Despite some gamers' complaints about “diversity,” it’s necessary for the media to press forward. Without it, Final Fantasy would still be aping Dragon Quest. Every Mario game would still be a 2D side-scrolling platformer. And every fighting game would still look like International Karate+, with identical karate men in different colors.
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Having a roster of great characters makes fighting games so enjoyable, and these games have some of the most playable characters in it
In fact, fighting games perhaps depend on diversity the most. They need big rosters of interesting characters to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. With LGBTQ+ no longer being dirty letters, the genre has had a few characters representing each initial over the years. These are just some LGBTQ+ characters in fighting games worth taking pride in.
Updated on June 7, 2024, by David Heath: There are plenty of LGBTQ+ video game characters out there. However, it can be tricky to find them sometimes. Fans can complain about some examples being too obvious, reiterating the Darkplace meme about subtext ("I know writers who use subtext, and they're all cowards!"). But there are other examples that are just non-conforming straights at best, or baiting at worst. Cammy's relationship with her former doll counterpart Juni in Street Fighter 6 seems amorous but could go either way. King of Fighters' Ash is deliberately delicate, though his only relationships have been familial (Elisabeth) or platonic (Duo Lon, Shen Woo). Even Zangief has had people wondering about him. So, this list has been tweaked and updated with characters who spell out their LGBTQ+ status openly, whether it's a behind-the-scenes detail or as plain as the nose on their faces.
19 Eagle
Swift With His Sticks
- Debut: Street Fighter (1987).
- Appearances: Capcom Vs SNK 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper.
Eagle was originally based on Petrov, the suited fighter from Bruce Lee’s The Chinese Connection (aka Fist of Fury). He didn't have much going for him beyond that and his eskrima sticks. Thus, when Capcom dusted him off for Capcom Vs SNK 2, they decided to spice his character up by throwing in some Freddy Mercury references into his design and making him gay.
While Mercury was bisexual, Eagle doesn't seem to have time for women, as his CvS2 win quotes mention him being immune to the charms of Morrigan, Darkstalkers' succubus supreme. His ending also suggested he was checking out the competition, so to speak. Beyond that, his expanded move set made him fun to play. It would be nice to see him come back for Street Fighter 6, but after 20 years, it feels unlikely.
18 Morrigan
A Succubus for All Seasons
- Debut: Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors.
- Appearances: Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge, Vampire Savior, Vampire Savior 2, Vampire Hunter 2, Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix, Marvel Vs Capcom, Marvel Vs Capcom 2, Marvel Vs Capcom 3, Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, Marvel Vs Capcom: Infinite, SNK Vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium, Capcom Vs SNK, Capcom Vs SNK 2, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom.
Eagle may be immune to Morrigan's charms, but she isn't so picky over who she makes her moves on. She was meant to become queen of Makai, the demon realm. However, the idea of being waited on hand and foot, or being expected to perform royal duties, didn't interest her at all. She'd rather head out into the human world and find something (or someone) new to play with. It's all part of her nature as a succubus.
Nearly all her victory quotes and taunts are one kind of flirting or another, with Iron Man catching her attention in the Marvel games, and Pyron getting her kiss of death in Darkstalkers. She's rarely shown doing anything with women, though one of her win poses in Marvel Vs Capcom 1 & 2 shows her with Lilith, the personification of a part of her powers, in a suggestive situation. Clearly, she isn't picky about choosing her partners.
17 Juri
Does Whatever She Wants to Whoever She Wants
- Debut: Super Street Fighter 4 (2010).
- Appearances: SSF4 Arcade Edition, Ultra Street Fighter 4, Street Fighter X Tekken, Street Fighter 5, Street Fighter 6.
Juri Han became a hit as soon as she appeared. Despite being a chaotic evil, Tae Kwon Do-using punk, there was a sympathetic side to her as many of her character flaws are her acting out due to her trauma. Others like Chun-Li have offered her the chance to move past her past and reform.
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She's regarded as the first openly bisexual character in the SF series as well. Being a sadist, she's not too picky about who she gets to hurt for kicks. Nonetheless, she does seem to lean more towards women than men. Her original biography listed 'large breasts' as one of her interests, and she has a love-hate thing going on for Chun-Li and Cammy. She accused them of having a 'schoolgirl crush' on her, but since she projects her faults on others, it may be the other way around.
16 Mature
Secretary With a Surprise
- Debut: King of Fighters '94 (cutscene), King of Fighters '96 (playable).
- Appearances: King of Fighters '98, King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, King of Fighters 2002, King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match, King of Fighters 12, King of Fighters 13, King of Fighters 14.
Juri wouldn't be the first bisexual woman with a sadistic streak, though she would be one of the few to have it confirmed right from the start. Mature first appeared as one of the secretaries for KOF '94's final boss, Rugal. Then, for her first playable appearance, it would be revealed she was part of the Hakkenshu, a clan of Orochi worshipers, and she'd be tasked with keeping an eye on the series' lead rival, Iori, alongside fellow secretary-turned-spy Vice.
She'd be the slightly more hinged one, toying with her foes before slashing them, compared to Vice's more manic bloodthirst. Given Vice's aversion to men, particularly middle-aged ones, one would think SNK would've made her their first confirmed queer character. But it was in a Kotaku article on KOF 12 that confirmed Mature was bisexual. Given how she shows her affections, her partners would have to be masochists.
15 Marisa
Pansexual Pankratiast
- Debut: Street Fighter 6 (2023).
- Appearances: None.
If Juri is a little too scary, SF6 has a new character who's less intimidating, despite being a mountain of muscle. Marisa is an Italian who claims Greek descent and practices pankration. Outside the ring, she’s a jewelry designer who likes art. Inside it, she uses combat to show “her affection for both men and women in her own special way”. In the early days, people thought it was just a creative description of her heart-shaped punches. Much like how two cohabiting same-sex couples may be just roommates.
Yet Arcade Mode shows her having a tender moment with Manon and an amorous one with Zangief. Then one of her World Tour missions sees the player help her decide between a male and a female fiancée. In the end, she settles on both, then invites the player to be a third. With her willingness to share her love with anyone regardless of gender, she may be the genre's first polyamorous pansexual.
14 Kung Jin
Left By the Wayside
- Debut: Mortal Kombat X (2015).
- Appearances: Mortal Kombat 1 (non-playable).
SF isn’t the only series to feature LGBTQ+ characters. Mortal Kombat X introduced the “Kombat Babies,” the younger relatives of classic characters. Sonya and Johnny Cage had a daughter, Cassie. Jax had his daughter Jacqui. Kenshi gave Scorpion a student in Takeda. Then Kung Lao had a nephew in Kung Jin, who happened to be openly gay.
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His status is revealed in a scene with Raiden, where he recruits the wayward youth into the White Lotus (“They care only about what is in your heart, not whom your heart desires”). However, he couldn’t quite stand out over his fellow youngsters, going MIA from Mortal Kombat 11. Whether he’ll appear in Mortal Kombat 1 beyond a story mode cutscene is up in the air, but given it's yet another reboot, it seems unlikely.
13 Mileena & Tanya
Power Couple
- Debut: Mortal Kombat 2 (Mileena), Mortal Kombat 4 (Tanya).
- Mileena's Appearances: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Mortal Kombat Gold, Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat (2011), Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1.
- Tanya's Appearances: Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 1.
Wholesome moments are rare in MK and rarer still among its villains. In the classic and reboot timelines, Mileena was a monster clone of Kitana that liked to eat people alive. While Tanya was an Edenian who'd betray anyone to get ahead. They’ve both flirted with guys, including Kung Jin (“Barking up the wrong tree, sister!”). But MK11 changed things when they brought Mileena back, and she wanted to avenge both her own death (she got better) and Tanya's.
It turned out she wasn’t just an aide to Mileena’s claim to Outworld’s throne in MKX, but her lover too. Her arcade mode ending saw her rewrite history to revive Tanya and rule the Realms as queens with their child. For two bloodthirsty killers, it’s a surprisingly heartwarming ending. MK1 kept their love but changed the surrounding details. Mileena is now the heir to Outworld's throne, and Tanya is her Umgadi guardian, carrying out a secret relationship.
12 Sharon
Secret Agent Nun
- Debut: Street Fighter EX2 (1998).
- Appearances: Street Fighter EX2 Plus, Street Fighter EX3, Fighting EX Layer.
Sharon has a messy story that differs between the SFEX games and Fighting EX Layer, Arika's revival of the EX series without the SF characters. Initial news at the time said she was the sister of SFEX1's Blair, who had been taken out of the series to appear in Fighting Layer (no relation to FEXL). Eventually, she would be revealed as a nun who also worked as a secret agent in order to find out who her parents were.
The rest of the EX series would tease who her parents were, mentioning one had a 'rose tattoo'. But they'd never get around to revealing who this person was before EX3 ended the series for good. Sharon was brought back as DLC for FEXL, where she discovered her father was Skullomania's anti-hero rival, Shadowgeist, and that her real name was Seren. But neither was as important to her as getting back safely to her girlfriend was.
11 Venom
Assassin with an Unrequited Love
- Debut: Guilty Gear X (2000).
- Appearances: Guilty Gear X2, Guilty Gear X Advance, Guilty Gear XX #Reload, Guilty Gear XX Slash, Guilty Gear Judgment, Guilty Gear Isuka, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2.
The Guilty Gear series is one of the more open fighting games in terms of sexuality and identity. I-No is like Juri in her flirty attitude towards every gender. Elphelt skips that in favor of proposing marriage directly. Kum Haehyun and Justice are women in otherwise butch-looking robot shells. By comparison, Venom, a gay Egyptian who fights with a cue and billiard balls, feels rather grounded.
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He had an unrequited love for Zato-One, the leader of the Assassin’s Guild, and did all he could to serve him. When Zato died in Guilty Gear XX, Venom took it hard and took it out on his killer and former lover, Millia Rage. If anyone was expecting a love triangle with queer elements in a video game, they probably weren’t expecting it in a 2D fighter. He's since settled down with Ky Kiske's mechanical doppelgänger Robo-Ky.
10 Bridget
Every Discussion Ends With Her
- Debut: Guilty Gear X2 (2002).
- Appearances: Guilty Gear XX #Reload, Guilty Gear XX Slash, Guilty Gear Judgment, Guilty Gear Isuka, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, Guilty Gear Strive.
Since Bridget returned to the GG series in Guilty Gear Strive, it's become a meme that every discussion about the game, if not the series at large, will end in discourse about the yoyo-wielding bounty hunter. Many aren't willing to accept the conclusion of her story mode in the game, where she officially comes out to her allies. That's par for the course for trans characters, but it's also because Bridget's journey was an unusual one. She was one of a set of twins, and assigned male at birth.
The locals believed twin boys were a bad omen, so to save Bridget, her parents claimed she was born a girl and raised her as such. Though she felt at home with a feminine upbringing, her parents felt bad for seemingly making her live a lie. So, Bridget thought her parents would feel better if she took up a masculine job and identity. However, in GGS, she learned she was pretending to be something she wasn't. Her parents had inadvertently lucked in on the truth: Bridget is a trans girl, and happy to be one.
9 Poison Kiss
Any Publicity is Good Publicity
- Debut: Final Fight (NPC), Final Fight Revenge (playable).
- Appearances: Street Fighter X Tekken, Ultra Street Fighter 4, Street Fighter 5.
Poison, and to a lesser extent her co-NPC Roxy, are some of the earliest trans representatives in gaming, and also some of the most notorious. Their origins lay in a particularly notorious urban legend that's particularly pungent nowadays. It stated that, after Nintendo of America took umbrage with Final Fight having men beat up the two women, Capcom asked them if it would be better if they were transgender.
NoA clearly disagreed as they were replaced with male counterparts in the SNES port of Final Fight. Yet concept art from the time suggests both were trans via the politically incorrect term 'newhalf' (ニューハーフ). Capcom would later leave Poison's status up to the fans, who'd gradually take her in as a trans icon in gaming. Despite Capcom's attempt to "have our cake and eat it too", according to SFxT producer Yoshinori Ono, Poison would go from a bad joke to a positive figure fans want to see come back for SF6.
8 Testament
Transcending Humanity and Labels
- Debut: Guilty Gear: The Missing Link (1998).
- Appearances: Guilty Gear X, Guilty Gear X2, Guilty Gear X Advance, Guilty Gear XX #Reload, Guilty Gear XX Slash, Guilty Gear Judgment, Guilty Gear Isuka, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, Guilty Gear Strive.
However, others wish queer characters got attention beyond their identity, as their stories would often revolve around them being L, G, B, T, Q or otherwise. So, they might've been relieved when Testament returned as an agender character without the hullaballoo Bridget went through. Before Strive, they looked like a masculine goth and used he/him pronouns. Afterward, they got a more feminine, Zatanna-ish look.
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Having inclusion and diversity in video games is incredibly important, and these non-binary characters are just a perfect example of why.
Their "new" status didn’t play a part in their role as the Gear getting past their anti-human bias either. It was just a background detail. According to Daisuke Ishiwatari, “They’ve transcended human existence.” Since gender is a human construct and not one recognized by Gears, Testament doesn't follow it. Humans may call Testament non-binary or agender, but to them, they're just being themselves no matter the label.
7 Mai Natsume
From Print to Playable
- Debut: BlazBlue: Remix Heart (manga), BlazBlue: Central Fiction (game).
- Appearances: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.
Bridget may be GG’s first trans character, but it took ten years between her last appearance in 2012’s Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R and her return as DLC for Strive for that to be confirmed. For most of that time, fans thought Bridget was a femboy rather than just plain femme. BlazBlue decided to be less ambiguous with Mai Natsume. She used to be a nondescript male who happened to be the heir to the noble Hazuki family and had trouble socializing with others.
But her life was turned upside down when she was turned into a woman by a nameless grimoire. In this new form, she became more confident, made new friends, and began enjoying life more. She had highs and lows throughout her journey, but she ultimately realized she was always a woman at heart, and her friends accepted her as such.
6 Makoto Nanaya
Bisexual Beastkin
- Debut: BlazBlue: Continuum Shift.
- Appearances: BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, BlazBlue: Central Fiction, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.
BlazBlue has been compared to its sister series Guilty Gear since day one, right up to the point where it was considered a temporary replacement while GG was in legal limbo. However, once people gave it a go, they'd soon find out it was a different beast entirely. One similarity might be in that the spear-wielding trans woman Mai and bisexual squirrel girl Makoto Nanaya feel ordinary next to whatever Arakune is.
Debuting as a playable character in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, she was racially abused since childhood for being a beastkin. But she found solace in her friends Noel and Tsubaki, remaining chirpy and cheery. Her sexuality came to light when series creator Toshimichi Mori tried to make Tsubaki a lesbian, but couldn't do it in a convincing way. So, he created Makoto to fill that gap as a fun-loving bisexual who has a crush on a man (Naoto) while being flirty towards women like Mai and co.
5 Katalina & Belial
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
- Debut: Granblue Fantasy (Katalina- MMORPG), Granblue Fantasy: Versus (Belial).
- Appearances: Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising.
While BlazBlue and Guilty Gear have had their fair share of LGBTQ+ characters, they face a new challenger in Granblue Fantasy Versus. Starting off, it has two different bisexual characters. Katalina Aryze, the guardian of Lyria, inadvertently attracts Lowain, Farrah, and Vira. She doesn't exactly notice Vira's less-than-subtle romantic interest back but has just as much a soft spot for her as she does Lyria.
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Every fighter in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising comes with their pros and cons, but these characters are solid overall.
Then, one of the game's antagonists, Belial, is a fallen angel who likes to stoke chaos wherever he goes. Basically, if anyone's familiar with Marvel's Loki, they know Belial's archetype. Though like Loki, he's also attracted to both men and women. He'll toy with anyone of either gender, including hitting on them in a variety of ways.
4 Vira Lillie
Thirsty Heart
- Debut: Granblue Fantasy (MMORPG), Granblue Fantasy: Versus.
- Appearances: Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Speaking of Vira Lillie, it's safe to give her a spot on this list. She grew up in the fortress city of Albion Citadel alongside Katalina, who she'd refer to as her 'sister'. But her feelings soon became more than familial or platonic. She keeps a diary specifically for recording her interactions with Katalina and threatens anyone (particularly Lowain and other men) if they dare make any move on Katalina.
She manages to beat Katalina in a duel to become the citadel's Lord Commander but proclaims that her sword skills and equally sharp decision-making skills are all to be used on Katalina's behalf. Her Promo Uncap art shows her dancing with Katalina as well. Even if she wasn't interested in her, her profile states she likes 'cute girls' as well. It's hard to get more out than that.
3 Yuel
Putting the L in LGBTQ+
- Debut: Rage of Bahamut (mobile card game), Granblue Fantasy: Versus.
- Appearances: Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising.
Katalina and Vira have enough yuri chemistry to get GL fans going, as do Katalina and Lyria. Yet their relationships are clouded, as Katalina doesn't exactly reciprocate Vira's feelings, and defending Lyria is part of her job. But things are much more clear when it comes to Yuel, a treasure hunter who seeks a way to restore her family's royal lineage.
She's often seen with her childhood friend Societte, the demure, shy type to Yuel's tomboy. The two have gone on dates, bought each other gifts, and even have the same ideas. Like when they tried to prank each other into swimming together for longer by hiding the other's clothes. The game shies away from using the "L" word, but they're one of the few lesbian couples to show up directly on-screen.
2 Cagliostro & Ladiva
Trans Characters Of Different Stripes
- Debut: Granblue Fantasy (MMORPG), Granblue Fantasy: Versus.
- Appearances: Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Granblue Fantasy: Versus has also had trans characters, who represent their status in different ways. Cagliostro was a sickly boy who, with the help of her sister, figured out a way to shift her soul into a new, female body. Through practice and learning, Cagliostro would become one of the world's most powerful alchemists, swapping her bodies regularly. But she never went back to a male one as it didn't match her idealized form of 'cuteness'.
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Having inclusive and diverse characters is incredibly important, and these games do a great job at doing this.
By contrast, Ladiva seems like a stereotype, resembling a feminine Zangief. But she's never treated like a joke, as she uses her size and wrestling moves to defend her younger siblings at the orphanage. Cagliostro offered to give her a more feminine form via her alchemy, but she refused because she saw her body as a gift from her parents. Even if it doesn't help her "pass," it helps her protect her loved ones, who are more important to her than satisfying closed minds.
1 Leo
Non-Binary, Non Problem
- Debut: Tekken 6 (November 2007).
- Appearances: Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Tekken 3D: Prime Edition, Tekken Revolution, Tekken 7, Tekken 8.
Last but not least, there's Tekken 6's baji quan expert,Leo Kliesen. Hailing from Germany, their life was turned upside down when their mother was killed by an unknown assailant, and the police refused to investigate. So, they decided to do their job for them by tracking down her mom's old boss, Kazuya Mishima, and asking him some questions. Likely in a particularly aggressive manner.
Leo left fans wanting to know whether they were a pretty man or a masculine woman. Sure, the lore initially said Leo was short for 'Eleonora', and they could be dressed in a bikini in Tekken Tag Tournament 2. But they could also be dressed in male swimwear. They wear masculine clothes by default and use masculine German phrases. Ultimately, Bandai-Namco has stuck to their guns: Leo's non-binary, and will stay as such.
