As much as a lot of people don’t want to see LGBT in cartoons, anime isn’t just any other animation. The subjects and ideas that come through in anime are often quite controversial and in many cases tend to rub some people the wrong way due to cultural norms and what they’re willing to accept. LGBT couples in anime however seem so romanticized that it is decidedly easier to accept them than it seems to be in real life for many individuals. As sad and depressing as that might be it lends another layer to anime that might not have existed had it not been brought up in the first place. People are continually trying to push for a life-imitating art-imitating life angle that gives their entertainment a more realistic feel, but in anime it is seen quite often that subjects such as this are highly played up whether or not they’re subjected to their own brand of reality. To many fans there doesn’t seem to be a problem as the relationships seem beautiful and quite alluring. But in real life the truth is that some of them seem a bit odd to the casual fan and kind of off-putting.
But then again it’s for each fan to decide what they want to see. Here are five of the greatest LGBT couples in anime.
5. Utena Tenjou and Anthy Himemiya – Revolutionary Girl Utena
This show kind of had to ramp up the idea of LGBT being present in order to really pull it off, but so far it seems that things have gone just fine. Without trying to emphasize gender too much it would seem that Utena is the more dominant person in the relationship while Anthy is a bit more feminine. They both contribute to their relationship yet Utena is definitely the more take charge type and yet is still very feminine in so many obvious ways.
4. Ymir and Krista Lenz – Attack on Titan
The play on opposites is what makes a lot of relationship work whether they’re same sex or not. In this program it’s seen that Ymir and Krista both contribute to their relationship in differing ways by presenting themselves as very different characters than they are on the inside. If they were to switch to their default characteristics, those that they don’t show everyone, then the dynamic between them might be different, but it might also be something of the same thing with their roles being reversed. If anything it’s the idea that these two are increasingly complex that makes the relationship work.
3. Shinji Ikari and Kaworu Nagisa – Neon Genesis Evangelion
For some reason male partners seem to evoke more of a response than female when it comes to those that really don’t seem to like same-sex couples in popular media. However it’s just as important to include them as it is to recognize that the choice being made and the idea that males can be attracted to each other is something that needs to be included. The best idea for anyone that doesn’t like is to not watch, as we all have that option even if some choose not to use it and torment themselves and others with the idea of what should and shouldn’t happen in the world.
2. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune – Sailor Moon
The women of Sailor Moon are those that many young man has drooled over and thought were absolutely gorgeous. They’ve been the objects of desire for so long that it was never much of a thought to some that any of them might be something other than the sex objects that they wanted them to be. In fact in the US version they were deemed as cousins instead of lovers. The best part about this couple however is that neither of them really have the edge over the other, they are as evenly matched as anyone could be and are able to overcome just about anything when together.
1. Ushio Kazama and Sumika Murasame – Whispered Words
This is a show that could appeal to a lot of lesbians that are still in the closet for fear of what their sexual orientation could mean to others and how they might be treated for it. In truth this is the modern age and it’s time to accept the fact, if not embrace it, that there many upon many people that have very different desires and needs when it comes to sex and relationships. The idea of anyone needing to be kept in the closet at this point is a bit ludicrous, not to mention damaging. That we can accept LGBT in anime and other mediums and not in real life on a wider scale yet is a telltale problem in society.
It’s time to let our real lives tell the story that fable and fiction has been allowed to, not the other way around.
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