List of animated series with LGBTQ characters: 1990–1994

The depiction of LGBTQ characters in animated series 1990-1994 improved from past years. While most of the LGBTQ characters were featured in anime such as Dear Brother, Sailor Moon, RG Veda and Ai no Kusabi, two American shows featured such characters: Gargoyles and The Simpsons. In the first of these shows, there was a bisexual character, Janine Renard / Fox, whose sexual orientation was later confirmed by Greg Weisman.[1][2] In the second had a semi-closed gay man named Waylon Smithers.[3] This trend would continue in the later 1990s.

For the list of 1960s–1990s and 2020s series, see List of animated series with LGBTQ characters. For the list of 1990s series, see Animated series with LGBTQ characters: 1990s. For the list of 2000s series, see Animated series with LGBT characters: 2000s. For the list of 2010s series, see Animated series with LGBT characters: 2010s.
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

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 lesbian characters (in animation and anime), bisexual characters (in animation and anime), trans characters, pansexual characters, asexual characters, non-binary characters, and intersex characters.

For a further understanding of how these LGBTQ characters fit into the overall history of animation, please read the History of LGBTQ characters in animated series: 1990s page.

The names are organized alphabetically by surname (i.e. last name), or by single name if the character does not have a surname. If more than two characters are in one entry, the last name of the first character is used.

Lesbian characters
Characters Show title Character debut date Notes Country
Kendappa-ō RG Veda June 1, 1991 Unable to go back on her word, believing that all of the Six Stars will be killed anyway, she decides to kill Sōma, whom she is in love with, herself.[4] She commits suicide right after, saying there is no point in living in Heaven without her.[5] Japan
Nanako Misonoo
Rei Asaka		 Dear Brother July 14, 1991 Nanako falls in love with Rei "Saint-Juste" Asaka to which Rei slowly reciprocates,[6] and their relationship is one of the major driving plots of the series.[7][8] Rei's destructive relationship with Fukiko Ichinomiya leads her to be troubled, obsessed with death, and drug-addicted.[9][10]
Mariko Shinobu Mariko greatly admires Kaoru due to her strength and the emotional support she gives her as well, and at some point she admits to loving Karou.[11] Mariko distrusts all men because of her troubled family life: 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.
Haruka Tenoh / Sailor Uranus
Michiru Kaioh / Sailor Neptune		 Sailor Moon April 19, 1994 Haruka 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.[12][13]

Gay characters
Characters Show title Character debut date Notes Country
Doris Akazukin Chacha May 13, 1994 Dorothy's brother Doris is a male but crossdresses to get the attention of Seravy who loves Dorothy.[14] Japan
Daryl Ai no Kusabi August 1, 1992 Daryl is an eighteen year old castrated boy who served as Iason's furniture and Riki's caretaker.[15] He fell in love with Riki because of his pride and strong will.
Guy Guy was Riki's lover prior to his capture and Guy is determined to save Riki from Iason.[16][17]
Iason He is the most superior and powerful Blondie in Tanagura, and the head of the Syndicate, Tanagura's black market for pet trade.[16] 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.[18]
Itsuki Yu Yu Hakusho June 11, 1994 Itsuki is Sensui's right hand and is interested in him.[19][20]
Kirie Ai no Kusabi August 1, 1992 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.[16][15]
Lexington Gargoyles October 24, 1994 According to series creator Greg Weisman, Lexington is gay.[21] United States
Luke Ai no Kusabi August 1, 1992 He is a member of Bison's gang who is openly attracted to Riki and makes advances towards him, but backs off once he realizes his feelings aren't reciprocated.[22] Japan
Waylon Smithers The Simpsons January 21, 1990 Smithers is a semi-closeted gay man.[3] Waylon Smithers and Patty Bouvier ride a float called "Stayin' in the Closet!" during Springfield's annual gay pride parade in a 2002 episode.[23] In a 2016 episode, Smithers officially come out as gay.[24][25] United States
Zoisite
Kunzite		 Sailor Moon June 13, 1992 Zoisite and Kunzite, both powerful generals who work under Queen Beryl from the Dark Kingdom are an openly gay couple in the 90s anime series. Though, in some dubs in other countries, Zoisite's gender was changed to female for his feminine appearance and to make them a heterosexual couple instead; and in other dubs, they are changed into brotherly figures because of the closeness of their relationship.[26] Japan

Bisexual characters
Characters Show title Character debut date Notes Country
Fukiko Ichinomiya Dear Brother July 14, 1991 She appears to be calm and generous, but is cruel and manipulative, often psychologically and physically torturing Rei for several ambiguous reasons, such as her desire that Rei should only have eyes for her, no one else.[27][28] She also jealously tries to destroy their relationship by making Nanako love her instead. It is then revealed that she and Rei are full sisters (proving their relationship to be incestual), daughters of the Ichinomiya leader and a maid of the family mansion.[29][30] In the anime, her love for Takehiko is given a backstory: she met and fell in love with him 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.[31][32] Japan
Norris Ai no Kusabi August 1, 1992 Norris is a member of the Bison gang. He once held feelings towards Riki but now happily dates an older female mechanic named Maxi.[33]
Janine Renard / Fox Gargoyles November 4, 1994 Former leader of The Pack, born with the name of Janine Renard.[34] She falls in love with David Xanatos, a young businessman,[35] whom she marries in the show's second season.[36] She could have a liking to Titania, the wife of Oberon and queen of the Third race.[37] Her sexual orientation has been confirmed by Greg Weisman as bisexual.[1][2] United States
Riki Ai no Kusabi August 1, 1992 Riki was once the gang leader of the Bison gang.[16] However he was captured and kept as a pet for three years by Iason who grew obsessively in love with him.[18][38] She found the characterization of Iason in the third novel to be realistic and compelling,[15] Prior to this, Riki was in a relationship with Guy.[39] He also once engaged in a one-night stand with a female slave named Mimea. Japan

Transgender characters
Characters Show title Character debut date Notes Country
Miyuki Yu Yu Hakusho March 27, 1993 Miyuki is a character from both the manga and the anime. She is a trans girl and a member of the Demon Triad, a group of demon warriors that work for the Toguro Brothers. Her trans status is discovered in her fight against Yusuke.[40][41] Miyuki's "coming out" was censored in the edited version of the Funimation English dub. Japan

Genderqueer characters
Characters Show title Identity Character debut date Notes Country
Ashura RG Veda June 1, 1991 Genderqueer Ashura was born neither as a man or a woman as punishment for their father's sins so they can not continue the royal lineage.[42][43] Japan

See also

References
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  2. Delatte, Thomas (August 6, 2019). "20 Cartoon Characters We Totally Forgot Were Gay". thethings.com. thethings.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  3. Johnson, Jo (2010). ""We'll Have a Gay Old Time!": Queer Representation in American Prime-Time Animation from the Cartoon Short to the Family Sitcom.". In Ellidge, Jim (ed.). Queers in American Popular Culture. Praeger, ©2010. pp. 255–280. ISBN 9780313354571.
  4. "Twin City". RG Veda. Episode 1. June 1, 1991. Central Park Media.
  5. "Ice City". RG Veda. Episode 1. June 21, 1992. Central Park Media.
  6. "Into the Dream". Dear Brother. Episode 18. November 24, 1991. NHK.
  7. "The Darkness in the Clock Tower". Dear Brother. Episode 7. August 25, 1991. NHK.
  8. "Under the Elm Tree". Dear Brother. Episode 11. September 22, 1991. NHK.
  9. "Relapse; Broken Heart". Dear Brother. Episode 9. September 8, 1991. NHK.
  10. "Pride, and the Final Meeting". Dear Brother. Episode 32. March 29, 1992. NHK.
  11. "Comeback". Dear Brother. Episode 16. November 10, 1991. NHK.
  12. "Sailor Neptune and Uranus Come Out of the Fictional Closet". The Huffington Post. 2014-05-21. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  13. Megan Peters, Did You Know 'Sailor Moon' Had To Censor Its Lesbian Lovers?, comicbook.com, October 7, 2018, accessed December 25, 2019.
  14. "Horror! Dorothy's Little Sister?". Akazukin Chacha. Episode 19. May 13, 1994. TV Tokyo.
  15. Van Gorder, Danielle (2008-08-06). "Ai no Kusabi: The Space Between Vol. #03". Mania. Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  16. Van Gorder, Danielle (2008-03-18). "Ai no Kusabi: The Space Between Vol. #01 - Stranger". Mania. Archived from the original on 2009-01-27. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
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  19. "Spirit Detective Showdown". Yu Yu Hakusho. Season 3. Episode 85. June 11, 1994. Fuji Television.
  20. "The Difference Make". Yu Yu Hakusho. Season 3. Episode 86. June 18, 1994. Fuji Television.
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  22. "~petere Kanju~". Ai no Kusabi. Episode 1. January 18, 2012. AIC.
  23. "Jaws Wired Shut". The Simpsons. Season 13. Episode 9. January 27, 2002. FOX.
  24. "Smithers To Come Out As Gay To Mr Burns". Sky News.
  25. "The Burns Cage". The Simpsons. Season 27. Episode 17. April 3, 2016. FOX.
  26. Gooding-Call, Anna (November 9, 2018). "Sailor Moon: 20 Really Weird Fan Theories That Were Actually Confirmed". Screen Rant. Valnet, Inc. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  27. "Thorns of Suspicion and Doubt". Dear Brother. Episode 5. August 11, 1991. NHK.
  28. "Lost and Alone". Dear Brother. Episode 6. August 11, 1991. NHK.
  29. "The Scar". Dear Brother. Episode 12. September 29, 1991. NHK.
  30. "Fly High". Dear Brother. Episode 33. April 4, 1992. NHK.
  31. "Glowing Fireflies, Blazing Passion". Dear Brother. Episode 36. April 26, 1992. NHK.
  32. "Carousel". Dear Brother. Episode 37. May 3, 1992. NHK.
  33. "~congressus Encounter~". Ai no Kusabi. Episode 3. March 21, 2012. AIC.
  34. "Outfoxed". Gargoyles. Season 2. Episode 14. September 28, 1995. ABC.
  35. "The Thrill of the Hunt". Gargoyles. Season 1. Episode 6. November 4, 1994. ABC.
  36. "Vows". Gargoyles. Season 2. Episode 8. November 14, 1995.
  37. "The Gathering". Gargoyles. Season 2. Episode 44–45. April 29, 1996. ABC.
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  40. "Miyuki (Character)". Comic Vine.
  41. "The Deadly Triad". Yu Yu Hakusho. Season 1. Episode 24. March 27, 1993. Fuji Television.
  42. Script, Griffin; Nishida, Miho (January 19, 1992). RG Veda (Sen-Den) #1 (Text file). Animanga - Anime and Manga Services. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  43. Transcript of episode by Griffin Script and Miho Nishida can be downloaded from that website.
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