LGBT Representation in Anime
Is gay representation in anime good or bad? âUsually itâs great,â said the panelists of âThatâs Gay! LGBT Representation in Anime,â a wife and wife team. âHowever, it can be pretty mixed.â
There is, and has always been, a lot more LGBT content in anime than there is in American media, but this isnât as progressive as it sounds, explained panelist Judith Fisch. However, a lot of these LGBT anime characters fall into some tiresome tropes. Gay men can be portrayed as feminine and predatory. Gay women are considered to be going through âa phase.â And donât get started on trans characters, who are often added purely for comedy.
Furthermore, gay representation is subtler than it would be in America. For examples, Japanese viewers of Yuri!!! On Ice perceived âPlease be my coach forever,â as a marriage proposal. Meanwhile, American viewers didnât see this as overtly as its creators intended. Blink and youâll miss it!
The panel discussed problematic LGBT representations in anime before settling on some progressive modern recommendations. Here are a few to check out:
What Did You Eat Yesterday? A slice of life manga about a gay coupleâs daily routine with a focus on what they cook and eat. Shiro and Kenji experience daily microaggressions and navigate life in modern Tokyo as gay men.
Yuri!!! on Ice. The panelists noted that this show aired in the middle of the night because it was perceived as almost too progressive.
Yuri Kuma Arashi. By the creator of Revolutionary Girl Utena, this artistic show plays with the stereotypes of âpredatoryâ and âpureâ lesbiansâwith literal bears and lilies.
Sasameki Koto. The straightforward story of a lesbian in high school who is closeted and another who is out. Itâs a love story with a happy ending.
Wandering Son. A sympathetic story about a trans boy and a trans girl who become friends as they begin to come of age.Â
(Screenshot via Yuri!!! On Ice.)
âLauren, AB Staff Blogger
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