Summary
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 withromance 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.
Updated July 23, 2025 by Garrett Huon: This update will add three more great manhwa featuring strong swordswomen. The Taming Of The Tyrant and The Lady And The Beast both feature protagonists who are extremely skilled and make use of their martial prowess. Beware The Villainess uses swordsmanship as more of a cheat in the story.
1The Taming Of The Tyrant
A Woman Gets Revenge By Raising A Tyrant
Charlize Ronan was a prodigy with a sword, and when the emperor took note of her talent, she believed she would be recognized for her talent. Instead, she was experimented on until her body transformed into a sword. For generations, she served as the emperor’s weapon until her prayers were answered. She was sent back in time to when she was thirteen. Her only goal is to destroy the empire.
It’s not often that a female character is the most notable power in Shojo manhwa, so this story is a welcome change from the usual narrative. Charlize is a fantastic protagonist with a ton of potential and the plot itself is full of mystery and intrigue. However, the intensity of the story and the illustrations don’t quite match, which makes the story feel a little flat.
2The Red Knight Seeks No Reward
A Penny-Pinching Knight Learns To Enjoy Life
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. Althoughshe’s technically a geniusin the story, she remains a character to rally behind.
3Let’s Hide My Younger Brother
A Young Girl Tries To Survive In A Toxic BL Novel
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, namelycoercion and kidnapping.
4The Lady And The Beast
The Reincarnated Empress Tames Her Husband
This reincarnation manhwa features a past empress being reborn. Astina Lette is the daughter of a count, but in her past life, she was Empress Martina, the leader who united the continent and formed the Carabella Empire. To save her sister from marrying Archduke Thereode Atalenta, rumored to be a beast, Astina takes her sister’s place and encounters a face from her past.
This manhwa is a unique retelling ofBeauty and the Beastthat takes the classic fairy tale in a whole new direction. Astina is neither helpless nor powerless, and while many themes stay the same, she takes a proactive stance in the story. It’s actually very funny to see her beat up a werewolf with her bare hands. Some of the best moments are just Astina showing her skills with a sword.
5The Knight And Her Emperor
A Warrior Begins An Unlikely Romance With Her King
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. She has a certain grit that’s rare to see in a romance, especially in Shojo. Some moments drag on, but overall, it’s a fun story that strays from tradition.
6Cassmire: The Loyal Sword
For Her Sister, She Would Do Anything
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 thereverse 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.
7Master Villainess The Invincible!
A Teenage Girl Gets Isekai’d Into A Murim Novel
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 domartial artsthemselves. This story uses this theme well with great character development, plot, and illustration.
8The Night Without Shadows
A Dark Being Makes A Deal To Protect The Prince
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.
9The Spark In Your Eyes
A Great Story Of Two Victims Of War
After the war with the North, thehero known as the Sun Witchwas 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 Eyesdoes 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.
10Sigrid
A Swordmaster Chooses How She Lives Her Life
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. InSigrid, 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.
