Anime: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon

This is my first review ever and for the first anime that introduced me to anime, so I'll keep in mind any suggestions or corrections bound to happen.
Sailor Moon, a series which is highly remembered by many as one of their first, if not, first anime ever watched, known by not only its name, but its trendy colors and shiny surface. Well, sadly, I do not belong to that group, in fact just about 3 years ago, I heard its name just because my mother told me about it and even so, she still didn't remember its name. So, despite this, you may wonder if it had the same emotional impact on a grown-up as it did with most children? let's find out.

Most would think that a series which is, by its cover, aimed to little girls would definitely turn off anyone for its inmature looking content. A girl who is a crybaby and receiving super powers definitely wouldn't even be enough to attract enough audience at first glimpse. Yet even so, it managed to be succesful and by succesful I not only mean with female fanbase but also with males , why? Simple reasons I shall state.
Story section (7/10)
I won't enter in details with the story , so I'll summarize it briefly without adding spoilers. Usagi Tsukino, a 14 years old girl leads a normal life, except by the fact that she's a complete klutz and a crybaby in every sense. A failure at school, not very intelligent either and also inmature, yet still one day receives a brooch to obtain magical powers and complete a mission, which is defeat an evil organization that plans to take over the world. That premise sounds simple yet easy enough to follow, yet still you'd think that's as far as the series would go, but actually goes a little bit deeper than you may think.Not only because the plot gets more content, but also because this series is particular for having a high number of filler episodes and also very slow storytelling pace, why? as many may know it's due to the manga's monthly release. Still, it didn't turn , surprisingly, bad at all, in fact, it helped a whole lot. That would be because:
- Contained romance/ comedy/ a cliché yet useful message for kids ( as that was its main age group) / action and memorable moments. The whole was achieved by adding creatures called monsters of week, which are a resource to make the plot contained all that.
- Helped to make the narration aimed to relationships in order to make them look more casual and memorable, since characters actually take time in knowing each other.
- Provided time enough to actually notice some plot holes the origin material may have had.
And this isn't even an achievement easy to get, even by nowadays. It still has some flaws, though but they are mostly understandable, since it was aimed by kids and wanted to stablish its own formula. I've got to mention that, by the 90's shows, this season has also one of the best conclusions ever by those times. That's because the previous episodes took care in making it worth its value.
Character section (8/10)
Here's where, from my point of view, this series truly shines. This is because most of its cast is well developed, exposed and was made likeable enough for the public, except by some minor characters. Contains spoilers from here on.

The whole cast may fill in stereotypes, but the direction team provided each character with enough background and moments to be remembered and be considered a good example of how to elaborate characters. I've got to mention that , since this is a series based on astronomy , each character has an additional background regarding its mythology-planet counterpart, e.g sailor venus's counterpart would be aphrodite and her attitude seems to get some of it.
Regarding the villains, they were all given a nature which worked with their roles, but they weren't very brillant either, their nature worked with the show. The homosexual couple though was actually an interesting touch from the directors, though.
Art & Animation (6/10)
Toei Animation took care of this anime, a firm which didn't count with a high budget when producing this series. Still,they were able to give a very charming touch regarding its art and designs, considering the times when it was first aired.
- The designs of the costumes of the main team are all almostidentical except by the main character. They are all based on sailor uniforms, as their name would indicate, it's a simple yet effective design to make its own art work and to make animation more fluid.
- The whole backgrounds aren't very detailed and could use some effort, but given the epoch is acceptable.
-The whole look on the characters is cartoon- like, giving a more nostalgic and also approachable appearance for both sexes, instead of looking like a barbie's show. Though it was also to make animation easier too.
- Animation wise, this series relies on excessive recycling of attacks and transformation sequences, the motion feels okay, but it's not very smooth either, opening is very creative though, but endings are lack lusters.
I've got to point that , because the episodes were directed and produced by many employees, specially filler ones, the drawing style changes notoriously. This is very interesting, specially because you are able to notice which episodes had more budget and also the best art, and who's the best artist and the least talented. I've found even more interesting that series like princess tutu and utena tenjou were created by the same directors who produced/ directed the episodes. Most notoriously, Ikuko itoh, this artist seemed to boost episodes, given that she actually didn't rely too much on recycling, but sometimes created her own attacks or poses, her designs were also the best in my opinion.
Sound (7/10)
The whole ost is memorable enough, some songs more than others, but they all provide the series with a nostalgic, action, melancholy feelings.
- Moonlight densetsu is obviously the trademark song, the lyrics fits it and feels perfect for a mahou shoujo of its kind.
- Heart moving is another valuable song and gives a sad romance feelings, while moonlight densetsu gives a more history, inspirative one.
- The voice acting is adequate, each seiyuu feels like its characters, nothing wrong with it.
Overall, it fits the series, the casual moments music feel the atmosphere , it's good enough but not a masterpiece either. In fact, just the opening theme and a couple of ost are considered very good, the remaining are just good- average.
Value (9/10)
The magic girl genre had been imposed way before Sailor Moon, but the thing is, Sailor Moon was the first mahou shoujo to actually use characters with powers to fight evil and also the longest one made. Not only that, but also the only one to employ the power rangers formula succesfully and also add in its own touch like monsters of the week. Thta's as far as I know. In every other sense, this series is really the leader one , most popular and the series many others decided to use as inspiration to follow. I can't think of giving it a lower value just solely for that reason. It kept true to its plot and actually contributed to anime. This is also one of the few anime where girls are used to fighting evil solely, being the main characters, instead of being used to clean or cook like many shounen or sexual purposes like hentai, that , for me , gave it even more points.
Enjoyment (7/10)
As I stated above, this series is a mix of comedy, romance, action and cliche moments. It's first impression may not be very convincing, and to be honest, there were episodes that were to slow or cliche, but later I understood that they worked to make the whole season believable and memorable. I'll give points, since after this series I watched many other and even now, I can't find a long run series with the same nostalgia feeling and sad moments like this one. This comment may apply to all seasons, but the 1st one , for me, held the most natural relationships and more day to day storyline, without feeling too magical. So, it's got flaws, boring scenes or slow rythm, but that all works, maybe not for everyone though. Also, since this is a series with high female number characters, there may be women who may find it charming or a turn off, likewise , there a many men who may feel attracted (like me) for its unique team and the opposite may apply too. Very interesting indeed. Also , it's not recommended at all skipping the fillers, they all really help the whole season.

Veredict (7/10)
I may even dare to call this as one of my favorite anime just by stablishing a formula, despite its repetitive nature or slightly inmature/ childish content. With just 1 season it achieved more than many of other shows I've watched, specially during the 90's. If you like action, but not brainless or excessive, a predictable yet memorable plot, high number of female stereotyped yet charming characters and the reason why magic genre or mahou shoujo went bloom, look no further.

SM Classic is a shojo action-romance about a girl who, after finding a cat with a crescent-shaped marking on her head turns into a super heroine. This series is a classic and is driven by comedy, romance, and evil-monster fighting. The majority of the comedy comes from the main character, Tsukino Usagi. However, it is the romance and the drama of the relationship between Usagi and the mysterious Tuxedo Mask that kept me watching. If you're into classics or romance this is for you; disregard the 12-year-old girls tag as I did.

Note: This is a review of the undubbed, original version. It is MUCH better in terms of story as well as voice acting.

Animation:
The animation will look a bit dated, but it's a classic and introduced so many techniques that have been copied repeatedly (such as the transformation sequences). Don't expect computer-generated images or really sharp crisp lines found in current anime.

Sound:
Sound is pretty average. Warning: the theme song WILL stick and play in your head endlessly if you are not careful (especially if you watch all 200 eps in the entire SM series in rapid succession).

Story:
For the majority of the series, expect episodic progression (sort of Power Rangers like: basic exposition, monster appears, destroy monster, return to normalcy). Along the way, you meet the sailors and eventually Tuxedo Kamen. I focused on the romantic relationships in the series as I found it most intriguing.

Character:
This is what makes this show great. Tsukino Usagi starts as a cry baby and develops into a very caring and strong fighter... er... defender of justice. Some people may be irritated by the amount of crying at the beginning but it really does get better. The part that I love is the development between Usagi and Mamoru. At first they are at odds with each other with Mamoru calling Usagi "dumpling head". However, once they find a mutual interest in each other, a gut-wrenching plot twist comes in and puts Sailor Moon at odds with Tuxedo Mask. Will her love be enough to win him back again?

Value:
As noted above, the majority of the episodes do not advance the plot much. However, there are definitely gem episodes in which there is a great deal of plot development or where there is just a moment of hilarity in which Usagi does something that one would not expect (I'll let you find these yourself). Overall, a decent watch, and a true classic.

Here we have an anime that defines a genre. It is an anime that started many anime fans and as such will always have an iconic place in their heart. Sailor Moon herself is (with Astro Boy) the most recognised face of anime. Could Sailor Moon have become such a Pop Culture icon if the series she is from was a complete disappointment? I think not.
The fact that the DIC release lessened the original message and charm of the series with its dumbed down dub AND; it still has this huge fandom just goes to show that it has something to offer with its heartfelt messages, wonderful characters and the likes which even the DIC version did not destroy

Sailor Moon, in its entire run, relies on the audience to feel for the characters and the story. If the audience does not (Sailor Moon SuperS) something is lost and is not as successful. Lucky for me, I was totally enthralled by the story and characters the first and subsequent times I watched it.
The best way to fully enjoy this series though is to watch it if its Japanese Uncut glory. Although the DIC version succeeds for the most part in telling the story, the mystical aspect of the Moon legends seem to be lost in translation. As such I just wanted you to know that I am reviewing it based on the Japanese version.

The series is a bit dated compared with today's animation standards. However the artwork makes up for that. The drawing style is very successful as a Magical Girl show as all the main characters are cute, charming or appealing. I also love the sailor suits as it gives the anime a camp feel, which plays with the "fun" concept of its genre.
The thing that gets most people when it comes to Sailor Moon is the stock transformation and attack footage.
Although I do agree, they can get tedious if you see them used 5 episodes in a row. They actually serve a purpose. Because of the footage getting reused, we rarely get any flashback or still frames. So it evens out a little when that is taken into account.

This anime boasts one of my favourite intros of all time with Moonlight Densetsu. It is a subtle song that matches the mystical element of the story amazingly well with its lyrics of "Miracle Romance." The outro on offer in this series is also beautiful as it plays to the downside of love with its allusions to sadness and loneliness.
The background tunes are also quite wonderful, with the moon locket music a little masterpiece in capturing the feeling of longing and one sided love. All in all this series boasts a great soundtrack. However some of the music gets reused a little too much which prevents it from getting a perfect score.

The story is where the core of this series is and I am very thankful for that. Other magical girl shows have the story as a second to fluff (Pita-Ten, Tokyo Mew Mew) but this is not the case with Sailor Moon. Everything in this story is very well thought out as it moves along at a slow yet respectable pace. Each episode keeping you interested enough to want to see the next one.
The main story which centres on the love story of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion is played out very well. The pain of their separation and joy of their coming together is always handled without too much melodrama. The secondary cast also gets some good screen time to develop their respective stories as well as the main one.

The characters in this series is where everything comes together. From the first episode we are introduced to the most refreshing hero/anti-hero protagonist in Sailor Moon herself. Her human (Usagi) presona in everything a hero should not be. She is stubborn, lazy, irresponsible and a crybaby. Having her as a hero was a breath of fresh air in a somehow cliched genre. The other soldiers to feature in this series are Rei Hino as Sailor Mars, Ami as Sailor Mercury, Minako as Sailor Venus and Makoto as Sailor Jupiter.

These characters are also very interesting as they do not come out as archetypes of each other; like most animes do with their cast to cater for everyone. Instead we have a cast of believable characters who are different from each other but also complement each other well when it comes to their friendship or combat. The seiyuus are also to thank for that for their very believable performance in bringing this cast to life.

The villains and other minor characters are also developed successfully and add another level to the greatness of the cast. A stand out minor character for me is Naru. She is Usagi's best friend and also is love with a villain (although not to her knowledge) and as the story plays out, you really get to feel for the girl. There is a scene with her and Nephlyte when, their relationship comes to its culmation that makes me cry everytime I watch it. Other characters that go directly to your heartstrings are Umibozu, Zoisite and Red Butler as they are also very successfully portrayed.

This anime is overall pretty great and something I have no trouble revisiting from time to time. It is consistently enjoyable with its perfect mix of drama, action and comedy. Do not let this get past you because of its dated look, its camp premise and its mostly annoying fans (which I am probably one of now lol) as you would be missing out on something really special. After all, you should see where more recent magical girl shows originated.

Aaah, the 'classic' season of Sailor Moon ^_^ Whoever bestowed this name for the first season got it right! Sailor Moon is easily perceived as a classic series to watch, a pillar for shoujo and 'transformation' anime. If you have to watch one series in this category, here might be a good start (along with Cutie Honey!)

It is a good season, and my favorite of all the 5, but like every good thing, it has an end (and some flaws).

46 episodes is a tad too lengthy. In the first half of the season, the story just drags. The she-demon-of-the-week never really poses any threat to our heroines (and are most of the time quite lame and badly/stupidly designed, to say the least) until you get to episodes 20-25. THAT's when the story gets really good, with a lot of storylines finally getting developped. The end of the season was almost epic, and in my opinion the best episodes of the whole 200. You could just stop there and never watch the rest :)

However, the fact that the team had to extend the story over so many episodes results in boring fillers and the feeling that sometimes you are wasting your time watching this. There's no 10-episode fight (like Dragon Ball or Naruto) so you never get cliffhangers until the end. More booh points for the story installment (ending excluded).

The main characters (the five Sailors and Tuxedo Kamen) have each their own distinct personality, which has the instant effect of having the viewers choosing between their 'favourite Sailor'. All in all, they remain the same throughout this season, except maybe for Sailor Moon becoming a bit more mature. Nothing original though in the writing, since most of the time there is no big dilemma nor intense conflicts going on in their hearts, except for the daily struggles of high school girls growing up. Not shown here are difficulties of being a hero also living a normal life. The purpose of this first season was most certainly not deepening the characters too much, except maybe for their friendship...

One note about the animation: after one third of the season they seem to have changed their team of artists, and it is annoyingly noticeable. The characters sometimes have strange expressions (especially the bad guys) and the colors are just 'not quite right'. Annoying, but nothing spoiling the series itself.

Sailor Moon has a few OK songs getting played in key episodes and moments, but the rest of the music is really nothing special. mof is right though, in that the North American DVD's sound is very, very bad. Just be aware of this if you think of buying them.

Now, go watch some Sailor Moon! :)

Although this was not one of the first "transformation" anime (see Cutey Honey), it has become the icon for transformation/super power anime. Does it live up to its billing? Let's find out. There are two things I should mention beforehand.

1) This is a spoiler-free review (I've had too many problems over the years with idiots spoiling series that I felt the need to do it this way).

2) This review is based on watching the DVD-Rip versions by engel group (nihongo audio, eng subs). (I will save burning your virgin ears off by cursing about how much I hate really REALLY bad anime transfers to DVD... ADV I hate you, die.)

Animation: It is important to remember that this anime was done back in 1991. This is important because you cannot compare the animation quality to modern anime such as Ikkitousen (well you can but I'll laugh at you). The animation in Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon varies... depending on the scene it can be fairly minimalist (although never as minimalist as say... Doraemon) to rather complex and detailed. Overall I had no problems with the animation and it certainly was well done for the time period. 8/10

Sound: The sound (barring the rabid chimps at ADV that seem to encode it) was done rather well. All of the voice actors/actresses do a good job at roleplaying their characters. Evil characters have a dark sneer to their lines and our heroines do an excellent job at portraying their emotions. Even the "only appear in one episode" characters (normally the weakest link in any anime) do a quality job. This, to me, shows that they actually looked around before hiring people and didn't do a rush job "someone call the janitor in here" hiring. The music fits each scene, varying from genki to tense to nostalgic. I have to admit to enjoying the OP more than the ending song. The OP is suitably tense and fast pasted but the ending song... sounds like some kind of Japanese lounge music to me. *shrug*

Story: I realize a number of people are going to throw this review out the window when they see this 10 but I wouldn't feel right giving it anything less. Put simply, and in a spoiler free way, the story is an epic with twists and turns that you never saw coming. The best I could compare it to would be an RPG, watching the characters become more powerful as the story goes on. Limiting this review to spoiler-free (you'll thank me later) limits what I can put here but I can honestly say the storyline is well drawn out and paced. I'd also like to add that there were no continuity problems that I noticed. Is it a love story? Yes! Is it a love story even guys can tolerate? Oh hell yeah.

Character: The characters are done very well. As the series progresses you see sides of the characters you wouldn't have imagined and they all become very three-dimensional and believable. The interactions between the characters are also done very believably (ahh Junior High). The characters change as the series progresses, naturally, and the writers did a good job to make sure we get to see every character from a number of different vantage points.

Value: This is most definitely an anime you'll want to show to others and enjoy again and again. Hell, I have every ep on vcd and I rewatched it in DVD-Ripped AVI. The storyline and characters are so well done that you will want to watch it over and over and keep it close to your PC/TV.

Enjoyment: I have to admit greatly enjoying this anime. The epic storyline, the action, the believable interactions between the various characters, the plot twists and turns, the well-done music... it all gets blended up into the must-see anime. This is the appetizer to the rest of the meal (movies + 4 more seasons) but do not speed watch it. Enjoy it, make your way through this epic and thank me later.