Following is a list of animated feature films featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and otherwise LGBT characters. For each animated film, the year of release, title, characters, identities, and country of origin are given. Any applicable franchise associated with the film is also noted. For each animated film, notes are given to indicate the nature of the featured LGBT characters.
There are also separate lists of LGBT-related films, films with LGBT themes organized by year and animated series with LGBT characters.
| Franchise | Year | Title | Characters | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angry Birds | 2016 | The Angry Birds Movie | Stella | Lesbian | Stella is a lesbian in the movie continuity.[1] Stella is voiced by lesbian comedian and actress Kate McKinnon. | Finland-United States |
| Willow | Aromantic | Willow was confirmed to be aromantic.[2] | ||||
| 2019 | The Angry Birds Movie 2 | Silver | Genderfluid | Silver was confirmed to be genderfluid.[3] | ||
| Zeta | Genderqueer | Zeta was confirmed to be genderqueer.[4] | ||||
| DC Animated Movie Universe | 2016 | Katherine "Kate" Kane (Batwoman) | Lesbian | The lesbian superheroine Batwoman has a major role in this film. This is the first time she is openly shown as a lesbian woman in animated media.[5] [6] She is seen flirting with the lesbian detective Renee Montoya. Kate's father, Colonel Jacob Kane, is supportive of her sexual orientation.[7] | United States | |
| Renee Montoya | ||||||
| 2018 | Scandal Savage | Lesbian | During the animated film, Scandal and Knockout, prominent characters in the film,[8] are displayed as lovers.[9] [10] Knockout first appears alongside Scandal breaking through Professor Pyg's lair and taking him hostage to their apartment. She is later seen in the hospital in critical condition after being shot, but with a concerned Scandal by her side. At one point in the film, Savage and Knockout share a kiss, while Knockout is shown fully nude at one point.[11] | |||
| Knockout | Bisexual | |||||
| 2019 | Etta Candy | Lesbian | Etta Candy appears in the animated film as an openly lesbian African-American, voiced by Adrienne C. Moore.[12] | |||
| 2020 | John Constantine | Bisexual | They are ex-boyfriends, as noted by Constantine's voice actor, Matt Ryan, in an interview.[13] | |||
| King Shark | ||||||
| Futurama | 2008 | Colleen O'Hallahan | Polyamorous | Colleen has five boyfriends: Fry, Chu, Ndulu, Schlomo and Bolt Rolands.[14] After Yivo the planet-sized alien marries and breaks up with all people of the universe at once,[15] she remains in a relationship only with Yivo.[16] | ||
| Yivo | Non-binary | Yivo is a planet-sized alien with no determinable gender, dating, then marrying all people of the universe at once. Later, they break up. Afterwards, Yivo remains in a relationship with Colleen. Some have said that Yivo may have been "the first non-binary character defined as such in animated history."[17] | ||||
| How to Train Your Dragon | 2014 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | Gobber the Belch | Gay | The character's voice actor Craig Ferguson ad-libbed a line in the second film in which he mentions that he never got married for an undisclosed reason. Ferguson and director Dean DeBlois have confirmed that this was in reference to the character's homosexuality.[18] [19] His sexuality was also hinted at again in the third film, where he seems to fall for Eret. | |
| 2019 | ||||||
| My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | 2013 | My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | Curly Winds | Gay | In this film, Curly saves Wiz from falling off a ladder in the movie's song, "Time to Come Together." Ishi Rudell, Michael Vogel, and Jayson Thiessen said that the two become a romantic couple after this moment.[20] Other media of the franchise shows them sitting together, including in the film Rainbow Rocks, the song "Coinky-Dink World" in the 2017 Equestria Girls music videos, the episode "Queen of Clubs" of Equestria Girls: Better Together, Rollercoaster of Friendship and Sunset's Backstage Pass. In the audio commentary of the Rainbow Rocks home media, Michael Vogel refers to "Curly Winds" and "Wiz Kid" as a "couple" during their shot singing together in "Welcome to the Show". | United States/Canada |
| Wiz Kid | ||||||
| Neon Genesis Evangelion | 1997 | The End of Evangelion | Maya Ibuki | Lesbian | Over the course of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series, it is implied that Maya gradually develops feelings beyond professional respect for Ritsuko which turns into a crush.[21] She also sees Ritsuko before reverting back into LCL during Human Instrumentality in the 1997 film The End of Evangelion. Maya Ibuki has also appeared in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. | Japan |
| 2007 | Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone | |||||
| 2009 | Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance | |||||
| 2012 | Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo | |||||
| 2021 | Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time | |||||
| Sailor Moon | 1993 | Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) | Bisexual | Usagi develops attraction to both her fellow Guardians and men like Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Mask), that she comes to love and hate, including the likes of Seiya Kou and Haruka Tenoh, the former whom becomes one of her love interests and the latter that she seems to have a crush on regardless of Haruka's gender.[22] [23] | ||
| 1994 | ||||||
| 1995 | ||||||
| 2021 | Sailor Moon Eternal | |||||
| 2023 | Sailor Moon Cosmos | |||||
| 1993 | Fiore | Gay | Fiore is an alien who landed on Earth and met Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Mask) when they were both children. Years later, as adults, Fiore comes back to Earth and tries to reconnect with Mamoru. It is strongly implied that Fiore's feelings for Mamoru are romantic.[24] [25] | |||
| 1994 | Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus) | Lesbian | Haruka and Michiru are in a romantic relationship, as shown in Sailor Moon S: The Movie and Sailor Moon Super S.[26] [27] They also reappear in the 2021 two-part film, Sailor Moon Eternal, a continuation of the Sailor Moon Crystal series.[28] Due to their relationship, Haruka regularly cross-dresses as a boy. | |||
| 1995 | Michiru Kaioh (Sailor Neptune) | |||||
| 2021 | Sailor Moon Eternal | Fish Eye | Gay | Fish Eye is an effeminate circus performer who cross-dresses as a woman due to his romantic affections towards other men in the original Sailor Moon anime series. In the two-part film, he tries to lure Ami Mizuno (Sailor Mercury) into a nightmarish trap, and is voiced by Shouta Aoi.[29] | ||
| 2023 | Sailor Moon Cosmos | Seiya Kou (Sailor Star Fighter) | Genderqueer | In the original Sailor Moon anime series, Seiya is female in sailor senshi form and male in civilian form.[30] [31] [32] In both the original Sailor Moon anime series and the two-part film, Seiya is in love with Usagi.[33] [34] [35] | ||
| Lesbian | ||||||
| 2007 | Shiki Ryōgi ("Void") | Genderqueer | Shiki is a teenage girl who has recently awoken from a two-year coma.[36] [37] She originally had three personalities: a male personality named SHIKI (織 Shiki), an original female personality Shiki (式 Shiki), and a third, gender-less personality known as "Void" who never manifests due to extreme apathy but who is also the embodiment of the Root of all existence.[38] While she knows she is Shiki, she does not feel that she is. In the hopes of regaining herself and the "dead" SHIKI, she puts on a cold façade that somewhat resembles the female Shiki's and tries to act as the male SHIKI did. Tōko understands the sense of detachment Shiki feels but considers the current Shiki a third, new personality. | |||
| 2008 | ||||||
| 2009 | ||||||
| 2013 | ||||||
| The SpongeBob Movie | 2004 | The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie | SpongeBob SquarePants | Asexual | In 2002, Stephen Hillenburg clarified in an interview that SpongeBob is neither gay nor straight but is asexual.[39] He went on to say that Sea Sponges reproduce asexually by "budding",[40] much like real-life sea sponges, likewise SpongeBob wouldn't necessarily need romance. This was once again discussed in 2005, a few months after the first movie was released, due to controversy as to whether SpongeBob and Patrick were homosexuals. Years later, it was revealed that Hillenburg instructed the showrunners that SpongeBob should never have a romantic relationship, since he is asexual and too innocent for it.[41] | United States |
| 2015 | ||||||
| 2020/2021 |
| Year | Title | Characters | Identity | Notes | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s–80s | ||||||
| Cleopatra | Apollodoria | Lesbian | Apollodoria is attracted to Cleopatra and has feelings for her.[42] | Japan | ||
| Octavian | Gay | Octavian is attracted to Ionius and spares his life. | ||||
| The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat | Adolf Hitler | Gay | The film depicts Adolf Hitler as a gay man.[43] | United States | ||
| Lucifer | Lucifer, is portrayed as a flamboyant gay man who is looking for an earring that features a picture of Errol Flynn. | |||||
| Project A-ko | B-ko Daitokuji | Bisexual | Although seemingly calm and poised in public, deferring to her teachers' authorities, B-ko is haughty and goes to great lengths to get what she wants. Her desire to steal C-ko's affection away from A-ko Magami develops into an obsession.[44] | Japan | ||
| 1990s | ||||||
| 1994 | Rocky & Hudson | Rocky | Gay | Protagonists Rocky and Hudson are openly gay cowboys.[45] They are named after Rock Hudson.[46] | Brazil | |
| Hudson | ||||||
| 1996 | Fake | Dee Laytner | Bisexual | Dee Laytner and Ryo Maclean are cops and partners who work in New York. Dee has deep feelings for Ryo and makes advances towards Ryo, who claims to be straight.[47] [48] Despite this, he has been shown to reciprocate his feelings and is jealous when JJ hits on Dee. | Japan | |
| Randy "Ryo" Maclean | ||||||
| Big Gay Al | Gay | In the series, Big Gay Al is a stereotypical homosexual man known for his flamboyant and cheery demeanor.[49] In the movie, he sings: "Everything is super when you're gay!" | United States | |||
| Saddam Hussein | Within the South Park series and film, Saddam Hussein and Satan are shown having a gay relationship in Hell. Hussein is depicted as wanting a more sexual relationship while Satan is shown as wanting an emotionally fulfilling partner.[50] | |||||
| Satan | ||||||
| Adolescence of Utena | Juri Arisugawa | Lesbian | Juri is explicitly in love with her female classmate, Shiori, in both the TV series and movie. She is described as "homosexual" by the creators in the DVD booklet.[51] The commentary in the booklet indicated that Shiori also had feelings for her, but was too troubled and insecure to act on them in a healthy way.[52] | Japan | ||
| Utena Tenjou | Bisexual | When Utena arrives at Ohtori Academy as a transfer student, she hits on Wakaba. Later, Utena and Anthy flirt and kiss, more overt than in the Revolutionary Girl Utena anime and the associated manga.[53] A kiss was included due to a decision from the film's director, Kunihiko Ikuhara.[54] Like in the anime, Utena and Anthy, who are in love with each other,[55] [56] are both bisexual. In the anime, Anthy is engaged to an abusive man, Kyouichi Saionji, at the beginning of the series, and Akio has been sexually assaulting Anthy,[57] while Utena is in love with Akio Ohtori as shown in episodes like "The Barefoot Girl." The film has become popular among fans of yuri (lesbian manga and anime), and is often categorized as LGBT cinema with some critics saying the film seeks "a rejection of dominant discourses of gender and sexuality" with the joining of the masculine Utena and the feminine Anthy being "an acknowledgement of the need for an integrate psyche, regardless of gender or sexual orientation."[58] | ||||
| Anthy Himemiya | ||||||
| 2000s | ||||||
| Is It Fall Yet? | Alison | Bisexual | Alison tries to seduce her best friend Jane Lane, but Jane turns her down by making it clear she is heterosexual.[59] [60] The next day, Alison apologizes to Jane. The latter nearly accepts the advances until she realizes that Alison has slept with their male art camp teacher. | United States | ||
| Tokyo Godfathers | Hana | Trans woman | Hana, a protagonist in the film, is a homeless trans woman who is flamboyant, dresses in the "most feminine clothes she can find," and searches for the mother of an abandoned baby.[61] [62] | Japan | ||
| Persepolis | Various | Gay | Marjane lives for some time in a communal apartment with eight gay men in Vienna, Austria.[63] [64] | France | ||
| Fernando | Marjane's boyfriend Fernando (named Enrique in the comic) reveals to her that he is gay.[65] [66] He thanks her because she helped him to discover his own sexuality. He states that if a relationship with her does not work out, it would not work with any other girl. | Iran | ||||
| Coraline | April Spink | Lesbian | April, a retired burlesque dancer who may know about magic and fairies, and Miriam, another retired burlesque actress, are lovers. On multiple occasions, Neil Gaiman, who wrote the 2002 novel the movie is based on, stated that they are an elderly couple and are together,[67] [68] [69] [70] [71] relating to the many lesbians he put in his other works like Sandman, , Neverwhere, American Gods, and Miracleman.[72] He also confirmed that this was reflected in the movie,[73] noting a review on the movie in 2009,[74] stating that they had been called "thespians" in a Coraline musical in 2007,[75] and stated that he did not call them a couple in the text because he wanted readers to have the same experience he had "with the couple that Spink and Forcible were based on."[76] | United States | ||
| Miriam Forcible | ||||||
| Mary and Max | Damien Popodopoulos | Bisexual | Damien, a funny man who stutters,[77] [78] leaves his wife Mary, who was previously his neighbor,[79] [80] to be with his male pen friend in New Zealand.[81] The two enter into a relationship.[82] Director and writer Adam Elliot is gay.[83] | Australia | ||
| My Dog Tulip | J. R. Ackerley | Gay | The film is an adaptation of J. R. Ackerley's 1956 memoir of the same name. Ackerley was a gay man who was open about his sexuality. The film makes a few allusions to his sexuality.[84] | United States | ||
| 2010s | ||||||
| Captain Leslie Hero | Pansexual | Captain Hero, lecherous parody of Superman and other superheroes, is a "brawny classic cartoon superhero" who is shown to be sexually aroused, due to his erectile dysfunction,[85] by an array of paraphilias like necrophilia and will have sex with anything and anyone. He and Foxxy Love form a brief BDSM relationship in one episode of the Drawn Together series which the movie is based on, "Requiem for a Reality Show", and as his gay alter ego Tim Tommerson, has an affair with Xandir in another episode, "Xandir and Tim, Sitting in a Tree".[86] | United States | |||
| Foxxy Love | Bisexual | Foxxy, a "sexy mystery-solver" and a parody of Valerie Brown from Josie and the Pussycats, has relations with both men and women but preferably with the former.[87] She makes out with Princess Clara in the show's first episode, and has a brief BDSM relationship with Captain Hero in another episode, "Requiem for a Reality Show". | ||||
| Xandir P. Whifflebottom | Gay | Xandir is a homosexual and effeminate video game platformer. He is thought to be straight when on a "never-ending quest to save his girlfriend" but is revealed to be gay, as first shown in the episode "Gay Bash" when the Wood Beast, a creature which bites off the arms of homosexual people, bites off his arm. He is also labeled as a "gay video game adventurer" in the first episode. Xandir is a parody of video game heroes such as Link from The Legend of Zelda series and Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, and in another episode, "Xandir and Tim, Sitting in a Tree", he has an affair with Captain Hero's gay alter ego, Tim Tommerson. | ||||
| Strange Frame | Parker | Lesbian | In the distant future, two women fall in love, but when Parker is taken away and enslaved by greedy businessmen, the Naia must save her, in this film which has been praised for its "hybrid of cut out and CGI animation"[88] and has been described as possibly "the trippiest lesbian film ever made."[89] | United States | ||
| Naia | ||||||
| ParaNorman | Mitch Downe | Gay | Courtney has a crush on Mitch and invites him to watch a horror movie. She, however, discovers that he is gay and already in a relationship when he says, "You know, you're gonna love my boyfriend. He's like a total chick flick nut!"[90] [91] Co-director Chris Butler said that the character's sexual orientation was explicitly connected with the film's message: "If we're saying to anyone that watches this movie don't judge other people, then we've got to have the strength of our convictions."[92] | United States | ||
| 2012 | Foodfight! | Vlad Chocool | Gay | During Dex Dogtective's investigation of Sunshine's disappearance and the arrival of Brand X, he meets with Vlad Chocool, an Ike similar to Count Chocula. He is heavily attracted to Dex's sidekick Daredevil Dan due to him being made of chocolate, which makes Dan uncomfortable. The character was criticized for being a gay stereotype.[93] | United States | |
| Jenny Dolittle | Lesbian | Jenny and Lynn are president and vice president of the Space Yacht Club but are also lesbian lovers.[94] They also appear in the middle of the series this film is branched off, titled Bodacious Space Pirates.[95] | Japan | |||
| Lynn Lambretta | ||||||
| Harmony | Miach Mihie | Lesbian | Miach passionately kisses Tuan during the movie. It is also shown throughout the movie that they are romantically involved with one another.[96] | Japan | ||
| Tuan Kirie | ||||||
| Doukyusei: Classmates | Hikaru Kusakabe | Gay | The two main characters slowly fall in love with each other after Hikaru helps Rihito with choir practice.[97] Hikaru is musically inclined and hopes to get a job in the music industry. | Japan | ||
| Rihito Saijou | ||||||
| Zootopia | Bucky Oryx-Antlerson | Gay | Bucky and Pronk are an anthropomorphic kudu and oryx, respectively, who are loud and argumentative neighbors to main protagonist Judy Hopps. Given their differing species and sharing a hyphenated surname, viewers and fans speculated the pair were a married same-sex couple. This was later confirmed by co-director Jared Bush.[98] They also appeared in Zootopia+. | United States | ||
| Pronk Oryx-Antlerson | ||||||
| Batman: The Killing Joke | Reese | Gay | Reese is a character who only appears in the animated adaptation. He is Barbara Gordon's college friend. This character was criticized for being a gay stereotype and having no actual depth.[99] Reese is voiced by gay and non-binary actor JP Karliak. | United States | ||
| Sausage Party | Teresa Del Taco | Lesbian | Teresa is a Mexican lesbian taco who has a crush on Brenda,[100] [101] [102] a hot dog bun from an eight-bun package of Glamour Buns who is Frank's love interest.[103] | United States-Canada | ||
| Kareem Abdul Lavash | Gay | Though enemies at first,[104] [105] Kareem and Sammy eventually form a relationship.Kareem and Sammy appeared in in where their relationship ends in tragedy as Kareem is killed off.[106] | ||||
| Sammy Bagel Jr. | ||||||
| Storks | Various couples | Lesbian | Near the end of the film, the storks deliver babies to straight, lesbian and gay couples, and single parents.[107] [108] | United States | ||
| Gay | ||||||
| Kase-san | Yui | Lesbian | Yui Yamada, a timid girl who enjoys tending her school's gardens, falls in love with the boyish and athletic Tomoka Kase.[109] The two eventually begin dating, and the story follows the pair as they face various challenges in their relationship, as depicted in the five-minute "Your Light ~Kase-san and Morning Glories" film, and the 58-minute "Kase-san and Morning Glories" film.[110] [111] | Japan | ||
| Tomoka | ||||||
| America Chavez | Lesbian | Chavez is a Latina, and lesbian, superheroine who has two mothers, Elena and Amalia Chavez, who sacrifice themselves to save her in the film.[112] [113] [114] She is voiced by Cierra Ramirez,[115] who is of Colombian and Mexican descent[116] and voices Chavez throughout the Marvel Rising media franchise. | United States | |||
| Promare | Galo Thymos | Gay | Galo and Lio start out at opposing sides: the first as a member of Burning Rescue, a "firefighting" unit that seeks to contain combustions caused by the Burnish, who are a group of humans who developed pyrokinetic abilities; and the second Mad Burnish, a group of radicalized Burnish. In a confrontation, Galo manages to capture Lio, as part of a Burnish plan to be intentionally imprisoned and then help set free others of their kind who are under state custody. As planned, Lio breaks free and ends up capturing Galo. During his imprisonment Galo starts to see the conflict with the Burnish from their perspective. As the two fight together, Lio is almost brought down by Kray, Galo's former boss, but is brought back to life by Galo in what is technically a mouth-to-mouth magic technique but contains all the undertones of a romantic kiss.[117] A romantic bond between the pair is hinted at in other moments, such as when the two men combine their powers and produce an explosion that causes a giant, heart-shaped smoke to rise; and when Galo rebuffs a woman's attempt to kiss him to be with Lio.[118] | Japan | ||
| Lio Fotia | ||||||
| Toy Story 4 | Unnamed couples | Lesbian | A scene from the film shows a couple of lesbian mothers with a child at a kindergarten orientation. Despite being somewhat brief on screen, this prompted One Million Moms, a conservative group in the United States, to call for a boycott of Toy Story 4.[119] | United States | ||
| Sylvia | Trans woman | Sylvia is a chimera and one of the eight generals of the Demon King who served as the primary antagonist of the Konosuba Movie.[120] [121] As a chimera, Sylvia possessed traits typically unique to both males and females. She had the breasts and figure of a woman, but also had male features which could not be picked up on as easily, such as male genitalia. However, through the movie only female pronouns were used to refer to her and she was only referred to as a woman, her male genitalia was only mentioned in a comedic scene some viewers and reviewers consider transphobic.[122] | Japan | |||
| Ruby | Lesbian | Ruby and Sapphire are a married lesbian couple who spend most of their time fused into one being as Garnet, marrying in the episode "Reunited." In the film, after Spinel rides in to Earth on a planet-destroying weapons and attacks Steven Universe and the other three Crystal Gems (Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst),[123] causing all them to be "rejuvenated" into their original forms.[124] As Pearl and Amethyst are left with a sort of amnesia, Garnet splits into her component pieces: Ruby and Sapphire.[125] While Steven works with his friends to bring back the memories of Pearl and Amethyst, he also recreates the moment which brought Ruby and Sapphire together into Garnet, and is successful in restoring Garnet first to "cotton candy" form, then to her original self. Garnet also sings a song about love, titled "Isn't It Love?".[126] | United States | |||
| Sapphire | ||||||
| Pearl | In the original Steven Universe series, it is very apparent that Pearl, a female-presenting non-binary Gem, is attracted to another Gem named Rose Quartz, her now-deceased leader.[127] Her feelings are shown to be romantic and reciprocated by Rose, who is later shown to be Pink Diamond.[128] As a result of Spinel's rejuvenator, Pearl is sent back to factory settings and put in a form of amnesia. In the process, Amethyst and Steven work together to get her memories back, including Amethyst transforming into Rose, who she calls Pearl's "love of her life."[129] While this is not successful, Steven later succeeds by fusing with his father, into Steg, causing Pearl to come back to her original self. | |||||
| Fragtime | Misuzu Moritani | Lesbian | Misuzu is shown to have romantic feelings (which later develops into a sexual obsession) for Haruka, a popular girl in her class. Haruka is the only other person who is aware of Misuzu's ability, hence why she was able to discover Misuzu's closeted lesbianism.[130] | Japan | ||
| Haruka Murakami | ||||||
| 2020s | ||||||
| Twittering Birds Never Fly – The Clouds Gather | Yashiro | Gay | Yashiro is a masochist and yakuza boss warms up to his new bodyguard, Chikara Doumeki. As his entreaties fail, he discovers why his bodyguard only wants to stay at "arm's length" to himself, rather than get involved in a relationship.[131] An anime film with these characters was released on February 15, 2020, titled Twittering Birds Never Fly – The Clouds Gather while an OAD was released on March 1, 2021, titled Twittering Birds Never Fly – Don't Stay Gold. There are two upcoming films, one of which is titled Twittering Birds Never Fly – The Storm Breaks.[132] | Japan | ||
| Onward | Officer Specter | Lesbian | Officer Specter briefly appears in the film and in one scene she discusses her girlfriend's daughter pulling her hair out.[133] She is voiced by Lena Waithe, a lesbian actress.[134] | United States | ||
| 2020 | Superman: Red Son | Wonder Woman | Bisexual | Wonder Woman's bisexuality is shown in the film.[135] | United States | |
| Given | Haruki Nakayama | Gay | Haruki has a longstanding crush on Akihiko, and resents his relationship with Ugetsu.[136] Akihiko has had relationships with women and men and is experienced in matters of love and romance, as was the case in the anime series which aired in 2019.[137] He lives with his ex-boyfriend Ugetsu, which whom he maintains a strictly physical relationship.[138] | Japan | ||
| Akihiko Kaji | Bisexual | |||||
| Ugetsu Murata | Gay | |||||
| L'étranger de la Plage | Mio | Gay | Mio, a high school boy whose parents died at a young age, meets an up-and-coming novelist and gay man, Shun, who lives near his house on a remote Okinawan island.[139] [140] Although they grow closer, Mio has to leave, and he recognizes his feelings three years later. | Japan | ||
| Shun | ||||||
| Burn the Witch | Macy Baljure | Lesbian | Macy is in love with Ninny Spancole and is hostile toward anyone she views as being too friendly with her, including Ninny's work partner, and fellow witch, Noel Niihashi.[141] | Japan | ||
| Happy-Go-Lucky Days | Yuri | Lesbian | In the film's first segment, "Happy," a woman attended the wedding of a girl she kissed in high school named Yuri, and at the meeting she meets another woman who declares she is "also in love with Yuri".[142] | Japan | ||
| Male admirer | Gay | In the film's second segment, a male teacher at a high school, Sawa, "receives a love confession from one of his former charges," but does nothing about it, and is later introduced to a man who bears a strong resemblance to the person who made the confession. | ||||
| 2021 | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Katie Mitchell | Lesbian | The film's writers, Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe, wrote the character of Katie to be LGBT but without necessarily drawing attention to her sexuality,[143] while Abbi Jacobson, a bisexual actress who voices Katie, affirmed her character is "queer".[144] Katie wears a rainbow pride flag pin on her jacket and talks about it taking a while to figure herself out,[145] and at the end of the film, she has a girlfriend at film school in Los Angeles named Jade.[146] The film was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film - Wide Release.[147] | United States | |
| 2021 | Flee | Amin Nawabi | Gay | The film is an animated documentary that centers on director Jonas Poher Rasmussen's friend Amin, a refugee who is about to marry his husband.[148] The film was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Documentary. | United States-United Kingdom-France-Sweden-Norway-Denmark | |
| 2022 | Catwoman | Bisexual | At one point, Catwoman flirts with Batwoman in an attempt to escape.[149] [150] Batwoman is voiced by bisexual actress Stephanie Beatriz. | |||
| Batwoman | Lesbian | |||||
| 2022 | Turning Red | Priya Mangal | Queer | Priya is one of Meilin's friends. She is seen dancing with a goth girl at a party. Priya was confirmed to be queer by Pixar layout artist and cultural trustee Andrea Goh.[151] | United States | |
| 2022 | Lightyear | Alisha Hawthorne | Lesbian | Alisha Hawthorne was a member of Star Command and one of the grandmothers of Izzy Hawthorne. She was married to another woman Kiko Hawthorne. Their same-sex kiss was originally removed but as since been reinstated due to the backlash towards Bob Chapek's response to Florida Parental Rights in Education Act and the internal uproar within The Walt Disney Company.[152] The film was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film - Wide Release.[153] | United States | |
| Kiko Hawthorne | ||||||
| 2022 | DC League of Super-Pets | Nancy | Lesbian | A dog notes that his owner, Nancy, used to exclusively pay attention to him until she got hitched to her fiancée. During this conversation, the movie shows Nancy speaking to her unnamed fiancée.[154] | United States | |
| 2022 | Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! | Velma Dinkley | Lesbian | In the film, Velma has a crush on monster designer Coco Diablo. Coco reciprocates it.[155] Velma had been previously portrayed as a lesbian in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. The film was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming.[156] | United States | |
| Coco Diablo | ||||||
| 2022 | Wendell & Wild | Raúl Cocolotl | Trans man | Raúl is a transgender boy in an all-girls Catholic school. He is one of Kat's very few friends.[157] He is the first transgender male character in a major animated film. Raúl is voiced by transgender actor Sam Zelaya. The film was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release. | United States | |
| 2022 | Strange World | Ethan Clade | Gay | Ethan Clade is the son of Searcher and Meridian Clade. He is shown to have a crush on a boy named Diazo. Ethan is the first gay lead character in a Disney animated film.[158] Ethan Clade is voiced by gay comedian Jaboukie Young-White. The film was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film - Wide Release. | United States | |
| Diazo | ||||||
| 2023 | Elemental | Lake Ripple | Non-binary | Lake Ripple is Wade and Alan's sibling. Lake uses they/them and she/her pronouns. Lake is Pixar's first non-binary character.[159] [160] Lake is voiced by non-binary actor Kai Ava Hauser. | United States | |
| Ghibli | Queer | Ghibli is Lake's girlfriend. | ||||
| 2023 | Nimona | Ballister Blackheart | Gay | Ballister Blackheart is a former knight who was kicked out after losing his arm in a joust. He and another knight Ambrosius Goldenloin have feelings for each other.[161] The film was originally scrapped by Disney due to a same-sex kiss.[162] It was eventually rescued by Annapurna Pictures.[163] Ambrosius Goldenloin is voiced by gay internet celebrity Eugene Lee Yang. The film was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming or Film (Animated).[164] | United States | |
| Ambrosius Goldenloin | ||||||
| 2023 | Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken | Margot | Queer | Margot is Ruby Gillman's best friend. Margot is revealed to be queer as she asks out a girl to go to prom with her.[165] [166] | United States | |
| 2023 | Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen--Part One | Yang Xiao Long | Queer | In the Volume 9 episode, "Confessions Within Cumulonimbus Clouds", of RWBY, the animated series that the film is based on, she accepts the feelings of fellow huntress Blake Belladonna and both kiss.[167] Film director Kerry Shawcross said they added it into the film because it was "something that we liked", adding that this is "before Bumblebee is a thing" and noted that Blake and Yang had "a lot" they could relate to and talk about with Wonder Woman, noting that it was "natural to throw in a couple of those moments."[168] | United States | |
| Blake Belladonna | Bisexual | In the film, there is romantic subtext showing that Yang and Blake have feelings for one another, as confirmed by film director Kerry Shawcross. In the RWBY series, Blake is bisexual, as her voice actress Arryn Zech confirmed,[169] as she had a previous relationship with her abusive boyfriend, Adam Taurus.[170] and in the RWBY episode "Confessions Within Cumulonimbus Clouds", she accepts the feelings of Yang, who she also has feelings for, and kisses her.[171] | ||||
| 2026 | Zsazsa Zaturnnah vs. the Amazonistas of Planet X | Ada | Gay | The film will center on Ada, a gay salon owner who transforms into a voluptuous superhero Zsazsa.[172] | Philippines |
| Years | Title | Character | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Thank You Mask Man | The Lone Ranger | Gay | In this cartoon, The Lone Ranger and Tonto are depicted as lovers.[173] | United States |
| 1995 | Achilles | Achilles | Bisexual | Achilles and Patroclus are depicted as lovers in this short film.[174] | United Kingdom |
| Patroclus | Gay | ||||
| 2003 | Apples and Oranges | Anta's Moms | Lesbian | The first segment "Anta's Revenge" features Anta's two mothers. Anta is bullied for having two moms.[175] [176] | Canada |
| Jeroux | Gay | In the second segment "Defying Gravity", Jeroux is a skateboarder who comes out as gay. | |||
| 2004 | John and Michael | John | Two men with Down's syndrome share a loving relationship.[177] | Canada | |
| Michael | |||||
| Two Lovely Maids | Mei | Lesbian | A short yuri animation by Naoya Ishikawa, the creator of Kuttsukiboshi.[178] Mei and Idid are two maids who come from outer space to protect Earth as well as a girl Izumi. They are openly a lesbian couple.[179] | Japan | |
| Idid | |||||
| 2008 | The Butterfly from Ural | Gustaf Mannerheim | Gay | A short film about the former president of Finland and his lover. The short caused an uproar in Finland due to the film's portrayal of Mannerheim.[180] | Finland |
| Butterfly | |||||
| 2010 | A Kiss for the Petals: Becoming your Lover | Mai Sawaguchi | Lesbian | This story follows Mai and Reo after they confess their love to one another.[181] | Japan |
| Reo Kawamura | |||||
| 2013 | Angel's Drop | Botan | Botan and Shinobu are romantically involved.[182] The story follows the couple's adventure in a new school filled with angels.[183] | Japan | |
| Shinobu | |||||
| 2015 | Prince Henry | Henry | Gay | A gay fairytale romance story aimed at younger audiences.[184] Prince Henry's parents invite all the eligible princes and princesses in the land so that Henry may choose one of them to marry. However, Prince Henry is already in love with his servant Thomas. Class issues rather than sexuality prove discriminating factors. | United Kingdom |
| Thomas | |||||
| 2016 | I Like Girls | Charlotte | Lesbian | An adaptation of Diane Obonsawin's 2014 graphic novel On Loving Women; the short is a collection of four stories that centered on lesbian romance. | Canada |
| Mathilde | |||||
| Marie | |||||
| Diane | |||||
| 2017 | In a Heartbeat | Sherwin | Gay | A closeted boy's heart pops out of his chest to chase Jonathan, the boy of his dreams. Sherwin fears being identified as gay.[185] | United States |
| Jonathan | |||||
| Manivald | Manivald | He is a fox in his early 30s who is trying to find love.[186] | Canada-Croatia-Estonia | ||
| Toomas | Bisexual | Toomas is a wolf repairman and the object of Manivald and his mother's affection. However, it is revealed that he is married to a woman named Vivi and they have two kids with a third one on the way. This is expanded upon in the 2019 follow-up film Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves in which he becomes a gigolo after getting fired from his job but he hides it from his family.[187] | |||
| Soggy Flakes | Dr. Bird Berry | Trans woman | She was the mascot of Berry Delicious before she got a PhD and transitioned.[188] | Canada | |
| Captain Kale | Gay | The mascot of Kale Flakes. He was in a relationship with Dr. Bird Berry before Bird Berry transitioned. | |||
| 2019 | Shannon Amen | Shannon | Lesbian | The film is a tribute to Shannon Jamieson, a friend and creative collaborator of the filmmaker who committed suicide after being unable to accept her sexuality.[189] [190] | Canada |
| 2020 | Out | Greg | Gay | The short Pixar film revolves around Greg attempting to hide a framed photo of him and his boyfriend Manuel from his parents, out of fear for their disapproval. The seventh short film in the SparkShorts series, it is both Disney's and Pixar's first short to feature a gay main character and storyline, including an on-screen same-sex kiss.[191] The film was directed and written by Steven Clay Hunter, an openly gay animator.[192] | United States |
| Manuel | |||||
| Cwch Deilen | Heledd | Lesbian | Heledd and Celyn are two people who try to navigate the "scary, murky waters" of their relationship, learning to trust each other and overcome their fears.[193] This film was originally presented at the 2020 Anima Pride event, part of the Animasyros film festival in Greece. | Wales | |
| Celyn | |||||
| 2021 | Brianna | Brianna | Bisexual | In this animated film, Brianna is committed to make sure every Black, and bisexual, woman has enough confidence to feel they are "good enough."[194] | United States |
| Cal | Cal | Trans man | In this animated film, Cal comes out as a trans man to his family, throwing a ceremony, and party, for his new identity and name.[195] | United States | |
| Cheyenne | Cheyenne | Genderfluid | Cheyenne, in this film, expresses her gender identity through cosplaying and creating her own LGBTQ characters through shipping them with other characters.[196] | United States | |
| Juliana | Juliana's mom | Queer | In this film, Juliana has a queer mom and works to tell the LGBTQ community she is "an ally who understands what it is like to feel 'different.'" | United States | |
| Ken | Ken | Non-binary | In this animated film, holding hands with their girlfriend in a public place is an intimate form of love for Ken. | United States | |
| Logan | Logan | Bisexual | Logan struggles to figure out her sexual and gender identity, creating her own way of defining what it means to be a woman and to be bisexual. | United States | |
| Sarah | Sarah | In this animated film, Sarah is pressured by her friends to "find out" whether she is straight or gay after she gets a crush on Keira Knightley.[197] | United States | ||
| Vivi | Vivi | Lesbian | In this animated film, she explores her new identity, finding support at school to "help her live her best, out, queer life." | United States | |
| Will | Will | Gay | After the homophobia at his high school seems never-ending, Will's mom comes up with an idea to change that.[198] | United States | |
| Zion | Zion | Lesbian | This animated film focuses on the gender and sexual identity of Zion. | United States | |
| 2023 | My Parent Neal | Neal | Trans man | An animated documentary short that is about director Hannah Saidner's parent Neal who transitioned at the age of 62.[199] | United States |
| Pete | Pete | Lesbian | Pete, is a gender non-conforming girl who is part of a baseball team. The animated short is based on the childhood of director Bret Parker's wife Pete Barma.[200] Barma also voices as herself. | United States | |
| Pacemaker | Cody Jackson | Trans man | Cody, is a transgender boy who has a crush on a girl. His grandfather is still trying to get used to his gender identity.[201] Cody is voiced by non-binary and gay actor and singer Alex Newell. | United States | |
| 2024 | Luz Diabla | Martin | Gay | Martin, is a flamboyant gay man who makes out with multiple men as shown in the trailer.[202] | Canada-Argentina |
| Dragfox | Sam | Non-binary | Sam is a non-binary child struggling with their identity.[203] | United Kingdom |