Top LGBTQ+ Themes Anime Recommendations

Shin Seiki Evangelion

Also known as Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Studio: Gainax , Tatsunoko Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Mecha , Mystery , Psychological , Sci-Fi

In the year 2015, the Angels, huge, tremendously powerful, alien war machines, appear in Tokyo for the second time. The only hope for Mankind's survival lies in the Evangelion, a humanoid fighting machine developed by NERV, a special United Nations agency. Capable of withstanding anything the Angels can dish out, the Evangelion's one drawback lies in the limited number of people able to pilot them. Only a handful of teenagers, all born fourteen years ago, nine months after the Angels first appeared, are able to interface with the Evangelion. One such teenager is Shinji Ikari, whose father heads the NERV team that developed and maintains the Evangelion. Thrust into a maelstrom of battle and events that he does not understand, Shinji is forced to plumb the depths of his own inner resources for the courage and strength to not only fight, but to survive, or risk losing everything.



Note: Later releases include edited versions of Episodes 21-24 called the "Director's Cut" with some visual editing and adding extra scenes that appeared in the theatrical recap 'Death'.

Tags: Philosophy , Coming of Age , Tragedy , Super Robot , Denpa , Dystopian , Cosmic Horror , Post-Apocalyptic , Angels , Psychosexual , Suicide , Kaiju , Primarily Teen Cast , Conspiracy , Male Protagonist , Aliens , Body Horror , Mythology , Military , Religion , Clone , Bisexual , Kuudere , Tokusatsu , Tsundere , Politics , Gore , Trains , Espionage , LGBTQ+ Themes , Boys' Love , Nudity , Episodic , Found Family

Mirai Nikki

Also known as The Future Diary.

Studio: Asread
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Horror , Mystery , Psychological , Supernatural , Thriller

This psychological thriller, based on the manga written and illustrated by Sakae Esuno, is about Yuki, a loner who's not very good with people. He prefers to write a diary on his cell phone and talk to his imaginary friend, Deus Ex Machina – The God of Time and Space. However, Yuki soon learns that Deus is more than a figment of his imagination when he makes Yuki participate in a battle royale with eleven others. The contestants are given special diaries that can predict the future, each diary possessing unique features that give it both advantages and disadvantages. Within the next 90 days, the contestants must try to survive until there is only one left standing. The winner will become the new God of Time and Space.



Tags: Battle Royale , Death Game , Survival , Yandere , Tragedy , Alternate Universe , Suicide , Meta , Gore , Gods , Time Manipulation , Male Protagonist , Crime , Super Power , Psychosexual , Urban , Heterosexual , Shounen , Urban Fantasy , Female Protagonist , Netorare , Age Gap , Clone , Anti-Hero , Guns , CGI , Terrorism , Police , Henshin , Adoption , Nudity , LGBTQ+ Themes , Bisexual , Orphan , Tanned Skin , Cult , Boys' Love , Stop Motion , Disability

Kill la Kill

Also known as Kill la Kill.

Studio: TRIGGER
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi

After the murder of her father, Ryuuko Matoi has been wandering the land in search of his killer. Following her only lead—the missing half of his invention, the Scissor Blade—she arrives at the prestigious Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other. The academy is ruled by the imposing and cold-hearted student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin alongside her powerful underlings, the Elite Four. In the school's brutally competitive hierarchy, Satsuki bestows upon those at the top special clothes called "Goku Uniforms," which grant the wearer unique superhuman abilities.

Tags: Henshin , Female Protagonist , Revenge , Psychosexual , Incest , Nudity , Parody , Surreal Comedy , Class Struggle , Dystopian , Tomboy , Super Power , Aliens , Coming of Age , Orphan , Age Gap , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Anti-Hero , Military , Cult , Bullying , Villainess , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tsundere , Ensemble Cast , School Club , Delinquents , Tokusatsu , Exhibitionism , Gore , Tragedy , CGI , Meta , Cosplay , Yandere , Cheerleading

DEVILMAN crybaby

Also known as Devilman Crybaby.

Studio: Science SARU
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Horror , Psychological , Supernatural

New Devilman project marking Go Nagai's 50th anniversary as a creator.

The protagonist Akira Fudou learns from his best friend, Ryou Asuka, that an ancient race of demons has returned to take back the world from humans. Ryou tells Akira that the only way to defeat the demons is to incorporate their supernatural powers, and suggests that he unite with a demon himself. Akira succeeds in transforming into Devilman, who possesses both the powers of a demon and the soul of a human. The battle of Devilman and Akira Fudou begins.



Tags: Demons , Tragedy , Body Horror , Gore , Psychosexual , Urban Fantasy , Gods , Shapeshifting , Male Protagonist , Nudity , Philosophy , Cosmic Horror , Curses , Monster Boy , War , Angels , Henshin , Anti-Hero , Mythology , Unrequited Love , Coming of Age , Cannibalism , LGBTQ+ Themes , Revenge , Boys' Love , Athletics , Guns , Urban , Drugs , Masturbation , Meta , Hip-hop Music , Bisexual , Politics , Post-Apocalyptic , Public Sex , Heterosexual , Afterlife , Motorcycles , Shounen , Conspiracy

Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan

Also known as The Disastrous Life of Saiki K..

Studio: J.C.STAFF , EGG FIRM
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life , Supernatural

To the average person, psychic abilities might seem a blessing; for Kusuo Saiki, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Gifted with a wide assortment of supernatural abilities ranging from telepathy to x-ray vision, he finds this so-called blessing to be nothing but a curse. As all the inconveniences his powers cause constantly pile up, all Kusuo aims for is an ordinary, hassle-free life—a life where ignorance is bliss.

Unfortunately, the life of a psychic is far from quiet. Though Kusuo tries to stay out of the spotlight by keeping his powers a secret from his classmates, he ends up inadvertently attracting the attention of many odd characters, such as the empty-headed Riki Nendou and the delusional Shun Kaidou. Forced to deal with the craziness of the people around him, Kusuo comes to learn that the ordinary life he has been striving for is a lot more difficult to achieve than expected.

Note: Aired in 2 versions, a 120-episode 5-minute short series, and a combined 24-episode 24-minute TV series with the same content.

Tags: Surreal Comedy , Super Power , Satire , Episodic , Parody , School , Meta , Mythology , Asexual , Male Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Aromantic , Shounen , Tsundere , Kuudere , Memory Manipulation , Urban , Chuunibyou , Unrequited Love , Ghost , Heterosexual , School Club , Gyaru , LGBTQ+ Themes , Incest , Video Games , Gangs

Bakemonogatari

Also known as Bakemonogatari.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Romance , Supernatural

First season of the Monogatari Series, part 1/6. Contains the arcs Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail, Suruga Monkey, Nadeko Snake, and Tsubasa Cat from the Bakemonogatari light novels.

Thanks to Meme Oshino, Koyomi Araragi, a high school student, is able to remain a human after coming across a female vampire... However, since the incident, Koyomi seems to meet girls who have an apparition-related issue. Hitagi Senjougahara doesn’t weigh anything, Suruga Kanbaru’s right arm becomes like that of a monkey’s, and a young girl, Mayoi, cannot find her way home no matter how many times she tries. Koyomi, a Mr. Nice Guy, ends up helping each and every girl solve her problem with the help of Meme Oshino.



Tags: Youkai , Ensemble Cast , Urban Fantasy , Kuudere , Male Protagonist , Surreal Comedy , Philosophy , Coming of Age , Vampire , Ghost , Primarily Female Cast , Satire , Primarily Teen Cast , Meta , Heterosexual , Dissociative Identities , Psychosexual , Curses , Monster Girl , Yandere , Female Harem , Love Triangle , Tomboy , Parody , Gore , Rotoscoping , Mixed Media , Nekomimi , Gods , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tsundere , CGI , Rehabilitation , School , Amnesia , Aliens

Kobayashi-san Chi no Maidragon

Also known as Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Slice of Life

What happens when a drunken promise leads to living with a dragon? That’s Miss Kobayashi’s new reality when Tohru appears in her life. With a maid-slash-dragon in her home, she’s experiencing a whole new level of domestic bliss! But the dragons don’t stop there. On a mission to find Tohru appears Kanna, a little dragon with a big attitude. Before she knows it, Kobayashi’s got a house full of dragons—one serving tail and the other serving serious moe! Together, they live side by side with only the occasional disaster…well, maybe. But nothing beats coming home to the warm welcome of a dragon maid!



Tags: Found Family , Dragons , Monster Girl , Family Life , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Maids , Magic , Episodic , Anthropomorphism , Urban , Yuri , Urban Fantasy , Seinen , Large Breasts , LGBTQ+ Themes , Primarily Adult Cast , Office Lady , Otaku Culture , Surreal Comedy , Kuudere , Software Development , Bisexual , Nudity

Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Thriller

One night, 14-year-old Madoka Kaname has a terrible nightmare - against the backdrop of a devastated city, she witnesses a girl fight a losing battle against a dreadful being lingering above, while a cat-like magical creature tells Madoka the only way to change such tragic outcome is for her to make a contract with him and become a magical girl.

The next day, the teen's dream seemingly becomes reality as the girl she saw in her dream - Homura - arrives at Mitakihara Middle School as a transfer student, mysteriously warning Madoka to stay just the way she is; but when later on she and her best friend Sayaka encounter the same cat-like magical creature from her dream - who introduces himself as Kyubey - the pair discovers that magical girls are real, and what's more, they can choose to become one. All they must do is sign a contract with Kyubey and agree to take on the duty to fight abstract beings called 'witches' that spread despair to the human world, and in return, each one of them will be granted any single wish they desire. However, as Homura's omen suggests, there might be far more to becoming a magical girl than Madoka and Sayaka realize...

Notes:
- Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the broadcasts of episodes 11 and 12 were delayed and were later aired as a double feature on April 21, 2011.

Tags: Magic , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Witch , Primarily Female Cast , Time Manipulation , Urban Fantasy , Philosophy , Alternate Universe , Time Loop , Primarily Teen Cast , Kuudere , Cosmic Horror , Yuri , Henshin , Coming of Age , Survival , Aliens , Urban , Primarily Child Cast , Ensemble Cast , Gods , Anti-Hero , Spearplay , Suicide , Mixed Media , Heterosexual , Achronological Order , LGBTQ+ Themes , Guns , School , Tomboy , Love Triangle , Anthropomorphism , Archery , Denpa

BANANA FISH

Also known as BANANA FISH.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Psychological , Thriller

Nature made Ash Lynx beautiful; nurture made him a cold ruthless killer. A runaway brought up as the adopted heir and sex toy of "Papa" Dino Golzine, Ash, now at the rebellious age of seventeen, forsakes the kingdom held out by the devil who raised him. But the hideous secret that drove Ash's older brother mad in Vietnam has suddenly fallen into Papa's insatiably ambitious hands—and it's exactly the wrong time for Eiji Okamura, a pure-hearted young photographer from Japan, to make Ash Lynx's acquaintance...



Tags: Mafia , Gangs , Tragedy , Crime , Conspiracy , Drugs , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Urban , Revenge , Guns , Criminal Organization , Coming of Age , Foreign , LGBTQ+ Themes , Boys' Love , Shoujo , Anti-Hero , Noir , Fugitive , Primarily Adult Cast , Assassins , Ensemble Cast , Orphan , Prison , Classic Literature , Photography , Tanned Skin

Fruits Basket: 1st Season

Also known as Fruits Basket (2019).

Studio: TMS Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Tohru Honda thought her life was headed for misfortune when a family tragedy left her living in a tent. When her small home is discovered by the mysterious Soma clan, she suddenly finds herself living with Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Soma. But she quickly learns their family has a bizarre secret of their own: when hugged by the opposite sex, they turn into the animals of the Zodiac!



Tags: Found Family , Female Protagonist , Family Life , Shoujo , Fairy Tale , Mythology , Coming of Age , Urban Fantasy , Ensemble Cast , Shapeshifting , Orphan , Primarily Teen Cast , Curses , Animals , Rehabilitation , Yandere , Delinquents , School Club , Homeless , Primarily Male Cast , Kuudere , Unrequited Love , Cohabitation , Slapstick , Episodic , School , Heterosexual , Male Harem , Bullying , Tsundere , Memory Manipulation , Suicide , Denpa , Love Triangle , Femboy , Agriculture , Gender Bending , Crossdressing , Gangs , Nudity , LGBTQ+ Themes , Body Horror , Nekomimi , Kemonomimi , Philosophy , Amnesia , Chibi , Card Battle

Gintama

Also known as Gintama.

Studio: Sunrise
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Sci-Fi

Life isn't easy in feudal Japan... especially since the aliens landed and conquered everything! Oh sure, the new health care is great, but the public ban on the use of swords has left a lot of defeated samurai with a difficult decision to make concerning their future career paths! This is especially true if, as in the case of Gintoki Sakata, they're not particularly inclined towards holding a day job, which is why Gintoki's opted for the freelance route, taking any job that's offered to him as long as the financial remuneration sounds right. Unfortunately, in a brave new world filled with stray bug-eyed monsters, upwardly mobile Yakuza and overly ambitious E.T. entrepreneurs, those jobs usually don't pay as well as they should for the pain, suffering and indignities endured!



Tags: Parody , Ensemble Cast , Samurai , Meta , Slapstick , Found Family , Male Protagonist , Surreal Comedy , Anachronism , Aliens , Episodic , Swordplay , Shounen , Police , Terrorism , Satire , Historical , Tragedy , Primarily Adult Cast , Space , Mopeds , Ninja , Sadism , Crime , Masochism , Oiran , LGBTQ+ Themes , Robots , Homeless , Mafia , Crossdressing , Gore , Ghost , Nekomimi , Boxing , Pirates , Yakuza , Dissociative Identities , Educational , Fishing , CGI , Kuudere , Body Swapping , Anthropomorphism , Female Harem

Wonder Egg Priority

Also known as WONDER EGG PRIORITY.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery , Psychological , Sci-Fi , Thriller

This is the story of Ai, an introverted girl whose fate is forever changed when she acquires a mysterious “Wonder Egg” from a deserted arcade. That night, her dreams blend into reality, and as other girls obtain their own Wonder Eggs, Ai discovers new friends—and the magic within herself.



Tags: Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Urban Fantasy , Suicide , Bullying , Coming of Age , Alternate Universe , Primarily Teen Cast , CGI , Denpa , Philosophy , Ensemble Cast , Hikikomori , Afterlife , Body Horror , Artificial Intelligence , LGBTQ+ Themes , School , Transgender , Episodic , Tomboy , Age Gap , Kuudere , Gore , Isekai , Idol , Guns

Samurai Champloo

Also known as Samurai Champloo.

Studio: Manglobe
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

Let's break it down. Mugen's a reckless sword-slinger with a style that's more b-boy than Shaolin. He's got a nasty streak that makes people want to stick a knife in his throat. Then there's Jin, a deadbeat ronin who speaks softly but carries a big blade. He runs game old-school style, but he can make your blood spray with the quickness. When these roughnecks bring the ruckus, it ain't good for anybody, especially them. Enter Fuu, the ditzy waitress who springs her new friends from a deadly jam. All she wants in return is help solving a riddle from her past. She and the boys are tracking the scent, but there's 99 ways to die between them and the sunflower samurai.



Tags: Travel , Swordplay , Samurai , Rural , Historical , Orphan , Martial Arts , Episodic , Anachronism , Assassins , Primarily Adult Cast , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Anti-Hero , Prostitution , Kuudere , Tanned Skin , Politics , Drugs , Yakuza , Ninja , Religion , Heterosexual , Crossdressing , Nudity , Language Barrier , Zombie , Baseball , LGBTQ+ Themes , Indigenous Cultures

Ouran Koukou Host Club

Also known as Ouran High School Host Club.

Studio: bones
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Fujioka Haruhi wins a scholarship to attend Ouran Academy, a school reserved for only the most rich and prestigious. Despite what other students may think of her, she cares little for physical appearances or the fact that she is a commoner.

Unfortunately for Haruhi, her high school days take a sudden turn when she stumbles upon the Host Club, an elite club filled with super rich and beautiful boys who use their specific traits and charms to entertain young ladies. Even worse, Haruhi accidentally breaks an 8-million yen vase in the club. Since she is unable to repay her debt with money, Haruhi finds herself with no choice but to work for the Host Club, becoming a male host herself.

Tags: School Club , Surreal Comedy , Shoujo , Crossdressing , Parody , School , Male Harem , Female Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Ensemble Cast , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Primarily Male Cast , Tomboy , Meta , Twins , Episodic , Mixed Gender Harem , Unrequited Love , Femboy , Heterosexual , Found Family , Love Triangle , LGBTQ+ Themes , Chibi , Ojou-sama , Food , Martial Arts , Female Harem , Delinquents , Gangs , Yakuza

Deadman Wonderland

Also known as Deadman Wonderland.

Studio: Manglobe
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

Ganta is the only survivor after a mysterious man in red slaughters a classroom full of teenagers. He's framed for the carnage, sentenced to die, and locked away in the most twisted prison ever built: Deadman Wonderland. And then it gets worse.

At Deadman Wonderland, convicts are forced into brutal deathmatches for the amusement of the masses, the cheers of the crowd drowning out the screams of the dismembered. Even when Ganta befriends Shiro, an unusual female inmate, his dark fate crushes all hope —until he discovers the strange ability to wield his spilled blood as a weapon. Ganta learns his new skill might be related to the murderous man in red and uncovers disturbing secrets that could expose those who stole his freedom. He's determined to see justice served —but first he'll have to fight for his life in a prison that holds a million ways to die.



Tags: Prison , Tragedy , Survival , Super Power , Gore , Death Game , Anti-Hero , Body Horror , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Dissociative Identities , Memory Manipulation , Orphan , Guns , Rehabilitation , Tanned Skin , LGBTQ+ Themes , Nudity

Kakegurui ××

Also known as Kakegurui xx.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological

At Hyakkao Private Academy, Yumeko Jabami’s star rises just as the student council’s reputation starts to dim. In the shadows of the council’s dwindling power, discord reigns supreme. In a bold effort to rebalance the social scales, student council president Kirari Momobami intends to place her bet on the election for the council’s next president. Everyone starts with a single chip, and at the end of 30 days, the whoever holds the most becomes the president of the Momobami Clan. But chips aren’t the only things students can wager as they fight tooth and nail to ascend to the council presidency, and Yumeko Jabami intends to clean house no matter the prizes she must risk in the betting pool.



Tags: Gambling , School , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Revenge , Anti-Hero , Twins , Primarily Teen Cast , Yandere , Yuri , Villainess , Death Game , Slavery , LGBTQ+ Themes , Ojou-sama , Shounen , School Club , Gender Bending , Suicide , Idol

Yofukashi no Uta

Also known as Call of the Night.

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Psychological , Romance , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Wracked by insomnia and wanderlust, Kou Yamori is driven onto the moonlit streets every night in an aimless search for something he can’t seem to name. His nightly ritual is marked by purposeless introspection — until he meets Nazuna, who might just be a vampire! Kou’s new companion could offer him dark gifts and a vampire’s immortality. But there are conditions that must be met before Kou can sink his teeth into vampirism, and he’ll have to discover just how far he’s willing to go to satisfy his desires before he can heed the Call of the Night!



Tags: Vampire , Urban Fantasy , Urban , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Heterosexual , Aromantic , Coming of Age , Age Gap , Shounen , Primarily Teen Cast , Hikikomori , Tomboy , Primarily Female Cast , Psychosexual , LGBTQ+ Themes , Detective , Tragedy , Nudity , Restaurant , Maids , Amnesia , Femboy , Gyaru , Female Harem , Crossdressing , Video Games

Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun

Also known as Toilet-bound Hanako-kun.

Studio: Lerche
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Mystery , Supernatural

"Hanako-san, Hanako-san... are you there?"

At Kamome Academy, rumors abound about the school's Seven Mysteries, one of which is Hanako-san. Said to occupy the third stall of the third floor girls' bathroom in the old school building, Hanako-san grants any wish when summoned. Nene Yashiro, an occult-loving high school girl who dreams of romance, ventures into this haunted bathroom... but the Hanako-san she meets there is nothing like she imagined! Kamome Academy's Hanako-san... is a boy!



Tags: Ghost , Youkai , School , Mythology , Female Protagonist , Afterlife , Primarily Teen Cast , Male Protagonist , Twins , Tragedy , Urban Fantasy , Episodic , Shounen , Achronological Order , Ensemble Cast , Femboy , Heterosexual , Slapstick , LGBTQ+ Themes , Conspiracy , School Club , Boys' Love , Love Triangle , Mermaid , Exorcism

SK∞

Also known as SK8 the Infinity.

Studio: bones
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Sports

Reki, a high school sophomore and skater, is addicted to “S,” a highly secret and dangerous downhill skateboarding race that takes place in an abandoned mine. The skaters are especially wild about the “beefs,” or heated battles that erupt in the races.

Reki takes Langa, a transfer student returning to Japan after studying abroad, to the mine where the races are held. Langa, who has no skateboarding experience, finds himself pulled into the world of “S”...



Note: On March 13, 2021 a recap episode (9.5) went on air, postponing the broadcast of the regular episodes by one week.

Tags: Skateboarding , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Ensemble Cast , Parkour , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Slapstick , Urban , Found Family , LGBTQ+ Themes , Restaurant , School , Butler , Artificial Intelligence , Gambling , Motorcycles

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! Kurenai Densetsu

Also known as KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world!- Legend of Crimson.

Studio: J.C.STAFF
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy , Supernatural

A video game-loving shut-in, Satou Kazuma's life should've ended when he was hit by a truck, but through a twist of fate, he ends up reincarnating in another world--and dragging the troublemaking goddess, Aqua, the wildly dorky mage, Megumin, and the unrelentingly delusional lady knight, Darkness, with him.

Now, the Crimson Demon village that Megumin and Yunyun are from is facing a threat that could mean its ending. Kazuma and his gang follow Yunyun, who returns to the Crimson Demon village intent on saving it... when they are faced with their greatest threat yet! What will become of the unremarkable adventurer Kazuma's life in another world?!



Tags: Satire , Isekai , Parody , Magic , Male Protagonist , Chuunibyou , Ensemble Cast , Anti-Hero , Chimera , Afterlife , Primarily Female Cast , Futanari , Demons , Female Protagonist , Gods , Swordplay , Medieval , Transgender , Masochism , Goblin , Dullahan , Tanned Skin , LGBTQ+ Themes , Shounen