Summary
- Anime has a history of pioneering positive LGBTQ+ representation ahead of its time.
- Shows like Princess Knight and Patalliro! broke barriers in depicting transgender and MLM relationships.
- Despite censorship, Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena continue to be iconic for their queer couples and themes.
There are LGBTQ+ anime that have aged surprisingly well than most viewers would expect. After all, in our era of rapid cultural growth, it's not uncommon to look back on a piece of media from even a year ago and find it a bit dated. This is especially true when it comes to depictions of queer people.
Thankfully, anime is a boundary-pushing medium, which means many shows championed positive LGBTQ+ representation years before it was mainstream. No anime is ever going to age 100% perfectly, but there are plenty that place sympathetic, nuanced, and trailblazing queer stories front and center.
10 Princess Knight Was Arguably the First Anime With a Transgender Lead
Animated by Mushi Production and based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka
The first magical girl anime aired in 1967, and its gender-nonconforming hero, Sapphire, made Princess Knight's themes feel way ahead of its time. Born with the pink heart of a girl and the blue heart of a boy, Sapphire pretends to be a boy to defeat the comedic antagonist, Duke Duralumon. Sapphire was directly inspired by the Takarazuka Revue, a theater troupe where women performed the roles of both men and women. In spite of Princess Knight's success, some critics believe it depicts misogyny typical of 50s and 60s Japan. Others, however, consider the anime a proto-feminist must-watch.
9 Patalliro! Made History for MLM Representation
Animated by Toei Animation and Based on the Manga by Mineo Maya
When Patalliro! first aired in 1982, it made waves for being the first anime to present shounen-ai, or boy's love, themes on television. The series follows Patalliro, the 10-year-old king of Malynera, and his bodyguard, Bancoran, who bears remarkable similarities to James Bond. Bancoran and his lover, Maraich, are often involved in jewel-related heists that Patalliro has entangled them in, and their hijinks are delightfully weird and wacky. While the boys' love genre comes with more stigma than a straightforward gay love story, the impact Patalliro! had on representation cannot be denied.
8 Sailor Moon's Queer Couples Are More Iconic Than Ever Despite Censorship
Animated by Toei Animation and Based on the Manga by Naoko Takeuchi
Not only is Sailor Moon a magical girl classic, it also features queer couples who were censored when the series was first brought to America. Many will with a dry chuckle when Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus, a couple in the Japanese version, were described as cousins in the English dub. The villains Kunzite and Zoisite were also lovers in the 90s anime, but Zoisite was changed to a woman for American audiences. Thankfully, times have changed, and over 30 years later, American audiences are much more on board with the series' queer themes.
7 Revolutionary Girl Utena Gives Prestige to the LGBTQ+ Love Story
Animated by J.C.Staff and Created by Be-Papas
Surreal and avant-garde, Revolutionary Girl Utena is not a casual watch, and that's exactly its appeal. The series centers around Utena Tenjou, a high schooler who casts herself in the role of a prince in the courtly love tradition. She fights a series of duels in order to rescue the girl she loves, Anthy, who has been dubbed the Rose Bride. Allegory, subversion, and nods to experimental theater abound in this LGBTQ+ classic. It's no surprise that a show willing to take narrative risks also proudly took the chance of placing a queer couple front and center, especially in the late 90s.
6 Cardcaptor Sakura Explores Bisexuality
Animated by Madhouse and Based on the Manga by CLAMP
Not only is Cardcaptor Sakura packed with queer characters, most of them are also quite young. 10-year-old protagonists Sakura and Syaoran express interest in both boys and girls throughout the series, and their friend Tomoyo appears to have a crush on Sakura herself. The anime prioritizes interpersonal relationships, which means the queer love elements are one of the more important parts of the series, along with catching the elusive Clow Cards. Sakura's brother, Toya, even has his own gay subplot with his best friend, Yuki, and the supernatural being, Yue, who comes between them.
5 Ouran High School Host Club's Themes of Gender Presentation Are Still Relevant
Animated by Bones and based on the manga by Bisco Hatori
OHSHC's protagonist, Haruhi, states that while she is biologically female, that has never mattered to her one way or another. In her eyes, how people treat each other is more important than outward appearances. Over 15 years later, the term "nonbinary" has entered the popular zeitgeist, and many people do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. Simply put, Haruhi was, and still is, one of the most iconic gender-nonconforming characters in animation, and challenges audiences' views of a typical shojo protagonist to boot.
4 Land of the Lustrous Features an Entirely Nonbinary Cast
Animated by Orange and based on the manga by Haruko Ichikawa
Land of the Lustrous takes place in a distant, meteorite-ravaged future, where Earth is inhabited by a race of humanoid gem people. The protagonist, Phos, seeks to prove their worth in battle and to find a sense of belonging. None of the gem people in the series have defined genders, and the futuristic setting creates a space for viewers to think deeply about present-day gendered constructs. Action-packed, gorgeously animated, and character-driven, Lustrous only gets better when viewed through a queer lens.
3 Doukyuusei is a Wholesome Alternative to Harmful LGBTQ+ Tropes
Animated by A-1 Pictures and based on the manga by Asumiko Nakamura
The film adaptation of Doukyuusei aired in 2016, a year in which representation of marginalized identities was coming under more direct scrutiny. There was a notable lack of happy queer stories in popular media, which made the wholesome tale of classmates Sajou and Kusakabe a breath of fresh air. The film has a relatively simple setup – romance blooms between two boys as they prepare for a school music festival – but the straightforwardness is part of the appeal. Doukyuusei's soothing, minimal art style is another huge draw for audiences, making it an absolute must-watch series.
2 Banana Fish Purposefully Does Not Romanticize Abuse
Animated by MAPPA and based on the manga by Akimi Yoshida
When Banana Fish was first published in 1985, it was praised for how it handled themes of trauma and abuse. In a genre where abusive dynamics between men are often romanticized, the manga and anime adaptation handle the experiences of the protagonist, Ash, with a refreshing amount of delicacy. Between action-packed gang fights, a volatile mystery drug, and the heartwarming, subtextual relationship between Ash and Eiji, this series has something for everyone. However, it is also an anime series guaranteed to make you cry, so viewers are advised to come prepared with tissues.
1 The Case Files of Jeweler Richard Explores the Realities of Being Queer in Japan
Animated by Shuka and based on the light novels by Nanako Tsujimura
While Jeweler Richard never fully commits to a romantic relationship between its two leads, there is notable LGBTQ+ representation throughout. In episode 2, a female client engaged to a man visits Richard's appraisal shop, and it is revealed that she is in love with a woman. The episode explores the challenges of being a queer woman in Japan, and even ends on a hopeful note. Another episode is dedicated to a major cast member, Tanimoto, who shares that she has never desired to be in a romantic relationship. Upon hearing this, many viewers saw her as aromantic, an underrepresented identity in pop culture.
