#yes this is what the post asking what amy would name her stuffed animals was about .

[sonknuxadow]

gaming buddies

[shadysadie]

Sailor Moon 90s Dub Names

So some of the name changes in the Sailor Moon DiC dub really baffle me. (Keep in mind I did not watch Sailor Moon as a kid, I was vaguely aware of it's existence, but I never watched a single episode until I was a senor in high school, so I started with the sub and have no nostalgic ties to the DiC/Cloverway dub. However I did read the Mixx version of the manga so I was exposed to the changed names there and later I heard so much about the dub I went and watched a handful of episode out of curiosity)

Lets start with the title character

Usagi – DiC name: Serena – Mixx name: Bunny

Okay Usagi is weird because she actually has two dub names, obviously Serena in the anime, but a lot of people don't seem to know in the first American printing of the manga she was actually called Bunny. Now I don't know which came out first in America the manga or the anime, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm going to guess the manga did just because of this reason. Changing Usagi to Bunny actually isn't too stupid, Anime hadn't quite taken over America yet so a lot of people still got rattled by super foreign names. As I get older I do start to understand localization was the thing in the 90s. Since Bunny is literally what Usagi means I didn't find this too stupid. Plus it shows why Usagi is obsessed with rabbits.

 Serena though? I don't think Serena fits the character AT ALL! Not only does it simply sound like it doesn't fit the character, but look at the name meaning: "clear, tranquil, serene" none of those things could be used to describe Usagi. And yes, I know the same could be said for Serenity but Serenity was Usagi's PAST LIFE, not who she is now. I've gone off on what I think of keeping her Princess name the same a few times on this blog so I won't even go there in this post.

 Now, in fairness, this one I actually was given an explanation for at a con, at a panel with John Stocker (one of the men who originally helped write the dub script) I asked why they didn't just use the name “Bunny” and he said it had to do with syllables, the mouth movement for “U-sa-gi” matched the mouth movement for “Ser-ren-na” better than “Bun-ny” But since everyone but Rei and Chibiusa use honorifics, I'm calling bullshit on this excuse. (Victoria was also in the running for a dub name, which fits Usagi even less than Serena, but at least the syllable excuse would work for that one.)

Mamoru Chiba– DiC and Mixx name: Darien Shields

 I have to admit, I find it hilarious that they do try to capture the name meaning here. Mamoru literally means “Protect”, and so I laugh that they just literally make his last name “Shields”. To be honest, while I find it a kind of boring name, I don't think it contrasts him too terribly much because I kind of find Mamoru to be a boring character. (sorry Mamo) Like I could totally see him as a Darien, that's fine, it's the 90s, whatever. But again, like with Princess Serena, do we really need to make his past life's name “Prince Darien” Seriously? Along with it being lazy. Darien does not sound royal to me, particularly not fantasy/mythology status royal. And Endymion is a great name with a great story behind it! Like why did we have to cut out that mythological tie? In Greek Mythology an astronomer (or shepherd depending on variations) name Endymion fell in love with the goddess of the moon and was cursed by Zeus, that's a great detail that totally gets erased.

Chibiusa (Usagi Small Lady Serenity) – DiC and Mixx name: Rini (No official princess name to my knowledge)

 This one totally disproves the syllables excuse because there's no way in hell anyone thought “Chi-Bi-Us-Sa” was the same mouth movement as “Ri-ni” But I suppose this one makes sense since Chibiusa is a nickname for Usagi, Rini is a nickname for Serena. I suppose the name fits her well enough, though I do think in the Black Moon Arc the enemy kept referring to her as “Small Lady” instead of “Rabbit”. Like, okay, whatever, her name isn't Usagi, Rabbit wouldn't make sense. But then at one point the enemies try to trick her by appearing as Neo-Queen Serenity and she calls her Small Lady, and Chibs is all like “My mommy would NEVER call me Small Lady, you're not really her” like, no bitch, that's your name! It's not a title, Usagi was just that corny when she named you. DiC DON'T CUT USAGI'S CORNINESS!

Ami Mizuno – DiC and Mixx name: Amy Anderson – Cloverway: Amy Mizuno

Okay Ami, Rei, Mina, and Michiru I can't criticize too much because they're just the American translation of the Japanese names so I don't really mind, they're spelled different, but so what? But Ami baffles me because she's the only one of the girls with a different last name. Like, why? Seriously, why? Even Usagi's last name stays the same and that's arguably much more Japanese sounding than Mizuno. I mean, don't get me wrong, Anderson's my last name, it's a good last name, but why is she the only one with an American last name? But what makes it even better is Cloverway then changes it back to Mizuno and no one ever mentions it again.

Just for fun I'm also going to point out that “Blue” was in the running for a dub name for her and I think that's the funniest shit ever. “What should we name this character?” “IDK, what's her color scheme?” “Blue.” “Good enough!” I'd actually like to thank the dubbers for sticking with Amy.

Rei Hino – DiC and Mixx name: Raye Hino

Can't say much about Rei. It's spelled weird, I would have gone with Rae, but whatever. Dana was apparently in the running for her, again, glad they decided against changing it.

Makoto Kino – DiC and Mixx name: Lita Kino

I actually think Lita fits Makoto pretty well. Almost just as well as Mako-chan. Sara was also in the running which I also don't think would have been a too terribly bad choice, Lita's less generic though.

Minako Aino – DiC and Mixx name: Mina Aino

Again, same name, just a different variation of it. Artemis even calls her Mina as a nickname in the original so whateves. Carrie was in the running for her which would have been a fucking awful fit, so I'm glad they stayed with Mina.

Haruka – Cloverway name: Amara – Mixx name: Haruka but also sometime Alex

WARNING: Raging hate boner rant coming up!!!!

This is the name that actually got me to write this whole thing!

Out of all the name changes Haruka's pisses me off the most. It's SUCH a bad fit. I don't hate the name Amara itself, I actually think it's kind of pretty, but it does NOT go with this character! You give the most gender androgynous character one of the most feminine names? It doesn't fit. It sounds weird, it doesn't mesh with her personality, it seems weird every time they call her that!

And what's most baffling to me, THEY STILL PLAY THE 'IS SHE A GUY?' GAME! When Usagi and Minako meet her, they still pad after her thinking she's a guy. Haruka is a name that while typically more common for women, is gender neutral. Amara is definitely not. How can you not hear the name ���Amara” and not instantly think, “Oh, shit, that's a chick”

Now the Mixx Manga did something weird, because they introduced the character as Alex Haruka, but only for the panel she was introduced in, then she was Haruka exclusively until one panel in the Dream Arc when she's called Alex again, but that's it. So...great proof reading there guys. Honestly Alex should have been her name in the Cloverway dub. Sure it doesn't fit her as well as Haruka does, but it fits a hell of a lot more than Amara. And more importantly it's one of the most gender neutral names ever.

Also her first draft name was Corinn, can't decide if that's better or worse than Amara. Seriourly dub, why didn't you take Alex? Or another gender neutral name? Riley? Sam? Ash? Jess? Skyler? (BTW I totally just googled “gender neutral American names” to give these examples and had to laugh cuz Skyler would have been the best, corniest pun ever)

Michiru – Cloverway name: Michelle

 Again this one I have no qualms with because I've seen plenty of animes where the name Michiru and Michelle are used interchangeably depending on the dubber and the VA's accent. Again, same name different language.

Nerissa was supposed to be her dub name, which is fucking stupid, I'm glad they stayed with Michelle.

Setsuna – Cloverway name: Trista

Okay, so this is actually the reason I know all the names that were in the running, because I actually had to look up Setsuna's dub name, not cuz I hadn't seen any episodes of the dub with Setsuna in them, but cuz the name Trista to me is really forgettable. I don't know why, it's just a super forgettable name, Setsuna, more than any of the others, even more than Haruka really, I can't see having any name other than Setsuna (other than Plu of course) though that brings me to a little side tangent. Because Chibiusa doesn't call her “Plu” in the dub, she calls her “Luna P” which, no, I'm sorry, no, just no! Luna P is Chibi's toy, not Pluto, Luna P doesn't even remotely make sense as a nickname for Pluto. Yes she does talk with Pluto using Luna P (which I think is called “the Luna Sphere” in the dub) but that doesn't mean we get to degrade a badass character such as Pluto down to the status of a stuffed floating cat's head. Bad dubbers! Bad!

Also, her almost name was Celia, which again, no, sorry. Setsuna is Setsuna.

Hotaru – Cloverway name: Hotaru – Mixx name: Hotaru, but also Jenny just a couple of times.

Last but not least, my favorite character, Hotaru. Now obviously I can't get mad here because they didn't change her name, but I am really confused as to why. Seriously I still can't figure out why they changed ever other name that sounded too Japanese but this one character. Unlike Rei or Mina, this isn't even one that can be an American name too. Hotaru definitely sounds Japanese. Why does just this one character get to keep her super Japanese sounding name? Absolutely no idea. Like Haruka the Mixx seemed to have wanted to rename her but decided against it and not been very good at telling everyone they decided against it because the name “Jenny” pops up a few times in the Manga, but only after Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna adopt her so take that as you will. I'm glad they didn't rename her, but if they would have chose to I don't think Jenny would have been a god awful choice

[mousedetective]

Forgot to ask last night and didn't get a chance to go on tumblr until now, but could you answer all the questions on the fanfic ask? There's too many good questions, I love asking people these :)

Dude, you seriously should have seen the veeeeeeery wide grin on my face when I got this ask. I squealed and nearly woke my mom up. So here are all the answers my lovely anon didn’t ask (most are behind a cut because it’s long):

1. things that inspire you Oh, wow. A lot of what inspires me are actual prompts. Some of them are very detailed (specific characters/pairings, specific events) and some of them are very vague (a color, a sentence, and maybe a ship). Sometimes I’ll see something like an aesthetic list for a fandom (like I did with Star Trek AOS) and all it will be is a character and a thing associated with them and I’ll write a fic out of that. Sometimes it’s a picture that someone will say “Hey, that makes me think of so-and-so character/ship.” And it doesn’t always come from other people; I collect prompts for myself. Quotes, sentence starter lists, AU lists, pictures…you name it, I’ve got tons of them stashed on my hard drive. That’s what’s going to make my New Year’s resolution so much fun, clearing out my prompts list. I’m hoping to at LEAST get the fandom ones done…2. things that motivate you Music. Feedback. Kudos. Reblogs. People needing to be cheered up. Fandom wank. A bad case of mania. 3. name three favorite writers Professionally, I would say David Eddings, Neil Gaiman and Jayne Ann Krentz. For fanfic, @moonstone1520, @majesticlolipop and @doctor-molly-hooper-holmes4. name three authors that were influential to your work and tell why David Eddings was one of the biggest. I had been writing for a long time before I started to read his work (off and on for about eleven years), but when I read The Elenium and The Tamuli I was all “That’s it. That’s how I want to write. I want my work to sound like THAT.” I also wanted to be able to tell stories that are as vivid and poetic and beautiful as Amy Tan. I’ve been in love with her work ever since I read “The Joy Luck Club,” and I admire the way she paints beautiful images with words and I try my best to do that. I also love being able to move between genres and styles and things like Neil Gaiman does (though he’s much better than I am), and I love the sense of…wonder, I think is how I would phrase it, that he seems to infuse in everything. He’s been a favorite of mine for a long time in a lot of mediums and genres and he’s someone I aspire to be like.5. since how long do you write? I started writing when I was four years old, so…since 1985, give or take? But I’ve been writing fanfiction since June 15th, 1998.

6. how did writing change you? I think because I started so long it never changed me so much as it made me. But writing fanfic changed me, in that it gave me a sense of voice? I mean, I had written stuff for years, but mostly for my own pleasure, aside from school projects. Once I started writing fanfiction, I started sharing my writing, and I also gained confidence. I gained a sense of worth, that I was GOOD at something. I’d been missing that for most of my childhood so that was nice. It wavers sometimes, but for the most part, it’s still there.7. early influences on your writing My mother was my biggest one. She wrote when she could and she was so good at it and she always made sure we had books around and we were read to. I also had teachers who made sure if I wanted to write, I could write. They didn’t try and kill my love of both reading and writing.9. do you set yourself deadlines? Sometimes? Mostly I have deadlines imposed on my when I join big bangs on LiveJournal, and I’m usually reeeeeally bad at those.10. how do you do your researches? Mostly online, though on certain subjects I have a ton of books (mythology, astrology, magic & fairy tales are the big ones)11. do you listen to music when writing? Most of the time. However, it’s more to tune out other stuff; I usually regard it as white noise.12. favorite place to write On my bed.13. hardest character to write For different reasons, Elementary!Sherlock, BBC!Moriarty and Montgomery Scott. Sherlock and Moriarty because I just marvel at how complex they are and I think I can’t POSSIBLY match the writer’s brilliance, and Scotty because of his damn accent.14. easiest character to write Molly Hooper. Also AOS!Leonard McCoy and James Kirk.15. hardest verse to write Elementary, to be honest. Even though I love and adore that show, it’s so well written and the characters are so multi-faceted I’m terrified I will screw each and every one of them up.16. easiest verse to write Sherlock. I mean, I have almost 800 fics with those characters, so…18. favorite pairing to write Hmm…toss-up between McCoy/Molly, Sherlock/Molly and Irene/Molly. 19. favorite fandom to write Sherlock, though the rare times I get asked to I adore getting to write my girls from St. Trinian’s. Especially when playing with the Sherlock peeps in my “Where The Wild Ones Are” series because I love that series to itty bitty teeny tiny pieces. Star Trek AOS is also a blast.20. favorite character to write Molly Hooper. She is my Little Black Dress character, not just for ships but just to write. I like to put her in everything.21. least favorite character to write I really don’t like writing BBC!Moriarty. I love Andrew Scott, but he’s a complex character I don’t like very much. It’s probably why I kill him most of the time. I also stopped liking writing John Watson long before this season. I probably will write him very little from here on out.22. favorite story you’ve ever written “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence.” I am super super proud of that story, and the fact I actually finished it, and that it doesn’t veer off course too often and isn’t horribly OOC, and that it’s still read and people still like it.23. least favorite story you’ve ever written Either of the ones I’ve orphaned at AO3 (the genderswap Johnlock story and The Angsty Fic O'Doom in which I brutalized Sherlock and Molly and killed Molly and nope nope we don’t talk about that one)24. favorite scene you’ve ever written Oh wow. I mean, I’ve written at least three thousand stories over the years, so this is hard. Um…in the CSI: NY fic “Five People Who Never Died (And One Who Did)” the whole part about Flack’s funeral. I think that’s probably one of the best things I wrote and probably the one thing I’ve written that I’ve gotten the most “I HATE YOU I’M CRYING HOW DARE YOU!!!” comments about.25. favorite line you’ve ever written It’s a few lines in a Bleach fic I wrote called “The One I’m Most Proud Of,” based on a headcanon that Hitsugaya was one of the children that Ukitake and Kyoraku had rescued in the Districts outside the Seireiti:

“Why do you shower me with gifts and candy even though I don’t need them?” he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Because of all the children I’ve helped rescue, you’re the one I’m most proud of,” he said gently. “You’re a Captain at such a young age, and…perhaps I felt guilty that we did not spend time with you as a child, Kyoraku and Unohana and myself. It is my wa of feeling less guilty.”

“There is no need,” he said gruffly, trying to cover up the other emotions he felt at the moment.

“Well, then I will cease to do so,” he said. “You’ve probably outgrown it all now, at any rate.”

Hitsugaya was quiet. “Perhaps not so much candy. I hate sweets, unless they are watermelon flavored.And…I would like books, if you feel the need to shower me with gifts,” he said slowly. “Books and other things more suitable for adults.”

“With the occasional toy to remind you to have your childlike moments?” Ukitake asked, smiling a little more.

“Fine, fine,” he said. Just…no stuffed animals. I’ve been giving them to children in the Rukongai because I can’t stand them.“

"Then no more stuffed animals,” he said with a nod. He held out his hand, and Hitsugaya shook it once before letting go.

26. story you’re most proud of “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence,” because it’s literally the length of three novels and I didn’t think I could do it.28. worst review you ever got When I posted the story “love is a battle, love is a war” there was a long gap before I finished it, and I almost didn’t. For those curious why, you can check out this review, because I’m pretty sure I left it up, but someone basically read me the riot act over the story that Molly tells Sherlock about the stupid decision the younger sister makes that curses the village. The whole point of the story was to show it was a foolish, selfish decision, but literally I had been walking home from my job at Legoland to the bus stop to get me away from the park and I almost threw my cell phone onto the freeway because I was so pissed (though keep in mind, earlier in the day this person had shat on “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence,” too, so I shouldn’t have given them any mind because they skipped ahead and didn’t bother to read 2/3rds of the story at the time).29. favorite story/poem of another author It’s not finished yet, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE “Penny Drop” by @moonstone1520. I have been bad and not commented in forever but it’s an amazing Sherlolly story and everyone should read it. As for professional work, I will always love “Good Omens” by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It’s seriously one of the best books in existence.30. hardest part of writing Coming up with titles and getting motivated.31. easiest part of writing Once I get into a groove? Getting the words to come out.32. alternate title for “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence” There never was one. I saw the quote and fell in love with it.33. alternate ending for “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence” There actually was one! I was actually going to go all the way through to the end of him getting his Master’s (yes, I was going to make it longer) and end with just the engagement. But then I was all “Eff it, this is already long, let’s wrap it up.”34. alternate pairing for “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence” I never had one. This was always planned to be a Sherlolly fic.35. single story or multi-part story? Both. I love writing one-shots and series, though I will admit I have a slight bias for series.36. one-shot or multi-chaptered story? I love the IDEA of multi-chaptered stories more than I love writing them, as my WIP folder shows…but I’ll continue to write both.37. canon or AU? AU. Oh, AUs are fun. But my real true love is UAs.38. do you reread your own stories? Quite often, actually, usually because they’re part of a WIP or a series and I’m updating after forever and I forgot what the hell happened. ::sheepish grin:: The rest of the time, though, it’s usually because someone left it a kudos and I’m scratching my head because I’m all “I wrote this?” It happens when you have 1.2K stories on AO3 and the titles all start blending together…39. do you want to be published some day? I do but I don’t? I’m not sure I have a thick enough skin to be a published author.41. one song that captures “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence” “Paper Heart (종이 심장)” by f(x). If you read the English translation it fits the two of them pretty well.42. do you plan or do you write whatever comes to your mind? Depends on what I’m writing for. If it’s a Big Bang, I do some planning but not much. If I have something I’m trying to do for a milestone, I may plan a specific order of fics to write. But generally I just write whatever I want or whatever my Tumblr users would like to see most that I feel like writing.43. would you ever write a sequel for “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence” I actually just turned it into a series last month because I’ve been asked to write filler fic within the story itself as well as a sequel set around the time Molly’s going to have the baby, so yes.44. do you write linear or do you write future scenes if you feel like it? For multi-chaptered fic, I mostly write linear. For most of my series it’s the same but some I’ve had to write out of order for various reasons.45. share the synopsis of a story you work on that you haven’t published yet Without too many details, Character A knows he shouldn’t sit on the throne of the Almighty Allfather, but he can’t resist. What he sees is a beautiful maiden who captures his heart. He’ll do anything to woo her, despite their differences, and sends Character B to speak for him. But things don’t turn out quite as planned…46. share a scene of a story that you haven’t published yet I actually don’t have any yet! Sorry.47. how many unfinished ideas/stories are you working on at the same time? Shit…I have the ones claimed by my fellow Sherlollians that I’m thinking about (I think that’s about fifteen to eighteen there? Maybe twenty or so), and I have a crapton of WIPs that are both commissioned and not commissioned that are around…thirty? And then I have a folder of big bang ideas that I tool with from time to time and there’s ten of those, plus my series, and I’m actively writing a lot of those, and that’s not counting that posterofamyth andgreenskyoverme  constantly give me prompts because I owe them so much fic, so…let’s just say 100+ and leave it at that. 48. three spoilers for “The Art Of Love Is Largely The Art Of Persistence” I’m going to do it for the sequel since that story is finished. ( 1 ) It will be a Sherlock POV story this time. ( 2 ) It’s going to start when Molly is about five months pregnant, right about the time they can find out the sex of the baby (and there will be only one, I promise). ( 3 ) Molly’s going to have the baby at an inconvenient time.49. writing advice Always write shit down. Always.