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REVIEW: Sailor Moon S Part 2 Blu-Ray + DVD




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Angel M Cazares



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 10:07 am Reply with quote
A B grade for what is considered the best season by many Sailor Moon fans seems low to me. Does this mean that Sailor Moon Super S, the weakest season, is getting a D?
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TsukasaElkKite



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 11:08 am Reply with quote
I personally thought the set was excellent as compared to when it was first released by Pioneer/Geneon in 2000 (along with that God awful Cloverway dub).
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Zeino



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 11:44 am Reply with quote
I agree that back of S has uneven pacing as it stalls through Mimete and then rushes through the last three Witches. I (and lot of other people) can overlook that though as the finale in episodes 124-125 really is quite amazing and moving. An ending that sticks to the landing makes the rough spots along the way easier to forgive. Sailor Moon R is probably the ever so slightly stronger and more consistent season though.

angelmcazares wrote:
Does this mean that Sailor Moon Super S, the weakest season, is getting a D?

More likely Rebecca will either say it is better then people remember or just average. It's biggest problems are 1. Lots of people really don't like Chibiusa and love the Outers, so a season focused on her with them nowhere in sight was always going to get a backlash. 2. The plot of the season moves very slow. 3. Ikuhara and the higher ups at Toei were having some sort of behind the scenes struggle over the direction of the series. But on the other hand it has probably has some of the most fun "filler" episodes and really great villains in anime's take on the Dead Moon Circus. Personally I would argue that Sailor Stars is the weakest one.


Last edited by Zeino on Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:49 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Angel M Cazares



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 12:26 pm Reply with quote
Zeino wrote:
Personally I would argue that Sailor Stars is the weakest one.

This is my ranking of the 5 Sailor Moon classic seasons

1. S: A-
2. Stars: B+
3. Season 1: B+
4. R: B-
5. Super S: C+
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Zeino



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 12:34 pm Reply with quote
angelmcazares wrote:
Zeino wrote:
Personally I would argue that Sailor Stars is the weakest one.

This is my ranking of the 5 Sailor Moon classic seasons

1. S: A-
2. Stars: B+
3. Season 1: B+
4. R: B-
5. Super S: C+


........ I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that I wasn't asking for such a thing as a response. More like a debate.
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EricJ2



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:38 pm Reply with quote
Zeino wrote:
I agree that back of S has uneven pacing as it stalls through Mimete and then rushes through the last three Witches. I (and lot of other people) can overlook that though as the finale in episodes 124-125 really is quite amazing and moving.


As Junichi Sato-cute as Mimete is, she did get a few too many episodes, maybe two or three for her own good.
But then, they could have easily reduced a bit of Kaolinite's time in the first "half" of Pt. 1 before going on to Eudial and her "half" of the series before leaving space for the other four. They could have tried to divide it into even thirds, but things didn't turn out even.

Basically, though, I just checked in the review to see "Have they fixed the video-upscaling problem yet for Blu, like in the Classic and R sets?...No?? Okay, good, I can stick with Viz's DVD sets. Very Happy "
(One of the only cases where I will choose DVD over Blu, unlike the Ranma 1/2 sets.)
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Zeino



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:36 pm Reply with quote
EricJ2 wrote:
Zeino wrote:
I agree that back of S has uneven pacing as it stalls through Mimete and then rushes through the last three Witches. I (and lot of other people) can overlook that though as the finale in episodes 124-125 really is quite amazing and moving.


As Junichi Sato-cute as Mimete is, she did get a few too many episodes, maybe two or three for her own good.
But then, they could have easily reduced a bit of Kaolinite's time in the first "half" of Pt. 1 before going on to Eudial and her "half" of the series before leaving space for the other four. They could have tried to divide it into even thirds, but things didn't turn out even.


I suspect that Ikuhara and his team either didn't know they had only 38 episodes for this season until near the end or that they were simply more invested in focusing on the Usagi vs Haruka and Michiru battle of ideas and Chibiusa and Hotaru's friendship then they were in giving every member of the Death Busters enough screentime.
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EricJ2



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:31 pm Reply with quote
Zeino wrote:
suspect that Ikuhara and his team either didn't know they had only 38 episodes for this season until near the end or that they were simply more invested in focusing on the Usagi vs Haruka and Michiru battle of ideas and Chibiusa and Hotaru's friendship then they were in giving every member of the Death Busters enough screentime.


I think we can say with confidence that Ikuhara was more interested in Haruka & Michiru than in Hotaru and Chibi. Rolling Eyes
There does seem to be a thematic schizophrenia in the series, once Kaolinite is out of the way as main baddie, and even then, wayyy too much Utena-style posing and debate of "sacrifice".

(Think Naoko intended H&M to be cold and stand-offish in their approach, leaving Usagi to wonder whether they're villains at first, and pretty much ruthless/arrogant jerks to contrast Usagi's optimism that goodness will triumph. Which, of course, it does.
That contrast started to blur once Ikuhara got wishfully confused about who the "main" characters on the show were....'Nuff said, and about why. And needing more episodes to sort out the actual plot.)
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Zeino



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:38 pm Reply with quote
EricJ2 wrote:

I think we can say with confidence that Ikuhara was more interested in Haruka & Michiru than in Hotaru and Chibi. Rolling Eyes
There does seem to be a thematic schizophrenia in the series, once Kaolinite is out of the way as main baddie, and even then, wayyy too much Utena-style posing and debate of "sacrifice".

(Think Naoko intended H&M to be cold and stand-offish in their approach, leaving Usagi to wonder whether they're villains at first, and pretty much ruthless/arrogant jerks to contrast Usagi's optimism that goodness will triumph. Which, of course, it does.
That contrast started to blur once Ikuhara got wishfully confused about who the "main" characters on the show were....'Nuff said, and about why. And needing more episodes to sort out the actual plot.)


Oh, I don't buy at all that Ikuhara wanted Haruka & Michiru as to take Usagi's place as the leads or sided with their "hard choices" viewpoint. I think it was abundantly clear by the end of S that Usagi had "won" the philosophy debate over what it takes to save the world to about as far of an extent as she possibly could have. When the Outers contributed their energy to enabling Usagi to save Saturn at the possible risk of herself...well, that was it, more or less. Discussion over, at least in that instance.

The thing is, I've never really taken Ikuhara's rendition of the Outers to be put on the same level of thematic faculty as the core morality around which the entire rest of the show is built. He's not going to introduce characters who completely undermine everything the series previously stood for. What the Outers are, rather, is the much needed and appreciated acknowledgement of points of counter-argument to Usagi (and the show's) beliefs. After two seasons in which love and friendship and idealism save the day over and over, in come the Outers, characters who ostensibly have the same goals as our more familiar heroines but go about them in diametrically opposed ways, posing the question: "is this idealism you espouse all it's cracked up to be when you risk losing everything by adhering to it? Is not calculated pragmatism safer, if not entirely superior in the long run?" And what with that faith coming under fire, it becomes the duty of the show (read: Ikuhara) to support it and demonstrate its continual value. And that he did.

You see this kind of thing in later Ikuhara shows as well; he's all about reaching for the small oases of hope even while acknowledging the vast desert wastes of cynicism around him. spoiler[In the end of Utena, it is suggested that escape may be possible from the social cage of Ohtori Academy...despite that same institution still standing tall. Shouma and Kanba may be able to "share the fruit of fate" with some at the end of Penguindrum, but they certainly can't share with everyone.] He's not one to ignore cruel reality, but nor is he one to give up hope in spite of that. By the end of S, the Outers are, for most intents and purposes, the same way.
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Sailor Sedna





PostPosted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:50 pm Reply with quote
Good review, I especially agree with your first paragraph, Usagi wasn't a warrior in her past life, she was a Princess, though I'd still say she's kinda a fighter, more of a different fighter with different methods compared to the other Sailors, and we see more of this in Stars, and she's far, far, far from being the weakest of the Sailor Soldiers (that would go to Sailor Chibi Moon). While I don't agree with the B rating for this season (I'd still give it an A and maybe B+ or A- animation wise, though yeah, the final episode, like I said, is when Masahiro Ando's style went downhill), I do agree, the second half of S does have its flaws with its pacing, what with Vilyui, Telulu and Cyprine/Ptilol only having one episode compared to Eudial and Mimette (though both were great villains), I'd have had Telulu do that Ubara rose demon, as plants are her speciality.

I think they were trying to give more development to the Sailors/heroes rather than the villains is what it is, I think the reason why they did this is probably the reason why Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus never got power ups this season (though still were useful and had good roles), we'll probably never know... Neutral

I also felt episodes 115-118, all while great episodes focusing on Usagi, Chibi-Usa and Hotaru (with the fourth one having Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus joining, we can't forget those four in S also), did kinda slow down and drag the pacing a bit, but they still made the friendship and Hotaru's character role feel more important to me there, and the development, comedy and such from what we see makes up for it.

And yes, Chibi-Usa grew as a character along with Hotaru, she wasn't "just there to drive the plot, and not add anything new to the show" like I read in some other poor review.

Also, is it just me, or does episode 118, one of my favorites because it's so unique kinda almost feel like it could have fit as its own OVA or something?

Basically, while there is flaws with the pacing, the content of the episodes and use of the characters make up for that in my opinion.

I also still feel the finale in Super was far better than Crystal Season III's was, that one would have been just as great as S's maybe had they not done that cliffhanger with Saturn, then and there it threw off the pacing there and made it less climactic. Plus in Super, every Sailor (minus Chibi Moon sadly) got to do something compared to Crystal where the Inners got captured, handed their energy to Pharaoh 90 and fainted, and all the Sailors after the Outers' barrier broke sans Moon just stood around uselessly, in the original they were more active in battle.

Even Pharaoh 90, though he doesn't appear till episode 124 is scarier to me as he comes out of nowhere and you can't even tell what he's supposed to be.

I also agree with everything Zeino says, looks like Ikuhara's storytelling probably could compete with Miyazaki's, no wonder he's one of the most acclaimed and respected directors in Japan.

And about SuperS, I will admit, while I think it is the weakest one and it's the only Sailor Moon series I wouldn't add to my collection, I still think it's aged surprisingly well compared to how a certain other section of Sailor Moon might (Crystal 1-2, I'm looking at you! Evil or Very Mad). I'd give the story a C-. S and R are probably the strongest seasons to me.

In conclusion, I will say, that this along with part 1 is probably the best review on Sailor Moon S I've ever read. Smile


Last edited by Sailor Sedna on Fri Aug 25, 2017 11:15 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tenchi



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 2:04 am Reply with quote
I thought Mimette was one of the best things about Sailor Moon S but I'm someone who always preferred the comedy aspect of Sailor Moon above anything else.

spoiler[Mimette blowing her nose at the stadium] has got to be one of the top 10 funniest Sailor Moon scenes from any season (of the classic 1990s seasons at least). spoiler[And I love her "I am Sailor Moon" karaoke too.]
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belvadeer





PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 4:17 pm Reply with quote
I really enjoyed this season again just as I did when it first aired on TV back in early 2000. The new dub is outstanding, just as it has been for the other seasons, and the dub actor interviews were very enjoyable to watch. This was a solid purchase.

TsukasaElkKite wrote:
I personally thought the set was excellent as compared to when it was first released by Pioneer/Geneon in 2000 (along with that God awful Cloverway dub).


That dub was charming in its own silly way, and it did put a smile on my face with how they localized dialog in some of the scenes. I know Linda Ballantyne was the least liked voice for Sailor Moon ever, but her laughing segments were amusing to hear. XD
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SailorNaruto



Joined: 16 Mar 2016
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Location: Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 11:44 pm Reply with quote
This is honestly the first time I've ever seen someone complain about the pacing in the OG series. I see this said about Crystal all the time, but never this one. Weird. But aside from that, the review was what I expect from Rebecca: detailed and informative. Although I will say that if S, well regarded as the best of the 5 seasons, only got a B, I'm dying to see what the last two seasons get.

Regarding the dub, I've been a huge fan of Viz's redub, but a part of me misses Linda Ballantyne as Usagi. *GASP* I know her take on Usagi wasn't well received (in fact almost everyone hated her) but out of all of the VA's Usagi had in the past, she was my favorite. I found her absolutely hilarious. A major complaint people have about dubs is the lack of emotion, but this wasn't the case with her. Especially in episode 125. spoiler[ When Usagi was desperately trying to transform into her super form and save Saturn, the emotion Linda delivered was spectacular ]. But even saying all that, I've completely gotten used to Steph and I find her to be just amazing. I had a problem not seeing Hinata or Orihime when she spoke, but like I just said, I'm used to her now.

The overall set was gorgeous; well packaged and very pretty. But that's been the case with all the sets lol

angelmcazares wrote:
Zeino wrote:
Personally I would argue that Sailor Stars is the weakest one.

This is my ranking of the 5 Sailor Moon classic seasons

1. S: A-
2. Stars: B+
3. Season 1: B+
4. R: B-
5. Super S: C+


This is pretty much my ranking as well, except in my book Super S gets a D-. I rarely say something were terrible, but that season was just damn terrible imo.[/spoiler]
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Sailor Sedna





PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 11:08 pm Reply with quote
@SailorNaruto

There were people talking about it before in the forum of part 1 of this excellent detailed review, mostly with the last three Witches 5, and I even remember reading an older 3 star Amazon review where they said they wished the last three appeared more.

I've heard episode 125 is considered the best of the dubbed anime series.

Something else I just found out...Hideaki Anno, the guy behind Evangelion actually worked on this? Impressive...
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