What Good Guy Should Mamoru Be With?

[Memento]

Time for the follow-up to my "What Villain Should Mamoru Be With?" poll! What good guy do you think he should end up with?

Usagi: His canon true love and soulmate across all versions of the series

Ami: At the very least she seems to have a minor crush on him in the original Pioneer dub of the R Movie. In one of the stories making up the S audio drama, Mamoru secretly fantasized about having Ami as his wife and taking baths with her.

Rei: In the first season of the anime, she was super into Mamoru and the two went out a few times. In the aforementioned S audio drama, Mamoru secretly fantasized about having Rei as his mistress.

Michiru: Mirroring (pun semi-intended) Haruka's interest in Usagi, an attraction beween Michiru and Mamoru is slightly hinted at in the manga.

Setsuna: Sailor Pluto has long had an unrequited love for Mamoru's future self, King Endymion. Conversely, Pluto may be Mamoru in drag. Pick a side!

Asanuma: Does Asanuma just have a "guy crush" on Mamoru, or are his feelings a little more romantic?

Saori: Mamoru's college friend we met that one time in SuperS. Should he have thrown Usagi aside to take up with the more serious-minded Saori?

Hina: Mamoru's fiancee in the live action series.

Naruru and Ruruna: Chibiusa's friends, one of whom is Naru's younger sister, may be somewhere around thirteen, but that didn't stop Mamoru from getting seriously aroused by them. Someone call Chris Hansen!

Other: Is there someone else you ship Mamoru with? What about Helios, the lonely priest who's long watched over his beloved prince? Or Diana, who clearly idolizes King Endymion, and may share Pluto's and Chibiusa's feelings for him? (Hey, Mamoru did imagine Usagi as a pet cat in that audio drama...) Someone else entirely? Let us know!

 

[Neo King Rose]

Hina from PGSM

 

[Nadia]

I agree about Hina. While I'm glad she didn't turn bitter or jealous, there really was no reason for him to abandon her like that. He should have stayed with her instead of falling for Usagi.

I also think that Mamoru and anime Rei made an excellent match. They had instant chemistry at the amusement park, and while the relationship was somewhat one-sided, Rei wasn't as pushy as most of his love interests. I don't ship other versions of Rei with him, but the old anime Rei and Mamoru should have ended up together. She's the passion and fire, while he's the cold and distant one.

As for the others...

I don't care if Usagi is his canonical true love, I really don't like them together, at least for the old anime. In other versions, it's not as bad, but in the old anime it was forced.

Ami and Mamoru have the problem that they are too similar in terms of personality, except Ami is friendlier.

Michiru may seem like the "perfect" girlfriend....but I just don't trust her.

I abhor Setsuna having a crush on Mamoru for a host of reasons, namely because it feeds into that awful "If I can't have you, I'll pledge myself to your kid" trope I can't remember by name. It is the one thing the old anime avoided, because I really like the idea of an aromantic Pluto.

Asanuma has the standard Japanese "boy looks up to older student" crush, but Mamoru seems to have enough decency to not reciprocate, although sadly this is likely because he is not open to having that type of relationship.

As for Saori, didn't she have a boyfriend in that episode?

I did vote for the other. If Mamoru were to enter into a relationship with a man, why not his adult friend, Motoki? The two of them were really close in the manga when Mamoru was "Endo."

 

[Mitsukara]

I go mainly for Usagi, as I do like their relationship (especially in seasons 1 and 5 of the anime- 4 is kind of bad though, with that stupid "Usagi the ninja" episode wiping away years of subtle character growth about the whole jealousy angle). It's not the strongest relationship in the franchise, but, I do like it.

My semi-distant second for him would be Anime!Rei. (In the Usagi thread I supported a polyamorous Mamoru-Usagi-Rei relationship for the '90s anime versions, and that still is my main ship, but, Usagi's the one who has two-way chemistry with Rei, while Rei and Mamoru seemed pretty awkward together, with her being very interested and clingy and a little pushy, and him being very aloof towards her... like their "date" with the french doll collection where the most intense emotion is a weird passing glance at Masato Sanjoin, or the thing where he starts ignoring her calls entirely to brood about the rainbow crystals. I could see their dynamic perking back up, but only with Usagi as the glue holding it together.)

Definitely not with Manga!Rei, though, I really don't think she's interested.

As for the others:

Ami:
It's a cute premise but I don't see it very seriously. Maybe one of those completely-different-timeline things, like pairing Usagi and Umino or somesuch.

Michiru:
Nahhh.

Setsuna:
For the manga, this is actually pretty interesting... not my first choice, but I could certainly see a good story about it. (Plus Manga!Usagi's relationship with Mamoru seems a little weaker to me anyway since it's all so rushed and she's even worse about her jealousy with Chibi-Usa and so on, instead of growing up a tiny bit when she realizes it's their own daughter... so there's more room for this, I think.) There isn't much to work with in the anime version, though, but then again she's so distant that who can really say what she's thinking in that version.

I should also note though, that I'm not familiar with the "pledge myself to your kid" trope in question, and maybe this pairing has bad implications I haven't thought through. (Having started with the anime, I tend to think of her as more of a favored aunt for Chibi-Usa, someone who was motherly to her when she didn't have anybody else.)

I must admit I hadn't heard of theories that Setsuna was Mamoru, or had somehow forgotten, but that's incredibly silly and kind of amusing. What could cause such a string of events? (Also, that isn't really mutually exclusive with her being attracted to Mamoru... just saying. )

Asanuma:
Hmmm. I could definitely imagine this, but it'd be tricky (how much younger is Asanuma, really? Like one year?) It reminds me, in spite of vast differences in the characters and settings, of my old pet theory for Tenchi Muyo that maybe Tenchi wasn't actually interseted in any of the girls, and the whole thing might someday deflate when Tenchi tries to sneak out on a date with an ordinary fellow male student. Anyway, Mamoru and Asanuma do have some kind of chemistry and Asanuma does seem weirdly interested. Then again, he thought they were aliens at one point... so maybe Asanuma and Fiore...???

Saori:
Saori is a bad friend with no genuine respect for Mamoru or his feelings, and deserves to not be in more than one episode. I'm giving it a firm nope. Also,

As for Saori, didn't she have a boyfriend in that episode?

I believe so, or at least someone who she had chemistry with/ it was heavily suggested. More of a fit than Mamoru, anyway.

Hina:
Still need to see the live action series, so no opinion yet.

Naruru and Ruruna:
Okay, so I've heard abotu this story but not gotten to it yet, but I think I know the summary (I got curious when I found out manga Naru had a sister; pretty sure she's an only child in the anime). It sounds awkward to say the least

Other: Helios
Nahh. But now I'm picturing Chibi-Usa taking after her mom's fantasies, when Usagi wanted to dance with Tuxedo Mask and Mamoru/the Moonlight Knight, except now it's Chibi-Usa dancing with her dad and Pegasus. Oh dear.

Other: Diana
Maybe the manga version, but I doubt he's comfortable with it. Isn't she like, a thousand years younger? Nevermind being a cat. I see it more as a young crush on a much older man that's unrequited.

(Hey, Mamoru did imagine Usagi as a pet cat in that audio drama...)

The same one where he's thinking about Ami and Rei?? So this audio drama is basically just Mamoru having weird fantasies? Did Tohru Furuya reprise his role in this?? Is this bona-fide apocyrpha?! It sounds kind of absurd and amazing.

Other heroic types... hmm. Motoki sounds worth listing, but, I don't see it. One of the heroic versions of the Shitennou might have some sort of chemistry with him, but I don't have much for that either (plus maybe that should've gone in the villain thread). Maybe, for the sole purpose of making Rei's head explode, Yuuichirou???? Yuuichirou sure was hot on him in the steamy bath in that Usagi the Ninja episode, eh? Eh??? You might even say Yuuichirou had a lot of woo-

...I'll show myself out.

 

[Memento]

Asanuma:
Hmmm. I could definitely imagine this, but it'd be tricky (how much younger is Asanuma, really? Like one year?)

He's a year younger than Usagi and the girls, so around 13, making him three or four years younger than Mamoru.

Saori:

I believe so, or at least someone who she had chemistry with/ it was heavily suggested. More of a fit than Mamoru, anyway.

Saori and Mamoru's mutual guy friend had a crush on Saori, but she didn't really reciprocate. IIRC, the episode ends with her maybe giving him a shot after realizing she'll never get with Mamoru.

Naruru and Ruruna:

Okay, so I've heard abotu this story but not gotten to it yet, but I think I know the summary (I got curious when I found out manga Naru had a sister; pretty sure she's an only child in the anime). It sounds awkward to say the least

Other: Diana

Maybe the manga version, but I doubt he's comfortable with it. Isn't she like, a thousand years younger? Nevermind being a cat. I see it more as a young crush on a much older man that's unrequited.

Technically, she's a Mautian, not a cat

The same one where he's thinking about Ami and Rei?? So this audio drama is basically just Mamoru having weird fantasies? Did Tohru Furuya reprise his role in this?? Is this bona-fide apocyrpha?! It sounds kind of absurd and amazing.

It's the same cast as the original anime. The premise is Mamoru is worried he doesn't have a pure heart because the Death Busters haven't targeted him yet, so Ami uses her latest invention to inspect the innermost desires of his heart. It's very silly and random.

 

[Clow]

Fiore.

 

[MariaTenebre]

I agree about Hina. While I'm glad she didn't turn bitter or jealous, there really was no reason for him to abandon her like that. He should have stayed with her instead of falling for Usagi.

I also think that Mamoru and anime Rei made an excellent match. They had instant chemistry at the amusement park, and while the relationship was somewhat one-sided, Rei wasn't as pushy. I don't ship other versions of Rei with him, but the old anime Rei and Mamoru should have ended up together. She's the passion and fire, while he's the cold and distant one.

As for the others...

I don't care if Usagi is is canonical true love, I really don't like them together, at least for the old anime. In other versions, it's not as bad, but in the old anime

Ami and Mamoru have the problem that they are too similar in terms of personality, except Ami is friendlier.

Michiru may seem like the "perfect" girlfriend....but I just don't trust her.

I abhor Setsuna having a crush on Mamoru for a host of reasons, namely because it feeds into that awful "If I can't have you, I'll pledge myself to your kid trope". It is the one thing the old anime avoided, because I really like the idea of an aromantic Pluto
.
Asanuma has the standard Japanese "boy looks up to older student" crush, but Mamoru seems to have enough decency to not reciprocate, although sadly this is likely because he is not open to having that type of relationship

As for Saori, didn't she have a boyfriend in that episode?

I did vote for the other. If Mamoru were to enter into a relationship with a man, why not his adult friend, Motoki. The two of them were really close in the manga when Mamoru was "Endo."

He should not have stayed with Hina again he didn't love Hina the way he loved Usagi. It wouldn't have been good for Mamoru to stay in a relationship with someone he dosen't have feelings for like that.

Also Mamoru and Rei were really not a good match for one Mamoru wasn't really into her and mainly went on dates to keep her happy but clearly did not feel the same way for her as he did Usagi.

Also I really don't see the difference between Usagi and Mamoru's love in any adaptation but again I don't see why anyone would have a problem with them as they are a very devoted couple. Of course it is your privilege not to like them I just don't get the hate some people give them.

 

[Nadia]

I should also note though, that I'm not familiar with the "pledge myself to your kid" trope in question, and maybe this pairing has bad implications I haven't thought through

The closest trope I could find is PiningAfterProtagonistsParent. Amazingly enough, Sailor Moon is not mentioned (or any anime/manga example), although since Chibi-Usa is more of a supporting character, maybe she wouldn't apply.

The premise is Mamoru is worried he doesn't have a pure heart because the Death Busters haven't targeted him yet, so Ami uses her latest invention to inspect the innermost desires of his heart. It's very silly and random.

They wasted a perfectly good premise on silliness. I mean Minako's worry about not having a pure heart degenerated into silliness, too, but at least that was Minako.

Maybe I dislike the silliness because I don't want Mamoru to have a pure heart.

 

[MariaTenebre]

Yeah I hated that S audio play it was so OOC for Mamoru in not just the 90s but all adaptations with him secretly wanting to marry Ami and seeing Usagi as a pet. I bet Naoko Takeuchi probably hated that audio drama as well. I mean he was clearly shown in the 90s anime to have romantic feelings solely for Usagi and he treated her wonderfully when they were together even when Usagi was being extra like in the birthday episode.

 

[Tsundereshipper]

90’s anime
—
Rei or Saori for women

Fiore for men. (He could technically count as “good” seeing as he was originally right?)

Manga/Crystal
—
Setsuna or Minako for women options (Just imagine a scenario where Mamoru mistakes her as the princess from his dreams during her decoy stunt and she leads him on in order to protect Usagi and keep the past from repeating but inadvertently manages to fall in love - or alternatively an AU where the “Princess” Endymion actually fell in love with in the past was Venus during one of her decoy missions)

Kunzite or Asanuma for male options - screw you Naoko I’m going against your no queer male characters policy whether you like it or not! (If Fiore can count the Shittenou in all other versions besides the 90’s anime count as good guys too right?)

PGSM
—
Hina is really the only viable female “good guy” alternative.

Kunzite or Zoisite for men, or alternatively a polycule with his entire Shittenou.

(I’m silently judging anyone who voted for the literal elementary schoolers Naruru and Ruruna)

 

[MariaTenebre]

Again Usagi is the best option for Mamoru point blank period. There is no good reason to be against them as a couple. Especially since many have extreme double standards for them and other couples they may like and the series is centered around their romance.


Though I will say this even though my own fanfiction is firmly rooted in the 90s anime canon even though I add things that don't contradict it from other canons I have thought about doing my own Sailor Moon AU based on that Sera Myu play where Hotaru and Chibiusa went to the Edo Period and Usagi was a guy but still got with Mamoru which honestly cemented my own idea that Mamoru is bisexual and would love Usagi no matter what sex she is. I thought of doing a version of Sailor Moon in the modern day where Usagi is a boy and his relationship with Mamoru is a yaoi relationship. No other Senshi or character will be gender swapped though and Usagi's past life name would be Prince Hypnos as Hypnos was also a lover of Endymion in Greek Myth.

 

[ChampionOfNuggets]

Again Usagi is the best option for Mamoru point blank period. There is no good reason to be against them as a couple.

h.

1. Usagi is a middle schooler and Mamoru is a college student

2. As far as the 90s anime is concerned they have no good reason to be together other than "We were lovers in a past life"

 

[MariaTenebre]

1. Usagi is a middle schooler and Mamoru is a college student

2. As far as the 90s anime is concerned they have no good reason to be together other than "We were lovers in a past life"

And there ages matter how? If Usagi is old enough to be fighting as essentially a soldier in the killing fields of the D Point she is fit to date Mamoru. That entire thing was basically Vietnam or the Beaches of Normandy but with magic. The only difference is that Usagi and her dead lover and friends were able to come back from the dead when they made their sacrifice for Queen, Country and Planet. Plus in the 90s anime in some supplementary materials Mamoru is stated to be 17 and attending University a year early which given that Haruka, Michiru and Makoto do many things that would not be legal for their current age this is not surprising. Plus in Japan the age of legal majority is 20 not 18 as it is in the states. Honestly in 18 the only real thing you are given is the ability to drive and maybe to live alone if you are competent enough but the age of becoming a legal adult is 20.

Also that is nonsense in the 90s anime Usagi and Mamoru always had alot of chemistry with one another both in their civilian forms and as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and showed they loved each other not just for their past life but for who they are so they had far more justifications by their own chemistry and feelings for one another then their past life incarnation.

I am honestly sick of people bringing up their ages as if that matters. If Usagi can fight as a soldier and kill in war as that is what she is then she and Mamoru can be together.

 

[Clow]

“Sailor Moon“ is a work of fiction. Judging “Sailor Moon” strictly as a work of fiction, it is obvious that Usagi and Mamoru belong together. They are soulmates and they reincarnated to marry and become the Queen and King of the Earth.

Fiction. Not real life. I don’t understand why people treat fiction as a true life documentary.

Any parent in real life would freak out if their teenage daughter dated a college student, for obvious reasons.

I wish more people would treat Sailor Moon as what it is: a work of fiction.

 

[FloraKiraraHime]

I wish more people would treat Sailor Moon as what it is: a work of fiction.

I completely agree!

 

[MariaTenebre]

“Sailor Moon“ is a work of fiction. Judging “Sailor Moon” strictly as a work of fiction, it is obvious that Usagi and Mamoru belong together. They are soulmates and they reincarnated to marry and become the Queen and King of the Earth.

Fiction. Not real life. I don’t understand why people treat fiction as a true life documentary.

Any parent in real life would freak out if their teenage daughter dated a college student, for obvious reasons.

I wish more people would treat Sailor Moon as what it is: a work of fiction.

Again the biggest problem is Western Karen moralists who try and inflitrate anime, manga and comic spaces with their nonsense. I have seen many people have their collective periods over Usagi and Mamoru's age while ignoring the age gaps in some of the couples they like and ignore the fact that by their own standards Usagi and the Sailor Senshi are Teen Soldiers fighting in a war against Eldritch Groups.

Also Clow we may not have spoken much but I am happy to see you back. I do enjoy your takes even if I may disagree with some of them (then again there is no one I agree with on everything as I am very, very opinionated). LOL!

 

[Tsundereshipper]

Again Usagi is the best option for Mamoru point blank period. There is no good reason to be against them as a couple. Especially since many have extreme double standards for them and other couples they may like and the series is centered around their romance.

People are allowed to like or dislike whatever ships they do regardless of it’s canon status. Canon doesn’t always mean well-written, and even if you do ship UsaMamo, people are also allowed to multi-ship. This is all just fiction and shouldn’t be taken that seriously.

There is no rule in the SM fandom that states “you absolutely must ship Usagi and Mamoru with each other only or else you aren’t a real fan!”

Heck even Naoko doesn’t follow that, she ships Usagi with Haruka as well as Mamoru.

Multishipping is good and valid and should be normalized instead of ship wars, just let people like and dislike what they want.

Also Polyamory exists FYI.

 

[saintfighteraqua]

Usagi, Period.
Usagi was his choice. He could have moved on and he didn't.
The other girls in the manga are too bland. In the anime they don't match him at all and none of them ever give off the vibe it would work.
In the live-action, I felt bad for Hina, but it really appeared one-sided. Mamoru can be that way with Usagi, but he seems cold towards other women.

There's a difference between shipping and considering it seriously, but canonically I don't see any of the others ever working out, and I don't really like non-canon ships, so for me it would always be Usagi.

Ami: Too similar and I don't think either would be invested in romance. I could see them being close friends but any romance would most likely wither in the face of their careers.

Rei: Also a bit too similar. With Rei always at the shrine and Mamo at college, I don't see them letting it blossom. If one gave up their chosen path, maybe.

Makoto: She'd just end up his mama.

Minako: This would just be Usagi with more motivation and of everyone in the inners. She seems least likely to have interest in Mamo. I think he'd remind her of you-know-who in that mask.

Setsuna: I just can't see it working. It's a cute unrequited romance, but I think they'd have the same issue as Mamo/Ami.

Michiru: Nope. She seems perfect; she seems like everything he could want in a woman, but first we'd have to have no Haruka and even then, Michiru gives off the vibe that she'd cheat if Mamo wasn't available. Michiru is too much for him to handle.

Haruka: Obviously, no. If she were into men, though...I can oddly enough see her being a healthy relationship for Mamo. She would properly motivate him and probably be very loving. But I can't see her ever being with a man, just how I can't see Mamo ever seriously considering being with a man. I'm pretty sure the apartment would be a mess.

Asanuma/Motoki/Four Kings etc: Just like with Haruka, I can't see Mamoru changing his sexuality like that. Of course, they are fictional characters and we don't see all of their innermost thoughts. Endo corrupting Motoki doesn't really count and seemed akin to Black Lady tormenting Usagi.
It is odd to me that Haruka being bi is so taboo among the shippers while Mamo being bi is often top of the list.

 

[Tsundereshipper]

Asanuma/Motoki/Four Kings etc: Just like with Haruka, I can't see Mamoru changing his sexuality like that. Of course, they are fictional characters and we don't see all of their innermost thoughts. Endo corrupting Motoki doesn't really count and seemed akin to Black Lady tormenting Usagi.
It is odd to me that Haruka being bi is so taboo among the shippers while Mamo being bi is often top of the list.

I agree that considering Naoko’s distaste for queer men (and especially her opinion on the R movie) it’s a little far fetched to ever assume Manga Mamoru is anything but straight, but I disagree that it’s impossible for 90’s anime Mamoru to be bi or pan considering his relationship with Fiore. Also Ikuhara was responsible for writing him for the majority of the series and it’s pretty hard for him to write completely straight characters in general, the fact that he especially went out of his way to show a deep “friendship” between Mamoru and Fiore, even to the point where Naoko disliked it, reads to me that he intended his Mamoru to at least have the potential to be into men.

As far as Haruka being possibly bi I do think it’s impossible at least in the 90’s anime cause of Michiru’s comments on her attitude towards men in Stars, but I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question for Manga/Crystal Haruka since we never get those same comments and even Michiru’s orientation appears to be switched around when comparing the two versions. (Michiru is likely bi or pan in the 90’s anime while Word of God Naoko confirmed her as strictly lesbian in the Materials Collection)

 

[MariaTenebre]

Again Tsundereshipper where has Naoko Takeuchi stated that she hates gay and bi men? Just because she didn't include them in her story dosen't means she hates gay or bi men and given she loves many male fashion designers who are obviously gay there is no evidence that she hates gay or bi men.

Likewise the reason why Naoko Takeuchi had distaste for the R movie was she felt angry that she wasn't able to write the story for the movie. Not because of the Mamoru and Fiore stuff but because she didn't get to write the story. In fact I believe she was writing The Lover of Princess Kaguya story as the R movie but for some reason Ikuhara's idea was chosen over hers though she did later get the Lover of Princess Kaguya story as the S movie and did design the characters and villains for the SuperS movie in the Materials Collection even though she didn't make a story for them in the manga.

Honestly now that I think about it if Ikuhara's idea for the original SuperS movie was used we may have gotten the Badiane stuff as a Sailor Stars movie hypothetically since this happened before.