T5W#304-Top 5 Same Sex Couples in Anime

June is Pride Month, the time when we celebrate all orientations and sexual preferences: gay, straight, lesbian, transgender etc.  To me, love is love no matter who you choose to spend it with.  If you feel it and its with that someone, and the feelings are mutual, don’t deny it, let it run and enjoy the ride.  Anime has never been one to shy away from putting two characters of the same sex into a room or adventure together and letting their feelings blossom naturally (in most cases, im sure there are a couple of duds).  Some of these couples have become some of the most iconic in the history of the medium.  So to celebrate the month of representation and acceptance, today’s Top 5 Wednesday looks at my choices for the Top 5 Same Sex Couples in Anime.  Remember: Love is love and be with who you want to be with. 

#5-Shion Karanomori & Yayoi Kunizuka (Psycho Pass)

This relationship is very, very subtle.  In fact many of the moments where it’s front and center are practically blink and you’ll miss.  Yayoi and Kunizuka are both in the employ of the Ministry of Welfare's Public Safety Bureau as an Enforcer and a Technical Advisor respectively.  They are prisoners of the system basically doing community service in exchange for not being put in prison for high Psycho Passes.  And yet, in the thick of it all, Yayoi and Kunizuka are both essential personel to their team and to each other.  Theyre proof that love can blossom even in a dystopia.  This is show beautifully in Psycho Pass 3 when we learn that Yayoi has earned her freedom from the system…and there’s a hint that Kunizuka misses her and hopes to join her on the outside one day.

 

#4-Utena Tenjou and Anthy Himemiya (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

There is a ton to this relationship that I’m sure someone better versed in Utena lore could unpack than me.  But this couple is iconic as heck based on the many images you see of them across the internet when you Google “Utena.”  Our lead heroine, Utena, wants to be a hero, a Prince similar to the one who inspired her as a child.  Anthy is a meek girl with a hidden power and the desire of many a young man at Ohtori Academy.  The charm of this revolutionary couple comes from Utena’s strength and willingness to defend her love and Anthy slowly finding her own inner strength through Utena’s inspiration.  Sometimes it takes a kick ass girl to save the Princess in Distress.

 

#3-Victor Nikiforov & Yuri Katsuki (Yuri on Ice)

One of the more recent heavy hitting examples of Same Sex Romances in Anime, this pair took the internet by storm when we reached their iconic kiss midway through the series.  When you learn just how this loving storyline truly began, it only emphasizes the power of the bond Yuri and Victor both share and how its challenging them, not just on the ice but off of it.  Yuri is working to rebuild his image after several failures and Victor is still looking for something that makes him happy besides skating.  The big couples moments between these two are some of the most popular in the Anime and im surprised we haven’t gotten a Season Two to see what kind of challenges they’ll have to overcome next.

 

#2-Shinji Ikari and Kwaoru Nagisa (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

While this is a very brief thing, it is nonetheless one of the most important arcs of the tragedy of Shinji Ikari.  Kwarou’s sudden appearance rocks Shinji’s world in many ways, mostly in the department of positive praise.  Kwarou isn’t perstering Shinji for his attention or berating him for not doing a well enough job.  He’s genuinely interested in him and cares for him deeply.  Heck, if you want exact proof as to why this coupling is so important even if it isn’t a traditional couple?  Kwaoru is the only person in the whole of Evangelion to tell Shinji he is loved.  It’s good that this would be romance has been expanded on in Manga and Movies, cause that only makes what happens at the heartbreaking conclusion of Episode 24 all the more…damn. 

 

#1-Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune aka Haruka Tenoh & Michiru Kaiou (Sailor Moon)

All hail the eternal Queens of this category.  Even when we were watching the original English Dub of Sailor Moon S, we all knew that Haruka and Michuru (sorry Amara and Michelle) weren’t Cousins, no way in hell.  Much time has passed since then and with the original dialogue restored in new dubs (and the OG Japanese tracks made available) we can see just how beautiful and unique this pairing is.  They may be a bit overconfident with their abilities to the point of arrogance but Haruka and Michuru are a battle tested pair on and off the battlefield.  Their tender moments in their apartment define “beautiful” and they continue to be one of the most celebrated (and cosplayed) couples in Anime history.  Sorry Usagi, I think these two got the better end of the romance deal.