The good, the bad, and the ugly...within SM authors
and stories
One of the most
controversial authors of Sailormoon fan-fiction is Chris Davies.
Author of a multitude of stories, including:
Together Again 1996 and
2937 chapters, The
Adventures of Serena and Luna, Davies is no stranger to
controversy or dissension. Possibly one of the earliest
recognized Sailormoon fan-fiction writers, Davies has
introduced a series of alternative storylines that have seen
repercussions all across the fictional field. Key concepts
include a difference in perception of the Usagi/Rei
(Serena/Raye) relationships, as well as the interaction of
the Senshi within the anime multiverse that Davies has
created.
There are many that would argue Davies'
view of the Usagi/Rei relationship (which has been extended
to: Ryouko/Ayeka from Tenchi Muyo! as well as
Priss/Sylia from Bubblegum Crisis) has been
over-used. Many of his latest writings (and an underlying
current through all of his works) have featured
lesbian relationships between key female characters
regardless of support (or lack thereof) from canonical
material.
Professor Washuu will be giving a lecture
on the concepts behind the use of the phrase 'canonical'
within fan-fiction creation.
What does 'canon' material entail? Within
Sailormoon, there are several canon sources
that are to be considered: the Japanese anime series from
Toei (200 episodes + three movies + the TV specials), the
Japanese manga series from Kodansha (52 acts + four ennikki
+ two side stories), the North American TV adaptation from
DIC (82 episodes + numerous "Live Action" trailers), and the
North American "manga" translation from Mixx Entertainment
(6 issues (or acts) so far and counting). I will also
consider material that has been released in terms of the Art
books and information detailed within Volume 10 of the
Japanese manga as canon. Other canon sources
include various interviews and author's notes that can be
verified to Takeuchi Naoko, i.e., her liner notes within the
eighteen Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon manga tankoubun as well
as within the three Sailor V tankoubun, the interviews with
various magazines...
The many thousands of Sailormoon sites
accessible upon the web also mean that
non-canonical information (i.e., made up, or
mixed up) is being disseminated amongst netizens. The latest
controversy over the S.O.S (Save Our Sailors) campaign's
explanation of the relationship between Haruka and Michiru
involved claims of a Prince of Uranus within the Silver
Millennium. These claims were then
'substantiated' by a quote supposedly
taken from an Italian magazine interview with
Takeuchi-sensei. Upon translation of the interview in
question, there were no quotes that would have substantiated
claims of Uranus having been a male in his/her previous life
within the Silver Millennium.
The fact that there have been
attempts to muddle a relationship simply because it
is not following a societal view towards sexuality reflects
poorly upon society as a whole, as well as those that are
chosing to ignore an essential part of character
development. The consistent fascination of Western society
with the forbidden topic of sexuality has caused the
Uranus/Neptune relationship to be blown out of proportion.
Their backgrounds and motives are not the main
focus of the anime or the manga. Their love is an
consistent undercurrent in terms of the relationships within
the storyline but the focus should not on
whether Uranus was/is a male in her previous lifetimes --
unless the writer is specifically setting out to create a
believable background which includes the possibility of
Uranus having been a male in the past.
There has been one main writer who's
created something along the lines of a background for a male
Uranus in the past: John Biles has written the
Silver Millennium Uranus as Marduk but through the
Dance of Shiva as well as
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Z Biles briefly explores the
ambiguity that is inherent within Haruka.
If authors feel that they must
write Haruka (or any other character) out of character (or
of a different sexual orientation), then they must also be
able to justify their reasons for doing
so. More than one story with a reasonable plot line has been
ruined due to bizarre characterization. Authors seem to like
to perversely portray the various Senshi as being extremely
out of character.
Stories of OOC character behaviour would
have instances of:
- Minako (Mina) behaving in
a very ditzy manner. There are many readers
that would assume from the behaviour of the North American
Sailor Moon Mina that she is a ditz of the first
water - a character that could rival Mihoshi and C-ko on any
given day. [Kuramitsu Mihoshi from Tenchi Muyo; C-ko
Kotobuki from Project: A-ko.] Some authors have even
portrayed her as being another Usagi with her own
idiosyncrasies of silly misquotes and the knack for saying
things at the wrong time.
Needless to say, we can see from the
Japanese anime as well as the manga (more in the manga than
the anime) that Minako does have her serious moments and is
as much a leader and good friend to Usagi as to any of the
other Senshi. Takeuchi acknowledges Venus as the leader of
the Senshi in the manga and has portrayed Minako to be much
more serious than otherwise seen. [Then again, Minako had
her own series (Bishoujo Senshi Sailor V) to be silly
in.]
Similarly, the portrayals of Rei have
veered from either an absolute cynic and hot-head who would
have a raspberry fight with Usagi at the drop of a pin, to
being Usagi's lover. The Outer Senshi Trio have written
character studies of all the Senshi and probably come
closest with their description of Hino Rei.
Tim Nolan
Rei is one of the more mysterious ones in
the Inner or Outer Senshi. She has had an unusual and
reserved upbringing, living at the shrine with her
grandfather. She also has not had an easy time with her
looks and her background making her a bit distant from her
schoolmates, prior to meeting the Inners.
While Rei does not show the lack of
social skills like Ami, she is not very good at showing her
actual feelings to the people she cares about. Usagi is the
best example of this, with Rei truly caring for her so much,
yet being unwilling or unable to let that love she has for
her friend show.
Her attitude towards Yuuichiro confirms
that Usagi isn't the only one that this behavior is limited
to. She does care for him as well, but does not let it show,
either. We must assume that he has come to realize that
fact, or he probably would have long since moved on in terms
of seeing someone else.
All of the others seem to have mostly
caught on to this behavior of hers, actually, with Usagi
being the only exception. Usagi probably is only beginning
to get the slightest hint of what Rei is truly feeling
behind the facade she puts forth. Rei seems to be trying to
make Usagi into the more ladylike person that Rei feels she
should be since she is the Princess.
Also of note is that Rei, as a miko, or
shrine maiden, has some knowledge and understanding of
people that a girl of her age would usually not have. I'm
sure that part of her training has included learning about
people from her grandfather, and getting advice and
instruction from him is going to make her more perceptive
about people than most of the other Inner Senshi. When you
combine this with her apparent precognitive abilities, she
will probably be the one to first get an idea of what a
person is like and what their real motives are.
In regards to the Outer Senshi, I do not
see any one of them being more of a choice as a friend over
the others. I think Rei would get along well with all of
them equally well, and be able to deal with any of them on
an individual or group basis. Rei seems to understand the
moral basis for the decisions the Outers have made.
Undoubtedly, Rei's time with her grandfather and learning
from him about people and what makes them feel the way they
do, since she is the probable successor to the shrine, will
make her more understanding and accepting. While Rei may not
agree with what the Outers feel and the decisions they have
made, I do see her being the Inner Senshi who can most
easily understand them.
Jackie Chiang
Rei's most notable characteristic is her
dedication to Usagi. It has been said that she is probably
Usagi's best friend, and I would readily agree with that.
Though she constantly fights with and criticizes Usagi, she
genuinely cares for the princess. Mars is always the one who
protects Sailormoon, as in episode 45 when she kills two of
the youma to save her and in the R movie when she pushes
Moon away from Fioret's flower monsters. And it's clear that
behind the teasing, pushy exterior that she is fond of the
blond, she is just not good at showing it.
The two main male relationships in her
life are Mamoru and Yuuichirou. I tend to sincerely downplay
her feelings for Mamoru; quite a few fics I've read try to
make it into the biggest deal that has ever happened in
Rei's life when it's not. Rei-chan, in my opinion, felt a
strong infatuation for Mamoru-san, that was it. Of course
she was hurt when she found out about how Usagi and he were
meant to be together, but she manages to push away that hurt
for her friend's well being. In any case, her relationship
with Yuuichirou develops past just friendship, though Rei
doesn't like to acknowledge how much she cares about him
either.
Rei has many possibilities open for her
in a fanfic. I would not suggest emphasizing her desire for
Mamoru long after their relationship has ended [ie like six
years after the first season] because that is really
ridiculous. Her strength of character, determination,
attachment to her friends, and her quick temper can be used
well, if the writer knows what s/he's doing.
One of the most important aspects of the
relationships within the anime is the variety of
perspectives portrayed. Each of the Senshi had a common
underlying factor prior to their meeting with
Usagi/Sailormoon -- loneliness. Prior to anyone becoming a
Senshi, they were considered 'weird' or 'unapproachable' for
one reason or another. Ami - her brilliance; Rei - her
position as both a Shinto miko as well as her bourgousie
upbringing; Makoto - her history of violence (or perhaps
better phrased as hostility) due in part to her height and
strength over others; Minako - her early start as Sailor V
is probably the most tragic; forced to watch her friends and
potential loves die [within the Sailor V tankoubon], Minako
lost many of friends simply because she no longer had time
to be with them.
With the Outer Senshi there are slight
differences..., both Michiru and Haruka were lonely but
found each other prior to meeting Usagi; Hotaru was
befriended by Chibi-Usa and Setsuna met the Senshi...the
circumstances of Pluto are significant, the time travelling
Senshi cannot reconcile the past and future Pluto's.
One of the defining characteristics of
Usagi is her openness and willingness to offer friendship to
people that are not considered mainstream or
normal. We see this extended beyond the Senshi to
what most others would consider enemies: Fiore,
Hotaru/Mistress 9, Nephrenia, Galaxia...Usagi offers
unconditional love. She doesn't want anyone to be lonely and
by extension: without love.
Love is one of the
defining features of Sailormoon. The story as a shoujo style
means that love and relationships will dominate, as opposed
to fighting monsters of the day (MotD). This is one of the
largest differences between the anime and the manga. The
anime follows the style of: MotD followed by speech,
followed by a battle where the weapon of the season (WotS)
is displayed... The manga has a much more diverse selection
of foci; not every act/chapter was devoted to a physical
confrontation between good and evil.
Continue to Part 7 »
