What's your preferred English term for the girls?

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Pick your preference:

  • "Sailor Senshi"

    Votes: 26 32.5%
  • "Sailor Soldiers" (or "Warriors", "Guardians", etc.)

    Votes: 44 55.0%
  • "Sailor Scouts"

    Votes: 6 7.5%
  • Just "Sailors"

    Votes: 4 5.0%

  • Total voters
    80
Apr 20, 2012
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StarHealerTornado said:
I don't think it was their way of explaining their outfits (after all, do they really need an explanation anymore than Superman's on-the-outside underwear gets an explanation?) but rather of trying to preserve the show-audience cultural connection. Part of the show's appeal in Japan was little girls getting to see superheroes who wore school uniforms like they wore. For a North American audience, perhaps the term "Sailor Scouts" allowed little girls (and boys) watching who were part of the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts to feel a similar connection. Just my speculation. It would be great if someone who was involved in the production/writing of the dub at the beginning would give an "official" explanation.
That makes sense. ^_^ Just the fact fans unfamiliar with the Japanese version seemed confused by the Sailor part (hence all the tired jokes about them never sailing places/looking like Sailors) made me ponder if that's why they went with scouts. It would be nice if we got an official answer. They're pretty good about answering fan questions, maybe someone could Tweet a dub VA or ask at a con?
 

Memento

Stella Nova
Mar 8, 2012
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I don't think any of the voice actors would know. They didn't even realize why Serena was called "meatball head" until someone explained it to them :lol: :lol: Maybe Roland Parliament or John Stocker would know?

Anyway, back on topic: What do people think about the term "Sailor Sisters" which has been used on some of the 20th Anniversary merchandise. I don't think it's meant to be a translation of "Seeraa Senshi" per se, but I do find it an interesting term nonetheless.
 

Black_Chaos

Solaris Luna
Jul 23, 2014
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StarHealerTornado said:
I don't think any of the voice actors would know. They didn't even realize why Serena was called "meatball head" until someone explained it to them :lol: :lol: Maybe Roland Parliament or John Stocker would know?

Anyway, back on topic: What do people think about the term "Sailor Sisters" which has been used on some of the 20th Anniversary merchandise. I don't think it's meant to be a translation of "Seeraa Senshi" per se, but I do find it an interesting term nonetheless.
Sailor Sisters sounds alittle weird .
 

Rika-Chicchi

Staff member
Site Admin
May 7, 2009
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StarHealerTornado said:
Anyway, back on topic: What do people think about the term "Sailor Sisters" which has been used on some of the 20th Anniversary merchandise. I don't think it's meant to be a translation of "Seeraa Senshi" per se, but I do find it an interesting term nonetheless.
Sounds like a name used for bootleg items. :lol:
 

Vilhem

Lumen Cinererum
Sep 22, 2011
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I can see where they're coming from with the sisters thing, but Sailor Sisters indeed sounds weird, and can give the wrong idea to the people who aren't familiar with the Sailor Moon franchise (yes those people do exist O_O).

Though I guess I have to be glad they didn't use "Sailor Girlfriends". :lol:
 
Sep 13, 2009
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Vilhem said:
Who cares if its official or not, is what I was trying to get at with "soldier" :lol: the term "senshi" can have several translations. Just because the word "soldier" was used in the anime, where the people at Toei called the shots, doesn't mean its a RIGHT or ACCURATE English equivalent.
Naoko used "Soldier" in the original manga too, in chapter titles and artwork.
 

Fabong

Lumen Cinererum
May 3, 2014
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I just say sailors in casual conversation. Soldiers/warriors always sounded kinda evil and warlike to me so Guardian would be better than those two even if it sounds worse. Never had a problem with scouts. Senshi feels weird because you're just leaving half the phrase untranslated but it's used often enough that nobody really cares I guess.
 

Vilhem

Lumen Cinererum
Sep 22, 2011
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Lunaire said:
Sailor Senshi. It is probably used more, since knowing the original + stuff makes you extremely sophisticated. I don't really mind the other names, anyways, that's just the one I use.
I don't think using "senshi" makes you more sophisticated, especially since you most likely don't speak fluent Japanese.

Since the poll's question is"preferred ENGLISH term", "senshi" shouldn't even be an option, technically.
 
Vilhem said:
I don't think using "senshi" makes you more sophisticated, especially since you most likely don't speak fluent Japanese.

Since the poll's question is"preferred ENGLISH term", "senshi" shouldn't even be an option, technically.
Wisely sophisticated is the more correct term, I believe, Vilhem. Implying that you know a lot about Sailor Moon + appear as very wise on the subject and stuff. That is seen as sophistication, if you talk about in a proper manner. Besides, I was probably just being devilish to the ones that think that way, anyways.

But, yes, you are correct about 'Senshi' technically not being an option. I don't really refer to them with any official term, though. Just use 'them', 'they', 'girls' or something.
 

Kerochan no Miko

Knight Radiant
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Feb 29, 2004
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Vilhem said:
Since the poll's question is"preferred ENGLISH term", "senshi" shouldn't even be an option, technically.
Given that English is infamous for stealing words from other languages when it doesn't have one that quite fits, I don't see why that's a problem.
 

Vilhem

Lumen Cinererum
Sep 22, 2011
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Kerochan no Miko said:
Vilhem said:
Since the poll's question is"preferred ENGLISH term", "senshi" shouldn't even be an option, technically.
Given that English is infamous for stealing words from other languages when it doesn't have one that quite fits, I don't see why that's a problem.
That is true, of course, but since we're talking about "soldier" being an official translated equivalent, there is no necessary need to borrow "senshi" when we can just use "soldier" as was intended (before the change to Guardian anyway).
 

Kerochan no Miko

Knight Radiant
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Feb 29, 2004
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Vilhem said:
That is true, of course, but since we're talking about "soldier" being an official translated equivalent, there is no necessary need to borrow "senshi" when we can just use "soldier" as was intended (before the change to Guardian anyway).
Yeah, but since soldier and guardian are now both "official" English translations it can be easier just to say "none of the above" and go with senshi.
 
Sep 6, 2014
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I use Sailor Scouts when referring to the old dub

Sailor Soldiers outside of that. I know Guardian is the new "official" translation and the Warrior translation was validated by the ADV subs but the fact that the choir in the show sings the praises of the Sailor Soldiers that will always be the official translation plus I think pretty soldier sounds better than pretty warrior or pretty guardian
 
Nov 17, 2014
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Sailor Senshi.

It just sounds better. And honestly, if "セーラー戦士"/"Sailor Senshi" can be a Japanese term, it can be an English one too.

"Sailor Soldiers" is a close second, but it almost sounds too serious.