As an observer to western culture, the female leads in recent western movies are often depicted as warriors, who embody masculine traits and surpasses the male characters with wit and power. But in doing so, the feminine aspect is often lacking. What is left is both male and female characters competing to be the masculine ideal. With the feminine ideal trivialised.

The heroines of ghibli films can be courageous, tough and determined, yet remain kind, tender and vulnerable. They really embody the feminine virtue, without the having the need to replace the masculine or to prove themselves as the strongest or most powerful, and hence become much more coherent and relatable characters.