Kairi Nightingale
As long as the girl is likable as a character and it makes sense for her to be unable to do anything, I don't see a problem with it.
What I hate is when the girl is a damsel in distress at first, but then you find out that she's actually has some great power that she didn't use to help herself earlier for reasons unknown. Or the opposite where she's able to take care of herself just fine, until she is suddenly kidnapped and playing the helpless maiden when there is no reason why she couldn't get herself out of that situation.
Oh, I also don't care for love at first sight, but that doesn't seem a problem with what you've said.
Agreed. There are times where it would make sense for a female character to be totally helpless. In many societies, cultures, and times, women were only supposed to perform domestic duties and be submissive, and that's how they were raised. A girl from such a culture would be totally helpless in a kidnapping situation because she wouldn't have much physical strength, probably couldn't run too fast. Alternately, you also have characters (not just women) who end up in places so wildly different from where they're from that they don't know what to do. A civilized, well-educated elite upper class woman who lives in, and always has lived in, complete luxury can easily be a cool, interesting character, but I won't complain if she requires rescuing after the Dark Lord's griffin snatches her up and takes her to a dungeon or if she gets stranded in a wild, dangerous jungle. It doesn't make her a bad character and it doesn't make her a weak character, she's just in a situation she was never prepared for.
But I really hate it when otherwise competent female characters get kidnapped just so the writer can have the guy rescue her. I like what Nostalgia Critic calls them, "Dumasses in Distress". Girls who can take care of themselves but don't. Like when she goes against taking the easy, logical action and just stands around like a moron. Or when the writer tries to make her out to be this tough, smart action girl, only to have her act completely helpless when she gets kidnapped later. That seems to be one of the more common types of situations where the writer shows something totally different from what s/he's telling.
I have nothing against the whole "girl needs to be rescued" story, just as long as there's a good reason for her to be helpless in her situation. Though, three things I want to add. One, it's very frustrating if she's COMPLETELY useless and needs to be rescued lots and lots of times. At the very least, give her some skills that help her contribute while she's with the hero. (like if she's good with medicine or cooking) Two, if she's going to be a prissy, upper-class, don't go really over-the-top to the point where she doesn't seem to have a grasp on the situation and she acts completely unreasonable about everything. I really hate it when there are characters that insist on looking perfect even in the empty wilderness. I get that she's in a society where appearance is everything, but she should still have enough common sense to know that it isn't a priority when you're stranded in the forest. Three, don't make her an object that exists just so the hero has something to rescue. If I don't care about the girl, I don't see any reason why the hero should care about her, and then there are no stakes.