Serena vs Bunny.

[ChampionOfNuggets]

The DIC dub did call the Princess "Serenity" at times, suggesting that "Serena" was a nickname, perhaps to distinguish her from her same-named mother.

Luna only knew they were looking for a "Moon Princess," not a "Princess Serena." If you have no problem with Japanese!Luna and the rest of the gang not remembering that that Moon Princess looked exactly like Usagi, or realizing that Usagi Tsukino a.k.a. Sailor Moon might be the "Tsuki no Purinsessu / Moon Princess," criticizing DIC!Luna for not recognizing Serena as Princess Serena (which, again, is a nonissue) is hypocritical.

This is an excellent point.

Even I’ve given the dub crap for having Serena be named Serena as a Princess (though that technically got fixed) but in Japanese her name literally translates out to Rabbit of the Moon.

Like if we can accept that Queen Serenity was seriously lame enough to have her daughter reincarned into a family whose surname means of the moon and they would name her based off an eastern folkore than lol

is it really that hard to swallow in the English dub that Queen Serenity would reincarnate her daughter into a family who would give her the exact same name that she had as a Princess.

“Oh this couple was planning on naming their first born daughter the same name as my daughter? Perfect”

 

[Neo Queen Serenity]

The thread now includes a poll.

 

[JayD22460]

Even I’ve given the dub crap for having Serena be named Serena as a Princess (though that technically got fixed) but in Japanese her name literally translates out to Rabbit of the Moon.

Like if we can accept that Queen Serenity was seriously lame enough to have her daughter reincarned into a family whose surname means of the moon and they would name her based off an eastern folkore than lol

Her name Tsukino Usagi 月野うさぎ translates to "moon field Usagi" -- the "Usagi" part is written in hiragana so its meaning is ambiguous. It's a pun on the phrase tsuki no usagi 月の兎 which means "rabbit of the moon" and is pronounced exactly the same. But the moon part is still present, so I see your point.

 

[Memento]

うさぎ means "rabbit." Just because it's written in hiragana doesn't make its meaning ambiguous. Even the Japanese Wikipedia page on rabbits is entitled with the katakana for "usagi", and not the kanji.

 

[ChampionOfNuggets]

With the rabbit motif given to Usagi the intention of her name is obvious.

 

[redneonglow]

Bunny was the name used in Europe right?

 

[JayD22460]

With the rabbit motif given to Usagi the intention of her name is obvious.

That’s definitely true and it’s why the pun works so well — but you did say translate, not allude. The written form matters. “Usagi” could also have been rendered with different kanji for “usa” and “gi” (or maybe three different kanji for "u" "sa" and "gi" -- it's unlikely and probably not a "real" name but it's a possibility) though I wouldn’t say that would be a common thing to do...but it’s not unheard of, like when people use kanji for Western names based on the sounds.

TLDR, “Usagi” means rabbit in spoken form, but in hiragana it’s slightly more vague even though we all know it’s rabbit. The point I was trying to make is that her first name isn’t written in kanji. That’s all I meant.

It is true that even in hiragana “usagi“ will always mean rabbit but what I’m saying is that it’s technically possible for Usagi’s name to have been written “u sa gi” with three different kanji and it therefore would not have meant rabbit.

うさぎ means "rabbit." Just because it's written in hiragana doesn't make its meaning ambiguous. Even the Japanese Wikipedia page on rabbits is entitled with the katakana for "usagi", and not the kanji.

That's true, but notice how that Wiki page starts off with the kana form and then *immediately* clarifies with kanji. There *is* a small layer of ambiguity when a word is only rendered in kana, even if the meaning is glaringly obvious. Japanese works with these very small ambiguities and that's how it thrives. I'm not gonna sit here and say "Usagi does not mean rabbit" and if that's how I came across before, then I spoke incorrectly -- but I will absolutely say that when written in hiragana, even if a word is well known and is made perfectly clear from context, there is a small dash of ambiguity. It's intentional.

Like, I'm not trying to say that a Japanese person will not know うさぎ as meaning "rabbit" when reading it in hiragana. Obviously they will know it refers to rabbits. But I was speaking on a very technical level and made the distinction to simply point out the name wasn't rendered in kanji.

It was probably wrong of me to say/imply that Usagi in hiragana doesn't mean rabbit. It's probably a word written in kana more often than not. But it's also wrong to imply that hiragana does not associate itself with ambiguity. If you write a word like "kikan" or to make a Sailor Moon connection "rei" in hiragana, you're going to have a LOT of potential meanings. Usagi doesn't seem to have any homophones in Japanese, but like I said, it would technically be possible to write "u sa gi" with three different kanji...unusual and bizarre, but not impossible. And in hiragana form it would be identical.

At any rate let’s not harp on this, I was only trying to explain why “rabbit on the moon” is a pun and not a translation.

 

[Sakuranbo]

I vote for Bunny because it is the English word for Usagi and I like the name Usagi better since it sounds like a very nice name, plus it's her original name too.

 

[ChampionOfNuggets]

I vote for Bunny because it is the English word for Usagi and I like the name Usagi better since it sounds like a very nice name, plus it's her original name too.

Rabbit is the meaning of her original name but Serena sounds way better than Bunny as an English name. I cringe when reading the Mixx manga calling her Bunny

 

[Sakuranbo]

Rabbit is the meaning of her original name but Serena sounds way better than Bunny as an English name. I cringe when reading the Mixx manga calling her Bunny

I agree that Bunny does sound like a strange name to name a girl in the English language and I respect your opinion if you like the name Serena more.

 

[onesurvive]

The names are simply something I dont like as they were always different in every dub I have seen. I guess people really cherish thes old dubs so I will stop criticize. Still Bunny as long as we take the translation alone makes more sense.

Don't apologize for how you feel based on the fact that there are 90s dub fans here who will try to bury you for your opinion (something we are all entitled to yet some feel the need to try and prove theirs as superior).

I prefer Bunny as it was used in German which was tje version I grew up with. I never liked the Serena. It was stupid to make her name cliser to Serenity, even more stupid in Dic dub where they didn't use Serenity, but Serena instead
Ih my god Luna, who is that princess you are searching for that is called Serena. Of course it cannot be the same Serena yiu are sharing a house with. Anyway I agree Bunny is not perfect but that is what Usagi means anyway and makes the jokes with her name in the show works - like in episide 11. Serena sounds too posh for Usagi.

My thoughts exactly. Regardless how much DiC lovers try to prove it wrong, it's crystal clear the dub creators weren't thinking when the name connection would be quite obvious. (and no I am not posting proof, IDGAF).

 

[ChampionOfNuggets]

Don't apologize for how you feel based on the fact that there are 90s dub fans here who will try to bury you for your opinion (something we are all entitled to yet some feel the need to try and prove theirs as superior).

That’s it. Those mean 90s dub fans shoving their opinions on sub fans. Can’t imagine what that’s like....

My thoughts exactly. Regardless how much DiC lovers try to prove it wrong, it's crystal clear the dub creators weren't thinking when the name connection would be quite obvious. (and no I am not posting proof, IDGAF).

I mean I agree that Serena and Darien having the same names in both their past and present lives was dumb as hell and confusing on DiC’s part and I’m glad it was dropped (for Serena at least) for the post-1995 dubbed episodes.

I also think its stupid that Usagi and Mamoru end up taking on the names of their DEAD past lives and somehow become royalty despite being of no royal blood where it counts. Usagi telling the people of Tokyo she was the princess of the moon should have been met with laughter not “yaaas lets make her the Queen of everything”

And hey if its dumb that Luna can’t remember the Princess’s name was Serena then its also dumb that she can’t remember that the princess looks exactly like Usagi.

It’s also lame that Queen Serenity had Princess Serenity reborn into a family whose family name literally means “ of the moon” if she’s lame enough to do that she would be lame enough to have her daughter reborn into a family that would give her the exact same name.

 

[sapphire91]

I don't really hate the old dub. In fact, I find it entertaining. But Serena and Darien having exactly the same names as their past lives was very strange. Probably it was less confusing for the audience they were targeting to, but I doubt kids are that dumb.

 

[litacan]

i like serena, bunny sounds kind of interesting. it sounds like a nickname.

 

[onesurvive]

That’s it. Those mean 90s dub fans shoving their opinions on sub fans. Can’t imagine what that’s like....

I think you're missing the point of what I said, 90s dub fans here love to harp on you for not liking it, asking for examples and always have some kind of comeback as to why it's so great. I've said several times I don't give a flying F&%k who likes it and I don't care to hear examples of why they think it's great. There is a difference. If there is a topic about the two I will state my opinion.

Now back to on topic (onceeee again) I think Bunny would have been a bit more fitting.

 

[sapphire91]

It could have been both. Her name is Serena, but everybody calls her Bunny. Many jokes would have been easier to incorporate from translator's poibt of view.

 

[onesurvive]

It could have been both. Her name is Serena, but everybody calls her Bunny. Many jokes would have been easier to incorporate from translator's poibt of view.

I do actually like the idea of maybe her nickname being Serena coming from Serenity when she was a princess, but not for her reincarnation name.

 

[ChampionOfNuggets]

It could have been both. Her name is Serena, but everybody calls her Bunny. Many jokes would have been easier to incorporate from translator's poibt of view.

It could have. But again I’m glad they went with Serena because Serena is a pretty name. Bunny just sounds dumb.

 

[sapphire91]

They could have used plenty of names. I think they just they decided to use Serena because of the whole Rini thing. I admit many countries that chose to use Bunny ended up with entierly different name or kept Chibi Usa and the whole connection got lost. Even now with the VIZ dub they could have used Mini Usa and Mini Moon, but they played it safe probably scared some of the purist would bash on them. For me a translation should be faithful but also unnoticed bringing the same feel as if you watch something that hasn't been translated but meant for your language. They way Disney and Pixar hendle dubs for their movies in other countries. Having Japanese cultural references, dishes etc is one thing and it is good, but having that Chibi Usa out of nowwhere is a bit jarring.

 

[onesurvive]

Unfortunately the Mexican dub of the 90s show uses the DiC names but they use the original Japanese for crystal.