Stories like these always ruin characters just to make the plot somehow work out. If they want the plot to progress, they just make the protagonist dumb. That's how I feel about these kinds of stories.They always say they miiight be in a child's body, but they are something something years old! Like, prove it to me then? I'm not gonna believe whatever you say, just show me. Also, everything about Sasha gets my blood pressure up. All she does in her mind is yap about how it's her father's fault, doesn't think that deeply, manipulative just cause of her misunderstandings, she's just causing more problems for her father. and so far, she doesn't seem to act like she claims to be an adult. She's like any normal child protagonist I read. And the direction of the story is so typical, Im pretty sure I wasted my time. This story is bland at best, and easily forgetful at worst. Stories like this whenever I do read about female characters, is always related to typical romance, or it always has to somehow relate to romance even if she's not the one in love or attracted, someone else would find her attractive. And typically they are damsels in distress female protagonists, who does eeeeeverything cute, or is sweet, and acts like a child everytime. Like just be an adult or do or have something like an interesting personality worth reading. If it's not a cutie female protagonist, it's a protagonist that acts tough or one that can't tell dudes like her, or one thats powerful she can make others kneel from how afraid they are of her. I want to see women in these stories as humans. With purpose, with realistic weaknesses and strengths. With character developments. With progress in friendship with other characters (I especially love enemies to friends who would do anything for each other -not rivals, enemies!!) Not weird empty puppets. Just something that has meaning, makes me think. Makes me feel, and that's how it becomes memorable. But when they are op, with no progression, it doesn't feel sincere. I don't feel proud of our main female character like I do for male characters that feel like they put effort for their progression. Because female protagonists like in these stories don't seem like they put effort.
I'd also like to see more interesting side characters. Not as in the beautiful, most gorgeous people drawn. Not idiotic characters and small villains that are just baggage. I mean as in side characters that make you feel that they are relatable or interesting. Whether you love them or hate them. Side characters that you can feel weight was put in them. You can do that by giving them interesting personalities or have interesting relationships with other characters including other side characters. It doesn't have to involve romantic interests. Just interesting relationships.
I also personally hate dramatic background characters. I'm talking townsfolk, or city's people. Or just overall the people. Like, why do you have to talk to the people weirdly? I'm talking about when they are nobles, they talk to a crowd of people as if they are trying to prove something. I hate caring about every single thing people might point out. But these stories make this as a stepping stone in their story, and do it in one of the most boring ways possible. Like I'd understand if the story's moral is of not caring too much about people's opinions or something. Like at least it's the moral of the story, but who are you trying to impress? It's just not something you should do as a noble doing unnecessary things as impressing and pleasing the folks however they want. I don't care it's just how life is. Not everyone will be satisfied with your decisions. But what matters more if you understand and know your own decisions. And if you want to prove something, do it appropriately. Idk I just find the way they execute it to be annoying.
Shounen Mangas and manhwas are slightly better as they at least have protagonists that can do things with effort. Perhaps that's why I'm a male protagonist fan, as they typically show progress, and you feel close to these characters because you've seen them try their best or worst in their ups and downs. basically every story genre in existence don't know how to write women, including manhwa Stories with female protagonists like these that don't even show progress. All they do is talk about it, but I'm waiting to watch how she progresses. I basically don't feel any effort is done, which is why I find everything they do to be very superficial and useless. There's no meaning to it, it's just there just to be there.
I wouldnt mind it if it's just seen a few times, but when I keep seeing this kind of personality everytime, it's bound to get annoying and tiring from how uninteresting it is. And everytime, everytime, it's related to romance. If not, the female character acts independent from men. Like, can we just be normal, and not think of stuff like this? Your whole personality is not about being independent from men. I feel like these authors are obsessed with making female characters this way. But it just feels unoriginal and boring. Plenty of stories have their female characters as damsels, as weak people who need help, can you at least make her 3 dimensional? They are too superficial that even the personalities is terribly portraid. Don't keep yapping about how kind she is, when all I can think about from her actions is how selfish, annoying, and manipulative these characters are while they act like children becauseee their are innocenttt. If I were to meet characters like these in real life, I would not want to be near them.
Overall, These types of stories feel really cheap.
It's not about forcing or whatever lol. I want to read a decent story about a female main character, just can't really find one, that's why I feel like I keep wasting my time looking for decent stories. And I will still keep trying to avoid these plots, and it's still all I keep seeing even if I don't want it in the story. But thanks for the advice tho. Appreciate it.
Fellow picky reader here. Here are some stories with better-written female protagonists that I recommend.
Highly recommend/what I think you would most like (shounen vibes):
The Prince of Myolyeong
Otome Game no Heroine de Saikyou Survival @COMIC
Song of the Sky Walkers
Chang Ge Xing
Hero Killer
Purple Hyacinth
Saijaku teima wa gomi hiroi no tabi o hajimemashita
Stories that you see the progress/journey (fighting):
Let’s Hide My Younger Brother First
Akatsuki no Yona
MCs that start strong but still lose battles:
The Villain Discovered My Identity
I'm a Martial Art Villainess but I'm the Strongest!
Age of arrogance
In This Life, I Will Raise You Well, Your Majesty!
Well-written MCs that are strong in ways that aren't physical (mental/strategy):
Kill the Villainess
Circumstances of Switching Bodies
I Want to Be You, Just For A Day Webtoon
Your Eternal Lies
Modern-day stories:
Daytime Star
My Reason to Die
Why would they ruin the wholesome story? I even shipped white haired guy with norman but I'm just losing any will to continue after seeing those panels. I just wanted it to be cute (& for potential norman top!! ). Please can anyone give spoilers or anything about future chapters? Will it end well? Or does it become even more messed up & weird? Honestly I just wanna skip this & act like this never happened :(
Falling for someone does not justify ruining their relationship, nor for you to even disturb them. You are just making it more difficult for them to even like you. Like cmon this is common sense. And instead of saying you wanna prove how serious you are, just know we won't take you seriously because you aren't even TAKING THEM SERIOUSLY. This is BASIC RESPECT & MANNERS. Like treat others HOW YOU WANNA BE TREATED. Like unless it's someone who likes being disrespected, that person is not gonna get with you who can't even take what she says seriously and you only care about yourself. Like ok you might've proven yourself or whatever, but you also proved any possible relationship she could have had with you would be a waste. I guess one of the things you could've proved more is that at least you aren't manipulative(so far). But you also could have proven to be respectable, & even if you really love her & can't contain it for whatever reason, at least you are trying which would have been way better than whatever you've just done here. & Maybe I'm complaining too much but I'm trying to prove a point here & at least advising for everyone who's like this guy. Please never be like this guy to any person unless it's consensual. Seriously. This ain't a drama. People don't have the capacity to always deal with garbage & waste their time. You are just causing more harm than good. IK it's ironic coming from someone like me on this place, & I won't act like it's not, but two good rules to follow in life is that "prevention is better than cure" & "never be extreme nor lenient. The middle ground & balance is where you try to be"
Lol those goons look like the goons in the northern star anime! I was wondering why they looked familiar lol. I used to watch that anime a lot when I was young(weird anime for a kid to watch ikkkk)