World Fandom July 17th 2025
Hiroko Utsumi & the Female Gaze
Dual Presentation CULTURE
This panel explores the female gaze and artistic approaches in Hiroko Utsumi's work, including Free!, BANANA FISH, and SK8 the Infinity.
Avatar
bananafist
Presenter
BL Garden of DFW is a group of experienced fujoshi reaching fans around the world through our podcasts, panels, and BL research. As queer, diverse fans we represent and highlight underserved genres and demographics. We have presented panels since 2012 and are known as reputable panelists who consistently deliver quality content that is both fun, enlightening, and inclusive of genres and topics beyond BL.
This panel the female gaze and artistic approaches in Hiroko Utsumi's work, including Free!, BANANA FISH, and SK8 the Infinity. We will discuss the impact of her work on other joseimuke-oriented media and various critical interpretations of Utsumi's work. This panel uses an art history approach to visually analyze the composition and cinematography within Utsumi's work with an emphasis on her achievements in creating anime by women for women, often with queer undertones. This is an in-depth look at Hiroko Utsumi's directoral anime work, specifically from an art history, sakuga, and LGBT studies perspective. Not only does that elevate the subject matter and discussion, but this provides a platform to examine her as a female creator in the anime industry.
bananafist