While it may be overshadowed by this season’s big shounen anime like Demon Slayer and Dr. Stone, the school series Skip and Loafer is getting buzz recently from some anime fans thanks to its proper trans representation.
Recently, the first episode of Skip and Loafer was streamed online, and it introduced the series’ loveable cast, including one that is all but confirmed to be a male-to-female transgender character.
This isn’t the first time that a trans character was tastefully depicted in anime, though this is one of the stand-out ones in the opinion of viewers.
Trans Representation in Anime and Manga
Trans characters have unfairly been used as the butt of jokes in shows from previous decades, but over the past years, we’ve seen an increase in well-crafted trans characters in anime.
One of the most popular ones in recent memory is Lily Hoshikawa from Zombie Land Saga.
Lily has become somewhat of a trans icon, and her depiction in the anime has gotten lots of praise from LGBTQ anime fans.
While Lily is a go-to example, there are other popular trans characters, with some even appearing in older shows. For instance, there’s Alluka Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter.
One Piece also has its fair share of trans characters, including the likes of Emporio Ivankov.
While the series has been criticized at times for its depiction of trans characters, it has also been equally praised for its representation.
Many trans characters in anime are male-to-female, though one well-known exception is Togata from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Fire Punch. Togata is a notable film-lover and transman.
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Skip and Loafer Fans Praise Series’ Trans Character Depiction
In Skip and Loafer’s first episode, viewers are introduced to Nao-chan, Mitsumi’s aunt in Tokyo with whom she stays as she starts her studies there.
Nao-chan was first mentioned as the brother of Mitsumi’s father, though Nao-chan turns out to be a transwoman. And this fact was handled quite casually in the episode, with no jokes being made at her expense.
Aside from being happy with the inclusion of a trans character, many were also happy with how she was depicted in the episode.
Along with fans on Twitter, there’s also a thread on MyAnimeList where viewers discussed their thoughts on Nao-chan. They also mentioned similar shows with good LGBTQ representation.
You’ll get to see more of Nao-chan in new Skip and Loafer episodes which are streamed every week on Crunchyroll.
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