The list of censorships in “Sailor Moon” is long (The Michigan Daily provides a solid overview). One of the biggest changes is the removal of many Japanese cultural references, including key character names. Usagi became Serena, Michiru was changed to Michelle, Mamoru Chiba transformed into Darien Shields, and so on. The dub didn’t take into account the fact that many fans of the series, like me, would still read the manga and learn their original names. Young viewers aren’t stupid; we recognized elements such as their sailor school uniforms which indicated that the setting was a different country with a different lifestyle. These changes harmfully suggest that exposure to different nationalities poses a threat or is inherently confusing to children.
Cartoon Network also handled the airing of “Sailor Moon” with kid gloves, changing the blood to a strange green color, referring to the deaths as simple kidnappings, and removing the outline of the breasts (gasp!!) during the transformation scene. They also inserted educational “Sailor Says” segments at the end of each episode that gave moral lessons on issues like recycling or healthy eating.
Since the 1990s saw a resurgence of conservative religious politics (opposing same-sex marriage, supporting prayers in public schools and abstinence-only education, etc.), Cartoon Network has removed much of the Catholic iconography. The Holy Grail was renamed The Chalice of Purity and the image of Hotaru hanging on a cross like Jesus was removed. These changes eliminate the series’ more artistic and bold choices and dilute the narrative stakes and emotional impact. The fate of the universe hangs in the balance for these schoolgirls, and the darkness they face, even death, is bound to be grim, which adds to the excitement.
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