Top LGBTQ+ Themes Anime Recommendations

Shingeki no Kyojin 2

Also known as Attack on Titan Season 2.

Studio: Wit Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery

Eren Jaeger swore to wipe out every last Titan, but in a battle for his life he wound up becoming the thing he hates most. With his new powers, he fights for humanity's freedom facing the monsters that threaten his home. After a bittersweet victory against the Female Titan, Eren finds no time to rest—a horde of Titans is approaching Wall Rose and the battle for humanity continues!



Tags: Survival , Espionage , Post-Apocalyptic , Shapeshifting , Tragedy , Military , Kaiju , Dystopian , Primarily Teen Cast , Gore , Monster Boy , Monster Girl , Revenge , Philosophy , Politics , Anti-Hero , Ensemble Cast , Super Power , Class Struggle , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Cult , Incest , Kuudere , Dissociative Identities , Coming of Age , Orphan , LGBTQ+ Themes , Matriarchy , Steampunk , Mythology , Cannibalism , Primarily Male Cast , CGI , Female Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Swordplay , Unrequited Love , Rural , Tanned Skin

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

Kakegurui

Also known as Kakegurui.

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

During daylight hours, an exclusive, elite private school prepares its illustrious students for careers in business, politics, and high society. But when darkness falls, the halls of this esteemed establishment transform into an underground gambling den where bright-eyed youngsters learn the timeless art of bluffing, backdoor dealings and social manipulation. In this school for the rich and elite, money is power, and the tyrant of the betting books rules with an iron fist. So when the beautiful Yumeko Jabami upsets the academy hierarchy with her voracious appetite for the thrill of the gamble, the entire student body mobilizes to send her house of cards tumbling down.



Tags: Gambling , Female Protagonist , School , Primarily Female Cast , Body Horror , Masochism , Primarily Teen Cast , Poker , Ojou-sama , School Club , LGBTQ+ Themes , Anti-Hero , Shounen , Bullying , Villainess , Slavery , Death Game , Yandere , Delinquents , Battle Royale , Guns , Idol , Male Protagonist

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 , Urban , Female Protagonist , Shounen , Urban Fantasy , Heterosexual , Age Gap , Clone , Anti-Hero , Netorare , Guns , CGI , Terrorism , Police , Henshin , Adoption , Nudity , LGBTQ+ Themes , Bisexual , Orphan , Tanned Skin , Cult , Stop Motion , Disability , Psychosexual , Boys' Love

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

Bungou Stray Dogs

Also known as Bungo Stray Dogs.

Studio: bones
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Mystery , Supernatural

Stalked by a beastly white tiger, Atsushi Nakajima has no idea that the menace lives inside him—a power that catches the attention of the Armed Detective Agency. Using inhuman abilities to combat crime, this team takes Atsushi under the wing of their most eccentric member, Dazai. Together, they tear through mafia-muddled mysteries while enemies keep an eye on the tiger’s lofty bounty.



Tags: Super Power , Crime , Detective , Mafia , Urban Fantasy , Male Protagonist , Classic Literature , Yakuza , Urban , Primarily Male Cast , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Work , Orphan , Gangs , Seinen , Suicide , Slapstick , Gore , Kuudere , Guns , Terrorism , Shapeshifting , Anti-Hero , Assassins , LGBTQ+ Themes , Incest , Episodic , Tragedy , Bar , Homeless

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

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

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

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 , Urban , Yuri , Urban Fantasy , Seinen , Large Breasts , Primarily Adult Cast , Office Lady , LGBTQ+ Themes , Otaku Culture , Kuudere , Isekai , Software Development , Bisexual , Philosophy , Nudity

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Also known as Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Having slept through all four of her alarms, the energetic Narumi Momose finds herself running late for her first day of work at a new office. As she races to catch her train, she makes a promise to herself that none of her coworkers will find out about her dark secret: that she is an otaku and a fujoshi. Her plan goes instantly awry, though, when she runs into Hirotaka Nifuji, an old friend from middle school. Although she tries to keep her secret by inviting him out for drinks after work, her cover is blown when he casually asks her whether or not she will be attending the upcoming Summer Comiket. Luckily for her, the only witnesses—Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura—are otaku as well.

Later that night, the pair go out for drinks so that they can catch up after all the years apart. After Narumi complains about her previous boyfriend breaking up with her because he refused to date a fujoshi, Hirotaka suggests that she try dating a fellow otaku, specifically himself. He makes a solemn promise to always be there for her, to support her, and to help her farm for rare drops in Monster Hunter. Blown away by the proposal, Narumi agrees immediately. Thus the two otaku start dating, and their adorably awkward romance begins.



Tags: Otaku Culture , Primarily Adult Cast , Josei , Office Lady , Female Protagonist , Video Games , Work , Episodic , Male Protagonist , Urban , Kuudere , Ensemble Cast , Heterosexual , Cosplay , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tsundere , Office , Athletics , Tomboy , Bisexual , Classic Literature

BANANA FISH

Also known as BANANA FISH.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , 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 , Urban , Primarily Male Cast , Revenge , Guns , Coming of Age , Foreign , Boys' Love , LGBTQ+ Themes , Noir , Anti-Hero , Fugitive , Shoujo , Primarily Adult Cast , Assassins , Classic Literature , Criminal Organization , Orphan , Prison , Tanned Skin , Photography

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 , Primarily Teen Cast , Urban Fantasy , Ensemble Cast , Orphan , Shapeshifting , Rehabilitation , Animals , Primarily Male Cast , School , Episodic , Slapstick , Bullying , Heterosexual , Male Harem , Unrequited Love , Denpa , Kuudere , Memory Manipulation , Tsundere , Love Triangle , Homeless , Yandere , Agriculture , School Club , Nekomimi , Kemonomimi , Femboy , LGBTQ+ Themes , Crossdressing , Body Horror , Gangs , Gender Bending , Delinquents , Amnesia , Suicide , Nudity , Chibi , Card Battle

CLANNAD

Also known as Clannad.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Tomoya is a bitter, third year high school student. His mother passed away, causing his father to resort to alcohol and gambling. Tomoya is distant with his father and has become a delinquent in the years since his mother's death. Walking to school, he meets Nagisa Furukawa who is a year older but is repeating the grade due to illness. She is alone, as most of her friends have moved on. The two begin hanging out, and as time goes by, Tomoya finds his life shifting in a new direction.



Tags: School , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , Family Life , Ensemble Cast , Male Protagonist , School Club , Heterosexual , Ghost , Tragedy , Primarily Female Cast , Urban Fantasy , Amnesia , Slapstick , Female Protagonist , Gangs , Kuudere , Female Harem , Baseball , Tsundere , LGBTQ+ Themes , Twins , Basketball

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 , Denpa , Philosophy , Ensemble Cast , Hikikomori , Afterlife , Transgender , LGBTQ+ Themes , Artificial Intelligence , Body Horror , School , CGI , Episodic , Tomboy , Age Gap , Kuudere , Isekai , Guns , Idol , Gore

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

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 , Anachronism , Episodic , Assassins , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Anti-Hero , Prostitution , Kuudere , Tanned Skin , Politics , Drugs , Yakuza , Ninja , Religion , Heterosexual , Crossdressing , Nudity , Language Barrier , Zombie , Noir , Baseball , LGBTQ+ Themes

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

Deadman Wonderland

Also known as Deadman Wonderland.

Studio: Manglobe
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Horror , Sci-Fi

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: Tragedy , Super Power , Survival , Gore , Death Game , Prison , Anti-Hero , Body Horror , Male Protagonist , Dissociative Identities , Memory Manipulation , Shounen , Orphan , Rehabilitation , Guns , 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 , Villainess , Yuri , Death Game , Slavery , LGBTQ+ Themes , Ojou-sama , Shounen , School Club , Gender Bending , Idol