With the new anime series, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal being one of the most hotly anticipated series this year, I decided to reach out and see what the serious Sailor Moon fans thought of the first episode. Did it live up to their expectations? Did it fail miserably?
Here's what they had to say.
When Keiko Han told the panel at Animazement 2010 that Naoko “wanted to do more with Sailor Moon,” the most I could even hope for – besides that it was actually true – was some new art, or maybe a short manga.
Though I’ve only seen the one episode of Sailor Moon Crystal, it seems like all my dreams of what an animated version of this story could be are slowly coming to life. I have watched, read and enjoyed many versions of Sailor Moon, but the thought that there could be a new anime never really struck me as remotely possible. When it was announced, I had many hopes and concerns. As the project has been developed (and delayed) I have held onto the belief that it was going to be special. Just knowing the passion of those working on the project has really inspired me to believe, and the more I learned about its direction, the more hopeful I became.
There’s much more to see on this road, and I don’t know for sure where it will go, but after seeing the first episode, I am in a dream world where my greatest wishes for this amazing story are being played out before my eyes.
Sarah is a massive force in the online Sailor Moon fandom. Fans can geek out with her on Twitter.More »
Sailor Moon Crystal is absolutely everything I could have ever imagined. I've watched it 6 times since it's premiered - with and without subtitles and hold my manga to compare dialogue and scenes. Naoko having such a heavy hand in this project makes it so much more special and dare I say it, perfect. I love the 3D transformations (it is 2014 after all) and the connection between Usagi and Mamoru - I have never felt so much emotion from cartoon characters. I have high hopes for Crystal and I truly hope that all Moonies can embrace it with open arms, hearts and minds!
Eric is a professional photographer and has been involved with such popular Sailor Moon fan projects as the Sailor Moon Abridged parody series, the Sailor Moon The Movie fan film and his own stunning Sailor Moon inspired Moonlight Legends photo series.More »
As a big fan of the franchise, I'm overall pleased with the first episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. They menaged to bring back the old feelings, while taking the series to another level. I like the fact that the story is faithful to the manga, Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline is great and I love it.
The artwork is good though I think one of the original series' artists Ikuko Itoh's style (my favorite) is still better, but these new drawings are nice. However I dont like the faces.
The background music is also good, I like the new opening theme, Moon Pride. It's very catchy and fresh. Toei is sure doing a good job with this new series, and I can't wait to see more! ^_=
Marco is an Italian artist whose Sailor Moon artwork is used on official Sailor Moon merchandise in Italy, United States and abroad. If you have a Sailor Moon t-shirt or DVD box set, odds are his artwork is on it.
For more information on Marco and his fantastic art, check out his official website and Facebook page.More »
Like many Sailor Moon fans I too was excited and surprised by the news of a new Sailor Moon anime. Being a strong supporter of the original Sailor Moon series since I was a kid, I went through what most fans did, being surprised and excited followed by anxious and nervous. I think every fan was hoping and praying that it would be a success.
On the day the first episode became available, I immediately tuned in to watch. I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. The story appeared quite well paced and the characters seemed similar but with a fresh new approach. I feel the character design and story is very close to the original manga which is a massive plus for fans. I personally was thrown by the look (as I'm sure many fans of the original were), however I can't deny that I am slightly biased towards my childhood memories of the original. I love that this is now revamped for a whole new generation though and can't wait to see how things progress!
James is an Australian based film maker and the creative force behind the Sailor Moon fan film, Dead Moon Circus. You can stay up to date on his latest exciting projects via his Facebook page.More »
I’m absolutely loving Sailor Moon Crystal! My favorite scene has to be Usagi’s dream of Princess Serenity floating down to meet Prince Endymion. I think it really sets the tone of the new series — it’s very romantic. I think it will really focus on their star-crossed love and their past lives.
I’m also really happy about the return of Kotono Mitsuishi to the role of Usagi. She sounds exactly the same! She really encapsulates Usagi’s personality — her wistful, romantic side, and also her ungainly, comedic side. Tuxedo Mask’ s new voice actor, Kenji Nojima, is wonderful too! I think he sounds very similar to the original voice actor, Tohru Furuya. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to see more!
Anne works in the publishing industry in New York and blogs about feminism with a Sailor Moon twist over at ShojoPower.com. She's also a guest writer here on About.com and recently wrote a fascinating article on the cultural significance of Sailor Moon's costume that you should check out.More »
Every iteration of the Sailor Moon franchise is quite different, so I wasn't really expecting anything in particular from Sailor Moon Crystal - I wasn't even expecting it to be good! But I can now happily say that I absolutely loved Crystal and I thought it was really beautiful.
Like all the other additions to the franchise, Crystal brings something unique unto itself to the table, but it also still maintains a stunning amount of faithfulness to the manga! Do I wish the budget was higher? Yes. Do I wish the transformation wasn't 3D? Of course. But I'm still thrilled by what I saw, and I think even the parts I dislike are lovingly done and worth praising.
In addition to being an active part of the Sailor Moon online community, Kris helped produce the popular Sailor Moon The Movie fan film, modeled as Sailor Uranus in Eric Pietrangolare's Moonlight Legends photo project and is one of the creative minds behind the hillarious Sailor Moon Abridged parody series.More »
First off let me say, I’ve been a fan of Sailor Moon since 1996. So when I heard about Sailor Moon Crystal, I was so excited. When Act 1 finally aired, I was so happy to see that I was not let down.
All the memorable scenes from the first act of the manga were there. The Princess Serenity scenes were amazing and gorgeous and we even got an eye-catching CG transformation sequence. I love the water color backdrops that give the storyline a brand new feel. I have a lot of hope for this series to continue to do well. I can’t wait to see more of my favorite parts of the manga brought to animation, like Sailor Moon’s evolving tiara before she is revealed to be the princess.
I’m also looking forward to more Moon Kingdom flashbacks and of course Queen Beryl’s backstory that was always one of my favorite scenes. All around positive thoughts from me and I can’t wait to experience the story all over again.
Samara is an avid Sailor Moon collector.More »
I feel like a kid again; just getting up early, Saturday morning to watch my favorite show!
This might be a mix of excitement/lack of sleep, but Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 1 was amazing! It was gorgeous, wonderful nostalgia blending more now with manga to make this show really stand on it's own. Between the Utena like covers, animation style and charming voice acting, this show is going to be a joy to watch for all ages. Plus, we can always enjoy the old school show along with it as more episodes come out.
Congrats to the Toei Animation crew for all their hard work and looking forward to lots more! Also, Hulu just rocked with streaming cause I heard of some issues with other sites. Of course, biggest thanks to give would be to Naoko Takeuchi for bringing Sailor Moon back to us with this beautiful revival! Moon Prism Power Make Up!
Corinne is a member of the Sailor Moon Abridged parody series and was also involved in the Sailor Moon The Movie fan film. She's currently persuing a career in voice acting.More »
The first episode looked really promising! I was really impressed with the opening sequence as well as Usagi's transformation (epic!).
The character designs look really nice, and I love the soft colour palette. Moon Pride sounds great and gives Crystal a fresh new vibe. I can't wait to see all the other transformations and attacks!
I look forward to an intriguing romance between Usagi and Mamoru and am excited to see their past life unfold. I'm all up for some extra plot twists and filler episodes as long as it provides good character development and backstories. All in all this is a great start!
Jen is the artist behind the popular Sailor Moon parody web comic, Moon Sticks.More »
Here's what they had to say.
•Sarah Ruth Forde
When Keiko Han told the panel at Animazement 2010 that Naoko “wanted to do more with Sailor Moon,” the most I could even hope for – besides that it was actually true – was some new art, or maybe a short manga.
Though I’ve only seen the one episode of Sailor Moon Crystal, it seems like all my dreams of what an animated version of this story could be are slowly coming to life. I have watched, read and enjoyed many versions of Sailor Moon, but the thought that there could be a new anime never really struck me as remotely possible. When it was announced, I had many hopes and concerns. As the project has been developed (and delayed) I have held onto the belief that it was going to be special. Just knowing the passion of those working on the project has really inspired me to believe, and the more I learned about its direction, the more hopeful I became.
There’s much more to see on this road, and I don’t know for sure where it will go, but after seeing the first episode, I am in a dream world where my greatest wishes for this amazing story are being played out before my eyes.
Sarah is a massive force in the online Sailor Moon fandom. Fans can geek out with her on Twitter.More »
•Eric Pietrangolare
Sailor Moon Crystal is absolutely everything I could have ever imagined. I've watched it 6 times since it's premiered - with and without subtitles and hold my manga to compare dialogue and scenes. Naoko having such a heavy hand in this project makes it so much more special and dare I say it, perfect. I love the 3D transformations (it is 2014 after all) and the connection between Usagi and Mamoru - I have never felt so much emotion from cartoon characters. I have high hopes for Crystal and I truly hope that all Moonies can embrace it with open arms, hearts and minds!
Eric is a professional photographer and has been involved with such popular Sailor Moon fan projects as the Sailor Moon Abridged parody series, the Sailor Moon The Movie fan film and his own stunning Sailor Moon inspired Moonlight Legends photo series.More »
•Marco Albiero
As a big fan of the franchise, I'm overall pleased with the first episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. They menaged to bring back the old feelings, while taking the series to another level. I like the fact that the story is faithful to the manga, Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline is great and I love it.
The artwork is good though I think one of the original series' artists Ikuko Itoh's style (my favorite) is still better, but these new drawings are nice. However I dont like the faces.
The background music is also good, I like the new opening theme, Moon Pride. It's very catchy and fresh. Toei is sure doing a good job with this new series, and I can't wait to see more! ^_=
Marco is an Italian artist whose Sailor Moon artwork is used on official Sailor Moon merchandise in Italy, United States and abroad. If you have a Sailor Moon t-shirt or DVD box set, odds are his artwork is on it.
For more information on Marco and his fantastic art, check out his official website and Facebook page.More »
•James Peniata
Like many Sailor Moon fans I too was excited and surprised by the news of a new Sailor Moon anime. Being a strong supporter of the original Sailor Moon series since I was a kid, I went through what most fans did, being surprised and excited followed by anxious and nervous. I think every fan was hoping and praying that it would be a success.
On the day the first episode became available, I immediately tuned in to watch. I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. The story appeared quite well paced and the characters seemed similar but with a fresh new approach. I feel the character design and story is very close to the original manga which is a massive plus for fans. I personally was thrown by the look (as I'm sure many fans of the original were), however I can't deny that I am slightly biased towards my childhood memories of the original. I love that this is now revamped for a whole new generation though and can't wait to see how things progress!
James is an Australian based film maker and the creative force behind the Sailor Moon fan film, Dead Moon Circus. You can stay up to date on his latest exciting projects via his Facebook page.More »
•Anne Zaccardelli
I’m absolutely loving Sailor Moon Crystal! My favorite scene has to be Usagi’s dream of Princess Serenity floating down to meet Prince Endymion. I think it really sets the tone of the new series — it’s very romantic. I think it will really focus on their star-crossed love and their past lives.
I’m also really happy about the return of Kotono Mitsuishi to the role of Usagi. She sounds exactly the same! She really encapsulates Usagi’s personality — her wistful, romantic side, and also her ungainly, comedic side. Tuxedo Mask’ s new voice actor, Kenji Nojima, is wonderful too! I think he sounds very similar to the original voice actor, Tohru Furuya. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to see more!
Anne works in the publishing industry in New York and blogs about feminism with a Sailor Moon twist over at ShojoPower.com. She's also a guest writer here on About.com and recently wrote a fascinating article on the cultural significance of Sailor Moon's costume that you should check out.More »
•Kris Woodside
Every iteration of the Sailor Moon franchise is quite different, so I wasn't really expecting anything in particular from Sailor Moon Crystal - I wasn't even expecting it to be good! But I can now happily say that I absolutely loved Crystal and I thought it was really beautiful.
Like all the other additions to the franchise, Crystal brings something unique unto itself to the table, but it also still maintains a stunning amount of faithfulness to the manga! Do I wish the budget was higher? Yes. Do I wish the transformation wasn't 3D? Of course. But I'm still thrilled by what I saw, and I think even the parts I dislike are lovingly done and worth praising.
In addition to being an active part of the Sailor Moon online community, Kris helped produce the popular Sailor Moon The Movie fan film, modeled as Sailor Uranus in Eric Pietrangolare's Moonlight Legends photo project and is one of the creative minds behind the hillarious Sailor Moon Abridged parody series.More »
•Samara Wesley
First off let me say, I’ve been a fan of Sailor Moon since 1996. So when I heard about Sailor Moon Crystal, I was so excited. When Act 1 finally aired, I was so happy to see that I was not let down.
All the memorable scenes from the first act of the manga were there. The Princess Serenity scenes were amazing and gorgeous and we even got an eye-catching CG transformation sequence. I love the water color backdrops that give the storyline a brand new feel. I have a lot of hope for this series to continue to do well. I can’t wait to see more of my favorite parts of the manga brought to animation, like Sailor Moon’s evolving tiara before she is revealed to be the princess.
I’m also looking forward to more Moon Kingdom flashbacks and of course Queen Beryl’s backstory that was always one of my favorite scenes. All around positive thoughts from me and I can’t wait to experience the story all over again.
Samara is an avid Sailor Moon collector.More »
•Corinne Sudberg
I feel like a kid again; just getting up early, Saturday morning to watch my favorite show!
This might be a mix of excitement/lack of sleep, but Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 1 was amazing! It was gorgeous, wonderful nostalgia blending more now with manga to make this show really stand on it's own. Between the Utena like covers, animation style and charming voice acting, this show is going to be a joy to watch for all ages. Plus, we can always enjoy the old school show along with it as more episodes come out.
Congrats to the Toei Animation crew for all their hard work and looking forward to lots more! Also, Hulu just rocked with streaming cause I heard of some issues with other sites. Of course, biggest thanks to give would be to Naoko Takeuchi for bringing Sailor Moon back to us with this beautiful revival! Moon Prism Power Make Up!
Corinne is a member of the Sailor Moon Abridged parody series and was also involved in the Sailor Moon The Movie fan film. She's currently persuing a career in voice acting.More »
•Jennifer Wong
The first episode looked really promising! I was really impressed with the opening sequence as well as Usagi's transformation (epic!).
The character designs look really nice, and I love the soft colour palette. Moon Pride sounds great and gives Crystal a fresh new vibe. I can't wait to see all the other transformations and attacks!
I look forward to an intriguing romance between Usagi and Mamoru and am excited to see their past life unfold. I'm all up for some extra plot twists and filler episodes as long as it provides good character development and backstories. All in all this is a great start!
Jen is the artist behind the popular Sailor Moon parody web comic, Moon Sticks.More »
Sailor Moon Says
For such a loved franchise, Sailor Moon Crystal had a lot of high expectations to live up to from fans. With just one episode though, it seems to have impressed even the biggest of fans and most seem to be with Sailor Moon Crystal for the long haul.Is Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon worth watching? Absolutely.
SHARE
