The Lemures Files
  Guest Article: November 17, 2001

Who is best of Usagi, Seiya or Mamoru?

By: Hitsuji

Disclaimer:

This is not to bash anyone in the Sailor Moon Community, their opinions, or any of the characters mentioned in this lemure.

That said, let's get on with this.

I don't hate Seiya. I never really hated Seiya. While Seiya isn't my favorite, she isn't my least favorite either. Actually, if you really want to know, Kousagi is my favorite character. I rank Chibiusa after her, so none of the characters involved in this essay are my favorites, or non-favorites.

Yes, Let's spell out this age-old debate. I want to present both sides of hthe argument before presenting my own.

So what will it be? Usagi and Seiya. Usagi and Mamoru.In some fan fictions it has even both!

Most of the time when this debate is argued it's Seiya is better than Mamoru. Mamoru is better than Seiya. Seiya did this, Mamoru did that. Umm.. Where is Usagi? Usagi when she is brought up is put to the side, and then the age-old examples come up without her feelings considered.

What the debate often really is about is 2 things:

1. Which character: Mamoru or Seiya you would like to date YOU, not Usagi. (Since this debate seems to be more popular amoung the girls)

2. Which character you like better/ more resemble. (because you want to be Usagi's date... or imagine it.)

In both cases it's petty and useless bickering. No one seems to really care about Usagi until someone brings it up. When she is brought up, her choices are not brought in consideration. Her final choice was Mamoru, and Seiya supporters hate that. She did go out on a date with Seiya, Mamoru supporters hate that.

Seiya Manga and Anime:

The problem with the people that advocate Seiya is that they entirely ignore that Seiya is female. Seiya was female, Seiya is female in essence, thought and actions. Seiya is more bishounen, because she is really a bishoujo. Even in the anime when Seiya is physically female, Seiya is still female inside. Usually when I try to bring this up about Seiya, it's blown over with, "I wish Seiya was entirely male." Wishing does not make. Seiya is female. Don't forget it, and you have to realize it.

Also in the arguments made about Seiya they are all about the anime. Once, I asked about the manga, and the argument fizzled in 2 rounds. Most of the Seiya advocates favor the anime, not the manga. They also usually know nothing about the manga. They also ignore the fact that Takeuchi-sensei never intended Seiya in the anime to ever be physically female.

Seiya in the manga is more confused than the Seiya in the anime. Seiya in the manga is not sure, and feels insecure without her Princess. Some of the attraction to Usagi comes from the fact that he can sense Usagi is a Princess, and it brings comfort to her world to know that someone like her Princess is near. It's even indicated in the manga AND the anime that Seiya isn't so much in love with Usagi, but instead with Princess Kakyuu, but it's an unrequited love.

So who is Seiya in the anime. Seiya in the anime is a altered version of Seiya in the manga. He is rash, abrupt, courageous, has a henshin, powers, pushy, and arrogant. He did not ask Usagi on a date, he told her that she was going on a date. He is a replacement Mamoru. The animators obviously made him a replacement Mamoru. They made Seiya more Mamoru than Haruka, which was exactly what Takeuchi-sensei said that she had planned for Seiya (Materials Collection). The animators needed to keep the romantic image of the series while Mamoru was away. They couldn't animate the manga storyline because it was too short and too intense. They had to stretch out the acts into several episodes, which they couldn't do with the manga plotline. Since they had to do that, Mamoru would be gone for a long time. So, Seiya stepped in as a replacement for Usagi's love interest because Seiya was a Leo, and had the same or similiar features as Mamoru.

Most people say they like Seiya because he isn't wimpy. They say he would never break up with Usagi (though he/she's never been in a long term relationship with any girl as far as was shown in the manga or anime.) He has powers (even though it's in female form). He is strong and isn't helpless. He still makes corny lines though and grows breasts. But that doesn't matter as long as he is male. They also say they like him because he is the kind of guy they would date/ are most like.

Mamoru Manga and Anime:

While most fans of Seiya advocate anime, Mamoru fans advocate manga. The anime did happen, even if Takeuchi-sensei never meant him to break up with Usagi because she never created that story arc, and though he says corny speeches and doesn't take as big a role, it still happened.

Mamoru in the anime is more of the typical "Mysterious Bishounen" male that is now littering the airways. He is 100% male. He is also cheesy, but he's also very caring. He's very paitent with Usagi and will buy her far more stuff than any guy I know would buy for a girl, and he buys more stuff in the anime for Usagi than in the manga. He is sexy and hot like Seiya.. (though I admit, I'm put off by Seiya being a female.. and I think it's unfair advantage over poor Mamoru.)

He also wears a Tuxedo, but he's smart, and not just book smart, but resourceful. He's pointed out many-a-thing to Sailor Moon in his Tuxedo form that most people wouldn't think of. Plus he's got excellent balance which I'm not sure if Seiya has.

Yes, he did tease and laugh at Usagi, but that was long before he was dating her. It was also before he was sure that he liked her. He didn't know how to express his feelings towards her, and often it comes out as teasing and pestering. ^_^

One of my favorite stories is Jane Austen's Emma. It's main plot is about a guy that likes a girl, but he constantly comments about her and trieds to improve her. She hates it. It's an old story that's been around for a long time. I think it's romantic. It's also considered a classic, and a very common plotline in manga and anime.

It's also said that you love a person if you can live without them. Mamoru thought Usagi would die if he stayed with her. He loved her so much, that he thought he could endure the pain of living without her. He clenched his cheast and poor Mamoru, who is so easily brainwashed that he would succomb to his own brainwashing, felt genuinely that he would be the cause of Usagi's death. He loved her so much that he felt that it were better that she were alive and thought of her well-being, and let his love go.

Mamoru in the manga is no contest to the Mamoru in the anime... he is clearly more romantic, plays a larger role, and helps out Usagi in more ways than one. He's there to both support her and be her guide. He was the one that finally got her to fight bravely in the first place. He helped her make her into the courageous Sailor soldier that she was. Usagi loves him and is devoted to him entirely. No person could contend this.

Usagi Manga and Anime Psycology and Metality:

Anime

Usagi was feeling alone. She'd just sent off her boyfriend, and almost fiance to the far reaches of the United States. She was feeling even more alone with Chibiusa permenantly gone and with her training completely finished. She loved Chibiusa beyond words that she could really express. Two people closest to her heart are gone, and there is a big hole there. However, she feels loyal to them and knows that she will see them again.

Usagi in the anime particularly doesn't like to show that she's being weak and worry others. She wants to be the one that's worried, not her friends. She believes that it's better not to show her concern, too much, especially when nothing can really be done about it. She wants to be strong and often promises in the anime that she will be strong and not bend under the pressure.

But because she hides her emotions in that way, she feels disjointed. It's not natural for her not to show her emotions. If she shows her emotions she's not being strong like she thinks people want her to be. She ends up turning into a character that looks listless and distracted. This is because she is and believes that she can't really confide in anyone.

In her heart she loves Mamoru, she doesn't just love him because they are destined to be together, because he's been there no matter what, he's stuck it out with her through thick and thin. Even if he did break up with her, she's forgotten it already, she understands his motivations. She trusts him, literally with her life. She sees him as wise and paitent. She sees him as a part of her that she can't let go, could never let go, and never forget. She can't forget what he's done for her, and also how much her heart is filled with love for him. Chibiusa aside, she really, really loves him and trusts him. She can't think any wrong of him, or ever believe that he could disappear from her life.

She also loves Seiya, but doesn't know him that well. She really doesn't follow the band that much and didn't know anything about the Starlights. She was too occupied. But she sees him as a friend. Even when she was going out on a date and he got close to her, she stopped and remembered Mamoru. She realized that Seiya reminded her of Mamoru, and it was Mamoru that she wanted in her life. She missed him, a lot.

Seiya came in searching for her Princess. Usagi knows this, and in a way can read Seiya better than he can read himself. When they were on the ferris wheel she told him about her dreams. She knew that it was not her he was looking for. He was looking for the Princess he missed dearly.

Seiya brought comfort to Usagi only because Seiya was so much like Mamoru. It made her heart not ache so much thinking that Maoru was still alive and with her, and Seiya was a reminder of that.

Seiya also knew it was Mamoru that Usagi was searching and waiting for. Though Seiya felt love for Usagi, he knew in the end that she loved Mamoru. He also knew when she called out his name on his forced "date". Seiya liked Usagi being so loyal and knew from the start that Usagi would never give into him no matter how hard he tried, but he tried anyway.

Manga

Usagi in the manga was even more confused. She was blocking the memory of her long-time love dissolving and dying before her very eyes. The Starlights (which is NOT the name of the band, for those who do not know), tried to get her to remember. Sent her cards, and tried to get back the Princess that could deal with this problem. She felt devestated by the loss, but could not express it. She also felt the loss of Chibiusa and took it hard. It was the daughter/sister that she missed and loved, and though Chibichibi came, nothing to Usagi could fill the gap in her heart that Chibiusa filled. That's why she cried tears of joy when Chibiusa returned to the past and smiled at her.

Seiya brought comfort, but so did the other Three Lights. Though she was mad at Yaten, she became friends with them all. Though Seiya kissed Usagi is was on the terms of respect and being strong. She knew Seiya was a female by then.

The Arguments for the Pairings:

Usagi and Mamoru. (Just to be fair since I started with Seiya last time.)

Usagi has never shown any tendancies to actually fall in love with another girl. As much as girls reminence about being easy to fall in love with the same sex, it's hard to say that sexuality is a choice. Though there is sexuality that is not a 100%, or even a 50% - 50% split, most of the time, it's a discovery of yourself that warrents the change, not a sudden choice because one person seems better. While I am all for Haruka and Michiru, and I am for bisexuality, I don't think someone can actually change their minds and say, "Hey, I think I'll be gay today." and then walk out of the building and say, "I don't think I want to be gay anymore." (BTW, for those who wonder, if you ever read the Bible in full, with historical context.. i.e. actually look at the text... it never puts down homosexuality. Especially in the new testiment. If anyone wants to challenge this, I'll make a Lemure about it and relate it to so many cultural things that people will be overwhelmed. ^_^)

Mamoru is perfect for her. When she cries, he tries his awkward best to try to comfort her. Even without pulling out the past reincarnation card, I can show case by case that she loves him and cares form him and he does the same. It's love in that case and not a crush.

Mamoru in the beginning really didn't know her, but impulsively spent the time to make fun of her. He would get her mad and she would pay attention to him. In the manga it turned out that he always felt an attraction that neither he or she could really express. In the anime, though she tripped and fell, he fell for her before she became a Princess. She showed a great amount of concern for him when no one before had actually shown that amount of care for him. She appologized about him and saw that he was bleeding. She sacrificed herself for the well-being of him, and felt sorry for him in the elevator.

In the manga it was much more than that. He fell for her early on. He loved her and didn't know how to say it. Usagi lamented that she could not actually tell the others that she liked him-- a lot. It was love at first sight. She had to sneak around. And she felt that since he'd helped her so many times that she should return the favor. She finally found out about the destiny history later.

Even when they felt that they couldn't trust each other in the Infinity arc, they never broke up. They were cured by their daughter, but they worked it out and realized that it was rediculous.

Usagi also in the anime chased after Mamoru because she loved him and couldn't let go. While it was not an approved storyline by Takeuchi-sensei, it as used to create more tension. Mamoru's motivations were pure. He is easily brainwashed. He got brainwashed by himself. (That's just horrible.) He couldn't sleep at night knowing that she would die for him. He loved her so much that he would sacrifice his love and her love of him just to save her. While people think this is lame, it shows true courage of spirit to let go of something for yourself to help someone else. She understood that and forgave him. He also forgave her for the late dates. They forgave each other for many things, and showed that no matter what, even if he was brainwashed often that they really did trust each other.

Usagi trusted him when he went out with a college friend that was a girl and she liked him. While Chibiusa was worried, she was not. She was more worried about a horse or a hippo. In Japan, it's rare to have a friend of the opposite sex, as was demonstrated in the first arc with Makoto. So this went to double trust. She wasn't being naive, but being tolerate and trusting. A relationship has to be built on that.

Usagi and Seiya:

Seiya was initially attracted to Usagi by the sweet scent that she eminated. He felt attraction to her because she didn't google over him and treated him as a true person. He found courage and stamina and things about himself that he never knew before. He found who he was again.

In the manga it's not even clear if Seiya really loved Usagi at all, though she went to her concert as a fan, and was much more active in that department, she really and she really never developed that. Seiya seemed more interested in testing if she was the Princess. Since it would make him sleezy to go after a girl that he knew witnessed her boyfriend/fiance's death of, and also knew about the Sailor Crystals, I'll assume that perhaps Seiya had an interest, but didn't seem to really know the difference between love for a princess as supposed to HER Princess, as supposed to Usagi herself. Again, Usagi never seemed that interested in a relationship beyond good friends.

In the anime the case can be made stronger, ignoring a few facts and putting a few things aside, Seiya does seem to be a better person than Mamoru. He is stronger. He seems to be more caring and be able to express every feeling he has quickly. He is rash, and Usagi seems to like him enough for Rei to inquire if Usagi is not being loyal to Mamoru.

The date did happen, even if Usagi started to remember Mamoru in Seiya, as Seiya often remembered his princess in Usagi.

My Own Opinions:

Despite Seiya's powers and how strong and cool Seiya is, Seiya's powers do not tell if Seiya and Usagi LOVE each other. It also does not tell if what Seiya is doing is moralistically right. Is it right, despite who the person is, to chase after a person that is ENGAGED to another person? Usagi is wearing Mamoru's ring.

What's worse is that Seiya knows the code of girls.. go after a guy/ girl that is not yours, you are a slut. Simple, easy. Seiya knows what a girl wants because she is or at least was a girl. She's been and will be a girl for a long time. The boy appearance, physical or not is a guise.

So I, personally think it's worse for her to chase after Usagi if she knows what girls want to try to make Usagi weak. She also was deceptive about her true sex. Though while that's not really the issue (sex aside) She did lie. And lying is no way to start a relationship. Mamoru may have teased, but he never lied to Usagi. The only time he did lie was when it really wasn't him, but him in Usagi's dreams (SMSS movie).

In the end of both Usagi's chose Mamoru. She didn't do it out of obligation to Chibiusa. She didn't do it because she knew they were destined, after all she broke up/ almost broke up several times. She did it because she LOVED Mamoru. No one can force anyone else to fall in love with anyone else.

Seiya learned this about Usagi. He / She also learned that he / she found that Usagi's loyalty and honesty were refreshing, and strengthened his / her resolve to find his / her princess. It was positive for Seiya not to be Usagi's love interest.

In the end everyone was happy with the results. Seiya wasn't that sad, he was satisfied with the results. He just wanted Usagi to say that she liked him, or at least recognize that he liked her in the anime. But Seiya found her princess. Sailor Starfighter left, smiling, and Usagi and Mamoru kissed under the moon happy and satisfied. Why mess with what the characters themselves said that they wanted and liked? Seiya is building a new planet and a new life after Sailor Moon. She is happy. Leave her at that. (Yes, once Sailor Starfighter leaves the planet he becomes a she again.)

Note: If Sailor Starfighter was to return, she would have to return as a girl since Kakyuu was found. The starlights did take the guise of males to find Kakyuu (Physical guise or not.)


Comments on this article can be sent to: Hitsuji.


Comments made on this page are opinions of the author. They are not necessarily shared by Tripod and the Amazoness Quartet.


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