How Did Miyuu Sawai Feel About Playing PGSM’s Sailor Moon?

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Filed under Articles, Interview, Making Of, PGSM, Real World, Usagi Tsukino
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon cast at the July 31, 2003 announcement

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon cast at the July 31, 2003 show announcement

Ah… Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, the oft-overlooked cult classic of the Sailor Moon franchise– a status that’s certainly not helped by the fact that Toei does its best to never talk about the series.

While I’ve already spoken at length about where the talented actresses behind PGSM have gone after the series ended, that’s only half the story. What I’d love to know — and what we’re going to talk about today — is how these young starlets found themselves in these roles in the first place, and how it felt to be able to play their own favorite childhood heroes on the small screen week after week.

Today we’re going to begin our look back with an interview with Miyuu Sawai, PGSM‘s titular Sailor Moon and beloved crybaby, Usagi Tsukino. If you ever wanted to know more about how she felt about playing her role, what filming was like, and how she got along with the rest of the cast, then this article’s for you!

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Sailor Moon Eternal – A Spoiler-Free Review

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Filed under Crystal, Dead Moon Circus, Movie, Reviews
Sailor Moon Eternal (January 8, 2021))

Sailor Moon Eternal (January 8, 2021))

After a three and a half year wait — and an unexpected delay right before release — Sailor Moon has finally returned to the big screen after a 25 year hiatus.

Much like many other fans in the West who only learned of the series after it ended its run in Japan, the idea of ever seeing a new Sailor Moon theatrical release on the big screen seemed impossible.

And yet now that dream’s come true.1 This morning I sat down and watched magic unfold, and I’d like to share some of that with you.

Today I’d like to talk about my general thoughts and impressions of the movie while keeping all specifics to the absolute minimum. So without further ado, let’s dive right in!

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How Was Sailor Moon Initially Marketed to Audiences?

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Filed under Anime, Articles, Making Of, Manga, Real World
Gee, I wonder what this show's about?

Gee, I wonder what this show’s about?

Quick! Name another anime besides Sailor Moon that began airing in 1992!

Pretty tough, huh? Well, that’s probably because out of the forty anime series to debut in 1992, only six of them lasted more than a year — many surviving only a few months.1

While we all know Sailor Moon today as a global phenomenon, it’s easy to forget that the series was by no means a guaranteed hit. In fact, many of the parties involved in the series’ creation were so caught off guard by its success that they didn’t even have products lined up to capitalize on it!

So how did Ms. Takeuchi and co. manage to draw so many fans to Sailor Moon? And, possibly even more importantly, how did the critics react to the series?

Today we’re going to travel back to late 1991 to see what the manga/anime landscape looked like through the eyes of a budding shojo fan. Spoiler: even before the series aired, people were making fun of Tuxedo Mask’s name!

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Sailor Moon Fandom Survey Results

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Filed under Articles, Fandom, Real World
State of the Sailor Moon Fandom: 2020 Edition

State of the Sailor Moon Fandom: 2020 Edition

After having spent the past 23+ years as a semi-active member of the community, I like to think I have a fairly good finger on the pulse of the Sailor Moon fandom. But as we’ve learned countless times in the past, “gut instinct” tends to fall short of the actual facts.

To commemorate Tuxedo Unmasked‘s fifth anniversary,1 I figured now was as good a time as ever to poll the fans about their favorite characters, seasons, and version of the Sailor Moon franchise! 1,299 responses later and I think we’re in a place to start identifying some interesting trends.

If you’ve ever wondered who the most popular Senshi is in the English speaking world, how unloved Mamoru is, and how many people still prefer Scouts over Guardians, you’ve come to the right place! Today we’re going to dive deep into the fans that have kept Sailor Moon alive even when the franchise lay dormant.

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Who Sentenced Sailor Pluto to Death?

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Filed under Anime, Articles, In-Universe Lore, Manga, Setsuna Meioh
Oh, Pluto... if only you knew what's coming next

Oh, Pluto… if only you knew what’s coming next

While Sailor Saturn is generally considered by fans to be the most unlucky of the Senshi, personally I’d argue that it’s Setsuna who really got the short end of the Moon Stick.1 Between her unrequited love for a married man, having a non-sensical back story, and getting killed for literally doing her job, it’s not easy being Sailor Pluto.

One thing that’s always bothered me, though, were the circumstances surrounding her death in the Black Moon arc. Why did she die, and who condemned her to death in the first place?

Today we’re going to take a closer look into Sailor Pluto’s so-called “taboos” and how they ended up being placed on her. Make sure your Space-Time doors are fully closed, you’ve had your morning coffee or tea, and let’s get going!

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Why Was the Sailor Moon SuperS Anime So Different From the Manga?

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Filed under Anime, Articles, Dead Moon Circus, Interview, Making Of, Manga, Real World
Sailor Moon SuperS: What Went Wrong?

Sailor Moon SuperS: What Went Wrong?

In all my years of writing about Sailor Moon, I’ve found that Sailor Moon SuperS seems to be the odd duck of the series. Some fans swear by it as peak Sailor Moon while others recommend skipping it entirely.1 And yet I hear none of these complaints levied against the manga. In fact, it’s generally well-loved among fans — which I suppose bodes well for the upcoming movies!

The reason for all this, of course, is due to the peculiar decision to take an extreme departure from Ms. Takeuchi’s storyline and try new things with the anime.

But that’s not good enough for me. I want… nay, need answers! Why did the anime production staff decide to deviate from the manga story? Why did they cut so many characters? And why did the story take such a comical turn?

Today we’re going to take a look into what the anime staff were thinking and the reasoning behind their changes. Sit back, grab a coffee, and read on — things are about to get Super!

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Why Was the Sailor Moon Eternal Movie Delayed?

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Filed under Articles, Crystal, Dead Moon Circus, Making Of, Movie
Sailor Moon Crystal Eternal -- Coming to Theaters September 11, 2020

Sailor Moon Eternal — Coming to Theaters September 11, 2020 January 8, 2021

Three years. Three very long years have passed since the initial June 30, 2017 announcement1 of the continuation of Sailor Moon Crystal. As we sped toward the third anniversary from the announcement, we found ourselves less than 100 days away from the long-awaited theatrical debut.

That was, of course, until the surprise June 18 announcement that the movie would be pushed back until January 2021.2

So how did we go from Sailor Moon‘s editor-for-life Fumio “Osabu” Osano announcing that we were moving full steam ahead toward a September 11 release3 to a 4 month delay, all in the span of a little over a week?

Today we’re going to take a deep dive into this troubled production and look into this most recent development. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the 90s anime of a Sailor Moon Crystal devotee, there are some interesting insights for everyone!

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