For the first few months in the Manga Reading Club, we were discussing romantic themes centering around the first arc of the story. It got me thinking about the Inner Senshi quite a bit. Each of the different tellings of Sailor Moon approach the Inners’ potential 3rd party (i.e. not with each other) romantic relationships differently:

90’s Anime

• All the inner senshi get their own semi-reciprocated relationship stories though none of them pan out fully.
  
• Ami & Ryo (multiple episodes)
  
• Rei & Yuuichirou (multiple episodes)
  
• Minako & Asai (ep 100)
  
• Makoto & Shinozaki (ep 49)
  

Manga

• None of them get a taste of reciprocated love and are sometimes instead faced with tragic situations.
  
• Ace tries to kill and also "curses" Venus (Codename wa Sailor V)
  
• Kaidou accepts a kiss from Rei but still goes to marry someone else (Casablanca Memories sidestory)
  

Crystal

• Past relationships with the Shitennou are presented as canon but end in tragedy.
  
• No present-time relationships are presented.
  

PGSM

• There seems to be more of a character based approach.
  
• Makoto and Motoki get engaged
  
• Ami/Dark Mercury has a bit of connection with Nephrite
  
• Minako is too busy for love
  
• Rei stays true to her “I hate men” diatribe.
  

SeraMyu
Someone else can chime in here about the musicals because I still haven’t seen enough of them ^^;;. Sorryyyy!!!

So, my question is how do you guys feel about each approach? Which one do you think is best in conveying the destined sacrifice they make for their duty?

(Of course if I’ve missed any major examples, let me know and I'll add 'em!)

I think the manga shows the sacrifice they make the best, since rei and minako swear off men for good to focus on protecting usagi and mamoru. Then again, the 90s anime shows it really well too, since they all have someone to love, but it just never happens.

I love how dramatic the manga is! Sailor Venus, in particular, is given a heavy dose of romantic betrayal and failed relationships. The others also have their brushes with love, like you mentioned with Rei for Casablanca Memories. There's even a hint with Makoto and Asanuma, although it's not overt in the slightest.

I also adore how different PGSM is. The live-action seems a bit more realistic, to me. It does an overall better job relating to the characters.

I have a soft spot for the 90s anime. Especially Ami and Ryo! SO CUTE.

I think the manga and 90s anime are a tie for me. I'm less fond of the Four Kings established bit in Crystal.

The scene with Ace and V at the end of Codename: Sailor V is my favorite in the respect of portraying the sacrifice that Minako has to make or at least chooses to make of duty over love. (also there's conjecture about whether he makes a curse, prophecy, character judgement, or insult, but that's a topic for elsewhere)

While I agree that the manga does the best job at showing the sacrifices the Inners make in romance, I think PGSM does the best overall portrayal of romance for them, because they are treated as individuals rather than as a unit. Mako struggles with duty vs love, similarly to Minako in the manga, however she gets a happier ending; Ami is awkward with love, but doesn't really consider it in relation to their fighting; and Rei and Minako are largely unconcerned with love for very different reasons (Minako's whole "Minako Is Dead" approach to life definitely shows her duty over love choice, while Rei is just Rei), but despite this lack of interest still have a meaningful relationship with the potential to develop into something romantic. The reason this is my favorite is because it shows that they don't have to sacrifice love for their duty, but it is a balance they have to maintain and isn't as simple as "just have both!"

Sailor Mercury wrote:

There's even a hint with Makoto and Asanuma, although it's not overt in the slightest.

I thought about that but I think it's actually one-sided on the part of Asanuma? Makoto seems to be relatively unaware of his feelings XD.

Sailor Mercury wrote:

I have a soft spot for the 90s anime. Especially Ami and Ryo! SO CUTE.

Can't help it, right? Geek love!!  

cardea wrote:

The reason (PGSM) is my favorite is because it shows that they don't have to sacrifice love for their duty...

I got the impression that a small part of this was because unlike the other tellings, their mission really does end with the defeat of the Dark Kingdom. But I agree, it does seem like to them, love and duty are not as much at odds in their minds as the other tellings. Good observation.

Sailor Mercury wrote:

I think the manga and 90s anime are a tie for me. I'm less fond of the Four Kings established bit in Crystal.

We all know I love ShittennouxInners, but I have to agree with you on Crystal's version of it. Part of me loves it for making it cannon, but another part dislikes how they handled it.