Some can’t though. I really dislike the female characters in Fushigi Yuugi, Ouran Koukou Host Club, and Shoujo Kakumei Utena for example. They were all written by females too. I do realize this is subjective...but you’re right. As a writer, creating characters of the opposite sex can be difficult. I just hope I am better at it before I get to a professional level.

idk man Satoshi Kon was writing groundbreaking female protagonists just fine. from what I understood in interviews he seemed to actually draw strength from that "outside" perspective in his writing.

and female mangaka miraculously write both male and female characters well, for example Hiromu Arakawa. so that argument doesn't hold water, it's just excuses for mediocre writing :^)

Will have to check it out then.