Why do people say that Mamoru is a jerk in the anime?

Hotarufan2006 · Post by **Hotarufan2006** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:14 pm

Putting all my personal beliefs aside

Its true that Mamoru acts like a bit of jerk to Usagi. I also think it was wrong for him not to explain why he was avoiding her in that season. However no matter how much Mamoru acts that way Usagi still loves him more then anything in the world.

From what I have seen I have no choice but to agree that Mamoru and Usagi's relationship, if they were married is much like an old style relationship. Mamoru seems to be the kind who is most comfortable working hard and providing for his family. Usagi seems like the kind of girl who would be a stay at home mother who takes care of the family.

RainbowCrystal · Post by **RainbowCrystal** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:23 pm

1. He's a boy, (not man really, only in his teens, i think?)
2. boys get girls attention by making fun of them, you have to admit, when he had that fun poking phase in the first series "odanga atama" or "dumpling head" Usagi was very childish, as she always is i suppose, in the anime.
3. personally, i dont think hes a BIG "jerk" just maybe a minor idiot.

Post by **Tiff** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:44 pm

RainbowCrystal wrote:1. He's a boy, (not man really, only in his teens, i think?)
2. boys get girls attention by making fun of them, you have to admit, when he had that fun poking phase in the first series "odanga atama" or "dumpling head" Usagi was very childish, as she always is i suppose, in the anime.

1. Mamoru is in college. So no, he's not a teen or a boy.

2. Sure, when they're 10. I think the whole "teasing to get your attention thing" ought to be done by the time you're, you know...in COLLEGE. Usagi was childish because she IS a child...she's only 13 in the beginning.

Passions55 · Post by **Passions55** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 3:26 pm

I have read through this entire thread and I have to say that it is a very interesting read. I've never read the manga of Sailor Moon but now I'm curious as to how he is in the manga vs. the anime and if he is indeed colder in the anime. I have only really seen pictures of the manga and from I see of these manga pictures is that Mamoru can't keep his hands off Usagi

. In just those still frames with out even have read the manga it appears that Usagi and mamoru have a much more passionate relationship on a much more mature level. That and its seems they are deeply into each other. In the anime Mamoru always seems like he is more uncomfortable with showing Usagi affection and even tries to avoid it in public if he can. Like how reluctant he was in the first movie kissing Uasgi in the flower shop. Or how he acts like he doesn't under stand what Usagi is hinting at when she coyly suggests that he "warm her up", when...at the age of 18 or 19 (or however old he supposed to be) he should know what the heck that means.

Also I never really found Mamoru cruel or rude to Usagi after classic except for during the R series. In the Classic series I feel Mamoru was more distant and detached to Usagi rather than out right cruel, Although I do agree he could be a bit harsh on her at times. The only time I wanted to ninja kick Mamoru in the nits was during the R series. Man I've been rewatching those episodes on youtube and Momaru is a complete asshole. I under stand he was trying to put her off to protect her but he went a little to far on several occasions, and the way he pretty much replaced Uasgi with that ;itt;e bitch chibi Usa was pretty terrible. One instance in particular was during the episode where Usagi was trying to make curry and rice for ChibiUsa and they both abandoned her at the store when all the meet was spoiled and then later Mamoru didn't say boo to Chibi Usa when she trashed Usagi and tried to Rei take her place. Its reasons like that that I hate ChibiUsa and Mamoru. I mean its one thing to try to keep Usagi at a distance but some thing else to totally act like she isn't even important enough to stand up for when she is trying to hard.

I agree with who ever said that Mamoru could have handled the situation better than how he did, during the R series.

Princess Latona · Post by **Princess Latona** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:24 am

I seem to be in a mood for analytical, long posts tonight. Please bear with me.

I think that everyone has some great points about Mamoru in here. But I had a thought as I was driving home from school this evening, and figured I'd toss in my two cents' worth.

Is Mamoru a jerk in the anime? To me, yes and no. Yes, he acts jerky in the anime, but acting jerky doesn't always necessarily make one a jerk. Some folks whom I consider friends started out seeming like jerks at first, so that could be part of why I see him in that way.

To me, Mamoru seems less like a jerk and more like he's afraid. Has anyone else noticed that, while he has a lot of acquaintances throughout the series, he doesn't really have actual "friends"? The closest thing to a friend he has might be Motoki, and even their relationship seems more buddy-buddy than them actually being friends (though my Motoki memory's a bit hazy right now, so I could be wrong). That tells me that the jerkiness is more an act than a personality thing with him.

It seems to me that he's afraid to let anyone get too close to him. Remember, the two people who knew him best, loved him, and were closest to him were taken from him at a young age. Rather violently, too. His amnesia as a result of the accident certainly had to make things worse for him, since it probably made recalling his parents that much more difficult. As a result, he doesn't want to let anyone get that close to him again, lest they be taken from him in a similar, painful manner. I think it's only the realization of what Usagi gives to him that allows him to open himself (and by extension, his heart) to her.

As for the breakup in the R series of the anime, I actually see some small justification; part of it refers to his fear of closeness, part of it could be guilt. Since by this time, he regained his memories of their past, I wonder if Mamoru felt at least somewhat responsible for what happened to Princess Serenity. There could be a million reasons why; whether he thought loving her brought that horrible fate upon them, or maybe had he not gone to the Moon Kingdom, it (and she) would be safe...I could be here for hours listing anything possible that he could feel guilt over. Rational? Not really, but guilt isn't necessarily always rational.

So when he starts to have those dreams, they could be triggering whatever latent part of him feels guilt for her death in the past, as well as that fear of losing someone especially close to him. Seeing her meet some horrible fate in the future would naturally throw up those shields again, and make him want to protect her even at the expense of breaking each of their hearts. Again, not the most rational way to handle the situation, but it probably seemed like the only way in his mind.

So why wouldn't he tell her about those dreams? I think maybe there's a big fear of ridicule there. After all, many people fear revealing what they truly think and feel, for fear that they will be mocked and made fun of for those feelings. He strikes me as a pretty sensitive guy beneath the stoic exterior; so he might have worried that telling Usagi that he was dreaming she would die in the future would trigger her disbelief and ridicule. Coming from someone he loved, it could be doubly hurtful if she were to make light of something he took so seriously.

As for his seeming to replace Usagi with Chibi-Usa, I see there being two reasons for that. First, in the anime, he senses some sort of connection with her. He doesn't know much about it at the time, but knows there's something about her that connects her to him.

Secondly, his choice in "replacement" for Usagi happens to be someone who likely reminds him very much of her. Has anyone ever met a person who is attracted to (and often dates) several people in a row who are similar to each other, personality-wise? It could be the same here with Mamoru's affection for Chibi-Usa. With Usagi seemingly out of reach for her own protection, he looks for someone he can be affectionate with. Since Chibi Usa is Usagi's future daughter -and also shares many of her same mannerisms- to Mamoru, it could be like being with Usagi minus the risk warned about in his dreams.

Apologies again for length and rambling. I thought about this a lot, and figured putting it down would help get it out from between my ears.

lestamore · Post by **lestamore** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:25 am

Princess Latona, I think that you are right to a certain extent.

Also, growing up an orphan, and looking out or himself his whole life, he probably has a really hard time being vulnerable despite his uncertainty. I think it may not have occurred to him that someone else could help him handle the burden of his dreams in SMR.

Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned in this thread that Mamoru is like, 20, and Usagi is 14. This is in a country where arranged marriages happened regularly only a couple generations ago. (And still do, my nihongo prof was in one). People knew their spouses from the time they were babies. That doesn't mean they wanted to make out with them though, or even have peer relationships until they were old enough. Familiar love first.

I think that he may have a passionate love for adult Usagi, but a 14 year old (even 16 year old) is not an adult. That is why in the US its against the law for them to have sex. I think he may be holding back a while he waits for her to grow up. I think to a certain extent, he does see her as a child, (which to a certain extent she is). The most they ever do in the anime is pretty modest kissing. I think part of why he seems so aloof and condescending is because he feels more like her guardian until she is a bit more mature. That has got to be frustrating or him. (I haven't seen the Sailor Stars series so I can't speak to anything that happens there).

So, I think that is another reason he doesn't talk to her about his nightmares. He doesn't see her as a peer, but (kindof) as a ward. Now, as heros together he should know better, but at that point in the story, they really haven't been together at all as a couple. How should he know that Usagi can handle it.

I think his emotional problems come into this again too. Noone has ever loved him since his parents died, so it is natural that he would think it would be easier for Usagi to lose him than to know she might die. He probably figures she will get over it pretty fast. Again, they were barely together at all at this point. And he doesn't want her to be scared. I cant see that he really feels he deserves Usagi's love in the first place. She has to teach him, to see himself as she does.

That is why he keeps coming back to her, she is full of dreams, and those dreams validate him as well. In her dreams he is everything he has never been in real life. (And to find and protect her, he becomes Tuxedo Mask.. which just plays this out on another level.) She sees in him something that he can barely see in himself. That's also why she can forgive him when he is a jerk. It's because he is just learning how to love himself and through that her. But she knows his heart is there, even if he doesn't know how to express it.

(It's so Beautiful!!!)

That's my opinion anyway.

Senshi_of_Vision · Post by **Senshi_of_Vision** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:35 am

Passions55 wrote:I have read through this entire thread and I have to say that it is a very interesting read. I've never read the manga of Sailor Moon but now I'm curious as to how he is in the manga vs. the anime and if he is indeed colder in the anime..

Senshi_of_Vision wrote:Yeah another thing about Mamoru was in the anime they made him abit too much older then Usagi. I mean yeah now adays its not too far fetched for a college guy to chase a younger girl but I dunno many that would find 14 year olds attractive and have the same smarts as Mamoru was supposed to have (even if they were long lost lovers). In the manga he was only 3 years older I believe and went to his own prep school and had friends around the same age. And they talked more about his powers which he used to heal himself while playing sports. I couldnt stand the attitude they gave him in the anime basically this playboy smart dude who really didnt have much personality outside of being Tuxedo Mask.

that was part of my rant from another topic, they changed too much about Mamoru in my opinion, from his attitude towards Usagi to his powers in general. Now many like him the way he was in the anime and I wont knock that before I read the manga I got heart eyes over Tuxedo Kamen to always saving the day. But to me now Manga Mamoru is just another example of a better developed character not some one trick tommy the anime made him.

Passions55 · Post by **Passions55** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:52 am

Princess Latona, I think what people are saying him about being a jerk to Usagi is not that he is distant and aloof or even that he keeps people at a distance out of habit, but how in the anime he seems to talk down and condescend to Usagi on occasion and even appear embarrassed by her (although I can understand why he might feel that way at times) which sort of turns people off to his character.

Also the whole break up thing in R...am I the only one who thinks that the reason given by King Endymion as to why he made Mamoru and Usagi break up was completely pitiful and--pathetic! He made Mamoru think that being with Usagi would kill her to test the strength of their love for each other? Yeah, what ever

That is weak. Until it was revealed that it was King Endymion that was sending subliminal messages to Mamoru to away from Usagi, I thought it was wise man behind to stop them from getting together and creating crystal Tokyo from ever happening. Jeez!

Senshi_of_Vision · Post by **Senshi_of_Vision** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:43 am

Once again im just adding I think the manga truly solidified my dislike of Anime Mamoru, his attitude just seemed too cold to me compared to the original version of himself. I know in the anime they gave excuses, but after seeing the way Usagi and He were in the books its hard to watch his attitude. I loved seeing them embrace, the scene where she asks him about his birthday and they hold each other and kiss. It little romantic scenes like that from the books that made me believe in their relationship. If I went by the anime only I would have prefered Usagi with someone else heck even Umino showed abit more devotion to her before he and Naru got together. I wasnt expecting Mamoru to be a love struck puppy, but after the whole R nonsense and they finally started to try to be a couple it just still felt forced to me. As if he had decided to just accept that they were gonna be together instead of wanting it as equally as Usagi. To me thats what makes the whole situation of them being together in the anime a non focus point anymore. The whole romance between them pales in comparison to the books for me so I watch the shows now to enjoy other aspects.