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Other characters are occasionally shocked when lesbian relationships develop, because of the minority factor, but most accept it and move on, as the anime series Steel Angel Kurumi 2 exemplifies. When the Steel Angel named Kurumi gains a master in a young girl named Nako, Nako’s best friend Uruka becomes very upset. Uruka’s father discovers that she has romantic feelings for Nako, and Kurumi’s presence makes her feelings difficult to cope with. Uruka’s father is not at all upset that his daughter is a lesbian, he just wants her to be happy--and he is willing to destroy the country to make that happen.

Anime deals a lot in mixing fantasy with what we know as everyday life, in order to make the fiction more believable. So like in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you end up with characters attempting to balance a relationship with saving the world, as is the case in Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon features the best-known yuri relationship in history, between Kaioh Michiru (Sailor Neptune) and Tenoh Haruka (Sailor Uranus). The series, however, includes lesbian subtext between most of its female characters.

The genre does have its limitations. There is a miniscule amount of yuri available when you compare it to the thousands of other series available. The romantic storyline--heterosexual or lesbian--is also rarely a prominent part of the series.

Anime and manga also tend to make the guys look slim and well muscled with good hair, and the girls well-endowed, wholesome, thin and beautiful. This is an anime way of life. Any characters outside of this form are used for comic relief. But most often, girls are used as heroines and super heroes. This gives them a bit of an androgynous edge, regardless of orientation.

Because many Western suppliers of anime believe the shows to be for youth, many situations and dialogue are edited out or changed in the U.S. versions, so in order to experience the tales in their true form, it is best to view them in their original Japanese, with English subtitles.

Most titles exist in both anime and manga format, so you can choose whether you prefer the print or on-screen versions. It is often worth both reading the manga and watching the series, however, because they frequently offer very different storylines hosted by the same characters. Reading the manga is also a cheaper way of discovering whether you might be interested in a story.

Below are a few yuri series (available both in manga and anime) of great success and interest. Some anime can be rented at many of the rental places, however, like many other lesbian flicks, the only way to get hold of some are to purchase.

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
In a time of peace, evil forces attacked the people of the Moon Kingdom. When her kingdom becomes destroyed, Queen Serenity sends her daughter along with her court to the Earth to be reborn at a better time. The princess is awakened as a soldier to protect the people of Earth from evil forces. So, she is a human by the name of Usagi until she magically transforms into a Sailor Senshi that battles evil. Over time she is introduced to many other soldiers (who were once her court on the moon).

It isn’t until season three that Sailors Uranus and Neptune are introduced and the lesbian relationship begins. Viewers discover that Kaioh Michiru (Neptune) has fallen in love with a girl she has seen around school by the name of Tenoh Haruka. Michiru had already awoken as a Sailor Soldier, and was in search of another soldier in the area she learned would soon awake. Michiru prayed it would be Haruka. But, when the day a rove and she discovered it was in fact Haruka that was destined to become a soldier, she begs Haruka not to accept the destiny. She tells Haruka that she has been watching her, and that she knows Haruka better than she knows herself. She is in love with her and does not want her to take the dangerous path as a soldier of the Moon Princess. Haruka accepts the transformation and begins her life with Michiru.

The two are very much in love, always together, and spark envy in the other characters because their love is so very strong. The lesbian storyline is wonderful in this series, and not to be missed. Unfortunately Sailor’s Uranus and Neptune only show up in Sailor Moon S (season 3) and Sailor Stars (season 5) along with Sailor Moon S The Movie and Sailor Moon SS The Movie.

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