Walston 1

Belle Walston
Webster
English II
11/27/16
Explain what a heroines journey
teaches us about gender issues in
society.

Fighting Evil by Moonlight, Winning Love by Daylight

Children all across the world grow up watching television during a stage in their
life where their brains are focused on assimilating to roles that they observe. This
means that there are kids adapting characters they see on cartoons into examples for
themselves and relating to them as best they can. During the 90s, the anime Sailor
Moon aired not only in Japan, but in the Western world as well. The show features 14
year old Usagi Tsukino, or Sailor Moon, who discovers that she and her friends are
reincarnations of moon royalty and that they must fight the evil that threatens to destroy
humanity by taking the girls newfound power. The show is a perfect example of how a
heroines journey can simultaneously challenge gender roles as well as celebrate
femininity.

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Many different kinds of people get a face in Sailor Moon. Usagi is presented near
the start of the series as a character that should be very easy for the shows target
audience to relate to; she tends to be clumsy and often finds it difficult to motivate
herself to work whether shes fighting monsters or studying. The rest of the cast is
introduced as the episodes go on and, if a young girl cant see herself in Usagi, she will
likely be able to connect with another one of the Sailor Senshi. Each member of the
group has a unique set of traits and hobbies, some more traditionally masculine or
feminine than the others. Usagis love interest, Mamoru, otherwise known as Tuxedo
Mask, is another character who does not fit his stereotypical role as he could be seen
as the series damsel in distress. Although it is him who comes to Sailor Moons aid
early on during rough fights, eventually she is the one who starts rushing to Mamorus
side when hes in trouble and ultimately ends up saving his life. Additionally, Mamorus
own personal struggle is unique in the sense that it is internal and emotional. He deals
with the pressures of masculinity as he feels he must always be able to fend for himself,
but at the same time he never views any of the girls he fights side-by-side with as
weaker than him. Mamorus development is a fantastic example for male viewers of
Sailor Moon because of the normalization of emotional expression and struggle
exhibited in a male protagonist that addresses the detrimental effects of
hypermasculinity. The anime also takes a progressive step with the inclusion of several
canonical gay and lesbian characters. One couple in particular is among the Sailor
Senshi: Haruku and Michiru. Although a popular American dub of the show scripts their

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relationship as being cousins, the original airing affirms them as partners. Their
relationship is extremely important because of how respectful and realistically it is
portrayed. Young viewers can see two girls in love with each other fight alongside the
rest of the group and be just as accepted and important as the other Senshi.
Sailor Moons appeal is primarily its depiction of an all-female main cast
performing to the same ability as male heroes that were on television at the same time.
These girls positively embody many aspects of what is considered to be womanhood.
Instances of weapons transforming from tiaras, wands, and makeup are present in the
show and function in both forms, which is a powerful symbol that associates the
Senshis strength with personal aspects of themselves. Additionally, a huge central
theme of the series is strength in connections and friendship. Sailor Moon may be the
main character, but the other Sailor Guardians play just as vital roles. It is often her
friends that perform most of the fighting while Usagi is the one who finishes the villain
off. They function as a team both during combat and in their daily lives as the show
additionally highlights the girls separate from their heroic identities. Attacks by enemies
are almost always rooted in deception and often target women. This means that the
Senshi come to the aid of other girls, and lessons about wariness and looking out for
female friends is very prevalent. Finally, since every major character is a teenager,
there are several other societal pressures addressed targeted towards the age group.

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Although Sailor Moon can be for anybody, its writing is crafted to assist young girls with
what they may be facing in reality.
Sailor Moon is not a perfect feminist work by any means. It does perpetuate
certain harmful stereotypes and does not have all-inclusive representation. However,
there is so much that it has done to promote unique self-expression and empower all
kinds of people that have grown up watching it. When it comes to creating a good story
with relatable, capable, and strong female heroes, Sailor Moon should be looked
towards for inspiration.