This Week in Anime
Is Anime Incest Really Wincest?
by Steve Jones & Christoper Farris,
Chris and Steve open the forbidden door of incest romances in anime.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.
Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead.
Yosuga no Sora, Bakemonogatari, Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?, Eromanga Sensei, Citrus, Nisemonogatari, Domestic Girlfriend, My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex, Days With My Stepsister are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Revolutionary Girl Utena is available to stream on YouTube (Nozomi's Channel.)
Candy Boy, Simoun, Selector Infected Wixoss, and Selector Spread Wixoss are not available to stream.
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Steve
Chris, between the end of the holidays and the onset of the winter anime season, we find ourselves in a liminal space here at TWIA HQ. The new shows are too new to cover. There aren't a lot of exciting breaking stories to dig into. Luckily, I've been researching, and I know what we can talk about.
Chris, between the end of the holidays and the onset of the winter anime season, we find ourselves in a liminal space here at TWIA HQ. The new shows are too new to cover. There aren't a lot of exciting breaking stories to dig into. Luckily, I've been researching, and I know what we can talk about.
If internal data is any indication, discussing...relative matters might be perfectly fine to drive traffic!
A little inside baseball for our readers: at the end of every year, the boss lady tallies up the most-read articles on ANN. And every year this dang incest listicle she wrote in 2017 is around the top! Lynzee may be known for hexing other people, but this is one curse she placed on herself. One that we, only half-jokingly, proposed we might be able to break by penning a surely demanded follow-up.
A little inside baseball for our readers: at the end of every year, the boss lady tallies up the most-read articles on ANN. And every year this dang incest listicle she wrote in 2017 is around the top! Lynzee may be known for hexing other people, but this is one curse she placed on herself. One that we, only half-jokingly, proposed we might be able to break by penning a surely demanded follow-up.
This is a serious scholarly work. It's been nearly eight years, and that's a lot of anime incest to catch up on. Although I couldn't stop myself from opening with a nod to the classic Yosuga no Sora, which Lynzee already wisely covered in her column. That's one of my GOATs. A timeless landmark in the long history of banging your sister.
It's the only thing I know about Yosuga no Sora. That and its availability on Tubi. That's right, this forbidden love is free for all.
But you're right about the continuously evolving landscape of relative romance in anime. Incest as a topic is hardly exclusive to the medium—everyone loved Game of Thrones after all. Still, sister complexes and step-sibling romances tend to be elements associated with anime, regardless.
But you're right about the continuously evolving landscape of relative romance in anime. Incest as a topic is hardly exclusive to the medium—everyone loved Game of Thrones after all. Still, sister complexes and step-sibling romances tend to be elements associated with anime, regardless.
I'm only half-joking when I call this serious and scholarly. There's a surfeit of substance you could explore—psychologically, culturally, market-wise, etc.—about why this trope keeps popping up. I wouldn't expect us to find all the answers here in our jokey dialogue column, but I think it could be fun and/or productive to go into some of our recent favorites. Or "favorites," depending on the examples we go with.
Part of my "familiarity" with the genre comes from my odd propensity to get assigned to review these shows. The very first series I did streaming reviews for was Eromanga Sensei, the anime adaptation of Tsukasa Fushimi's follow-up to Oreimo.
Was it better? Was it worse? Who can say, but the brother-sister couple wasn't even blood-related, meaning Eromanga Sensei was never gonna drive as much discourse as Oreimo on the evergreen subject of sister-smoochin'.
Was it better? Was it worse? Who can say, but the brother-sister couple wasn't even blood-related, meaning Eromanga Sensei was never gonna drive as much discourse as Oreimo on the evergreen subject of sister-smoochin'.
That's the extent of my familiarity with both series, i.e., the cowardice. I only respect an author who commits to their trashiness. Before I forget, to be genuine and mindful for a moment, I ask that you, dear reader, mentally insert the adjective "fictional" in front of every instance of "incest" in this column. We're only looking at the phenomenon as it's often used in anime/manga, i.e., as literary titillation.
That said, my first exposure to the subject was Miki and Kozue in Revolutionary Girl Utena, which is about as nasty and toxic as you can get. So that's my baseline.
Not to mention all the other examples of incest in Utena, but we'd be here all column if we did that.
That said, my first exposure to the subject was Miki and Kozue in Revolutionary Girl Utena, which is about as nasty and toxic as you can get. So that's my baseline.
Not to mention all the other examples of incest in Utena, but we'd be here all column if we did that.
Wanting to romance your relative can work well as a signifier of "negative" characterization in that toxic way. As indicated by your disclaimer, incest is a pretty serious real-world taboo that provokes necessarily strong reactions from viewers. Even in non-blood-related step-sibling setups, a personal and power dynamic colors the interactions.
That lets creators do things like Kozue's tangled-up twincest feelings for Miki or playing things for (melo)drama in Citrus. Though I'm also going to be That Guy and bring up that Yuzu and Mei only barely started cohabitating at the beginning of Citrus, so that step-sibling thing isn't nearly as much of an issue compared to all the other issues they're dealing with.
That lets creators do things like Kozue's tangled-up twincest feelings for Miki or playing things for (melo)drama in Citrus. Though I'm also going to be That Guy and bring up that Yuzu and Mei only barely started cohabitating at the beginning of Citrus, so that step-sibling thing isn't nearly as much of an issue compared to all the other issues they're dealing with.
Yeah Citrus is a concatenation of yuri messiness, and that makes it so good. It's a soap opera. The anime, specifically, comes with the directorial hand of Takeo Takahashi, who also helmed Yosuga no Sora.
I feel like a lot of the more negative discussion around Citrus at the time came from people (perhaps understandably) put off by the sisterly romance angle, not realizing that the series acknowledges the issues therein. There's gravity in Takahashi's direction, and it's at least not nearly as flippant about the subject as Eromanga Sensei or so many other little sister love fantasies.
Of course, Crunchyroll's marketing for the series at the time being exactly that flavor of flippant probably didn't help either. Never forget.
Of course, Crunchyroll's marketing for the series at the time being exactly that flavor of flippant probably didn't help either. Never forget.
Never forget. I, too, can understand that consternation from a general audience, but for me, the point of including incestuous relationships in your work is their spiciness. I want to see that unhealthy codependency placed under a microscope. Kissing your sister shouldn't be the "safe" option.
As pointedly "weird" as incest must be, that's why I think it makes it "weirder" when the Eromanga Sensei out there treat the sibling sweethearts as the "default" romance option and shipping winner. Not everything needs to be the respectful drama of Koi Kaze or the messy teen soapiness of Citrus, but you gotta acknowledge it somehow.
Granted, my insistence there does fly in the face of my ongoing fascination with Candy Boy and its absurdly everyday treatment of blood-related twincest lesbianism. I'm also probably the only person still thinking about Candy Boy in 2025, so that's a moot point.
Granted, my insistence there does fly in the face of my ongoing fascination with Candy Boy and its absurdly everyday treatment of blood-related twincest lesbianism. I'm also probably the only person still thinking about Candy Boy in 2025, so that's a moot point.
Remembering Candy Boy is a superpower. You should flaunt it.
I want a license for this series so that we can get higher-res streaming copies of it. Come on, Crunchyroll, no one's going to forget the Citrus Valentine's Day card, but maybe you could dilute some of that attention if you brought Kana and Yuki over so they could promote Folgers coffee in time for next Christmas.
Not to mention, compared to the wide world of milquetoast anime dudes lusting after their imouto, the yuri incest sphere is much smaller and thus more in need of preservation. Simoun is also currently out of print and not streaming. I love that the introduction of Simoun's angry sister ex-lovers coincided with the introduction of Mari Okada as an episode writer. She's a real one.
Okada can orchestrate powerful familial tales, whether it's the heart-wrenching manifestation of motherhood in Maquia or those silly Simoun sisters. Simoun is a series that feels like it could easily have whole new rounds of discussion in today's online anime sphere, and incest is but one aspect of all that. Unfortunately, as you said, it's not streamable. I guard my DVDs with my life.
Okada is also the brains behind Selector Infected Wixoss and Selector Spread Wixoss, which has a prominent subplot about a girl in love with her twin brother. I like that Okada approaches this from the sister's POV, and it also dovetails well into the series' Faustian themes.
But mostly, it's great because Okada isn't afraid to write assholes.
But mostly, it's great because Okada isn't afraid to write assholes.
It's always fun when characters call out the relative taboo of the act in the series. Having some self-awareness goes a long way, even if it also results in moments of dissonance like Araragi in Bakemonogatari (correctly) assessing anime sister complexes before we knew the sort of stuff he'd get up to in the sequel seasons.
Not sure what you mean. Araragi is just passionate about oral hygiene. We could all learn something from him.
I've learned when I can admit that I think the legendary Brother-Sister Brushing Time scene from Nisemonogatari is extremely funny. The incredibly inappropriate overtones are a big point of that. NisiOisin's sense of humor isn't for everyone, but it works for me.
Especially compared to something like A Sister's All You Need, which also attempts to mine humor from the subject of sister complexes to much more...mixed results.
Especially compared to something like A Sister's All You Need, which also attempts to mine humor from the subject of sister complexes to much more...mixed results.
Not every writer has the chops to take refuge in audacity. To put it in the most boring terms possible, incest is a trope like any other. You can be lazy about it, or you can be creative with it. Domestic Girlfriend, for instance, forgoes the taboo of blood relations, but it does innovate by having the hero and heroine bang before they become step-siblings.
That's a neat idea because, similar to what I pointed out about Citrus, it prompts a conversation about what "counts" as incest and step-sibling cohabitation power dynamics based on the exact timetables and circumstances of shacking up. Including actual sex helps compound the alluring spiciness.
That's just how Domestic Girlfriend starts! Once that stone gets rolling, it picks up a student-teacher romance, a love triangle between the MC and his two step-sisters, a scene where he has to give one a suppository, and another scene where he walks in on his teacher-sister-crush masturbating. Domestic Girlfriend is no one-trick pony, and that's why it's one of the best anime soap operas out there.
Domestic Girlfriend was one I'd missed back in the day, but you are selling me on it hard here, pal.
Good! This scene, in particular, also nicely spells out one of the main allures of incest as it functions in these anime fictions: its utter, all-consuming romance. The world and society be damned. 'Til death do us part. And all that.
Onto the watchlist it goes. It sounds like it does a damn sight more with the "lovers who become step-siblings" springboard compared to the more languid approach of something like My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex.
I thought the original novel version of this one was alright, but the anime was so dang sauceless. Maybe it's not playing in the same steamy sandbox as Domestic Girlfriend, but you gotta do something. Even Eromanga Sensei knew to address that intertwining of loves, both romantic and familial, you can get from these fictionalized family taboos.
I thought the original novel version of this one was alright, but the anime was so dang sauceless. Maybe it's not playing in the same steamy sandbox as Domestic Girlfriend, but you gotta do something. Even Eromanga Sensei knew to address that intertwining of loves, both romantic and familial, you can get from these fictionalized family taboos.
You also, sadly, can't get away with a funny premise and nothing else. You still have to write good characters and an interesting story. That was the undoing of Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks? The incredible title, Pochi Iida character designs, and a handful of bonkers scenes are great, but they don't carry an entire anime season.
The mom, the myth, the legend.
I made my bed when I volunteered to cover it weekly, and I regret nothing.
Mostly nothing.
Mostly nothing.
I remember thinking that the premise of Do You Love Your Mom would have worked better if it hadn't gone where everyone expected it to. The idea of some dude playing an MMO alongside his overpowered mom is a pretty golden base concept. But alas, they had to fall into the expected pile of Oedipal undergarments. It's like how Oreimo could be pretty compelling in its earlier episodes before it outright confirmed its blood-related bonding.
It's a fine line to walk, and each approach has upsides and downsides. If you go fully outrageous, you court criticisms of the melodrama or trashiness. If you try to tackle it seriously, you risk appearing flippant about its real-life severity. Trying to pick the "best" way to handle incest in anime is probably a lost cause, and regardless, it's not going to stop authors from returning to that well. It's ensconced in the medium at this point. And I'm fine with that because a show like Days With My Stepsister can come along and still feel like a fresh take on the subject.
In getting ready to attend this family reunion, we realized there'd been a fresh entry in this storied subgenre just a few months ago! And in checking it out, I am once again frustrated by my ability to not watch every anime because, dang, where was I for this show when it was coming out?!
Just reading the title, I could easily guess the core premise, but this is not the treatment I expected for the material before loading it up.
Just reading the title, I could easily guess the core premise, but this is not the treatment I expected for the material before loading it up.
It also slipped past my radar, and I only checked it out because a trusted friend (and salacious sibling romance aficionado) gave it a glowing recommendation. And, granted, I'm only three episodes in, but those were three excellent episodes. It's patient. It's moody. It's confident. The characters speak like they're in a light novel, but the direction turns it into a piece of arthouse slow cinema. Lots of lingering shots of characters eating. Emphasis on small, deliberate pieces of body language. Nonlinear editing. This is my element.
I love how the layouts regularly frame the characters; the cinematography can feel as deliberate as the body language. It emphasizes the regular passage of time, the titular "Days" Yuta spends with his new stepsister Saki.
It lets the situation feel like both a real and grounded setting. It's infused with an ambiguous melancholy. That ambiguity then translates to questions of how much of a stepsibling romance this is going to be for the first few episodes.
It lets the situation feel like both a real and grounded setting. It's infused with an ambiguous melancholy. That ambiguity then translates to questions of how much of a stepsibling romance this is going to be for the first few episodes.
And here, the ambiguity feels purposeful instead of noncommittal. If anything, these episodes suffer from an overabundance of ideas, which makes the will-they-won't-they aspect just one facet of the thematic menagerie. I respect that ambition. It makes me want to see where those threads lead. Also, I'm a sucker for damaged people licking each other's wounds. This exchange of dialogue was a kill shot on me.
It feels like it plays into that feeling of "the world and society be damned" that you brought up about Domestic Girlfriend. I like how Yuta recognizes that the sibling dynamic is just one reason why it would be unhealthy for Saki and him to get together. It marks it as far away from the usual step-sister fantasy. The pair have a connection because they mutually understand each other's foundational situations, not because they happened to be living together in a prescribed boy-girl roommate situation.
It's sweet, complicated, and unique. "Sweet," especially, isn't an adjective I'd use for most of the other series we've brought up in this column, so Stepsister is in a league of its own there. I'm sure there are other family-too-friendly anime we've neglected to mention, and I encourage everyone to sound off their favorites in the comments. That will result in a more comprehensive discussion, and more importantly, it should siphon some of that attention away from Lynzee's original column. Just as planned.
Alternatively, this time next year, she'll be going nuts because now two incest-based columns are topping ANN's traffic.
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
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