I hadn't really thought about the manga angle, as yet, but your observations about male readers preferring the so-called 'female' titles are really fascinating!

Surely some sociologist or comics fan somewhere has compiled this data on female leads, but I've yet to come across it. If you come up with any research avenues, please do let me know, and I'll do the same.

Meanwhile, I'd be grateful for any observations or anecdotal evidence you care to share on the male-readership-of-female-hero-comics-and-manga topic.
This is really useful, and encouraging in light of my ongoing attempts to write a convincing dissertation!