1. Yuri!!! On Ice
Yuri!!! On Ice was a huge success for a good reason The story is a surprisingly mature look at the blossoming of a romantic relationship between Yuri (loosely based on the legendary Yuzuru Hanyu), a professional ice skater, and Viktor, his coach. Everything about this show is amazing — the skating routines are gorgeous, the music is outstanding and the story, above all else, rings emotionally true.
2. Gravitation
Gravitation is a bit older than the rest of the shows on this list — but it’s been long considered to be the gold standard of gay anime. Gravitation is about the romance between Shuichi, an up-and-coming rock singer and Yuki, a romance novelist. They have a meet-cute when a breeze blows the lyrics to Shuichi’s latest love song down the street. Luckily for him, Yuki returns it — but scribbled with notes pointing out all the things wrong with it. A TV series and an OAV (Original Animated Video — basically the anime equivalent of direct-to-video) series both exist; the TV series is far superior. Unfortunately, the one problem with Gravitation is that it’s out-of-print — but if you can find a copy of the TV series, definitely pick it up.
3. No. 6
Unlike Gravitation, No. 6 has a number of options where you can legally stream it. No. 6 is a dystopian tale of a deeply stratified society between the haves and have-nots (wonder what that’s like). When the high-status Shion takes in Nazumi, a wounded boy who was also a wanted fugitive, Shion and his family are immediately stripped of their status. Four years later, however, Nezumi saves Shion from a wrongful arrest, and the two team up. If you’re a fan of sci-fi dystopias or simply good characterization, No. 6 is a must-see.
4. Free! Iwatobi Swim Club/Free! Eternal Summer
Free! had an interesting birth. Initially a short pilot, it took the internet by storm. But half the anime fandom was intrigued, and the other half was mad that the studio, mostly known for their pandering to straight male audiences, was doing a series about hot boys instead. While there aren’t any explicitly gay relationships in Free!, it earns its slot on the list due to its gorgeous… animation. (Seriously, the way they animate water is amazing.) But it’s not just a hot-boy-a-thon — we watch the characters grow as people as the series explores male camaraderie.
One interesting thing: The only characters objectified in this show are men. Very few women swim in this anime, and when they do, they only wear unrevealing one-pieces. Regardless of whether or not you’re here to ogle the boys, it’s kind of nice to not see women forced to strut around wearing nothing more than an improbable string bikini.
5. Loveless
Another one that’s unavailable to stream — but Loveless can be found cheaply on DVD. Loveless is a modern-day fantasy story. In the society, which looks a lot like modern Japan, humans are born with animal features — making them catboys and catgirls. However, once someone loses their virginity, they lose their cat ears.
The protagonist, Ritsuka, is only 12. His brother was murdered two years ago. When his brother’s friend, Soubi, re-enters the picture, Ritsuka discovers that he and his brother have a special magic, and that they must fight others who also have the magic. The one downside with Loveless is that it’s only 12 episodes — so if you like the story and want to see what happens, you’ll have to check out the comic book (or manga). The creator, Yun Kouga has also done another outstanding series, Earthian, about gay angels deciding whether or not the Earth is too violent and negative, and should be destroyed. Like Loveless, the anime is way too short, but there’s a full manga to explore.