Kainé in Nier

Kainé, one of the main characters in Nier, is intersex and identifies as a woman. She keeps her left arm and left leg hidden beneath bandage-like coverings due to being half Shade, and she is subject to exacerbated persecution from others beyond merely being an intersex person. As a child, she was bullied relentlessly and has a preference for women’s clothing that accentuate her feminine features. Some fans have discussed Kainé’s gender and sex, as her description and character design change slightly in localization.

LGBTQ references in this series: 

Kainé

Emil

Operator 60 (NieR: Automata)

11B and 16D (NieR: Automata)

Citations:

  1. Various (n.d.). Grimorie Neir. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1vEP2iZ52P-DWhQBQ2Is6R8Wjao99AGi0YuWShTvA-tA/mobilebasic?viewopt=127#h.ea91adce334f
  2. Various. (n.d.). Kainé (character page). Nier Wiki. Retrieved from http://nier.wikia.com/wiki/Kain%C3%A9
  3. Various. (2010, May 30). When does it say Kainé is a hermaphrodite?. GameFAQS Forum. Retrieved from http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/960450-nier/54607211
  4. Garcia, T. (2012, March 26). A Brief History of Transgender Characters in Video Games [Updated]. https://transgamersociologist.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/a-brief-history-of-transgender-characters-in-video-games/
  5. Bdouine. (2013, July 2). NieR RepliCant 03 – Cutscenes – Kaine. YouTube Video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBLnvE7BFo4