Love is such a beautiful thing, and we all love to indulge in our favorite ships. But what happens when our favorite ships (in this case, from Anime) doesn’t always work out the way we dream and we don’t feel like reading a Fan Fiction? (Just kidding, it’s always time to read a Fan Fiction). Today we’re taking a dip back into that Classic Anime Pool! Join us as we count down our favorite LGBT characters stuck in (unrequited) love! We’re not sadists, we promise.
5) Sailor Moon: Seiya and Usagi
Yes, we’re going right for the heartbreak and tears on this one. Sorry, guys, but no unrequited love in anime beats Seiya and Usagi’s “it almost happened but it can’t because destiny is a monster” love story. Whether you identify Seiya Kou, aka Sailor Star Fighter, from the final season of Sailor Moon as male, female, trans, he/she/they or a variation thereof, there’s one thing we can all agree on. This person fell in love with Sailor Moon.
From the moment the two of them walked past each other in the airport, to ending up in the same class, to finding out they were both Sailor Senshi, Usagi and Seiya had a beautiful connection that was undeniable to viewers. But with their friends trying to keep the pair apart and Tuxedo Mask ultimately (and inconveniently, if you ask us) coming back from the dead, Seiya’s and Usagi’s love never came to total fruition, keeping Seiya firmly planted in the friendzone.
4) Fushigi Yuugi: Nuriko and Hotohori
Fushigi Yuugi is an incredible anime that has aged in a questionable way. It sadly just doesn’t hold up. Back when the show was new, I was so excited to see Nuriko, a cross-dressing, gender fluid queer character who sometimes presented male, sometimes presented female, and always had a thing for the emperor Hotohori.
When the series starts, Nuriko is living in the palace, pining after the emperor as a Lady of the court. As the story evolves, we understand that Nuriko presents female because he had a sister named Kourin who died. He feels like Hotohori is the sort of man his sister would have loved, so he continuously goes after the emperor.
But all viewers know this explanation is weak, and there are moments that suggest that Hotohori might have feelings for Nuriko as well. Unfortunately, Miaka and her golden pussy consume the show and keep Hotohori distracted. But in spite of the fact that Hotohori ends up marrying a woman named Houki that looks extraordinarily similar to Nuriko, we’re going to have to chalk this relationship up as another unrequited love.
3) Project A-Ko: B-Ko and C-Ko
Project A-KO, hands down, is one of the best anime movies of all time and totally on my top five list. It is an anime-at-the-time satirical commentary that presents seriously and therefore topped above the tropes it was making fun of. One of the best themes is everyone going after the braindead C-Ko, which includes the rich and beautiful (mean girl with a Fist of the North Star inspired female bodyguard) B-Ko’s obsessive and unrequited love for the little blonde girl.
For those who haven’t seen it, fiery red headed A-Ko has some sort of arm gauntlet that gives her super strength. The movie suggests her parents are Superman and Wonder Woman. Her best friend is an alien princess named C-Ko. B-Ko decides she’s in love with C-Ko and decides to take down A-Ko (violently) with the use of a super human mecha-style sexy body suit. It’s freakin’ amazing. C-Ko is too obsessed with her best friend A-Ko, or simply too stupid to understand B-Ko’s love but we’ll always count B-Ko’s devotion as one of the best unrequited loves in classic anime history.
2) Saber Marionette: Hanagata and Otaru
Saber Marionette J takes place in a future (yet contemporary and familiar) setting where only men exist and all females are robots. A lazy underachiever named Otaru finds himself in possession of three (sentient) female robots who all want their way with him, much to the dismay of his friend and neighbor Hanagata (flowery man), a play on the Japanese word Onnagata which more or less means girly man.
Hanagata’s hunger for Otaru’s dude-parts borders on obsession, but there’s still something endearing about the guy. He’s so fancy and just wanted Otaru. Unlucky for him, so do Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry.
And while we may find Hanagata pushy, condescending, and even a little manipulative, we still want Otaru to give him a little daisuke right back.
1) Revolutionary Girl Utena: Juri and Shiori
We’re starting and ending with some severe feels today on Nerdbot, and the Juri and Shiori debacle is the perfect place to wrap up. These two are the perfect example of a painful, pining, and tortuous “friendship”. Ready? Okay, here goes:
Juri, Shiori, and a guy named Ruka were friends that hung out all the time. Juri liked Shiori. Ruka liked Juri. And Shiori thought Juri liked Ruka, so she started macking on him just to hurt Juri. However, because it was Shiori that Juri had feelings for the whole time (even wearing a locket with Shiori’s picture inside at all times) Juri felt it time to stop believing in miracles. (It’s a theme, just roll with it).
While Juri is hardheaded and tough herself, she melts for Shiori. She can be had for so little and will always be manipulated at the hand of this cruel girl. From the original series to the movie, their relationship has several arcs and none of them end in a good place for Unrequited Juri.
Did we leave out your favorite unrequited queer anime loves? Comment and tell us about it!
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