The best lesbian anime is almost similar to an all romantic ecchi anime, except that the main protagonists are two female characters. Some would have explicit scenes while others are subtle and metaphorical.
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In Japan, same-sex relationship is still taboo. But lately, many yuri anime shows are gaining attention from LGBTQ anime fans.
So, I’m bringing you the best yuri anime list with 30 plus popular shows in the community.
Top Lesbian Anime That You Need to Watch Now!
Sakura Trick
This story focuses on two ladies who are best friends since they’re young and attending elementary school. When they entered Misato West High School, Yuu Sonoda and Haruka Takayama get seated separately.
Yuu, being an outgoing person, begins to gain friends. On the other hand, Haruka becomes jealous of this. The rest of the episodes revolves around the two girls discovering how they really feel for each other.
Their kiss is one of the most romantic scenes in the series. It unlocks hidden desires and feelings that the two young ladies hide these past years.
The Sakura Trick anime doesn’t shy away from showing sexual activity and even features incestuous relationships. The show does use comedy to make the audience laugh.
Strawberry Panic!
Strawberry Panic is a 27-episode long Shoujo Ai anime. It has a wide variety of characters, great plots, and funky moments. If you like CGDCT, you'll love this because the anime has generous CGDCT moments.
This series follows the charming life of Aoi Nagisa who joins the St. Miator's Girls Academy. In the next 26 episodes, you can watch how she learns the system and about the Etiole.
It's about knowing your worth and creating a long-lasting relationship despite the struggles of teenage and high school life.
Strawberry Panic is like having an ice cream on a hot summer day when you need to eat something sweet. Towards the end, however, it becomes intense and gets more serious.
Asagao to Kase-san
Asagao and Kase-san anime shows a lot of potentials to learn about yuri anime in general. Its art is beautifully colored with light scenes.
This romantic anime show is an original video animation that follows the love life of two young girls. It has a heartwarming tale about first love.
One girl is extremely shy while the other one is a tomboyish and outgoing ace of the track team. With the morning glories that Yui nurtures daily, the two become more than friends. Follow their love in this 58-minute OVA.
Maria-Sama Ga Miteru
In an all-girls school located in Tokyo, students pair with someone else in a Big Sister Program. This program lasts until the pair graduates.
In the yuri anime story, Yumi Fukuzawa captures the attention of Sachiko Ogasawara. To her surprise, the young and beautiful girl asks her to be her "sister" in the program. Together, the two discover how to build a relationship.
Maria-sama ga Miteru is a fearless depiction of lesbian relationships. This series also dwells on sexual experimentation. So, expect some kind of romance.
Some might hate this series. Well, everyone's taste varies. Will you watch this? Go on and see how bold this series is.
Whispered Words
Whispered Words is a romantic series about a girl who is in love with a childhood friend. The two main protagonists are Sumika and Ushio. Secretly, they have feelings for each other.
These two young women are afraid to confront their own sexuality. Their classmate, Tomoe, helps them realize this by creating a girls-interested-with-girls club.
It's a roller coaster ride of emotions and accepting these feelings head-on. When the two girls come to terms with their feelings, they learn that there's nothing to be ashamed of.
Stainless Night
Warning ahead! This OVA is not your ordinary Yuri genre. It is hentai, so discretion is highly recommended. If you're below 18, don't watch it.
That being said, Stainless Night is a fantasy realism. It follows the life of a highly sophisticated android named Linea. This pretty robot is not your ordinary machine because it is a pleasure machine.
But, Linea doesn't know this and couldn't remember much about herself. In her wandering, she finds three young women, one of which is Sayaka.
Their adventure together brings them across different towns and places as they meet new people, particularly Nagisa who seems oddly familiar.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Utena Tanjou is a transfer student at Ootori Academy. Her search for the prince who saved her a year ago leads her to this school.
To her surprise, she is not the only one who possesses a rose ring. Now, Utena must defeat these other girls to win Rose Bride Anthy.
The yuri element of Revolutionary Girl Utena is quite subtle and metaphorical. It's up to you whether to interpret the anime as lesbian anime. You can't really see kissing or any romantic scenes as explicit proof of being yuri.
But if you watch closely enough, you will see Utena and Anthy together a lot more often than with any other character. There are a few yuri anime scenes that hint at a romantic relationship between them.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
This anime focuses on 5 magical girls who must defeat a dark force before it overthrows them.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica seems like a happy, cutesy anime. Well, it does but halfway through, it turns into a dark, dramatic and psychological series.
The series is not recommended for kids and young adults who have difficulty understanding sensitive topics.
The Yuri factor is there but not the cliche of girls kissing girls. There's no provocative declaration of love.
What is evident? It's their friendship that will last a lifetime. Although the girls were placed into some sort of trial-after-trails, they manage to survive.
El Cazador de la Bruja
The yuri anime series follows the adventures of a bounty hunter named Nadie. Her latest target is Ellis who is prone to forgetting events in her life. This girl is an alleged murderer of a scientist.
Instead of handing Ellis to the authority, Nadie decides to help her out. Together, they scourge Mexico to search for whatever Ellis is looking for.
As the two young women travel together, they uncover unexpected discoveries. This includes Nadie's feelings for Ellis.
This anime features a strong heroine as the protagonist. It also pushes lesbian characters to be more than just sideshows or fanservice. Nadie by herself is probably better than most other lesbians in anime.
Citrus
Citrus has an intriguing, almost scandalous start as one of the main characters transfers to a new school. In other shows, the romance culminates in a kiss. Well, it’s the opposite for this anime.
The two main protagonists shared a passionate kiss right from the very beginning. Although it’s a shared kiss, Yuzu thinks that Mei stole her first kiss.
Thus, it begins the story of two young women who are about to discover their true sexuality. The story is rich in the emotions of the characters. The tone is very serious and dramatic, but it develops gradually with slight moments of humor.
The balance between sweet and sad makes this anime one of few that can make you cry in nearly every episode without fail.
Shinseiki Cream Lemon
This story has two episodes. It is an OVA. Back then, it was not popular. However, it gained an audience because of its realistic animation. Unfortunately, cream lemon is hentai, focusing on BDSM lesbians.
So if you like this kind of story you might try watching this. hentai aside, it tells the story of a lonely teenage girl looking for love. Tomoe found this love in the presence of her senpai.
But love is not always easy. With some people, it's even hard to find. The anime shows the difficulties of being gay in a society that does not understand or appreciate these feelings.
Riddle Story of Devil
The Riddle Story of Devil follows Tokaku Azuma. This girl is a high school student assassin and her job is to kill a girl named Haru Ichinose.
But this skilled killer falls for Haru. So, she decided to protect the girl she is about to assassinate. The animated series is a little predictable at times but overall this plot is extremely interesting.
Until the last episode, Riddle Story of Devil remains fascinating. The love that they show in this yuri anime series is out of this world and we can watch it again and again if we want to.
This series does not actually say that they are lesbian but there're many scenes in which you can see their chemistry and how much the girls love each other.
Yuri Kuma Arashi
Bear vs man is the premise of the story. It is the never-ending battles between bears and men. Society succeeded in creating A barrier to keep the hungry bears away from humans.
Years later two young couples are about to get a trial of a lifetime. Their love is about to get tested as two hungry bears infiltrated the school where they attend.
This anime has substantial fan engagement and lesbian scenes. The lovely background music complements the anime story.
This anime is a good lesbian series because of the right amount of realism and humor. The circumstances which led to the story happening are realistic enough.
Konohana Kitan
Konohana Kitan is a shoujo-ai-based anime set in a fantasy theme. It shows the world clearly and gives an explanation to viewers about girls’ love.
The story follows the life of yuzu, a fox girl. This girl is clumsy and always makes mistakes. but she tries her best to learn the trade of being an inn attendant.
Soon, the other crew members warm up to her. How could they not? This girl is a jolly person who is also a persevering one.
This anime is a good example of how lesbians should be shown on TV: sweet and loving that will warm your hearts and put a smile on your face. The girls' interactions are well-done; it makes us believe they do love each other deeply.
Adachi to Shimamura
Adachi to Shimamura is a typical love story between two polar opposite characters made unique by its presentation. The anime delivers justice to drama and the theme of a quiet GL anime.
The anime is casual and relaxed. It develops slowly with casual interactions between 2 female friends. The visuals are fantastic and overall anime is an artistic treat.
Adachi and Shimamura started with a platonic relationship. But as they discover their feelings towards each other realize their friendship is more than just platonic.
Countdown to Delight
Motoki has a lesbian sister. Although he wants to study he cannot concentrate because of his sister’s loud lovemaking in the other room. Because of this, the young man needs a tutor so he could pass his subjects. Unfortunately, Motoki falls for his tutor and becomes a slave for her.
The comedy anime story features many graphic scenes that are not subtle. Countdown to delight is a hilarious depiction of lesbian sexuality plus a brother who seems to accept his sister’s character.
Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san
This story follows the life of two high school girls. it shows how the girls try to come to terms with their feelings. Although inugami and Nekoyama have different personalities, they also have many things similar.
The two girls may have some conflicts but they manage to overcome these. They even gain the attention of their classmate, Mikine Nezu.
Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san Is wild and explosive. It portrays a side of a lesbian relationship with the constant bickering between two lovers. Still, at the end of the day, they reconcile.
Simoun
The story begins in a place called Simulicram. In here, all are born female and you can choose your sexual orientation by joining an exclusive ceremony at age 17. Awesome, right?
Aside from this place, there are two nations possessing the same technology that Simulicram has. Each nation has its mega-like flying machines to defend the people living in it. These machines are cold Simoun and each is piloted by a young female.
The lesbian anime series focuses on the different kinds of love. Most parts dwell on girls’ love, friendship, and love for country.
Princess Principal
Princess principal is not tagged as a shoujo-ai genre. But it has all the elements of said genre. This anime is packed with action and stars female characters only.
Even if you don't look too close, it's not too hard to identify the obvious emotional ties between the characters. Some fans often think that this lesbian series is just Yuri-baiting but the character chemistry goes beyond simple fan service.
Aside from lesbian relationships, this story focuses on government oppression and war between powerful societies.
No Mnemosyne
The series isn't designed for everyone else either. It has graphic scenes many might find offensive.
But the anime has such mature content that it is often classified as smut. The relationship in the stories seems authentic and a few scenes promote fanservice.
Also, this anime touches on the topic of immortality. I know there are people who desire it.
But what if every person wants you dead because of your everlasting life. Would you still like to become immortal like the main protagonist?
Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid
Tokonome Mamori finds herself trapped in Mermaid, an artificial quarantine site for people with superpowers. While there, her kidnappers begin to attack her.
But, a new girl with extremely long hair reaching up to the floor defends her. The awesome part? Sweet Mamori is the weapon! Yes, Mirei is able to awaken her inner abilities.
Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid is a lesbian anime dwelling on a romantic relationship between two unlikely characters. Aside from that, the story focuses on the virus that afflicts these girls.
Mamori and Mirei aren’t the only ones on the island. There are others and one of them is a reverse anime trap.
Netsuzou Trap
While most of the shows in this best yuri anime series list features all-female characters, Netsuzou Trap has handsome boys on it. What else? The girls Yuma and Hotaru have their boyfriends!
So, how come this is a lesbian anime? Well, the two teenage girls seem to have developed some sort of feelings for each other.
One best friend (Hotaru) forces the other to engage in a sexual experiment. The goal is for them to get accustomed to their boyfriend’s advances when alone with them.
The animation and visual effects were really well crafted by these animators. The original opening and end of anime are very pleasant and the sound design is also decent.
Bloom Into You
Bloom Into You is the story of Yuu Koito's personal development and her relationship with Touko Nanami. A hopelessly romantic, Yuu dreams of falling in love and acquiring a long-term relationship.
When a guy from her middle school confesses to her, surprisingly, she felt nothing. The worst anime part is when she messes it up and doesn’t know how to reject someone with finesse.
Disheartened by her lack of emotions and now in high school, Yuu seeks advice from the beautiful president of the Student Council. But, this incident turns her world upside down!
This lesbian anime series is an accurate depiction of what it means to be different in heterosexual-driven worlds.
Golden Mosaic
Kiniro Mosaic centers on five cute girls who were all lesbian closeted. The main ships, Alice and Shinobu Oomiya met in England through an exchange program.
Years later, Alice comes to Japan as an exchange student, too! This reunion gives them the chance to understand the differences between Western and Japanese culture. At the same time, the five main characters begin to understand what their true sexual orientation is.
Based on yuri manga with the same title, the animators try their best to adapt the story as closely as possible. However, Kinmosa (the abbreviation for this anime) is a bit cliche in all its yuri elements.
Some might find the main ship boring and frustrating. Still, the anime is fun to watch due to its jokes and the banter between the five girls.
Destiny of the Shrine Maiden
This lesbian anime follows Himeko and Chikane who are reincarnated as a shrine maiden and a solar deity. They must fight against Orochi, a demon that will bring disaster to their people.
To save their people, the two girls must merge into one being using a special crystal. While they are one, they share memories of the past, but only Himeko has control over the body.
The pace of the anime is quick at times, yet still manages to tell an emotional story. In the anime, everyone had their own problems they needed to deal with.
One worth mentioning is the treatment of gender identity. There are several moments where characters are forced to make difficult decisions that can even turn friends against each other for good.
MariaHolic
MariaHolic is about two girls (not really) who try to figure out what they want from each other. Both are attending an all-girl school.
You might be wondering why the “not really” is in the first sentence. It’s because one of the main characters, Mariya is an anime trap.
Everything starts out very trope-ish. After another few episodes, both develop more realistic emotions. Still, their relationship is not healthy.
But if you don't mind going the distance with a lot of trope-ish elements, MariaHolic will make you think about yuri relationships differently.
It will also show you some pretty anime girls kissing and doing all sorts of lovey-dovey stuff together. That's just a plus.
Mai Hime
Shizuru Fujino has always had an odd feeling about Natsuki Kuga, even before she knew they were "sisters". When strange creatures appear in her school, she realizes Natsuki's feelings run deeper than she ever expected.
As Shizuru continues to fight to protect her family and Natsuki fights to avenge hers, a new girl named Mai Tokiha arrives in Fuuka. Like all of them, something seems off about this girl. Somehow, the newcomer will try to fit into this group, even if it means betraying someone she cares about.
Mai-Hime has an interesting yuri subtext throughout the series. There are many hints given of Shizuru's romantic attraction towards Natsuki. Although the attraction isn't confirmed until the final episodes.
Aoi Hana
Aoi Hana is a story with a little bit of drama, romance, comedy, and slice-of-life. It follows the lives of Fumi Manjoume and Akira Okudaira who meet in high school. The two protagonists have contrasting personalities that complement each other well.
This yuri genre also deals with this beautiful, complicated thing called friendship. Aside from this, the series deals with some pretty heavy subjects such as bullying, suicide attempts, love triangles, heartbreak. But it also has cute parts too!
All in all, I would definitely recommend this lesbian anime to anyone looking for a good story that is more than just your average cute girls doing cute things or schoolgirls falling in love.
Tachibanakan to Lie Angle
The story is about Natsuno Hanabi who is coming to her hometown from Tokyo. She falls (in love at first sight) with a dashing female.
It's sort of like harem anime, except that characters are female characters. The anime features Hanabi’s desperate attempts to escape from the ladies but finds herself in many embarrassing situations.
Tachibanakan to Lie Angle is a cute and heartwarming show about young lesbians in high school. The strong cast of characters are all interesting in their own way and help make the series very entertaining.
Without giving anything away, almost every character in this show could be considered lesbian or bisexual. There is no forced drama or angst.
Canaan
This anime follows the story of Maria Oosawa who is trying to hide her secret identity from her co-workers as she leads a normal life. But her life is thrust into a conflict between various factions.
The plot is great with solid pacing, action, adventure, mystery, and drama. There are some elements that may have been better served if the series was longer allowing for more development in certain areas.
The animation quality is great both for background elements, props, mecha designs. Fight scenes are choreographed well with decent special effects thrown around.
Ultimately Canaan is a great anime with an exhilarating story filled with mystery, action, adventure, and drama making it a solid sci-fi ride from start to finish.
Yuru Yuri
The four middle school characters create the Amusement Club after the Tea Club’s supposed disbandment. Yuru Yuri is an eccentric comedy about these girls who spend their time drinking tea and praising each other.
This anime is excellent for many reasons. One of these reasons is its focus on female relationships. You can see the characters’ deep respect and admiration for each other.
Also, you could find tongue-in-cheek humor with pop culture references and some heartfelt moments between the characters. The way they poke fun at each other is adorable. Despite this, their friendship deepens over time makes for a really good anime.
Happy Sugar Life
When Shio Koube visits her mother in Tokyo for summer break, she meets a beautiful girl who introduces herself as Shio's new neighbor.
But there is something weird about this girl. This innocent girl has no idea what is waiting for her around the corner.
Don’t be mislead by the title! Happy Sugar Life is a dark psychological thriller about love, lies, and murder. This anime is not sweet at all. It's twisted and has some explicit scenes (violence and some nudity).
I would not recommend it to younger audiences. This lesbian series dwells on sensitive topics like child abuse, domestic violence, pedophilia, alcoholism, murder.
Tonari no Kyuuketsuki san
This series is a slice-of-life anime about a vampire named Sophie Twilight and her human roommate, Akari Amano. Although they are both girls who love each other deeply, the relationship between the two characters remains platonic.
Akari is young and naive, having never had any prior experience with romance or life in general. Her parents have sheltered her from the harsh realities of life.
From this girl’s point of view (and most high school freshmen), the world is a new exciting place filled with unlimited possibilities waiting to be explored.
Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san explores the concepts of love, relationships, and sexuality in an innocent yet deeply moving way. It makes it refreshingly realistic for both youngsters and adults alike.
Kanamemo
This anime focuses on a bunch of girls who all have unique personalities and difficulties. There is no main character as it follows the point of view of different girls.
Kanamemo anime is painful to watch at times because of the struggles that some characters go through. But it leaves you with a feeling of inspiration from others.
One of the most important themes throughout this anime is love and the different types of it. It is a comedy/drama with a heartwarming feeling to it.
You get attached to all characters for different reasons because of their unique personalities, which is evident from episode 1.
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
This series has three main plots. The first chapter focuses on Nanoha and Fate and their platonic relationship. They fight against an evil creature.
Then, the second chapter is about Nanoha meeting Vivio. You can see here the past of Fate and Precia (Fate’s mother). Lastly, the third chapter is where Fate becomes captive, which lures Nanoha and Precia.
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha is a great example of a solid friendship between two females. Their bond strengthens as the series progresses.
You can clearly see the motives of each character through their actions and dialogue, making it easy to understand where they're coming from.
In addition, this anime includes some light yuri undertones, as Nanoha and Fate are technically both in love with other characters.
What do you think of this Yuri Anime List?
I hope that you find this list of popular yuri anime helpful in your search for the perfect series. Whether you’re into high-school dramas, sports tournaments, or harem stories, there's something here for everyone!
So what are you waiting for? Get started on these shows now and enjoy all their heartwarming moments with us. Which of these lesbian anime has caught your attention so far?
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