And here’s the pivotal moment of badassery. Venus admits that the most important person in her life is her best friend and princess, Usagi. And the Mar ups the awesome by slinging her arm around Venus’s shoulder and saying “Actually…we don’t need any men. You got a problem with that?”

That right there, is the core of Sailor Moon. The Senshi may like men, they may like ‘em plenty, but they don’t need them. Ultimately, their lives are devoted to their friendship with each other and protecting their princess. They don’t need some guy to validate them- they’re very strong women on their own, and they already have strong friendships. Usagi is the one and only for them because she is their leader, princess and one of the best friends a person could ever have. Why would a guy be the center of your life when you have that?

Conversely, Mamoru is not the center of Usagi’s universe- her daughter, her friends and the world she must protect are. Mamo is just one of those friends as well as being her boyfriend. She puts her friends on the same level as him, she would never risk their lives for his, as demonstrated in how any time she has to go rescue him from the kidnapper of the weak, she either purposefully leaves them behind or tries to convince them to do so, because she doesn’t want them to get hurt. Sailor Moon is about female power and friendship. With all the hearts and flowers that entails. So I’m sad this moment wasn’t in the anime, because it really sums it up.

Also, Mars and Venus are just plain fierce here. “Got a problem with that?” They make the Stalights  flush and tremble with their fierceness even.