Sailor Moon and the US' Homophobia

Sailor Moon was such a huge show created from Japanese manga back in the 90s. It was one of the shows that started the USA anime culture. Sailor Moon included many different characters and the charming, yet clumsy Sailor Moon herself. The show also included different types of sexualities, which was a major breakthrough for a children’s show at the time. But, kids in the USA would never know of the homosexual relationships within Sailor Moon because the US censored all of them out. The original show aired in Japan, which made it even harder for the US to convincingly change the story line and characters so that there would be no trace of homosexuality left. Leaving the homosexuality in Sailor Moon could have been a great chance to boost the US forward in achieving homosexual acceptance. This post is going to look at the comparison between the Japan airing versus the censored US airing of the 90’s version of Sailor Moon, why the US censored the show, and why the last season of Sailor Moon was never aired in the US.

Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune

In Japan Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were portrayed as having a heterosexual relationship. Sailor Uranus’ sexuality and relationship with Sailor Neptune is what really made this anime complex and important. Sailor Uranus “was as butch as she could be, even going so far as to wear boy’s uniforms to school… In addition to cross-dressing, she raced motorbikes as a hobby, worked on her car on the weekends, and had her hair cut so short that she was often mistaken for a boy.” (Ballenger 1). It is made even clearer that she is not a he when she transforms into Sailor Uranus, a pretty guardian sailor senshi. Sailor Uranus’ sexuality caused Sailor Moon and the other sailor senshi much confusion on what gender Sailor Uranus actually is, and it is not a problem when they find out. There is no perceived homophobia from any of the girls. They “exhibit adolescent crushes on Sailor Uranus both before and after they discover this very butch character to be female.” (Johnson-Woods 166). Through the sailor senshi’s confusion and acceptance the show expertly addressed how to accept one another for whom he/she may be sexually. Also, once Sailor Moon realized that Sailor Uranus is a lesbian and there was a relationship between her and Neptune there was no further discussion on the matter. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune’ sexualities were accepted as just part of the show. All the aspects of this great lesson in acceptance of other people’s sexual preference are destroyed by USA censorship.

Sailor Uranus' Transformation in to Sailor Senshi

In the US Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune’s relationship is a “blatant example of… homophobic censorship.”(Ballenger 1) The US is the only contributor to “the deliberate smothering of Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus’ romance in the series.” (Ballenger 1) Japan had nothing to do with the US story line for Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune’s relationship; in fact they embraced it as seen in the previous paragraph. The US stripped away a great learning and relating opportunity for kids by being too homophobic and censoring all the homosexuality out of the anime. Instead of these two girls having a relationship they were told to “US readers (and watchers that) they are cousins.” (Johnson-Woods 166). This type of control shows that the US was filtering a show that could have been very helpful to America’s young audience. It could have allowed homosexuals to feel a little more accepted. The US changing Uranus and Neptune’s relationship contributes to the idea that being homosexual is not tolerated and created a homo-shaming message.

           

Sailor Moon and and a Sailor Starlight

              In addition to taking away Sailor Uranus and Neptune’s relationship the “American producers even went so far as to avoid airing the final season of the series on U.S. television.” because the “Homosexual, and adolescent sexual themes were so rampant.” (Ballenger 1). The story line relied on the homosexuality of the characters so greatly that the US could not change anything to make it a different comprehensive story line, thus the distribution of Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars was only in Japan. But, any true fan knows what cross dressing characters the US could not reimagine. They are the Sailor Starlights. A group of outer sailor senshi that come to Earth to find their lost princess. The reason that the US did not distribute this series was because, once again, the Sailor Starlights characters questioned sexuality. They cross-dressed as men within society and even had their own boy band. Yet, when they transformed they were women, just like Sailor Uranus. Also, one of the main story lines for this part of the series was that Sailor Moon was supposedly falling in love with one of the Sailor Starlights, Sailor Star Fighter, male form, “and even after she discovers the truth later on… it is never mentioned that she has any objections to being in love with a man who is really a woman.” (Ballenger 1). Even after Sailor Moon finds out that the Sailor Starlights are women she still has feelings for one of them. Sailor Moon’s mentality shows how important this anime/manga was in the acceptance of sexuality. The anime distributes heartwarming “images of romance and strength in diverse gender performances.” (Johnson-Woods 166).

The Sailor Starlights in Female Form

          In conclusion, the uncensored Sailor Moon could have been a great step forward in the early acceptance of homosexuality within the US, but the US censorship did not allow for that. Instead it gave a different message, a message that created more shame for people who had homosexual preferences. The US censorship also shows that if you want the full story just watch the Japanese subtitled version of the show. Looking at it uncensored Sailor Moon was one of the fist manga and anime that “provided ways to connect with young people and initiate conversations about sexuality.” (Cornog and Perper 2). With optimism I believe that the English dubbing of the Sailor Moon reboot: Sailor Moon Crystal will not be as censored as the 90’s anime was. I have high hopes that this time in the US the message of embracing homosexuality will be heard.

All of the Sailor Senshi

Works Cited

Ballenger, Rebecca. "Too Many Girlfriends: Sailor Moon’s Censored Life in the U.S." Bookmans.com. Bookman's Entertainment Exchange, 11 May 2014. Web. 4 May 2016.

Cornog, Martha, and Timothy Perper. "Non-Western Sexuality Comes To The U.S.: A Crash  Course In Manga And Anime For Sexologists." Contemporary Sexuality 39.3 (2005): 1-6. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 May 2016.

Johnson-Woods, Tony. "Manga: An Anthology of Global and Cultural Perspectives." Google Books. The Continuum National Publishing Group Inc, 2010. Web. 09 May 2016.

TS3 Studios. "Sailor Moon Crystal Season 3 - Sailor Uranus and Sailor Moon SCENE (ENG SUB) (HD)." YouTube. YouTube, 03 May 2016. Web. 4 May 2016.