Multiple critics have provided many possible interpretations on the presence of gender ambiguity and androgyny on "Princess Knight". Patrick Drazen, author of the book "Anime Explosion!", stated the androgyny in the series is "deceptive" as it addresses gender instead of sex, and more "specifically, gender-role expectations." "Tezuka's "Gekiga": Behind the Mask of Manga"s Philip Brophy summed up it as: "With its visualization of masculinity and femininity within one body it was able to depict conflicting selves within one-sexed body under pressure for social conformity, hence literally embodying the quest for identity and subjective agency". Ed Sizemore of Manga Worth Reading says Tezuka's central idea critiques "the false dichotomy that society creates among male and female." Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network (ANN) and Sheena McNeil of Sequential Tart both wrote that Tezuka put feminist positionings on it and Chris Mautner of "The Comics Journal" highlighted the presence of Friebe, "a swashbuckling" swordswoman, as another depiction of women in a non-subservient position (in contrast to the usual depiction).