#smc season 1

[sparkles-oflight]

you know, this whole time, I haven't watched Sailor Moon Cosmos yet, but I was planing to do it soon so I decided to watch the opening sequence

Y'all... IT'S JUST SAILOR MOON S'S OPENING BUT WITH NO SPICE - SEND HELP 😭

[rwrbficrecs]

Readers' Choice Rec List Part 6 of 7

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

confess my truth (in swooping, sloping cursive) by viciouslyqueer

anon: So fluffly it hurts

The Earth Turns by @smc-27

anon: 4 AUs, one for each season. The stories fit the season SO WELL

all that glitters (is not gold) by @indomitable-love

@dot524: This is a beautiful continuation of the book that feels like canon - angst, fluff, and just a great story arc. Loved it!

No Sense or Sensibility by @inexplicablymine

anon: So many… 1. Their first fic ever (what!?) 2. Austen references 3. Idiots to Lovers, need I say more 4. They are dating but don’t know it 5. So sweet it rots your teeth

Route 11 by @welcometololaland

anon: Hilarious and heartwarming and deeply relatable if you've ever spent any time on public transport. The way their relationship unfolds is so lovely!

With So Much of My Heart (None is left to protest) by @kiwiana-writes

@inexplicablymine: The boys as actors playing a genderbent Shakespeare iteration of Much Ado About Nothing on the West End while falling into each other’s beds (and in love). Written to absolute perfection I really don’t need to say more.

Let Me Wash Away Your Worries by beckettbucket

anon: it's just so soft and comforting and one of my go to reads when I have a bad day

do they sew wings on tailored suits? by @formorewishes (WIP)

anon: This is fic is absolutely gorgeous and handles the abdication theme beautifully! If you weren't already sure Henry would abdicate, this fic will convince you.

Wobbles by @hms-chill

anon: I absolutely loved this one, and it shows Bea's character so well. Also, it shows how Mr. Wobbles came to be, and imo everything featuring shelter animals is too notch.

@anticomedygarden: This fic is such a great look into Bea's character! Plus, rescue animals! ❤️❤️

And The Show Goes On by @orestespdf (WIP)

anon: Explores Henry's background in such an amazing way, and the Crown (and high society) is depicted so likely that you have to like it. Also, chapter 8 is one of the best of its kind.

[thebrownstone]

Anniversary Fic Exchange

June 13th marked one year of our server, so in celebration we hosted a fanfic event! Each participant submitted a prompt and was randomly assigned a prompt in return. You can read all the fics by going to the event’s ao3 collection or on this tumblr post. Thank you to all our participants! And, again, happy birthday to our little server. We love you dearly. 

key: title by author (tumblr)  [rating*, word count, chapter count]

prompt

*G - general audience, T - teen and up audience, M - mature, E - explicit; 18+

Tiempo de Vals by 14carrotgold (@14carrotghoul) [T, 5.5k, 1/1]

Alex was having a perfectly wonderful time when the very last person he wanted to see came waltzing into view - Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor.

Baby, it's Cold Inside by Celaestis (@celaestis1) [E, 9.8k, 1/1]

Acting like they’re cold to have an excuse to cuddle or share clothes or blankets.

It's Getting Hot in Here (So Hot!) by Celaestis (@celaestis1) [E, 10.8k, 1/1]

Acting like they’re cold to have an excuse to cuddle or share clothes or blankets.

All The Ways I Love You by Treluna [G, 1.5k, 1/1]

People think they're doing it on purpose but they're really not - they're truly THAT nauseatingly in love with each other.

Trick Rider by OrchidScript (@orchidscript) [E, 2.5k, 1/1]

Chaotic night with the super six ft. Henry saying yee-haw and any character saying the dialogue "Can I offer you a nice Shirley Temple in this trying time?"

jump in with your heart first by stutteringpeach (@stutteringpeach) [E, 7.5k, 1/1] 

he moved in the day we met and never left.

the beagle, the ghost and the wardrobe by stutteringpeach (@stutteringpeach) [M, 10.9k, 1/1]

he moved in the day we met and never left.

questions and answers by elegantdumpling [M, 1.6k, 1/1]

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." - Zora Neale Hurston

“You jump, I jump, Jack.” by Muddbloodpotter05 (@mudbloodpotter05) [M, 8.8k, 1/1]

"I just saved your life, so you're welcome."

Hoping You'll See What Your Love Means to Me by politics_and_prose (@historicallysam) [T, 2.4k, 1/1]

Nora and Alex get drunk or high and one of them starts waxing poetically about their partner and the other gets it on video to make fun of them

Always Where I Need To Be by chamel (@cha-melodius) [T, 5.4k, 1/1]

Alex can’t find his glasses again - but he has a suspect in mind for the theft.

The Wrong Classroom by viciouslyqueer [T, 2.6k, 1/1]

Alex and Henry are college professors and are accidentally assigned to teach one of each others’ classes, which is so utterly specific that they know absolutely nothing about it.

SNL | Season 45 Episode 2 | HRH Prince Henry & FSOTUS Alex Claremont-Diaz by TheLastKnownSurvivor (@xthelastknownsurvivorx) [M, 9.7k, 4/4]

"Listen, I’m trying to cut down on the innuendo. But it’s hard... so hard."

i was right there beside him all summer long by hearitinthesilence (@heartitinthesilence) [T, 3k, 1/1]

“You really thought you could get away with this?”

pull the truth right from my lips by athousandrooms (@athousandrooms) [M, 2.4k, 1/1]

"I think someone's a little needy."

There's Smoke in my Eyes (and love in this kitchen) by vonPeeps (@vonpeepsisback) [T, 1.8k, 1/1]

"I didn't know it was possible to burn scrambled eggs to a crisp without actively trying to, sweetheart, but it's still the nicest thing a date's ever done for me."

don't you let it go by smc_27 (@smc-27) [M, 6.9k, 1/1]

Henry blinks into the mirror once, twice, and then frowns, wondering who the brown skinned, curly haired man is that’s staring back at him.

No Sense or Sensibility by InexplicablyMine (@inexplicablymine) [T, 5.5k, 1/1]

“Don’t look at me I thought we were getting Ice Cream.”

Uncut not Uncultured by InexplicablyMine (@inexplicablymine) [E, 6.4k, 3/3]

“Don’t look at me I thought we were getting Ice Cream.”

Promises, Promises by EmmaLostInWonderland (@emmalostinwonderland) [E, 1k, 1/1]

Henry and Alex explore Henry using 'every inch of authority in his blood.

of fathers and sons by adreama (@adreamareads) [T, 7.6k, 1/1]

"Not a win, no, but certainly not a disgraceful performance."

peace by raysletters (@raysletters) [M, 14.2k, 1/1]

Sky High AU

Burnin' Through The Sky by cricket (@cricketnationrise) [E, 5k, 1/1]

museum curator x lawyer au

dibs - (informal) The right to use or enjoy something exclusively or before anyone else, often expressed as an interjection by Poutini (@Cheesecurdsgravyandfries) [E, 1k, 1/1]

"I walked into this party and someone yelled 'dibs!'"

Dibs, the extended cut by Poutini (@Cheesecurdsgravyandfries) [E, 2.4k, 1/1]

"I walked into this party and someone yelled 'dibs!'"

There's No Chocolate by logan_love [T, 2k, 1/1]

And then it was found that all the chocolate was gone.

(you just) call out my name by outofthesun [T, 3.4k, 1/1]

"Sorry, my hands are shaking."

Lost and Found by sherryvalli (@sherryvalli) [T, 3.9k, 1/1]

“Single dad Henry (non-royal) moves to the United States and meets the hurricane of Alex.”

‘Kiss,’ ‘Egg’ and ‘Meeting You’ by everwitch (@everwitch-magiks) [T, 4.9k, 1/1]

An Outside POV from the painter/painters Henry/Alex hire for getting the Brownstone ready to move in.

Dinners and Diatribes by alightlefton (@a-light-left-on) [T, 7.6k, 1/1]

“5+1 anniversaries, any kind, any pairing”

Maybe Dreams Do Come True by Softheart777 [G, 1.3k, 1/1]

"You must be dreaming"

Just Business by bleedingballroomfloor [T, 11.3k, 1/1]

wedding ringer au (but make it gay)

three grubs in a trench coat + gay brit wizard by clottedcreamfudge (@clottedcreamfudge) [E, 8.1k, 1/1]

"Can y'all stop flirting in the google doc :/"

Biggest Fan by Sirius4Life [E, 905, 1/1]

Alex and Henry meet at a Con while separately cosplaying characters who are a couple in that franchise.

Diners & Double Dates by ACDs_Coffee [T, 2.4k, 1/1]

“It’s not a date - we’re just third and fourth wheeling!”

So Quiz Me by indomitablelove (@indomitable-love) [E, 10.6k, 1/1]

“Baby, sweetheart, I love you, but what in the everloving fuck did you just say?”

Not Even At All by ifigo (@juxtaposed-variety) [M, 4.3k, 1/1]

“10 things I hate about you” style AU: “But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, Not even close, Not even a little bit, Not even at all”

[bearterritory]

Cal Comes Back To Win Sixth Straight

Golden Bears Defeat Saint Mary’s 2-1

BERKELEY– For the third time this season, the California women's soccer team came back from down a goal to win a match. After falling behind in the first half, the Golden Bears scored twice in the second to defeat Saint Mary's 2-1 in their final non-conference contest Thursday night at Edwards Stadium. Cal will enter its first week of ACC action on a six-match win streak and a seven-match unbeaten streak.   With its seventh win, Cal (7-1-1) has matched its win total from last season. The Gaels' drop to 2-4-1 after their second straight loss.   The Bears outshot the Gaels 7-5 in the first half but could not break through despite several passes at the goal. SMC goalkeeper Kate Plachy earned four of her six total saves in the first period to keep Cal off the board. Gaels forward Briana Salvetti gave her team a 1-0 half-time lead scoring a penalty kick in the 40th minute.   In the 64th minute Cal's offensive pressure finally paid off as the nation's leading goal scorer Karlie Lema wreaked havoc on the Saint Mary's back line and forced an own goal to tie the match at one apiece.   After having a goal called back from a video review in the first half, senior Noelle Bond-Flasza earned her first goal of the season in the 71st minute. Graduate-transfer Julia Leontini dribbled to the beginning of the penalty area and flicked a ball over the Gaels back line to Lema, who headed the ball directly to Bond-Flasza. The Bear's forward wasted no time and fired in the game-winner with her right foot.   Graduate-transfer Kelly McManus picked up the win and a pair of saves.   Cal has the rest of the week off to prepare for its first ACC contest next Thursday at NC State at 4 p.m. PT.

[jandjsalmon]

2024 FRC - March🍀

This one is a scheduled posted because as we speak, I will be living it up on my vacation to Venice and Croatia - but I'll screenshot my word count first thing on April 01 - so that it'll be up to date. If you're following me on SM - I apologize in advance for the plethora of pictures I'll be inundating you with soon. 😉

In other non-vacationy news, as in past years, my daughter and her amazing basketball team defended their title as Provincial Champions and successfully won Back-To-Back Championships. If you were here last year, you'd remember that this was the first time in school history and so doing it again was even more momentous. I chose a close-up this year. Kinda bittersweet that she's played her last game - but really happy with how this season turned out. 🏀

Okay - back to the fanfiction. Things in the @fanfic-reading-challenge are progressing nicely. If you’re looking for a fun way to get out of your comfort zone, you should come check it out. and for those of you who are new here - over the last couple of years, I’ve not only been participating in the fic challenge (which is still open for new members jsyk and the Discord is pretty neat) but I've been tracking all the fic I've read and reported back here once a month with some stats and some recs, and a little bit of boring stuff about my life. That’s what this post is.

Below the cut are my March stats and some fun fic recs. I’ve been tackling the challenge tasks and am nearly done the ‘extreme’ mode. I'll crack 6 million words on the airplane back home on Friday. 😉

March 2024

As for my recs for you! Try these - you might enjoy them. The pairings are all over the place - but if it is something you've never read before, let one of them be your first foray into the ship.🖤🖤

I actually stumbled upon this fic accidentally to pass off a task for the challenge but Folie à Deux by @cypresssunns (E 1/1) - is a super delightful Knives Out fic and I'm SO glad I read something new!. The pairing is Marta/Ransom and it is a "Marriage of Convenience/Ransom remains a sociopath but Marta kinda likes him like that" kinda fic. It was delightful and if you're into co-dependency and couples where no one is really a good person - this is the fic for you!

Of course I never go a month without recommending at least one Wenvier fic - and Pomegranate. by @theravenandtheartist (T - 1/1) was fantastic. Wednesday in particular felt perfectly in character. Xavier is adorkable. And honestly, I just have a unhealthy love for Hades and Persephone - so while this is NOT an AU, the mythology does play into the story and I loved how it was done. Great read!

Anyway - I have lots of tasks yet to complete - so if you have a fic that you’d like to recommend - let me know! I'll see you when I get home! 🖤

And seriously, COME ON. racing the yellow lights is a Hallie/Society Assassins AU (M - 1/1) and it's fantastic. I've read it about a bajillion times and it is ALWAYS delightful. Of course the great @smc-27 writes one of the best Harrys in the whole fandom so it's completely unsurprising that this fic has me in a chokehold. If you like The Society - and you like Hallie and fun AUs - don't forget to review! 💛

[yeoldemagicalgirl]

The Sailor Moon Reboot Universe: A War Veteran's Memories

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

As someone who loves and appreciates art, I just. I can't with Crystal/Crystal Season 3/ Eternal/ Cosmos anymore. The Moonie community has been failed time and time again by Toei. From animation to animation change, the quality of SMC/III/E/C continues to be lackluster because Toei refuses to give the project the attention it deserves, and pay their animators. As Sailor Moon Cosmos draws ever nearer, (ye gods), I would love for you to partake in my little Sailor Moon Crystal Failures Recap Sampler Platter, as we share in the succulent delights of generic animation, terrible character designs, and empty animated eyes. 

Sailor Moon Chrysler:

Ok, so in Crystal we see an attempt at Naoko Takeuchi’s manga artstyle. There are some difficulties here though. We all know the Crystal song and dance- Web series budget, overworked and underpaid Filipino animators, Toei being the worst, etc etc. But hot take? At least they tried *something* original.

I mean, this doesn’t look Amazing. The shading on the hair is bland, the face lacks the elasticity and expression of the manga, there is very little detail, ya know. But it’s something newish! With the proper budget, this style could look immaculate, and in some shots it do:

Gorgeous shot, detail, 15/10, no notes. For the majority of the show though? Mmmmm. 4/10? 3.5/10?

SMC: World War III:

Although Toes gave SMC3 the semblance of a budget and moved it to TV broadcast, they also changed the character designs to be. Well. 

They look very Pretty Cure.

And look, I adore Pretty Cure, ok? I am consuming Hirogaru Sky content on my TL  like a queen ant consuming food from worker ants. I am Just as invested in my son Cure Wing as all you other magical girl ne'er-do-wells. But the style of Pretty Cure does not suit the Sailor Moon manga style-some would say it is diametrically opposed to it in many ways.

Look at the gorgeous flowing hair, delicate linework, transparent effects.

Now, the criminal on trial:

Overly cutsiefied proportions and faces, thick, (by comparison), linework, far too much shine effect on the hair and eyes, zero amounts of ethereal beauty, and also Mercury’s AWOL eye. 

UGHHHHH.

Considering how iconic Sailor Moon is, and how fucking POPULAR IT IS, JESUS ON THE CROSS TOEI WHAT IS THE MISCOMMUNICATION HERE?

And I know that discourse about the SMC animation is a bit, shall we say, expected, but I needed this little refresher to make my point.

Sailor Moon Cosmos/ Eternal is not an improvement, and just continued neglect on Toei’s part to get literally any part of this project right.

CosTernal:

Ok, so, when we first got the character designs for eternal in 2019, I was skeptical. The return of Kazuko Tadano, an excellent animator on the original 90’s Sailor Moon anime originally heartened me, and then:

They just look kind of??? Cheap?? None of their poses are particularly eye-catching, the proportions look Very strange (Mars’s legs are broken, wtf is Jupiter’s knee, Venus’s left arm is Way too short, Moon’s right foot is missing, etc), and the faces just look. A bit dead inside. Moon and Moon Jr are the only ones with *expressive* expressions; the other girls just have these flat smiles, with Jupiter/Mars having the same mouth, as do Venus/Mercury. 

This was official art, after years of silence, from a renowned animator. 

What the Fuck. 

The style is still lacking that singular SM manga flair, and just looks like the 90’s designs with the actual heart of the characters removed. It was deeply frustrating to me as a long time Sailor Moon fan.

The animation in the actual movies wasn’t much better-nothing stand out, nothing even close to the lovely ethereal style of the manga.

One more time for the people in the back, bad proportions, zero detail, empty eyes, personality-less Senshi, can I get an Amen?

The Present:

Sailor Moon Cosmos parts 1 and 2 are scheduled to be in theaters this summer, and from the looks of the promotional images we’ve received so far, they don’t appear to be an improvement:

Another piece of official promotional material that’s off model, (what is happening with her head? Her hands????), and uninteresting. Sailor Moon, sitting on a roof, in front of Tokyo skyscrapers. Very hecking original and cool, very interesting, much creative. Its composition is off, but more importantly, it lacks the Rizz one would expect from an official Sailor Moon poster. Take a look at these from the 90’s anime:

Dynamic, interesting poses, great composition, stunning colors, consistent art quality. A tall order, huh?

The most recent poster we got is slightly, better but not much:

At least there is some pizazz, but the stale air remains. This looks like *generic movie poster here*, like 

*characters posed in front of Bad Guy, looking Determined and Angry*.

Final Thoughts:

I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade; if you are genuinely earnest and excited for Sailor Moon Cosmos, I hope it blows your socks off bestie. If you loved the animation for or just the Sailor Moon Reboot Universe in general, that’s amazing! Please keep enjoying it, and let it make your life a little better. 

Personally, though, I just can’t get over the disappointment. An amazing, universally beloved franchise with this much room for creativity only comes once in a while. Imagine if we had gotten a reimagining of the Sailor Moon story, a la PGSM, or Sera Myu? What if Toei had given the project CardCaptor Sakura: Clear Card levels of love and budget. Instead, we were given half-assed animation and designs, with little story to go with it, (that’s another post though). 

If you were wondering why the new reboot was rubbing you the wrong way, or didn’t have the words to describe your nagging doubts, I hope this helped! If any Sailor Moon fan found this worthy and informative, I did what I meant to do. Sailor Moon Crystal/Season III/ Eternal/ Cosmos is nice in sentiment, but in practice Toei continues to lure fans with the promise of quality Sailor Moon animated content, only to provide next to nothing, and screw their animators over in the process! 

However much of a blow-hard I sounded in my screed though, I am actually not too worried. The Sailor Moon fandom is uniquely creative and amazing- we continue to make our own art, animations and contributions to the lore- all  without exploiting workers! Sailor Moon Crystal was a disappointing project, and Cosmos is a lackluster end, but I’ve got all the Moon content I need right here. 

Sarada ba!

[sbknews]

AustralianWorldSBK, Philip Island, WorldSBK, Pirelli, Tissot, WorldSBK 2024Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) is thrilled to unveil the lineup of broadcasters set to bring the excitement of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to fans worldwide for the 2024 season. With new partnerships and renewed agreements, the Championship is poised to captivate audiences across the globe. Additionally, the debut of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship in June promises to further enhance the racing experience for fans. NEW BROADCASTERS AND PARTNERSHIPS USA: MAVTV joins as the new broadcaster for the USA for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Turkey: RedBull TV enters as the new broadcaster, focusing on live coverage and collaboration to enhance the Championship's awareness in the territory. The contract initially spans the 2024 season, with a strong emphasis on promoting national riders. Renewed Partnerships: Servus TV (Austria, Germany) and Arena4(Hungary) have renewed their commitments, while ITV (UK) has extended the highlights package for two more seasons. EUROPE Eurosport remains a cornerstone broadcaster for the Championship, delivering WorldSBK action to enthusiasts several countries in Europe via Eurosport 1, Eurosport 2, and the Eurosport Player. Notably, Eurosport UK will provide comprehensive coverage of all rounds, including the UK Round in July, supplemented by a 46-minute highlights package on the ITV network. Italian fans can catch the thrilling races on Sky Sport, with free-to-air coverage on TV8. Spanish viewers can follow the action on DAZN and RTVE, while Portuguese fans can tune in to Sport TV. GIB Telecom remains WorldSBK’s broadcast partner in Gibraltar. Servus TV has renewed its partnership for three years, ensuring continued coverage for fans in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with Servus also offering on-site coverage at European Rounds. Arena4, having renewed its commitment for two more seasons, will continue to cater to fans in Hungary. Ziggo Sport will broadcast highlights for Dutch fans, while Nova Sports and Pop TV are set to continue providing coverage for fans in Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia, respectively. Belgian fans can tune in to RTBF to catch every thrilling moment of the Championship race, while RTL will maintain its coverage of WorldSBK for viewers in Luxembourg. Auto1 will be airing WorldSBK action in Ukraine through a 46-minute highlights package. Additionally, a new partnership with RedBull TV in Turkey will focus on live coverage and collaboration to enhance the championship's awareness in the territory. NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA Exciting developments await fans in North America with the introduction of MAVTV as the new exclusive broadcaster for the USA for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Canadian fans can continue to enjoy coverage on REV TV. Brazilian broadcaster Bandsports TV will continue to show WorldSBK in Brazil. In Latin America, Fox Sports Mexico will air all classes, while ESPN will cover all other LATAM territories. ASIA J-Sports will continue to bring WorldSBK to Japanese fans, while Trans7, maintaining its broadcast rights, will continue to air WorldSBK in Indonesia. SpoTV will offer coverage across Pan-Asian territories, including Korea, Hong-Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. Chinese fans will have the opportunity to follow the series on the Douyinplatform. MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA, CENTRAL ASIA AND OCEANIA Exciting developments continue in these regions with SMC (Saudi Motorsports Company) securing the rights for MENA territories, including free-to-air coverage on MBC channels and SSC's TV channels and OTT platform (Shahid) for the next 5 years. Supersport will provide coverage across multiple Pan-African territories. Eurosport will broadcast in various Central Asian countries, with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan all enjoying coverage. Fans in Australia can catch all the action on Fox Sports, while SBS will provide highlights. In New Zealand, Sky Sport will continue to broadcast all three classes. WorldSBK VideoPass In 2024, fans from all across the globe will once again have the opportunity to enjoy every exhilarating moment of the WorldSBK season with the WorldSBK VideoPass. Providing live and uninterrupted coverage of every session and every class, along with a vast archive of historical action, the VideoPassensures that viewers never miss a beat. Additionally, fans can enjoy races OnDemand, giving them the flexibility to watch the action whenever and wherever they are. With these broadcasters and partnerships, the 2024 WorldSBK season promises to deliver unparalleled excitement and coverage to fans around the world. AustralianWorldSBK, PhilipIsland, Pirelli, Tissot, WorldSBK, WorldSBK2024

[smcmn]

Standard post published to SMC Construction, Inc at April 22, 2023 17:00

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[vifetoile]

The development of Sailor Moon Crystal Season 1 and 2, then SMC Season 3, and then Sailor Moon Eternal and the promise of Cosmos… it has been such an upgrade.

[smcempathy]

undefined

The *New* Sailor Moon Crystal Phone - the Meitu T9 on sale September 23 2018

[darkspellmaster]

Sailor Senshi and Shitennou Romance Essay -Introduction

(Warning. Due to the way Tumblr Mobile is working for me there may not be a read more on the mobile version of this essay. I do have one up on the computer version of the program, but apologies for anyone reading this on mobile. I’m still trying to work out how to make this work better for the readers there. I may have to eventually set it up where there’s a mobile only blog…but until then…yeah…still working this all out. )

For those who don’t care about the above, skip down to the info below the picture.

Where to even being with this. I suppose I should start as to why I would even do an analysis on the romances here, given that they were very limited in scope of the story proper. We only really got a quasi-detailed account of Kunzite and Venus from Sailor V and the main Sailor Moon Manga. Yet, it seemed to be that, even despite not being able to write about the romance in her work, (due to either her own issues with writing long works. (Something that Ms. Takauchi has mentioned in interviews before), or the story proper not being able to facilitate a longer narrative for the romantic structure (it’s a Tokusatsu after all)), Ms. Takauchi still seemed to want to have those romances in some way. If you look at her artwork and some later stories –such as Casablanca Lilies and the short story about Sailor Moon’s other child (which is non cannon) –we know that she does have focus on the girls love lives.

For me the most interesting aspect about these possible romances is the way it connects to the older stories from not only the west with Selena and Endymion, which formed the bases of the romance with Usagi and Mamoru, but also the Eastern tales of lost romance. Specifically the story of Tanabata Festival, Princess Kaguya, and possibly the story of the crane wife (usually it has a story with a celestial being falling in love with a mortal man). The reason I’m equating them to these stories is how they end up being both sad yet romantic in some ways and in some cases there are some aspects of a happy ending, within the context of how the Japanese see a happy ending.

For the story of the Crane wife, normally it tells of how a young farmer discovered a woman bathing in a pond and he fell in love with her. He discovered she had a cloak that was magic and took it with him hiding it from her after the woman has fallen in love with him. Eventually after a while of them being married and her having a child with the man, the woman becomes more and more depressed over something. Then one day, either she or her child discovers the robes and changes back leaving the man and the child. Or the man never knew she was a crane or a celestial being and he discovers this one night after coming in on her wearing her robes, and because of this she has to leave his side and return home.

On the flip side is the Princess Kaguya story where she came to earth to learn to be a human, but didn’t want to fall in love, and eventually returns to the moon against her will mostly because the moon goddess missed her.

Finally, you have the story of Tanabata, which is based on an older Chinese story of Qixi. The story goes something like this, there’s a princess named Orihime who is the daughter of the Sky King Tentei and she used to weave clothing on the banks of the Milky way river for her father. So the princess was sad that she could not fall in love because she was always making her dad clothing. Her dad, feeling sorry for her, decided to invite a boy that he knew named Hikoboshi, who was a cowherd that worked on the other side of the river. The two met and fell in love and married. However because they got married and were together all the time both neglected their work, so Tentei ended up splitting them apart. This eventually led to Orihime begging her father to allow them to be together. Tentei was so moved by his daughter’s tears and words that he agreed to let them meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month as long as she finished her weaving. As such, the two were going to meet but there was no bridge, but a bunch of magpies created one for her so that she could cross over to him and be happy for a while.  

Oddly enough, the story was used in a Chibiusa Picture Diary story, but that’s not where the importance lies.

So how do these three stories fit into the idea of the knights and the Scouts and their romance and why? It’s not uncommon in Japan to rely upon older stories for crafting new stories for Shojo writers. Typically, it can come from the west or the east, but a lot of ideas from the idea of true love tends to derive from older stories and legends that have been passed on, much like western fairytales, and in the case of Sailor moon, a lot of the idea of legends are pulled into a new form. As I mentioned the three stories are an influence in the work, and there are strong hints through Usagi and Mamoru’s romance about their relationship hinting at these three works, along with the Selena story.

You have the idea of the Prince and Princess being from worlds apart, which connect to the legends surrounding the Crane Wife, and partly the tale of Kaguya. More frequently, you have the fact that the two end up with each other for a while, but the celestial being is normally not supposed to be with a mortal human. The Tanabata legend is deeply invested in the story as the two lovers that we see are not only from different places, thus split by the space between them, but their world is pulled apart by the actions of others. In the case of Orihimi and Hikoboshi (Vega and Altair), we see her father break them up via the river that is the Milky way, in the case of Serenity and Endymion, it’s the actions of Queen Beryl that split them apart.

This can also correlate to the other girls in various ways, since we see that they too met with the Knights and fell in love, as per Venus explaining. Which brings up the idea that Ms. Takauchi probably wasn’t just thinking about how the tale pertained to just one person, but how it could affect others who met too and fell in love. This also I have to say brings us to the idea of the Tokusatsu aspect of the series. Most notable is that the Sentai at the time before Sailor moon was created did have an additional soap opera like subplot, and typically revolved around the main lead and either a girl fiend that they had to deal with, or another member of the team was the love interest. I get the feeling that Ms. Takuchi was wondering what would happen if all the members of a team were in love and got to deal with relationships as typically the other members of the five man band Sentai (Ranger) team were only there for support.

If we go on the idea that the groups were to be reunited as one unit either as a heart-breaking situation where they were parted later on. Or as a possible happy ending where they stood as a group against the darkness from evil then one could assume that this could be very much like the Tanabata legend, with the idea that each of the girls would go on a journey to connect with their own Hikoboshi. This idea could also be connected to the aspect of a team up deal going on, which happened in Sentai (not as much as now but it did happen in the 90s) where either a former team would pair up with the new group, or some of the villains would side with the heroes to deal with a bigger bad. Throw in there the fact that dramatic stories typically were part of the takarazuka review, something which Ms. Takuchi drew inspiration from and you have an easy conception of how that could lead to her wanting to explore not only the relationships of her main lovers. But, also how their helpers could benefit or grow from a relationship with someone who either was different from them, or similar in ways to understand their situations. And in the case of the Star crossed Lovers, how they could be ripped apart in a way that could affect them enough to try to save their former allies/friends/lovers.

When the first Art book came out for Sailor Moon, fans were a bit surprised, or not surprised, to discover the image of Sailor Moon with Tuxedo Mask, and alongside them the Senshi with the Shitennou, as former guards of the Prince. And what’s really interesting is how she chose to set them up on the page and the way they look, particularly their body language.

So to start out with you have the main couple of Usagi and Mamoru. Now this one could be explained very easily but there’s more to the positions. Every artist finds a position that they like and nothing is done without taking into account how the image is going to look and turn out.

So you have Usagi (or the Princess) sleeping on the moon, curled up almost childlike in her innocence, holding a crown as Mamoru leans over, hand on the side of the moon, pushing her hair back and leaning in for a kiss.

The thing that stands out for me in this moment is the fact that she is resting like a kid in a bed, unaware of him leaning in for the kiss, indicating that she’s very innocent and pure in all this, and the kiss itself is going for her cheek rather than her lips, showing a very chaste moment. And there’s a reason for that, given that the readers of this series were mostly younger girls the idea of a more innocent love would appeal to them, and that links back to the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi and how their love was seen as far more innocent in nature.

Also her sleeping beauty like pose would imply that this is dream like in nature, and very much a fairy tale, so you have that going on there as well. I really don’t want to get into the whole history of Sleeping beauty here because there’s a LOT to dissect with that, but the over all tone of the moment is something pure that is happening between them.

We also see her holding her crown, which she never wears in the series proper, but it’s to indicate that she is seen as a royal and that at the moment she isn’t being the princess here, and it’s a moment of respite that she’s taking. Mamoru stealing a kiss is showing that he’s invested in her and that he finds her resting like this cute and wants to show her affection for it.

From the top we have Venus and Kunzite, and automatically you can see his hands are around her waist holding her close. This is typically seen as a reverse hug and is used to show affection and trust between two partners. It’s interesting that they have the most intimate, or second most intimate position in the group of guardians. Venus for her part is holding a staff, and has her finger to her lips, indicating quiet or a secret. Honestly to me it could play as her saying “Shhh, the princess is asleep” or the idea that the romances are a secret thing, which ties in with part of the Chinese version of the Tanabata myth where the marriage between the two lovers was done outside of the view of the gods.

The fact that she’s leaning into him, and he’s resting his chin, lower cheek area, on her head, shows they have a comfort with one another. He’s allowing her to lean on him for support and she feels close enough to him to let him rest his head on her, showing a warmth and affection between them that probably is very strong and understanding. And it makes sense given their roles as leaders as well as their titles. Venus being the guardian of love and beauty (as well as light) and Kunzite being the Knight of Purity (Virtue) and Affection, both having an understanding of deeper love and devotion, and loyalty.

I should note here that his hands are wrapped around her waist and interlocking showing that he has not only a protective grip on her, but one that is keeping her close to him, showing a lot more passion and ardor for her then we may see in his face. He’s enjoying having her locked up next to him, and his face shows this. 

The way that they’re set up at least tells me in this case that their relationship was certainly more of a public display of attraction and affection, given that Kunzite was shown to have teased her several times in the manga and the implication there was he was attracted to what he saw in her. Clearly Venus could see both of his sides, and the idea that he was very much a noble prince like figure himself must have caught her attention.

On the other hand, you have the next one down being Mars and Jadeite, and their position. While Venus and Kunzite seem way more casual, Jadeite and Mars instead have a very regal demeanor to them. Both are smiling forward with Mars leaning back onto Jadeite’s arm, which is supporting her. Glancing to the right side of the picture his hand is cupping hers, and this is something that is kind of different in what it means in body language.

This gesture is more or less a passive hand hold, with a bit of a “my lady” gesture thrown in there. What does that mean? Well Passive hand holds usually indicate that neither one of you is clingy in the relationship, meaning that there’s a great deal of trust there and a peace between the partners that neither feels that they have to be aggressive or dominate in a traditional way. It also indicates that there’s ground rules that were set and boundaries that are in play between them. It’s also seen as a tender sweet sort of hand hold, indicating that there’s a closeness, but one that doesn’t have to be showy in nature or inappropriate affection.

Her smile is soft and delicate, not trying to be outwardly showy, while his is calm and kind and you can see it in his eyes that he’s glad to be with her at the moment and happy about it. Again, as I said in my commentary about him, Jadeite is probably the most friendly of the group, and his smile shows a warmth to his face, clear that he’s devoted to the woman that he has next to him. 

And that fits right into Jadeite and Mars in that both are calm people who prefer a peaceful situation, and probably neither feels that they have to be very vocal in their feelings as both are spiritual on different levels and, given Mars role in the scouts, it’s not surprising that she wouldn’t show her feelings loudly. What’s also interesting is that that the My Lady hand hold is one of the most regale, and usually used for wedding pictures and the like. Typically it shows that a relationship is vital, firm and has equal protectiveness from both partners.

Mars hand is cupped in his in a way that shows it looking smaller, giving her a dainty like figure, but at the same time it’s in a loose fist so it shows a strength there as well, and Jadeite’s hand is curved around it, showing that he’s supporting that strength. This hand hold is seen as showing a very healthy relationship, a bond of respect, and that the romance is founded on trust and adoration. It’s interesting to note that Jadeite is supporting her on that arm as well, showing an almost half hug, and indicating that he’s got her back if she ever needs the help on something.

On the opposite hand you have what one might call a palm facing down hold. It’s an interesting way of putting their hands here and telling of a lot of things. For one thing typically it’s the guy who’s holding the girl’s hand with the palm down, but in the case, it’s Mars that has the more dominate stance here, showing that she’s protective of him, and because their hands are lightly touching this means that she’s also gentle in her actions. It also shows she’s the one that has the more dominant role in the relationship, which makes sense seeing as her powers of fire probably trump his ice powers. It also shows a bit of independence between them and that both have a strong trust in one another that they don’t always have to be joined at the hip. Given both their personalities, it’s not a surprise that Mars and Jadeite would be the least likely to outwardly show their love in large displays, but rather softer quieter moments.

From the regal to the more flirty in nature, looking down from Mars and Jadeite you see Jupiter and Nephrite. And this is a couple that probably has more moments of displays of affection then the others outright, even Kunzite and Venus. You might be wondering why I would think that, well their stance says a lot about their relationship.

To start with you have Jupiter, like Venus, leaning into Nephrite, and pressing against his chest, meaning that she feels close enough to him to want to be near him and probably they have a very warm affection towards one another. His head is tilted down into her ponytail, and normally when someone does that they’re  indicating that they’re showing a nurturing and intimate gesture that shows affection and protectiveness, and a close emotional bond that indicates the person is there for the other.  Jupiter for her part is winking and has his hand up to her lips kissing it. It’s all very intimate in nature and for a reason. Both characters are comforters in their own way as Jupiter is the most sensitive and understanding when it comes to emotions of others around her, and Nephrite is the Knight of Comfort.

Looking at them it’s an interesting set up here. You have Nephrite in a pose that says he’s trusting and comforting Jupiter, letting her lean on him, and knowing that he’s here to help her out. At the same time her leaning against him tells him that she cares deeply about him and enjoys being with him. She’s even winking, showing that they’re keeping something secret together and it’s almost like she’s teasing the reader in some way to learn more about their relationship.

The hands are an interesting story too. He’s brought her hand up to her heart and is holding it there. This could mean a lot of things, but the most likely is that it’s showing a sign of protection, strong bonds, and a deep attraction, indicating that they both are connected by their heart and desire to use that part of themselves to be with those that they love and care about. There is a huge amount of intimacy with that motion, and showing that there’s a lot of affection that drives these two as a couple. The fact that she trusts him enough to be that close to her body in a physical way indicates via body language that there’s a deeper connection between the two. It’s also seen as a romantic gesture.

On the other hand you have Jupiter kissing his fingers while he’s passively holding up his hand to her in an upward movement which means that to Nephrite he has a lot of trust in her and is willing to be a more passive gentle person around her, while she’s more playful. Kissing a hand shows there’s admiration, tenderness, and a desire for love. There’s also trust on the part of the giver, and a sense of respect, adoration, kindness, and in this case a playful flirty-ness that shows that the two are more likely to show displays of affection frequently and willingly.

When you look to the right of Nephrite and Jupiter you come across the couple that I think has the most interesting relationship, Mercury and Zoisite. It’s a very different stance then the other couples. Whereas Jupiter and Venus are leaning on their partners, and Mars is on Jadeite’s arm. Mercury while leaning on one side of Zoisite, is partly being hugged by him with one arm, at the same time he has his hand loosely around her wrist as she holds it up, pulling him closer to her, and on their opposite hands, which are straight out, his hand is firmly in the other in an almost princely like pose.

What stands out for me in this case, after looking up about the hand holding positions, is how actually intimate and passionate these gestures actually are for these two characters. With their faces it’s an interesting juxtaposition. Mercury doesn’t smile that brightly often, and when she does you know she’s happy about something. Whereas Zoisite hardly ever seems to smile, and the fact that his eyes show a smile to them while he’s holding her shows that he’s happy in this moment. Not to mention that she’s tipping her head towards him indicating that she feels comfortable and safe with him and trusting too boot.

Their hands are also interesting, the first pair on the left is a sort of wrist hold. Zoisite has his arm over her in a protective way, and is lightly holding her wrist. This normally indicates a passionate and more intimate relationship, one where the partners need to be around one another. It also shows an urgency and trust between them in a different way. With both being a bit distant when it comes to showing off emotions in high ways, and reliant on their smarts, is it any wonder that their bodies show more about their feelings then what they say. The way Zoisite has his hand over her shows he’s protective of her, and needs to keep her close to him.

To the right her hand is being grasped firmly in his, in a “My lady” like firm hold. Usually this indicates some possessiveness, but also a healthy one based on trust and honor, as well as respect and admiration. It also shows a desire to stay with the person, given the firmness of the grip and the fact that he has his hand over hers also indicates he’s very protective of her and is serious about his feelings towards her.

Mercury’s smile is all you need to see she’s happy and that she enjoys being with him.

I’ll end the intro here, but my plan is to go deeper into these four relationships if I can and think about how they worked and could work in the modern age.

[galaxiagorgeous]

Moon Pride in a redrawn 90′s version. That’s very impressive! I can’t imagine redrawing all of those frames all by yourself, holy crap.

[crystalbehindthescenes]

hey, am I the only one who really bugs it how Chibiusa in her senshi form is SO SMALL???

Like, according to the manga she's supposed to look older after the henshi:

And they did follow this rule on season 2 but looks smaller on season 3:

and comparing their eternal forms, she looks younger too:

.thoughts on this

~~~~~

I agree but also disagree. Tldr; the styles in Crystal are just getting cuter and less accurate to Naoko's style (which is much longer in general), but ChibiUsa doesn't change ages/proportions whether transformed or not, canonically. She's not de-aging, it's just style differences.

~~~~~~

I agree she is getting smaller and it's annoying cus it just feels incredibly in consistent in a series where the story moves forward, this isn't Precure where this is acceptable cus each season is a soft reboot.

BUT it is happening, or noticeable, because the styles are just VASTLY DIFFERENT from one another. ChibiUsa isn't getting smaller (or younger) cus of inconsistent storytelling, she's getting smaller because the style is getting cuter, all the girls got smaller in Tadano's style. If anything she is proportionally taller in Tadano's style than Takahashi. And She also just looks... normally proportioned in Tadano's style, she is proportioned like her age (shes 9-11). The style is just again cutsie wootsie compared to Sakou's.

Her head is MASSIVE in Takahashi's style, her body is just the normal girls body type but shrunken down. It looks weird and top heavy.

(Also to add on: the Sakou art you sent, isn't Sakou's art, as in it wasn't drawn by her. It's the Unknown Unnamed merch artist, who's style is a little wonky compared to Sakou's so it's not a good comparison to use that imo.)

I disagree because her limbs being long was actually applied thorughout Crystal despite the styles. Just again different styles make her look smaller due to proportions.

But Imo, going by the Materials Collection, this was never meant to be a De-Age and Age-Up scenario everytime she transformed.

Let's take a minute to read this:

"Since she's grown up a bit, her proportions are longer (now she's an older elementary school girl)."

Nothing on this page suggests she ages up and de-ages while transformed. In fact, We only see this happen ONCE, for her first transformation back in Arc 2. (Unless that's what you were referring to but again it only happens once)

The wording here tells me the Chibimoon on the right is the PRESENT DAY CHIBIUSA for the current Arc (Arc 3). This page was a more so a comparison for Toei probably! To show you how much she HAD grown since Arc 2, where her proportions were much shorter. Because she is Now an older elementary school girl!

This page was made in Arc 3's production, but EARLY: it's one of the first pages for Arc 3's set in the Materials Collection. Meaning there was no settei for ChibiMoon for Arc 2's set . So of course Toei didn't have a reference for ChibiMoons proportions at the time until Season S.

Chibiusa is finally aging NORMALLY, this was Naoko's way of showing it. So when she detransforms Arc 3 and onward she would remain her same height (this is true in Arc 4 and 5 especially, her limbs don't change in height at all in the manga!)

This is the same in the Materials Collection too, you showed the first early page, but here's the other pages down the line:

Arc 4, she's actually kinda small here compared to the Eternal ChibiMoon from Artbook 5 you sent. So Tadano wasn't too far off, her style is just cuter.

Arc 5, now shes as long as that artbook art!

Notice her longer proportions match the page you sent? She was never supposed to de-age when not transformed. And of coruse she's a little older in Arc 5.

Another thing to notice, the image you sent? Look at the pose.

It's based on the older notes of Chibiusa during Arc 2. Naoko's style is also different here (ChibiUsa is much more rounder and chubbier), so what she did was redrew this pose to indicate this is ChibiUsa during Arc 2, while ChibiMoon's proportions are also her proportions when not transformed in Arc3. She redrew it in her current style probably to just show her style changed. so basically shes telling Toei the older settei would be inaccurate to use. And to show how her fuku looks on her new longer proportions.

[sailorsenshigifs]

do i re-read Dream Arc or do i wait for the two movies to premiere 🙄

[jandjsalmon]

2023 FFRC - September🍂

Hello friends! I hope you've had a wonderful September. We've started my daughter's senior year with her choosing to join the high school football team instead of the soccer team (to the shock of everyone - including her soccer coach). Therefore, we've been spending every Friday night at the field - and she scored a touchdown in her first game - so that's exciting.

My 2023 @fanfic-reading-challenge is nearly complete. The challenge has various completion levels - and if you're looking for something to help motivate you to read new things or expand your range - or even if you just want to challenge yourself, you should join us. You don't have to wait until the new year to start - and there are a bunch of us on the Discord server and it's a really nice and encouraging place to be.

–*–

September 2023

I read 58 new stories this month - and nearly 300 chapters. I'm closing in on 17 million words, so my year-long goal of 20 million words still isn't out of the realm of possibility. I also did a few podfic recordings... and was highly critical of all of them so I didn't post them. Maybe after I get more practise. lol.

Anyway, I’ve gathered a couple recs. I hope you enjoy them. 💖

–*–

before i knew which life was mine (3 fic series) by @smc-27 (Harry/Allie - The Society)  Summary: She’s got this weird feeling that everything with him is so natural and normal that there’s no way to imagine them not eventually ending up friends. Which is a fucked up thought, because prior to all this, all they had ever shared were barbs back and forth, or her calling him out on being a jerk to her sister. Notes: Okay - so this series is three separate fics that feel like they're unconnected - but really they are completely connected. They're like different dimensions or universes where Harry and Allie were friends (and they don't stay just friends). These are the "other worlds".

–*–

The Percy/Jenna Anon Collection by Anonymous (Percy/Jenna - RPF - All E) Fic 1 - Howlin’ For You - A night of drunken UNO leads to explicit actions between two friends who have been secretly sleeping together. Fic 2 - Lonely Boy - A surprise visit between two friends, a phone call, and a splash of angst. And sex. Fic 3 - Gold on the Ceiling - When Jenna tells Percy it’s over she’s not sure what that means for either of them. And she doesn’t even begin to understand the gravity of her choice until she’s forced to put work on hold for the actor’s strike. Has she even been living? Or merely existing.. Light angst, heavy sex? But it’s introspective? Notes: Okay - so RPF isn't for everyone. It is for me though. This series was written by the same Anon author (it's very clear that it's the same author) - I don't know who it is, but they deserve a huge cookie. I cried during the third one. And then had to fan myself. It's an odd conundrum. The writing is amazing. I would read a million more stories by this author - rpf or fandom or whatever. If I can only figure out who they are. 😉

–*–

three conversations about one thing by @imreallyloveleee (Bughead - T)  Summary: He’d known there would be consequences when he made this decision. But he hadn’t realized how quickly they might steamroll right over him. (Jughead & Veronica & Cheryl & Betty & memories of the future. Set post-7x19.) Notes: An absolutely lovely post-script on the final season of Riverdale.

[enlightened-lord]

me: ........

haahahahahahha i drew it on a whim, does it look nice?

the dumpling on the top right was what i based su-dumpling on, it's like a mini pouch

(it was from a blog called red spice, the article was about making dumpling wrappers i think)