35 Best Gender-Bender Anime Of All Time, Ranked

Gender-bending is not exclusive to manga and anime, but it feels like it would be. The term is really self-explanatory, but it basically refers to a scenario that changes a character's gender. While examples of the opposite exist, the most common transition is men turning into women (or boys into girls), which usually comes with its fair share of shocked expressions and fanservice. Although gender-bender anime are synonymous with comedies, this concept also shows up in dramas, fantasy epics, and, naturally, isekai.

Anime have been exploring this theme for decades by this point, and most years tend to have at least one show that fits. However, they are very rarely among the biggest series of a season, with most of them being niche. So, are the best gender-bender anime worth watching? Well, yes and no. No show is worth watching solely because its protagonist swaps body parts, but some great anime feature gender-bending.

Updated on June 1, 2026, by Mark Sammut: As there aren't any new gender-bender anime to talk about, I've updated a few old entries, including Ayakashi Triangle. Also, Space Pirate Mito has been added to the article, and its a perfect fit for Pride Month while also being a pretty ambitious series for its era.

Here are a few criteria and notes:

• Body-swapping anime will be included as long as the characters are of opposite genders and the story focuses on that element.
• Reincarnation anime that involve characters reborn as the opposite gender will not be considered unless they are a unique situation.
• That said, some isekai anime will be included if the story does not use conventional reincarnation or if they warrant a mention for some other reason.

What Are Gender-Bender Anime?

Before getting to the rankings themselves, we should quickly discuss what gender-bender stories are exactly. Obviously, as suggested by its name, the concept involves stories that challenge characters to walk a mile in another sex's shoes. Now, gender bending predates anime and is not limited to fiction, and its real-life usage ties into gender identity. For the latter, gender bending covers cross-dressing or people who go against gender norms; however, in anime, gender-bending generally refers to situations when a character changes their gender entirely. Typically, this transformation happens to them rather than because of them, and they are forced to see the world from a wildly different perspective.

Although generally associated with comedies due to the popularity of shows like Ranma ½, gender-bender anime can be fairly dramatic, and most of them have a coming-of-age aspect. The transformation tends to be magical, although there are a few shows that go down the scientific route. Despite the fantastical transformation, the majority of these series are otherwise grounded in a world resembling our own, and the interest comes from seeing how the characters adapt to their new circumstances. That said, a few fantasy anime incorporate gender-bending.

While the best gender-bender anime revolve around the transformation, several shows incorporate this development for an episode or two, typically for a laugh.

Types of Gender-Bender Anime

Already touched upon in the previous section, gender-bender anime come in a few different forms, which are determined by the nature of the show. Episodic comedies use gender-bending as an inciting incident, and they usually do not explore gender norms, as their goal is to just put their characters in unexpected situations. Anime that feature permanent transformations or regular gender-bending are designed to blur the lines separating men and women, although not all of them emphasize introspection. Romance gender-bender anime are not extremely common by any stretch of the imagination, but they do exist.

Body swap is considered a separate theme, but it can often tread the same ground as gender-bender stories. Cross-dressing protagonists are not that common in anime, and the few shows that cover that subject are their own thing. Same for gender-fluid characters.

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35 Back Street Girls: Gokudols

Either Hilarious Or Awful, With No In-Between

All things considered, most gender-bender anime do not push the envelope too much. Well, Back Street Girls: Gokudols is an exception that throws any semblance of good taste out of the window, crafting a story designed to push buttons. The result is a polarizing series that can be either painfully funny or nearly unwatchable, depending on the viewer.

The premise revolves around three Yakuza members who are forced into a gender change so they can become idols, allowing them to earn money for their boss. Back Street Girls is at its best when mocking the idol culture or exploring parallels between that industry and the Yakuza; that said, the anime relies on a lot of tired punchlines. Beyond that, Back Street Girls' animation is very static, to the point of barely having more movement than just a standard manga page.

Should You Watch Back Street Girls: Gokudols?

Fair warning, Back Street Girls revels in poor taste. The anime can be funny in a "did they really do that" type of way, but I also wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. Anyone who wants an irreverent comedy can find something to enjoy here.

34 One Piece

A Change In Hormone

I mean, of course, One Piece has a gender-bender Devil Fruit, and Emperor Invankov is the right person to make the most of this devilish ability. Now, to be exact, the Horu Horu no Mi doesn't just swap the recipient's gender, but rather alters their hormones. As such, it can be used to impact things like height, strength, and looks, along with gender. Still, it is the gender-bender Devil Fruit in everything but name.

Ivankow is a free spirit who believes that people have the right to be who they want to be, and his Devil Fruit allows that to really materialize. His entire army consists of warriors who basically shed their gender to embrace themselves, free of any such constructs.

The Punk Hazard arc features a development that sees a few of the Straw Hats trade bodies, with Sanji ending up in Nami's body and vice versa. Smoker and Tashigi also swap bodies. This segment is a relatively small part of the arc; it lasts for quite a few episodes and leads to some funny moments. The anime doesn't explore this concept in any meaningful way, but it was fun while it lasted.

Should You Watch One Piece?

I mean, everyone should watch One Piece. That said, you need to work through a lot of episodes to get to the relevant sections.

33 Heaven's Lost Property (Episodes 11 and 23)

Well, One Anime Had To Do It

Generally speaking, most anime that explore gender-bending feature protagonists who are forced into a new body, and they are just trying to adapt to a tricky situation. However, exceptions exist, and Heaven's Lost Property's Tomoki might provide the most stereotypical comedy harem take on the concept. Through supernatural shenanigans, Tomoki gains the ability to change his gender, becoming Tomoko in the process. Why? Well, he wants to enter public baths that are exclusively for women.

Frankly, at one point or another, there had to be a perverted protagonist who uses the power of anime to gender-bend his way into crossing the line, and Heaven's Lost Property handles the idea relatively well. Sure, the humor is very "2000s," but Tomoki receives his comeuppance at the end. Tomoko comes back in a later episode as well, although that transformation is shorter-lived than the original.

Should You Watch Heaven's Lost Property?

You have to really enjoy harem comedies to get anything out of Heaven's Lost Property, and Tomoki is an acquired taste, to say the least. That said, the gender bender episodes are funny in a lowest common denominator type of way.

32 KonoSuba (Episode 25)

Kazuma Becomes A Princess For A Day

Similar to Heaven's Lost Property, KonoSuba uses a gender body swap to indulge its protagonist's unsavory vices. This time, Kazuma swaps bodies with Princess Iris thanks to a magic spell, allowing them to both experience life from a different perspective.

For her part, Iris heads out into the city alongside Megumin, a combination that proves to be pretty explosive since neither girl knows how to defuse potentially tense situations. Conversely, Kazuma uses this gift to live the high life for a while...and to try and take a bath with two girls. Completely in character for the isekai protagonist.

While not painting Kazuma in a great light, KonoSuba never rewards him for his stupid or bad behavior, and the payoff to this storyline is simple but funny. I firmly believe KonoSuba is one of the funniest anime ever, but you probably should not watch it solely to see this gender-bender episode.

Should You Watch KonoSuba?

100% definitely, at least if you enjoy isekai and parodies. Except for maybe The Eminence in Shadow, KonoSuba is the funniest isekai anime of all time.

31 Sailor Moon Sailor Stars

Sailor Starlights Are Magical Girls And Male Idols

The final season of Sailor Moon's original run, Sailor Stars is probably the most divisive entry, and a large part of that reaction has to do with the Sailor Starlights. A trio of galactic-travelling magical girls, the Starlights come to Earth on a mission, and they decide to blend in by becoming male idols. In the anime, they are gender-bender characters, which is not the case in the manga. So, they can swap between male and female, although they spend most of their time as the former and limit the latter for when they take on their magical girl forms.

Frankly, the gender-bender aspect is probably the most fascinating part about the Starlights, as they are otherwise fairly bland (although Seiya can be interesting, at times). They also don't mesh that well with the Sailor Guardians, all of whom are way more likable than this trio. They are also introduced so late in the anime that they feel like footnotes in Sailor Moon's history. At least, they were brought back in Sailor Moon Cosmos.

Should You Watch Sailor Moon?

Sailor Moon is a classic that helped shape the magical girl genre, and it is still charming today. You will have to work through more than 150 episodes to get to Sailor Stars​​​​, though.

30 She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man

A Gamer Becomes His OP RPG Character, Albeit In Little Girl Form

An isekai gaming anime that adds a gender-bender twist, She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man is mostly just OK, with the adaptation not quite managing to match the quality of the source material or the manga version. Still, if someone is craving a lighthearted OP fantasy with a relatively likable protagonist, they might enjoy this short journey, even if the trip might not linger in their memory for that long.

Sakimori Kagami is the gamer behind Danblf, one of the most powerful wise mages of Ark Earth Online. Long story short, he falls asleep and wakes up as his character within the game's world, albeit a few hundred years in the future. However, Danblf's conventional magician look has been tweaked slightly, and now he resembles a little girl. She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man does not actually make that big of a deal about the gender-swap aspect, as Sakimori does not seem particularly uncomfortable in the new form. As such, this aspect is pretty quickly forgotten, with the anime becoming a fairly typical OP MC isekai story.

Should You Watch She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man?

I am a big sucker for isekai anime, and I have a soft spot for so many "trash" series. That said, She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man is pretty dull in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it is watchable, but there are probably 50 better isekai anime.

29 When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl

An Otaku Becomes A Bagel Girl

Based on a webtoon/manhwa, When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl did not leave that much of an impression during its initial run. Firstly, the series aired all its episodes in a single week, which is not an ideal release schedule, as it does not fit into the seasonal lineup. More importantly, the anime is difficult to find and has a somewhat tarnished reputation. Taking all that into account, should you skip this one?

Honestly, yes and no.

When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl follows Bong Gi, an otaku who is, overall, not a great or charismatic person. One day, he randomly wakes up as an attractive woman, granting him a new lease on life. Before long, he befriends a woman (and develops a crush on her), gets a job, and reunites with a person he hates from his past. When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl has a couple of things in its favor, including a pretty interesting dynamic between the protagonist and his female friend. The story also tries to offer a few surprises rather than just sticking to a slice-of-life comedy, and the second half is quite different from the first. While not a huge, huge focus, Bong's psychological struggle with his transformation is somewhat explored.

Unfortunately, Bong is really not that likable, and he/she gets worse as things progress. Although the show deserves props for trying to be dramatic, it does not handle this aspect all that well.

Should You Watch When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl?

When I Woke Up I Became a Bagel Girl has good ideas, but struggles to bring them all together. While I recommend trying it, Bong might be too much of a wall for some folks.

28 Ayakashi Triangle

A Fanservice-Driven Action-Comedy That Should Be Better

Initially, I placed Ayakashi Triangle right at the bottom of this article, largely due to wasted potential. However, after rewatching it, I admit that it warrants a higher ranking and that it offers more positives than something like Back Street Girls: Gokudols. Don't get me wrong, Ayakashi Triangle's mediocrity shines through in nearly every episode, and it doesn't really deliver as an action, comedy, or even fanservice anime. The manga famously leans heavily into the latter, and the adaptation limited that content to the physical release and heavily censored the one on Crunchyroll. I don't generally enjoy fanservice, but these half-measures just leave everybody unsatisfied.

A ninja, Matsuri wants to protect Suzu, his childhood friend, with a power that attracts ayakashi (aka, yokai). When fending off one of these attacks, Matsuri is cursed and turned into a girl. Therefore, while Matsuri protects Suzu, she tries to teach him how to be a girl.

Originally, Ayakashi Triangle's rocky development led to an inconsistent release schedule that saw the episodes spread over about 9 months, a factor that influences my original ranking. However, that doesn't matter too much nowadays, although the production issues echo through the inconsistent animation quality. More than anything, Ayakashi Triangle tries to be too many things without really excelling at any of them. At best, the action is mediocre, while the comedy aims for the lowest hanging fruit nearly every single time. The characters are fine enough, but the series ends too soon for us to really get to know them well.

Should You Watch Ayakashi Triangle?

I still don't strongly recommend Ayakashi Triangle, just because there are so many better action-comedy shonen anime to watch. Still, as far as gender-bender anime are considered, this one is passable.

27 Kämpfer

Forgettable Fluff That Is Mostly Passable But Struggles To Leave An Impression

Kämpfer is one of those anime that, while enjoyable, will probably not stick in a viewer's mind for all that long. The series does not excel in any area, delivering middling action, serviceable humor, and inoffensive characters, all things that combine to create an experience that goes in one ear and out the other. Just to be clear, there is nothing wrong with fluff, as long as it is entertaining. Kämpfer is just fun enough to warrant a recommendation, even if it is nowhere near the best gender-bender anime ever.

Essentially, Natsuru becomes a magical girl, albeit one who fights with other chosen girls rather than evil monsters. While this situation leads to a couple of notable fights, it mostly culminates in comedic high jinks as Natsuru tries to fit in at school while keeping his dual gender a secret. The story does not build all that much momentum as it goes along, and it kind of peters out at the end; still, Kämpfer is a decent watch.

Should You Watch Kämpfer?

Yeah, Kämpfer is just dumb fun, nothing more and nothing less.

26 Sket Dance (Episodes 62–64)

Himeko And Bossun Swap Bodies

Coming across as Gintama-lite, Sket Dance is primarily a school-based comedy that, occasionally, gets weird. One of the anime's more bizarre storylines sees Bossun and Himeko swap bodies during a school trip, a situation that proves to be very difficult for both of them. Himeko, naturally, is not particularly excited by the prospect of Bossun interacting directly with her body during ordinary daily events that will definitely come up, so she takes it upon herself (as Bossun) to handle contact. Things are made even more complicated when another girl, Saaya, approaches Bossun (Himeko) to try to get a read on whether he is interested in Himeko.

Sket Dance is surprisingly dedicated to this premise, with the body swap lasting roughly three episodes. The anime uses this circumstance to further develop Bossun and Himeko's friendship and (potential) romance, so this storyline ends up being plot-relevant rather than just an extended gag.

Should You Watch Sket Dance?

Overall, definitely. Sket Dance is a pretty solid all-around comedy.