ZA is officially the queerest pokemon game ever

Pokemon games have come a long way from the iconic and equally disturbing “Are you a boy or a girl?” from Gen 1 to the point that the latest games in the series finally include some queer representation, even if it's quiet. There are no characters who are openly gay, lesbian, transgender, or non-binary, for example, but there are many ways in which these are still authentic experiences thanks to queer-coded character models and dialogue, even in Pokemon Legends: ZA. Given how thoughtful the Gen 9 games were in queer representation, it might not be shocking to learn that Pokemon Legends: ZA is very queer-coded, but you might be surprised how it happens.

Before Pokemon Legends: ZA came out (pun intended), Pokemon Scarlet and VioletThe LGBTQIA+ representation was considered a highlight of the series, despite some issues. And for good reason. There are several examples:

Penny is heavily implied to like girls. Not only that, but her ace is the famous trans Pokemon icon Sylveon, and her story is about embracing who you are, no matter what.
Grusha wears the colors of the trans flag, and at first it's hard to tell if she's male, female, or non-binary. He is revealed to use male pronouns, but his appearance is very feminine.
Rika from the elite four in Scarlet and Violet means she is non-binary, possibly in a relationship with Geeta, champion of Paldea.
Saguaro's story is most likely a coming out parable as his peers pressure him to like foods other than his favorite type until he finally embraces the sweet taste he loves so much. All in pink and using all-female Pokémon, including two Fairy-type Pokémon.

Still, Pokemon Legends: ZA perhaps it transcends all of this in various ways, including heavily queer-coded characters and even Pokemon itself.

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The fun in Pokemon Legends: ZA Comp is officially over when January 29th arrives

Pokemon Legends: ZA is changing forever on January 29, 2026, and you may have to find new ways to actually have fun in the game.

Pokemon Legends: ZA introduces the first Bigender Pokemon

Pokemon Legends: ZAThe Mega Evolution roster includes several new ones, both in the base game and in the DLC. Among them are two interesting instances: Mega Pyroar and Mega Meowstic.

Both are Pokemon with huge gender differences, with the female Pyroar having a mane that looks like long hair and the male Pyroar having a more lion-like mane, while the female Meowstic is sleeker and has mostly white fur, and the male Meowstic is seemingly more outgoing and has mostly blue fur. Instead, their Mega Evolutions are arguably the first ever bigender Pokémon in the series:

Mega Pyroar and Mega Meowstic only have one form each, rather than two different forms based on gender.
The Mega Pyroar has a large mane across its face, still implementing the design of the female Pyroar by having the top part of the mane long.
Mega Meowstic is even more obvious in the way it implements this philosophy, as it is literally a mix of the gender differences between a male and a female Meowstic, with its fur evenly split between white and blue.

Pokemon Legends: ZA's Non-Gender-locked Clothes and Rivals Dynamics

Interestingly, Pokemon Legends: ZAThe clothing options are the first of its kind that aren't gender-locked. This means you can choose a male model and still wear dresses, skirts, crop tops, heels, and the like. Even makeup like lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara. Likewise, the female character model can wear loose clothing, suits and ties.

This is especially illuminating considering that Taunie and Urbain entered Pokemon Legends: ZA it can be single-character, possibly non-binary, genderfluid, or both. Their main difference is the way they dress, the way they cut their hair, and the pronouns they use. Taunie has a more feminine body type, but one could argue that Urbain has the same body, just hidden under baggy clothes. Their story is the same, their mannerisms are the same, and they are even presented with pronouns in official marketing materials.

Pokemon Legends: ZA's Queer-coded Characters Explained (And Why There Are Two Lesbian Couples)

Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that Pokemon Legends: ZA has several recurring characters in its cast, and among them are two possible lesbian couples. These are:

Jacinthe and Lebanne: Often seen as a toxic lesbian couple where Jacinthe has power over Lebanne for work reasons but also has a genuine affection for her and Lebanne wants to leave but also cares for Jacinthe and says she “already has a partner” when it comes to a double battle with the player, then looks at Jacinthe. The subtext is there and if you play theirs Pokemon Legends: ZA DLC side missions give you dialogue that seems to more clearly indicate that these are not just work partners.
Gwynn and Canary: Gwynn and Canari also seem to be either in a relationship or in a weird place where Canari has strong feelings for Gwynn and she has a crush on her without saying it. Similar to Jacinthe and Lebanne, there's a lot of queer coding in the way the dialogue between Gwynn and Canari plays out, with the former often using the heart emoji when talking about the electric-type Pokemon trainer. Canary also has an exclusive nickname for Gwynn, G-Volt.

The shiny petals of the Mega Megania are the same color as the lesbian pride flag.

It's also worth noting that Lebanne and Gwynn teamed up at some point in a double battle against the player. REPTILESDLC story and are presented as “Sisters in Suffering”, which could suggest that they are both in love with another woman who doesn't feel the same way, or at least doesn't know it. There's also no other specific reason why they're called Sister in Suffering, which is either a very random or intentional choice.

Unfortunately, nothing confirms the sexuality or identity of these characters, but there are so many clues that it's hard to ignore or paint them as coincidences. Odd Pokemon The games and characters seem likely to be here to stay, and Pokemon Legends: ZA is proof of that.