I am NOT a Sailor Moon Fan

Fans of Sailor Moon are loyal to her and it will probably disappoint many to learn that I am just not into it. It could be because I never watched it until recently as an adult and a mom. Maybe if I had watched it as a kid, I’d feel differently.

But I hadn’t watched it back then and this is where we are.

My husband watched it in the 90s and introduced our four year old daughter to it. She loves it, so we watch it quite a bit now. We have watched the Japanese original, the 90s dub, and, my least favorite, Crystal.

I can tell you right now, we won’t be watching Crystal any more. Ever. Period. I’ve banned it from out house.

My husband and I have discussed my dislike at length. (I think he’s disappointed that I don’t like it when he does) He tells me the things I don’t like are just what Japanese culture was in the 90s. Neither of us are claiming it is right or wrong, just that this is what it was.

The 90s english dub is also heavily edited to take out those things that give me the ick. Which is why I let out daughter watch that version. I’m still not into it, but it’s not torture to watch. Serena is not my type of heroine. She’s a crybaby winder with the attention span of a goldfish and the gumption our lazy house cat, Button. I like the idea that she shows you can still overcome your own faults and be a princess superhero, but she is not a personality that endears me to her. The rest of the show I don’t mind so much.

Usagi, from the original Japanese 90s version, is portrayed better. (Maybe a bit of her is lost in translation?) But, for my daughter, we’re going to stick to the heavily edited English dub.

Crystal is out. Nope, hard pass. Season one wasn’t so bad. They cut the other sailor guardians down to barely present side characters, but I think Serena was a stronger female lead. Season two is where I put my foot down. I have two words why.

Chibi Usa.

Everything is wrong when this character shows up. She’s everything I don’t like about Serena in season one with the added bonus of her deeb psychological issue of being in love with the past version of her father. Then, the show pits mother and daughter against each other (not okay), fighting over a man (more not okay) who is the daughter’s father (now we’re moving into therapist wrong). Through the not okay jealousy, there are… spicy… relations between jr. high aged mother and high school aged father.

This is where my husband tells me I have to understand the culture. Fine. For adults who can make that distinction. For YA ranged children consumers? Absolutely not. I do NOT advocate spice in YA books and I don’t think it should be in their shows either.

Crystal season two has too much bad messaging. I’m not okay with it.

If you are a Sailor Moon fan, I’m sorry if this makes you sad. We can still be friends, though. (Remember, my husband is a fan) I think differing opinions are important in the world and in friendships. That’s how we are introduced to possibilities we wouldn’t otherwise think of. There are many fandoms I DO love and I’m sure we share one in common.

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