Yuri anime that isn’t bait, Part 2
Anime
This will serve as a sort of “part 2” to my other list—https://xss.now.cc/stacks/23857
These are shows I have watched that either haven’t gotten to the part where the two girls explicitly confirm their love for each other yet (and probably never will since yuri anime suffers from the 1 season curse, so go read the source material after you finish the season) or where I otherwise think the yuri is explicit enough and to be on the list but not explicit enough or central enough to the story to be on the first one, because sadly there is a limit to how many titles I can fit in an interest stack. I still recommend watching these because most of them are pretty great.
There may eventually be a part 3 as even more shows come out and I comb through some older, lesser-known shows. I am currently building a library of all anime tagged as yuri across six or seven anime databases, and finding lots of old shows I’d never even heard of before. I’ll definitely keep updating this list as I go.
These are shows I have watched that either haven’t gotten to the part where the two girls explicitly confirm their love for each other yet (and probably never will since yuri anime suffers from the 1 season curse, so go read the source material after you finish the season) or where I otherwise think the yuri is explicit enough and to be on the list but not explicit enough or central enough to the story to be on the first one, because sadly there is a limit to how many titles I can fit in an interest stack. I still recommend watching these because most of them are pretty great.
There may eventually be a part 3 as even more shows come out and I comb through some older, lesser-known shows. I am currently building a library of all anime tagged as yuri across six or seven anime databases, and finding lots of old shows I’d never even heard of before. I’ll definitely keep updating this list as I go.
TV, 1997,
39 eps
Me:-
Author:10
The movie, Adolescence of Utena, is on my other yuri list. Watch the TV series first. It is incredible. One of my top 5 anime shows of all time. Remarkably complex characters in a beautiful psychological show about gender roles, sexual norms and going against the rules of society to maintain one’s freedom and individuality.
It is a pretty dense show in terms of metaphors and symbolism. I recommend watching it in a place where you can find comments, as people like to post theories and interpretations of each episode in the comment sections. Just be careful to avoid spoilers.
Also heavy trigger warning for themes of abuse, trauma and misogyny (though the show handles these themes very well imo). Available on Crunchyroll and YouTube.
It is a pretty dense show in terms of metaphors and symbolism. I recommend watching it in a place where you can find comments, as people like to post theories and interpretations of each episode in the comment sections. Just be careful to avoid spoilers.
Also heavy trigger warning for themes of abuse, trauma and misogyny (though the show handles these themes very well imo). Available on Crunchyroll and YouTube.
TV, 2022,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:8
The anime starts off with a yuri marriage engagement and proceeds with the MC battling other characters who want to “possess” her bride in order to further their political wishes. It’s kind of like utena. Unfortunately we don’t get any kisses or romantic love confessions iirc, but at the end the two leads are shown to be together and wearing wedding rings. Somehow the creators still had the (lack of) balls to say that it was “up for interpretation”. Still worth the watch, because it’s a pretty solid entry in a very beloved anime franchise (and suletta is so so so cute like holy shit why is she so cute)
Available on Crunchyroll
Available on Crunchyroll
TV, 2016,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:9
A bit like Utena but less overt about the whole social aspect. Deliberately subverts and critiques yuri tropes like those found in MariMite. Most people have collectively agreed that the entire show is about Cocona coming to terms with her sexuality. This one is also crazy and a bit confusing at times but pretty and worth the watch. I’ve seen someone call it “Yuri!!! on ACID” before and that has always stuck with me (it came out the same year as yuri on ice too, kinda poetic if you ask me).
Available on prime video
Available on prime video
TV, 2011,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:8
This is a yuri anime where I wouldn’t usually include titles of its sort, as the feelings are mostly one-sided and the yuri is played almost entirely for comedic purposes (update: in Oomuro-ke one of the main characters officially has a girlfriend, but her identity is kept a secret as a running gag). However, I am making an exception as the yuri is basically what defines the show. The characters are lovable, the shippings are everywhere and explicitly mentioned in canon (a couple of the characters are shippers themselves!) and the show itself is so cute and funny that I just have to recommend it. Another one of my favorites. Available on Crunchyroll.
TV, 1994,
38 eps
Me:-
Author:-
Sailor Moon has achieved legendary status in the yuri community, with queer themes present throughout. Admittedly I have not watched it yet because it’s really really long but this particular season (season 3) is where the (canon!) lesbian couple haruka and michiru first show up. I don’t know how much screen time their relationship has overall, but I’m putting the show here because like marimite this show was massively influential to the genre.
Note: if you wanna watch a dubbed version, opt for viz media’s dub because both of the earlier versions have huge censorship issues (cloverway’s version infamously made Haruka and Michiru “cousins”). I haven’t heard of any censorship in subbed versions.
Available on Hulu, Disney+, Tubi, PlutoTV, Netflix, Crunchyroll, prime video and YouTube, but availability differs across countries and TV seasons so you’ll have to do your own research.
Note: if you wanna watch a dubbed version, opt for viz media’s dub because both of the earlier versions have huge censorship issues (cloverway’s version infamously made Haruka and Michiru “cousins”). I haven’t heard of any censorship in subbed versions.
Available on Hulu, Disney+, Tubi, PlutoTV, Netflix, Crunchyroll, prime video and YouTube, but availability differs across countries and TV seasons so you’ll have to do your own research.
TV, 2021,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:6
It’s a sci-fi action story with a romantic subplot, but the adaptation did not get far enough into the story for much to be shown. Most people say the LN is better than the anime anyway. Available on Crunchyroll
TV, 2011,
11 eps
Me:-
Author:8
This one is technically yuri since the main couple is yuri in the endgame, meaning at the end of the manga, but throughout most of the adapted portion the main character presents as male and is referred to by he/him pronouns. Very sweet and heartwarming but sometimes painful story, as being trans in Japan (and everywhere else, really) is still a massive struggle.
TV, 2024,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:7
This is in the same boat as yuru yuri, everyone is explicitly gay and thirsty af for the other cast members, but it’s mostly played for comedy and nothing really happens as far as the adaptation goes. However, with this one, I have heard that a later entry in the light novel confirms one pairing. Also everyone in this show is over 18, which is a breath of fresh air (see, it wasn’t that hard to make an adult comedy show with actual adults in it after all, was it, Japan?)
Available on Crunchyroll.
Available on Crunchyroll.
TV, 2022,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:8
The main ship gets confirmed later in the manga, but not the adapted portion. The way it gets confirmed is really satisfying and gives a big middle finger to the very notion of yuri bait, which is nice and refreshing. Just a warning though, the mangaka and director seem to have a weird obsession with little girl feet. Very Schneider-esque. Available on Crunchyroll
TV, 2025,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:8
Just finished airing. This show is kind of like Yuru yuri and Vtuber legend— the whole cast is gay, and the show is primarily focused on how gay (and horny) everyone is for each other. However because this is a gag comedy nobody actually gets together, unrequited love runs amok and the show has no qualms about hurting and humiliating its characters in clever and funny ways. I still recommend it because it’s funny and oddly kind of heartwarming.
TV, 2014,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:6
A cliché but enjoyable story, Tomboyish girl has to protect vulnerable girl from assassin classmates. All the girls are shown to be interested in one of the other girls from the main cast. Apparently the anime cut a lot of the more explicitly gay moments, and in the end of the manga the two leads are shown to be married (of course the anime cut that, too)
Available on Apple TV
Available on Apple TV
TV, 2003,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:6
I barely remember this one because it was a nonsensical acid trip and I watched it while recovering from a brain injury but from what I can recall, it was very gay. Ofc it’s an old show so the yuri was doomed but we’ll take what we can get.
Movie, 2015,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
Dystopian sci-fi movie where the main character has a yuri love interest, however it is only shown in flashbacks throughout the majority of the film. Still adding it because the relationship is one of the central points of the story (though the romance aspect is only shown in passing rather than talked about in detail). It’s a pretty heavy and dark film though so don’t go into this one expecting a fluffy, feel-good romance.
TV, 2017,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:7
Two major characters are very obviously dating/into each other and everyone else is gay coded. Very cute, relaxing and heartwarming show. Available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
TV, 2009,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:6
There is an awesome lesbian couple in the main cast, however they are not the main focus of the story. They have enough screen time to at least make it onto this list though. But be warned, along with the awesome lesbian couple there is an evil and intimidating p*dophile whose entire character is just drinking alcohol and perving on little girls. Her antics are pretty hard to watch.
TV, 2025,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:6
MC is canonically gay and her love is reciprocated but the romance is not heavily focused on in the show and is only “officialized” at the end (most of the show is spent with MC trying to get her lover back from a bodyjacking impostor while she and an ensemble cast do squid game shit together). The show itself is not that great, with most of the budget going to the (admittedly cool as hell) character designs and the backdrops. I found it interesting enough to sit through, though.
TV, 2004,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:6
The most prominent example of a “class S” anime— a trope where girls in high school develop “romantic friendships” but are expected to “move on to the real world and get a man” once they get older. I’m still putting it here because it’s such an important piece in the history of yuri, and there’s no doubt that genuine romantic attraction exists between a few of the characters (iirc there’s even a kiss scene). Available on HiDive.
TV, 2020,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:8
Premise of the show is that a fan of an idol group is in love with her favorite idol, the least popular one in the group. In fact, she is the only fan of her favorite idol. She doesn’t know that her favorite idol actually likes her back. The anime does its best to avoid using words that would confirm that the attraction is romantic, but it’s pretty obvious. I have looked to see if there’s anything important in the later chapters of the manga but sadly there’s nothing yet. It’s really really cute though and features Fairouz Ai as the lead so I love it. Available on crunchyroll
TV, 2004,
26 eps
Me:-
Author:7
One of the main characters has a yuri storyline in the final third of the anime. Kind of a toxic yuri ship, but back when it first aired in the early 2000s all the gays went crazy over this anime because it had actual lesbians featured as a very prominent part of an action series set in a co-ed school and that was pretty groundbreaking for the time. Iirc there’s some transmasc rep as well, so that’s a bonus.
Movie, 2020,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:4
This is a movie that consists of three separate stories. Imo only the first one is worth watching, as it’s the only yuri one and the other two stories are like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Thankfully the yuri one was at least decent compared to the others (the women are both adults who hook up at a mutual ex-girlfriend’s wedding and fall in love). The second is about a high school teacher who falls in love with his male student and the third is quite literally just about pre-teens watching porn and trying to have sex with each other. In short just watch the first 20 minutes of this and you won’t miss much. Available on HiDive
TV, 2016,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:8
Another rare all-adult cast “cute girls” anime with canon yuri. There is a couple that gets heavily ship teased throughout the anime/manga, and gets married at the end of the manga.
Available on Crunchyroll
Available on Crunchyroll
TV, 2009,
25 eps
Me:-
Author:8
Think battle shonen superpower mahjong with high school girls. The creator confirmed that most of the characters are gay after the fact (kinda like what a certain British author did with a certain headmaster of a certain fictional wizarding school…). Personally I think it’s kind of a cowardly move to tell it instead of showing it, but this is a fun anime and I liked it so it’s going on the list. There’s definitely enough subtext for the show to be entertaining and relatable. Available on Crunchyroll.
TV, 2017,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:7
This one was never on my other list because the yuri is one-sided and played for laughs, but I think it’s central enough to the plot that it’s worth mentioning here. Tohru, right off the bat, confirms that her love for kobayashi is the sexual kind. Kobayashi rejects her confession but doesn’t push her away and gradually they get adjusted to family life together, almost as if they’re a married couple. It’s very wholesome but there are some… other aspects… of this show that put a stain on its reputation. Available on crunchyroll
TV, 2022,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:6
This one is advertised as GL but from what I heard the LN is almost at its end and there’s still no confirmed romance so take that as you will. The characters do “act gay” with each other, though. Available on HiDive
TV, 2024,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:-
I feel obliged to add this one because it is indeed yuri anime and not bait. However the girls are all very underage and look the part. It’s phild corn. I do not recommend watching this show.
