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[touchthesoul.livejournal.com]

Title: A Miracle Romance
Author: touchthesoul
Fandom: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon
Pairing: Tsukino Usagi and Chiba Mamoru/Serena Tsukino and Darien Shields
Spoilers: For the entire five-volume manga and the anime.
Word Count: About 5,000 or so.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my love for this couple. XD
Notes: Thanks to everyone who helped at usako_mamoru, especially mesmerising and goddess_of_ice who bothered me on Twitter every day until I finished. XD



The Canon



Many people believe that they only have one shot at being with their true love. Tsukino Usagi and Chiba Mamoru are proof positive that love can overcome each and every obstacle, even death. In one thousand years, they have fallen in love, died, fallen in love again, died again and finally found their way back to one another with their love only growing stronger.

Created by Naoko Takeuchi, the Sailormoon series was originally written as a Japanese manga, roughly translated as comics. It is the story of a teenage girl named Tsukino Usagi who discovers that she is the superheroine Sailormoon. Over five story arcs, Usagi learns how to use her powers and defeat the various supervillains that threaten the peace of Tokyo and the rest of the world, as Sailormoon and Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. She eventually becomes Neo-Queen Serenity and rules over Earth with King Endymion.

The manga’s popularity was so great that it was quickly turned into an anime of the same name in 1992. DiC dubbed the Japanese version for a younger American female audience in 1996. Although there were five full seasons of around 35-40 episodes each, most of the world only saw the first two seasons on television, the rest of the series having been called too “mature” with its mentions of lesbianism and violence for the ‘tween audience.

This manifesto will focus on the manga, with some mentions of the anime.

Experiencing the Fandom



Like many other girls my age, I first experienced Sailormoon as an afternoon cartoon show. I was immediately swept away in the story of “Serena Tsukino”, the name given to Tsukino Usagi in the American dub, and her battles, but it was the “miracle romance” between her and “Darien Shields”-Chiba Mamoru in the original Japanese-that fascinated me. It was the first time I’d seen true love in media and I was hooked.

Years passed, the fad died a quick death, and I moved on. In 2006, a roommate of mine brought home the entire third season, Sailormoon S, on DVD and for lack of anything better to do, we watched it. I was hooked once again and this time, armed with a LiveJournal account, I entered the fandom. The usako_mamoru community became a mainstay for me and I grew to be friends with many of the original members. Three years later, I’m still quite involved in the fandom: I regularly read and write fanfiction for the couple; I still watch episodes of the anime when I’m down; I still reread the manga; and I still discuss the series with people on LJ communities and other forums.

Usagi/Mamoru has always appealed to my romantic nature, and I’m not ashamed to say so. Takeuchi’s use of myth, especially the myth of Endymion and Selenity, hooked me, but it was the often tumultuous relationship between Usagi and Mamoru that kept me watching. Their love story is universal and yet unique and one of the reasons why I still believe in true love.

A Princess, A Schoolgirl, A Queen



I am Tsukino Usagi, I’m 13 years old, and I’m a bit of a crybaby…

With that simple introduction, we meet Tsukino Usagi, the light of the Sailormoon fandom. She unites all her Senshi with her bubbly personality and sweet heart, but it doesn’t affect anyone as deeply as it affects cold-hearted Chiba Mamoru, who can’t help but fall in love with her.

The series begins with a thirteen-year-old Usagi, clumsy but good-hearted. She is not a perfect heroine: she’s always late to everything, klutzy and awkward, and rather loud. Everyone she knows adores her, however, and it is simply because she has such a big heart. Much like the animal she’s named after-Usagi translates into “bunny”-she is curious and quite simply, adorable. Her full name is translated as “Bunny of the Moon,” and she is known as Bunny Tsukino in the English translation of the manga and Serena Tsukino in the English anime. The classic teenager, she spends all her time playing at the arcade owned by Furuhata Motoki and hanging out with her best friend Osaka Naru. She is loved by her family, and tormented by her younger brother Shingo. Her life changes after she rescues a black cat named Luna and the latter declares that Tsukino Usagi is the Pretty Soldier Sailormoon.

Over the course of two harrowing weeks as the sailor-suited soldier of love and justice, she manages to befriend four outcasts-Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, Kino Makoto and Aino Minako-even before they are revealed as her fellow Senshi. Indeed, one might say it was a lucky stroke that they were Senshi as well, because it ensured their continued presence in Usagi’s life, something that lent her strength in her weakest moments. Her dependence on her friends is extremely strong, and her love for them is only exceeded by her love for Mamoru. She is willing to give up everything for her friends, and would do anything to keep them safe, even at the cost of her own life.

In this same vein, she is also willing to do anything to save innocent people, even if they have been turned into monsters by the villains of the series. She starts off as a coward, but time and time again, Usagi throws herself into danger with no thought as to how much she might have to give up.

In the manga, Usagi is less of an airhead than she is shown as in the anime. The anime, especially the DiC dub, has popularized the view of Usagi as a quintessential “blonde” complete with valley-girl speak. The manga Usagi is so much more than that. She is thoughtful and sweet, which has no better example than in the Sailormoon R manga: her treatment of Chibi-Usa is more motherly and understanding than what is seen in the anime, which focuses more of Usagi’s irritation at having the child around. The revelation that Chibi-Usa is Usagi’s future daughter makes the latter’s attitude even more important.

Usagi’s maturity is most often seen in the Sailormoon manga. She is a quick learner, and participates actively in pursuing the enemies that plague the Senshi. The anime portrays her as a whiny crybaby up until the last season, with very little changes in her personality.

The similarities between Usagi and Princess Serenity, Usagi’s past incarnation, are more noticeable in the manga as well. Serenity is exactly what her name states: calm and peace-loving. Her only rebellions against the principles of her kingdom were her visits to Earth, which led to her meeting Prince Endymion. Serenity’s belief in love and the goodness of people are traits also carried by Usagi one thousand years later.

Some may argue that it is only the strength of Sailormoon that makes Usagi into a worthwhile character, but it is often those times when she cannot transform that show Usagi’s true nature, one of selflessness and altruism. She is smart, although lazy: this can be seen in how she has no trouble passing her high school entrance exams when threatened to be separated from her friends. She hates conflict, but is willing to fight to save her family and friends. Usagi later learns that she is the Princess Serenity of the long-dead Moon Kingdom and that she died for love of Prince Endymion, but this news does not change the way she views the world. She refuses to stand by the sidelines and watch her Senshi defend her.

This determination and stubbornness is seen throughout the series: her pursuit of Queen Beryl, even after her friends’ deaths; her refusal to give up on the brainwashed Endymion; her faith in Chibi-Usa, even without knowing of her parenthood; her acceptance of Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru, even as they tried to kill her; and her unwavering belief in the goodness that lies within all people. Her pure heart, not the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou or Imperium Silver Crystal, drives the series and leads the characters into a future brighter than any of them can even imagine, as Neo-Queen Serenity, the ruler of Crystal Tokyo.

The Tuxedoed Prince



Oi! Odango atama! Are you trying to give me lumps too?

There’s not much to be said about Chiba Mamoru at first glance. Known as Darien Shields in the English manga and anime, he is first seen as the unwitting victim of Usagi’s poor aim, as she tosses a failing test paper right onto his head. Mysterious and aloof, Mamoru seems older than his seventeen years. It is later revealed that he was orphaned at six years old, his parents killed in a car accident. With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that he keeps to himself most of the time. Mamoru has an innate fear of losing the ones he loves and it is this fear that he learns to conquer during the series.

Most of the fandom usually dismiss Mamoru as the quintessential “boy toy” of the Senshi. In a series that is highlighted by strong female warriors, it is easy to see Mamoru, and consequently Tuxedo Kamen, as Usagi’s comfort object. The anime does not help this image with how it restricted Tuxedo Kamen to throwing roses and giving corny speeches on top of streetlights.

In the manga, his presence can be strongly felt from the first volume. Mamoru’s determination to find the Ginzuishou throws him into the path of Sailormoon over and over again. If he were more selfish and less of a noble character, he would have used Sailormoon’s blind trust to get all the information he wanted. But it is not just this desire that drives Mamoru. He is an extremely intelligent man, always at the top of his class at the private Moto Azabu High School (manga) or in K.O. University (manga and anime). Both the anime and manga mention his dream of becoming a doctor.

Mamoru is the reincarnation of Prince Endymion, but like Usagi, his powers manifest in his alter-ego Tuxedo Kamen. In the manga, he is gifted with psychometry, which allows him to heal any injuries quickly, and an explosive attack, Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber. As Prince Endymion, he holds the power of the Golden Crystal or Kinzuishou and the strength of Elysion, the kingdom of dreams. It is this power that has supported Sailormoon from the very beginning, especially in times when it seemed all was lost.

There is not much information about Prince Endymion in the manga. In fact, he isn’t mentioned often without Serenity’s name thrown into the bargain. All that’s known about him is that he was the only son of the Earth royals and that he loved Princess Serenity deeply enough to defend her even against his own generals.

This connection to his past also gives Mamoru a deeper perspective of what happened and how to defeat the evils that plague them in the present. Mamoru does a lot of thinking in the manga, and more often than not, these reveries include conversations with his four generals, once henchmen of Queen Beryl and now housed in the gemstones that bear their names. Endymion’s experience gives Mamoru a chance to see the mistakes made by their past selves, and find a way to avoid the same pitfalls.

Family is extremely important to Mamoru, in light of the fact that he lost both his parents at such a young age. He is fiercely protective of those he loves, Usagi and Chibi-Usa at the forefront. Some may argue that he is a weak character, and cite the three times he was used by evil forces against Usagi-being brainwashed twice and getting killed by Galaxia at the beginning of Stars. But I have to insist that it was not weakness that led Mamoru to these ends, but strength and love. He was willing to sacrifice himself for Usagi over and over again to keep her safe. In a way, it shows a certain pigheadedness and ignorance of self-worth: Mamoru doesn’t see himself as important enough to matter in the big picture, but it is always his sacrifice that drives Usagi enough to defeat the evil in the end.

He is also extremely independent, unwilling to burden Usagi or anyone else with his problems. In the manga (Issue #35 of the English translation), Mamoru is ill with a mysterious black cloud in his lungs. He had noticed this in the first issue of Sailormoon Super S, but did not tell Usagi until Issue #35 after he passed out. When asked why he didn’t tell anyone, Mamoru confided his fear of troubling Usagi or his friends with unimportant things. He sees himself as less vital of a person than Usagi or Chibi-Usa and as such, he makes it his life’s purpose to protect and care for them.

Incarnations of Romance



Endymion…this time…we’ll be born on the same planet…and we’ll find happiness.

Sailormoon is a series that is driven by its characters, and more often than not, it is Usagi and Mamoru’s love that pulls the story forward into the climax. Indeed, you could say that it is their stubbornness and determination to be with each other that ensure their happy ending.

Princess Serenity is a typical teenager in the Moon Kingdom: she insists on doing precisely what she is forbidden. Because of that, she meets Prince Endymion in the gardens of Earth, where she accidentally transports herself. The two fall deeply in love, so much so that when power-hungry Earthian Queen Beryl kills Endymion out of jealousy, Princess Serenity stabs herself with his sword. Queen Serenity, unable to see her daughter’s life end, sends the entire Moon Court to Earth to be reborn 1,000 years later.

It is to this fate that Tsukino Usagi and Chiba Mamoru are born. They don’t meet until Usagi is fourteen and Mamoru is seventeen, when the latter is bonked on the head with Usagi’s test paper. Both are immediately fascinated with the other, and hide this fascination with teasing and exasperation. Tuxedo Kamen is just as enthralled with Sailormoon and vice-versa. They both realize early on that the other is an important part of their lives, and it is very obvious in the manga that they are slowly falling in love.

Hints are given throughout the first issues of Sailormoon to this budding relationship. Tuxedo Kamen rescues Sailormoon several times and over time, he begins to feel the connection between them. At Princess Diamond’s Masquerade Ball, a disguised “Princess” Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen meet and dance and they both admit to hoping to see the other. The end of the ball see Tuxedo Kamen sweeping a tipsy Usagi off to the balcony for a kiss, all the while wondering:



Usagi herself begins to remember the past:



They trust each other almost implicitly with their other identities, and indeed they encourage each other to fight when the battle looks bleak. But it is not until Jadeite threatens Sailormoon specifically that Tuxedo Kamen’s-and Mamoru’s-love comes out full blast.




It is this sacrifice, echoing that of Prince Endymion for Princess Serenity one thousand years before, that reveals their past lives. The anime pops up with these revelations almost carelessly, throwing it in and expecting the audience to believe that Usagi and Mamoru already deeply care for each other, despite the lack of development given to their relationship. The manga is much more subtle and believable, since it spent about nine issues showing the gradual deepening of feelings between Usagi and Mamoru.

This makes the succeeding fights between brainwashed Endymion and Sailormoon more poignant, since it is not just for Endymion that Sailormoon fights, but for Mamoru, the man she loves. Her determination to defeat Beryl is more powerful because of this love and the belief that Mamoru loves her back.



She trusts in this love to carry them through, and her trust is rewarded when her attempt to kill Endymion heals him of evil. Mamoru loves her, and stands by her, not as Endymion, not as Tuxedo Kamen, but simply as himself and that love and support gives Usagi the power to destroy Beryl once and for all. And when given the choice to become Queen Serenity and rule the Moon Kingdom once more, Usagi chooses to stay on Earth with the man she loves, a choice that she never finds cause to regret.



We can trust each other completely. The limitless power of two as one.

Sailormoon R opens with the arrival of Chibi-Usa (Rini in the English translation), a little girl who unsettles both Usagi and Mamoru. Chibi-Usa is desperate to help her mother in the future, and believes that only Sailormoon, a heroine her father told her bedtime stories about, can help. Usagi finds herself jealous of the attachment between Mamoru and Chibi-Usa, while Mamoru is confused as to why he feels such a strong connection to the child. Chibi-Usa is later revealed to be their child from the future, the reign of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. Despite this information and Mamoru’s own reassurance of his love-



Usagi’s insecurities don’t stop hounding her until Makoto/Sailorjupiter tells her the reason behind Mamoru’s devotion to Chibi-Usa: “Do you know why Rini is so important to him? Because Rini is your child, Bunny…You have us…he believes in us. So he decided to put all his effort into protecting your child who is more important than anything.” This simple statement says more about their relationship than countless “I love you’s.” Mamoru is willing to do anything in his power to keep Chibi-Usa safe simply because of his love for her mother. He loves Chibi-Usa, of course, but it is his refusal to see Usagi hurt in any way that truly drives him to protect.

The same themes echo in Sailormoon S and Super S, which see more powerful villains coming to attack Earth. Over and over again, Mamoru protects Usagi and Chibi-Usa with his life, his new power Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber coming from this desire. Neither of them want to die before the other.

One of the most moving scenes in the entire manga comes in Issue #40 of the Super S arc. Having woken from a dream in which Mamoru asks Usagi what her dream is, Usagi confides in Mamoru that it is to “protect this star so everyone can be happy…Together with you, Darien.” She asks Mamoru what his dream is, and he reveals that his dream is also to “protect this star. Together with you.” It is a simple dream, but one that speaks of their undying devotion to their family, friends and each other.

The biggest challenge to their relationship comes in Sailormoon Stars, when Mamoru is killed by Galaxia. Seiya Kou is a new student who immediately falls for Usagi. His resemblance to Mamoru doesn't go unnoticed by the Senshi. But though Seiya does his best to woo Usagi, her devotion to Mamoru, even in the face of abandonment and loneliness, is unshakeable. The discovery of Mamoru's death gives Usagi the full motivation she needs to save the world, and finally, they get their happily ever after.

One dream together always.



Usagi and Mamoru work because of one simple reason: they love each other. They love each other without pride or prejudice and are willing to give up everything to keep the other safe. They embody the saying “opposites attract”, but it is their opposite natures that make them the perfect match, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Usagi’s carefree, loving nature finds a steady rock in Mamoru, who has spent his entire life looking for the kind of selfless love that Usagi can offer.

As Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, they were each other’s refuge from loneliness and their love was powerful enough to transcend death itself. But it is their love as plain old Usagi and Mamoru that is the most powerful of all. They accept each other as flawed human beings, weak and selfish, but love each other anyway.

As a kid, I saw their relationship as the classic cartoon fairy tale, complete with princes, princesses and happily ever afters. As an almost-adult, I’ve grown to see their relationship as just two people who love each other enough to deal with the challenges of life, even when they come in crazy-haired, busty packages.

I believe their entire relationship can be summed up in two pages found in the penultimate issue of Sailormoon R. Threatened with oblivion by Wiseman, Sailormoon’s faith is weakened. Mamoru stands beside her and gives her his support, his strength, and more importantly his love. Together, they are powerful enough to defeat Wiseman, and safe in their love for one another always.



Recommendations

LiveJournal was the venue that revived my love for Sailormoon, specifically usako_mamoru. Started as a drabble challenge community for this particular ship, usako_mamoru has evolved into a general love community for fans of the Miracle Romance. Other LJ communities include:

sailorfics
sailormoonfans

Fanfiction for the fandom is easily enough found on ff.net; Usagi/Mamoru fanfics dominate the Sailormoon category and there are still many excellent authors writing for the pair.

Some favorites are:

Alicia Blade: One of my all-time favorite writers, and a friend, Alicia’s work is a staple read for any Usa/Mamo fan. Most of her early fanfic is considered fluff, such as A Million Kisses and Love Potion No. 9. The Professional and The House on Thornrose Lane are also excellent reads.

Jade-Max: Her epic Secret Garden is an amazing, emotional revisit of the Silver Millennium and the beginning of the Sailormoon story.

EightOfSwords: Subject to Change has taken the Usa/Mamo fandom by storm and is one of the most highly recommended fics in recent memory. Equal parts humor and sobriety, Season 1, Fiore Arc, and Season 2 (currently in-progress) are beautifully written and offer new perspectives into the Sailormoon universe.

His Grin is one of the cutest Moon/Mask stories I have ever read, and a definite pick-me-up if you’re looking for something short and sweet.

I would also recommend Leather and Lockets, for those who want some alternate universe fiction.

Dejana Talis: Against All Odds was one of the first fics I ever read and each chapter brought tears to my eyes. As another retelling of the Silver Millennium, it is absolutely beautiful. As In Autumn, set in Crystal Tokyo, tells the story of Serenity and Endymion’s deaths.

Sailor Europa: Love Through Time, Volumes 1 and 2 set Usagi/Mamoru into new lives in the 1700s and 1800s respectively. Neither have happy endings, unfortunately, because they are meant to be predecessors to the story of Sailormoon. Sadly, they can’t be found online anymore, but I can e-mail the stories to anyone interested-I saved them on my hard drive. :)

Eternal Angel: One of the MoonRomance favorites, her Toki Wo Koete: Cross Over Time is a character study of Prince Endymion and how he and Princess Serenity were reincarnated.

Lilac Summers: She’s probably best known for The BIG Wish, her hilarious fic concerning a sixteen-year-old Usagi in a 21-year-old body who wants nothing more than to seduce Mamoru. XD But my favorite story of hers has got to be Final Truths, a retelling of the infamous break-up of Sailormoon R.

Lois Fogg: You could say that Fire sealed my love for Sailormoon fanfic. Even though it’s an AU fic, the devotion of the manga and anime still seep through and make it one of the most powerful stories I’ve ever read. In fact, I just reread it last night while listening to Demi Lovato and I burst into tears when “Don’t Forget” started playing during the climax. D: She also recently reposted Fantasy, another AU fic, which is just as amazing.

Some sexier fics are Interlude by Sexylyon (a fandom favorite) and Game of Seduction by Mg.

Comments

[marissameyer.livejournal.com]

Oh, you almost brought me to tears! I haven't seen some of those manga images in ages. It definitely reminded me what brought me to the fandom in the first place. Thank you! ^_^

[touchthesoul.livejournal.com]

OMG thank you! I'll tell you, I did cry while writing this because I would get so emotional. XD