Create Your Own Otaku Senshi: A Sailor Moon Fan-Character Help Site

Stolen Characters & Ideas

There is the possibility that one day, while browsing some otaku senshi fan sites, you might come across an otaku senshi that significantly resembles your otaku senshi in appearance. Additionally, you may also find that this other otaku senshi has many stats and profile information that is similar or the same as your otaku senshi.

If you have suspicious that someone is using your character or ideas without your permission, there are a few ways to deal with it; some of these are much more productive than others.

First, take a deep breath. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, but it still might make you quite angry. Still, it is very important to not jump to conclusions. Even though you might find it very unlikely that someone could've some up with a character so similar to yours, going on the offense immediately will often result it little more than arguments, flames and hurt feelings. Generally speaking, approaching this kind of situation with a cool head will allow you to deal with it more effectively and more that likely, get a satisfactory result. Before you can handle this alleged thief, you need to be in the right mind set so take some time to get your initial aggression out, then try to focus.

If you really don't want to deal with it at all, you are in luck. It just so happens that there is a community of people who like to deal with this stuff for you! For more information, check out Aabita.

However, if you want to deal with this situation yourself, after your have taken some time to cool down, find out if there is a contact for the person that created the otaku senshi in question. If you can find and email address, it's suggested that you compose a well-written, civil inquiry into the similarities that you have noticed. Explain how you found the profile of their character and why you are concerned about this similarities. Try to avoid personal insults and remember that this person might be new at creating otaku senshi. There is a decent chance that even if they did copy your character's design or information, they might not know that that practice is unacceptable.

Proceed with the intent on finding out if the person did in fact use your ideas, or if they came up with a similar character by coincidence. If they did use your character as basis for their own, then explain to them in a calm manner that it's not acceptable, and is against the law; if they came up with it by coincidence, then perhaps you both can settle upon some course of action which will appease you both.

There are quite a few courses of action one can take if the case is the former. You could provide this person with help sites on how to make their character truly a work of their own (like the site you are at now), and/or you could make specific suggestions on how they could alter their character to make it less similar to yours.

There are circumstances were people will happen to have come up with the same idea independently of one another. Be at least open to that possibility.

In any case, a stolen character isn't such a big a deal if you really think about it, because let's face it - it's just Sailor Moon fandom. Worse things can happen. So if we're cool and calm about things, we can avoid turning trivial matters into conflicts which plague our community. Please remember to have patience for those who are new, keep an open mind and try to work with people.

It's all cool.

Working with each other, that is - not the stealing.

Stealing is bad.