10 Best Shojo Manhwa With Swordswoman Protagonists

Highlights

• The Shojo genre prioritizes romance & slice of life over action, but recent trends show more aggressive protagonists.
• Shojo protagonists are evolving to take up weapons themselves instead of being protected, adding depth to stories.
• Shojo stories like “The Red Knight Seeks No Reward” feature relatable characters & engaging plots with minimal filler.

Shojo is the category of media marketed towards young and teenage girls. If Shonen is known for action-packed fights and daring adventures, Shojo is commonly associated with romance and slice of life. Of course, neither is limited to those genres, but there are clear differences in content between both categories. For example, Shojo stories tend to lack action sequences.

Fighting is especially rare in Shojo because most settings don’t require it, preferring to have a protagonist solve their problems less directly. However, it has become more common for Shojo protagonists to take a more aggressive role in their stories. A popular trend is having the main character pick up a sword herself rather than be protected by someone else.

1 The Red Knight Seeks No Reward

MyAnimeList Score: 7.10

• Chapters: 120
• Published: 2021 to 2024
• Genres/Theme: Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Rosiwon
• Illustrator: Jaemin Song

After being obsessed with earning money, Judith takes the wrong job and is killed for it. When she wakes up as a new recruit in the past, she vows to lead a better life and truly understand what it means to be a knight. Instead of joining the Black Order, she joins the Red Order to change her fate.

Judith is a very sympathetic character and her situation is relatable. Her trouble with money led her down a desperate road, and many will be able to see themselves in her character. Although she’s technically a genius in the story, she remains a character to rally behind.

2 Let’s Hide My Younger Brother

MyAnimeList Score: N/A

• Published: 2021 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Historical, Nobility, School Life
• Author: Ji-hoo Chae
• Illustrator: Chen Li

In the world of a BL novel, Kyla Vesta is the sister of the protagonist Franz and a minor character in the original story. After being reincarnated as her, the main character decides the only way to stay alive is to protect her brother. As the original protagonist, Franz gained the attention of many high-profile people, including the prince and Kyla’s fiancé. It’s their terrible obsession that leads to Franz’s suffering and the downfall of his family.

In this story, Kyla is the knight in shining armor, although no one knows it. By taking up the sword in her brother’s place, she can allow him to avoid his cruel fate and stay alive herself. This story has wholesome themes, but there are some underlying moral issues with some of the characters, namely coercion and kidnapping.

3 The Knight And Her Emperor

MyAnimeList Score: 7.28

• Chapters: 197
• Published: 2019 to 2023
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
• Author: An-gyeong Wonsung-i
• Illustrator: Gyeoul & Heyum

Pauliana had worked hard to survive after being abandoned by her family. In a war that seemed like it would never end, she sacrificed herself so her platoon could escape. However, her capture did not end in her death. Instead, she was enlisted as Prince Lucius’s personal knight for her intelligence, strength, and cunning.

From the beginning, Pauliana was resolute about her survival, and she wasn’t afraid to sacrifice anything if it meant she could live. In Shojo, there aren’t many characters like her, which makes the story more fun to follow. Some moments drag on, but there isn’t too much filler in this manhwa.

4 Cassmire: The Loyal Sword

MyAnimeList Score: 7.24

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Fantasy, Isekai, Reverse Harem, Villainess
• Author: Si-ion
• Illustrator: ilye

After her mother dies, Cassmire is the only one able to care for her sick sister. She becomes a mercenary to provide for them both, learning how to wield a sword and kill monsters. However, one day, an accident causes some head trauma, and she suddenly remembers her past life. She’s living in a book world. It isn’t long before she realizes her actions have changed the story.

This is a common plot in isekai where the reverse harem centers on the new protagonist. What makes it different is that Cassmire’s work as a mercenary is the catalyst for all her connections. All the original male leads were saved by her at least once, and that’s why they love her.

5 Master Villainess The Invincible!

MyAnimeList Score: 7.36

• Published: 2020 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Isekai, Martial Arts, Villainess
• Author: Willbright
• Illustrator: Yooani

After dying in a car accident, the protagonist is reborn as Dang Haewon from the fantasy martial arts novel she finished reading. Originally, Haewon is the villainess of the world who continuously tries to harm the original female lead, but with a new person inside her body, she desperately tries to prevent her own death.

This manhwa is great because there aren’t very many Murim stories with female protagonists, especially in this genre. Murim stories are generally about men, and even when women are placed in this setting, they rarely do martial arts themselves. This story uses this theme well with great character development, plot, and illustration.

6 The Night Without Shadows

MyAnimeList Score: N/A

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
• Author: Miyu Kim
• Illustrator: TEAVA

Roselyn is a knight who protects the second prince. Although she’s lacking in many areas, she’s loyal and dedicated to her cause. Unfortunately, that devotion leads her to the bottom of a cliff. It is by an unknown miracle that she survived, but she’s different now. She’s more childlike, she can’t remember much, and she’s far stronger than before.

This story is full of mysteries, and each one leads the story in different directions. It can often be hard to balance multiple plot lines, but the creator does it well without disrupting the flow of the story being told. All of this is supported by great characters who are fun to follow.

7 The Spark In Your Eyes

MyAnimeList Score: 7.36

• Published: 2020 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Drama, Fantasy
• Author: Muro
• Illustrator: Muro

After the war with the North, the hero known as the Sun Witch was said to have retired to a castle in the country, recovering both her health and her mind. In reality, she’s a young woman named Hildegard who is suffering from a strange pain caused by the sun. To find a cure, a northerner named Erkin is hired as a pharmacist, but he has his own intentions. He wants revenge on the person who killed his parents, the Sun Witch.

The Spark in Your Eyes does a great job of holding the audience in suspense. Each chapter holds a new revelation or another secret to be kept all while the characters go about their daily lives. The mounting tension bubbling underneath each event is what drives the story and holds the reader’s attention. The question is when that bubble will pop.

8 Sigrid

MyAnimeList Score: 7.42

• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Siya
• Illustrator: Glee

Sigrid believed a proper knight remained completely loyal to her master and remained faithful to her word until death. However, Sigrid’s devotion was rewarded with betrayal. When she wakes up after her death, she learns that she’s gone five years into the past. Given a second chance, Sigrid resolves to live differently this time and tries to stop the disasters she caused herself.

Time travel stories often include a search for redemption, with most ending the same way. In Sigrid, that redemption is actually difficult for her. She’s lived her life completely isolated, and her values were set in stone. Coming back to the past, she has no idea how to change, and that makes the story much more relatable.

9 Crimson Karma

MyAnimeList Score: N/A

• Chapters: 118
• Published: 2019 to 2021
• Genres/Themes: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Military, Reincarnation, War
• Author: Ssalsup Lemon Gaeguri
• Illustrator: Rada

Kasiya was orphaned at a young age, resulting in her recruitment into the military. For years, she was trained to survive and kill, and at some point, she became numb to her emotions and life in general. Her life ends at the hands of her superior. However, when she opens her eyes, she’s on the battlefield. Around her are soldiers preparing for combat, but they wield swords rather than guns.

The story of Crimson Karma is so well done that it’s hard to put down. As the reader follows Kasiya’s journey to learn about her emotions and to value herself, it’s easy to become immersed because of the great flow and pacing. It’s only disrupted towards the end as the romance aspect becomes a bigger part of the story.

10 Light And Shadow

MyAnimeList Score: 7.66

• Published: 2016 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
• Author: Ryu Hyang
• Illustrator: Heewon

Edna is just a regular maid, but due to the schemes of her masters, she’s shipped off to marry the newly appointed duke. Unfortunately, she was caught the very first night. Duke Eli wasn’t too upset about the trick, since all he needed was to get married. For him, it didn’t matter who the bride was. Now they need to work together to run their territory.

This story is about Eli and Edna’s budding relationship, but there’s more than meets the eye. Edna has a secret she must keep, but her abilities make it obvious she knows more than a normal maid should. With her secret always at risk, the story is always exciting.