From 1990 to 1994, more LGBTQ characters appeared in anime than in Western animation. Most prominently, LGBTQ characters appeared in lesbian, bisexual, and genderqueer characters in Dear Brother , Sailor Moon , and Ai no Kusabi . In contrast, Gargoyles featured an array of gay, bisexual, and asexual characters. This trend would continue in the later 1990s, with more LGBTQ characters introduced in Western animation.
This list only includes recurring characters, otherwise known as supporting characters, which appear frequently from time to time during the series' run, often playing major roles in more than one episode, and those in the main cast are listed below. LGBTQ characters which are guest stars or one-off characters are listed on the pages focusing exclusively on gay (in animation and anime), lesbian (in animation and anime), bisexual (in animation and anime), trans, pansexual, asexual, non-binary, and intersex characters.
For a further understanding of how these LGBTQ characters fit into the overall history of animation, see the History of LGBTQ characters in animated series: 1990s page.
The entries on this page are organized alphanumerically by duration dates and then alphabetically by the first letter of a specific series.
| Duration | Show title | Character debut date | Characters | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–1991 | Kyatto Ninden Teyandee / Samurai Pizza Cats | February 1, 1990 | Kitsunezuka Ko'on-no-Kami / Seymour "The Big" Cheese | Gay | Kitsunezuka Ko'on-no-Kami (Seymour "The Big" Cheese) is the advisor to Tokugawa Iei Iei (Emperor Fred) who wants to overthrow Edoroplis (Little Tokyo). He is a flamboyant fox who crossdresses. [1] In the Japanese version of Phoney Baloney Cat, he declares his attraction towards underaged boys. [2] In contrast with most 1990s English language dubs at the time, The Big Cheese's gender and sexuality were kept. The only change was his species as he was changed to a rat. The more harmful aspects of the character were also removed. His voice in the English dub is an imitation of Paul Lynde who was gay. | Japan |
| 1991–1992 | Dear Brother | July 14, 1991 | Fukiko "Miya-sama" Ichinomiya | Bisexual | She appears to be calm and generous, even as she dresses conservatively, [3] but is cruel and manipulative, often psychologically and physically torturing Rei for several ambiguous reasons. [4] She desires that Rei only have eyes for her, no one else, as indicated in episodes 5 and 6. She also jealously tries to destroy their relationship by making Nanako love her instead. [5] It is then revealed that she and Rei are full sisters (proving their relationship to be incestual), daughters of the Ichinomiya leader and a maid of the family mansion, as shown in episodes 12 and 33. In the anime, her love for Takehiko is given a backstory: she met and fell in love with him when she was twelve and he spent several days with her in the Ichinomiya mansion, but he unknowingly broke her heart by not showing up to her birthday party, as indicated in episodes 36 and 37. | Japan |
| Mariko Shinobu | Lesbian | Mariko greatly admires Kaoru due to her strength and the emotional support she gives her as well, and at some point she admits to loving Karou, specifically in the episode "Comeback." [5] [6] Mariko distrusts all men because of her troubled family life: her father Hikawa is an erotica author who has an affair with an actress and later divorces Mariko's mother Hisako, who keeps her sadness bottled up as she raises Mariko practically on her own. | ||||
| Nanako Misonoo | 16-year-old Nanako falls in love with Rei "Saint-Juste" Asaka to which Rei slowly reciprocates as shown in episodes like "Into the Dream," and their relationship is one of the major driving plots of the series, showcased in episodes like "The Darkness in the Clock Tower" and "Under the Elm Tree." [7] [8] Rei's destructive relationship with Fukiko Ichinomiya leads her to be troubled, obsessed with death, and drug-addicted, as made clear in the "Relapse; Broken Heart" and "Pride, and the Final Meeting" episodes. | |||||
| Rei Asaka | Rei has feelings for Nanako, a 16-year-old student who attends the same academy. [7] [8] | |||||
| 1991–1996 | The Ren & Stimpy Show | August 11, 1991 | Marland T. "Ren" Höek | Gay or Bisexual | Ren Höek is an "Asthma-Hound" Chihuahua. From the very beginning, it was clear that Ren and Stimpy were more than friends. They both engaged in intimacy during the Spümcø years of the series. Their romantic relationship was confirmed in a 1997 interview, in where the series creator John Kricfalusi said "Totally. In Ren's case, it's not completely by choice. He'd rather have a beautiful human woman if he could get away with it. Since he can't, Stimpy's easy. Stimpy's madly in love with Ren." [9] Their relationship was expanded upon in Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" . | United States |
| Stimpson J. "Stimpy" Cat | Stimpy is a red Manx cat. In addition to his relationship with Ren; he was shown having a romantic affair with Ren's cousin Svën in the episode "Svën Höek."[ citation needed ] | |||||
| 1992–1994 | Ai no Kusabi | August 1, 1992 | Daryl | Gay | Daryl is an eighteen-year-old castrated boy who served as Iason's furniture and Riki's caretaker. [10] He fell in love with Riki because of his pride and strong will. | Japan |
| Guy | Guy was Riki's lover prior to his capture and Guy is determined to save Riki from Iason. [11] [12] [13] | |||||
| Iason | He is the most superior and powerful Blondie in Tanagura, and the head of the Syndicate, Tanagura's black market for pet trade. [11] He is in love with his pet Riki, a mongrel from the slums, and later he begins to love Riki to the point of obsession. [14] [13] | |||||
| Kirie | A wild member of the Bison gang who is ambitious and sly. Riki hates him as he reminds him of his former rebellious self but Kirie himself is romantically obsessed with Riki. [11] [10] [13] | |||||
| Riki | Bisexual | Riki was once the gang leader of the Bison gang. [11] However he was captured and kept as a pet for three years by Iason who grew obsessively in love with him. [14] [15] One reviewer found the characterization of Iason in the third novel to be realistic and compelling, [10] Prior to this, Riki was in a relationship with Guy. [16] [13] He also once engaged in a one-night stand with a female slave named Mimea. | ||||
| 1992–1997 | Sailor Moon | March 7, 1992 | Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) | Bisexual | Usagi is the girlfriend of Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Mask). In the anime, Usagi blushes and shows attraction towards girls like Makoto and Rei, whom she has a close bond and rivalry with, though it never goes beyond friendship. She sometimes uses internalized homophobia to hide how she may like girls. Episode 96 is a big example of this. [17] In the manga however, Usagi is more open to love and sexuality regardless of gender, and also crushes on Haruka Tenoh. She can be interpreted as bisexual or pansexual. [18] | Japan |
| Mamoru Chiba "Tuxedo Kamen" (Tuxedo Mask) | In Sailor Moon R: The Movie, Fiore, a mysterious male alien from Mamoru's childhood, returns to Earth kidnaps Mamoru. [19] Due to their shared childhood experiences of abandonment, Fiore feared that Mamoru's romantic relationship with Usagi and platonic relations with her friends would lead to abandonment again. [20] By the end of the movie Sailor Moon and the others are able to convince him that Mamoru is in good hands. It's heavily implied that Fiore was in love with Mamoru and implied that Mamoru might share his feelings. [21] | |||||
| June 13, 1992 | Zoisite | Gay | Zoisite is in a relationship with Kunzite, another powerful general who works under Queen Beryl from the Dark Kingdom. [22] Zoisite was described as having a personality of an "effeminate, youngest-child type" in the Materials Collection of the manga. [23] | |||
| Kunzite | Kunzite is in a relationship with Zoisite, a powerful general. [22] Kunzite was described as having the "air of an Arabian king," while being calm, silent, and frightening when he gets angry. [23] | |||||
| April 19, 1994 | Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus) | Lesbian | Haruka and Michiru are in a relationship. This was changed in the original release of the English version of the anime, where they were made "cousins". In the re-release of the original anime however the English version keeps their same-sex relationship. [24] [25] In a September 1996 interview, the creator of Sailor Moon, Naoko Takeuchi, said that they began as friends, with their friendship flowing "into love," adding that a "true love between two women could exist," in the case of Haruka and Michiru. [26] In a 1999 interview, Takeuchi reasserted this, adding that Michiru is "girlish and feminine" and Haruka is "kind of boyish and has the heart of a guy." [27] | |||
| Michiru Kaioh (Sailor Neptune) | ||||||
| March 4, 1995 | Fish-Eye | Gay | The villain Fish-Eye is an effeminate cross-dressing man who is romantically interested in men as first shown in the episode "Meeting of Destiny: The Night Pegasus Dances." [28] He was changed into a woman in the original English dub. He was described as acting like a clumsy "ball-balancing girl" at the circus. [23] | |||
| December 7, 1996 | Sailor Starlights | Genderqueer | In the 90s anime, the Sailor Starlights (Sailor Star Fighter, Sailor Star Maker, and Sailor Star Healer) were assigned female at birth, but transform to present as male and refer to themselves as males when not fighting, as shown in the episode, "Holy War in the Galaxy! Sailor Wars Legend." [28] [29] [30] In a 1999 interview, Takeuchi said she had made them always girls in the manga, in the anime "they got turned into guys," which displeased her and I wasn't very happy about it. [27] |
| Duration | Show title | Character debut date | Characters | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–1997 | Gargoyles | October 24, 1994 | Lexington | Gay | In a 2008 interview, series creator Greg Weisman stated that Lexington is gay. [31] In May 2005, Weisman responded to fans about Lexington's gay identity, saying that Lexington hadn't "completely come to terms with his sexuality" when he went out with Angela. [32] He also said that while he wasn't trying to hint with anything in the series, [33] he knew Lexington was gay "sometime in '95 or '96," [32] although he couldn't have addressed in the show directly, because he would have been fired if he had done so. [34] He further said that Lexington, as a gay person, tells his own truths, as does every character. [35] | United States |
| November 4, 1994 | Janine Renard | Bisexual | Former leader of The Pack, born with the name of Janine Renard, and later legally turns her name to Fox. [36] [37] [38] She falls in love with David Xanatos, a young businessman, beginning in "The Thrill of the Hunt" episode whom she marries in the show's second season, in the episode "Vows." [39] She could have a liking to Titania, the wife of Oberon and queen of the Third race, as shown in the episode "The Gathering." [40] [41] Weisman confirmed her as a bisexual woman. [42] | |||
| September 11, 1995 | Owen Burnett | Asexual | Formerly the aid of Xanatos' aide, who is later revealed to be the immortal trickster Puck. [43] [44] [45] Weisman confirmed Owen as asexual in response to various fan questions, but said that he had still dated a woman in the past. [46] [47] | |||
| Puck | Bisexual | Weisman confirmed Puck as bisexual in response to a fan in September 2014. [46] [42] | ||||
| 1994-2008 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | December 25, 1994 [lower-alpha 1] | Lokar | Gay | Lokar is a locust alien and member of the Council of Doom. He is Zorak's rival. Lokar, is the opposite of Zorak as in he is a cultured snob, as opposed to being a crude slob like Zorak. There are hints throughout the series that Lokar is gay. He has referred to male characters as either lover or darling and appeared to have romantic feelings for Moltar as shown in the episodes "Explode", "Surprise" and "Waiting for Edward". [48] [49] Supplementary material for the series had Lokar referred to himself as a Confirmed bachelor. [50] One article for Lokar's section in the official Cartoon Network website titled Lokar's Sumptuous Salute to Summer Frolic features a reference to a slang word for gay sex. [51] Lokar disappeared after the fifth season aside from a wanted poster in the season eight episode "Whipping Post". His sexuality was confirmed in audio commentaries for the Space Ghost Coast to Coast Volume 2 DVD. It was also revealed that Lokar died at some point during the series. [52] [53] However this was eventually contradicted when Lokar returned in Season 11 in where he is shown to be alive and well. Lokar also appeared in Space Ghost. | United States |
Naoko Takeuchi is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known as the author of Sailor Moon, one of the most popular manga series of all time.
Sailor Moon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from 1991 to 1997; the 60 individual chapters, along with several side stories, were compiled in 18 volumes. The series follows the adventures of a schoolgirl named Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into the eponymous character to search for a magical artifact, the "Legendary Silver Crystal". She leads a group of comrades, the Sailor Soldiers, called Sailor Guardians in later editions, as they battle against villains to prevent the theft of the Silver Crystal and the destruction of the Solar System.
Usagi Tsukino, better known as Sailor Moon, is a Japanese superheroine and the protagonist of the Sailor Moon franchise created by Naoko Takeuchi. She is introduced in chapter No. 1 of the manga, "Usagi – Sailor Moon", as a carefree Japanese schoolgirl who can transform into the magical "Guardian of Love and Justice", Sailor Moon.
Minako Aino, better known as Sailor Venus, is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V manga series written by Naoko Takeuchi. Minako is her sailor form's alternative human identity as part of the Sailor Guardians, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
Rei Hino, better known as Sailor Mars, is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. In the series, Rei is her sailor form's alternative human identity as part of the Sailor Guardians, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
Sailor Pluto is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon manga series written by Naoko Takeuchi. The alternate identity of Setsuna Meiou, she is a member of the Sailor Guardians, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
Sailor Uranus is a fictional lead character in the Sailor Moon media franchise. Sailor Uranus' alternate identity is Haruka Tenou, a teenage Japanese student and race car driver. Haruka is a member of the Sailor Guardians, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
Sailor Neptune is a fictional lead character in the Sailor Moon media franchise. Her alternate identity is Michiru Kaiou, a teenage Japanese schoolgirl and violinist. Michiru is a member of the Sailor Soldiers, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
The Dead Moon Circus are a group of fictional characters from the Sailor Moon manga series created by Naoko Takeuchi. They serve as the main antagonists of the fourth arc, called Dream in the manga, Sailor Moon SuperS in its first anime adaptation, and Sailor Moon Eternal in the second anime adaptation. They are first introduced in chapter #39 "Dream 1 – Eclipse Dream", originally published in Japan on September 6, 1995. In the original English dubbed anime by Cloverway, they are called the "Dark Moon Circus".
Codename: Sailor V is a manga created by Naoko Takeuchi. The series revolves around the character Minako Aino, a cheerful schoolgirl who finds out that she has magical powers that she must use to protect the people of the Earth. Codename: Sailor V is the basis for its sequel, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon.
Sailor Moon, originally released in Japan as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon and later as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, is a Japanese superhero anime television series produced by Toei Animation using Super Sentai motifs. It is based on the manga of the same title written by Naoko Takeuchi that was published from 1991 to 1997 in Nakayoshi. Sailor Moon first aired in Japan on TV Asahi from March 7, 1992, to February 8, 1997, and was dubbed for release in various regions around the world, including North America, Southeast Asia, Greater China, Australia, Europe, and Latin America.
Makoto Kino, better known as Sailor Jupiter, is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon manga series created by Naoko Takeuchi. Makoto is her sailor form's alternative human identity as part of the Sailor Guardians, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
Ami Mizuno, better known as Sailor Mercury is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon manga series created by Naoko Takeuchi, a teenage Japanese schoolgirl, and a member of the Sailor Guardians, supernatural female fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
In the 1990s, more LGBTQ characters began to be depicted in animated series than in any of the years before. The depiction of LGBTQ characters changed significantly compared to previous decades. Some of the most prominent Western animated series during this decade which featured LGBTQ characters were South Park, King of the Hill, Futurama, and The Ambiguously Gay Duo. The representation in 1990s series would also influence series in the 2000s.
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