abc123youandme said:
2. The English dub was significantly less sexist than the Japanese version
Except it changed genders of characters like Fisheye just because "men shouldn't act flamboyant", which is sexism as well. The
English dub also removed close to an offensive amount to homosexual content, making Uranus and Neptune as cousins was ridiculous, though I don't agree with trying to go for a younger audience in the first place, but I digress.
But what
really determines what is sexist and what isn't? It's pretty much up for the viewer to decide on a lot of aspects.
Sailor Moon is a woman who is a great hero, strong willed when needed to toughen up, however, she is also very fickle when it comes to romance, not being able to decide between Tuxedo Kamen or Motoki, oftentimes being the stereotypical damsel in distress who always hopes her Tuxedo Kamen will come to save her in the nick of time when things go bad. Her romantic drive and her longing to "be with her prince no matter what" could also be considered sexist.
Really, it just depends on what
degree you're looking at it, almost everything is sexist in media to a point, especially anime.
abc123youandme said:
Japanese version of weight loss episode: Girls should lose weight and be beautiful, look at how fat Usagi is. English Dub: People should eat healthy and lose weight the right way. Serena gained 1/2 a pound and she's freaking out, lol.
Japanese version: Makato needs to cook and clean to feel feminine. English version: Lita owns being a tomboy and her more feminine qualities aren't her trying to be more traditional, it's just another side of her.
As for the first, that is a rather sexist view, however it was just mirroring what we see in today's society. A lot of teenagers
do look at weight loss that way, incorrect or not. It is okay to want to lose weight to look better, however the people you see doing it on the show don't have much weight to lose in the first place. It's showing realism and how shallowness is a part of life, but the English version of that makes it into a lecture about eating right instead of just pointing out the flaw that weight shouldn't be obsessed over to that extent in the first place.
I have not watched enough of the original to see the differences in Makoto, but why is it sexist for a character doing cooking and cleaning to feel feminine? If she
wants to do that, there's nothing wrong with it. If you are pointing out it'd be feeding the general "females cook and clean" sexist stereotype, that'd only be true if the other main leads did that too. But it's the exact opposite, a lot of the female main characters suck at cooking and would rather spend their time playing at the arcade.
And to point out another sexist thing with the concept in general; why is there no male hero with superpowers other than Tuxedo Kamen who pretty much just throws roses? Sexism goes both ways, not just with women. I'm not saying sexism is right by any means, but its pretty hard to avoid altogether no matter what is done. Due to this, sexism can't really be used to separate the Japanese and English dub because it runs through the plot as a whole.
I hate the cutey-cute trend of Japanese VAs in the style of Yuno Gasai, but a thought on any "Serena" makes me queasy. 
That's some weird sex, and reading far too much into it. And I thought I had a dirty mind. 
