From 1990 to 1999, more LGBTQ characters appeared in anime than in Western animation. Most prominently, LGBTQ characters appeared in series such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Cardcaptor Sakura, One Piece, Dear Brother, Sailor Moon, and Ai no Kusabi. In contrast, Gargoyles featured an array of gay, bisexual, and asexual characters, followed by South Park and Family Guy in the later 1990s.
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, lesbian, non-binary, and bisexual animated characters, and on pages listing fictional trans, pansexual, asexual, and intersex characters.
The entries on this page are organized alphanumerically by duration dates and then alphabetically by the first letter of a specific series.
1990–1993
Duration Show title Character debut date Characters Identity Notes Country1991–1992 Dear Brother Fukiko Ichinomiya Bisexual Also known as "Miya-sama," she appears to be calm, generous, and elegant, as head of the Seiran Academy sorority, while she is cruel and emotionally manipulative, often psychologically and physically torturing Rei for several ambiguous reasons. She desires that Rei only have eyes for her, no one else. She also jealously tries to destroy their relationship by making Nanako love her instead. It is then revealed that she and Rei are sisters (proving their relationship to be incestual), specifically daughters of the Ichinomiya leader and a maid of the family mansion. In the anime, she is shown to that she fell in love Takehiko 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.Japan Mariko ShinobuLesbian Mariko greatly admires Kaoru due to her strength and the emotional support she gives her, and she admits to loving Kaoru. Mariko distrusts all men because 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 Misonoo16-year-old Nanako, a student at Seiran Academy, falls in love with Rei Asaka, who goes by the nickname Saint-Just-Sama, one of the school beauties. Rei slowly reciprocates her feelings and their relationship is one of the major driving plots of the series. However, Rei's destructive relationship with Fukiko Ichinomiya leads her to be troubled, obsessed with death, and drug-addicted. Kaoru also has a close relationship with Rei, and they care about each other, but they never get romantically involved. Some critics have described Rei as a "gender non-conforming hero" and a butch woman, due to her masculine aura, and having romantic relationships with other women. Rei Asaka1992–1994 Ai no Kusabi DarylGay Daryl is an eighteen-year-old castrated boy who served as Iason's furniture and Riki's caretaker. 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. Iason He is the most superior and powerful Blondie in Tanagura, and the head of the Syndicate, Tanagura's black market for pet trade. 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. 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. Riki Bisexual Riki was once the gang leader of the Bison gang. However he was captured and kept as a pet for three years by Iason who grew obsessively in love with him. One reviewer found the characterization of Iason in the third novel to be realistic and compelling, Prior to this, Riki was in a relationship with Guy. He also once engaged in a one-night stand with a female slave named Mimea.1992–1997Sailor MoonZoisiteGay (90s anime only) In the 1990s anime series, Zoisite is in a relationship with Kunzite, another powerful general who works under Queen Beryl from the Dark Kingdom. Zoisite was described as having a personality of an "effeminate, youngest-child type" in the Materials Collection of the manga. Zoisite would later appear in Sailor Moon Crystal without being depicted as gay.Japan Kunzite In the 1990s anime series, Kunzite is in a relationship with Zoisite, a powerful general. Kunzite was described as having the "air of an Arabian king," while being calm, silent, and frightening when he gets angry. Kunzite would later appear in Sailor Moon Crystal without being depicted as gay. Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus)LesbianHaruka 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. 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. 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." She also called Haruka a "masculine woman". Michiru Kaioh (Sailor Neptune) 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." 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. Fish-Eeye and other members of the Amazon Trio reappeared in Sailor Moon Eternal. Sailor Starlights Genderqueer (90s anime only) In the 90s anime series, the Sailor Starlights (Sailor Star Fighter, Sailor Star Maker, and Sailor Star Healer) were born female, but transform to present and refer to themselves as males when not fighting, as shown in the episode, "Holy War in the Galaxy! Sailor Wars Legend." Some speculated that the final season of the series, in which these characters appeared, did not receive an English dub because of season's "assertion that genderfluid people...exist." 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 me and I wasn't very happy about it." They later appeared in Sailor Moon Cosmos without being depicted as genderqueer.
1994
Duration Show title Character debut date Characters Identity Notes Country1994–1997Gargoyles Lexington Gay In a 2008 interview, series creator Greg Weisman stated that Lexington is gay. 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. He also said that while he wasn't trying to hint with anything in the series, he knew Lexington was gay "sometime in '95 or '96," although he couldn't have addressed in the show directly, because he would have been fired if he had done so. He further said that Lexington, as a gay person, tells his own truths, as does every character.United States Janine Renard Bisexual Former leader of The Pack, born with the name of Janine Renard, and later legally turns her name to Fox. 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." She could have a liking to Titania, the wife of Oberon and queen of the Third race, as shown in the episode "The Gathering." Weisman confirmed her as a bisexual woman. Owen Burnett Asexual Formerly the aid of Xanatos' aide, who is later revealed to be the immortal trickster Puck. Weisman confirmed Owen as asexual in response to various fan questions, but said that he had still dated a woman in the past. Puck Bisexual Weisman confirmed Puck as bisexual in response to a fan in September 2014. 1994-2008 Space Ghost Coast to Coast Lokar Gay Lokar is a locust-like 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". Supplementary material for the series had Lokar referred to himself as a Confirmed bachelor. 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. 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. 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 and Jellystone!. United States
1995
Duration Show title Character debut date Characters Identity Notes Country 1995 Dirty Pair Flash: Mission II Leena Lesbian Leena had caught the eye of Touma when he and Yuri were caught on one of the planet's planned rainy days, as shown in episodes such as "Tokyo Holiday Network." From the time he set eyes on her, Touma was smitten with her but he didn't count on the fact that Leena was a lesbian who had her eyes on Yuri, who seems to have feelings for Kei. Japan1995–1996El Hazard: The Magnificent World Alielle RelryleLesbian Alielle is presented as a comical character who makes other women uncomfortable because of her open attraction to them, in episodes such as "The World of Thunder." She has been described as a "midget flaming lesbian" who sees Princess Fatora Venus as her the "only object" of her affection as shown in episodes like "The World of Mindless Adventures." She also appears in the second OVA, in 1997, titled "El Hazard: The Magnificent World 2."Japan Fatora Venus An apparently open lesbian, 23-year-old Fatora is like her primary lover Alielle in that she has an overdeveloped sex drive and little concern for the concept of "faithfulness" or even "disinterested", indicated in episodes like "The World of Mindless Adventures." While it is implied that she has had many other "once-off" lovers in the past, and is attracted to Kalia, she is fixated on Shayla-Shayla and Nanami Jinnai. In the episode "The Bride of Roshtari," the manages to fool Shayla-Shayla sufficiently that she manages to kiss her, naturally prompting a fiery explosion of fury when the priestess realizes who just claimed her first kiss. Fatora also has a crush on Gilda of the emperor's guards. Like Alielle, she appears in the second OVA, "El Hazard: The Magnificent World 2." Fushigi Yûgi Nuriko Bisexual Nuriko initially dresses and acts as a woman named Kang-lin, one of Hotohori's concubines because Kang-lin was his twin sister who died and he wanted to keep her memory alive as shown in the episode, "The Seven Stars of Suzaku." He enjoys cross-dressing, as indicates in the episode "Even If I Die...," and is in love with Hotohori, but later also grows to love the main heroine Miaka as indicated in the episode "Brief Parting." Japan1995–1997Crapston Villas RobbieGayThe series was one of the first animated series on British television to present openly gay characters.United Kingdom Larry
1996