Best Isekai Manhwa With Female Protagonists

Summary

• Isekai manhwa often feature female protagonists in romance and political plots as princesses or nobles.
• “Kill the Villainess” offers a unique twist with a protagonist rejecting their role as the antagonist.
• “The Perks of Being A Villainess” stands out by focusing on luxury and contract marriages rather than love.

Isekai is one of the most popular genres in anime, manga, and manhwa as it allows consumers to occupy themselves in fantasy and escape from the monotony of daily life. It’s fun to imagine being in a different world with magic powers and a group of interesting companions. It’s a sandbox genre that truly allows for anything.

In isekai, most female protagonists appear in manhwa marketed toward girls and women, which usually revolve around romance and relationships. The main characters often reincarnate as princesses or daughters of nobles and get involved in political affairs or the economy in some way. While this isn’t always the case, these are currently the most common themes.

10 Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story

A Battle Between Reader And Writer

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.80
• Published: 2023 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Isekai, Villainess
• Author: Lemon Gaeguri
• Illustrator: Ajin

Novels are one of the most popular isekai locations with main characters being transported into their favorite novels. Choi Suna reincarnates as the villainess, Edith Rudwick, who originally harasses the female lead. Rather than accept her fate as a villain, she does whatever she can to prove her innocence and create allies with the people around her. Unfortunately, the original story is a powerful force that won’t be beaten so easily.

As the title suggests, this manhwa attempts to present an atypical reincarnation plot, but for many manhwa fans, that is incredibly difficult to do. Nevertheless, Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story manages to solidify its position through its characters, specifically with the main couple. Their individual growth is great, but their relationship is what makes reading this manhwa so fun. The drama and misunderstandings only add to the narrative.

9 Kill The Villainess

The Villainess Rejects Her Isekai Life

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.85
• Published: 2021 to 2024
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Psychological, Villainess
• Author: Sawol Saeng
• Illustrator: Haegi

Most characters who are reincarnated are quick to settle into their new lives, but Kill the Villainess takes a completely different approach by having the protagonist completely reject their situation. The main character is reincarnated as the antagonist in a romance novel, Eris Miserian, and despite her efforts, she can’t return to the real world until she plays her role. Eris is meant to be executed after poisoning the original female lead, but before she can do that, she needs to find a way to get her soul back home.

Unlike many isekai romances, Eris isn’t interested in anything other than returning home, and it’s refreshing to see a character so focused on a singular task. She’s a great villainess because she truly doesn’t care about anything. However, what makes this manhwa so fantastic is the meta-narrative happening throughout the story that expands on the idea of being trapped in a novel.

8 The Perks Of Being An S-Class Heroine

She Has The Best Isekai Benefits Package

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.90
• Published: Mar 31, 2022 to ?
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Irinbi
• Illustrator: Grrr

At a certain point, authors began breaking boundaries by addressing reincarnation novels and comics directly. In this manhwa, the protagonist accidentally signs up for some mysterious insurance and immediately dies, only to be sent to a magic train station that sends souls out for reincarnation. Given her rough life and the hardships she went through, she decides to be reincarnated into a child in a fantasy romance, which she believes will guarantee an easy life. Unfortunately, the world she’s assigned has SSS-class difficulty.

Sometimes, mentioning novels or manhwa about reincarnation can break the reader’s immersion, but for S-Class Heroine it works as a plot point that sets up the tone and humor for the rest of the story. It has an easygoing plot with many characters that don’t feel quite real, which helps reinforce the setting. The main character is the only one with a realistic personality and worldview. It’s a fun subversion of reincarnation, and it even has some gaming elements with levels and skills.

7 The Perks Of Being A Villainess

The Best Part About Being A Villain Is Being Rich

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.99
• Published: 2022 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Villainess
• Author: Mang, Gokim
• Illustrator: Yoteh

Many shojo isekai stories feature being reincarnated as a noble, and that’s what happens in The Perks Of Being A Villainess. Yoon Dohee is transported into a reverse harem novel as Deborah Seymour, the main antagonist of the story known for her greed, envy, and pettiness. However, despite the terrible reputation, she’s pretty comfortable with how things turned out. She’s able to live lavishly without needing to work or worry about money. Unfortunately, Deborah’s fate of being sent to a monastery can only be prevented by marriage.

As far as villainess stories go, this is one of the more fun ones. Rather than worry about currying favor, Deborah does what she wants with her time, using her notoriety to open doors and close deals rather than harass innocent people. The romance is slow to progress because it’s not love she’s interested in but having a favorable contract marriage to continue her lifestyle. It’s actually funny to see the male lead, Isidor, continuously try to impress her.

6 The Male Lead’s Little Lion Daughter

Being Reborn A Child Can Be Fun

• MyAnimeList Score: 8.02
• Published: 2021 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Latine
• Illustrator: Ttona

Usually, protagonists are reincarnated in early adulthood, but manhwa focused on childhood is also very popular. In this story, the main character is reborn as an orphan who is picked up by the famous Duke Voreoti, the male lead of a popular novel. She is adopted by the duke and is given the name Leonia. Despite having only just met, the two get along surprisingly well and even share many personality traits, like innate cruelty and aggressive behavior.

This is a great father-daughter story, probably one of the best. Fathers in this type of story are often very aloof and cold, barely speaking to their children and unable to properly communicate their feelings, which causes the familial relationship to feel artificial. Leo and the duke don’t have this problem, since they’re seen bantering from their first meeting. Their care for each other is continuously shown throughout the story.

5 Roxana

Being Evil Is Extremely Difficult

• MyAnimeList Score: 8.11
• Published: 2021 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Psychological, Villainess
• Author: Kin
• Illustrator: Yeoreumbit

Villainess protagonists are incredibly popular as they often add something more interesting to the story than traditional main characters. Roxana is popular because the titular character walks a fine line between good and evil. When a regular student is suddenly reincarnated as Roxana Agrece, she knows the only way to prevent the gruesome original plot is to save the female lead’s brother, Cassis Pedelion. To do that, she must maintain her cruel facade and convince everyone she’s just as evil as the rest of the Agrece.

Although villainess titles are common, most feature some kind of reform or rehabilitation of the evil character, so Roxana stands out in the way it uses its main character. It’s a great exploration of what happens when a conventionally good person is forced to do bad things to help others, which immediately makes the story much more interesting than other romance manhwa. It’s definitely one of the better examples of a villain’s story.

4 How To Win My Husband Over

A Romance With Dark Secrets

• MyAnimeList Score: 8.18
• Published: 2021 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Psychological, Villainess
• Author: Nyangi-wa Hyangsinnyo
• Illustrator: Siru

In some cases, getting isekai’d is not an end to a painful life but an extension of it. In this manhwa, the protagonist is reincarnated into a novel as Ruby de Borgia, the unfortunate daughter of the pope who is used as a pawn in the original story and ultimately dies at the hands of her husband. To prevent that fate, she must convince everyone that she has no part in the pope’s plans nor does she harbor any hostility. Unfortunately, she’s already a villain in everyone’s eyes.

Despite the use of a common plot, this manhwa is more than a young woman trying to earn the favor of an enemy knight. Ruby and Iske are two deeply flawed characters who must wrestle with their traumas now that they’re married while also navigating socio-political issues. There’s a dark aspect to this story that isn’t often seen in other manhwa, which is why it stands out among the plethora of isekai romances. Unfortunately, it doesn’t commit itself to that darker aspect, which makes the story feel washed out.

3 The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion

The Story Of One Of The Best Contract Marriages

• MyAnimeList Score: 8.19
• Published: 2017 to 2021
• Chapters: 158
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Milcha
• Illustrator: Gorae

Dying is an important part of isekai as that’s how most characters are sent to a different world. Normally, it’s caused by an accident, but in this manhwa, Park Eunha was actually killed by someone. After being pushed off of a roof, she wakes up as Raeliana McMillan, a minor character in a novel she once read. Despite having a good family and a comfortable life, Raeliana is fated to die, so the original story can begin. To prevent herself from dying again, she offers a deal to the duke.

Contract marriages are a staple in fantasy shojo manhwa, and that is partly due to the success of Raeliana. It may not have been the first to do it, but it was the first to become largely popular, even getting an anime adaptation in 2023. Other than its long-lasting popularity, it also has characters who are well-written and balanced, and who feel and behave like real people. This story also has one of the best plot twists out of all fantasy romance manhwa.

2 Villains Are Destined To Die

Living Inside The Worst Otome Survival Game

• MyAnimeList Score: 8.39
• Published: 2020 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Reverse Harem, Villainess
• Author: Gyeoeul Gwon
• Illustrator: SUOL

Reverse harems are a popular archetype in shojo isekai, mostly because of the handsome and beautiful male love interests, and many revolve around the protagonist’s interactions with them. However, Villains Are Destined To Die subverts that type of story by turning it into a survival game. After playing the latest otome game all night, the protagonist wakes up as Penelope Eckhart, the villain of the game. Due to the story, Penelope’s reputation is in the gutter, so she must find a way to increase her affinity with the male characters if she wants to escape.

Reverse harem stories are generally pretty fluffy and light in terms of content, usually sticking to slice-of-life scenes and minor drama storylines. This manhwa does not do that. While there are elements of a traditional romance, it’s clear the focus is on the game’s setting and Penelope’s impending danger. There are very real consequences when her affinity with people is low, so she must constantly juggle the attitudes of everyone around her, and it makes the story fun and exciting.

1 Who Made Me A Princess

The Princess Life Is Still The Best

• MyAnimeList Score: 8.47
• Published: 2017 to 2022
• Chapters: 125
• Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Plutus
• Illustrator: Spoon

Who Made Me A Princess is a notorious manhwa that helped define the current age of shojo manhwa by being one of the first to focus on familial relationships rather than purely on romance. The story features a young girl who is reincarnated into a novel called “The Lovely Princess,” as Athanasia, a pitiful princess who ultimately dies. Although her initial plan is to escape the royal palace, she decides to build a relationship with the emperor instead to ensure her survival.

If this manhwa were to be judged by current standards, it may not have the warmest reception, but the reason it remains at the top of the list is that it’s now seen as a classic that everyone should read. It was also the manhwa that popularized father-daughter stories that have become pretty common. Even if there are better portrayals of family dynamics, Who Made Me A Princess is well-loved by a large audience and has stayed at the top for years after its ending.