I don’t think I ever posted this, but here’s a piece I made for the Gallery at the Guild’s Magical Girls show! Some sailor scouts hanging at the arcade 💖
PSA: if someone ever asks you why Viz Redub of Sailor Moon is better than the old DiC/Cloverway one, show them this video
Okay but are we not going to address how fucking hysterical the original dub was in it’s complete and utter “no homo”ness
Its kinda funny how they just completely threw out entire scenes and used the lip flaps as just more space to stress how heterosexual everyone is. Original: hey u hear about the western mythology of adam and eve? 4kids: NO THE MAN IN THIS PHOTO IS MY BOYFRIEND THAT I TOTALLY HAVE
Cruel choices #137: you must consume one – and only one – of the following pieces of media.
1.Sailor Moon retold in the style of a 19th Century Russian philosophical novel.
2.The Brothers Karamazov retold in the style of a magical girl anime.
“Our very existence proves there is a peak,” Mars spat, the wind-swept snow no deterrent to her clad in naught but the Sailor uniform as she was. “Man need not concern itself with matters of godhood. We are gods given flesh.”
“It is precisely because of what we are that they cannot rest.” Mercury replied. “One cannot and must not embrace egoism. If we fall, who then will they turn to? Who then will care for what mankind has wrought? Only mankind itself.”
Then from two alleys over there came not so much a cry but a sound, a resolute plea to the skies above not for help, but for guarantee of vengeance. The earnest note struck chords within Mars and Mercury, as if it had been an answer to both of their sides; and yet, it was distinctly not.
“Corrupting the minds of the people with false nationalism where there should be nothing but love of all man, exemplifying godhood as nothing more than superiority to others instead of preaching it as empathy and spilling my borscht… For that, I cannot forgive you! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!”
“Scandal in Staraya: Dmitri’s Secret Plan! Grushenka is an Evil Temptress!?“ Next week: Karamazov no Kyodai: Demons, Season 1 Episode 6! Otanoshimini!
This post actually helps me solidify an idea that’s been vaguely bouncing around my subconscious lately:
Minako starts out wacky and fun; she doesn’t care much for responsibility and when given the choice between chores and homework she chooses video games. She has big dreams and sets high goals for herself, but lacks the maturity to analyze their potential of becoming reality.
When she awakens, she ricochets into the completely opposite direction as Sailor V, completely devoted to her cause, will always make sacrifices at her own personal expense, knows that her own happiness is a non-issue. She begins to hold herself to high standards, no matter what the cost. All maturity, few dreams.
Finally, after she meets Usagi and the others and doesn’t have to masquerade as the princess anymore, she transitions into Sailor Venus, an equilibrium state between Sailor V and Minako. She still takes her job very seriously, but still takes the time to hang out with her friends. She is willing to fight personal battles, but recognizes the importance of teamwork. Through her fellow soldiers and dear friends, Venus has finally found balance.
It’s possible to apply a number of fiction tropes to this distinction (mother-maiden-crone, beauty-brains-brawn, rule of three; the phases of Venus, if you will). Either way, it’s important to note that she consolidated these aspects of her personality into one that worked both for her and for those who depend on her.
Thank you for joining me for Minako Aino Appreciation Hour.
Me @ The No.6 Fandom: Pssst. Guys. I love No. 6 but it is like…30 years behind the first legit LGBT representation in an anime. Please don’t call it a trail blazer. It’s awesome but it took like 50 years of perfecting to get it to that point and it still has a lot of problems.
katcitica said: Can you explain more on this please? emoji-octopus said: What was the first one?
Oh yeah dudes! There’s a ton of LGBT anime out there for you! No. 6 is like so far from the first/only one.
Barazoku was the first magazine by and for gay men in Japan featuring illustrations, which was published in 1971. It’s not exactly a manga, but I’d call it the start of representation in publications outside of maybe some obscure porn I don’t know about.
In terms of anime, I’m not exactly sure what the first ever gay character in an anime was because there are just so many freaking anime out there. Discounting Yaoi, and Yuri, I can give you the first most prominent example of a gay couple in anime which would be in YuYu Hakusho.
This show was a shounen that aired in 1991. It featured a gay couple, Itsuki and Sensui, and a trans character Miyuki.
More popular would be Sailor Moon’s, Hotaru and Amara who featured prominently as supporting characters in the second season. This show also aired in 1991.
It also had the Kunzite and Zoisite, a gay couple, plus a few other canonically LGBT characters, and more who played around with gender roles and identity. (Fun fact, the author of Sailor Moon, Naoko Takeuchi, was married to the author of YuYu Hakusho, Yoshihiro Togashi.)
Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura (1996) was canonically gay. But these are all supporting characters. You guys want main characters right?
Revolutionary Girl Utena! and it’s film follow up Adolescence of Utena featured a bisexual couple as the main protagonists and gender and gender roles were explored explicitly in the story itself. Utena I’d say may also qualify as gender fluid as the beginning of the show has her state plainly she wants to be a prince, and not a princess.
Wandering Son, (released 2011, the same year as No. 6) depicts Shuichi Nitori, and her quest to change her gender identity.
Shinsekai Yori, released in 2012, featured not one, but four cannon same sex couples, and had commentary on gender and sexuality.
Doukyuusei, a film that came out in 2013 features the story of two high school seniors falling in love while also dealing with questions and conflicts in their relationships and just some mello slice of life issues.
And most recently the manga Shimanami Tasogore which has an almost exclusively LGBT cast and was written to talk about homophobia and how LGBT youth try to come to terms with their identity as they grow up. (Out of all of these I’d say it’s the most competent depiction of LGBT folks in anime. Also the artwork is gorgeous.)
I’m sure there’s more out there, because like I said, I didn’t do a complete list because there’s just so much anime out there. Seriously though, if you look there’s a lot of representation that’s been there for years. Don’t think that No. 6 and Yuri on Ice are the only ones out there.
This seems pretty good, aside from one error: Sailor Moon’s Haruka (Amara/Sailor Uranus) wasn’t in a relationship with Hotaru (Sailor Saturn), but with Michiru (Michelle/Sailor Neptune)
ruby-dear archive 