We apologize for the dormancy. as we have very little new to report.  However, there is something we would like to share.

On the fan project front, Sailor SolarS, a fan sequel to the old Sailor Moon anime, has released its first episode in two parts. Sailor SolarS is a very good project, and one we ask any reader to check out.

The existence of Sailor SolarS serves as a counter to one of the arguments against using "Serena."   Even though it is based on the original version of the anime, it uses the names from the English dub.  For those who dislike the English dub, the names indicate that the story does not have to be altered because the names have been changed.  For those that prefer the English dub, the names serve to ease viewers into a different continuity.  "Serena" serves as bridge to unite Sailor Moon fans.  That's why we want her.

Finally, we completed a portion of the Web site about why we do not want "The Other Name" to be used with the English-language version of the 1990's Sailor Moon anime.  There are other arguments against the use of the name those on the Internet prefer, and we will add them as we think of them.

In other news, Naoko Takeuchi’s editor Fumio Osano has stated in English that it has not been decided as to what names will be used in a hypothetical English-language version of the new Sailor Moon anime.  It was also suggested that that the choice to use a name other than "The Other Name" would be intentional. This means that in spite of what commentators have stated, the fight for Serena to keep her name is still very much alive.  While we have mentioned we are neutral about the use of Serena in the new anime, we are not opposed to having it used, and having Serena in the new anime would make it more likely Serena would return if the old anime were re-licensed in English-speaking countries.

Let everyone know that we want Serena, and that we want her now!

We changed the color scheme and added a new image to our page, as well as did a little tidying up.  We are still working on the content, so we ask for patience in the interim.

In other news, last week, we stumbled across a webcomic, Many Guys Doing Manly Things.  The creator, Kelly Turnbull (also known as Coelasquid) posted a comic featuring Sailor Moon characters.   The comic itself is funny and well-drawn, but what makes it even more relevant to this site's focus is the reaction it received.  A review of the comments shows the names and terms of the English version was prevalent the discussion, not the names and terms of the Japanese version.  This is in spite of the comic itself not specifying a version in its dialogue,

One of the common arguments against wanting the name "Serena" is that even the fans of the English version of Sailor Moon have long forgotten the names of the characters.  However, this sample proves otherwise.  Outside of the Sailor Moon and general anime fan communities, there are English speaking fans of the Sailor Moon anime who do want Serena.  While a webcomic audience does have its own self-selection bias, it draws from a wider variety of fans, rather than those who want to analyze Sailor Moon.  This gives a more rounded picture of what the entire fandom (including the normally silent portion) thinks, not a specific subset of Sailor Moon fans.

Unfortunately, we do not have any updates as of this writing, but there is a matter that we would like to address with regard to the Sailor Moon fan community.

It has been suggested that despite the numerous views of Sailor Moon dubbed episodes on video-sharing services, that the clear, unambiguous majority of the Sailor Moon fandom wants Sailor Moon to use The Other Name instead of Serena.  It has been said that the fans who want Serena are so few that we are insignificant in terms of our voices.

However, the recent release of two Sailor Moon fan films have challenged what has been accepted as conventional wisdom.  They are Dead Moon Circus and Sailor Moon the Movie.  Both of these productions use names from the English version of Sailor Moon for their characters.  They use Serena as the name of the title character, despite being closer to the Japanese version of Sailor Moon in some aspects.  (We must disclose that those of us behind this specific website, We Want Serena, are not connected to either of these projects as anything but admirers.)

There has also been sudden, unprompted criticism of Sailor Moon fan dubs, criticism that prompted one particular person to lament the proliferation of "DiC" fan work.  The reason why there are so many fan dubs and fan films that use the English dub -- especially the DiC-licensed episodes of the dub -- as a reference is because there are many fans who like the English version of the animated version of Sailor Moon.  Most fans who prefer the North American dub are not on message boards; we are on YouTube, Facebook, and other more mainstream congregations.  As these fan dubs and fan films show, we are at least as active as those who prefer the original version's names.

Sailor Moon fans who create Sailor Moon fan films and fan dubs are genuine fans of Sailor Moon.  Fans who create works using Serena are backed by thousands of Sailor Moon fans who feel the same way as the creators.  We are not a mythical, extinct group of fans who are voiceless.

We exist.  We want Serena, and these fan films and numerous attempts at fan dubs prove it.

Almost two months ago, the Sailor Moon fan community around the world was surprised by the announcement that there would be a new Sailor Moon animated series. 

For context, We Want Serena was started as a result of the Kodansha release of the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon manga.  Prior to the announcement on July 6, 2012, the thought of a new anime was considered less plausibly and received less favorably than an altered re-release of the North American Sailor Moon that aired on television.  The vocal minority often stated they would prefer to have the version of North American version of Sailor Moon replaced  with a newly edited version than to have a new product.  While we previously stated that we would have no problem with a new production, we were unaware that there was a new anime in production and have written much of the material in this site under the assumption there would be no new Sailor Moon anime.

For this reason we are attempting to revise the pages on this Web site to reflect the change in the franchise of Sailor Moon.  This is a work in progress and there will be mistakes, which is why we ask that you please help us out by submitting feedback.

Of course, this begs the question, "Do we want Serena to be used as the name for Sailor Moon's civilian form in the new anime?"  The answer is complicated.  We are united in that we want Serena, but those of us who do want Serena to be used for the existing anime do disagree on whether or not it should be used for the new anime.  Some of us want another name (even "The Other Name") to be used in the product.  Others believe the name Serena should be used in all forms of Sailor Moon media released in North America.  Countless more have no opinion on the matter, as it would be prejudicial to impose a name on a product that is as of yet, unseen and unfinished.  Finally, there are those whose views differ from all of the above.

Therefore, we announce our current position as using the name Serena in the new Sailor Moon anime as one of neutrality.  We will not be disappointed if Serena is not used, but we will not disappointed if it is used, either.

Some of the arguments for the use of Serena in the new anime still apply, and some do not.  While we do want Serena for the existing anime and we obviously are not averse to using it in the new anime, that this site's focus is that of the English language television show that aired on North America, not the newly announced anime scheduled for release in 2013.