work to a heroic level.
Princess Mononoke, morally grey woman challenges gender binaries
Lady Eboshi in Princess Mononoke blurs lines between good and evil. Her willingness to destroy the forest seems villainous, yet her protection of marginalized people; lepers and former sex workers; adds depth. She holds both power and compassion. Her leadership is ruthless, but also maternal. She shatters the idea that women in power must be gentle or soft.
This complex morality is rarely granted to female characters in animation.
Studio Ghibli breaks this trend by allowing women like Eboshi to be contradictory. The result is a portrayal of femininity that doesn't conform to traditional binaries. Instead, it exists across a spectrum of power, care, anger, and purpose.
Satsuki and Shizuku, as youthful heroines forced into maturity early
Satsuki from My Neighbor Totoro is only a child, yet she takes on responsibilities beyond her years. Her mother's illness and her father's work pull her into a caretaker role. Still, she retains the imagination and joy of childhood.
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Ghibli doesn't romanticize her burden, but neither does it strip her of agency.
Similarly, Shizuku in Whisper of the Heart deals with insecurity, first love, and the pressure to define herself. Her struggle is internal, but no less significant. She's not saving a world; she's building her own identity. These stories remind audiences that coming-of-age is its own kind of heroism.
Haru and Kiki's feminine softness as a form of strength
In The Cat Returns, Haru begins as unsure and quiet.
But her growth doesn't involve turning into a fighter; it involves gaining self-respect. She leaves behind a fantasy world by realizing she deserves more in her real life. Her arc suggests that strength doesn't always mean resistance; sometimes, it means walking away.
Kiki, despite her magical abilities, experiences burnout and self-doubt. Her strength lies not in her magic, but in her recovery. By embracing rest and vulnerability, Kiki proves that softness and uncertainty are valid, even powerful, emotional states.
Ghibli rewrites strength in subtle ways
The Cat Returns, a 2002 theatrical anime film (Credit: Crunchyroll)
Studio Ghibli consistently avoids one-dimensional portrayals of its female leads. These characters redefine what strength looks like. Whether through moral complexity, emotional labor, or quiet self-discovery, they expand the definition of heroine. Their stories don't rely on spectacle; but they rewrite rules all the same. In doing so, they offer new blueprints for femininity in storytelling.