Tenou Haruka/Kaiou Michiru
Pairing | |
---|---|
Pairing: | Tenou Haruka/Kaiou Michiru |
Alternative name(s): | Haruka/Michiru, Uranus/Neptune |
Gender category: | yuri |
Fandom: | Sailor Moon |
Canonical?: | yes |
Prevalence: | common |
Archives: | Haruka And Michiru Are Lovers, (others?) |
Other: | |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Tenou Haruka/Kaiou Michiru is a canon lesbian relationship in the Sailor Moon franchise. When Tenou Haruka and Kaiou Michiru first appear in each of the main media storylines (manga, anime, and live action), they are in an established relationship, which they maintain throughout each series.
As one of the few canonical lesbian relationships in a popular series from the 1990s, Haruka/Michiru remain a staple of yuri fans around the world.
Translation Controversies
Some translations of the Sailor Moon anime and manga erased the lesbian relationship between Haruka and Michiru. For example, the North American English dub made them cousins instead of lovers.
Not wanting to draw protests or risk losing sponsors, Cartoon Network and Cloveway Inc.’s handling of the show has understandably been rather conservative, trying its best to appease both parties. While the L-word has yet to be uttered by a single character, the gay subtext still exists. However, the two media outlets may have very well ended up shooting themselves in the foot. What could go down as one the most dubious moments of judgment in television history occurred in one of last week’s episodes, when in what appears to be an attempt to draw attention away from the character’s relationship, the two girls referred to each other as “cousins.”
It was an utterly surreal moment that I couldn’t help but respond with an chorus of laughter. In an attempt to avoid controversy, Cartoon Network and Cloveway took a sensitive issue and actually made it even more potentially offensive by inadvertently throwing in a suggestion of incest.
However I suppose one can’t really blame Cartoon Network for trying to find a happy medium between the demands of loyal fans and would be censors. I certainly wish that one existed. [1]
This right here, my friends, was mine and every Sailor Moon fan's worst nightmare. Amara and Michelle were RELATED. And this time it was OFFICIAL. Many fans were relieved that for the first few episodes, they had left their relationship up in the air, but those sighs of relief soon turned into screams of pain.
A beautiful relationship had been destroyed. I thought to myself, "Well, as long as they don't bring it up again, I'll be ok," but NO! For the next 15 episodes or so, Cloverway rubs our noses in the fact that they're cousins, often dumbing down the dialogue and making it sound stupid. Oh, woe is me....[2]
In later years, fans would end up embracing the irony of Cloverway's failed censorship and laughing about it. [3] [4]
Example Fanworks
Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanfiction
- Chasm & Epilogue by Renee-chan
- A Lifetime Together by Chibi Nuriko
- Kiseki by Kyouryoku Senshi
Fanart
- ♆♅ by spicybara
- Haruka & Michiru by cyanparade (2019)
- Haruka reassures Michiru by SailorMiha
- the bond of destiny by SailorMiha
- Haruka and Michiru by niemana
- Into The Depths by meredy90 [Mildly NSFW]
- Untitled by p_m_ame (2023)
- With You by meredy90
Fanworks Resources
- General fanworks and discussion
- Cosplay
- Most of the Tenou Haruka and Kaiou Michiru photos on the Cosplay Archive include the two as a couple.
- The Outer Senshi folder of the Sailormoon-cosplay group on DeviantArt has quite a few photos.
- Fanart and Doujin
- はるみち tag on Pixiv
- Haruka-Michiru-Love on DeviantArt
- Haruka Michiru gallery at senshilove on DeviantArt
- haruka x michiru doujin at Dynasty-Scans
References
- ^ Kissing cousins may bring controversy: Cartoon Network juggles controverisal topics contained in the “Sailor Moon S” series by Paul Sebert. Posted June 28, 2000. Retrieved via Wayback Machine on April 5, 2014 from a copy archived on Jan. 16, 2008.
- ^ Sailor Moon Uncensored: Episode 96 Accessed April 5, 2014.
- ^ "Cousins"
- ^ Homosexuality in Sailor Moon