‘Lesbian Space Princess’ Review: Unabashedly Gay Sci-fi Fun
Directing duo Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs have made the animated film of my anxious, queer dreams with Lesbian Space Princess, a film that feels like a much gayer and raunchier Adventure Time set entirely in space. It’s packed to the brim with ridiculous queer jokes and poignant examinations of self-hatred, toxic relationships, and the unfortunate habit of self-sabotage. On an indie budget, Varghese and Hobbs have created something that deserves to be talked about in the same breath as any other adult animated comedy.
Saira (Shabana Azeez) is the titular Lesbian Space Princess, daughter of Queens Anne (Madeleine Sami) and Leanne (Jordan Raskopoulos). But sadly, she’s rather a disappointment to her mothers with her lack of confidence, limited dating experience, and all-around more reserved nature. In fact, she’s been voted the most boring royal in gay space. The only exciting thing about her, she thinks, is her space assassin girlfriend Kiki (Bernie Van Tiel). So, when said girlfriend dumps Saira, the world is over.
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But, when Kiki is kidnapped by the Straight White Maliens (Mark Bonanno, Broden Kelly, and Zachary Ruane of Aunty Donna), Saira has the chance to save her ex and prove that she’s not boring. Then, Kiki is sure to take her back. Right? All she has to do is defeat the Maliens and her self-doubt that takes the form of a shadow-y monster.
On her journey, she meets Problematic Ship (Richard Roxburgh), who loves to spew homophobia whenever he can, and Willow (Gemma Chau Tran), a nonbinary musician who always looks at the bright side. With her new friends, Saira pushes through her own depression to prove to gay space, and herself, that she’s capable of anything. But, of course, there are quite a few speed bumps along the way, from a labrys-stealing drag queen (Kween Kong) to self-doubt-seeking crystals.
Some may find Saira’s lack of confidence and constant tears grating. But for others, like myself, they’ll feel seen within her destructive love of self-sabotage and her chronic need to please those around her. And yet, while she cries and apologizes across the galaxy, she’s still moving. She never gives up, even if it’s for a toxic ex who doesn’t deserve an ounce of respect. But, isn’t that how we learn? We give our all to the worst person we’ve ever dated and come out the other side stronger, for better or for worse, realizing our self-worth in the end (not without the help of rigorous therapy and a great community of support). She perseveres through it all, and that’s incredibly admirable, even within a silly film full of gay jokes and talking asteroids.
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That’s the beauty of Lesbian Space Princess. It walks that line of making fun of a subculture while also crafting a poignant story about identity and loving yourself that isn’t afraid to blatantly point out issues of homophobia that are rampant in society today. Varghese’s sense of humor and Hobbs’ skills with animation and design combine to tell a hilarious yet heart-warming story about one sapphic’s journey to loving herself and putting her toxic relationship in her past.
All of the voice talent here is stellar, but Azeez particularly shines as Saira, giving her just enough of a backbone while also making her utterly pathetic. Azeez is a rising star, appearing in the chilling film Birdeater and starring in the hit HBO Max series, The Pitt, and her skills in this indie animated film only further prove her star power.
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I previously compared the film to Adventure Time, and there are obvious influences of the seminal series on Hobbs’ design. But she also branches out to craft an incredibly colorful world that feels both alien (pun intended) and familiar in the same breath. This is space, and these characters are technically aliens, yes, but they are designed to look human. Beyond the character design, the world is also incredibly textured, filled with silly little guys that make quick, memorable appearances and then fade away into the background. These moments keep Lesbian Space Princess surprising and silly, well-placed foils for more serious and important discussions throughout the film.
In a world of queer media bogged down by tragedy, Lesbian Space Princess is a breath of freaky queer joy that is never afraid to get silly, even when addressing serious topics. It’s a big hug on a bad day, a salve to temporarily soothe your aching heart. With so much adult animation dominated by straight, white male creators, Lesbian Space Princess is a shining example of what else exists out there, and the expanding queer possibilities for the medium. It’s silly, it’s beautiful, it’s the perfect soup for the queer adult’s soul.
Lesbian Space Princess comes to Cineverse on October 31, 2025.
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Lesbian Space Princess
Summary
In a world of queer media bogged down by tragedy, Lesbian Space Princess is a breath of freaky queer joy that is never afraid to get silly, even when addressing serious topics.
Categorized: Reviews
