By: Janelle Jimenez
This will be an amusing rant coming from someone who was one of the original denouncers of DIC for its evil, but as I've grown older and wiser (hohoho, wiser...*snicker*) I've come to the conclusion that the 'editing' done to Sailormoon for the North American versions is basically, a good thing.
Now just a second, I'm not talking about certain things like changing the music, changing the names, changing the plot--for the most part, I am still very staunchly a purist. However, let's discuss other things. For example, people say that they wish DIC had left Zoisite a male and kept the homosexual relationship between him and Kunzite intact. I agree with that, but in all honesty, that's an absolutely ridiculous thing to want. Come on, we live in an extremely puritanical country where a President is almost impeached for getting a little nookie in the Oval Office. We live in a country where christian fanatics like Jerry Falwell accuse Teletubbies (which are a whole nother evil) of promoting homosexuality. Do you really think that something so blatantly homosexual, in our homophobic country, would be allowed to continue? If you think that, you must not realize the hatred and disgust many people feel towards that lifestyle and how many right-wing fanatics would demand the show be taken off the air.
If THAT didn't do it on it's own, then I believe that other things would have, such as showing the Sailor Senshi crucified in that one scene in Sailormoon R would have started an uproar amongst people accusing it of satanism or sheer blasphemy.
And to even THINK that SailormoonS would be released in North America is quite laughable--at least in a recognizeable form. Anyone who thinks they can get by making Haruka a male is on some sort of drug, because then Haruka would be a transgender--another big no-no. If you make Haruka and Michiru sisters, then you face the problem of having to cut out certain tender moments between them, explaining them would be a bit difficult. In essence, it's practically impossible to deny the fact that Haruka likes to wear men's clothing, but is a woman, and there's obviously something between them. Even if they did try to hide it, people would pick up on it. People who are just waiting to start another controversy. How about individual scenes, such as the Witches 5 killing each other--ooh, maybe that'd make kids put slugs in someone's car! *Gasp* What about one of the first daimon which ripped her shirt open to reveal her lil black star? How about that oh-so-disturbing scene of Hotaru being crucified? I've always thought they could skip SailormoonS and go to SailormoonSS, but then we've got more transvestites with the Amazon Trio.
You see, you just can't win. If you want Sailormoon in America, you're just going to have to live with the fact it's babyfied so no one gets bad press. So, if you want to watch Sailormoon in it's pure, unedited form, then get a fansub, because you won't see it on TV (maybe on video, but not on TV). You can't have your cake and eat it too--yes, that sucks, but that's life in the United States.
Comments on this article can be sent to:
Janelle.
