The Legend of Zelda series
- Developer: Nintendo Capcom Vanpool Grezzo Monolith Soft
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Year: 1986 – 2016
- Genre: Adventure RPG
- Platform/s: Various (Nintendo)
The Legend of Zelda series does not feature any explicitly queer characters, but there are implied themes throughout the games. For instance, the character Sheik (who Zelda dresses up as in Ocarina of Time) has had their gender debated; however, Nintendo asserts that Sheik is a woman because Zelda is a woman. Similarly, Tingle in Majora's Mask has been considered gay, but Nintendo has stated that he is not.
There are also discussions around the sexuality of protagonist Link, with the possibility that he is gay being explored in online communities, but there is limited evidence to support this. Additional potentially queer characters have been discussed, but many are unsubstantiated claims.
The release of Breath of the Wild led to new debates, particularly over a sequence where Link is dressed in feminine attire. When Link first arrives at Gerudo Town presenting as male, he is told that no Voe (men) are allowed in this all-Vai (women) city. To counter this, Link dons traditional Gerudo women's clothing to enter the city.
In order to acquire women's clothing, Link must speak with a woman on the roof of a building. During the conversation, a gust of wind reveals a beard beneath the veil of this woman, which Link responds negatively (which is particularly strange because at this point, he is also wearing women's clothing). There is also an option for the player to choose to misgender the woman on the roof in conversation, but this ends the conversation quickly.