The first thing that comes to my mind when I consider the death of a page, and in this case, a page with a considerable following is "It's a tragedy."

Well, most of the time, anyway...

In the case of the "Pit of the Lunar Inquisition", a page devoted to the spread of the fanbase of the original version of Sailormoon at the expense of those who would like to perhaps watch this story in their own language, I made an exception. My first thought was:

Hurray! The Wicked Witch is DEAD!

Don't get me wrong...I visited The Pit a few times, and I liked the page itself. It was very-well laid out, and it made its points in a concise manner. It loaded fast, and there were no faults that most people complain about when they complain about a page.

My reasons for celebrating the death of The Pit have to do with the person behind the scenes, a guy who goes by the online name of Xplo. If you have visited the "Square of the Village Idiot" section of my page, then you are acquainted with Xplo and his first run in with me.

Well folks, he hasn't changed. Xplo is still the arrogant, stubborn, dictatorial jerk that I took him to be back a few months ago. He still insults people who don't agree with him, and he still refuses to listen to a shred of what a lot of people have to say. To him, the original version of the Sailormoon series should be distributed directly from the way it came out onto screens across America and the world.

What he and a bunch of his fellow "non-dubbies" don't take into consideration is the combination of the age of the majority of the SM fans, and the attitudes of the parents in this situation. They fail to consider the views of the religious community in THIS country in particular, and they don't think about the relative feebleness of the corporations who would sponsor such a thing. They forget that in this country, right now, cartoons are the domain of children, and there are limits to what a lot of parents are willing to let children see or hear.

While I agree that a lot of these things should not be a part of the equation, I also don't have children. I doubt that if I did, my opinion would change much.

He also fails to consider that perhaps something a little less than shouting an offending string of insults at a person is a lot more effective a way of getting his message across, and it just might make believers out of a few of those who are sitting on the fence.

However, the biggest part of Xplo's anti-dub campaign is gone, and for that, I am thankful.

Artemis

(comments welcome - please email me at [email protected] and I will post your comments here as well.)

From Kuo Usako-chan, of the SMZ/CC Forum:

Okay, I've tried to stay out of this whole mess as much as humanely possible. But, now, since my comments are WELCOMED, here's my very blunt opinion on your editorial...

Why?

Artemis, I've tried to stay neutral on this whole thing, really, I have. But you take this whole dub/anti-dub thing FAR too personally. It's a damn ANIME people, just grow up! You're all taking this out of proportion. But Artemis, you may not like Xplo, but is that any reason to celebrate the downing of his page? _I_ think it's a tragedy, the Pit was a great page. Just because you don't agree with it's points and the author doesn't mean you have to get off publicly on it's demise. That's INCREDIBLY immature.

I hope you don't feel like I'm attacking you, 'cause I'm not. I just think that your motives are all wrong. I know the Luna Founddation, is your page, yada yada, and you can say what you want... but do we CARE how you feel on a decent pages death? And rather, you should have renamed your editorial to something like: "Yes, I'm bitching about Xplo again! But you don't know that! SHH!". Just stop letting everything get under your skin. This is just a stupid forum on a stupid thing called the Internet you're reading on this stupid thing called a computer. And this goes for ALL of you. If you really are going to get offended at something someone says/does online, you need to go outside and smell the roses. There is life beyond the Internet.

To take it to that level, Artemis, let's say you had a nice, shiny car, the type no one could find fault with. And, let's say it was a, say, Saturn, k? So you're driving around with your Saturn, and you decide suddenly that you're sick of the car, so you get rid of it. And you're sitting there, and you hear some guy (who just happens to be 8 years older than you) laugh about how "that bastard John FINALLY got rid of that Saturn. I can't stand him. He keeps showing off his fucking Saturn! Just because I have a Dodge! He has no consideration for others!". That's how stupid this whole editorial is.

Listen, I don't want this to spawn any new flame wars, etc. I've been VERY quiet during this whole mess. I just want to know your motives behind this editorial. And I'm also curious as to why you let this whole thing take you over so much. This is just a forum. See? If you click File, Close (if you use Windows, that is), it goes away. See? Doesn't that feel better? And you know that show on the TV? That's just a show! It's not real! It's not like bombings or hate crimes or anything like that! It's A TV SHOW. And some (including I), cannot STAND the dub version. In fact, I wish it would disappear. But that's my opinion. And I'm not going to carry on with it. So maybe you should stop carrying on all this anti-Xplo bullshit. Argh. Why can't we all just get along?

(I hope this didn't sound like an attack. I'm just pissed that no one bothered with my X-Japan CD review a few days back! ::Sobs:: ::puts on DRAIN again and blares it:: LET ME DRAIN!)

Sincerely, Kou Usako-chan

PS: Everyone, if this starts some sort of flame war, I'm going to go and bitch-slap all of you. Ok? Usako is NOT in happy happy mood today and wishes everyone would make love, not war/hate/rape/fear/and dubbed animes.

From Gretchie, also of the SMZ/CC Forum:

(stuff in [] is me)

I was bored and am in an opinionated state of mind today so I read your Editorial... (kinda LOOOONG rant but good)

[To him, the original version of the Sailormoon series should be distributed directly from the way it came out onto screens across America and the world. What he and a bunch of his fellow "non-dubbies" don't take into consideration is the combination of the age of the majority of the SM fans, ]

Please enlighten me with how old you think these kids are... NO little kid that I babysit for (and I babysit for a LOT of kids) LIKES Sailor Moon. It's always the older generation that enjoys it...as much as you and the corprate commies would like to think, Sailormoon IS NOT directed at 2-8 year old kids... It's directed at teens and pre-teens (I've seen a LOT of japanese kids programs) and NONE are go anywhere that BSSM goes. [and the attitudes of the parents in this situation. ]

I doubt that parents care... ISN'T the US trying to become a homosexually accepting culture???

[They fail to consider the views of the religious community in THIS country in particular, ]

Umm... no. I'll admit RIGHT now I'm one step away from athiesm because the church structure has never struck me as a 'valid' set of laws in which one is to follow. The Pope of the Catholic church is sexist, and shuns abortion. I could go on and on about religion, but I don't think anyone wants to hear me ramble on.

[and they don't think about the relative feebleness of the corporations who would sponsor such a thing. ]

DAMN CORPORATES! ::giggles:: coporate creeps, assholes in monkey suits, I'll never be one...I'll paint my bus and drive into the desert.

[They forget that in this country, right now, cartoons are the domain of children, and there are limits to what a lot of parents are willing to let children see or hear. ]

The family system is another sick and corupted thing in america... I mean GOD howmany of you have familys like that of the Brady Bunch or the Parterage Family? Happy go lucky familys like that DON'T happen...so I'm skeptical to believe that even at a young age the 'child' pays attention to the parent, the parent doesn't have the athority that it used to...well mine sure as hell don't.

[ Xplo is still the arrogant, stubborn, dictatorial jerk that I took him to be back a few months ago. He still insults people who don't agree with him, and he still refuses to listen to a shred of what a lot of people have to say.]

Now was it YOU or your alter-ego Sailor Kym that announced the NO NAMECALLING thing...I can't quite remember, but anyway reading that one word in particular comes to mind... HYPOCRYTE. ::sighs:: OOh and you have ANOTHER rant on him called the square of the village idiot...maybe I'll read that later, maybe I won't.

[However, the biggest part of Xplo's anti-dub campaign is gone, and for that, I am thankful.]

the anti-dub campain lives on, in EVERY flame to SOS in EVERY person that will now join DIRE (which is on My to do list ^^) and every bash of the Dub that we read. The anti-dub campain isn't over, it hasn't even started on the path to it's peak. If Naoko saw what DiC did she'de be burning with anger, for her beautiful art was changed into a little kiddie pop culture show. I don't have any consideration for the Dub, for I didn't learn of BSSM from it. I watched 2 episodes of the Dub and was absolutely DISGUSTED at something that horrible, which was the english version of something I loved. consider that next time

~*Gretchie

(sorry to have bored you with such useless prattle but oh well)

From Skeets:

First off, I find it incredibly immature that you take such delight in watching other peoples' hard work go to waste. Yes, I realize that you have personal problems with Xplo, but that's still no reason to CELEBRATE. Xplo put countless hours into that site, and it *IS* a tragedy that The Pit is going down. You shouldn't condemn an entire group based on the freelance actions of one man.

As for the beliefs of The Inquisition itself, I still stand by them. As I understand it, the Lunar Inquisition stood for the promotion of the Original Sailormoon, not at the EXPENSE of dubbies, but for the education and growth of the dubbies. Anyone who has actually SEEN the original series would know that the Dub is extremely watered down, edited, and Americanized to the point that it loses a good deal of its original flavor. Sailor Moon was just a passing fancy until I saw Bishousjo Senshi Sailormoon, and now I'm a loyal, die-hard fan. Just sit down and WATCH the original, because it will really open your eyes.

And your argument about the moral system that exists in this country also baffles me, as do all attempts at censorship. Do you believe in censoring revered works of art because there just happens to be a breast or two showing? Do you believe in censoring a masterwork novel or poem because of questionable language? By "editing" the work of others, you take away their power, their right to think, and to share their feelings through their work.

But what will the parents do, you ask? Well gee, how about they do some actual PARENTING? Don't want your kids to watch an anime series because you think it's "questionable"? Then go out and buy that V-Chip, put up those parental blocks, or just plain TELL your kids not to watch it!

OR, they can do what my parents did. My parents talked to me, and explained to me the difference between TV and reality, until I understood it. And you know what? I've been watching rated R movies since I was 8 years old, but you don't see me going around shooting people or seducing some hapless male! I haven't even been in a fistfight before. Kids DO have minds of their own, you know, and it's not a crime to make them use it.

As for people who honestly LIKE the Dub, that's fine, and I don't condemn you for your choice, because that's what your persona preference is. But don't make judgements about the Original until you have experienced it for yourself. And don't look at every non-Dub-fan as somebody who wants to convert you by force. We're just ASKING, not FORCING.

Skeets

An email by Anna Krautz:

To - Artemis

This letter is a comment on your editorial 'My Turn (Or, the death of The Lunar Pit of Inquisition.) I don't intend for this to be very long, so I'm sorry if it drags. I also believe that this article has been up for some time, so I'm sorry if this is a little out-of-date.

First of all, I want to say one thing: Rubbish

The wicked witch is dead? What grade are you in? One, two? Rejoicing in someone else's downfall, even your enemies? I find that so 'extremely' immature. You talk about religion in your article. How can you defend, at yet go against something at the same time? As most religions clearly state to 'love your enemies'. Even if you can't love them, do you think it's possible to not publicly gloat about this?

You say that he insults people who don't agree with him, and refuses to listen to what other people have to say. I'm afraid I have to disagree. I visited his page once, and sent him an e-mail asking about his stance on religion, families, etc., and he sent me a very sensible e-mailback giving me good, valid replies to my questions. I find him to be a reasonable person.

I also agree strongly with Gretchie's comments, even if she was a bit blunt. How long do you spend at you computer? Don't you know anything about society? It's true there will be some people who object to an original version of Sailormoon, but if missing out one cartoon will badly affect their lives, they are sad, sad, people. No-one is forcing them to watch this show. It's 'choice'! You act like everyone has to watch it, so we might as well make it pathetic so they don't mind.

Grrr, I'm going on too much. I'd like to end with a note that you recieved no positive comments on this editoral, which leads one to wonder. I hope you realize how immature you were about this. Sorry if I seem harsh. I've had a bad day, and was rather upset to hear about the page's closing down even before I read this article.

~The Former Swift~