Kaze no Stigma She's an older teenager, so don't know if she's young enough and has considerable power so might shade to far into Magic Girl territory.
Gun x Sword You can argue about which person is the main character, but one of the top two is a young girl with no magical powers at all. The competing storyline is fate of the world, giant robot stuff.
Kaze no Stigma is helped, at least, in that there is no special outfit, and that magic is known/used by others in the world (the "primary" female adult character runs the police departments "magical crimes" unit.)
edit : I'd bag & tag Kaze the same as Slayers.
Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net
Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.
I'm probably going to take some flack for this but the OP did ask for well developed young female characters so...um...
Quote:
First, Durakken, don't take this the wrong way, but a number of the more modern Magical Girl shows have had characterizations in the direction you're looking for. Heck look at how twisted Madoka Magica gets. Granted that's more a genre Deconstruct than anything else.|
Originally Posted by Durakken
There seems to be 3 categories that are popping up...
#1. The Magical Girl Genre. Not what I'm looking for, but close #2. The Adult female bad *** who is a female protagonist... The're adult so disqualifies them. #3. The young female that acts like an adult. Like Tengen Toppa Gurran Lagann...she's 14, not the main protagonist and acts like an adult or Line Inverse who is the main protagonist and is young, but acts like an adult. Those are the 3 types that are popping up from the titles i see and know or have looked at. Aren't there any young female characters that actually act like young female characters but aren't in magical girl roles... think something more along the lines of where the kid gets control of a toy robot that becomes a mecha. He acts like a kid. Are there any stories where that kid is female rather than male and continues to act like a kid and is not a magical girl. I guess that girl would be a tom boy to some standards, but whatever ^.^ |
A part of the reason I mentioned Nanoha is, while she starts out like a typical Magical Girl, she quickly steps out of the typical role and develops the abilities to basically beat the livin' daylights out of those she wishes to help. And she does it, eventually, because she wants to, not because she's destined to or some garbage.
Now as to your last paragraph...
One title that comes to mind that could fit is Figure 17 (TvTropes again). It's more a relationship show than anything else, but the Manga (which I've read. Haven't seen the Anime.) is solid.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Overclock
Nanoha is less "Magical Girl" and more "Mobile Suit Gundam" in a little girl package (or possible even "Gurren Lagann in a little girl package").
 |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Beastyle
Read Power Pack. Or Runaways.
|
I would think it might depend on which volume. If you were thinking of Julie in the first Vol., then yea, possible.
Thank you for the time...
@Travlr (Main) / @Tymers Realm (Test) 
About half the cast of Homestuck happen to be young females.
About 4/5ths of category are aliens, but still.
Homestuck Itself
TV Tropes Link for those who don't feel like reading the entirety of it. And I don't blame you for it, it took me a week to archive binge it once.
Quote:
Horses don't count!|
Originally Posted by Mr_Squid
I'm probably going to take some flack for this but the OP did ask for well developed young female characters so...um...
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Tymers_Realm
First, Durakken, don't take this the wrong way, but a number of the more modern Magical Girl shows have had characterizations in the direction you're looking for. Heck look at how twisted Madoka Magica gets. Granted that's more a genre Deconstruct than anything else.
A part of the reason I mentioned Nanoha is, while she starts out like a typical Magical Girl, she quickly steps out of the typical role and develops the abilities to basically beat the livin' daylights out of those she wishes to help. And she does it, eventually, because she wants to, not because she's destined to or some garbage. |
Elfen Lied had some realistic young females...
Have you ever seen Project A-Ko? She is in high school and is the main character. She is so strong that she has to wear bracers that tone her strength down.
Quote:
With hints of her being the daughter of Superman and Wonder Woman
|
Originally Posted by Knight_Marshal
Have you ever seen Project A-Ko? She is in high school and is the main character. She is so strong that she has to wear bracers that tone her strength down.
|
Quote:
No, it's fan art that has super-imposed Nanoha over the blast aperature.|
Originally Posted by Tymers_Realm
Q: Is that a screen from MGLN Movie?
Power Pack? Maybe. I would think it might depend on which volume. If you were thinking of Julie in the first Vol., then yea, possible. Thank you for the time... |
Power Pack is great and Runaways is awesome. Both are great.
Still here, even after all this time!
Remembering Yawara! and pondering about it, there may be other sport series centered around a young female or group of female protagonists that, like Yawara!, is classified as a seinen series.
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Quote:
Yes. Bamboo Blade and Saki immediately come to mind.
|
Originally Posted by Father Xmas
Remembering Yawara! and pondering about it, there may be other sport series centered around a young female or group of female protagonists that, like Yawara!, is classified as a seinen series.
|
'I don't like the look of it at all,' said the King: 'however, it may kiss my hand if it likes.'
'I'd rather not,' the Cat remarked.
'Don't be impertinent,' said the King, 'and don't look at me like that!' He got behind Alice as he spoke.
'A cat may look at a king,' said Alice.
I'll also toss out Angel Links. She may act pretty tough for most of the show, but she has her clearly "young lady" moments too.
"I do so love taking a nice, well thought out character and putting them through hell. It's like tossing a Faberge Egg onto the stage during a Gallagher concert." - me
@Palador / @Rabid Unicorn
Would Noir count for this?
Story Arcs I created:
Every Rose: (#17702) Villainous vs Legacy Chain. Forget Arachnos, join the CoT!
Cosplay Madness!: (#3643) Neutral vs Custom Foes. Heroes at a pop culture convention!
Kiss Hello Goodbye: (#156389) Heroic vs Custom Foes. Film Noir/Hardboiled detective adventure!
there is Sonsaku Hakufu and the rest of the Ikkitousen girls
Surprised no one has mentioned Maka Albarn(12-13 when the series starts) from Soul Eater, the creator has stated he wanted to break away from the typical Shonen lead character by making her a bad@ss kid sister type. Also the Machika(14) from Immortal Rain.
I realize Magic Girls are Shojo but they are also pure superhero as well. The entire Pretty Cure force is like fighting a pack of Rabid Wolves. And Nanoha "White Devil" Takamichi is one of the most destructive forces out there.
What about Wendy Marvel from Fairy Tale?
Miu from Kenichi?
Power Princess from Runaways (assuming Marvel hasn't killed her yet. Been a long time since I read anything marvel)
Kagura from Gintama
Nitch from Letter Bee
has anyone mentioned the Railgun yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv2v6WpuUG0