Manga and anime would not be the same without them: This is how women have shaped an entire culture.
Without women in the industry, we would have to do without many characters and stories today. Image Source: Toei Animation
It’s March, and that means not only the dreaded spring cleaning is upon us, but also that we’re celebrating an important occasion. Since the late 1980s, this month has been dedicated to Women’s History and has its roots in International Women’s Day on March 8th.
A perfect opportunity to shine a light on the women who have helped shape manga and anime culture. While the scene may still be largely dominated by men, women have also had a major impact on its development. Especially in steering content from purely action-driven stories toward more emotional, complex, or simply different themes. And let’s not forget the many women working behind the scenes as animators, editors, colorists, or background artists – often without the recognition they deserve.
So, let’s take this chance to look at how women have influenced this culture and helped make it what it is today.
Breaking Barriers: Pioneers and Icons
After World War II, the manga business in Japan experienced a boom, though at first, it was mainly male artists who rose to fame in the scene. One of the very first professional female
mangaka was Machiko Hasegawa. Her slice-of-life manga Sazae-san began publication in various local newspapers in 1946. Fun fact: Sazae-san later became the longest-running anime series of all time. Mrs. Sazae is still on the air in Japan today. Nevertheless, women only gradually established themselves in the industry at that time.
Even when the shojo genre, aimed specifically at female readers, began to develop, it was initially men who were leading the way. The first story-driven manga for girls was created by Osamu Tezuka between 1953 and 1958 with Ribon no Kishi for the magazine Shōjo Club. Interestingly, even Tezuka took inspiration from the all-female Takarazuka Revue theater group, where both male and female roles are performed exclusively by women.
In the 1960s, female mangaka like Toshiko Ueda, Miyako Maki, and Chikako Urano began to establish the mindset that shojo manga are comics created by women. Toward the end of the decade, Urano paved the way for sports stories in girls' manga with her volleyball series Attack No. 1.
The torch of revolution was passed in the 1970s to the Nijūyonen Gumi, also known as the Year 24 Group. The members of this group of female mangaka were born in Showa 24 (1949) and introduced new themes and motifs into shojo manga, including Boys’ Love and gender fluidity. They used unconventional drawing techniques focused on aesthetics and emotions, drawing inspiration from Art Nouveau. This era gave rise to works like The Rose of Versailles, which explores the French Revolution, and The Heart of Thomas, a homosexual love story.
Ranma ½ recently received a remake, which you can watch on Netflix. Image Source: Mappa / Netflix
Amidst this period of change came Rumiko Takahashi with a completely new kind of manga – cheeky, wildly funny, and chaotic. Her first major success arrived in 1978 with Urusei Yatsura, a sci-fi comedy about an ordinary boy and an alien girl. In 1987, she tackled the theme of gender-swapping in Ranma ½, where the protagonist transforms into a girl upon
contact with water. Takahashi playfully subverted gender roles in ways that were remarkably progressive for the time. She followed this in 1996 with the fantasy adventure Inuyasha, which propelled her onto the international stage. Today, she is often referred to as the "Princess of Manga" and is among the wealthiest private individuals in Japan.
While Rumiko Takahashi proved in the 1980s with her cheeky comedies and gender experiments that women could triumph in the shōnen genre, a new stage opened up in the early 1990s. Naoko Takeuchi put aside her lab coat in the late 1980s and picked up a brush and paper to create one of the most successful manga ever: Sailor Moon. The first volume, titled Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon, was published in 1991. With this, she revolutionized the magical girl genre by establishing not just a solo hero but an entire team of heroines, blending romance with action. The anime based on this manga became one of the first anime to achieve global success.
The Women Behind the Camera
While the Sailor Moon anime was directed exclusively by men, there are some recent examples of female directors in anime. Just like in manga, these directors have brought new themes to the forefront and developed a special sensitivity for aesthetics and emotions.
One example is Sayo Yamamoto, who made her directorial debut in 2008 with Michiko & Hatchin. The series follows the story of Michiko, a criminal woman, who rescues Hatchin from her abusive foster family in order to pursue a common goal. This anime is one of the few to focus on an unconventional relationship between a woman and a girl. However, Yamamoto’s most recent work is Yuri on Ice, released in 2016, which became a cultural phenomenon. The series follows professional figure skater Yūri Katsuki, who takes a break from his career after a major defeat at a competition, only to be trained by the famous figure skating coach Victor Nikiforov. A perfect setting for a love story. The series brought LGBTQ+ themes into the mainstream and gained a large international fanbase. In the 2017 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Yuri on Ice won in several categories, including Anime of the Year and Best Animation. It also won Anime of the Year and the Anime Fan Award at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival.
Naoko Yamada stood out as a master of emotions. She became well-known for her work at Kyoto Animation, where she contributed as an animator for the Inuyasha anime. Yamada made her debut as the lead director in 2009 with K-On!, which led to two seasons and several films. The series follows four high school girls who form a band and grow through music and shared experiences. However, what stands out most is Yamada’s 2016 anime film A Silent Voice, which is considered one of the most emotionally profound anime highlights of recent years. The film tells the story of Shoya Ishida, a boy who bullies a deaf girl during his school years and later embarks on the difficult path of reconciliation and self-forgiveness. The anime addresses societal and personal issues in a very sensitive way. The film earned 2.3 billion yen at the Japanese box office alone and received numerous nominations and awards, including the Mainichi Eiga Concours and a Japan Academy Prize.
Kyoto Animation, where Yamada worked, is known for employing many female animators, character designers, background artists, and art directors. These women are often the invisible creators responsible for the visual style and emotional impact of many beloved series and films, including the previously mentioned K-On! and A Silent Voice, as well as Sound! Euphonium and Violet Evergarden. In 2020, the studio was honored with the Women in Animation’s (WIA) Diversity Award for its “commitment to inclusivity by creating a gender-balanced workplace.” The vice president of the organization, Jinko Gotoh, commented on the award:
“It is our honor to award this important award to Kyoto Animation. As a Japanese producer myself, I’m particularly proud of the way Kyoto Animation shares WIA’s inclusive principle of hiring female artists, as well as their commitment to training artists.”
Since 1995, WIA has been working worldwide to promote women in the animation industry. This doesn’t just apply to anime, but also to the Western industry. One of the most well-known representatives of WIA is Jennifer Lee, who, with Frozen, became the first female director to helm a Disney animated film. It was a long and rocky way.
Female Seiyuu: The Power of Voice Actresses
When we talk about anime, one thing is of course essential: voice actresses. Their voices bring the characters to life in a special way, giving them personality and shaping the image that viewers perceive.
In Japan, these voice actresses are called Seiyuu, and female Seiyuu have an extraordinary job, as they voice not only female characters but often male ones as well. As a result, women in this industry often have multiple iconic roles that shape generations of fans.
For example, Junko Takeuchi voices the energetic Naruto, a role she has played for many years. Originally, a male voice actor was sought for Naruto, but Takeuchi was able to define the character’s voice in the most convincing way. Despite the fact that Naruto ages and matures throughout the series, his voice was never replaced, which shows the immense appreciation for Takeuchi’s performance. The same applies to the English dub, as here in the West, Naruto is also voiced by a woman, Maile Flanagan, who also accompanies Naruto on his entire journey.
Naruto isn’t the only growing hero who borrows his voice from a woman. Since the 1980s, Son Goku, the childhood hero of many generations, has been voiced by Masako Nozawa – whether as a child, an adult, or even a Super Saiyan. Her voice perfectly captures Goku’s innocent, childlike yet fiercely determined nature. Because of this, she holds the current world record for the “longest time a voice actress has played the same anime character.” But Nozawa doesn’t just voice Goku – she also brings to life his entire bloodline, including Son Gohan, Son Goten, and Bardock.
Beyond these legends, there are, of course, other iconic voice talents. Megumi Hayashibara, for example, has not only voiced characters like Ranma from Ranma ½ or Jessie from Pokémon, but she has also performed numerous anime openings. Kotono Mitsuishi left her mark on the 1990s with her performances as Sailor Moon, Misato Katsuragi from Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Boa Hancock from One Piece. There are countless voice actresses, unfortunately, we can't list them all here.
Anime without the talent and passion of female creators would be simply unthinkable – whether they are gifted mangaka, visionary directors, creative designers, or unforgettable voice actresses. And one thing is certain: their influence will continue to be undeniable in the future.
The inner transformation is mirrored by external enhancements. Image Source: Viz Media / Netflix