By: Nishi
A couple months ago I put up an image gallery on UsagiandMamoru.com devoted to doujinshi scans (Japanese fan-created art) of Usagi and Mamoru (Serena and Darien) having sex. Now, recently, UM.com’s guestbook was spammed by 1 (or more) person(s) saying that sex is sin and that showing Sailor Moon having sex was atrocious. They claimed I was a sick person and that even though I was Christian, I had no morals, hadn’t read the Bible, should correct my immoral ways, and see sex is a sin. They said Sailor Moon was for kids and was a role model for children.
Three Pages of Warnings Prior to Risky Content
First off, there are a total of 3 warnings, especially to minors, before anyone can enter the gallery. If an adult or minor enters that gallery they are fully aware of the risks and the content and enter voluntarily - by their own choice. To view these images and then email the website owner about having seen such images is stupidity.
It’s Not a Webmaster’s Responsibility to Protect Any Further
After plenty of warnings, it is not a webmaster’s responsibility to put in java scripts or age checkers to make sure that the children of irresponsible parents don’t view that gallery. If you have children and don’t wish them to see potentially adult content, you do NOT let them surf the internet alone! Sailor Moon erotica and the worse hentai is everywhere! UsagiandMamoru.com’s Erotic Gallery contains only 20 or so images of mild, tame sexual acts between Usagi and Mamoru. No tentacles, no homosexuality, no vicious or painful depictions. I will not go to the great expense or the trouble of child-proofing that one section in order to make up for a parent’s lack of supervision. People can read the warnings and if they then enter voluntarily, I cannot be held for their actions and what they *chose* to see.
Sailor Moon Contains Sex and Sexual Themes
Usagi and Mamoru had sex. Probably lots of it, and they had to have sex in order to have Chibi Usa (Rini). This sex and nudity is prevalent in the manga and artbooks of Sailor Moon. There are nude images Naoko Takeuchi (creator of Sailor Moon) drew in her Infinity Artbook, and a nude one of Usagi and Mamoru making love which she drew in the original 5 artbooks. The manga she wrote contains pages and pages of make-out scenes between Usagi and Mamoru, and in the last volume, openly shows the couple nude and having made love. In addition to Usagi and Mamoru’s relationship, Sailor Moon also portrays a lesbian couple, Haruka and Michiru, and mixed-gender issues with the Starlights. Sex and homosexuality are inherent themes in Sailor Moon, and there are tons of fan websites devoted to these themes.
Do not assume that just because Sailor Moon is marketed as a children’s show that sites about it will be safe. Do not even TELL a webmaster to make their site kid-safe. Do not tell a webmaster they should pay for expensive age checkers or remove their content! Our sites are our own and we will do with them what we please.
Protected Freedom of Speech Makes the Sailor Moon Net-world Unsafe
Speaking, writing, drawing, and displaying works that contain sex is a freedom of speech guaranteed to us by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. As a result of this right, the Sailor Moon ‘net is a realm of protected speech and is inherently unsafe for children. Having strong warnings before erotic images is adequate warning to any net-surfer of sound sense and reasonability, and if a net-surfer lacks that, as in the case of a child, they should not be roaming the net unsupervised. The internet is not a babysitter, and is not a play thing for children.
I know several parents who love Sailor Moon and are also familiar with the fact that there is adult content associated with it. They are careful to make sure their kids do not explore sites alone. They are responsible parents and if they can do that, why can’t all parents?
Erotic depictions of Sailor Moon, Usagi and Mamoru, and associated characters are protected speech so do not lecture webmasters about their morals or about Sailor Moon being for children. Parents know full well the dangers of children surfing the net so blaming websites for their content is a cowardly attack. Parents should take responsibility for their careless monitoring of children and not blame webmasters.
Sin and Morality
Lastly, don’t hold “sex is a sin” as an argument. Sex is NOT a sin - it is BOTH a beautiful act between people to express love and an act that produces life. I will not get into religious arguments here because everyone has a different take on Christianity, morals, God, the Bible and sex, but I will say this: God is the only judge of what is sinful. His Ten Commandments do not say that sex is a sin, but the Bible teaches us that sex without love and commitment is sinful. Usagi and Mamoru have a beautiful love and they get married and are committed to each other from past, present, to future. Their love is a beautiful role model for everyone - showing loyalty, devotion, honesty, and passion. Depicting the beauty of their love - in every way whether by erotic images or fan fiction - is not sinful.
Conclusion - Parents Don’t Be Naive!
I can understand a parent’s shock to their children potentially viewing adult content on what they believe to be a children’s site, but parents should not be so naive! As adults we all know that the internet contains content unsuitable for children and that is why you should behave like a responsible adult and parent and watch over your children when they view sites - ANY site. There are disgusting Barney sites, disgusting Pokemon sites. Nothing can be labeled as “safe for kids” on the internet. Safeguarding children is the parents’ responsibility. Own up to that.
Comments on this article can be sent to: Nishi.
