Historical records from the Edo period show that same-sex relationships were common among the samurai aristocracy, influenced by Buddhist culture. There was often no strict link between gender and sexual preference, and elite men could pursue "transgender females" from lower classes (often actors or prostitutes) without social stigma.
In the modern day, the samurai image remains a powerful symbol used for both artistic expression and community support: The Truth About Female Samurai samurai shemale
Perhaps the most prominent example, Kikunojo (or Kiku) is a skilled samurai from the Land of Wano. While biologically male, she explicitly identifies as a "maiden at heart" ( Historical records from the Edo period show that