LGBT anime fans are aware of the value of visibility. The topic of today’s essay is sexuality and the LGBT community. However, for many series, this seems to imply that the story must centre on a highly suggestive relationship. This has the unfortunate effect of basically fetishizing the LGBT themes. We have a few choices for you if you are seeking for LGBT-themed anime series that isn’t just focused on sensual desires.
When it comes to gender and sexuality, if you were an LGBT child who watched anime growing up, you undoubtedly discovered one or two series with some affirming characters. Some anime couples had the romantic relationships that we genuinely desired and reflected us in many ways. Let’s revisit the charming, frightful, and tragic LGBT pairings from the history of anime in light of Sailor Moon Crystal’s fourth season receiving the go-ahead.
We are very aware that certain of these relationships are still considered to be vague or “non-canon” because the writers have not expressly stated or exposed their details of them. Not all need to be addressed, though, and some of these entries are based on quite obvious character behaviour, actions, and body language.
Here are the Top 7 LGBT Anime That Aren’t Overly Sexual. Without further ado, let’s see the different recommendations. If you love LGBT-themed anime, then you must check it out.
1. No. 6
Humanity sought refuge in six safes and “ideal” city-states after a brutal battle. Shion, a citizen of city-state No. 6, meets a mystery youngster named Nezumi who came from the wasteland, and this meeting gives him a fresh perspective on how awful his society is. In this particular television series, the LGBT connection between the central protagonists is never explicitly stated, and one cannot even be certain that it exists. Regardless of whether the original material is of the shounen-ai genre, the question of whether this is an anime adaptation of the genre is still up for dispute. Instead of focusing on a major core romance, No. 6 examines the coming of age of a boy who was raised in one of the few utopian communities before being shown to reality by a stranger who did not have the same privileges. Instead of emphasising romance, the dystopian society immediately provides an intriguing mystery that is the main emphasis of the story.
2. Nabari No Ou
Rokujou Miharu is a meek and apathetic man who only wants to survive. He is a target for other ninja clans that want to dominate Nabari, though, because he knows the Shinrabanshou hijutsu method. Danger lurks around every turn, even though he is being secretly protected by his classmates and English teachers who are ninjas of a clan sworn to keep him safe. In the current ninja drama Nabari no Ou, a young child who possesses a potent skill finds himself the target of several other clans that want to steal it. The story’s indifferent main character ultimately develops a bond with an assassin who kidnaps them. Yoite, the assassin, first presents as bisexual but is ultimately proven to be intersex. Although their connection isn’t technically romantic, it is obvious that they start to feel something for one another. However, the numerous ninja stories remain the series’ primary focus, which it does so intelligently and engagingly. This ain’t no Naruto, is what I’m trying to convey.
3. Given
Mafuyu Satou chooses to take sleep on the gym stairwell while holding his broken Gibson guitar. Ritsuka Uenoyama screams at him to wake up because he let his guitar become damaged. Satou notices his knowledge and begs him to correct it and teach him how to play. Ritsuka approaches Satou and invites him to be the main vocalist of his band after noticing Satou’s impressive voice during a jam session. Given continues to focus on how closely the romance genre and music anime fit together like an old couple. Even though it has the shounen-ai label that so many people dislike, the love relationship in the first few episodes is hard to understand, and that’s fantastic! The main focus of the series is on the complexity of the rest of the band, and the romance simply sort of slithers in there as you witness true character developments and evolution take place. It is comparable to what Bloom Into You is to the shounen-ai genre for shoujo ai. To entice the eager fujoshi, it isn’t overtly trope-centric, but it is progressive and sincere as if it wants to convey a true narrative.
4. Legend Of Korra
It is very disputed whether this American animated show qualifies as anime by definition, but this coupling is simply too fantastic to exclude. Throughout the Legend of Korra series, which ended in 2014, LGBT viewers have been picking up on clues and romance between Korra and her closest friend Asami. The internet went crazy when it was revealed that their connection was romantic. One of the first times a well-known animated American television programme, on Nickelodeon of all networks, featured a same-sex pair and publicly acknowledged their relationship rather than avoiding negative publicity and leaving it to the fans’ imaginations. From making fun of their ex-boyfriends who shared a relationship to being vulnerable with one another and embarking on amazing experiences together, Asami and Korra had the best friendship. More than only their friendship, Legend of Korra is unforgettable, but it made it much better.
5. Whispered Words
The popular Ushio and the studious Sumika are close pals. But Sumika has a hidden crush on Ushio. Ushio always sees other females, but she hasn’t acknowledged or reciprocated Sumika’s feelings. The story element “but we were both of the same genders” is typically skipped entirely in LGBT romance animes, which I find to be enjoyable. One of those is this. Although it is a romance series, it is immediately apparent that both of the ladies are attracted to and date women and they don’t feel guilty about it. The narrative keeps emphasising the emotional aspects of relationships rather than their physical aspects as it goes along.
6. Wandering Son
Despite being a man by birth, Shuuichi Nitori is regarded as one of the most attractive students. Even though she finds life to be frequently challenging, she often turns to her lanky, tomboyish childhood friend Yoshino Takatsuki for support even though she is not born a woman and does not identify as such. They support one another as they jointly navigate the challenging seas of adolescence and gender. When it comes to anime, the transgender population doesn’t get a fair deal. Contrary to popular belief, transgender characters are more common than you may imagine and frequently employed in comedic contexts. A little island of dry land in the otherwise foetid sea of transphobia is Wandering Son. It depicts both MtF and FtM on the trans spectrum during a crucial middle school stage. To portray the whole spectrum of problems that transgender people confront throughout their lives, it also includes some adult trans characters.
7. Banana Fish
Dino Golzine, the head of the Mafia, adopted Ash Lynx from the streets and reared him. At the age of 17, he is now the leader of his group and has started looking into banana fish, the same thing his older brother said when he got home from the war. He encounters Japanese street gang photographers Eiji Okuma and Shunichi Ibe while doing his inquiry. The banana fish conspiracy deepens as Dino’s men raid the location shortly after they first see them. Because Banana Fish is such a good demonstration of what LGBT anime can be, I am always so happy that it was adapted into an anime. Two of the major characters are in a homosexual relationship, however, it is unrelated to the narrative. Many people have watched and appreciated it without understanding it was shounen ai since the narrative is more along the lines of a crime thriller that ends up being so engaging. Simply put, the typical shounen ai clichés are out of place.
8. Bloom Into You
In the anime Bloom Into You, Yuu anticipates her first romantic relationship like any young girl does. But she is not as pleased as she had thought when she hears a confession. Yuu inquires about the perfect Touko, student council president, and how she manages the many confessions she receives while she mulls over how to react to her admirer. Unexpectedly, the president admits to her, and it finally causes her heart to race. The connection, rather than the partnership’s sexual aspect, is the main emphasis of this romance series, which it is. It is kind of those shoujo-ai/yuri stories where everything is overtly sexualized possibly for the male gaze or perhaps because the creators believe that all lesbians are perverts. That is not this. Instead, it is the protagonists’ gradual acceptance of sentiments, that society has deemed to be unorthodox.
