CGMagazine celebrates Pride Month by honouring great 2SLGBTQIA+ anime series out there, or ones that influenced the queer scene in big ways.
While celebrations wind down after Toronto’s Pride Parade this past weekend, there is still plenty of time for queer recognition. Whether you are a part of the community, an ally, neither, or someone in between, you have partaken in a gay anime. There are many 2SLGBTQIA+ and 2SLGBTQIA+-coded anime out there, from One Piece to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. While inclusive anime representation has been growing slowly but steadily, CGMagazine wants to highlight a mix of anime, new and old, that have influenced the queer scene forever. Some of these 2SLGBTQIA+ anime are popular titles, while others are a bit more obscure.
The picks on this list are not meant to be ranked, but more of a collection that deserves to be appreciated over the decades. Also, these are just some of the highlighted characters among a vast list of 2SLGBTQIA+ and 2SLGBTQIA+-coded anime, and not representative of them all from each series. Here are CGMagazine’s top picks for the anime series/movies that either helped you come out of the closet or made you question your sexuality!
One Piece
Synopsis: The story follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a young man whose body gained the properties of rubber after unintentionally eating a Devil Fruit. With his crew, named the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy explores the Grand Line in search of the world’s ultimate treasure known as the “One Piece” in order to become the next King of the Pirates.
Representation: One Piece contains a few queer characters, including the genderfluid ruler of the Revolutionary Army, Emporio Ivankov. Ivankov’s right-hand, Inazuma, is also depicted as genderfluid. Both characters were introduced early on in the series, along with the gender-nonconforming Mr. 2, aka Bon Clay. Many fans love Bon Clay for his loyalty and sacrifice to the Straw Hats. Kiku is another important ally to the Straw Hats, who is a transgender woman samurai.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Synopsis: This anime series follows multiple generations of the Joestar family, who are all gifted with intense psychic strength. The show is popularized for many memes, especially during Stardust Crusaders. But also, many watchers applaud and have been influenced by the unique fashion choices.
Representation: Canonically, the mainline antagonist Dio Brando is bisexual and androgynous. Later in the series, viewers learn he had romantic entanglements with both men and women over time. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is filled with various queer-coded characters, with more clearly outlined confirmed gay characters about to come from the manga to the anime. In Part 8: JoJolion, Scarlet Valentine is canonically a lesbian character. Then, in the next part—The JoJoLands—Dragona Joestar is the transgender protagonist who exhibits fluid/non-conforming gender expression.
Dr. STONE
Synopsis: Dr. STONE is an adventure anime that begins when modern society is lost as a mysterious light turns humanity to stone. Thousands of years pass, and high schoolers Senku Ishigami and Taiju Oki awaken in an overgrown version of the world they once knew. With Senku as the brains and Taiju as the brawn, they’re determined to revive the petrified masses and rebuild civilization—but some of the other revived survivors have other plans.
Representation: The iconic Nanami Conglomerate duo, Ryusui Nanami and Francois, are explicitly queer characters, landing this on our 2SLGBTQIA+ anime list. Ryusui is recognized as being bisexual or pansexual when he mentioned being attracted to everyone—along with many of his other worldly desires. Francois uses non-binary pronouns and presents outside of traditional binary norms. Protagonist Senku Ishigami is coded to be asexual and only entered marriages that benefited his goals.
Bleach
Synopsis: The story follows the adventures of the teenage Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper—a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki. His newfound powers allow him to take on the duties of defending humans from evil spirits called “Hollows” and guiding departed souls to the afterlife.
Representation: One of the most clear distinctions made early on for Bleach is Ichigo and the main crew’s real-world schoolmate Chizuru Honshō. She is an out and proud lesbian who often makes unwanted advances to Orihime Inoue, making this a fit for our 2SLGBTQIA+ anime list. It is not the positive representation for a confirmed queer anime character, but the comedic crush ultimately works. One of the most famous queer-coded dynamics of the whole show is between Soi Fon and Yoruichi. While creator Tite Kubo explained their relationship more along the lines of strong loyalty, the two clearly have some intense feelings for each other.
Lycoris Recoil
Synopsis: Set in Tokyo, Lycoris Recoil follows two young orphaned teenage girls named Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, who were recruited into the Direct Attack organization to carry out assassinations under the “Lycoris” program while they work at a local café and perform various tasks such as childcare, shopping, and teaching classes.
Representation: Despite the circumstances of the assassination work, queer love thrives at Café LycoReco in this 2SLGBTQIA+ anime. The Black Japanese manager of the café is canonically gay, and serves as an endearing father figure to Chisato. The main driving point of the show, besides the action, is the steam between the two leading women. The production staff explained in interviews that they leaned into yuri (lesbian romance) themes. Chisato leans more along the lines of bisexual, whereas Takina is more likely a lesbian.
Buddy Daddies
Synopsis: Buddy Daddies centers on a family of three who are not related to each other: Kazuki Kurusu and Rei Suwa, assassins who live under one roof; and a little girl, Miri. She is the daughter of Kazuki and Rei’s assassination target, who ends up being picked up by Kazuki. After killing their target, Kazuki tells Miri that he is her father to protect Miri from the truth.
Representation: Buddy Daddies is another show driven by its two queer-presenting male leads. Anime fans deeply connected with this series for its intimate, non-traditional parenting dynamics. More specifically, queer audiences have expressed how much this show resonated with them, even if Kazuki and Rei are never in an explicitly labelled romantic relationship. Not an official 2SLGBTQIA+ anime, but nonetheless, it is very cute.
Yuri on Ice!!!
Synopsis: The series revolves around the relationships between Japanese figure skater Yuuri Katsuki; his idol, Russian figure-skating champion Victor Nikiforov; and up-and-coming Russian skater Yuri Plisetsky; as Yuuri and Yuri take part in the Figure Skating Grand Prix, with Victor acting as coach to Yuri.
Representation: A similar story as the other 2SLGBTQIA+ anime series on this list, the two leads take the gay spotlight. The double meaning with the anime title adds another layer with the protagonist’s name. Watching Yuri and Viktor’s budding romance develop is as adorable as it is beautiful. One of the greatest parts of Yuri on Ice!!! is how it shows allyship from the rival skaters, who act as supporting characters.
Black Butler
Synopsis: Black Butler follows Ciel Phantomhive, the 12-year-old Earl of Phantomhive serving as the Queen’s Watchdog. He is tasked with solving crimes in the underworld of Victorian-era London. Ciel has formed a contract with demon Sebastian Michaelis, who disguises himself as his butler, to seek revenge on those who tortured him and murdered his parents. In exchange for his services, Sebastian will be allowed to consume Ciel’s soul.
Representation: While many fans view the leads, Ciel and Sebastian, in some homoerotic/romantic relationship, the age difference is a red flag on its own. Also, they have a complex contract between master and demon. The clear representation in Black Butler is Grell Sutcliff. Creator Yana Toboso confirmed that Grell is a trans woman who “feels she was placed in the wrong body.” Aleister Chamber (Viscount of Druitt) is another confirmed canonical queer character who is a bisexual person, often seen in the series pursuing various women and men being interested in him.
Delico’s Nursery
Synopsis: Delico’s Nursery examines vampire society from a more emotionally vulnerable state, and caters to a niche audience. Hailing from a prestigious noble house, Dali Delico is an elite member of the Blood Pact Council, the highest governing body of the Vamps. Yet, Dali flatly refuses a mission the Vamps assign him. As Dali’s motives and possible connection to mysterious murders begin to mount, council members Gerhard, Dino, and Henrique visit him in hopes he’ll reconsider, but find him soothing an infant child!
Representation: Delico’s Nursery is one of the shows that leans more on the queer-coded side, but can certainly be perceived as a great 2SLGBTQIA+ anime with vampires. It is implied that Catarina may be a trans woman. Dali Delico and his aristocratic male compatriots fit the tropes of “hot gay vampire dads” among the fandom.
SK8 the Infinity
Synopsis: In Okinawa, a group of hardcore skaters participate in a secret, no-holds-barred competition after midnight known as “S”, racing each other on skateboards down a winding road carved out of an abandoned mine and occasionally forming rivalries, also known as “beefs”, with each other. Reki, a high school sophomore and hardcore skater, takes new transfer student Langa to S one night, and ends up pulling him into the world of skateboarding.
Representation: The SK8 the Infinity studio faced flak for indulging in queerbaiting, when they never confirmed any canon gay relationships. This controversy surrounds the main characters Reki and Langa, who can easily be seen to be in a romantic relationship. Langa’s mother even questions him about his romantic intentions. Ainosuke “Adam” Shindo is about the most queer-coded man in this series, where he has to live a separate double life of a skateboarder and politician. The implication is that his dual persona is a symbol of him being in the closet when he is forced to marry a woman.
Sailor Moon
Synopsis: Sailor Moon is set in the 1990s; the series follows the adventures of the titular protagonist whose name is Usagi Tsukino—a middle school student who is given the power to become a Pretty Soldier/Scouts/Guardian. Joined by other Sailor Soldiers/Scouts/Guardians, she defends Earth against an assortment of evil villains. The anime also parallels Usagi’s maturation from an emotional middle-school girl to a responsible young adult.
Representation: The most obvious queer couple of Sailor Moon is Haruka Tenoh, aka Sailor Uranus and Michiru Kaioh, aka Sailor Neptune. Their romantic relationship is canon, with Haruka known to be gender-fluid/gender-nonconforming. She rocks an androgynous look most of the time in this 2SLGBTQIA+ anime. Since this was an anime of the 1990s, gay media was still not fully accepted. The English dub was heavily censored, going as far as making Sailor Uranus and Neptune cousins. This is probably why Sailor Moon continues to thrive because it was one of the first shows that tried to normalize gay relationships in mainstream anime media.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
Synopsis: Set in a society where powerful spacefaring conglomerates dominate the economy, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury centers on mobile suits called “GUND-ARMS,” which were derived from “GUND,” a medical technology originally designed to mitigate physical disabilities caused by space habitation. In an era when a multitude of corporations have entered space and built a huge economic system, Suletta Mercury transfers to the Asticassia School of Technology, which is run by the Beneritt Group.
Representation: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury sets a new precedent for the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, having the first female protagonist and an openly 2SLGBTQIA+ member too. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX would be the second series in the franchise to feature female protagonists. Fans loved how The Witch from Mercury embraced Suletta and Miorine Rembran’s romantic relationship. The story goes on to heavily imply they get married, and refer to Miorine as Suletta’s “wife” on the North American Gundam X account. Unfortunately, Bandai Namco Filmworks took a step back, saying their relationship is “open to interpretation.”
Given
Synopsis: Given follows four students who come together to form the amateur rock band Given, blending themes of music and emotional growth as their personal and romantic relationships evolve. At the core of the narrative is the developing relationship between electric guitarist Ritsuka Uenoyama and introverted vocalist Mafuyu Sato, while a parallel storyline delves into the deeper and more complex bond between bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji.
Representation: Given is almost like the poster anime of the queer anime world. That is why I saved the best for last! Pretty much all of the main characters are gay or bisexual in the band. Mafuyu tragically works through the grief of his ex-boyfriend’s tragic death, but connects with Ritsuka on a musical and romantic level. Akihiko is seen juggling his wild romantic entanglements, all while Haruki secretly harbours a longstanding crush on Akihiko. Various other supporting gay characters are also featured throughout Given.
