Cross-dressing In Manga And Anime

Over the past few decades, cross-dressing has become more popular than ever, and its popularity is reflected in the media. This way, both the anime and the manga have gained a lot of o visibility. Both things had to converge at some point, so they did. Some pretty exciting stories came to be thanks to that, and I believe cross-dressers would enjoy reading or watching them.

There’s no shortage of cross-dressing material in anime and manga nowadays. Some have a more humorous tone, while others are close to drama, but all of them are enjoyable. Here, I bring you a selection of the most memorable stories about cross-dressing in this kind of media. Keep reading this article so that you can see my recommendations.

1. Lupin III

This one is a classic from the 1960s, with new seasons still airing. The story follows the character of the same name, Lupin the Third. He’s the grandson of Arsene Lupin, also known as “The gentleman thief” and considered the French equivalent of Sherlock Holmes. His childish, seemingly Naive behavior is nothing but a facade, as he’s one of the most brilliant manga characters of all time. He uses elaborate and creative methods to pull off his heists, although he has a great sense of justice. Some consider him to be an in-between of James Bond and Robin Hood. But besides all of that, he’s a master of disguise and has cross-dressed on multiple occasions. Sometimes, it includes realistic masks and suits, and other characters in the series have also done that. A running joke in the anime is that he’ll use gadgets or hidden weapons as “fillings” for breast forms. And even though most of his cross-dressing occurs as comic relief, it still happens frequently enough to be enjoyable and relatable for us.

2. Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon is another classic series, both anime, and manga. It became popular in the 1990s and had a surprisingly large amount of LGBTQ representation. It also includes a few instances of cross-dressing, even though it’s not the story’s focus. Zoisite is one of the best examples, as he, a male general, cross-dresses in an attempt to impersonate the titular character, Sailor Moon. He succeeds, as he has a very effeminate appearance despite being a man. In fact, he is frequently mistaken for a girl during the series. Still, there’s also a group o FtM cross-dressing characters in the Sailor Moon anime. A group of three, to be exact, called the Sailor Starlights. They are female and cross-dress as men to hide their identities. Last but not least, the character Fisheye has a somewhat androgynous appearance. Throughout the series, he is stated to be male, although he always dresses up in feminine attire. That is only a fraction of the LGBTQ representation in Sailor Moon. But my goal here is to point out cross-dressing characters. But still, I strongly recommend you to watch it, as the story is compelling and the characters are relatable.

3. Mimic Royal Princess

This is a unique manga, with the whole plot revolving around cross-dressing. The main character is Albert, a boy in a world where women rule and men have no social status. The exciting thing is that Albert happens to be a lookalike of the royal princess alexia and is sold to her after being kidnapped. Once in the royal palace, he’s compelled to cross-dress and pose as the princess, serving as her body double for risky situations. The story was published from 2011 to 2016, totaling 31 chapters, and the critics received it well. They say it’s better than people could expect and has a very complex story for a series based on cross-dressing. It escapes from the comedic stereotypes and shows us all the struggles that cross-dressers go through. Instead of instantly passing as a woman, the main character undergoes hard training to become a woman. Because of that, it’s way more believable than most cross-dressing related media.

4. Princess Princess

Princess Princess is a manga and anime comedy series with a rather enjoyable story that appeals to the average cross-dresser. The plot follows Toru Kouno, a transfer student to an elite all-male school. The school, however, has a tradition in which some male students are chosen to be “princesses.” They do that to make life less monotonous in an all-male environment. They are tasked with specific activities, such as cheering for school events and attending school in women’s clothes. They go through extensive cross-dressing to make them look like girls. But the younger, more passable students are often selected for the position. Early in the story, Toru is chosen as one of three princesses and undergoes his transformation for his time at the school. Students selected to be one can’t refuse it but gain many school benefits for serving as a princess. Well, I don’t think any of our sisters would turn down such an offer anyways.

5. Ranma ½

Ranma ½ originated as a manga but aired in anime format in Japan from 1989 to 1992. It features a lot of comedy, light-hearted moments, and action and drama. It’s an appealing story about a young martial artist named Ranma, who is cursed after an accident. As a result, he becomes a girl whenever he comes into contact with cold water and needs hot water to turn back into his male self. The series accompanies him in his journey to get rid of the curse and fight in martial arts tournaments. But he often uses it to his advantage, willingly transforming into a girl from time to time and causing some rivals to fall in love with him.

The series has a lot of fun characters and appealing arcs, and comedy is present in a good way. It doesn’t break the stereotypes, but I’m sure most of our sisters will enjoy it.

Cross-dressing seems to be a popular trope In anime and manga. It often appears comic relief, with people making fun of the cross-dressers. But since the late 1980s, the new generation of this kind of media tends to show it as a positive thing. They see how interesting cross-dressing stories can be, and now they depict our sisters in an accurate and relatable manner. Do you know any other stories like that? If you do, make sure you recommend it in the comments!