By: Elora
Now, those who know me know that I don't usually rant, but
this is an issue that I feel very strongly about,
especially since I am faced with this question all the
time.. what is happening to the Sailor Moon Community? Why
are sites closing down? Why, why, why?
There are many who will say Sailormoon is dying on the
Internet. In my opinion, it *is* dying down, but not dying
completely! I mean, look at all the new sites that have
been springing up! Go to any link list and peer at the new
and old pages that haven't been discovered yet!
The speculations about SM coming to an end on the Internet
are created by the fact that some sites, in fact most of
them, that have been hailed as the most popular and best
are closing down because the owners have lost interest in
SM. Everyone from Hitoshi (inactive) and Starfox (down for
a while), to Rowena and Apatt is moving on to other things.
And that's *fine* Heck, I bowed out of the Gargoyles fan
scene a long time ago, although I keep in touch with alot
of my old friends there, since I was one of the
"originals". But to get back on track, people change,
times change, and so do the dynamics of the SM community.
Those that are saying the Community is dead doesn't talk to
newbies *at all*! I mean, try telling the bunches of
people who e-mail me to discuss the wonderfulness of Chibi
Usa, or those who request fansubs from me, that SM is dead.
Try telling it to the over 10,000 members of the grep
Sailor Moon Image Library! If the show is so "dead", then
why are all these people still fans?
What prompted me to write this? Simon Chong's piece on
this very issue. His argument is that the people who love
Sailormoon grew up. I beg to differ. I fell in love with
the show first when I was 18. I'm 21 now. Yes, I do still
love the show, even though I can now claim to have seen
every episode except one, and read most of the manga.
Schoolwork is cited as a reason as well, and I sympathize.
However, I am currently going into my fourth year of
college, and yet I'm working part-time *and* keeping up my
webpage! If you love a show and/or a page enough, you'll
work on it no matter what, in my opinion, so if your will
is strong enough, you can keep chugging along.
One of the things mentioned that sort of offended me is the
fact that it is considered that personal taste evolves with
age. Ha! Not with me! :D If being mature means losing
your sense of wonder and enjoyment, I'll stay "immature",
thank you very much.. although I myself believe that true
maturity is attained when you can be childish, but not
immature. ^_^ And if you think Sailormoon is all sugar
and spice and everything nice.. why did DiC have to censor
any bit of the first two seasons? And what about the final
battles of S, SuperS, and SailorStars? Do you discount
that? Do you forget all the subtle chuckles in the show,
and things that "kids" wouldn't understand? Sailormoon is
a show for everyone of *all* ages. Heck, I got my Mom into
it! (And if that isn't scary...) The youngest fan I know
is 2, the oldest in their fifties. If that isn't
indicative of Sailormoon's power, I don't know what is.
As for Sailormoon lasting forever.. I think that is
conceivable! I mean, look at the Internet, search for a
favorite childhood show or two! Based on this, there's
*tons* of hardcore fans who will keep the Sailormoon torch
burning brightly. You may say, aw, she's only seen
Sailormoon, and no other anime. Not so, I also enjoy
Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Oniisama E, and Rose of Versailles
very much, but they haven't displaced Sailormoon as my
absolute, hands-down favorite. Why? It has action,
adventure, comedy, romance.. everything you could ever want
in a series. Perhaps it's the fact that all girls dream of
finding their Prince (er.. most.. ^_^), or because I adore
Princesses and Kingdoms of the past, and girls with magical
powers. Or maybe I'm just insane. (Wait.. that's already
a given! ^_-) However, I will most likely always be one
of those crazy people running around sporting odango on
occasion, or dangling keychains from my backpacks and
purses, or crying out ecstatically at seeing a French
Sailormoon manga for the first time (and bringing my
friend's landlord down in a hurry ^_^;).
People's tastes do change. Most of the people with
ultra-popular sites have been fans since the show started
over 7 years ago. That's a long time to be a fan, and have
an avid interest! So, give the old webmasters their
hurrahs and well-deserved laurels. There will continue to
be Sailormoon on the Web as long as new fans keep coming in
to preserve the ways of the Moon.
And boy, was that last line corny. Must be watching too
much Sailormoon.. again! ^_^
Comments on this article can be sent to:
Elora.
