Lesbian Space Princess (2025) Review: Heartbreak in Orbit

Is Lesbian Space Princess worth watching?

Yes, if its brand of humour is yours. Lesbian Space Princess is a gleefully scrappy animated comedy that turns a post-breakup rescue mission into a queer space opera, and its sincerity is as disarming as its jokes are rude. The film knows exactly who it is for and commits fully to its silly, satirical premise. The reservations are that the gags land unevenly, the deliberately lo-fi animation will not charm everyone, and the thin story relies more on energy than on structure.

What is Lesbian Space Princess about?

A shy, sheltered space princess (voiced by Shabana Azeez) has lived her whole life in comfort and anxiety, and has just been dumped by her girlfriend, a swaggering bounty hunter (Gemma Chua-Tran). When the ex is captured by the Straight White Maliens, a gang of aggrieved male aliens, the princess must leave home for the first time and head out across the galaxy to rescue her, working through her self-doubt along the way.

Lesbian Space Princess is directed by Leela Varghese with co-director Emma Hough Hobbs, an Australian production in English that runs 87 minutes. The voice cast also includes Bernie Van Tiel and Jordan Raskopoulos. It premiered at the 2025 Berlinale, where it won the Teddy Award for best feature, and it later won best indie film and best original song at the AACTA Awards.

Lo-fi on purpose

The animation is simple and flat, with bold colours, jittery movement and visual jokes stuffed into every corner, and it looks closer to an irreverent web series than a studio feature. That is a deliberate choice, and it largely works: the handmade style suits the film’s punk, DIY spirit and lets it go anywhere its imagination takes it, from absurd alien worlds to cheerfully crude sight gags.

It also includes a handful of songs, and they are a highlight. The musical numbers give the comedy an extra lift and help express the princess’s anxieties in a way that dialogue alone could not.

Satire with a soft centre

The most obvious jokes target toxic masculinity, with the Maliens as a broad, very funny send-up of online grievance culture. The film also teases queer culture itself, poking fun at relationship clichés and the princess’s tendency to lose herself in whoever she is dating.

Underneath the raunchy humour is a surprisingly tender story about self-worth and learning to exist outside a relationship. Shabana Azeez’s voice performance captures the princess’s awkwardness and nerves with real warmth, and the film is at its best when the jokes serve that emotional arc rather than interrupting it.

Where the energy outpaces the story

For all its charm, the film is uneven. Some gags rely on repetition or shock value and wear thin, and the rescue plot is essentially a string of episodes that barely builds. The satire is also broad, hitting obvious targets rather than finding new angles. Viewers who are not already on its wavelength may find the relentless silliness tiring even at 87 minutes.

Who should watch Lesbian Space Princess?

It is ideal for queer audiences, fans of irreverent adult animation, and anyone who enjoys absurd, sex-positive comedy with a big heart. It is short and easy to watch in one sitting. Despite the cartoon style it is not for children: it contains frequent sexual humour, crude language and adult themes.

If you enjoy it, try these next:

• Memoir of a Snail, another distinctive Australian animated film for adults, far more melancholy but equally personal.
• The Wild Robot, a polished, family-friendly animated story about an outsider finding where she belongs.

The verdict

Lesbian Space Princess is a messy, funny and genuinely sweet animated comedy that wears its low budget and queer identity with pride. Its jokes are hit-and-miss and its story is slight, but its warmth, songs and sharp satirical streak make it a charming cult discovery for the right audience.

Rating: 3.5/5