These princesses are not fickle and shallow – they are brave, strong and determined, ready to do anything to save their loved ones.
There is a misconception that anime about princesses can only interest girls. But over the years, the image of young heiresses has changed not only in live-action films, but also in animation.
We have chosen five anime about princesses, from Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces to spectacular action series from the creators of Naruto.
1. Princess Mononoke, 1997
Princess Mononoke was Ghibli's first international hit, with Disney buying the distribution rights, and the highest-grossing film in Japanese history until Titanic, released later that year, knocked it off its pedestal.
The story centers on the forest princess Mononoke, who was once raised by a she-wolf. She became the ruler of the wild animals and now maintains the balance of power in the forest and protects its inhabitants.
On the other side of the world, the young prince Ashitaka kills a boar during a hunt and brings a curse upon himself. He embarks on a journey to cure himself of a mysterious illness.
2. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, 2013
The plot is based on one of the oldest Japanese folk tales, written over a thousand years ago. The bamboo cutter lives in the forest with his wife. One day he notices a strange bamboo stalk with a tiny child inside.
The old man takes the newborn child home and decides to raise her as his own daughter. When the girl grows up, he decides to move the family to the city, where the girl must fulfill her destiny – to become a princess.
For Kaguya, the capital has become a golden cage. While her father wants his daughter to marry a prince, or even the emperor himself, she dreams of one thing: returning to the forest.
3. Show White with the Red Hair, 2015-2016
Despite her bright hair and extraordinary beauty, Shirayuki prefers to live in the wilderness and reacts cautiously to the prince's courtship. Unwilling to trade her free life in the village for imprisonment in a castle, the girl leaves for another land.
Escaping through the forest, Shirayuki meets a man named Zen, who offers to help her escape from the assertive royal guards. Snow White with the Red Hair is a somewhat naive, but charming anime that will appeal to all fans of slice-of-life.
4. Princess Principal, 2017
20th century. A coup took place in a country called Albion. The workers, dissatisfied with its position, rebelled against the ruling class. The revolution led to the division of the country into two parts: the Commonwealth and the Kingdom.
A few years later, the Commonwealth launches a special operation, planning to replace Princess Charlotte with a girl very similar to her in order to have a high-level agent in the royal family.
However, the spy reveals herself, and the heir to the throne offers the Commonwealth cooperation: the girl plans to unite the divided kingdom and ascend to the throne.
5. Yona of the Dawn, 2014-2015
Yona is the daughter of the King. She lives in a fairy tale: the kitchen is always stocked with delicious sweets, and the most handsome man in the kingdom, Su-won, has the most tender feelings for her. The love, it seems, is mutual.
But as it turns out, the young prince has his own plans for Yona. When the girl turned 16, Su-won personally killed the ruler and usurped the throne. Yona miraculously escaped.
Years later, the heir to the first Dragon King returns to her homeland to meet her parents' murderer and reclaim her well-deserved throne.