Big hearted, charming, and riotously funny, Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese’s animated Australian odyssey Lesbian Space Princess deftly combines sharp wit, stellar comedic timing, gorgeous visuals, gross out gags, and a surprisingly emotional undercurrent into one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. While primarily a queer romp through space that skewers homo and hetero cultures with equal aplomb, Lesbian Space Princess also works well as a warm, empowering fable about finding self-worth and loving all the things that make us unique human beings. It feels every bit the work of silly adults who remain fully attuned to childish humour, but is firmly in touch with the ways people wrestle with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. While the title might be simple and to the point, the delights of Lesbian Space Princess are both hilarious and pleasingly layered.
On a supposedly “hard to find” planet located in “gay space,” introverted amateur magician and royal noble Princess Saira (voiced by The Pitt’s Shabana Azeez) is going through it. It’s her 23rd birthday, and her “really fucking hot” bounty hunter girlfriend, Kiki (Bernie Van Tiel), has just dumped her the night before the Big Lesbian Ball. Her two queen mothers (Madeleine Sami and Jordan Raskopoulos) are beloved by all, and they have a hard time relating to their sheepish daughter, low key calling her a disappointment, but in that way where you know someone is trying to be nice. But in the midst of her sulking and feelings of failure as a partner, Saira gets a call from Kiki, who’s been captured, trapped, and held for ransom by an evil race of Straight White Malians. For ultra specific and inconvenient reasons, the Malians need Saira to deliver them her Labrys, a powerful battle axe she should’ve been able to conjure once she hit adulthood, but her chronic insecurity has made that an impossible task. The Malians give Saira 24 hours to deliver the weapon, which will then be used to power a literal chick magnet that they bought online. (And they’re really hoping this one works this time.) Wanting to prove herself to her ex, Saira travels outside of her comfort zone and into “Normie Space” on a rescue mission with the help of a sexist spaceship (voiced by veteran actor Richard Roxburgh) and Willow (Gemma Chua-Tran), a stranded, kind, and aloof goth pop singer.
With a title like Lesbian Space Princess, one might expect a bunch of raunchy sex jokes from every angle, but while those are certainly present, writer-directors Hobbs and Varghese instead adhere to their protagonist’s more introverted perspective. The grounding force in Hobbs and Varghese’s flight of fantasy is a main character who wants to be in a loving sexual relationship, but has also been told by her parents and peers that such a partnership is the only way to truly measure one’s self worth. This is a common sentiment that a lot of young adults wrestle with, but on screen quests for getting laid are often seen as being more commercially viable that watching things from the perspective of characters that are still trying to figure things out for themselves. They know what they’re sexually attracted to, but still have yet to define what actually leaves them fulfilled. This complex emotional backbone contrasts nicely with the films irreverent sense of humour, with neither having to fight to take centre stage.
Visually, Lesbian Space Princess is a delight, with its rainbow coloured skies, intricate character designs, and overall lighthearted bubblegum sensibilities. It looks as comforting and polished as an old school cartoon, but is brimming with ingenuity and subversive humour. The filmmakers and voice cast imbue Lesbian Space Princess with impeccable comedic timing and know their way around an assortment of hilarious gags and set pieces, including a snort inducing use of a model during one of the film’s key climactic scenes. And all of the visuals and gags are still grounded in those realistic, introverted, awkward fears, like trying to communicate in a thunderously loud club or feeling one’s eyes glazing over when someone tries to explain the rules of a complex board game to you. Animation buffs will be able to detect hints of Bob’s Burgers, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Homestar Runner, and traditional Disney magic throughout Lesbian Space Princess in terms of the character design and humour, but Varghese and Hobbs blaze their own path when it comes to their razor sharp script.
I laughed plenty during Lesbian Space Princess, but I was also unquestionably moved by the bittersweetness that exists amid all the weirdness. It’s the kind of film I wish someone had made sooner, not just because of its sexual representation, but because it sees and understands a lot more people than the title might suggest. Learning that you can’t fully be with someone until you’re happy with yourself is an important lesson people should learn earlier in life, as is the realization that you aren’t the cause of all your problems, shortcomings, and quirks. Come for the dirty puns, wordplay, and inappropriate behaviour, and stay for the genuine love and care that only comes from great storytelling.
Lesbian Space Princess opens at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Cineplex International Village in Vancouver, Cineplex Forum in Montreal, Cineplex Park Lane in Halifax, and Scotiabank West Edmonton in Edmonton on Friday, October 31, 2025.
