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Sailor Moon Fan Material Proves a Demand for Serena

11/7/2012

 
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.
MinaV
1/13/2013 11:09:23 pm

This is just so ridiculous.... I mean, Usagi IS the real name and if they had translated correctly his name should have been Bunny, just like in the french anime version. Usagi Tsukino means Bunny or Rabbit of the moon, who come from a legend, this name means something.

We Want Serena link
1/18/2013 01:27:25 pm

Thank you for visiting our Web site.

Usagi is an approximation of what she is called in Japanese. "Usagi" is not her actual name, as it cannot be written properly with the same characters we use. English used letters, while Japanese can only be approximated with letters.

Usagi in Sailor Moon's name does not mean bunny or rabbit, and Usagi Tsukino does not mean Rabbit of the Moon. Instead it is a play on sounds that resemble the phrase which references the legend.

The Japanese legend to which the pun refers is known only through pop-culture osmosis is known in the West. Your explanation shows why "Usagi" is a poor choice; it has no innate connection with the English or even Romance language versions of the moon. While one can explain the joke, if one has to explain the joke, it's not funny. The accessible nature of the humor is lost with a literal translation or a simple representation. The only way to retain the same impact for a Western audience is to make a change.

Sailor Mars Fanatic
1/7/2015 06:27:07 am

That's very interesting and insightful. I never knew any of this information you've shared.

It helps me to appreciate where you are coming from. :)

u suck
8/25/2013 04:33:55 am

u ppl r cancer. ignorant wastes of air.

Sailor Mars Fanatic
1/7/2015 06:24:14 am

Who do you think you are "u suck?"

People like you sicken me. Your comments are uncalled for and they should be deleted.

adys
5/4/2015 10:21:57 pm

I missed serena and the company cast of sailormoon. I love them. Serena is a sweet name to pronounce.


Comments are closed.

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