I'm looking for stories where the female lead/love interest is highly competent in the relevant domain(s) (this may be combat ability, tactical/strategic ability, social fu, etc depending on the kind of story being told). I generally prefer male POV stories. Korean and Japanese novels are preferred over Chinese. An example of a story that has what I'm looking for is A Returner's Magic Should be Special with Adjest Kingscrown. Thanks in advance.
I noticed that Rakuin no Monshou is on your reading list. That is one of my favorites. I have recently fallen in love with a new novel where the MC gives me a similar feeling as Orba. The plots are very different but, with both, the MC is a young seasoned warrior that has isolated themselves from others. Its a Koren novel called Adonis. There is only a few chapters out, but they are long chapters. The only thing is that its a female MC, but you may still like it because she is a battle crazy swordsman that murdered her family (so not your typical female protag).
Maria definitely qualifies. I found the MC too mediocre though. I'll look them up. Hmm, read the first 3 volumes and don't particularly recall getting this impression. I'm a little sceptical (I tend to identify with a particular character in the story and may insert myself in them when reading it. I find it much easier to do this for male characters), but I'll check it out. Edit: the synopsis sounds right up my alley. I would definitely check it out. Thanks for all the recs guys.
Altina the Sword Princess - The heroine is the title character, ofcourse she's important to the story. She's basically a shounen manga protagonist. After Transformation, Mine and Her Wild Fantasy - This...probably doesn't count. lol The "female lead" is literally the MC himself. I just felt like putting this in here just because of its uncertain position here.
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21700/dungeon-robotics - (note: multiple POVs) several female characters, but FL is the Baroness (later, Viscountess) who owns the town the dungeon core MC suddenly appears next to. She has to deal with the sudden growth spurt of her town in addition to incursions of Necromancers intent on enslaving more dungeon cores. https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/16946/azarinth-healer - after being transported to a fantasy-like world, the female MC discovers she really likes being a battle maniac after accidentally picking up a combat-healer class. https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/2826/a-heros-war - MC clicks with FL who is essentially a mad scientist of magic which helps him greatly as he tries to industrialize this fantasy world he found himself in while she has her mind blown at all the new possibilities he's suggesting.
Empress' livestream Tales of Leo Attiel Allison Lilia and trez Meg and serron A tale of one continent The Record of Unusual Creatures Martial Arts Master The Charm of Soul Pets Empress' gigolo
Return of the Swallow is from the female lead perspective, so I'm not sure if it'll be up your alley. But man she's got brains, and the entire novel is full of politicking and scheming. “If it’s a barbarian you want, then it’s a barbarian you’ll get!” Reclaimed by her noble family after being swapped at birth, Qin Yining is bestowed a hellish family instead. Just as she turns her situation around and gains acceptance, her country is plunged into peril and the future bleak. Shades of gray color the world. No side is completely good, and no side is completely evil. Refusing to be a trophy won by men, Qin Yining carves her own path instead. In this absolutely riveting and spellbinding tale, what does our MC do when an entire dynasty is at stake?
I love reading books with good female characters. In fact, I'll go out of my way and try out unfamiliar genres if I can find such characters. Most of the really good female characters tend to be protagonists, but I have come across some awesome ones in books with male protagonists. They're extremely intelligent characters that get to be treated as actual people with complex motivations and varied interactions with the rest of the cast. Unfortunately these books are hard to recommend since they're not translated.
Seikai no Monshou Spice and Wolf Sukasuka Kaguya sama Allison Gekkou World of Cultivation Lillia to Treize Meg and Seron The Story of One Continent Gosick Devil is a part timer Maoyuu Maou Yuusha Durarara!!
aaahhh.. Your so cute. Who’s a pretty kitty. Who’s a pretty kitty. You are. Yes you are. Such a good kitty. Yes you are.
It's Not Easy to Be a Man After Travelling to the Future No romance as of yet, though. Female POV, but everyone thinks she's actually male, as she has to hide her gender.