From the very first trailer of Lesbian Space Princess, I thought I knew what I was getting into. I thought I would go on a space adventure, be hit with raunchy jokes, and cringe at the Straight White Maliens. All of that is true. All of that happened. But I didn’t think that Lesbian Space Princess would be as deep or emotionally engaging as it was. I also didn’t think that it would hit on so many mental health aspects that come with just being.
At the center of this story is Saira. Like any good coming-of-age story, she finds it really hard to live up to the expectations put on by the kingdom of Clitopolis and her mother’s. She’s nervous, afraid of taking up space, and desperate for love and understanding. So when Kiki comes around, she latches on to that. And like any good lesbian story, Saira takes it from zero to 100 in the first couple weeks of them dating. When that falls apart and Kiki gets kidnapped by the Straight White Maliens, Saira goes on a journey to save her.
MORE: If Wednesday and Enid Aren’t Romantic, Then Why Romantic Shaped?
At the heart of this journey, Saira is doing it because she feels like if she rescues Kiki, if she becomes someone she’s not, then maybe Kiki will take her back. There’s validation in Kiki wanting her. It’s almost as if Kiki approves of her, she’ll have done something right in her life and others will finally start to see her or understand her. And I feel like when you realize that this is the heart of Lesbian Space Princess, the colorful, queer, and raunchy of it all becomes secondary.
Lesbian Space Princess is a movie about making space for yourself. And I think that the directors, writers, and animators hit this sweet spot with Lesbian Space Princess where visually this movie was a delight. But also scriptwise, everything was so smart and intentional, with an edge of whimsy and humor that is absolutely going to win with the queer community. And they use this colorful and witty vehicle to explore something that is very near and dear to everyone within the queer community: being okay with yourself.
MORE: 10 LGBTQ+ Books Coming Out October 2025
We’re often defined by society’s expectations of us, our families expectations of us, and the very own pressures that we put on ourselves based on who we think we should be. And as someone who watches a lot of movies and TVs, I’ve seen this journey a lot of times for the straight white guy who wants to impress his popular ex and goes on this adventure to prove that they’re worthy to this ex. Along the way they find meaning and an understanding in life and realize that they don’t need the ex or their family or society to define them. They define themselves.
I don’t think I’ve seen this kind of existential coming-of-age journey for someone like me. And I found myself deeply enamored with Saira and the journey that she was on. Because I have felt this loneliness where I can’t name one thing I like about myself and I’m so desperate for others’ approval that I don’t know who I am without others. And I found myself going through my own little existential crisis while watching Saira traverse the galaxy with a misogynistic ship, a new friend (or possibly more) at her side, and this looming enemy in front of her.
MORE: 7 Reasons You Should Be Reading ‘Here There Be Dragons’
As much as I feel like Lesbian Space Princess followed a familiar path when it comes to coming-of-age stories, it made sure to set itself apart when it comes to the end result.
While a part of me wanted that familiar ending for a character like Saira, I like that Lesbian Space Princess stuck to its guns and kept Saira’s journey front and center no matter what. So if you’re a fan of adult animation in the vein of Hazbin Hotel with the colorful and musical stylings of something like Steven Universe, Lesbian Space Princess is the movie for you. Throw in a little bit of mental health conversations, the patriarchy, and clitoris jokes, Lesbian Space Princess is the life affirming coming-of-age story many of us need today.
Lesbian Space Princess hits theaters October 31, 2025.
Are you excited for Lesbian Space Princess? Let us know in the comments below!
Queerly Not Straight posts Saturdays on Fangirlish with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community. Posts are ONLY published on Fangirlish.
