15 Queer Anime Characters Outside BL Or GL

Yuri Katsuki of Yuri!!! On ICEYuri!!! On ICE Yuri Katsuki has crushed on world-class ice skater Victor Nikiforov since childhood. As an adult, Yuri gets a chance to build a relationship with his idol when Victor becomes his skating coach. This makes sense becauseYuri!!! on ICEThis sports anime shows the two falling deeply in love. They achieve this through an internationally televised kiss and an honest engagement.

Gay marriage lacks legal standing in both characters' home countries. Being openly gay can bring legal trouble in Victor's nativeRussiaHowever,Yuri!!! on ICEYuri!!! on ICE avoids homophobia. Yuri and Victor's love story receives a fairytale romance treatment. Viewers tired of seeing every gay romance end badly find this a welcome break.

Sailor Moon Sailor Moon features a lesbian couple: Sailor Neptune (Michiru) and Sailor Uranus (Haruka). The original series shows their relationship clearly. One scene, Haruka complains Michiru pulls her arm too hard, asking Michiru to touch her gently. Michiru agrees to do so when they are alone, and Usagi sees this as creating an "adult mood." Their exact orientations are unknown, but they both like women.

In thedub, the couple's closeness stems from the "fact" that they are cousins. Cousins often hold hands and look dreamily into each other's eyes.

Ouran High School Host Club Ouran High School Host Club features many characters adopting a queer look for the Host Club customers, but few characters truly identify as queer. Ranka Fujioka, Haruhi's father, is an exception.

Ranka regularly cross-dresses for his job at anokamaLike many characters in Ouran—Ouran —including his daughter Haruhi—Ranka is gender nonconforming and gay. After Ranka's wife died, he felt no other woman compared to her, so he began dating men.

Yawara Chatora joins the Wild Wild Pussycats, a professional hero group inMy Hero Academia. Chatora is also a trans man who had sex reassignment surgery in Thailand. This makes Chatora appear very masculine, yet he likes wearing dresses and other feminine clothing.

Trans people often feel they mustover-perform their gender identity to be taken seriously or avoid violence. Chatora embracing feminine looks while identifying as male excites people because it goes against many trans stereotypes in current culture.Yawara Chatora embraces feminine effects while identifying as male to be taken seriously or avoid violence. This goes against many trans stereotypes in current culture.

Cardcaptor Sakura This anime shows multiple queer characters, even though it isn't labeled BL or GL. At least four characters show clear romantic interest in someone of the same sex. Toya Kinomoto and Yukito Tsukishiro, two teenage boys, begin as close friends before becoming a couple. Tomoyo Daidouji crushes on protagonist Sakura Kinomoto, making her design hundreds of magical girl outfits and film her card capturing adventures. Syaoran Li has an unreturned crush on the older Yukito.

The dub dropped this. America did not prepare for this kind of queer surge in the early 2000s.

No. 6 This science fiction anime sets a dystopian future. Many shows have romance subplots, but few feature a romance between two boys. After Shion aids the fugitive Nezumi and loses his elite status, Shion finds dark secrets about his city. Shion then falls for Nezumi. They love each other so much Shion kills someone who hurt Nezumi, and Nezumi takes a bullet for Shion. Living in this dystopian Hellhole stops them from being together.

Alluka Zoldyck of Hunter x HunterHunter x Hunter This character is considered one of thebest transgender anime characters of all timeEvidence backs this, even though it is not explicitly stated. Most Zoldyck family members call Alluka male, yet Alluka always uses the female pronoun "atashi". Alluka uses "atashi" to refer to herself and dresses like a little girl.

Killua, the only family member who respects and cares for Alluka, uses female pronouns and calls her his sister.

Yayoi Kunizuka's sexual orientation never appears openly inPsycho-PassShe is not straight. The former musician became anEnforcerIsabella Yamamoto starts a relationship with lab technician Shion Karanomori. They appear naked in bed together, showing viewers exactly what they did.

Isabella Yamamoto acts as a mother figure to the members ofParadise KissIsabella Yamamoto is a transgender woman and a mother figure to a group of aspiring fashion designers. Her friends accept her identity, but she sometimes facesmisgenderingand othermicroaggressionsfrom outside the group.

Isabella is positive representation for transness. People treat her identity seriously; she is elegant and feminine without being extreme, and the show does not show a dehumanizing reveal of her transition. Some criticize her little screen time compared to other characters, and she is one of the few characters whose romantic hopes go unanswered.

Wandering Son Shuichi Nitori is a coming-of-age story about a young trans girl's journey to become herself. The anime takes place during her late elementary and early middle school years. It shows her experiments with presenting as female, her feelings about her identity, and how others react. The manga continues, showing her dating life and her feelings of dysphoria as she hits puberty, plus her desire to physically transition as an adult.Shuichi Nitori deals with dysphoria as she hits puberty and her desire to physically transition as an adult.Shuichi Nitori shows her dysphoria as she hits puberty and her desire to physically transition as an adult.

Mako Mankanshoku is one of the most physically affectionate characters in Kill la Kill. Mako Mankanshoku is one of the most physically affectionate characters in Kill la Kill.Mako Mankanshoku smushes her breasts against Ryuko in Kill la Kill or any anime. However, this action does not settle some viewers' views on her sexuality. Mako makes her interest in her female bestie clear at the end of the series. She asks her out on a proper date, and Ryuko accepts. Some fans think Mako also liked Ira Gamagoori because the scenes between them are unclear, suggesting Mako is bisexual.Mako Mankanshoku smushes her breasts against Ryuko in Kill la Kill or any anime. Mako makes her interest in her female bestie clear at the end of the series. She asks her out on a proper date, and Ryuko accepts. Some fans think Mako also liked Ira Gamagoori because the scenes between them are unclear, suggesting Mako is bisexual.

Hana is from Tokyo Godfathers.Hana is from Tokyo Godfathers. Hana is a homeless trans woman who wants to be a mother above all else. When she and her friends find an abandoned baby, Hana sees it as a miracle. Hana's life remains very hard. She faces struggles common to all homeless people. She also faces transphobic violence, especially when forced into the men's section of a homeless shelter.

Major Motoko Kusanagi of Ghost in the Shell.Major Motoko Kusanagi of Ghost in the Shell. Motoko Kusanagi is a highly recognizable anime character. Many people overlook that she might be bisexual. Motoko takes part in "e-sex," an act linking users' nervous systems to create simultaneous sexual sensations. E-sex unions between males and females carry extreme danger. A male user could accidentally destroy a female's body, and the reverse is true. Sensations in non-existent body parts translate as severe pain. Most of Motoko's e-sex involves women, but she also has a boyfriend.

Viewers of Bakemonogatari.Viewers of Bakemonogatari. Suruga Kanbaru's sexual orientation does not need guessing. She is a lesbian, and she states this clearly soon after her introduction.

A character making a clear statement about identity is refreshing. Viewers who want Kanbaru to be straight face canon. Interpreting her as straight goes against the series. She does not hide her identity; she states it plainly. What is not refreshing is her trying to kill Araragi because he dates the girl she likes.The jealous lesbian trope is seriously played out.The jealous lesbian trope is seriously played out.

Sanae Ebato of Scum's Wish.Sanae Ebato of Scum's Wish. Sanae Ebato of Scum's Wish is in love with her best friend Hanabi. Unfortunately for Sanae, she is a character in Scum's Wish.Sanae Ebato of Scum's Wish is in love with her best friend Hanabi in Scum's Wish.Sanae Ebato's 'Scum's Wish' shows she will not get what she wants. Sanae desperately wants Hanabi's love. She accepts Hanabi feigning attraction to her. Hanabi initially agrees because Sanae is her best friend. This situation starts miserable. Sanae's doomed love for Hanabi matches other relationships in the series.