(no subject)

[skygiants]

Back to Top Fives - ojuzu asked me for my top five non-heteronormative characters. She also specifically excluded Utena characters from the running, which does make narrowing the list easier, given that pretty much every Utena character would count for this. Still hard, though!


5. Justin Suarez, Ugly Betty



I feel a bit guilty putting Justin here seeing as I have not yet gotten around to seeing his actual coming-out arc . . . but anyway, Justin is Betty's tiny fabulous nephew on Ugly Betty - mystery fashion elf, budding performing artist, and somehow one of the most grounded characters on the show - and getting to watch him grow up is one of the best parts of the story.

4. Kevin, Guardian of the Dead

Even though Kevin doesn't get as much pagetime in Guardian of the Dead as I would like, I still want to list him here just because I was really happy to see a clearly, explicitly asexual character appear in the pages of YA at all. Kevin's life is extremely awkward because a mythological figure is trying to lure him away and sleep with him, and he is just not interested. He's happy to be your friend, mythological creature!

3. Arakune, Angel Sanctuary



I've already talked about Kurai in one of these posts; now I'm going to talk about my other favorite character from Angel Sanctuary, Kurai's cousin (. . . ish; it's Angel Sanctuary, so of course it's complicated) and protector Arakune. Arakune was born male but identifies as female; on the one hand I have some issues with her eventual plotline and fate, but on the other hand she goes out so fabulous.

2. Eugenie Danglars, The Count of Monte Cristo

I'm kind of sad that the only images I can find for Eugenie Danglars come from Gankutsuou, which had its points as an anime, but was significantly less kinder to Eugenie than the book. Anyway: we're going old-school here with a nineteenth-century lesbian who escaped a DIRE FATE by saying "screw it" and eloping with a lady opera singer instead. The Count has a complicated incest-filled revenge scheme planned for Eugenie and her parents? Sorry, Count, Eugenie has an actual real life to get on with, involving cross-dressing and an awesome girlfriend, she has no time for you!

1. Miranda Callendar, Jekyll



Sorry, Sherlock fans - I'm sure Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are great, but I'm always going to be kind of bitter that Stephen Moffat did not decide to make a detective show about Min and Miranda, ACTUAL MARRIED LESBIAN DETECTIVES, instead. Meera Syal/Fenella Woolgar canon OTP! Miranda is a side character in Moffat's Jekyll; she's a private detective, her wife Min is her assistant, and she gets drawn into events when modern-day-Jekyll hires her to investigate his origins. Miranda is basically my favorite character in the miniseries; she's intelligent and brave and funny and, sorry, can I just come back to Meera Syal/Fenella Woolgar canon OTP?

Honorable mentions, who almost made it into my top five and who I am going to talk about anyway:

Taumad Whatever-his-last-name-is-today, Inda

Tau's one of my favorite characters in Inda. On the one hand, he's kind of hilariously bishounen, beautiful and blonde and bi - women want him! Men want him! Sex is way up there in his repertoire of solutions to exciting interpersonal problems! (On at least one notable occasion, Tau attempts to solve the issues in a friend's marriage by swooping in and sleeping with everyone involved. Sadly, it doesn't work as well as could be hoped.) He's also extremely intelligent, witty, and intensely loyal to the people he loves; an inveterate wanderer and not-exactly-accidental diplomat, he goes where people need him, and his open-true-love-relationship with Jeje is one of my favorite in the books.

Jenny Gluckstein, Tamsin

Tamsin is a book about a lot of things, but among other things it's about an awkward teenager who develops a giant crush on the beautiful ghost who lives in her new house. It's not a love story, at least not for Jenny and Tamsin - and the reason that this is an honorable mention is because it's ambiguous how non-heteronormative Jenny actually is; in her narrative, at least, she tries to pass off her crush on an older girl as something pretty much every girl goes through, so it's up for interpretation - but I love Jenny a lot, flawed and gawky and prone to temper tantrums as she is, and I love her relationship with Tamsin, and how she grows over the course of the story.

Also as per usual: if you want to chime in with your own favorite, please do!

Comments

[wakeupnew]

JUSTIIIIIN. ♥ If you want to watch his coming-out arc, all you have to do is google "Justin Austin Ugly Betty"; that's what I did. I watched the whole thing in YouTube clips. (I, uh, still haven't gotten past season 3 of the show.)

[skygiants]

I really do want to watch past season 3! I just . . . haven't done it in two years. I need to get back into the mindset or something. On the other hand, maybe youtube clips will help with that?

Also, Lexie, YOU MUST KNOW: has anyone written Ugly Betty/Glee crossovers? I don't even watch Glee, it just seems inevitable that they would exist!

[wakeupnew]

Hahaha someone requested Justin&Kurt for Yuletide and I ALMOST DID IT; I'm just not solid enough on Ugly Betty yet. I'll get there!! There are none yet that I know of.

[skygiants]

*cracks up* OF COURSE. Consider me a reader in the corner!

[nevacaruso.livejournal.com]

He's happy to be your friend, mythological creature!

This, yes. I <33 Kevin.

[skygiants]

I want a sequel just about Kevin and Iris! (I mean, I am sure I will be happy with whatever her next book ends up being about, but.)

[nevacaruso.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't dare deprive the next book of the awesomeness that is Ellie, but I hope that Kevin and Iris get more screen time, too!

[skelody.livejournal.com]

Aha! I thought this Meera Syal person looked familiar. She was in Doctor Who as the drill lady, wasn't she.

Is the rest of that series recommendable?

[skygiants]

I thought it was fun overall! It's very Moffat - clever dialogue, well-done creepy, zany plot that doesn't quite hang together in places. So if you like Moffat's writing generally, you'll probably enjoy it.

[innerbrat]

SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO WATCH PRESS GANG.

Um. Needs more comics! Renee Montoya, Batwoman, Scandal Savage. I KNOW YOU DON'T READ IT, SHUSH.

...Renfield?

[skygiants]

I'M EXCITED TOO. Sunday night after dance? :D We can rest our legs and be tv-watching slugs!

*chokes*

WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT RENFIELD. *dignity* Just because he's fabulous doesn't mean he's not heterosexually fabulous.

[innerbrat]

But but but he and DRACULA.

[skygiants]

. . . . okay, valid point.

[skelody.livejournal.com]

:D! Excellentkyou. I shall be done with the Sarah Connor Chronicles presently, and this shall be a good land to next Explore.

[skygiants]

You are welcome! :D (Also, yay SCC! I do love that show.)

[mercuriazs.livejournal.com]

..... with the exception of the "intelligent" bit, your description of Tau kinda reminds me of Puck.

O.o?




... XD

[skygiants]

Tau is way less hyperactive than Puck, and has way more of a moral center, but in other ways, um, not dissimilar. *laughing* "Why am I seducing the angry king? Well, I mean . . . he's here and hot . . . and WHO KNOWS, IT MIGHT HELP."

[littledust.livejournal.com]

"Why am I seducing the angry king? Well, I mean . . . he's here and hot . . . and WHO KNOWS, IT MIGHT HELP."

I must read this book! Like right now! *dying*

[skygiants]

EVERYONE SHOULD. Best epic fantasy ever! With bonus gay kings and lesbian pirates. (Non-evil on both counts.)

[marfisa.livejournal.com]

It reminded me of Ayame, Yuki Sohma's glamorously over-the-top older brother in "Fruits Basket," who flirts with everyone and inaugurated his several-years-earlier reign as president of the student council by inviting everyone of both sexes in the school who wasn't currently dating anyone to fall for him. (I believe he was wearing some sort of flamboyant leopard coat at the time.)

[ceitfianna]

I love Kevin and Guardian of the Dead, that book was surprising and just a pleasure to read.

[skygiants]

It really is a lovely book! And full of awesome characters.

[ceitfianna]

Yay! Borders was selling these adorable small versions for 2 dollars, so I picked up the first one. Sadly the only other one they had was the fifth or something.

In terms of my favorite characters, the first two I thought of are Lord Dono and Bel from Vorkosignan. I'm sure I know others but I'm blanking on them. Its cold and snowy, but I'm home.

And over break, I finally read some Megan Whalen Turner. I'm looking forward to the Attolia books. I love the Greekish world and characters.

[skygiants]

I thought about Lord Dono and Bel, but while I like both of them as characters, I have enough reservations about the way that they're treated by the text in their non-heteronormativity that I didn't list them here. (Seriously, is Dono bi or what? Sexual orientation doesn't magically switch along with gender!)

The Attolia books are so awesome! I think you will really enjoy them.

[ceitfianna]

Very good point, I need to reread those books again. Since just having a character doesn't make them a good character.

I know I will, after The Thief, is Queen of Attolia next?

[skygiants]

Yep! The Thief, then Queen of Attolia, then King of Attolia, then Conspiracy of Kings.

[ceitfianna]

Oh good. All the versions I kept finding didn't tell me the order so I was feeling confused. I love having a new series to read.

[tempestsarekind.livejournal.com]

I have abandoned my typical lurking solely to wave my hands giddily about the fact that someone else has read Tamsin, and I didn't make that person read it! I love that book ever so, and Jenny is fabulous. (As is her family, and Meena, and Tamsin...)

So, er, yes. Hello. And yay Tamsin.

[skygiants]

Hello! :D Tamsin is one of my favorite books ever, so I TOO am excited to find someone else who has read it (who . . . I didn't make read it.) I love the way Peter Beagle draws the characters in that book; they're all so wonderfully complicated. (Well, except for Judge Jeffries, who is pretty unadulterated evil, but I'm okay with that.)

[tempestsarekind.livejournal.com]

Hee, I have bought so many copies of that book for people! And yes, I love how ...real everyone is. Even the pooka and the billy-blind. :) (Although aside from Jenny and Tamsin, my favorite might be Julian. Bless.)

[skygiants]

(Julian is also my favorite! Most adorable little brother ever. With his bizarrely deep voice!)

[tempestsarekind.livejournal.com]

(Yes, and his stuffed gorilla named Elvis!)

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

The only ones of these I know are Justin and Miranda, but they're both awesome, so I'm going to trust you on the rest. Justin's coming-out arc is loooovely.

And you're watching Press Gang soon? OMGAMSOEXITE!

[skygiants]

I AM! innerbrat now lives down the street from me and so there is no possible way I can escape. *laughing* I will be sure to report back!

[ashen_key]

Hell YES to Eugenie Danglars. She's the only reason I'd contemplate reread that book, because she is so awesome.

[skygiants]

I love the Count of Monte Cristo in all of its ridiculousness, but dude, Eugenie Danglars is so many levels of too awesome for that book she literally breaks out of it. SHE IS A BAMF.

[ojuzu.livejournal.com]

I remember rereading Eugenie's bits of that book many, many times. (And now I want to do it again.) Every time I was just "Did they really. . . HELL YES \o/" I mean, she has a whole big speech halfway through the book about how and why she's not going to get married, and I thought that was cool, but then she eloped with her music tutor to have crossdressing lesbian adventures (in Italy, wasn't that where they were going?) and MY EYES WERE FULL OF HEARTS AND STARS AND SPARKLES.

Someday I will finish Guardian of the Dead! I had to stop a little way in because I was too busy hugging the book and going yes yes yes canonical awesome asexual, it is on the page, they said it to read any more for a while, and then I put it down in favour of library books.

(I have never watched Ugly Betty, but I keep going back up to stare at that fuchsia shirt. It is fabulous and I want one.)

Also someday I will read Angel Sanctuary and all the other things you mentioned. They sound excellent!

[skygiants]

That was pretty much my reaction too, when I read it for class the first time! "Really? . . . AWESOME! *____*" Yep, they were headed to Italy, and they were planning on crossdressing lesbian SINGING adventures, and basically I just picture their life as one long joyous musical episode.

(Ugly Betty is ALMOST as full of amazingly eye-searing fashion as Capital Scandal. ALMOST.)