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List of fictional aromantic characters

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This is a list of aromantic characters in fiction, i.e. fictional characters that either self-identify as aromantic or have been identified by outside parties to be aromantic. Listed characters may also be asexual or allosexual (not asexual). Some aromantic people are asexual but some are not.[1] The term aromantic can be used in relation to various sexual identities, such as aromantic bisexual, aromantic heterosexual, aromantic lesbian, aromantic gay man, or aromantic asexual, but it does not relate to sexual orientation, instead focusing on romantic orientation.[2] Aromanticism primarily deals with romantic attraction rather than with sexuality. Some publications have argued that there is an underrepresentation of aromantic people in media,[3] in research,[4] and that they are often misunderstood.[5] Aromantic people often face stigma and are stereotyped with labels such as being afraid of intimacy, heartless, or deluded.[1][6]

Animated series

[edit]
Characters Title Character debut date Notes Country
Lilith Clawthorne The Owl House February 7, 2020 Eda's older sister and former leader of the Emperor's Coven. In a charity livestream hosted by Dana Terrace on March 13, 2022, a specially produced audio, written by Terrace and recorded by Cissy Jones in character as Lilith, was played. In this audio, Lilith claims to have never felt romantic attraction towards anyone before.[7] Later prompted by Jade King of TheGamer, Jones stated that her audio during the charity stream was "basically canon."[8] Jones would make further allusion to Lilith's aromantic orientation over Twitter, before giving direct affirmation of the character's asexuality on March 18, over Instagram.[9][10][11] United States
Deuce Gorgon Monster High May 5, 2010 Deuce is the laid-back and popular teenaged son of Medusa. Traditionally, he has romantic feelings for Cleo, a Cleopatra-inspired mummy.[12] In the 2022 TV series, he and Cleo have romantic history, but they decide to be friends instead after he realizes he has no desire for romance.[13] United States
Mayor Joy Sheriff Hayseed December 21, 2019 In the animated web series Sheriff Hayseed, Mayor Joy is an irritable and conscientious talking mare and the mayor of the wild west town of Troughwater. To commemorate pride month, animator PieMations confirmed that Mayor Joy is asexual and aromantic on Twitter.[14] United States
Seiji Maki Bloom Into You October 5, 2018 A supporting character, he is an aromantic asexual with well established feelings on sex and romance, and is a "crucial sounding board" for Yuu as she tries to figure out her feelings. In the ninth episode, he says that he does not fall in love, but prefers to watch from the outside.[15][16] He enjoys romance but does not wish to partake it in himself. Japan
Peridot Steven Universe January 8, 2015 Based on the gemstone peridot, Peridot is a member of an alien species known as gems. Gems are able to "fuse" with one another into singular, gestalt entities known as fusions. However, Peridot is actively disinterested in fusing. According to storyboard artist Maya Petersen, this story element is a metaphor for asexuality and aromanticism, even though she said her word is not "the ultimate authority" on the matter. This asexual identity was never expressed in the show directly,[17] with fans shipping Peridot with various other characters, specifically Lapis Lazuli and Amethyst, some reviewers even seeing Peridot and Lapis in a "close, loving relationship" in the past.[18] United States
Percival King (Percy) Epithet Erased 2019 A police officer, she has a strict moral code and values order and safety. (The creator of the show, Brendan Blaber, confirmed that she is asexual and may also be aromantic.[19] He also said that while Percy is female and asexual, it was his "intention to leave everything beyond that point up to the viewer", adding that headcannons of fans that she is trans, non-binary, autistic, or anything else, is valid.)[20] United States
Alastor Hazbin Hotel October 28, 2019 Alastor is a demon in the series who was a radio host in his past life. He is shown as charismatic and conniving. A live stream confirmed him as aromantic[21][failed verification] and the creator of the show posted a drawing on Twitter of three of the show's characters with orientation flags, including an asexual flag with Alastor[22] United States
Alix Kubdel Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir 2015 Alix is a friend of Marinette and the holder of the Rabbit Miraculous. She was confirmed as aromantic in a tweet by the creator of the show, Thomas Astruc, in 2020.[23] France

Film

[edit]
Characters Title / Franchise Actors Years Notes Country
Kasumi 'Sobakasu' Sobata I Am What I Am Toko Miura 2022 The film is about Sobata's life within amatonormativity.[24][25][26] She admits to her suitor that she is asexual and has no romantic feelings for anyone.[27] Japan

Literature

[edit]
Characters Work Author Years Description
Clariel Clariel Garth Nix 2014 She’s also quite comfortable with her (apparently aromantic) asexuality, a subject which comes up early on in the book; having experimented with sex out of sheer curiosity, she has no inclination to repeat the experience with either men or women, and consistently deflects the interest of potential romantic/sexual partners. Clariel's lack of experience of sexual or romantic attraction are described at multiple points, come up early in the book, and are treated as a core part of who she is as a person. [28]
Kylee Black Wings Beating Alex London 2018 Kylee is a teenager gifted in falconry who goes on a quest to hunt down a giant, monstrous black eagle. Throughout the book, she explicates multiple times that she's not romantically attracted to anyone at all.[29] [30]
Georgia Warr Loveless Alice Oseman 2020 Georgia is the main character of Loveless, coming to terms with her sexuality during the events of the book, realizing that she is an aromantic asexual. Georgia also has a conversation with another character, Sunil Jah, who is nonbinary, gay, asexual[31] and friends with Jess, an aromantic bisexual. Also, Georgia's cousin Ellis is an aromantic asexual character.
Ellis
Jess
Firuz-e Jafari The Bruising of Qilwa Naseem Jamnia 2022 Firuz-e is aromantic and asexual, or "aroace", in addition to being non-binary.[32]

Live-action television

[edit]
Character Portrayed by Program Years Notes
Sakuko Kodama Yukino Kishii Koisenu Futari 2022 This series revolves around Kodama and Takahashi's developing relationship, after Kodama realizes she is aromantic-asexual by reading Takahashi's blog, while Takahashi is also aromantic asexual as well.[33][34] Co-director Yuta Oshida came up with the idea for the story after coming to the realization that Japanese television dramas often include romantic relationships and elements, and he later learned about asexuality, with his research including interviewing asexual people.[35]
Satoru Takahashi Issei Takahashi
Isaac Henderson Tobie Donovan Heartstopper 2022–Present Isaac is a featured character of the show adaptation of the graphic novel Heartstopper. In season two of the show, released August 2023, Isaac is introduced to James; an openly gay student at his school. While James clearly expresses his crush on him, it is clear Isaac struggles to understand why he cannot reciprocate James' feelings. Isaac discovers the terminology 'aromantic asexual' at a queer art exhibition and after further personal reading and research.[36][37][38] He eventually comes to terms with being aro-ace as he enters his school library and proudly takes Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex, a book on asexuality by Angela Chen. Previous to season two's release, Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman confirmed on Twitter that Isaac is aromantic asexual.[39]

Comics, manga, and graphic novels

[edit]
Characters Title Years Notes Country
Alix Sex Criminals 2013–Present Alix is an asexual character introduced in issue #13. The story covers her experiences as a teenager feeling pressured to have sex, and how she feels alien without coming across as broken.[40] While other characters in the story are able to freeze time when they orgasm, Alix freezes time through the adrenaline rush of BASE jumping.[41][42] United States
Amiru Last Gender: When We Are Nameless 2022 She has a sex drive but is not romantically attracted to anyone else, and pushes to make herself "the main character in her own life."[43] Japan
Chika Is Love the Answer? 2023 She detests romance, having sex, or kissing other people, and her professor tells her she is on the asexual spectrum, resulting in her "intensely researching the subject of human sexuality and asexuality" in an effort to understand herself and what other people experience.[44][45] She is also aromantic.[46]
Kashikawa Sex Ed 120% 2020-2021 She is a student who isn't interested in romance or sex, and loves animals.[47][48][49]
Su-won Akatsuki No Yona 2009-Present Su-won is the King of Kouka. He is aromantic. In chapter 124 of the manga, he reveals that he does not feel romantic attraction towards people.
Yuriko I Want to Be a Wall 2019-2023 She is an asexual woman married, to satisfy the desires of her parents, to a gay man who loves his childhood friend, resulting in a marriage of convenience.[50][51] She is also aromantic.[52]
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Poole Marvel Comics 2015–Present In 2023, it was confirmed that Gwenpool was asexual and aromantic during her story arc in the Love Unlimited series. During this arc, she is in a relationship with Julie Power and discovers what it means to be asexual after Julie suggests the possibility.[53][54] United States

Video games

[edit]
Character Title Year Notes Developer
Billie Billie Bust Up (yet to be released) The upcoming musical platformer Billie Bust Up focuses on the titular protagonist Billie the goat. [55] In an official Twitter post for pride month, Billie is illustrated wearing an aroace pride pin on their collar and waving a progress pride flag.[56] Giddy Goat Games
Dusa Hades 2020 Based on Medusa, Dusa is a disembodied gorgon head who works as a maid for the Greek god Hades. If the player character attempts to seduce her, she informs him that she's not interested in a romantic relationship with anyone at all.[57] Supergiant Games
Charlie Weasley Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery & Hogwarts Legacy 2018 & 2023 Charlie Weasley is the older brother of Ron Weasley. He is a biologist who studies dragons, and he is the only Weasley sibling not to marry at the end of the Harry Potter book series. When asked about his sexuality, J.K. Rowling described him as "more interested in dragons than women.” This description resonated with many asexual and aromantic Harry Potter fans. [58] In Hogwarts Mystery, characters are available for romantic storylines. However, if the player shows an interest in Charlie, he refuses, claiming he has no experience in love outside of his love for dragons. [59] In Hogwarts Legacy, Charlie overtly states that he has no desire for romance and only cares about dragons.[60] Jam City & Avalanche Software
Willow Angry Birds Stella 2014 Willow is a blue bird with a big orange hat. She has the ability to redirect herself midair, and she loves painting. In an official Twitter post for pride month, she's illustrated as a celebration of aromantic pride,[61] and on the cover of an Angry Birds Christmas comic, she's illustrated frowning at the sight of mistletoe.[62] In an official web page, male characters are described as trying to woo the female birds, which works on Stella, Dhalia, and Poppy, but not Willow. Nevertheless, she does flirtatiously call herself a dreamboat, and in The Angry Birds Movie 2, she attends a speed dating service, hinting at an allosexual aromantic identity.[63][64] Rovio Entertainment

See also

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References

[edit]
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Further reading

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