Starlight Pops: Rhythm: Site Information, FAQ, and Links.

  Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the FAQ section of Starlight Pops. I add questions to this page usually after I receive several emails about the same thing. So this page is my way of saving myself time and sanity, by hopefully communicating to my visitors in the most efficient way possible. And YES, just about every question on this page is a real question that at least a few people, if not many more, have asked me before. Also, please note that the Fanfic FAQ is now its own seperate document. Please take time to read through this page, and through the Fanfic FAQ, before you email me!

Site Policies

Questions About Me

English Videos, Doujinshi, Misc.


  Site Policies

Can I use the images in the galleries?

Most images in the gallery are free for the taking, but not all. PLEASE CHECK THE CREDITS in each individual gallery before you take anything. GO TO THE SOURCE, because some website owners require you to ask their permission before you can take and post their pics. (Yes, I have their permission to post their pics on my site, but that doesn't mean that you do. So ask, okay?) And ALWAYS be sure to credit the original image contributors, NOT Starlight Pops, unless it's a specific manga or doujinshi image scanned and edited by me.

You'd think that this would just be common sense, but so many people are having trouble understanding this rule. (*growls*)

While you are generally free to take and use images from the Gallery sections of this site, please refrain from taking the edited images used to illustrate the rest of my pages, especially within the Melody and Harmony sections. Anyway, almost all of the images used in the Melody and Harmony sections are available in their raw, unedited forms in the Gallery section, and are free for you to take from there.

Oh, by the way, if you want to use doujinshi images specifically, please see below.

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What should I do if I want to use doujinshi images from this site?

Ideally, doujinshi - like any fanart - shouldn't be taken and used without permission of the original artist. However, as most of the doujinshi that I've posted on this site is ten-to-twenty years old, and as it is impossible to contact many of the original artists anymore, well... We'll say that it's okay for now. (Mmm, relative ethics!)

If you want to make website graphics using doujinshi images displayed in my gallery, or if you just want to post some images in your own gallery, please be sure to follow two basic rules.

1) Credit Starlight Pops if it's an image scanned by me, or credit one of the image contributors if the image is scanned by someone else. Check the credits carefully!

2) Doujinshi is fanart, which means that you must CREDIT THE DOUJINSHI ARTIST on your page! Especially if you use doujinshi images in a main layout or something, be sure that a credit for the doujinshi circle or artist is right there on the main index in a visible spot. This may seem obvious to some, but it's something that I feel should be pointed out... Even if the doujinshi is by an unknown or anonymous artist, you should probably note that in place of credits, and once again, in a very noticeable spot.

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Can I use the information on this site?

If by "use" you mean "use to help you write your own research," then the answer is sure! That's what the information is there for, to help other people research their Starlights or Sailor Moon sites. ^^ Just please DON'T actually copy anything word-for-word, and DON'T try to merely summarize my writing and then pass it off as your own. That's plaigarism. In short, use common sense. Er, just don't go overboard, all right?

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How can I submit fanfics and fanart?

To submit a fanfic, please carefully follow the instructions on the Fanfic Submissions Page. To submit fanart, please read and follow the instructions on the Fanart Submissions Page.

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Can I post your fanfics or fanart on my site?

If it's a fanfic written by me, then please send me an email to let me know that you'd like to post my fic, and tell me what site you'd like to post it at. I'll most likely give you permission to post my fic - I love free exposure. ^^ If it's fanfiction or fanart created by somebody other than myself, PLEASE contact the original author/artist and ask for THEIR permission. Thank you.

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Will you link to my site?

You can add your website to my Free-For-All Links list. You can always ask to be included on my regular links page, although I will probably not link your site unless it is a good Starlights site or an exceptionally good Sailor Moon site. But it never hurts to ask.

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Can I link to your site?

Of course! This site is link-free. You can go ahead and use any of the buttons and banners on this page. But be sure to upload the button/banner to your OWN server. Please do not direct-link to this site.

And I appreciate text links just as much, thank you. ^__^

Oh, and one more thing - this may not seem like a big deal, but I've noticed it on a LOT of sites that link back to me, and it's starting to really annoy me. This site is titled Starlight Pops, NOT "Starlights Pop." The Sailor Starlights do not go pop or explode, you know.

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Why don't you have MP3 music on this site?

Because I don't want to.

If you like the music of the Three Lights so much, then go out and buy their CDs. Please don't ask me to post MP3s, because you will most likely succeed only in annoying me. There are not MP3s on this site, there will not be MP3s on this site, and that's that.

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Why won't you post hentai doujinshi scans?

I don't have the space, I don't have the time, I don't have the inclination. Furthermore, I have no way of protecting any hentai content from underage surfers. So for now, I have decided that I will not post scans of hentai doujinshi, and those are my reasons why.

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I don't agree with your opinions concerning certain character's personalities or relationships to other characters.

That's okay. I don't ever fool myself into believing that *my* interpretation of the series and its characters is the ONLY interpretation. If you disagree with any viewpoint expressed on this site, please let me know. You will notice that I post a lot of guest commentary on articles throughout this site, even when the opinions expressed in this commentary directly contradict my own. So please don't be shy to tell me what you think.

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What's your criteria for accepting art/fiction/commentary/wallpaper submissions from visitors?

This site basically survives on fan contributions, and I want Starlight Pops to remain an open forum where all fans (of all ages and all ranges of developing talent!) can freely express themselves. I will accept any and all fanart, and I also accept any and all fanfics (provided they are formatted correctly, that is, wordwrapped text files or valid HTML files).

Guest commentary I'm a bit more of a stickler about. If you've got something to say that you'd like me to post somewhere on this site, then please at least take the time to check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Also, try to say something new and original - don't just repeat what I or others have already said somewhere on this site. That's all I ask.

Desktop wallpaper is the only area of this site where I'm enforcing more difficult standards. Basically, I've got a LOT of wallpaper submissions backed up in my email account, and not all of them are . . . Well, not all of them are very pretty, to be quite honest. Faced with increasingly limited space on my server, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to start rejecting wallpaper submissions.

I don't have any really helpful tips on how to get your wallpaper submission accepted, except this: Keep it simple, silly. Sometimes one image minimally edited can be stunningly beautiful; collages of dozens of images can be beautiful also, but when in doubt, remember that your wallpaper doesn't *have* to be complicated in order to be pretty. An wallpaper design that is too crowded, and too busy, usually ends up being rather unpleasing to the eye.

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I sent you a submission for this site, and it never showed up in your updates, and you never got back to me about it! You awful person you!!

Oops, my bad. I quite frequently lose things in the shuffle of updating my site and switching back and forth between email accounts. If you don't see your submission posted on this site within one update, or you don't hear back from me about it, please send me another email reminding me. I may ask you to resubmit your work, since I have to clean out my mailbox quite frequently and I might have deleted it. Or, there is an additional possibility that perhaps your submission never made it to my inbox in the first place. Sometimes the internet is just full of glitches like that.

Also, there might have been a problem with your submission (fanfics not formatted properly, wallpaper in BMP format, or something) that I tried to contact you about, but your email might have bounced back to me. If it bounces back once, I normally don't bother to try again. Lately I've been getting a LOT of email bounced back at me for various reasons, mostly because some Hotmail account users let their accounts get too full. Please check to see if your inbox is too full, or if there might be some other problem with your email settings... Then, like I said, send me an email and/or resubmit your work. Thank you.

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  Questions About Me

Are you Japanese? Do you live in Japan?

O.o No and no. (Well, actually, temporarily "yes" to the "Do you live in Japan?" part.) "Kotetsu" isn't my real name, by the way, it's just my online handle. For a vague explanation of my secret identity (*cough*), see below.

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Who are you?

I am female, twenty-five years old, originally from the USA, currently living and working in Japan. Yes, I still watch cartoons and read comic books in my free time. If you really want to know more about me, you can visit my livejournal.

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Do you have AIM/ICQ/Yahoo IM/anything else that I can use to IM you?

No, no, no, and no. Sorry! However, I'm always open to communication via email. I prefer email and message boards for communication, because I can be more long-winded that way. ;)

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Can you help me make my website?

I honestly can't offer you any more help than referring you to a list of links I've already compiled in the Website Help section. You can also check out my little web design resource, Telescopic Lens, if you're so inclined. So go have a blast with some links that will be far more helpful than I could ever be.

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Will you join my online RPG?

Thank you for the offer, but the answer is no. I simply do not have the time to involve myself in an online RPG.

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  English Videos, Doujinshi, Etc.

Where can I get Sailor Stars episodes?

Sailor Stars has never been licensed for legal distribution within the United States, Canada, Britain, or Australia. That means that it has never been dubbed in English, and never broadcast on TV in English. So how can YOU get Stars episodes? That's easy. Get a fansub.

A fansub is a subtitled video created for fans by fans. Fansubs are only distributed if a series has not yet been licensed for commercial release in a certain country/region (like Sailor Stars in North America, for example). Anyway, the important part is, fansubs are always FREE, since it is illegal for a person to sell fansubs and thus to make a profit from them.

VKLL is the fansubber who made the first fansub version of Sailor Stars. For a long time Val's fansub was the only complete Stars fansub available. In the years since, however, a group called Haterman has completed fansubbing all episodes of the Stars series. I've never watched Haterman's subs, so I can't comment on their quality. Google, however, and ye shall find. In addition, several other fansub groups have since begun (although not yet completed) their own Stars fansubs. Between The Fansub Database (no longer updated as of December 2006) and AnimeDB.net, you can find a complete list of all available Stars fansubs in every language.

There are several ways to get these fansubs:

  • Download digital fansubs. Sites that host Stars fansubs include Animesuki (requires Bittorrent), SailorMoonFansubs.com (Bittorrent), Jason's Sailormoon Compendium (direct download), and The Oracle (direct download, but low quality). You can also download Stars episodes at Crunchyroll and Narutofan, however, you must pay for the privelege of downloading. Kinda silly when you can download for free at the sites that I've listed above.
  • Watch online. TV Links and Crunchyroll host streaming Stars episodes for free. Also, be sure to search YouTube, Google Video, and other video websites for Stars episodes. They tend to show up frequently, despite the fact that uploading a Stars fansub is a violation of the Terms of Service of these websites.
  • Order fansub DVDs or VHS tapes. Until recently, you could order fansub DVDs and VHS tapes from many distro sites on the web. As of now, the only distro that I know that hasn't closed down completely is VKLL. Although officially closed, Val does say on his website that he is accepting email requests, so that might still be an option. The fansubs are still free; however, you have to pay for the cost of blank discs, cases, and shipping.

And remember: DON'T BUY FANSUBS ON EBAY. It's cheaper, easier, and more efficient to get fansubs from the sources listed above. Scumbags who sell fansubs on ebay are trying to make a profit from them. Don't fork over your money to these swindlers; be a smart anime consumer.

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Where can I buy Sailor Starlights merchandise and toys?

Please refer to the Merchandise section to find information on Starlights merchandise, and where/how you can buy it.

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I love the doujinshi in the gallery! Where can I buy myself a copy of those doujinshi?

I'm afraid to answer this question.

First, I need to clarify something. Sailor Moon doujinshi, in general, is cheap and plentiful. However, any and all doujinshi featuring the Sailor Starlights is unfortunately going to be very rare and expensive. If you want to buy Starlights doujinshi, you must be prepared to pay a lot of money. However, if you're just interested in some more common Sailor Moon doujinshi, then your wallet won't take much of a hit at all.

As far as I know, there are only two reliable places where you can buy doujinshi. Either in Japan, or on Ebay. You can also try anime conventions, although It's been my experience that retailers at conventions only carry mostly hentai doujinshi, and they won't have much that's not current (most Sailor Moon doujinshi is pretty old). However, there are some online stores that offer doujinshi. Try searching on Google, or browsing Anipike. Sites like Doujin Box, AnimeTen, and JPQueen carry nice doujinshi for reasonable prices. Good luck on your search!

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Why do you keep referring to "Sailor Moon" instead of "Sailormoon"?

Yes, I've been studying Japanese for six years. Yes, I know that everything in Japanese is written as "Sailormoon", "Sailormercury", "SailorStarFighter", etc, etc. But in Japanese writing, there are NEVER spaces between individual words. When people claim that the true Japanese title of the series is "Sailormoon" and point to the fact that "Sailormoon" is the correct translation of the katakana title ("Seiraamuun"), they overlook the fact that EVERYTHING in Japanese iswrittenjustlikethis. Thereareonlyspacesbetweensentences. Therearenotspacesbetweenwords. So I prefer to write "Sailor Moon" the way that looks most natural in English - that is, with spaces between words. Hence, "Sailor Moon", "Sailor Mercury", and "Sailor Starfighter." It's just a matter of personal preference, really. Would you prefer that I wrote everythingjustlikethis?

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What programs do you use to make this website?

All of the HTML and PHP in Starlight Pops is hand-coded by me, using good old Notepad. I use both The Gimp (freeware) and Paint Shop Pro (expensive) for making graphics. The only other thing I really use is FTP Surfer (more freeware) for uploading stuff, and that's it.

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