Do I have to be familiar with SailorMoon to understand your story? -or- Ew, I hate that show, I never watched it, so I probably won't get this.
Familiarity with SailorMoon - the show or the manga - is NOT necessary. Will it help? Yes. But it's definitely not necessary. Most of the information on my characters, along with their numerous pictures, should be enough to "guide" you through the story. But, if you really don't even care to try, and are just convinced that you won't "get it," then you're S.O.L. because no amount of explaining, or handing it to you on a silver platter will work. And to those of you who blow off the story because it's based around SailorMoon... well... you suck. :P :D ^.~
Why Germany instead of Japan?
Well, I picked Germany because it's a country I'm familiar with. I've been there, I (kind of) speak the language, and it's one of my favorite places. Don't get me wrong, I'm fascinated by Japan, but I'm also very wary of trying to write something to fit in with all of their symbolism. Sailor Moon is a beautiful story (it really is, if you think about it), and it has so many cultural and traditional references that I don't understand that I'd rather leave it be. Being an American with barely any knowledge of traditional Japanese culture makes it extremely hard for me to understand and/or write about the symbols, taboos and reactions that would be expected in Japanese society, so I'd rather write about what I'm familiar with.
Aren't the senshi supposed to be from Japan?
As much as I love the show and the story, I find it a little hard to believe that ALL of Princess Serenity's court would end up in one spot - I would think they'd be scattered all over the world. Hey, I could have put them in my own hometown, but I'd never purposely subject ANYONE to that kind of torture. ^_^
Why are their uniforms yellow instead of white?
Because these senshi aren't from planets, or even this solar system. They're from stars, so I wanted them to stand out and be different. That, and the color-schemes of their outfits have already been used with a white fuku (except for Quasar's).
A Gymnasium isn't a High School!
If you speak German, then you know why that's not true. If you don't, here's why: In German, "gymnasium" is actually pronounced gim-nah'-see-um (with a hard "g" sound, instead of "j"), and literally translates to "secondary school," which in North America is a high school. So, yes, a Gymnasium IS a high school.
What's a Quasar?
A quasar is the bright source of light found at the center of a galaxy. They often look like stars in pictures, but they're not. They're actually much brighter than galaxies, and give off huge amounts of energy. It's also thought that they might be powered by black holes at their centers.
What's a Pulsar?
A pulsar is a neutron star (see below) that's spinning incredibly fast, and emits pulses of light.
What's a Neutron Star?
Yep, neutron star instead of neutron - there's a difference. A neutron star is a dead star that's collapsed in on itself. All that's left is a tiny but extremely dense core that spins very rapidly.
So, aren't a Pulsar and a Neutron Star the same thing?
Well, I know that Pulsars are spinning Neutron Stars, but I don't know if there are any Neutron Stars that are NOT Pulsars. Besides, it gives me another Sailor Senshi to play with. ^_^
What/where are the symbols for your Senshi?
**New Answer** These are located on the profile pages for each character. It took me a *very* long time to actually come up with symbols I was happy with, and I like these a lot. ^.^ Erika's symbol is a vortex with three stars in the middle. Karin's is a small circle with four large star points - kind of like a flash. Trina's is a small circle surrounded by a larger jagged circle - to represent the energy given off by a neutron star. To see the symbols, visit the profile pages for each girl.
Why don't you have any pages for the original SailorMoon characters?
Because there are so many people out there who do a *much* better job of this than I would. This is also what the "General Info" section on my Links page is for. I'm not an expert on SailorMoon by any means, and I don't want to provide false or incorrect information. Most of my exposure to SM has been with the North American ("DiC'd") version - yes, I have seen some of the original Japanese too. But since my knowledge has been limited to the number of episodes I've actually seen, I've decided to stick to what I know - and since The Starlight Senshi are MY creation, I know them better than anyone! ^_^
Can I use the Starlight Senshi in my fanfic?
No. Why? Because I've spent a lot of long hours and a lot of brain power dreaming, creating and writing about my own senshi. They are completely and thoroughly mine, and I would like to keep them that way. Am I being selfish? Absolutely!! You would be too if you came up with a cool idea, worked extremely hard at it, and did everything you could to make it a success. In fact, I'm very flattered when people like them enough to ask this question. The thing is, my characters are not "Rent-A-Senshi." And, besides, there are so many things you could do with your OWN senshi. Please, before you ask me this, take a half hour, scribble down every idea you can think of, and see what you can come up with on your own! You'll be amazed at the possibilities! Even the dumbest idea can work if you just give it a chance. If you want some ideas, take a look at ASMO's Sailor Senshi Star Seed Supply Shoppe ("S6" for short). There are some very good ideas and guidelines here - but don't feel limited to the suggestions there - do whatever you want!!! And, of course, once you've created your own and written a little fic, TELL ME!! I want to see!! ^_^ Just don't use the Starlight Senshi.
Your fanfic is set in Germany, so you're from Germany too. Right?
Well, no. Actually, I live in Chandler, Arizona, USA. I've never lived in Germany. In fact, my only experience there was back in 1994 when I visited for 2 weeks. Fantastic trip, btw, but that's a story for another time. I do speak a little bit of German, although it's elementary at best (and my accent is horribly American). But I picked Hamburg as the setting for my fanfic because I was SO impressed with the city when I was visiting (it's absolutely beautiful!), and the people are great! That, and there wouldn't be a lot for my senshi to do in Chandler - it's still farming community out here (Sailor Cowgirl??). O.o So, that's why I use Hamburg. ^.^
Can I write an episode and/or the next season of TSS?
No. Please no. I have my ideas already. Yes, it's taking me forever to get anywhere lately, but I hope to have your understanding anyway. I don't have writer's block, I'm not quitting, and motherhood hasn't killed my imagination (you wouldn't believe the pow-wow that the TSS cast has been having in my head lately... O.o;). I just need time. So, please don't take the liberty of writing an episode or outlining a plot for the next season. In all honesty, it won't even be considered. Period.
Will you add my characters to your fanfiction?
No. Please don't even ask.