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 Tiff's response to An essay on sexism in BSSM

I could go on a long rant but I really want people to read this and hear my points without seeing my fanatic side. So I will start out with a few comparisions of the Sailormoon manga in comparision to the anime.

great place to start *smiles*

In the manga our favorite heroine Sailormoon/Usagi is a young girl who finds out that she is not the average teenage girl she thinks she is. Not only is she a powerful former princess of the moon, she is the legendary hero Sailormoon. Now while the animators keep this premise up many things were severly changed in the story conversion.

Fact 1- In the manga Tuxedo Kamen, while he does appear to help out from time to time, was not always needed to help Sailormoon defeat the enemy. In fact he sometimes watched as she defeated the enemy using the Ginzshou and even comments on how strong she becomes everytime she fights. Another thing with Mamoru/Tuxedo Kamen is he not only represented a hero but he also had become a hostage for the bad guys several times in the manga thus turning around the theory that only women can be helpless victims.

I have to step in a moment to point something out, though: they also make him a captive in the anime as well several times. So one could argue that that isn't really a difference. But I certainly agree about him giving sailor moon good comments about her strength, which is NOT seen much in the anime.

Also a major difference in the relationship of Mamoru and Usagi can be seen between the manga and anime. In the anime their relationship is turbulent even leading some to believe that maybe the two should not be together. Mamoru was made into a cold hard headed macho man (especially in the dub). And Usagi was so boy crazy it made viewers believe she would cheat on Mamoru the minute another guy looked her way. Then when they finally got together they made her so clingy to him it was practically sickening because you did not feel that Mamoru felt as devoted as she was. In the manga their love was declared almost early, and there was not swaying from it once it was declared. And while Usagi did have a small crush on Motoki early on in the manga it was quite squashed once her memories and love for Endymion/Mamoru came back.

Again, very true. In the anime, Mamoru seems downright cold at times. He insults her grades, the way she holds herself, calls her a crybaby, is a complete wimp when it comes to standing up for her...hell, I could count the times he told her he loved her on one hand, whereas Usagi tells him all the time how much he means to her. As far as I can remember he is much more devoted to her in the manga.

Fact 2- the other senshi personality changes. This is a factor for all the other senshi from Mercury being considered a wimp because she only does defensive attacks, where clearly in the manga she is more versitale. To Sailor Mars who in my opinion in the anime acted more like an enemy then a ally to Sailor moon. Then there is Mako who is another victim of "Boy Crazy Fever" and Venus who for some reason is made to look as if she is bored with being a Senshi.

It seems to me that they spent more time on filler episodes then they did developing the characters. Ami is far stronger in the manga, and is a lot more useful in battle, whereas in the anime she just kind of stands on the sidelines, working her computer. Rei seemed to be more comic relief or someone to hate in the anime than usagi's best friend. While I admit she's FAR better in the original anime than in the dub, she was still changed drastically. In the manga, she's sophisticated, not rude. In the dub, she's just downright mean. And poor Mako and Minako, who are portrayed as boy-crazy sluts all the time. I find Minako hilarious in the anime when she chases guys at times, but i still wish more of her sweet and brave character was developed.

And please dont get me started on the Outers who in my opinion in the anime really need an attitude adjustment! Why were these girls attitudes and or attacks changed to make them seem not only petty, bitchy or weak? My only guess is a big male influence in animation and in society in general. Lets face it even in this day and age were we at least have a few female heroines more then they did in the olden days. Us women are still force fed the notion that we need a big strong male to help us save the day. To me this is not only bias towards strong female characters it sets a bad example and presidence to all young women who dream of being treated equally to our male counterparts.

What upset me was how little Haruka and Michiru's feelings for eachother were developed until Stars. Sure, they HINTED at the lovers during S, but it was really proven in Stars with the kind of comments they threw at eachother ("I don't listen to that talk outside of bed.." *cough*) In the manga, however, they shared a house and played "mommy and daddy" to Hotaru, which they barely paid attention to at the beginning of Stars. We see Haruka give Michiru flowers in that arc, but it is not shown in the anime. And about the attitudes..I completely agree. While I love Haruka to death, she is far less bitchy in the manga, and Michiru is far less flirty (come on, she acts like a slut at times!)

After reading the Sailormoon manga and Watching the entire series I can honestly say in my sincerest opinion that sexism plays a major role. In fact Ive even created a site to were I get to rant about this and many other major differences from the manga to the anime version. I know what some people may think its just a series get over it, well call me a fanatic but I really dont see why the changes were made in the first place. The original manga characters seemed more developed easier to believe and a whole lot more likeable then the anime made them. And if I had one wish I would make it so that a revamp of the show would be done showing the exact original stories with the original characters personalities. People may or may not like it, they may even like the originals better. But given a chance I think any Sailormoon fan would agree that a stronger self suffiecent less boy crazy group of Senshi would not only recieve more respect. But would help teach young girls and boys that we all are equal human beings. But thats just my opinion

Indeed, I wish the animators had spent less time on "funny" filler eps, and spent more time on character development. Why aren't we learning about anyone's past besides Minako (in one episode) and Haruka and Michiru? Why aren't we learning about what happened to Rei's father, or even why Queen Beryl hates Serenity so much? She hints that she wanted Mamoru, but in the manga, there's a scene where she comes right out and says it in a flashback...and she's beautiful, hiding behind that pillar! It's a sad scene that we never get to see in the anime. And poor Queen serenity...she's not done nearly enough justice in the anime. Excellent article, S.O.V!

~S.O.V.

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