Animation Sailor Moon: Crystal

[Manic]

What the hell is a Negaforce? I see no such name in Sailor Moon Crystal, nor in the available episodes of the old series.

 

[Leenie]

Topic has been a bit slow over the past few days (especially since there's no new episode of Sailor Moon Crystal this week), so I wanted to post something fun.

I went a trip down Nostalgia Lane and decided to listen to a lot of the "image songs" by the Sailor Senshi's Japanese voice actresses from the original anime. I have my favorites, but this Sailor Mars song really stands out. It's so cheesy, fun, and sassy ... Seems like Rei-Chan was a big Michael Jackson fan back in the day, methinks.

[YT]HPDyUNKG0To[/YT]

 

[doink]

Topic has been a bit slow over the past few days (especially since there's no new episode of Sailor Moon Crystal this week), so I wanted to post something fun.

I went a trip down Nostalgia Lane and decided to listen to a lot of the "image songs" by the Sailor Senshi's Japanese voice actresses from the original anime. I have my favorites, but this Sailor Mars song really stands out. It's so cheesy, fun, and sassy ... Seems like Rei-Chan was a big Michael Jackson fan back in the day, methinks.

[YT]HPDyUNKG0To[/YT]

My favorite image song is probably Route Venus:

[YT]JGtNrhOyFgg[/YT]

Though just for sentimental value I like I Am Sailor Moon:

[YT]ccjbGQIxeM0[/YT]

♪anata no koe, anata no kao, anata no karadaaaaaa zenbu hiraite miseteeeee....hitotsu ni naru crystal power~SAAAAAAILOOOOOR MOOOOOOON~♪ XDD

Anyway Viz announced at NYCC that the second boxset for season 1 of SM will come out on Feb. 10, 2015...preorders are available at rightstuf.com and it's not up on amazon yet but it'll probably be up there pretty soon too.

And finally I found this fanart back in August and always meant to post it here but forgot to until now, it is a crossover fanart with a certain movie that also has the word "guardian" in the title...

http://suisei-ojii-sama.deviantart.com/art/Pretty-Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-472385843
XD

 

[Manic]

Rei's song is basically Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation"

 

[Leenie]

My favorite image song is probably Route Venus:

[YT]JGtNrhOyFgg[/YT]

"Route Venus" is definitely one of my favorites! Easily in my top 3.

The other two in my top 3 are "Anata no Sei ja Nai (It's Not Your Fault)" by Sailor Jupiter/Makoto

[YT]k4stTwfdKRk[/YT]

And "Unmei wa Utsukushiku (Fate So Beautifully/Fate Is So Beautiful)" by Sailor Neptune/Michiru

[YT]iqXlFVtX57o[/YT]

 

[DA_Champion]

I'm often amazed by how skilled some of these fan manips are.

 

[Leenie]

Earlier this week, my brother oh-so-generously surprised me with a Sailor Jupiter S.H. Figuarts toy for my birthday. These toys meet their hype; the figure is fantastic, and is quickly becoming one of my favorite items in my Sailor Moon collection.

My brother started something dangerous, though. I want all of them now! I used up an Amazon Gift Card to get Saturn today. I wanted to get Venus next (since she's my second favorite), but Saturn will more than likely become much harder to find if I wait too long.

 

[DA_Champion]

Why would she become harder to find?

 

[DA_Champion]

If they end up covering the dark moon arc in this manga, I expect that we'l see the outer sailors in the future this time. It's a logical way to insert them. They really should have been there the first time (in the 1990s), but they weren't because they had not been invented by the writers yet.

If it were up to me, the older versions of the senshi would have greyed hair as well.

 

[Leenie]

Why would she become harder to find?

As a long-time Sailor Moon collector, I've grown to know that Outer Senshi merchandise is always harder to find, especially for Pluto and Saturn. They make less merchandise of the Outer Senshi in comparison to the Inners, so when stuff of them comes out, they tend to fly off the shelves faster.

The first Japanese Sailor Saturn doll (which was released while Sailor Moon SuperS was airing, oddly enough) is considered to be a "Holy Grail" item for collectors. Same goes with the first (and only) North American Saturn doll. I have neither of these items, haha.

Merchandise of Super Sailor Moon and Eternal Sailor Moon tend to be highly sought after as well. If S.H. Figuarts releases a Super Sailor Moon toy, fans will lose it, methinks.

 

[DA_Champion]

A sweet episode.

Having not read the manga, I don't know why Minako is trying to do things herself. I presume the mystery will be answered soon.

She has really nice hair.

 

[Leenie]

^I'm thinking that Minako was determined to do things alone because she's been Sailor V, fighting all by herself for so long. She's learning how to work with a whole team now.

As for the episode, I loved it. Artemis is so cute (as much as I love Luna, I've always been a bigger fan of Artemis)! I also have grown to really love the relationship between Usagi and Mamoru in this series. [BLACKOUT]I applauded when Sailor Moon kissed him and told him to protect himself because the fight was getting too dangerous. The show recreated what is probably my favorite moment between Usagi and Mamoru in the manga. [/BLACKOUT]

 

[Manic]

I'm glad this anime followed through with the plan of making Venus a red herring for the princess. It's a shame that they're not doing it for more than a single episode (Usagi's clearly going to remember who she is in the next episode). I also noticed that Minako used her disguise pen to transform, as she's still using the crescent on her forehead to pose as Serenity despite the Sailor Venus outfit.

I feel like I should be complaining about the sailors' inconsistent ability to sometimes fly or hover in place for minutes at a time, but that inconsistency has always been around. I think they've always been able to jump really high when convenient, stay in midair so long as it looks dramatic, and land safely from long drops as long as they jumped willingly.

I just finished the first season of the original anime series. I love the uncut 2-part finale so much better than the compressed version DiC gave us back in the 90's. It's more heartbreaking in some parts, and I didn't realize how brutal Mamoru was while he was brainwashed by Queen Metalia.

 

[Primal Slayer]

While I liked the episode and while I know I shouldn't be surprised, I was so let down by the battle this episode and last episode. Sailor V has been operating on her own this long, she should be able to somewhat handle Kunzite by herself and if not, with help from the others they should most definitely be able to handle him. But they have just been useless between him and Zoisite.

But I LOVED Mina's characterization.

 

[Havok83]

This was probably the best episode, bc Venus, the best one, finally appeared. I wish there had been more insight into her life before all of this but oh well. Dissapointed no Venus Crescent Beam

Why did Beryl say "A 5th sailor? It cant be..." Doesn't she have all her memories? She should know there is a 5th. Even if she didn't, V's existence is well known

Was dumb for Jupiter to go "why is she (V), here?" She's here to help you guys bc you clearly need it!

It was pretty deceitful for Venus to flat out lie about being the Princess. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way how she just claimed ownership of that role

It hit me that Sailor Moon is blinged out in way too much jewelry. Its a bit excessive and makes her look too busy compared to the other girls more simpler (and better) looks

Reunited

 

[Primal Slayer]

Um there were only 4 Inner Senshi back in the day so it makes sense that Beryl would be surprised that another showed up.

And V is trying to keep the enemies away from Serenity and keep her safe in general so if course she would lie.

 

[Havok83]

Um there were only 4 Inner Senshi back in the day so it makes sense that Beryl would be surprised that another showed up.

Um no. Her generals have been fighting 4 of them already, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Mars. Sailor V was ALWAYS out there and that's common knowledge as she's a bit of a well known figure. The time to be shocked would have been when Jupiter was activated as the fifth known scout in existence. It doesn't make sense for Beryl to have been so surprised at Venus showing up with the group

And V is trying to keep the enemies away from Serenity and keep her safe in general so if course she would lie.

I get her motive, but it doesn't sit well that she lies to all of them instead of just their enemies

 

[DA_Champion]

X knight has not posted her review yet ... she is probably too busy hyperventilating from finally seeing Venus.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Um no. Her generals have been fighting 4 of them already, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Mars. Sailor V was ALWAYS out there and that's common knowledge as she's a bit of a well known figure. The time to be shocked would have been when Jupiter was activated as the fifth known scout in existence. It doesn't make sense for Beryl to have been so surprised at Venus showing up with the group

I get her motive, but it doesn't sit well that she lies to all of them instead of just their enemies

V as far as the Dark Kingdom knew was neverva threat and she wasn't part of the team, she was basically like Tuxedo Mask so it makes sense for her to be surprised to see another one show up.

And the less people know the better in these kind of cases, she doesn't know any of them, what they can handle or how good they can keep a secret. And if any of them were to get captured then they are safer for not knowing. Not to mention she seems to be trying to keep them safe to live their lives by taking down the DK before their memories fully return.

 

[X Knight]

X knight has not posted her review yet ... she is probably too busy hyperventilating from finally seeing Venus.

but............I'm a guy!!!

do not let the cute blondes I sometimes use in my avatar fool you.

and yes.......I was hyperventilating from finally seeing Venus!!

the wait was worth it!!! t:

but wait!! you really thought I was a girl??!!

 

[Leenie]

This was probably the best episode, bc Venus, the best one, finally appeared. I wish there had been more insight into her life before all of this but oh well. Dissapointed no Venus Crescent Beam

Why did Beryl say "A 5th sailor? It cant be..." Doesn't she have all her memories? She should know there is a 5th. Even if she didn't, V's existence is well known

Was dumb for Jupiter to go "why is she (V), here?" She's here to help you guys bc you clearly need it!

It was pretty deceitful for Venus to flat out lie about being the Princess. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way how she just claimed ownership of that role

It hit me that Sailor Moon is blinged out in way too much jewelry. Its a bit excessive and makes her look too busy compared to the other girls more simpler (and better) looks

Reunited

1. It was assumed that Sailor V wasn't part of the Sailor Guardian team; that her job was to only fight crime, like with thieves and stuff. In the 90's anime, there's an awesome episode about Minako's backstory as Sailor V. She actually worked with the police force as Sailor V. Anyway, I can see why everyone was shocked. People didn't think she was part of the mission, and they were surprised to find out that she was. If she didn't contact them before, then why wouldn't they be surprised to see her randomly showing up?

2. In the manga and the live action show, it's just classic Sailor Moon to introduce Venus as the supposed Moon Princess. Venus has usually begun her story as a decoy to protect the real princess. It's a little deceitful, yes, but that's part of Minako's character. She started her mission solo, and her mission takes priority over everything else (this was especially established in the live action series; that she was a big-time loner). Eventually, as she gets to know the rest of the girls, she will get used to working with a team. This aspect of Minako's character wasn't really established much in the 90's anime (except for that background story episode I mentioned), but I assure you that it's faithful to the manga and the live action show.

3. Sailor Moon being all "blinged out" is because of the manga. This is what her character design was exactly like in the manga. That's fine if you don't care for the look, but it's not really the show's fault.

4. Those .gifs are awesome, by the way (especially the team attack one).

 

[Slushy]

I liked how they expanded on the origins

Spoiler

Not sure if Venus being the decoy was in the original series, something that DiC cut out, but it always bugged why she was the first Scout out of the group so it makes sense.

, but I didn't like how

Spoiler

Artemis admitted they were communicating with them. The original series' version was better with this revelation coming out because he botched it.

And Malachite is still The Man!

 

[Primal Slayer]

They cut out the whole decoy thing in the original anime.

 

[Manic]

Yeah, in the original anime, when Venus popped up, they asked her if she was the Moon Princess, and she said no. Ironically, with the old anime's love of filler* arcs, they could've stretched the whole "Sailor V is pretending to be the princess" thing for a good handful of episodes before revealing it's really Usagi.


*My god, did they ever love filler episodes. The entire Rainbow Crystal arc was pointless, because the Rainbow Crystals just came to Usagi as soon as she needed them. I mean, the bad guys had all 7 in their hands, and they just flew straight to Usagi anyway. They might as well have kept the Silver Crystal hidden in Usagi's tears.

 

[Leenie]

I actually really enjoyed the Rainbow Crystal arc, as filler-fueled as it was. It gave the show the opportunity to give the characters some development (such as Ami and her love interest, Urawa-kun). It also showed the Sailor Team interacting with each other more, becoming friends and whatnot. By the time the Senshi die in episode 46, the deaths make more sense (and Sailor Mercury's death in particular becomes more poignant when she gets her own illusion of Urawa). It's this kind of character development that I'm missing a lot in Sailor Moon Crystal. I'm still really enjoying the new show, but I definitely prefer the 90's anime in this aspect.

Also ... The Rainbow Crystal episode with Rhett Butler. It's one of the funniest episodes of the series, in my opinion. It's so adorable. I love that fat cat.