Well, that would be a bit confusing to explain without any kind of
reference, so let's take it from the top.
English Language Episodes 1 - 40 Japanese Premiere, March 7, 1992 In the English Language Version, many of the names were changed, including: Usagi Tsukino = Serena Mamoru Chiba = Darien Tuxedo Kamen = Tuxedo Mask Naru = Molly Umino = Melvin Ami Mizuno = Amy Anderson Rei Hino = Raye Hino Makoto Kino = Lita Minako Aino = Mina The Dark Kingdom = The Negaverse Queen Metallia = The Negaforce Besides changing names, many images were censored or altered. In addition, the Sailor Soldiers' magic phrases (which were in English to begin with) were changed. For instance, the transformation phrases all originally ended with "Make Up," i.e. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" Almost all the attack names were changed, although some just had the Soldier's planet name and a verb added on; for example, "Venus Crescent Beam Smash" was originally just "Crescent Beam." It is interesting to note, though, that in English Language episodes 66-82, Sailor Mercury's attack was "Shine Aqua Illusion," exactly as it was in the original. See the sidebar below for a list of attack phrase changes.
Serena is given a broach which activates her powers whenever she calls out, "Moon Prism Power!" As Sailor Moon she destroys her foes with a Tiara whenever she calls out, "Moon Tiara Magic!" In the next plot arc, Queen Beryl has Zoycite and Malachite seek the 7 Rainbow Crystals which contain the 7 Rainbow Warriors which can takeover the Earth. Meanwhile, the Scouts still search for the Moon Princess since she is the only one who can defeat the Negaverse. Serena (unlike most superheroes) is given a wand with which she can heal people. It's activated whenever she calls out, "Moon Healing Activation!" |
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As to their actual relationship, Phoenix was kind enough to provide the
following interview Takeuchi-sensei did with the Italian Kappa Magazine, which appeared in their September 1996 issue.
A translation of a portion of the interview (thanks to Icefalcon and Mackenzie of alt.fan.sailor-moon for the translation) reads as follows:
Although the animated series (because of the censorship brought to
Italy) does not particularly give it meaning, there is a rather
ambiguous relationship between Michiru and Haruka. Care to comment?
The relationship between Michiru and Haruka is a little
peculiar. The truth in their feelings is that they have a very serious
and pure friendship. The relationship, on account of the friendship
between the two fighters is so strong that it flowed into love. Love
does not only exist between different sexes, but can also come forth
as a homosexual love, in this case between two girls.
Considering Sailor Moon's young audience, have there been any
problems with this?
In Japan, boys seek girls with a popular strong temperament.
The popular tradition of my country sees the maximum feminine
emancipation in the Takarazuka, the Japanese sun theater women. These
actresses take all roles, even male parts. They were an inspiration to
me in creating the personage of Haruka. It was not easy to make the
children understand that a true love between two women could exist:
Haruka is masculine, in dress and speech, and it is natural that she
has male tastes. It is normal, then, that she loves Michiru.
The relationship of Haruka and Michiru is yet another sweet and
entertaining aspect of the show, and fans of the original series devoutly
hope that it will remain faithfully represented in any future dubbed
episodes.
38 Episodes, Episodes 128 - 166
33 Episodes, Episodes 167 - 200
(The "S" stands for Super)
Sailormoon S
37 Episodes, Episodes 90 - 127
This series is generally regarded to be the best, with more plot
twists and character development than usual. (Episode 89 is a re-cap
episode which was produced to introduce the reoccurring characters to
new viewers.)
Rei sees a vision of three lights coming together in the sky, and
then the world is destroyed. We then meet Professor Tomoe and
Kaolinite, who are in search of "pure hearts."
Shortly thereafter, a monster shows up and assaults Rei, extracting
a little crystal from her chest. The Sailor Senshi's attacks seem to
have no affect on the monster. The creature even rips the broach
right off of Sailor Moon's chest.
But when all seems lost, a ball of energy appears and nails the
creature. Two shadowy figures stand in a tree, contemplating the
heart crystal. "It's not a talisman," one says. They toss the
crystal to Rei and disappear.
Thus the mystery begins to unfold, with monsters sent by Professor
Tomoe and led by Kaolinite to take the heart crystals out of those
they
deem pure of heart; and the two others--turn out to be Sailor Neptune
and Sailor Uranus, who are trying to find the heart crystal that is a
"talisman."
After Kaolinite is defeated, the dark forces are led by the Witches 5.
Their mission is to open a gateway to Earth from another plane, for
the insidious being known as Pharaoh 90 to cross over and make Earth into
his personal stronghold from which to take over the entire galaxy. However,
as the Witches 5 come closer to their goal, an ancient fail-safe is
activated... as the last resort, the warrior of Silence is awakened from her
thousand-year slumber to destroy the Earth before Pharaoh 90 can get there,
thus sacrificing the Earth for the good of the galaxy. She is
Sailor Saturn, and she is to surface from within the body of a quiet
girl named Hotaru.
Sailor Pluto returns to help try to find the talismans before it's
too late. Chibi-usa also comes back, now a Sailor Scout in training.
Will they destroy Hotaru, now Chibi-usa's friend, before her metamorphosis is
complete? Will Super Sailor Moon, with her newly enhanced powers, be able
to protect Hotaru, keep Sailor Saturn from destroying the planet, and
stop Pharaoh 90? The finale of this series is unpredictable and different!
The Intriguing Relationship between Haruka and Michiru
Haruka and Michiru (Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune) share an interesting
relationship that is rather unique by the standards of Western television.
Throughout the series, the two are always together, and occasionally they
show signs of affection for one another; they never kiss, but subtle
indications emerge to suggest a deeper relationship.
Many Western viewers see this and assume that the two are lesbians.
However, similar
relationships of trust and interdependence often develop among Japanese
girls, and their parents are happy to see this because it means that
their daughter will always have someone she can depend on. So even though something is implied by the close relationship of Haruka and Michiru, it may not be what it appears to Western viewers.
At the
1998 San Diego Comic-Con Naoko told an audience
that they are "lovers"and became that way
because they fit naturally together. She said that in Japan, girls 16 and
up go through a very emotional process so that such a relationship is
possible. And when compared to the other 5 scouts (who are going to
school) that, "...those two have a lot more free time." The audience laughed.
Sailormoon S The Movie
From deep space, an icy asteroid approaches Earth. On it is an evil ice
Queen, intent on freezing over the entire planet and making it into a
chilly home for herself and her Snow Dancer minions. However, an
important crystal breaks off and falls onto a beach, observed only by
an astronomer named Kakeru.
Thinking it's a meteorite, Kakeru takes it home and puts it in a
petri dish near his bed. Then, as he sleeps, it begins draining his
energy.
Meanwhile, as the girls are shopping, Luna gets sick and decides to
head home. She collapses right in the middle of an intersection, and
a car speeds right toward her ...but at the last instant she is pulled
out of the way by Kakeru. She develops a crush on him.
Later, the Sailor Senshi battle the Snow Dancers that are looking
for the crystal, then learn of the Queen's plot and Teleport to her
asteroid.
The story mostly concerns Luna's crush on Kakeru, her unhappiness
that she's not a human and how she and Artemis fall in love. The
Outer Senshi also appear and help with the battle.
Sailormoon SuperS
This series centers mostly on Chibi-usa. The Outer Senshi are gone, but a
new ally surfaces, a winged horse known as Pegasus.
During an eclipse, a huge floating circus tent appears and from which
three new enemies: Hawkseye, Tigerseye and Fisheye, begin their
search through people's hearts for "beautiful dreams."
It's up to the Sailor Senshi to stop them, and soon Pegasus appears to
upgrade all the Sailor Senshi's powers, and to assist Sailor
Moon and Chibi-usa in a rather lethal combo-attack.
This series concentrates more on hijinks and doing interesting things
with the characters than on deep storylines; Usagi and Chibi-usa switch
ages at one point, for instance. Later, the trio of enemies give way
to the Amazoness Quartet and an evil queen named Neherenia.
Sailormoon SuperS The Movie
The third of the Sailor Moon Movies kicks off with a plague of
worldwide child abductions and a cookie bake-off between Usagi and
Chibi-usa.
Following the same spirit as the SuperS series, this movie has laughs
aplenty and a heartwarming story. In addition, the Outer Senshi show
up again for half of it!
The general plotline is that an evil woman, Vadianne, has subverted
the fairies responsible for candy being so tasty to children. One of
the fairies, Peruru, resists the brainwashing. While forming a bit of
a romance with Chibi-usa, Peruru assists the Sailor Senshi in foiling
Vadianne's plot to grow a Black Dream Hole out of the sugar energy
from the abducted children.
The quality of animation and the music for this Movie are the best
yet!
Sailormoon Sailor Stars
The last series introduces several new phenomenon and explains many
unanswered questions about the Sailor Senshi. The first six
episodes are actually a conclusion to the SuperS series. The Outer
Senshi return (including Saturn), and help the Inner Senshi defeat
Neherenia.
After that, everything changes. The girls are now in High School,
with new uniforms. Mamoru goes away to college in America (but gets
captured right off the plane by a new villain). A new enemy appears,
calling herself Sailor Iron Mouse. And three new allies are
introduced, calling themselves Sailor Star Fighter, Sailor Star
Healer, and Sailor Star Maker.
Iron Mouse is searching for the "Star Seeds" in people of
extraordinary merit; she draws a crystal out of their forehead, and
when it isn't the right one (which is always, until she finds the right
person) it turns black and the person turns into an evil Sailor Soldier,
like "Sailor Guts" for a football player, "Sailor Conductor" for a
conductor, and "Sailor Chef" for a chef.
Meanwhile the Sailor Starlights always show up to kill the
newly-possessed person--but Sailor Moon wants to get there first so
that she can heal them instead.
Later other Sailor Animates emerge, such as Sailor Lead Crow and
Sailor Aluminum Siren. (We do not make these things up.) They are
all created by Sailor Galaxia, who appears to be a full-fledged
Sailor Soldier clad in gold armor. Eventually the truth becomes
known about the nature of the Sailor Senshi (their very existence)
and it comes down to a final battle between two characters.
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