Ok, now this is a rather nonsensical question but has been nagging me. Maybe this is a yaoi thing, but when people are putting together two names of a couple, the dominant figure always comes first. For example, to put it in Sailor Moon terms, if one were to pair together Kunzite and Zoicite, it would be Kunzite x Zoicite, with Kunzite's name coming first to show that he is the dominant (seme) of the couple.

Now with Mamoru being the male of the couple, techinically his name should go first because he is Usagi's protector and all that. However, I have never done that. And I do not know anyone else who puts Mamoru's name first either. Is it because Usagi is the main character? And perhaps because as Sailor Moon, she is stronger than Mamoru with him being her supporter?


Just a bit of silliness really, but just wondering how you guys felt as well.

On my blog, whenever I find a romantic picture of Usagi and Mamoru, I naturally put her name first, only because I commonly think of her as the main character. I've also seen that with her other pairings like UsagixSeiya, UsagixDiamond, etc.

For some reason I have a tendency to say MamoxUsa or I'll switch it around. I don't think I look at it as a dominance thing. I look at it more of what sounds better at the time. XD

Brit-chan wrote:

For some reason I have a tendency to say MamoxUsa or I'll switch it around. I don't think I look at it as a dominance thing. I look at it more of what sounds better at the time. XD

Yah! That is how I feel. UsagiMamoru feels easier to say than Mamoru-Usagi. The latter kinda feels like a mouthful to say. Or sometimes I will say UsaMamo, but I don't know, it feels easier to say her name first. Maybe because it starts with a vowel? XD

Well, the dude is hardly always the dominant person in a het relationship, right? I mean, I don't really do the dominance thing with pairing order, though I know it's super-common - I tend to switch around a lot. But if we're doing that thing then Mamoru is totally the damsel in distress of Sailor Moon, SO. (How many times has he been abducted and had to be rescued by Usagi? FOR SERIOUS.)

I agree with Toft! I would consider her to be the dominant one for the same reasons. Plus she has him wrapped around her finger a little bit UsagixMamoru sounds better anyway!

Yeah, I tend to put it in the order of "who initiates," "who seduces," "who is dominant" (only in kink fics), and "who directs the relationship." I usually decide that dynamic by putting the older person first, or if they're the same age, in alphabetical order. Every now and then, I write a Younger x Older fic, too.

This leads to interesting dynamics like Ami being the most dominant of the Sailor Team, and the possible contradiction of "Haruka x Michiru" vs. "Neptune x Uranus."

See, I'm weird. If it's a het pairing, I always put the girl first, and if it's a yuri/yaoi pairing, I put the uke first. XD I just like it better that way.

Kyasariin wrote:

See, I'm weird. If it's a het pairing, I always put the girl first, and if it's a yuri/yaoi pairing, I put the uke first. XD I just like it better that way.

First, the fact that you even mentioned yaoi/yuri and ukes makes you automatically awesome in my book. I want to make you my new best friend.

Ahem. But yah, I never put the uke first. lol. Do you know what I think it is. How it sounds by the wording. Usually I always put the seme first but there are some instances where one name just fits better than the other. For example, with Gin and Aizen, Aizen is clearly the dominant to me. But it feels weird to say Aizen before Gin, so I always say Gin x Aizen (which then makes people think that I consider Gin to be the seme. lol.) In het pairings I think I usually put the male first, except if, as I said before, the names sound better the other way.

Rachael wrote:

and the possible contradiction of "Haruka x Michiru" vs. "Neptune x Uranus."

Oh my gosh, so true but I never thought of that! I have to say that must be (for me) because of the way it feels to say their names. Uranus x Neptune does not feel as natural to say in comparison to Neptune x Uranus.

Sailor Jupiter wrote:

Kyasariin wrote:

See, I'm weird. If it's a het pairing, I always put the girl first, and if it's a yuri/yaoi pairing, I put the uke first. XD I just like it better that way.

First, the fact that you even mentioned yaoi/yuri and ukes makes you automatically awesome in my book. I want to make you my new best friend.

God you guys, why are you so adorable.

Also, Kyasariin, your strategy totally appeals to my sense of the perverse.

Sailor Jupiter wrote:

Rachael wrote:

and the possible contradiction of "Haruka x Michiru" vs. "Neptune x Uranus."

Oh my gosh, so true but I never thought of that! I have to say that must be (for me) because of the way it feels to say their names. Uranus x Neptune does not feel as natural to say in comparison to Neptune x Uranus.

Haruka and Michiru switch anyway.

Toft wrote:

But if we're doing that thing then Mamoru is totally the damsel in distress of Sailor Moon, SO. (How many times has he been abducted and had to be rescued by Usagi? FOR SERIOUS.)

Haruka and Michiru switch anyway.

That's my headcannon right there, Toft XD

Toft wrote:

Sailor Jupiter wrote:

Kyasariin wrote:

See, I'm weird. If it's a het pairing, I always put the girl first, and if it's a yuri/yaoi pairing, I put the uke first. XD I just like it better that way.

First, the fact that you even mentioned yaoi/yuri and ukes makes you automatically awesome in my book. I want to make you my new best friend.

God you guys, why are you so adorable.

Also, Kyasariin, your strategy totally appeals to my sense of the perverse.

LMFAO! Thanks, both of you!

Apparently I'm a bit backwards when it comes to yaoi pairings. I always read the seme as the first one and the uke second. But, on the same hand, I don't have a preference with het couples.

Usagi x Mamoru just sounds. . . right.

That's the standard, Zaithat. Some of us are just... eccentric. XD

You know what else it could be, i find it also depends on who the main character of the story is. Say like in DBZ the main character is Goku, so for his pairings i'll think to use his name first and same goes for Sailor Moon, Usagi is the main character so I think her name should come first. Thats just a thought i had today.