This thesis investigates how the portrayal of Ten’ō Haruka and Kaiō Michiru in the 1990s anime Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn contrasts with previous portrayals of female same-sex relationships in shōjo...Show moreThis thesis investigates how the portrayal of Ten’ō Haruka and Kaiō Michiru in the 1990s anime Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn contrasts with previous portrayals of female same-sex relationships in shōjo media. In earlier shōjo works, relationships between women were characterized as ephemeral. Same-sex relationships were either not explicitly labeled as romantic, or ended in tragedy if they were with the death of one or both characters. Starting from the late 1970s, these relationships followed rigid character archetypes. Supported by an analysis of the source material, this study argues that the characters of Haruka and Michiru are more nuanced than these archetypes and their relationship is portrayed as lasting rather than fleeting. Additionally, their narrative avoids the trope of a tragic ending, which was and continues to be prevalent in same-sex literature.Show less
