If you still have Sailor Moon on the brain, did watching it at all give you any options you wish to share about other magical girl esk media you wish existed or your own take on how you would create a story in that media space?
If not, then maybe, if you're inclined to, recount some interesting findings about the connections that exist between shojo and shonen media?
(If neither then please disregard, sorry for imposing)
It was interesting! I was surprised at how much it had in common with shonen action anime. Half the boss battles get resolved with a beam clash and the only difference between Super Saiyan and Neo Queen Serenity is whether the hair or the outfit changes.
The one part I found myself sliding off of - due to personal writing preference - is how Usagi is the defacto center of the universe and everyone else is very explicitly playing support. That's part of why I liked the Outer Senshi so much - because they've all got their own ludicrously OP stuff going on, they feel more like equals to Usagi than glorified bodyguards. The inner planet senshi get their own character arcs, which is excellent, but after a while it's pretty clear that none of them can ever finish a fight without Sailor Moon. And that's fine, that's the pretense of the story - their jobs are very explicitly to protect the turbopowerful demigoddess moon princess while she gets her act together enough to remember she can win - but I prefer writing an ensemble cast where everyone feels like the hero of their own story, not the support in someone else's, and that's pretty much antithetical to the core premise of the show.
It also has a lot of the hallmarks of a soft magic system that I personally struggle with - the old "you win by believing in yourself" thing basically means "you win when the plot demands it would be most interesting for you to win" - but again, they can get away with a lot by letting the actual core premise of the universe's power system be stuff like "a pure heart gives you strength" and "the power of love will legitimately make you more powerful." And I respect that the show doesn't just give people powerups whenever - one of the parts I found most emotionally impactful was in the finale of season 3, when Sailor Saturn is going to fight the big bad all by herself and will 100% definitely die in the process, and because Sailor Moon has sacrificed the season's macguffin, she can no longer transform into her powered-up form to help - which doesn't stop her from screaming the transformation phrase over and over, because she is desperate to save Sailor Saturn even if she's been told it can't possibly work. When she gets her The Most Purest Heart Ever powerup at the last possible second, that feels excellent because it's a profoundly impactful character moment that's being supported by the plot with a tangible powerup. It's pretty telling that we don't even see the final bossfight; it's not about the spectacle or the beam clash, it's about the character arcs that surround them. I think that's a really interesting way to handle it and to add depth to an otherwise basic "whose number is bigger" style struggle.
I'm also deeply fond of paragons, and as the seasons go on I really like how Usagi's ultimately kind personality drives her to constantly help, no matter the personal cost or how aggressively people try to dissuade her - and I like that she gets angry and frustrated and even says or does harsh things sometimes, but will ultimately always do what she thinks is right. It makes her feel like a real human being, and the "weaknesses" and flaws in her character - aka the parts that make her something more complicated than a perfectly stoic problem-solving machine - are a lot of fun to watch.
Personal preference, I'd like to see more magical girl stuff where the central pillar of the plot is not a constant will-they-won't-they het romance - but I also like how Sailor Moon as a series is legitimately aware that this is not actually the de facto most important relationship for everyone. Surprising multitude of gay characters aside, I recently caught a season 2 episode where Makoto donates blood to save a close friend, and explains to Usagi that she isn't in love with him, but they have an incredibly profound friendship that's more important to her than any boyfriend, a concept with startles and confuses Usagi. It seems to be a case where the heroine has a Foundational Romantic Subplot that defines the course of her life and the plot, but the rest of the characters get to have more complicated dynamics where their life goals aren't "omg boys", and I liked that a lot!
When comparing and contrasting it to shonen action anime, I think the magical girl genre manages to integrate the lower-stakes slice of life elements significantly more smoothly, and to great effect - the 90% of the show that's silly and ridiculous makes the 10% of it that's extremely serious and gutwrenching much more impactful. That's something that a lot of shonen series struggle with, where the tone goes from "moderately serious with the occasional goof" to "extremely serious with major character deaths." The magical girl genre going from "the dumbest episode premise you've ever heard" to "extremely serious with major character deaths" is a much more precipitous plunge into icy water, as it were.
When I think about how I would write a magical girl story, I basically just smack into the premise of Exalted. Its worldbuilding has exactly what I want - an interesting system of powerset-reincarnation into worthy hosts that allows for complex interpersonal dynamics through varying levels of memory preservation, several different flavors of magical transforming person including Evil Versions, and the one thing I prioritize in my own writing - a world that feels like it can have a lot of main characters and heroes of their own story. Everyone in Exalted has their own shit going on and their own past-life drama, including former friend groups/adventuring parties, soulmates (both regular and evil versions), and anyone who might've previously killed them. Most importantly for my preferences, there's no default main character of the universe. If I were to make an urban fantasy magical girl setting, I'd probably use an extremely similar premise because I find the ramifications of it unbelievably interesting in a way the system itself is not designed to explore.
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Answering your ask about not giving up a ship on Twitter (what is my i will hang on, teeth and claws). And ive really gotten into multi shipping lately. That all the scouts (the age appropriate ones) are in love with each other. The outers and the inners live separately, but only cuz its hard to find a house that big where they are. (But true to my big fat greek wedding style, thier houses are in a row and they can always see each other)🤣🥰
I have nothing against senshi poly-cule, I think it's fun!
It's not my go-to, but I'm not against it. I like to think some senshi having differing levels of friendship, attraction and respect toward each other.
I'll actually give my opinion on each individual ship. If I think they work, why they do or don't work and why I like them if they do. (p.s. Mamo is not included here, but I do tend to default ship UsaMamo, even if it's pretty poorly written most of the time)
Long post ahead! Hope you appreciate this, it took me a ton of time and I suck at writing.
BEFORE YOU READ THIS, THESE ARE MY OPINIONS, BASED ON MY HEADCANONS/CHARACTER INTERPRETATIONS WITH A BIT OF CANON SPRINKLED HERE AND THERE ( I do not want to see you typing " ..but x character is straight.." , I will come to your house and steal al the toilet paper!!!)
Let's start with Usagi:
(I'll mostly focus on the other side of the party, cause I honestly believe Usagi would be happy with anyone, being able to work though personal preferences more than most people)
🌙💧UsagixAmi: I can see it! They are actually a guilty pleasure ship of mine, they are super cute, and I think they would both respect and love each other enough to work through some stability issues in the relationship. Mostly stemming from not being able to spend enough time with each other. I see Usagi as very clingy and needing to interact physically and emotionally with her partner on a regular basis. While Ami would have the patience to deal with the more emotional moments from Usagi, aka immaturity. This ship works for me, though it needs work from both parties to keep a healthy balance.
🌙🔥UsagixRei: I... don't really see it.. srry. Ik people love it and ik it's an amazing friendship, but I just can't see them interacting healthly on a daily basis. Rei is incredibly independent, while Usagi really isn't. Which is totally fine if matched with the right partner, but Rei would just end up being too frustrated and her love for Usagi would just turn into spite. She needs her space and tbh, she really needs someone who could drop her like a hot potato if the case need be. Overall, an AMAZING friendship, wouldn't work in a relationship. Rei as a friend is just too different from Rei as a lover, and that Rei is not made to be with Usagi.
🌙⚡️UsagixMakoto: I can kind of see it, like AmixUsagi. My only real issue would stem from the fact that Ami has a lot more patience than Mako. Mako is a caretaker, she loves and thrives taking care of others, but she does get frustrated by Usagi's occasional lack of emotional control. Leading me to think Mako would prefer someone with more emotional maturity, tho she would never admit it, or even consciously relate to it as a preference she's looking for in a partner. Tho them cuddling, eating and chilling out would actually work really well, cause I do already see them being very affectionate platonically too. Ship's cute, but quite flawed, would need a LOT of work from both parties do last any significant amount of time and pressure.
🌙💛UsagixMinako: this one's complicated. On one side, yes! I can see it working quite well, on another.. it's a complete disaster. Let me explain. If you were to ask me if I think that Mina and Usagi could work as a couple, I would say yes. They are both very fun, loving, care free gals, who are both emotionally intelligent (Usagi is emotionally intelligent, not mature) and who are very aware of each other's feelings. On the other hand you're asking me if Mina, the leader of a superhero team, the one who's hands would be stained with blood if anything were to ever happen to any of her subordinates, if she would be willing to completely set aside her relationship when it comes to a fundamental rift in ideologies between her and her princess. I don't think Mina would be strong enough to put herself through that, to hurt Usagi when she knows it would be the inevitable, over and over. You cannot save everyone and while she can say that has her leader, I think she could not muster to say it as a lover. Overall cute, if extremely dramatic given the senshi angle, but I don't think it would work.
🌙🗡UsagixHaruka: no. Just no. They are both immature emotional wrecks ready to pass by the McDonald's drive through for a happy meal. They are quite similar in a lot of ways and while I see their friendship as something very precious, they would not work as lovers.
🌙🌊UsagixMichiru: I think I said it quite well once, so I'll reuse it in this situation. "If Michiru had met Usagi instead of Haruka back in S, I think Michiru would've walked into traffic by sunset". Ok, all seriousness, no. I personally find it really hard to see Michiru with anyone that isn't Haruka, let alone someone that isn't a butch lesbian. So, nah, sorry.
🌙🕒UsagixSetsuna: my hc Setsuna is very different from canon Setsuna. I don't see her with anyone. She's just Pluto.
Ami
💧🔥AmixRei: the only way I can see this ship working is in a first fling type of way. Like 2 inexperienced teens wanting to give love a chance with another pretty girl, while being awkward af mfs. If we're talking about them dating after being friends for a long time, I don't see it being stable. Ami is incredibly intelligent, but more like booksmart, not really people smart, while Rei is the literal incarnation of a jigsaw puzzle covered in spikes. There would be little to no direct and clear communication between the two, Rei would feel frustrated like no other cause her 'signs' are CLEARLY SO OBVIOUS MIZUNO! Meanwhile Ami just can't deal with brain games in a romantic relationship (mostly stemming from my autistic Ami hc), with the person she would share a house with.. uh.. l think not, sorry. In the end, I see it working for a bit as a first relationship that ends in them staying close friends, but not anything long-term.
💧⚡️AmixMakoto: AAAHHh, ok I get a chance to talk about them. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF! I love them, you know this already. They are very simple, direct and loving partners. They have the most boring, loving, drama free, cuddle and love filled relationship in the universe. It's boring, but idc, it's just pure fluff and I love them. The only argument I could see them getting into, on rare occasions, is Ami being Ami and being way too busy for her own good. Mako is a caretaker, yes, but she also wants to be taken care of and spend quality time with her lover. I can see Mako getting silent angry when Ami picks up one too many shifts, while also feeling a bit guilty about it, cause she knows how much her job means to Ami. They would talk and work through it slowly, day by day. Ok, anyhow, love them, NO NOTES!
💧💛AmixMinako: sorry, I think people who follow me are sick of hearing this, but one more time for the people in the back. I do not see Ami and Minako as being good friends. They eventually come to being able to interact one on one without wanting to blow the other's brains off, but I do not ever think they would come to any mutual attraction. It's a bit of a hot take on my part, but I have no issue seeing Mina as a bit of a bully. She loves attention, she knows Ami is an easy target, she bothers Ami, Ami gets mad. Most often silent mad. She eventually does start to snide back, even quite smartly! But they would rarely have that one to one moment I see almost every single one of the girls coming to throughout their friendship. So.... I don't see it, but it's mostly due to my unique perspective of each character.
💧🗡AmixHaruka: AHAHAHAHAHA. ur funny.
💧🌊AmixMichiru: you can refer to my reasoning on UsagixMichiru, srry Ami, you just ain't her type (not butch enough). Though, I do see them becoming really good friends as adults, once Michiru decided to chill tf out and act like a human being and Ami learns a bit more about 'how-to-human 101'. No, no's the answer. I don't see it.
💧🕒AmixSestuna: refer to UsagixSestuna.
Rei
🔥⚡️ReixMakoto: I can see y people like them.. but I can't help but see them driving each other crazy. Rei does not need a caretaker, why would she want a home-made lunch every day, if ramen cups were on sale 10 for 10$, like.. hello!? Ok for real, I can't see it. (Srry Ik I'm breaking so many hearts rn). They are too independent and honestly, they are also two real dumb hardheads when they want to be. Their problems would mostly stem from caretaking and activity coordination, they would fight over everything unless they write down a plan and schedule to stick to it. Also small side note, Rei is really not the cuddly person, while Mako is quite the opposite so that would feel pretty hard to make work without making one feel uncomfortable or the other feel unloved. So, overall, great friendship, but they cannot be living together without a peace maker to ensure they don't eat each other alive.
🔥💛ReixMinako: YES! they got it all! Fluff, check. Drama, check. Interesting and layered dynamics, check. Complex yet comprehensible human to senshi spectrum, check! Funny, CHECK! Even tho Makoami is my personal fav ship, these two (along with Harumichi) are my must ship. Like I NEED to see this, why is no1 making this in canon?! I love how layered their dynamics are, from being the leader and second in command, yet being emotionally mature enough to separate their human counter-parts from their duties, while still truly caring for each other in their own unique way. Getting on each other's nerves, giving off the vibes that they could either be 2 seconds away from kicking each others' asses to taking it to the bedroom (it's impossible to tell the difference). They are just supremely interesting, both alone, but especially together. I could go on and on, but I seriously have no notes, it is just ENDLESS possibilities and endless entertainment.
🔥🗡ReixHaruka: they're two dumb gays. I do not see either of them finding any attractive traits about the other. It's just really that simple and I don't have much to comment on it.
🔥🌊ReixMichiru: again it goes to the attraction factor mostly, though I can see Rei finding Michiru attractive, if a bit psychotic (lol, it's part of the charm). I would love to explore a relationship between the two, and I prob will in the future, but it will just default to platonic. This is really kind of it tho, the major factor for me not shipping a lot of stuff is that I tend to default to friendship instead of romance, cause they both act and feel very differently from each other.
🔥🕒ReixSestuna: r.r.r.r.... refeeeeerrrrr to UsagixSetsuna. Thank you for listening to Meioh102.5 back to you Bill.
Makoto
⚡️💛MakotoXMinako: I love their friendship!... thas about it tho. My major issue is Makoto not being able to keep up with Mina, she would need someone more mellow and low key. Unlike Mako, Rei is not afraid to tell Minako NO, while Mako easily guilts herself from denying attention or needs from her partner to give herself some space. I usually default them as being best friends basically (childhood friends in hc), but thinking about anything long term for them would just make me feel for Mako. Mina needs constant attention and distraction, which is honestly a bit out of her control also, but still draining for anyone who is not 100% willing to put their foot down or have enough energy to match hers. So, great great great friendship, I love how they play off of each other, but being in a relationship, living in the same house... would turn into chaotic exhaustion and desperation.
⚡️🗡MakotoxHaruka: I don't see it. I'm happy to see Mako having Haruka as possibly her first gay awakening, but I tend to think that's as far as it goes (while I see Mako as BI, I do think she looks for different attributes she finds attractive for each gender, mostly looking for more masculine attributes in guys and more feminine attributes in women). I also tend to imagine they have an almost irrational hate-on for each other for a while, 'til they chill out and become sparring buddies, so I find it hard to factor in a relationship on top of that. Kind of a pass for me.
⚡️🌊MakotoxMichiru: i feel like I'll be repeating myself a lot here, so I'll skip to it. TLDR; you ain't Michiru's type. I can see an underrated friendship that could spur after year of reconciliation, but it would stop at a platonic boundary.
⚡️🕒MakotoxSetsuna: I'm def repeating myself. Though, I'd actually love to see them sewing together, that'd be adorable.
Minako
💛🗡MinakoxHaruka: no, I don't see it at all, sorry. They are buddies. Haruka's Mina emotional wreck puppy, she loves her and must protect her at all cost, but would prob hate to have to deal with in a romantic relationship. Haruka can match Mina's energy and spirit, but in a much more charming and almost naïve package. I see the two hanging out on a Friday night enjoying some cheap beer lovingly complaining/gushing about their partner to each other.
💛🌊MinakoxMichiru: ahah, this one's quite funny too. You're lucky if they aren't trying to kill the other. They are just too smart for their own good and they are really the only senshi who refuse to see each other for anything less than Minako as Sailor Venus and Michiru as Sailor Neptune. Like when I say Mina and Ami don't get along, they are still considering each other as basically 4 different individuals (human and senshi), in order to prioritize the mission and in a way as a coping mechanism. But Michiru and Minako, even when they do manage to be in the same room not sniping at each other, they still refer to each other as their senshi selves, even if the name they are calling is their human name. ... srry that was a tangent, yeah, I don't see it at all. Sorry, I don't really have much interesting left to say.
💛🕒MinakoxSetsuna: this one's sort of popular weirdly enough.. I don't really get it, but yeah, refer to UsagixSetsuna.
The Outers
🗡🌊HarukaxMichiru: I mean, what can I even say about this one that hasn't been said already a million times. I consider them the true miracle romance of the show (yes, I like Usamamo, but Harumichi is much better written). I adore how they play off the stereotypical femme and butch roles, while saying yes, but actually no and just doing their own unique thing instead. I find Michiru's fascination with Haruka uniquely intriguing, with Michi being such a complicated character onto herself and Haruka being deceivingly simple-minded. They don't seem like characters that were made just for being with each other; their motivations, experiences and morals are quite different, yet they collide so beautifully and seamlessly. I love everything about them, such a good blend of fluff, drama, tragedy and romance. NO. NOTES.
🌊🗡🕒🎇Outers family (SetsHaruMichi) (with kid Hotaru): ok, extremely hot take incoming, get ready cause I don't think ur gonna like it... I'm not a big fan of the happy outers family. Sorry, I don't hate it (in fact I find it pretty cute), but it's just not what I default to. Let me put aside Setsuna for a second and just explain it plain and simple that I just simply see her as an omniscient being not interested in an corporeal relationship that could interfere with her mission. She's just not human like the others are. Now, let me talk about Hotaru real quick. I've got some problems with her character in general, but that doesn't really matter. I just can't deal with having a character that powerful at a ready for plot convenience, it just kills all the tension and bloats the cast. The only way I'm ok with Michiru and Haruka caring for Hotaru is having them come to the decision themselves. No pushing from the other senshi, no guilt-tripping and no senshi duty related bs. Hotaru is a regular child now with a dead father, the decision is on them to adopt this child or to let her move on to another loving family, otherwise I just can't see it as anything else but 2 almost child murderers redeeming themselves by caring for the child they tried to kill and that just isn't healthy for nobody. Anyhow, not really a ship, but sort of counts, I could like it, but rewrite Hotaru. Give the kid some justice, damn it!
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