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Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, the most famous mahou shoujo series, and probably the most popular (sorry, Pastel Yumi fans ^_-). It's also my favourite anime/manga. ^^;; What can I say, I love it to death, and will spend waaay too much money buying anything with a Sailormoon logo. ^^;; Ichiban suki na anime!
It's also one of the only series with a real honest-to-god yuri couple. Haruka and Michiru, Sailoruranus and Sailorneptune respectively, have a caring, loving relationship, which is very apparent in the series. They're constantly teasing each other, and sometimes even say naughty things. ^_~
It's pretty much a stereotypical lesbian relationship, with Haruka being the "butch" male-type, and Michiru being the "femme" feminine-type. As much as I hate stereotypes, it really works in this case. Besides, I look at it this way: Takeuchi-sensei isn't saying *just* Haruka-types are lesbians. She's saying Michiru-types can be lesbians, too! ^_^ I wouldn't change them at all (Haruka...*_*).
The best part about HarukaxMichiru, though is the way they got together. The manga doesn't offer us any insights, but the anime has wonderful episode 106. In it, Michiru has been watching Haruka for a long time (since she was in third year junior high). She's wanted to ride in Haruka's car, and get to know her better. This is *before* she realises Haruka is Sailoruranus. She's always known Haruka is a girl. When she finds out Haruka will have to fight to prevent the silence, she doesn't like that fact at all, and actually tells Haruka not to accept her destiny. It's *Haruka* who rejects Michiru at first (because she's afraid of her duty as a Senshi), although it's clear that she's attracted to her. When Neptune risks her life to save Haruka, and admits what she feels to her, Haruka reaches for her henshin wand, and accepts her fate if for no other reason than to be with Michiru. [sobs] Is that not the best? A fanfic couldn't do it better! ^_~
HarukaxMichiru isn't the only canon yuri couple in Sailormoon. There's also Sailorlethe and Sailormnemosyne. The appear in the fifth series manga. They are very much polar opposites, but all they want to do is live happily together. No stereotypes here! Both Lethe and Mnemosyne are very "femme."
That's about it as far as canon yuri is concerned, but you know fan yuri doesn't end there! ^_~ My personal favourites are ChibiusaxHotaru, ReixMinako, and AmixMakoto. These pairs aren't *totally* pulled out of thin air, though. Especially for ReixMinako there are subtle hints in the manga and artbooks. For example, in the second last scene in tankoubon 18, Haruka is holding Michiru (of course), Makoto and Ami are holding hands, and Rei is locked onto Minako's arm. Because this scene is the final one in which we see the Senshi, you have to wonder if Takeuchi-sensei is trying to tell us something.
I can't end the yuri discussion without mentioning a certain picture. In tankoubon 4 on page 99 there is a very, um, interesting picture of Usagi and Minako. They are both dressed very seductively. Minako is standing behind Usagi, and has one hand on her thigh and another on her breast. Usagi is leaning back into the embrace, and looks very pleased. ^^ This doesn't mean anything as far as canon is concerned (Takeuchi-sensei just likes to draw stuff like that), but it's interesting to say the least.
Sailormoon also has its yaoi component, so I'll go into a little bit of it here. In the first season anime, Zoisite and Kunzite are a couple (it's not really clear in the manga). The R movie has Fiore wanting something Mamoru isn't willing to give (sort of shounenai implications here). Also, Fisheye in the anime is gay (boy, is he ever! ^_~), and is constantly going after every good-looking man he comes across (not the least of which is Mamoru, who he actually kisses while Mamoru is unconscious). There's also a little bit of shota action when Fisheye goes after that elementary school soccer player ("strong young thighs" ... o.o;;;).
Because it's so mainstream, a lot of people like to ignore the yuri/yaoi elements in Sailormoon. Personally, I think they need to get over themselves and get acquainted with shoujo manga/anime. It's a really common thing, and just because they are homophobic, and don't want Sailormoon to be that way, doesn't change anything.
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