This year we’re doing things a little differently. To celebrate this amazing year that I named 20-Gay-Three (thanks to my dear friends who helped suggest it), I’m dedicating three posts to showing viewers just how awesome it is. How from my perspective starting from this post. While I won’t be able to cover all of the Yuri media that aired or became available in 2023, I will do my best to show the extent of it and why this is a glorious year for for fans of the genre.
Anyway, most of my Top 10s are usually Yuri themed. This year I decided to only choose anime that have strong content or revolve around women who are attracted to or in love. As always, these are my personal favorite anime that aired, not all of which ended up being the year.
Honorable mentions:
Ayakashi Mou Ippon Triangle! Nijiyon Alice Gear Aegis Expansion D4DJ All Mix Otaku Elf Tokyo Mew Mew New Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror Let me check the guide first (This year it has a pretty close JP dub) The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls U149
It would have made it into the Top 10 if it ended in 2023 but similar to another anime that only premiered its 1st Cour season that aired that year. Hopefully a 2nd course will be planned around 2024. I’ll go into more detail in a future G-View but it’s a shame that SHY is a hidden gem. It deserves more eyes on it. At least I had reason to think this was going to be another dark or edgy “superhero deconstruction” show but instead it’s more like Pretty Cure for teens with a dash of Kingdom Hearts minus the complexity of the boat. More importantly, the main pair is off to a great start. Excited for season 2 when it airs.
Speaking of hidden gems, here we have another one. We’ve had a number of theatrical anime air over the years, each with its own unique character. For WDS, it’s stage girls with superpowers. Besides the relationship of the cute and charming ladies paired in Love Live! style (I mean Gen 1 and Gen 2), the performances themselves are some of the best I’ve seen in the genre, especially those where the heroines of We are at the top of their game. The mascot I could have lived without, though. Don’t contribute anything.
As far as seasons go, this is my 2nd favorite in the series with Season 2 being the best. “Black Diamond” is my 2nd favorite main couple in the series. The side horses are my 2nd favorite thing, the races are my 2nd favorite thing, and this season has solidified Uma Musume as my favorite sports anime of all time. That said, this year I would prefer a different sports anime than Uma Musume S3.
One of the most anticipated of the most anticipated adaptations among the Yuuridom community and even respected Yuri mangakas/novelists when it was announced and it was was a most enjoyable experience. Our heroines’ dynamic is a classic but it’s enough to stand out as a special couple. The rest of the cast is also very entertaining and has a very memorable scene along with some interesting and fun moments. The thing is, this is clearly just the start of something bigger, which is why I call it a pretty good start on my G-View. Hopefully it can break the dreaded sequel curse that has plagued Yuri adaptations for so long. Definitely need it. Then again, the same could be said for 95% of Yuri’s anime adaptations but this one clearly demanded a movie at the end.
Another anime with that content could use a second season. Don’t worry. This will be the last time I bring this up on this list. So Yury is my job! I was expecting a romantic comedy set in a cosplay cafe. While we giggled, what we really got was a gripping lesbian drama that explores the difficulties that arise from a simple misunderstanding to the struggles of love. youth… or desire. Some women went from annoying to understandable while others piqued my curiosity to no end. I had to know how deep the hole was and I was surprised by most of the results.
Talking about Yuri’s fascinating drama, the story of Suletta Mercury and Miorine Rembran’s relationship. The ups and downs that these two have gone through, the ingredients of an authentic chef’s kiss are there. Obviously I was hooked too and hoped for the best. Will they find their happiness in the notoriously cruel Gundam universe? I leave that for the curious to see for themselves. Oh that’s right. Different things. The cast was hit and miss even though it featured my “Villain of the Year” in some masked woman, the military drama setting was also hit and miss The Mobile Suit battles are neat. I came and stayed for the gays, that’s what I’m saying, the main and secondary couples. By the way, a big thank you to their CULTURE fanart. Absolutely magical. Finally because I couldn’t help myself, “According to interpretation” MY ASS! SUCK IT OLD PEOPLE AND INVESTORS UP THE ASS!
Ahem. My apologies. Where was I? Oh right.
Start big matches with controversial picks. Naturally, viewers who can get past the setup can find what I consider to be one of the sweetest Girls’Club shows I’ve ever seen, topped by just one. It’s true that the first two episodes didn’t impress me but for some reason after Kaede debuted in Episode 3, things just kept getting better and better. Even a joke I didn’t care much for suddenly became funny the third time. I’m not saying Kaede is the cause but she is definitely the catalyst for change. What I’m saying is that this is one of those stories where the main character thinks they are one but may in fact be destined to become someone else. At least that’s the message I got from the season. Regardless lots of cuteness, fun times and of course precious gayness await. The Christmas episode has one of the most precious moments I’ve ever seen. I cannot praise this program enough. My surprise hit of the year.
While not Yuri’s first harem in a long time, it is the first harem after such a period of public marketing ( thank you HiDive). In that aspect, it has brought success and subsequently some protagonists worthy of the love and desire of many gorgeous beauties who crave the “once in a lifetime” petite beauty. The harem candidates are all the best. Even though each arc has a set pattern, they’re different enough to stand on their own, and the show is surprisingly more impactful than I thought it would be. I was expecting a romantic comedy and an interesting premise with some exciting action. Ultimately, Yuuri is wonderfully PG-13. There are lesbian vampires. Nuff said.
It’s time for my #2 female sports anime of all time, #2 sports anime, period. Who knew a show that was equal parts crime drama, sports tournament, Shinnen madness, and telenovela could create such a crazy concoction where it all not only made sense but delivered one of the most epic unorthodox sports stories I’ve ever seen. More beautiful women of various ethnicities and ages can only be matched by Gundunda Witch in terms of sex appeal. The moves and special abilities are crazy, the presentation and OP are so good that it’s used in both the first and second half of the show. All of this features two great leading ladies. Eve, an extraordinarily seductive creature, embodies a film protagonist and a chick magnet. Aoi, definition of beauty “just because I’m bubbly and energetic doesn’t mean I’m stupid”. Last but not least is the best sports rival in love I have ever seen. While the ending could have been better, everything else was great. An anime series for all ages.
This anime healed my soul during a time when I felt resentful. I was looking forward to another interesting Girls’ Club anime. What I got is one of the best series in this Slice of Life sub-genre. All the main and supporting girls are precious. Our main quartet all have compelling stories to tell. The two got more attention but when it was time for the other two to shine, they made the most of the opportunity. The rocket model is also quite interesting but the highlight is of course the journey of the girls, especially that of the main duo. Even though one of them remained a mystery until the end of the season, she was still a part of countless incredible moments, ESPECIALLY with her lovably shy soulmate who was melts my heart every time she appears on screen. The closer they are, the stronger my heart beats and the more crazy I am for their love. To say it was difficult to keep my voice down would be an understatement. This show is so good that I personally can’t see myself continuing the story in comic book form. I NEED more animation in the future. So sorry. I had to cry again for the sequel.
Viewers who remember my frenzied reaction to this weekly follow-up show that rivals the power of Stardust won’t be surprised which anime is my #1.
My love for this movie is really quite simple. The female leads’ romance was my favorite Yuuri journey of the year. The supporting couple ticked a lot of the boxes in what I crave from lesbian media. The “wing woman” of the group is one of the best “lesbian best friends” alive and the second most beautiful on the show. The action and drama are quite enjoyable with a villain that I need to crush for their heinous crimes against all that is good in this existence. Coming back to our heroines, the journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, true love and especially the final ending is the journey I enjoyed the most all year. This program has everything I wanted.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen.