Five Animated LGBTQ+ Shows You Need In Your Life

Margot Robbie smiles for cameras during photocall. She is wearing a white dress. Her hair is blonde and in a half updo.
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Sep 25, 2022 1:02 AM ET

With the seasons changing and holidays in sight, it's a good time to put your feet up and find new shows to watch. This time, we've searched through animated shows with LGBTQ+ themes, characters, and relationships. Our top five have won many awards and accolades, some being family-friendly. Scroll down to see what deserves a spot on your watch list.

Harley Quinn

This series follows the adventures and exploits of Harley Quinn post-break-up with the Joker. There are several LGBTQ+ characters, but Quinn and her love interest, Poison Ivy, take center stage. It has been praised for its dark humor, animation style, and storytelling. Kaley Cuoco's performance in the titular role helped the show secure a fourth season, which was announced in August 2022.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Arcane

Arcane has been praised for its unique animation style, called "painterly" and "definitely not for kids" by Game Rant. The show involves purposeful contrasting of 2D and 3D animation and hand-painted background objects.

The story is set within the lore and universe of League of Legends and acts as a prequel to the game itself. At the center of the plot is a love story between two women, Caitlyn and Vi, that share a "fire and ice" dynamic. The show is noted for its subtle and sensitive handling of LGBTQ+ representation, which may partly explain why it quickly replaced The Mandalorian and Stranger Things as the number 1 streaming show.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Owl House

If you're a fantasy and high art fan, this one might be for you. Series creator Dana Terrance credits the art of Hieronymus Bosch with helping her to create the lore and universe that shape the plot. The storyline follows Luz, a Dominican-American human girl who stumbles into the Demon Realm, where she begins to study witchcraft. Luz is bisexual and develops a romantic interest in Amity Blight, a lesbian character. In 2021, the show won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids and Family Programming. Owl House also has the distinction of being Disney's first LGBTQ+ show for families.

Where to watch: Disney+

The Legend of Korra

The Legend of Korra is a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, with Korra serving as the successor to Aang. Mandalorian actress and mixed martial artist Gina Carano served as the inspiration for Korra's design. The show has scooped up a Daytime Emmy and a Gracie award, among others.

Like Owl House, it did groundbreaking work in LGBTQ+ representation in children's programming. The relationship between Korra and her love interest, Asami Soto, didn't blossom until late in the show but still managed to take its place among classic LGBTQ+ shows.

Where to watch: Netflix

Kipo And The Age of Wonderbeasts

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is another series that knows how to combine family-friendly content with socially conscious storytelling. The series has been lauded for its whimsical sensibilities, science fiction bent, and ability to tackle modern-day racial problems and current sociopolitical issues. The story follows Kipo, a young girl who explores a world populated with mutated animals and humans. She rises as a leader who strives to make peace between the mutated and non-mutated while coming to terms with her own identity and insecurities.

The LGBTQ+ arc between two male characters, Benson and Troy, has been praised by critics for avoiding traps like queerbaiting. The show puts the relationship and all its stages on display,y surrounds the couple with supportive family and friends, and looks to create a progressive message.

Where to watch: Netflix

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