10. Tohru Honda ('Fruits Basket')
A saint among saints. Tohru, another tragic orphan character, is the kindest, most caring, loving, selfless, and optimistic girl in all of anime. She is not a pushover, however: She will never give up her ethics, never abandon a friend in need, and when up against the worst of humanity and abuse, she will still see the good in everyone. Her goodness is her strength, not her weakness. 'Fruits Basket' is my favourite anime, and it holds my deeply-firm set of beliefs, such as the importance of kindness and compassion, that humanity is vast and everyone is different and capable of empathy and sympathy, and that abuse is not love. Tohru Honda embodies all of these things: She is who I wish I could be. She tries her hardest at whatever she does, no matter how hopeless. She knows how wrong it is to be hurtful to others, to gossip, to be bitter, to be arrogant and self-centered. And above all, Tohru knows that everybody - no matter their past or background - is capable of changing for the better. Kindness might be born or taught, but this ordinary girl with the purest heart in the world believes in a better world. Ordinary she is - not a chosen one - but metaphorically, she's a spiritual figure who touches the hearts of every single person she meets. A wonderful creation, a true friend to all, a non-traditional hero; that is Tohru Honda in a rice ball - sweet on the inside and the outside.
9. Wonder Woman
Do I need to say anything here? It's Wonder Woman! The most famous, iconic feminist character and superheroine in the world. As I've come to read more and more about her, and watch films and her 70s TV show starring Lynda Carter, I grew to love her unconditionally. Wonder Woman, aka Diana of Themyscira, is the spirit of truth, a champion of the Greek gods. She has a unique backstory as an Amazon princess born out of clay. She's been a superhero, a warrior, a goddess, an ambassador, a writer, a secret agent - she's had more jobs and identities than Barbie. Sure she's had her fair share of bad treatment by comic book writers over the decades, but what superhero hasn't? She's been subjected to all sorts of sexist stereotyping as well, but I don't like to talk about the poorer history of Wonder Woman. After seventy-five-plus years of growth and development, she's had her ups and downs, but her status as a feminist icon hasn't changed. Wondy's saved the world hundreds of times, some without having to even be a violent warrior - she will use her intelligence and determination to seek peaceful solutions towards making the patriarchal world and her homeland Themyscira places for everyone to live in fairly and happily. Overall she is a smart, caring and loving person; as strong in personality as in super strength and flight. I adore her Lynda Carter portrayal. A symbol in every sense of the world, Wonder Woman is queen - still going strong. She is worthy of admiration, inspiration, and respect.
8. Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer ('Thelma and Louise')
I already talked about these great, older ladies on my previous list, but I'll add that Thelma and Louise are very real to me. It's them against the man's world, and all they can rely on and trust is each other. They are best friends to the end, and they compliment each other perfectly: Thelma is a slightly naive, fun-loving housewife looking for excitement and freedom who gets far more than she could ever have bargained for; and Louise is a cynical, sarcastic, and loyal waitress with a tragic past who puts on a fearless front. Together they support each other and keep one another from going over the edge and giving up on their run from the law. Women, in a potentially dangerous patriarchal society, need to stick together, and don't backstab, betray or be bitter as often as a lot of other mediums seem to get off on portraying. Thelma and Louise give us hope for a better future, despite their tragic end.
7. Sailor Moon
The girl and superheroine I'm probably the most like out of all the characters on this list. Sailor Moon - star of my gateway drug into anime and my first introduction to girl power - is who I looked up to as a child; who I related to the most, and still do. I was starstruck that a seemingly lazy, non-special and overly-sensitive schoolgirl could be a fighter, even a reluctant one; someone who saves the world time and again through love and compassion, and through all kinds of hardships, rises to become a queen. The growth of Usagi Tsukino is of a royal magnitude. She is better developed in the manga than the anime, making her more likeable and well-rounded. Plus she is the picture of femininity: Pink, skirts, jewellery, sparkles, heart! She's a princess, a friend to all, and future mother of a princess. But these things are not depicted as lesser or weak. They add to Sailor Moon's strengths as a hero, and I was partly a girly-girl myself as well. She grows stronger and more powerful through her own heart and courage rather than through any deus-ex-machina crystal. She will do anything to protect those she loves dearly, and she practically created hope itself. Go check out my 'Sailor Moon' manga reviews for a further in-depth analysis into her character. She's also on here due to nostalgic reasons, I admit - a hero of my childhood. Sailor Moon - my favourite Magical Girl - who is also the original - and my favourite anime character.
6. Elsa ('Frozen')
From one queen to another, it's Elsa! I cannot gush enough, or discuss more adequately, why I love her so much. So many others have analysed her whole character already, but I'll give my two cents. Elsa is someone who was made into an introvert in order to hide the ice powers she was born with - a very powerful gift or a curse depending on how she uses it. Through most of her life she was encouraged to close herself off from everyone around her, including her loving and well-meaning family. To put on a show, and never reveal her true feelings in case her gifts are known. She believes her powers are a curse, something to be feared and concealed at all costs. This is a situation I'm sure anyone who has something different about them, or are in a minority, can relate to. They have to hide who they really are in order to fit in - to conceal, don't feel, don't let what makes them special show. To fit in a "normal" society is a survival tactic more than anything else: Bad things can happen to "freaks", and they may be hated and feared if they are different from the mundane and ordinary. Elsa, in the whole hour-and-a-half-long running time of 'Frozen', embodies this beautifully, She shows how important it is to believe in oneself, to never hate oneself, to seek the right help when needed, and to not let fear and anxiety take over one's life. Don't worry, someone is bound to understand you for who you are, and love you no matter what. Elsa, behind the closed doors, is a sad, grieving woman, but upon entrance - deeper inspection - you'll find she does have a nice, warm personality. For Disney to not make her a villain is one of the best decisions made in 'Frozen', because it shows that not everyone who is different is bad, after all. This ice queen is just misunderstood, therefore relatable. She's a case study on the whole psychological spectrum. I'm happy that Elsa is beloved by so many people she's practically become an icon - Disney's new Mickey Mouse - and not sorely because of her outward beauty. She's an independent; no one cares she has no love interest. On that note, the general public wish for her to get a girlfriend in the sequel - a perfect fit considering that her arc reflects what those in the LBGTQ community go through. It is likely too much to hope for from Disney, however, even in these progressive times, but we can dream. Elsa is a queen (imagine Disney, a queer queen!) treated with reverence and respect. Not an ice queen in her heart, it's easy to why her large fanbase resonates with her. Regal, intelligent, with more secluded depths than a snowy mountain - plus a veiled, warm sense of humour - Queen Elsa is just fantastic.
To be continued in Part 4.
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