Books like Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 17

Okey doke, someone needs to say it.OLIVIER MIRA ARMSTRONG KICKS ASS.Seriously. FFFFF MADE OF WIN WOMAN. Actually, pretty much all of Arakawa's heroines kick ass one way or another. Olivier: Big bad boss lady of the toughest fighting force in the country. As tough or tougher than her body-builder younger brother.Riza: Sharpshooter, brave as all git out, and known for saving her Colonel's life several times. He's totally her Colonel, too. Don't you ever tell me their love isn't canon.Izumi: Amazing alchemy teacher, survived a month on Mount Briggs, and can whup both Ed and Al at the same time in a fight? Awesomeness is self-evident.Winry: Aside from being an amazing automail mechanic, she has incredible personal strength. Putting up with Ed for that long- girl deserves a medal.Gracia: Don't get me started. Mostly because there are spoilers involved. But she is so wonderful, really. What an amazing mom.Mrs. Bradley: Anyone who's read V. 25 knows why she kicks ass. Will not spoil here.Lust: Dude, Ultimate freakin' Lance. And gorgeous. She could have been shown as an evil worthless skank, but she was actually awesomely evil for reasons other than her appearance, despite what her name would suggest.Let me see... who'd I miss? Pinako, Hoenheim's old drinking buddy who's basically the Elrics' rock and was apparently quite the 'tigress' in her younger years... Rebecca, Riza's friend, who's spectacularly loyal as well as deadly- and funny!Oh yeah.MARIA FREAKING ROSS. Her appearance in the final battle. CROWNING MOMENT OF AWESOME. SO DAMN MUCH.And Trisha. Poor, poor, wonderful Trisha. I kinda cried when Hoenheim remembered her in Brotherhood.And there are certainly more that I've forgotten. Lan Fan, May Chang, etcetera...So. Female characters in FMA. Made of win.Feeling depressed after reading another YAPNR with a heroine who's Too Stupid To Live? Pick up a volume of this series or start watching Brotherhood. You'll feel better.