9 must-watch LGBTQ+ anime shows for anime fans — Taimi Lifestyle & Community — Medium
Yaoi and yuri, anyone?
It’s time to discuss our favorite LGBTQ animes that display openly queer characters, a same sex relationship, a lesbian relationship and main characters who openly support the LGBTQ+ community! Whether you’re into Paradise Kiss, the Yuri genre, Sasaki and Miyano or Sailor Moon, we’ve got the best anime movies to showcase a blossoming gay relationship!
Yaoi and yuri anime, anyone?
You could find LGBTQ+ characters in anime even in the 1980s, so anime has always been ahead of its time. There are so many gay and lesbian anime movies and shows out there that choosing a real gem is not an easy task. That’s why we’ve prepared for you a list of 9 LGBTQ+ shows that every anime fan will enjoy.
Yuri!!! on ICE: Best Sports Anime
If you are a big (or even moderate) sports anime fan, you have probably heard about Yuri!!! on Ice. It is a gay boy anime show about a Japanese figure skater called Yuri. After hitting a low point in his career, Yuri considers retiring, but then a miracle happens. His idol Viktor Nikiforov sees a viral video of Yuri performing Viktor’s figure skating routine. Viktor, who is a Russian world champion in figure skating, thinks that the best part of his career is already behind him, so on a whim decides to move to Japan and become Yuri’s coach. Yuri!!! on ICE is a great romantic show that does a great job of showing a gay relationship, and its beautiful animation, choreography, and music make it even better.
⠀The Yuri anime world is by far one of the most popular anime tv shows of all time where the main characters are openly gay. As far as queer anime goes, Yuri anime has so many adoring fans that the main character was even portrayed in an international figure skating event. If you want moments of deep self reflection, witty humor displayed and physical affection with a grand pix finale then Yuri anime is for you! The breathtaking choreography and wishing the stars align every episode makes this one a must watch!
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Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl
Unfortunately, there are not many transgender anime series, but you can still find some amazing LGBTQ anime series with transgender characters. One of them is Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl. At the beginning of the show, we meet Hazumu, who is a shy, heartbroken boy with low self-esteem. But Hazumu’s life changes forever when he’s hit by a spaceship that can only bring him back to life as a woman. Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl is an incredible story of coming to terms with yourself and your gender identity, so it’s a much watch for every queer person and ally.
If you want to see treasured female friendships, a realistic portrayal of transgender experiences and whispered words between cute characters this LGBTQ anime is perfect for you!
Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club is one of the best animes of all time. It follows a girl called Haruhi, a scholarship student in a prestigious high school, who ends up “accidentally” becoming a member of the school’s all-male host club where boys entertain their female classmates. There’s always something going on in the club, and some scenes might make you laugh out loud. While Ouran High School Host Club is not necessarily gay anime or lesbian anime, it has several LGBTQ+ characters and frequently touches on topics like sexual orientation and gender identity. Although the show has 26 episodes, once you get into it, you’ll wish there were many more.
All the stereotypical expectations of what might happen in this situation can be thrown out the window! Ouran is absolutely one of the best anime shows ever and I was left wondering about every fellow student in my high school when I first watched it! I think this is the best anime that displays a healthy relationship between LGBTQ+ characters and is great at showing physical affection in a realistic, healthy way.
Wandering Son
Wandering Son is another great LGBTQ+ series with not just one, but two transgender protagonists. Shuuichi is a boy who wishes he were a girl and Shuuichi’s classmate Yoshino is a girl who wishes she were a boy. Alongside each other, they explore their gender identities, come out to people around them, and develop romantic feelings for other people. Both of them are just starting puberty, which makes this anime one of the very few shows that depict what is like to be a transgender teenager in a very accurate and delicate way.
If you’re looking for gender fluidity, non binary representation and self discovery this is the best anime for you! This is the sort of story where you fall in love with at least one character and you are wishing the stars align for them in every single episode. I felt so many feelings for this diverse cast and I keep returning to rewatch this awesome anime!
Citrus
Citrus is a lesbian anime series centered around the relationship of two high-school students. After her mom has remarried, Yuzu enrolls in a new school, which turns out to be a conservative all-girls school. To put it mildly, she’s not thrilled about it. She has a confrontation with Mei, the student council president who also happens to be her new step-sister. Yuzu and Mei are very different, so their first impression of each other is not very positive. However, as time passes, their feelings for each other change a lot. Besides being an exciting love story, Citrus has also got beautiful animation and interesting side characters. Warning: it’s so addictive, you might end up buying the manga as well.
If you want all the drama of a transfer student, two girls who likes girls, queer love stories and romantic relationships filled with whispered words of true love this is the best anime for you! The drama of being a high school student and the turmoil of a teenage lesbian are easily captured in the same episode. This is my favorite lesbian anime and one of the few anime shows that really nails how it feels to be a high school student experiencing one sided love.
№6
If gay anime series about high school students are not your cup of tea, don’t worry — we’ve got something for you too. Actually, we bet that yaoi series №6 is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. №6 is the name of a “perfect city” where Shion, a boy from an affluent family, gives shelter to Yazumi, a young boy who turns out to be an escapee from a local prison. Over the years, they get to know each other, become friends, and eventually, develop romantic feelings for each other, so their love story doesn’t feel too rushed or too cheesy. There’s a sci-fi aspect to №6 as well — together, Shion and Yazumi uncover the city’s secrets and realize it’s not so perfect after all as the stars align for them we all breathed a sigh of relief!
Bloom Into You
If you’re looking for a heart-warming anime lesbian series, look no further than Bloom Into You. Bloom Into You is a new yuri series that tells the story of two high school students, Touko and Yuu. Yuu is a first-year student and she can’t quite grasp what love is yet. At school, she meets Touko, who is a confident second-year student, and the girls instantly realize how much they have in common. As they grow fonder of each other, Yuu realizes that Touko is not quite the person she seems to be. While it may seem like the plot of Bloom Into You is kind of basic, it’s one of the best lesbian animes out there and one of the most touching love stories we have seen in a while.
Kakegurui
While it can be pretty hard to find gay anime shows on Netflix, there are some gay anime Netflix shows with queer characters and anime lesbians. One of the most exciting ones is Kakegurui. While Kakegurui is a show set in a high school, Hyakkaou Private Academy is far from an ordinary high school because gambling is the most important subject for its students. The show follows a group of girls who are exceptionally good at poker. They all have their tricks, and they know how to win, even5 though their methods are quite unconventional, to say the least. While Kakegurui is not necessarily gay anime, girls at Hyakkaou get united by their craziness and eventually develop feelings for each other.
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Gravitation
Gravitation can sometimes work in mysterious ways. It can draw two completely different people to each other and change their lives forever. And that’s exactly what Gravitation is about. Shuuichi is thrilled — his band, where he is the singer and the lyricist, has signed a contract with a record company. They are preparing their first single, but Shuuichi just can’t get the lyrics right. One day, by some twist of fate (and gravitation), Shuuichi meets Eiri Yuki, one of the most prominent Japanese romance writers. The relationship between Eiri and Shuuichi is messy, complicated, and mysterious, but most importantly, it’s full of love.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
A classic gender identity swap with a big gender reveal, Revolutionary Girl Utena has it all! Another lesbian anime with an honor student, a sword duelling contest and the cute style of sailor moon, Revolutionary Girl Utena is the cutest and most interesting story we’ve seen in a while! We love the fantasy aspects to the story paired with the high school vibes that anime always does so well.
Utena Tenjou disguises herself as a boy for the Ohtori academy and meet Anthy Himemiya. The plot of this anime is mainly Utena trying to protect Anthy from another student who she is in a toxic relationships with. Overall, it is just super sweet and full of powerful ladies!
Aoi Hana (Sweet Blue Flowers)
This is the kind of story I come back to time and time again! Sweet blue flowers has really become one of my comfort shows as the two childhood friends reunite and try to navigate the difficulties that come with sexuality, teenage years and school.
I really think sweet blue flowers is the best anime if you want something 100% rewatchable!
Sasaki and Miyano
Sasaki and Miyano is a manga series I thoroughly recommend if you like to see more androgynous characters represented. The relationship between the two guys blossoms into something really cute and there are many fan service sites that will allow you to read the manga for very low prices!
Doukyuusei or Classmates
An anime movie that is truly an emotional rollercoaster. We’ve got romance, a rock band, life changing events and the turmoil of growing up. There is a rumour that there will be a second movie coming out eventually so if you loved the first one keep your eyes peeled for the sequel!
YuruYuri: Best Middle School
The whole plot centers around the amusement club consisting of Akari Akaza, her childhood friends, Kyōko Toshinō and Yui Funami, and her classmate, Chinatsu Yoshikawa, along with the school’s Student Council. Innocent middle school crushes perfectly captured in an adorable series!
Paradise Kiss
From the openly bisexual george to the awesome transgender Isabella, this manga series has it all! If you want the typical high school dramas of an anime paired with LGBTQ+ representation then Paradise Kiss is the perfect manga series for you!
Other Honorable Mentions
We’ve got to list a few more LGBTQ+ anime and manga series that you’ll absolutely love! Here’s a few more of our absolute favorites:
- Princess Jellyfish: An apartment building for Otaku women only. You’ve got cross-dressing, wholesome childhood memories and a sisterhood of powerful ladies-in short, it’s awesome! They even save a jellyfish at a pet store (hence the name princess jellyfish)!
- Yuri Is My Job!: Enter the Liebe Girls Academy an all girls middle school and boarding facility with a twist! The Liebe Girls Academy experience includes working at a school themed maid cafe. The only catch, it’s not a real school!
- Tokyo Godfathers: Three homeless characters on Christmas eve discover an abandoned newborn! This is an emotional anime perfect for feeling all the feels. There’s also an amazing representation of a transgender person too!
- Banana Fish: Banana fish is a manga with awesome plots, fabulous action scenes and some steamy gay romance!
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