People around the world are making their contributions to raising LGBTQ+ voices, especially during Pride Month. The entertainment industry is no stranger to this, and anime is becoming more popular than ever around the world. With this comes even more series with a focus on LGBTQ+ voices. From lighthearted romcoms to serious dramatic plots, there is a series for everyone to enjoy! Here are some LGBTQ-themed anime and manga series we love and recommend 🏳️🌈
Bloom Into You
Yuu Koito is a character who thought of love as something magical but could never experience that “magic.” In comes Touko Nanami, who also admits to having feelings for Yuu. The series explores this subtle development between the girls and the other characters around them, and we cannot recommend this series enough. The approach is unique with fun moments, so go ahead and give Bloom Into You a try!
Sasaki And Miyano
Miyano enjoys reading BL (boy’s love) manga but hides his hobby out of embarrassment. He soon meets Sasaki, a schoolmate the grade above, during a fight. Sasaki becomes entranced by Miyano, and the two bond over BL, with feelings growing along the way. Sasaki and Miyano is a refreshing newer anime that makes our hearts skip a beat at how sweet it is! We can’t help but cheer for this duo and their interactions, making this a series perfect for lighthearted fun.
Stars Align
While the anime does not focus entirely on LGBTQ+ themes, there is an episode with a scene so unique we just had to share it! In an episode of Stars Align, Yuu reveals that they are nonbinary and questioning their identity. Furthermore, Maki comforts them by mentioning how his mother’s close friend is transgender, even using the term “FTM,” and that he treasures the friend regardless. It’s rare to see a series be so transparent about a character’s identity and thoughts, and Stars Align does this perfectly! Before watching, we must highlight trigger warnings such as child and domestic abuse, bullying, blood, homophobia, transphobia, and implied attempted murder.
It happened y’all. Hoshiai no Sora (Stars Align) said trans rights!
This is my first time seeing anime use terms like FTM or non-binary (x gender in Japanese) and discuss trans issues with such empathy, understanding and kindness. This is groundbreaking stuff.
(See part 2 below) pic.twitter.com/N73VvZYCMA— shipper ㋐ stan vampire Jesus 🥀🌹✨🐍🍽️🐸🐸🏳️🌈㋐ (@shipperinjapan) November 29, 2019
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Our Dreams At Dusk
This completed manga is a must-read for anyone exploring LGBTQ-themed anime and manga. High schooler Tasuku stumbles upon a public lounge where everyone is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Our Dreams At Dusk covers various sexual and gender identities and brings another layer of depth with the creator being nonbinary. The visual metaphors are stunning, and the story itself is eye-opening. Words aren’t enough to praise this manga … you’ll have to read this one to understand! We do have to mention trigger warnings for homophobia in the manga.
I Think Our Son Is Gay
Tomoko Aoyama is the mother of Hiroki, whom she believes is gay. Even though Hiroki tries to hide his sexuality, his mother can still tell but supports him in her way. Seeing how Tomoko shows love to her son without pressuring him is amazing in our eyes. Overall, this manga is inspirational and tackles issues with an understanding nature. In addition, the author is gay and came out to his mother after the series became more popular, and we are so happy for him!
My Love Mix-Up!
Imagine having a crush on a classmate. Now imagine finding out they like someone else. Now imagine that there was some confusion and the person your crush likes … thinks you like them! Souta Aoki has this issue when he accidentally creates a love triangle with Hashimoto, the girl next to him, and Ida, the boy who sits in front of him. And if that wasn’t enough, hilarious chaos is created, and the two boys develop feelings. If you love a good rom-com with clumsy and cute characters, this is the series for you! If you’re not a manga person, then there is a live-action show you can watch instead.
And that concludes some of our favorite LGBTQ-themed anime and manga series! There are so many other series we wanted to cover, but we can write about those in the future.
Was your favorite anime or manga featured in this article? If not, what other series do you love or have seen inspire you? Feel free to share them in the comments below or on our Twitter and Instagram!
If you want more anime recommendations, check out our other articles here.
You can also read about other LGBTQ+ voices here!
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