But anime has long been a place where queer expression flows freely. The country remains conservative to this day, still not recognizing same-sex relationships and doing little to secure LGBTQ rights. The country would become critical of homosexuality and literature featuring queer themes, seeing queer life as deviant. During the Meiji Era of the late 19th century, Japan made a concerted effort to emulate Western attitudes of the time. Japan’s more recent history, however, is of a country that took a sharp turn towards conservative values. Same-sex relationships existed in the culture, and if you consider male Kabuki actors presenting as female in their everyday lives, as the famous Kabuki actor Yoshizawa Ayame did, there was at least a conversation to be had about transgender identity. At one time, long ago, Japan had fairly open attitudes towards gender and sexuality. Queerness in Japan has a tumultuous history.
