CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of transphobia; NSFW screenshots In the 2016 visual novel Ladykiller in a Bind, our suave protagonist is trapped. “The Beast,” as she’s code-named, must temporarily take the place of her twin brother, the Prince. All she has to do is survive seven days keeping her cover—on a cruise liner, containing all her brothers’ classmates, at a party … [Read more...] about How a game about a Ladykiller helped me out of a bind
LGBTQ+
[Feature] Rewriting the Script: Revue Starlight’s rejection of tragic queer tropes
CONTENT WARNING for discussion of homophobia and suicide. SPOILERS for all of of Revue Starlight. Fittingly for a series so inspired by theatre, Revue Starlight has quite a spectacular finale. Across its twelve-episode run, the musical, magical, swashbuckling school story explores themes of competition and rivalry, unfair systems, and love and friendship. It brings these all … [Read more...] about [Feature] Rewriting the Script: Revue Starlight’s rejection of tragic queer tropes
A Dress Isn’t Just A Dress: Finding yourself in Love Live’s “Love Wing Bell”
Recently, I had the honor of attending my only sister’s wedding. Before the ceremony, my brothers and I were all taken aside to see our sister in her bridal gown. She looked beautiful, and for the first time since I became her older brother 20 years ago, I found the words to tell her so. The ceremony went beautifully, and afterwards the family of the bride mingled with guests … [Read more...] about A Dress Isn’t Just A Dress: Finding yourself in Love Live’s “Love Wing Bell”
My Fave is Problematic: Dragon Ball
CONTENT WARNING for sexualization of minors, sexual harassment, homophobia/slurs, NSFW screenshots. I finally sat down to watch the Dragon Ball anime late last year. Even though I had started with Dragon Ball Z during my childhood—imagining myself as Goku and going about my days fighting imaginary enemies (a.k.a, plant pots), righting wrongs, and kissing the girl—I enjoy … [Read more...] about My Fave is Problematic: Dragon Ball
[Feature] All Folks Bright and Beautiful: The casual gender diversity of Heaven’s Design Team
The Heaven’s Design Team manga follows God’s R&D Department as they take requests from on high (literally) to populate the earth with new animals. Similar to Cells at Work!, it’s an edutainment series that balances comical interactions between coworkers with mini-lessons about some of the world’s most unique, clever, or just plain terrifying critters. As the kid who … [Read more...] about [Feature] All Folks Bright and Beautiful: The casual gender diversity of Heaven’s Design Team
Flowers for Zoisite: How Sailor Moon’s iconic queer villains raised the bar
CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of homophobia and transphobia. SPOILERS for Sailor Moon Season One and romances in Please Save My Earth. Sailor Moon turned twenty-five last year and, despite a few rough edges, it’s aged remarkably well. The series has garnered deserved accolades for its strong female friendships, memorable visuals, and forward-looking … [Read more...] about Flowers for Zoisite: How Sailor Moon’s iconic queer villains raised the bar
[Feature] If the Belt Fits: The battle for trans characters in fighting games
Ask someone who plays fighting games to list trans characters and they’re probably going to struggle. It’s not exactly their fault, either: While indie games offer marginalized creators a chance to represent themselves and major franchises like Dragon Age and Assassin’s Creed have worked hard to make their worlds more diverse, fighting games are one of the many genres still … [Read more...] about [Feature] If the Belt Fits: The battle for trans characters in fighting games
[Feature] Aq-ward Feelings: Discussing the experiences of female and queer Love Live! fans
This summer, I attended a birthday party for Nozomi Tojo. The hosts went all out. We played Nozomi-themed bingo, hosted a birthday livestream, sang karaoke, grilled up some yakiniku (Nozomi’s favorite food), and shared a birthday cake with purple frosting—her favorite color. The hosts even set up a wall-to-wall bookshelf fully decked out with Nozomi-themed decorations and … [Read more...] about [Feature] Aq-ward Feelings: Discussing the experiences of female and queer Love Live! fans
[Podcast] Chatty AF 72: BL Manga
Vrai talks Boys' Love (BL) and yaoi manga with special guests Devin Randall and Masaki C. Matsumoto! … [Read more...] about [Podcast] Chatty AF 72: BL Manga
Japanese LGBTQ+ fans talk about the legacy of Banana Fish
CONTENT WARNING for discussions of pedophilia, victim-blaming, and sexual assault. SPOILERS for the Banana Fish manga. Banana Fish has been quite the subject of discussion now that the new anime is out, with many Western viewers discovering the series for the first time. That discovery has also sparked a maelstrom of discussion around the chaste love story between Ash and … [Read more...] about Japanese LGBTQ+ fans talk about the legacy of Banana Fish
Beyond the Bear Storm: Morishima Akiko, yuri mangaka
CONTENT WARNING for NSFW images, discussion of sexism and homophobia. Morishima Akiko’s been writing manga for over 20 years, which is quite the accomplishment considering her circumstances: She began in an age where lesbian manga was not exactly the easiest way to start a career, and it took her around 10 years to make a living drawing exclusively yuri manga. … [Read more...] about Beyond the Bear Storm: Morishima Akiko, yuri mangaka
[Feature] Growing into Love: How Kase-san models a healthy queer relationship
SPOILERS: Discussion of events in Volumes 1-4 of the Kase-san and... manga series. Growing up is a difficult and messy journey no one ever really feels ready for. It’s even more challenging if romance enters the picture. It can be hard to find manga that shows both the struggles and joys of that awkward period, especially if you’re not straight. While there are a variety of … [Read more...] about [Feature] Growing into Love: How Kase-san models a healthy queer relationship
Hiding Then, Hesitating Now: Closeted sexuality and Confessions of a Mask
CONTENT WARNING for discussion of homophobia, hate crimes, violent fantasies, and suicide; NSFW images. Christian themes of martyrdom, purity, and moral judgment have long struck a disturbing chord with me, because so much of this imagery initially tainted my self-perception. My mother’s side of the family is from Brazil, and my father’s side is from Spain. Both sides are, … [Read more...] about Hiding Then, Hesitating Now: Closeted sexuality and Confessions of a Mask
My trans experience with My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness
CONTENT WARNING for discussion of depression, self-harm, sex work, and transphobia; NSFW images. SPOILERS for the entirety of My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. It is so rare to pick a piece of fiction off the shelf that speaks to your Otherness and to truly connect with it. As a trans woman, I more often than not feel disappointed after opening my soul up to … [Read more...] about My trans experience with My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness
[Feature] Going Beyond Severance: Metaphorical and literal queerness in Yurikuma Arashi
CONTENT WARNING for discussion of sexual assault, homophobia, predatory behavior, and bullying. SPOILERS for all of Yurikuma Arashi. Fantastical fiction is an ideal space for working through complex real-world issues using the frame of allegory, metaphor, and a little bit of magic. Yurikuma Arashi is one such series, a step detached from reality but with something to say … [Read more...] about [Feature] Going Beyond Severance: Metaphorical and literal queerness in Yurikuma Arashi
Art as Discovery, Art as Hope: Kamatani Yuhki, x-gender and asexual mangaka
Editor’s Note: Kamatani's work frequently features characters whose gender identity is ambiguous or open to reader interpretation. This article will refer to these characters using the gender-neutral "they" throughout. SPOILERS: Discussion of character arcs in Nabari no Ou, Shounen Note, Busshi no Busshin, and Shimanami Tasogare. Kamatani Yuhki is best known for their … [Read more...] about Art as Discovery, Art as Hope: Kamatani Yuhki, x-gender and asexual mangaka
Cardcaptor Sakura and the Stagnant LGBTQ Representation
The classic magical girl anime and manga series, Cardcaptor Sakura, is beloved by many people for its fun, adorable aesthetic, endearing characters, and LGBTQ-inclusiveness. The currently airing sequel, Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card, takes place about a year later and attempts to recapture the magic of the original series. While Clear Card was created roughly twenty years … [Read more...] about Cardcaptor Sakura and the Stagnant LGBTQ Representation
Cozy Campfires, Bitter Broth: Female Relationships in Laid-Back Camp and Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles
On paper, Laid-Back Camp and Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles sound quite similar. They’re both slice-of-life shows about girls with niche interests or hobbies, portrayed in loving detail—camping and ramen noodles, respectively. Each series also has a small ensemble cast headed by two standout main characters: a quiet, withdrawn girl with the greatest dedication to the special … [Read more...] about Cozy Campfires, Bitter Broth: Female Relationships in Laid-Back Camp and Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles
The People’s Hero (Some People Not Included): The exclusion of queer viewers in LUPIN THE 3rd PART 5
![News report on a smart phone. caption: as Lupin's lover, wherever [Jigen] goes, Lupin will be close by."](https://i2.wp.com/www.animefeminist.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/lupin-2-1.jpg?fit=750%2C418&ssl=1)
When I reviewed the premiere for LUPIN THE 3rd PART 5, I said I was disappointed to see that the franchise looked like it was sinking back into the slurry of mediocrity that characterized the late ‘90s and 2000s, interested only in updating the aesthetic sheen without tackling any of the franchise’s extremely outdated ideas (the movies, meanwhile, took all of the grimdark edge … [Read more...] about The People’s Hero (Some People Not Included): The exclusion of queer viewers in LUPIN THE 3rd PART 5
Nerdy Talk and New Frontiers: My wandering ramble on coming out in the anime fandom
Okay... I've spent a good three weeks trying to figure out how to say this. I've chewed my nails down to nothing, and I've rewritten this a few dozen times over... so I'm just going to go on ahead and do it. … [Read more...] about Nerdy Talk and New Frontiers: My wandering ramble on coming out in the anime fandom