Hogwarts House Sorting: Sailor Senshi

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them came out this weekend, so to commemorate the Harry Potter series, I thought I'd sort more characters into Hogwarts Houses. Last time, I sorted Kingdom Hearts characters and this time, I'll be sorting the Sailor Senshi from Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon/Usagi

Hufflepuff

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Hands down, Sailor Moon is a Hufflepuff. In fact, she shows most (if not all) of the Hufflepuff traits. She is the Sailor Soldier of LOVE, after all, and she proves that no matter what, she'll fight for her family, her friends, and even total strangers.

She enjoys the company of others and hates to be alone. Out of all the ladies, she makes friends the easiest and was the one who brought all the Sailor Senshi together in the first place. In fact, most of the girls were loners before they met Usagi. This was a huge deal when the Outer Senshi showed up. Sailor Moon was there to bring everyone together peacefully, which is what Hufflepuffs strive to do.

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Hufflepuffs are group-oriented, just like Moon. She is stronger because of the ones she loves. And just like Puffs, she also has a way with animals. (I mean, she has a talking cat for crying out loud.) Puffs also enjoy home and hearth and tend to be the ones who appreciate comfort food and togetherness (again, just like Moon).

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Though there was a part of me that wanted to say Sailor Moon was a Gryffindor, since she fights for love and justice, she isn't in it for the glory or the thrill of battle; she'd rather avoid fighting altogether. Most of the time she's a complete crybaby but overcomes her fears whenever the lives of her friends and family are threatened. She's even willing to sacrifice her own life for those she loves. Who could get more Hufflepuff?

Notable Quotes

“If a Soldier's pride means hurting one another, I don't want it…”

“Who wants that? I’d rather choose to fall in love and be hurt. Sometimes I can’t even sleep because I love someone too much. And there’s always sadness in our lives. It’s that sad feeling that keeps us going.”

Sailor Mercury/Ami

Ravenclaw

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We all know Sailor Mercury would be a Ravenclaw, since she's a genius and the Sailor Scout of Intellect. Ravenclaws have an abundance of curiosity and love knowledge for it's own sake, not as a means to an end, which is more suited for Slytherins. Ravenclaws also tend to look to the future, which shows in Sailor Mercury's pursuit of new technology.

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Ravenclaws are usually introverts, which means they’re okay with being by themselves, since their endless stream of thoughts occupy their time. Ami is much the same way. She's okay with being alone.

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Ravenclaws also enjoy studying, and if there is anyone in the group who actively wants to study (*ahem* really the ONLY one in the group), it would have to be Ami. She usually keeps everyone on task and is a teacher for most of the Senshi, especially Usagi and Minako. 

Lastly, Ami tends to shy away from fights when at all possible, which is so akin to Ravenclaws, who avoid confrontation at all costs. In fact, Ami is usually the pacifist of the group and is there to break up any squabbles among the girls.

Notable Quotes

"If we're going to beat Jedite, we've got to really stick together. All right?”

"Do your very best in school."

Sailor Mars/Rei

Slytherin (almost Gryffindor)

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At first, I wanted to put Sailor Mars in Gryffindor, since it's the house that aligns with the element of fire. Rei is much like a Gryffindor in that she is utterly passionate about whatever it is she’s doing, whether it is reading a fortune or fighting with Usagi. But once I thought about it, I couldn’t help but think she might be a Slytherin.

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Slytherins are very much drawn to the past and to tradition, and this is positively Rei. She's much more focused on ancient Japanese traditions and usually shies away from anything modern. (This is much more apparent in the manga.)

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A Slytherin (and Mars) also tends to be confrontational and (whether Mars likes it or not) can sometimes be hotheaded. But she is driven and confident in her own ways of doing things, which at times leaves her to be a bit narrow-minded; however, she doesn't let anything stop her in fulfilling her dreams, not even romance.

Lastly, as a Slytherin, she is much more aloof when it comes to people outside her friends’ group, but she is intensively loyal and true to those she holds closest, willing to do what it takes to keep them safe.

Notable Quotes

"Shadows in the fire of the sun... It's a bad omen..."

"Nothing good comes out of mimicking other people. What's important is being yourself."

Sailor Jupiter/Makoto

Hufflepuff (almost Gryffindor)

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Even though Sailor Jupiter is courageous and rushes into things (as Gryffindors are apt to do), deep down she's a true Hufflepuff. She cares about her friends and their well being. If anything were to happen to them, she’d pummel whoever hurt them into cornmeal...and then bake her enemies into bread.

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Speaking of baking, Sailor Jupiter LOVES to cook, bake, grill, whatever. She makes bento boxes for all her friends and is even in charge of snacks during their study/senshi meetings. You see, Hufflepuffs are all about home life and caring for others (so is Makoto).

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In fact, Makoto's dream is to get married and own a bakery. Food and family seem to be key elements for Puffs, and Jupiter is no exception. She is also constantly searching for acceptance and love, and by the way she talks about past boyfriends, she tends to fall hard, putting her whole heart and soul into her relationships.

Notable Quotes

“We will face any danger for the ones we care for, with love and courage!”

“It’s not nice to pick on people weaker than you.”

Sailor Venus

Gryffindor

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Oh, Sailor Venus. You are totally a Gryffindor. Sailor Venus’ whole goal in life is to be famous, which screams Gryffindor (since most of them seek honor, glory, and validation from others). She is the Scout of Love and Beauty and this really plays a major part when it comes to pursuits outside of being a Sailor Soldier.

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She also has a take charge attitude and is normally the first to act. And actually, in the manga, Sailor Venus is the leader of the Sailor Soldiers. She also is the only Soldier that was able to pull a magical sword from the ground. Sword of Gryffindor. Sword of the Silver Crystal. Hmm…

Though she is a brilliant leader, that doesn't’ stop her from being impulsive at times, especially with boys! She’s very much the extrovert and thrives off the attention of others, which is true to the Gryffindor characteristics.

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Gryffs usually aren’t the ones seeking knowledge, however, they do find information useful when it can be used to aid friends or begin adventures. This sounds very much like Venus, since (like Moon) she tends to ward off studying and instead pursues other tasks like boys or sports. It should also be noted that just like Gryffindors, Venus enjoys the thrill and glory received from sports or entertaining.

Notable Quotes

“Believe in yourself and nothing can stop you”

“Please allow the Goddess of Love, Minako Aino, to handle them!”

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Do you agree with my sorting?

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The Fangirl Experience: Attending Collosalcon 2016, Part 2

Three ladies from Fire Emblem Fates

Hello again. If you haven’t checked out Attending Colossalcon 2016, Part 1, please do so now. Part 1 covered my Colossalcon experience on Thursday and Friday, while this post covers Saturday and Sunday.

As mentioned before, I have three categories: the good, the bad, and the contastic (meaning events or experiences specifically encountered at cons in general). You know the drill, though. So, without further ado:

The Good 

1) (Old) Friends

I didn’t elaborate on this before, but I did see a few longtime friends while at Colossalcon. Sure, I met plenty of new folk, but Colossalcon was special because I was able to spend it with people I hold dear. We could geek out, take control of photo shoots (as explained later), and munch on emergency granola bars.

My good friends.  A Pokemon trainer and her Pokemon.

I know I said I didn’t eat, and for the most part I didn’t, but one night, I was able to have dinner with a friend’s family in between panels. We had a spaghetti dinner and moose tracks ice cream for dessert. What could be better? I even spoke with my friend Rena about possibly doing a panel next year (and cosplaying together).

Met up with a few friends.  Stars Wars and Sword Art Online?!  Yes, please.

By the end of the weekend, I was tired but I was satisfied.

2) Photo Shoots (Kingdom Hearts, you made my con!)

Now, I know I said that the Final Fantasy shoot was one of the best I attended during Colossalcon and, don't get me wrong, it was fabulous. But Kingdom Hearts, hands down, was the best photo shoot I’ve ever seen in my life. I think I might have started crying midway. 

 "Bad" guys versus good guys

It didn’t start out that way, though. Alas, it wasn’t so simple (and clean). Now, you should know that during the entire weekend, it hadn’t rained at all. Yup. We were lucky. It was hot, though. And there was a chance of rain in our future.   

At the exact moment that the Kingdom Hearts (KH) photo shoot was about to begin, it started to pour. I convinced myself I didn’t care. I would march out into the rain and see all the KH cosplay splendor that was before me. Plus, one of my really good friends had dressed up as a heartless. Couldn’t miss that.

Look how adorable she is!

But Joey, one of my oldest and best friends (and the amazing photographer from Joey Render Industries), had the bright idea to ask the Kalahari Staff if we could use their lobby for the shoot.They agreed! So, the only Aqua (who, along with Joey, took charge) led the cosplayers up the bridge to the lobby in a KH parade. 

 Girl power!  Female Kingdom Hearts characters for the win.

Once there, we began the shoot. Of course, we had a group shot, then there were shots of various characters (there was one shoot where they had all versions of Sora...yes, that included Namine), and lots and lots of requests (a bunch of them made by yours truly). There wasn’t enough time to do all the requests I wanted. (I know, I’m KH crazy.) But one of the best shots was when everyone did the dab, Keyblades and all. 

 

"Who else will I have ice cream with?" Be still my fangirl heart!

Oh, and then there was this picture...

  "I looked everywhere for you!" *cue fangirl squeal*

3) The Panels

I’m not sure why, but most of my favorite panels were on Saturday. One of these panels was Sailor Moon related (Moon Prism Power, Make up! The Legacy Continues). It was basically the history of Sailor Moon, and anyone who knows me wouldn’t be shocked at all that I had enjoyed this. What was interesting about it was that it offered information about both Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon Crystal. They even mentioned that one Sailor Moon Crystal ending featuring Tuxedo Mask. (If you haven’t seen it, it is absolutely hilarious. Definitely had some fan service included.) I will wholeheartedly admit that Tuxedo Mask was my first crush. *sigh* You still bae, Mamo Chan (Darien, hehe). 

If you're interested, watch it here.

But oddly enough, my favorite panel wasn’t one I had planned on going to in the first place. In fact, it was a way to kill time while I waited for friends. Ahem, it may or may not (it was, it definitely was) have been rated for those 18 years and older. It was called (bear with me) Dorito Pope’s GAMEOCALYPSE 2016: The End is Nigh.

Now, before you question my sanity (eh, I’m probably crazy anyway, so go right ahead), let me explain. You’re probably wondering, what the heck was that panel about? Well, to put it briefly, it was a video game panel. More specifically, it was a panel on the future of video games (and also shamed you for whatever game you were looking forward to). And of course, all the games I’ve been waiting forever to play (Kingdom Hearts 3, Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy VII, Persona 5, etc.) were all shamed in glorious fashion. Literally, he shamed them one right after the next.

But there was something different about this panel. It was a gaming panel, yes, but it was set up like a church service. Yup, you heard me right. Dorito Pope had a Mountain Dew bottle staff and a hat in the shape of a curled Dorito.

Dorito Pope

Dorito Pope was there to predict the gaming future and, my, do I wish I had more room to explain to you everything he spoke about. But just imagine the experience: a guy up front shaking a bag of Doritos, Dorito Pope baptizing people in Mountain Dew, and everyone shouting Hallelujah whenever Dorito Pope answered a question. I can’t make this up.

But the funniest thing was that he shamed ALL (not some...all) of my most anticipated games. Oh, Dorito Pope. Goodness me.

Bad

1) Not Eating or Sleeping

Again, pretty bad but necessary all the same.

2) That One Photo Shoot (Disney is too big of a universe)

There was a Disney photo shoot. Everyone looked amazing, I will say that. However, there wasn’t really anyone there who knew how to organize it. Although, it should be said that Disney is extremely large and owns not only its original animated movies but Marvel, Stars Wars, and an assortment of other things. So, I can’t really fault whoever was in charge for not having it all together.

Anna from Frozen

But the reason why this photo shoot was somewhat of a fail was because there wasn’t enough time scheduled, and they organized it in such a poor way. They had Disney movies go up one at a time. It should have been broken down into categories, such as: Pixar, Classic Disney, Golden Age Disney, New Disney, etc. But we live and we learn. It also didn’t help that it began to rain around this time...so, yeah.

Two Sophies from Howl's Moving Castle

3) Nothing Lasts Forever

The con had to end...and I had to say goodbye to all my lovely friends, had to watch as Colossalcon dwindled to a few cosplayers. It was a sad sight, indeed.

Look how sweet! It's Luna and Noctis from Final Fantasy XV.

The Contastic 

All and all, I felt renewed, I felt a part of something bigger, and my euphoria lasted the entire weekend. The fandom culture was outstanding. The art was beyond this world. I've collected a few things that I’ve hung up or placed in a safe spot at my work desk in the library. I’ve even showed my teens the Free! Iwatobi Swim Club water container. Those who have seen the anime will know having Free! characters on your water container is pure perfection. 

Speaking of Free!...look, it's Haru.

The Flea Market was on Sunday, so I was able to get a few trinkets and a potential Silver Crystal for a future Sailor Moon/Neo Queen Serenity cosplay.

Honestly, I’ll be back next year and hope to see some of you guys there too. 

My favorite picture from the con

Will you be going to Colossalcon 2017?

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Sensational Sailor Senshi: The Main Reason Why We Watch Sailor Moon

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In honor of the new Sailor Moon Crystal season, I’ve decided to write an article on Sailor Moon characters. Unfortunately, Sailor Moon Crystal hasn't seen as much character development as Sailor Moon, so I will be pulling mostly from the Original.

*Ahem* Let us begin.

Why Watch Sailor Moon?

Sailor Moon has been accumulating fans since the early 90s. It not only revitalized the magical girl genre but also helped inspire ladies of all ages to see themselves as strong, independent women. If that isn’t reason enough, here are just a few more reasons why Sailor Moon is awesome: the music, the art, the story, and of course, the characters. Especially the characters!

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And since the characters hold a special place in my heart, I've decided to write about each one of the inner sailor senshi*.

*Senshi: Japanese for solider, warrior, or guardian

Sailor Mercury (Ami/Amy)
AKA The Brains, AKA The Sweet One

You know that one kid who just could never get below an A+? He/she was always studying and forever had his/her nose stuck in a book. Well, that is Sailor Mercury, Pretty Sailor Soldier of Knowledge and...Bubbles? Okay, technically she's the Soldier of Water, but she used a lot of bubble attacks. 

She was also kind, caring, and loyal. Oh, I distinctly remember wanting her Mercury Goggles. (It was that thing that looked like a blue hologram across her eyes. It let her know all about the bad guys.)

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Sadly, her importance wasn't as pronounced in Crystal, but she seemed to have more character development than the others (besides Sailor Moon, of course), which was interesting. Although, you don't see her random bouts of humor in Crystal. (Note: Ami can be hilarious.)

Sailor Mars (Rei/Raye)
AKA The Priestess, AKA The Best Friend

She’s the Pretty Sailor Soldier of War and Passion, so it's no wonder that Rei could sometimes be a hothead of sorts. But isn't that exactly why we love her?

Now, this isn't seen too much in Crystal, but in the Original, Rei was Usagi's best friend. I mean, it took some time to get there, especially since Rei dated Mamoru (Darien) for a while. (Yeah, you probably forgot about that.) But does anyone else miss Rei and Mamoru calling Usagi “Meatball Head”? Do you miss the arguments between Usagi and Rei?

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Or Chad!!! Do you miss Chad? ‘Cause I sure do. Yup, Rei's snarky comments and her heartfelt moments with Usagi aren't in Crystal. What a shame. And I get it. They're trying to stay true to the manga. But Rei, I miss you.

Sailor Jupiter (Makoto/Lita)
AKA The Tomboy, AKA The Chef

As the Pretty Sailor Soldier of Thunder and Courage, Makoto (Mako for short) is both loyal and freakishly strong.

She's also a decent cook. I remember wanting to eat EVERYTHING Mako made. And do I mean everything. Her skills in the kitchen rivaled her skills on the battlefield. She was by far the strongest, tallest, and toughest member on the team. That is, until Haruka showed up. Then Haruka and her had to duke it out for the title of most masculine sailor scout.

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When I was little, I was told I looked a lot like Mako. I was tall, had mousy brown hair, and actually had a pair of those pink rose earrings she wears. I was proud of that comparison because Jupiter should be envied. That woman's got talent, and here's hoping she pursued her dreams to be a world renowned chef. Not to mention, her hair was flawless (like everyone else in Sailor Moon). Keep that hair game strong, Mako!

Sailor Venus (Minako/Mina)
AKA The Super Star, AKA The Lover

Minako is called the Pretty Sailor Soldier of Love and Beauty. Well, no surprise there. She is named after the Roman goddess Venus.

She lived in England, was "secretly" Sailor V, and owned a talking white cat. In the Original, she was just a team member, but in the manga and in Crystal, she's technically the leader. (That's right. Sailor Moon isn't the true leader of the group.) With her stylish mask and legendary moon sword, she's one badass scout. The good thing about Crystal is that Minako is even more powerful. However, her personality is strongest in the Original. Not to mention, you see more of her volleyball talent and singing skills in Sailor Moon.

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If not for Sailor Moon and older Sailor Chibi Moon, Sailor Venus would be my favorite scout! <3

Sailor Moon (Usagi/Serena)
AKA The Lovable Cry Baby, AKA The Hopeful

Sailor Moon is the Pretty Sailor Soldier of Love and Justice, which I'm sure you already knew. She is very much a professor of love and has a strong sense of justice. To top it off, she also has a talking cat.

Ah, where to begin? Usagi has been my favorite character for many years now. And here’s why. Despite her flaws, she works to be a better person. She stands up for the weak and inspires kindness and love in others. Her romance with Mamo-chan, as she so fondly refers to him, is utterly adorable. Even though Crystal is a much shorter anime than the Original, we still see some of what make this couple special. However, the Original had a better romance. There were just so many wonderful scenes in the Original that never made it into Crystal.

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Back to Sailor Moon. True to the reluctant hero trope, Usagi doesn't ask to be a moon princess, doesn't ask to save the world, yet she's thrust into battle regardless. As the series progresses, you see her mature. Unfortunately, Crystal didn't have this. The Original just had more time to perfect her maturity. In Sailor Moon, she's a complete and total cry baby in the beginning, never wanting to fight. But that changes little by little until Usagi is the resilient and reliable heroine we know and love today. 

Bonus: Sailor Chibi “Mini” Moon (Chibiusa/Rini)
AKA The Little Sister/The Daughter, AKA The Lady

Sailor Chibi Moon is dubbed the Pretty Sailor Soldier of Friendship. (She’s also considered a Soldier in Training.)

Now, I know you're thinking, "I remember Chibausa being extremely annoying." But this is simply not true! Okay, maybe she was when we first met her, but when she grew up and could actually transform into a sailor scout, her attitude and her character improved! Chibiusa shines during the Super S Arc. (And who doesn't love a good story about a “dead moon circus”?) This season really shows us how Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon can work together and how cute Pegasus and Chibiusa are. It gives us a reason to love Chibi Moon.

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Plus, the love between Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon is perfection. Not only is their relationship the pure and noble love of mother and daughter, but it's also that of siblings. They fight because they're so alike. Deep down Chibiusa looks up to Usagi. This isn't seen as much in Crystal, but the Original really focuses on it.



When it comes down to it, what's important is that both series celebrate love--whether it's the love between parent and child, the love between significant others, or the love between friends.

Which sailor senshi is your favorite? Why do you love Sailor Moon?

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