Uranus ♅ Troposphere ♅ Stratosphere
Thermosphere ♅ Exosphere ♅ Outer Space


Fan Fiction Faux Pas

A voracious reader of Haruka and Michiru fan fiction as an early adolescent, certain themes often occurred in many stories. Many of them were ridiculous to be applied to the characters because they made Haruka and Michiru very out of character. (I will admit, they were interesting stories for a thirteen year old to read, nonetheless.) They often used many stereotypes in regards to tomboys, lesbians and so forth. I liked reading them because they were often dark, but resulted in happy endings. These are the often-used themes I remember particularly:

Over-used Endearments

In many fictions Haruka and Michiru used nicknames in similarity to Usagi and Mamoru. Haruka would be Haru-chan or Ruka-chan. Michiru would be Michi-chan. This is ridiculous because it didn't fit their characters. They are Haruka and Michiru. They act like a married couple. They don't need "pet names" for each other. You never see them using such terms with each other in any of the Sailor Moon media.

I understand it is because most Americans don't realize the lack of any suffix on their names actually reflects that they are incredibly close to each other, but come on... If you like the characters enough to write fictions about them, try to keep them in character when it comes to things that are a given by the series.

Haruka Tries to be Like a Man

Haruka would use bar soaps, two in one shampoos, and men's cologne. She never used hair dryers or shaved her legs. Michiru would use millions of bubble bath products, luxurious shampoos and conditioners, expensive cosmetics and exotic perfumes.

While I can see the latter... when it comes to Haruka, really? You really think she uses Zest bar soap and Pert-Plus? Just because she is mannish at times, doesn't mean she is trying to be a man. The manga really reflects this, but even the anime, it goes to show she doesn't go out fo her way to act like or appear be a man.

She doesn't go out of her way to say, "Hey, I'm a guy/girl!" She is who she is and only cares to be herself. If that includes liking clothes and pastimes associated with the male sex, that is fine. Restricting herself with gender stereotypes isn't her thing.

The only time she ever cares about how people perceive her is when they are her loved ones. She just lets outsiders make their judgments and doesn't care to correct them. They see her a certain way, they see her a certain way.

Haruka Hates her Breasts

Following the "trying to be a guy" trend, in many fan fictions Haruka either bound her chest tightly or wore sports bras all the time. Michiru... they never made much deal on what she wore unless it was a romantic date theme.

Again with the stereotyping! Just because she screams out "butch" when it comes to her and Michiru's relationship doesn't mean she wants to be a man or is trying to look like one. She just likes to wear clothes often associated with men and ends up looking like a man.

In the manga, during the Dream Arc she is seen clearly wearing a regular bra when overseeing Hotaru make a simulation of the Solar System. During her first appearance as a civilian in the anime, she obviously isn't binding her chest at the end when Minako finally realizes she is a girl. Even in later episodes you can subtly see her feminine figure beneath her male school uniform. Unless she has a size cup D, that shouldn't be notable if she binds her chest!

Haruka is Dirt Poor

In stories that included or focused on family life, Haruka ranged from extremely poor to middle class at best while Michiru was often a multimillionaire... possibly billionaire. This is silly. Haruka is cultured, refined and possesses many things teenagers her age will never own until they are well into their thirties and not even those come to par on quality and expense.

In the manga she is already a junior race car driver famous all over Japan. She goes to renowned schools. She lived in a penthouse of a condominium tower, which bears her last name and costs thousands of dollars a month! She owned and piloted her own helicopter! Later it is shown she owns a Ferrari!

While in the anime these things are not so well known, there is still plenty indication she is from a wealthy family. She got her driver license early and just as quickly owns motorcycles and sports cars! She is a junior race car driver and participates in a Grand Prix when she is sixteen! She lives in a lovely apartment either on her own or with Michiru!

People often excuse these things as all being possible due to Michiru, however. The cars Haruka drives are often said to be Michiru's and she simply lets Haruka drive them or gave them to her as gifts. The apartment they live in is all under Michiru. She likely is Haruka's sponsor and- Wait a minute, people! It is stated in the anime that Michiru was nearby when Haruka participated in her first race! You see Haruka was already participating in motor sports before she accepted her destiny and got to know Michiru! Pay attention people!

Haruka had an Abusive Childhood

Usually in the same stories featuring her as dirt poor, Haruka would often suffer under parental abuse. Living in the slums she comes either from a broken home or a family with an addict. The cause for her to lack a parent often was because she was homosexual and said parent left. Other cases, she was raped and that is why she became homosexual as well as started dressing as a boy. Sometimes it was a mixture of both.

In the anime, yes, she has a very extreme outlook, comes off as a bitch at times, looks depressed or broody and so forth. That isn't because she lived under an abusive household. That isn't because she was raped constantly as a child. It was because she held the burden of the world's fate on her shoulders. Anyone would become irritable, worried, down and extreme under such circumstances.

Yes, she appears to dress like a guy all through the anime. That doesn't mean there is some underlying emotional or psychological trauma going on. The clothes could very well be women's clothes, but with her androgynous looks and tall stature they come off looking masculine. Heck, some women will buy clothes made for men simply because they like the cut or style. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. It means they don't restrict themselves to gender stereotypes and don't fit the old-age cookie cutter mold for "what a woman is supposed to look and act like."

Conclusion

Despite these ridiculous occurrences in fan fiction, I admit again, they were very interesting to read. With how different the characters in the manga can be from the ones in the anime – all the more when the American dub comes into play, I often viewed these things as alternate Sailor Moon universes. They gave fans a look at a darker, yet well existing in real life, scenario for beloved characters who lived rather normal lives outside their Sailor Soldier duties.

The Sailor Moon S season is very popular, likely because it is one of the darkest seasons of the anime. One can relive that in such fan fictions as well as be given a new perspective to why a character acts a certain way. Such fan fictions even inspired me to start writing. Nevertheless, when the characters you are writing about no longer resemble any of their official forms... it is likely high time to make your story an original fiction rather than a fan fiction.