While we all might have different ideas about politics, religion, computer operating systems and favorite fast food, there’s one thing we can probably agree on: anime lesbians are awesome. Here’s a post about why anime girls who love girls are so great, plus some yuri anime recommendations for your watchlist!
This is a data-heavy post, so check if you’re on wifi!
You Never Forget Your First Anime Lesbians
Who was your first anime lesbian couple? I’ll never forget mine. First came Fight! Iczer-1, the ground-breaking series in which Cthulhu aliens have invaded Earth and are killing people in horrific ways…and entertaining us with cute yuri love scenes. Soon after I watched Project A-Ko!, which features a love triangle in which A-Ko and B-Ko compete for C-Ko’s love. I remember reading the subtitles in which B-Ko expresses how she wants to possess C-Ko’s body sexually must have been mistaken, because she couldn’t have been talking about that…could she? This was when I realized that anime was a little “different” from other forms of animation I’d seen.
Why do fans love yuri anime? Here are some reasons!
- It can be fresh and unexpected, and something outside of our daily experience, especially if we’re male (obviously).
- It violates society’s traditional rules, which can make for some interesting stories.
- In a world of generic “everyman” male characters who seem to be hated by fandom more and more each season, a strong female character on a journey through uncharted waters is potentially compelling.
- For guys, the fact that we cannot participate in a girl-girl relationship a priori removes the possibility of romantic rejection, allowing us to sit back and root for the girls’ relationships to flower without any stress. I’ve heard that females enjoy BL stories for the same reason.
- If we’re a fan of the genre, a good yuri show becomes an “instant dopamine faucet” that we can turn on anytime we want.
The Top Yuri Anime According to J-List Customers!
I asked J-List’s awesome Twitter followers to share their favorite yuri anime couples, and here’s what we came up with!
In the world of yuri anime, there are a lot of sub-genres. While some shows are all about the visual fanservice, other shows work hard to tell a proper story about characters in girl-girl relationships, and the drama that this creates. Yagate Kimi ni Naru is one such show.
Then there are shows that focus heavily on eye candy, since many viewers are males who want to see this. Sakura Trick is a show that followed three couples, who are always kissing and touching as they explore their new loves.
Often the lesbian aspect of anime is for comic relief. Yuru Yuri (“Laid-Back Yuri”) is basically Japan’s version of Tom and Jerry, but with lesbian gags instead of casual violence.
Another series that really works hard to show the emotional drama of girls in relationships with other girls is Aoi Hana, aka Sweet Blue Flowers. It’s one of my favorite shows because it feels so realistic, with the “fanservice” being emotional, rather than visual.
Another show I love, and evangelize a lot, is Scum’s Wish. It’s got a ridiculously complex system of unrequited loves between many characters, with the best relationship being the “surprise yuri” between Ecchan and Hanabi.
A cute anime about a shy and feminine girl who starts dating a tomboy at her school. Just look how cute they are!
Sometimes we get tired of stories about students discovering themselves, and want older characters who work in companies, like most of us. If so, then New Game! is the anime for you. It’s the story of a game development company filled with latent lesbians. Will Rin and Koh’s love ever come to fruition, or will the respect Aoba has for Koh blossom into something more?
One show that caused quite a kerfluffle was Citrus, an interesting show about a flamboyant girl named Yuzu whose mother remarries, and suddenly she has a new sister named Mei. Naturally love begins to bloom between them, because anime. Because some elements of the story weren’t acceptable to new fans (scenes with dramatic forced kissing, etc.), this show has a lot of haters, though I am a fan.
(It’s fascinating to observe what topics fans will get upset about, especially when they move in large groups online. An anime about a blood-related brother and sister having on-screen sex? No one bats an eye. But push a girl down on a bed and kiss her, and everyone loses their minds.)
If I’m going to hell, it’s probably because I love Fate/kaleid, the magical girl spinoff anime in the Fate universe that’s filled with anime lesbians. It’s definitely at the top of m list of “guilty pleasure” anime series.
No work is more responsible for the rise of yuri themes in anime than Sailor Moon, the genius series that blended the formerly incompatible genres of sentai 5-person fighting team and magical girls into something that both boys and girls could enjoy. I’m convinced the world is more relaxed about LGBT issues today partially as a result of this show.
If you didn’t spend the 90s obsessing over which bishoujo senshi pairing would make the best couple, and which girl would be on top, what the hell were you doing?
Let’s close out this post with another legendary show that blazed a trail for young fans in more ways than one, Utena. Did it make you question your sexuality back in the day?
Thanks for reading this post about the most awesome anime lesbians! Did we miss your favorite couple? Show us below, or on Twitter!
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