Top 15 Iconic Gay Characters in Anime Who Stole Our Hearts

Anime has introduced audiences to richly written queer characters whose stories unfold with care and intention. These characters are part of their shows in meaningful ways, from leading roles that drive the plot to pivotal supporting arcs that change how other characters grow. Each one helped shape conversations about representation while staying true to the world of their series.

Below are fifteen standout gay characters from well known anime. To add helpful context, each entry notes where the series aired in Japan, since networks often shape how and when viewers first encountered these stories. The focus is on concrete details about who they are in the narrative, the relationships that define them, and the roles they play within their shows.

Kaworu Nagisa from ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’

Kaworu appears late in the story as the Fifth Child and reveals knowledge of the Angels that other characters lack. He tells Shinji that he loves him, and their brief connection becomes central to Shinji’s emotional conflict, with their time together culminating in a choice that affects the fate of NERV.

The original broadcast of ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ ran on TV Tokyo, which meant Kaworu’s episodes were part of a widely accessible late night slot. His interactions with Shinji continue across later adaptations, where his origins and intentions are further explored through added scenes and alternate continuity.

Haruka Tenoh from ‘Sailor Moon’

Haruka is Sailor Uranus, a guardian who fights alongside Sailor Neptune with a combination of speed focused attacks and close combat tactics. Her relationship with Michiru Kaioh is presented as established and mutually supportive, and together they often operate with missions that differ from the Inner Guardians.

‘Sailor Moon’ aired on TV Asahi, placing Haruka and Michiru’s partnership on a major national network that reached family audiences. The series uses Haruka’s gender nonconforming presentation to challenge characters’ assumptions, while keeping her romance with Michiru consistent across major story arcs.

Juri Arisugawa from ‘Revolutionary Girl Utena’

Juri is the captain of the fencing team and a powerful duelist whose skill and strategy make her a formidable opponent. Her unrequited love for Shiori shapes key episodes, and her prized rose crest locket becomes a symbol tied to the feelings she refuses to voice openly.

‘Revolutionary Girl Utena’ broadcast on TV Tokyo, and Juri’s episodes sit alongside the show’s larger examinations of power and identity within Ohtori Academy. The series presents Juri’s sexuality through narrative motifs, using duels, reflections, and the locket to depict the weight of concealed affection.

Shion from ‘No. 6’

Shion grows up inside the walled city of No. 6 and is forced out after helping a fugitive named Nezumi. Their reunion years later turns into a partnership that exposes the city’s abuses, and Shion’s feelings for Nezumi surface in scenes that include confessions and a kiss.

‘No. 6’ aired in Fuji TV’s Noitamina block, which often features character driven dramas. The show uses Shion’s relationship with Nezumi to link personal loyalty with political awakening, tying their bond to revelations about the city’s experiments and the cost of dismantling its control.

Mafuyu Sato from ‘Given’

Mafuyu is the vocalist and guitarist who joins a small band after a period of isolation. He writes lyrics drawn from past grief, and his connection with Ritsuka Uenoyama develops from mentorship into a romantic relationship that grows alongside the band’s progress.

‘Given’ premiered on Fuji TV through the Noitamina block, bringing a music themed romance to a mainstream late night audience. The series follows Mafuyu through rehearsals, club gigs, and studio practice, building his story around songwriting, communication, and a relationship that becomes official on screen.

Shuumei Sasaki from ‘Sasaki and Miyano’

Sasaki is an older student who meets Miyano after a scuffle and begins spending time with him between classes. He confesses his feelings plainly, and the two navigate boundaries at school while learning how to support each other through exams, clubs, and everyday routines.

‘Sasaki and Miyano’ aired on Tokyo MX, which regularly programs late night anime for the Kanto region. The adaptation keeps the school setting grounded, using cultural festivals, holiday breaks, and student council duties to chart how Sasaki and Miyano move from acquaintances to boyfriends.

Touko Nanami from ‘Bloom Into You’

Touko is the student council president who projects a model image while hiding a private fear of not being loved for her real self. She initiates an exclusive relationship with Yuu Koito under conditions she sets, and the series then shows her confronting the expectations she adopted after a family loss.

‘Bloom Into You’ premiered on AT X before expanding to other stations, which positioned its story within a late night slot known for teen dramas. The show places Touko’s romance with Yuu alongside campaign planning, council elections, and a stage play, and it uses those activities to reveal the honest choices she eventually makes.

Suletta Mercury from ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury’

Suletta transfers to Asticassia School of Technology and becomes a duelist pilot of the mobile suit Aerial. She and Miorine Rembran form an engagement through the school’s duel system, and their relationship continues while larger corporate conflicts shape the course of their lives.

‘Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury’ aired on the Nichigo slot shared by MBS and TBS, giving its school arc and corporate storyline a national broadcast presence. The series presents Suletta and Miorine as fiancées within school rules, then sustains their partnership across investigations, rescues, and negotiations.

Ymir from ‘Attack on Titan’

Ymir is introduced with a sharp survival instinct and a history tied to the power of the Titans. Her affection for Historia Reiss is explicit in dialogue and action, and that bond guides her through choices that intersect with multiple military factions and hidden identities.

‘Attack on Titan’ began on MBS before later seasons moved to NHK General, which broadened its reach across Japan. Ymir’s arc connects flashbacks, battlefield shifts, and secret letters, and the show records her commitment to Historia as a central part of her decisions.

Yayoi Kunizuka from ‘Psycho Pass’

Yayoi starts as a latent criminal who becomes an Enforcer after the Sibyl System measures her at a high crime coefficient. She maintains a relationship with Shion Karanomori, the MWPSB analyst, and that partnership is shown through on duty exchanges and off duty scenes.

‘Psycho Pass’ aired in Fuji TV’s Noitamina block, aligning its police procedural format with character focused storytelling. The series uses case files, inspections, and raids to position Yayoi within the team, while keeping her romance with Shion as a steady thread across investigations.

Reo Niiboshi from ‘Sarazanmai’

Reo serves as a policeman who works with Mabu Akutsu on bizarre cases connected to desires and kappa lore. His romantic past with Mabu is part of their backstory, and their scenes include exchanges that confirm a shared history anchored by vows and loss.

‘Sarazanmai’ aired in Fuji TV’s Noitamina block, which often features surreal drama. The show weaves Reo and Mabu’s relationship into musical interludes, chase sequences, and transformation rituals, using those elements to explain why their goals keep colliding with the paths of the three middle school leads.

Touya Kinomoto from ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’

Touya is Sakura’s older brother and a high school student with part time jobs and a protective streak. His relationship with Yukito Tsukishiro is described both directly and through magical implications, and the series treats their bond as an ongoing part of everyday life in Tomoeda.

‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ broadcast on NHK, placing its episodes on Japan’s public television service. Storylines show Touya supporting Sakura’s card captures while quietly maintaining his own commitments, and later material continues to acknowledge his connection with Yukito through consistent interactions.

Ginko Yurishiro from ‘Yurikuma Arashi’

Ginko transfers into Kureha Tsubaki’s school while hiding that she is a bear in human form. Her love for Kureha predates the transfer and drives actions that challenge a society enforcing invisible walls between groups it labels as different.

‘Yurikuma Arashi’ aired on Tokyo MX, a hub for late night anime within the capital region. The series tells Ginko’s story with courtroom scenes, student councils, and fairy tale imagery, and it frames her devotion to Kureha as the core motivation behind her choices.

Takato Saijo from ‘Dakaichi’

Takato is a veteran actor known for years of top popularity who finds his status challenged by newcomer Junta Azumaya. Their professional rivalry becomes a romantic relationship, and the show tracks the pair through auditions, rehearsals, and magazine features.

‘Dakaichi’ aired on Tokyo MX, where late night scheduling supported its industry setting and adult romance. Episodes incorporate film shoots, drama sets, and agency meetings, and they document how Takato balances career expectations with a personal relationship that becomes public to colleagues.

Ryouma Ichijou from ‘Love Stage!!’

Ryouma is a young actor who meets Izumi Sena during a commercial shoot and later discovers that Izumi is a man who prefers manga creation to on camera work. After struggling with his assumptions, Ryouma apologizes and commits to a relationship that respects Izumi’s goals and boundaries.

‘Love Stage!!’ aired on Tokyo MX, part of a network lineup known for late night anime across the Kanto area. The series follows Ryouma through variety appearances, agency scheduling, and location shoots, using the entertainment setting to show how he reconciles public image work with private commitments.

Share your favorite moments featuring these characters in the comments so everyone can compare notes on which stories resonated most.