As a young adult, I am proud to say that most of the media that I consume is animated! I have always been just as emotionally invested, if not more so, with the struggles and successes of the animated characters depicted and really love the freedom that comes with worldbuilding that isn’t always possible for live action series. Though it is fairly common for animated series to have LGBTQIA+ representation today, there wasn’t very much for me to draw from as a young queer person growing up. However, that made almost any representation that wasn’t overtly negative very meaningful to me. Today, I’m going to go through some of the characters and series that surprised and affirmed me early on and likely set the stage for the wider scope of LGBTQIA+ representation that is available today! Just as a warning, some of what I will share will contain spoilers pertaining to the shows Sailor Moon, Fushigi Yuugi, Adventure Time, The Legend of Korra, and Steven Universe.
Though I was born in the late 90’s, I grew up with three older siblings who introduced me to anime, many of which were their favorites from the 80’s and 90’s. By the time I was in middle school, I often watched anime on my own, both subbed and dubbed. Though not all of the series I enjoyed had LGBTQIA+ representation, I quickly learned that it seemed to be far more common in Japanese animation than it was in series produced in the US. The first instance of representation I remember seeing was Michiru Kaioh (Sailor Neptune) and Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus) from the Sailor Moon franchise, who were a couple. Seeing them being a normal couple as side characters was really shocking to me as I had never seen anything like it before. I knew that same-sex couples existed, but they were considered taboo and were simply never discussed in the conservative environment I grew up in. In addition to those two were the tragic couple, Zoisite and Kunzite, as well as the Sailor Starlights, who have been confirmed to be genderqueer. Unfortunately, in early US dubbed versions of the series, the relationships between the aforementioned couples were changed due to censorship. As a result, their relationships were either portrayed as being heterosexual or familial (the latter being extremely problematic). Another one of my favorite anime series from the 90s was Fushigi Yuugi. My favorite character, Nuriko, was a bisexual man who often cross-dressed. Throughout the series, he was depicted as being very comfortable with his identity even when it was constantly questioned by others. My favorite aspect about him was how he was willing to sacrifice anything for the friends he made, who seemed to become his chosen family. The overtly positive portrayal of his character helped me realize that it was ok for me to be bisexual and nonbinary as it showed that one doesn’t have to exist within binaries in order to be a good person. Other characters who were bisexual or didn’t follow rigid gender roles also appeared in Fruits Basket and Ouran Highschool Host Club, which were two series that I got to enjoy in the company of my friends. In part, knowing that my friends were fine with these shows helped me feel safer with them even before I ever considered coming out to them as they viewed each character as being normal or likable. In the 2000s, US animated series were beginning to have more LGBTQIA+ representation, though most were not series meant for kids and were generally for comedic purposes. The later 2000s proved to be more promising in terms of positive representation for kids. Two examples that were subtle but had a great impact on me as a teenager occurred in Adventure Time and The Legend of Korra. The first portrayed a side plot between the two characters, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen. It was implied that they had been in a romantic relationship prior to the events of the show. This was confirmed by the show’s creator in 2014, though it was claimed that the show couldn’t go deeper into their relationship at the time because of censorship in some of the countries it aired in. That same year, The Legend of Korra concluded with Korra and her rival-turned-friend, Asami, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Though many were upset that very little development happened between the two in the course of the show, I was ecstatic to see it air! The creators also cited censorship issues as the reason why there was very little leading up to the ending. However, I have heard there is a graphic novel which better shares the dynamics of their romantic relationship. Similarly, with the conclusion of Adventure Time in 2018 Princess Bubblegum and Marceline kiss and have an episode about their relationship in the spin-off series Adventure Time: Distant Lands. I was first introduced to the Cartoon Network series Steven Universe by my now partner around my junior year of high school and became immediately fixated on it. Overall, it addresses many difficult subjects in ways that kids can understand pertaining to body positivity, consent, and working through difficult emotions or memories. In terms of LGBTQIA+ representation, it doesn’t only boil down to one character or a couple, but shows different relationship and family structures, gender fluidity and ambiguity, and often transcends gender norms. Looking back, my favorite part about the show is that most of the characters are actually genderless since they are gemstones. With that said, the romantic relationships between the characters were monumental to me, even at 17 and 18. I remember my jaw dropping at the introduction of Ruby and Sapphire’s relationship in the second season. I was shock that it was allowed on air, not because it was inappropriate for children but rather I couldn’t believe the progress that had been made! I continue to enjoy the series today, which has since concluded and I’m still catching up on. There are also numerous other animated series that I watch on my own or with loved ones today with a light heart knowing that diverse representation in this form of media can bring joy to people of all ages. Below I will also include a few places to stream the series mentioned if you’re interested in checking any of them out! I would also recommend checking in with your local library for either full seasons or graphic novels of the series for free. - Bek Where to stream the series shared: Sailor Moon (1992): Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, Vudu Fushigi Yuugi: Crunchy Roll, Amazon Ouran High School Host Club: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, iTunes, Apple TV+ Fruits Basket (2001): Hulu, Funimation, Amazon Adventure Time: Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max Adventure Time Distant Lands: HBO Max The Legend of Korra: Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, iTunes Steven Universe: HBO Max, Hulu, Apple TV+
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January 2024
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