Sailor Moon

Pacing and characterization. The manga's pace is brisk to say the least. As for character, well while Usagi and Mamoru get a heap of characterization (Usagi drops the whiny act in volume 1 for example), all the others don't. It's one of the things the anime actually did very well.

edited 14th Jul '12 10:03:25 AM by MyssaRei

Well that's why it's been suggested to take the best points of the Manga (more competent Usagi among other things) and the best points of the anime (better characterization of other characters, like the villains for example) and mixed them together.

It would produce the best result if done well.

How long is this series anyway? If it's 13 to 25 eps, that may not be enough time to really develop everything, but if it's not limited by that time, they could really give it some depth.

They don't have to worry about over taking the Manga (due to being finished years ago) so they can take their time and really get things right. But Japan tends to move its shows at the speed of light.

We don't even have a staff list, which is why EVERYTHING is up for speculation. Except for Ikuhara's participation that is, since he tweeted about it already.

I liked aspects of the anime better than the manga, and aspects of the manga better than the anime. It's better to look at them individually most of the time and since they were produced side by side, there was really no way the anime would come out as close to the manga anyway.

Something I did prefer in the anime was that despite Usagi still being the main character, it wasn't nearly as Usagi-centric. The chemistry of Haruka and Michiru that shows up in S comes from their storyline in the manga, but got a lot more screentime in the anime to make those characters stick out more. I also got up to the Nephrite and Naru arc in the anime on my blog and I have to say, it's probably one of the best written storylines in the anime. Nephrite is extremely forgettable in the manga and Naru shuffles off rather quickly when Usagi's friends switch to being the Senshi, but the anime gave both of them far more significant character development.

By the way, I questioned the Purity Sue and Karma Houdini monikers because if you actually read the tropes, Galaxia is neither. Plus, by this point in the anime, you should know that Usagi absolutely would not let anyone die if she thought they were redeemable. Unlike Nehellenia, whose redemption I thought was really stupid and hamfisted, Galaxia actually deserved it. Execution needed work though...but while it's really annoying that she just sends her minions out to die left and right in the anime, they don't exactly do more than that in the manga either. They're pretty much Galaxia's cannon fodder. And the manga left a huge plothole over the poor dead cats, Starlights, and Kakyuu.

I thought that frankly, the Stars arc of the manga is the weakest and if the new anime is going to retread that arc, it does so fixing all the giant gaping plot holes and last minute revelations that make the last arc so confusing. And maybe give the rest of the cast something to do besides dying without a fight.

Wait, the cats weren't revived in the manga? I don't remember that part well. Poor things.

I would still prefer getting rid of Eternal form.

I think the super forms were fine, but that's just me.

Which is your favorite of the Quirky Moniboss Squads?

Eternal Form looked pretty awesome in the manga. The only issue I have with it in the anime is the wings are fake.

...

Those wings are supposed to work?

Only when the owner is naked... IN SPACE!!

Yeah she got real wings the time a pegusus ran into her back (Surely you would think there would be room for streamlining the transformations here too?).

Wasn't there an additional form after Eternal? Like what Neo-Queen Serenity transforms into?

Literally, too.

Technically, there's Sailor Cosmos◊. But it's really unclear whether that's even Usagi. The manga only said "it's a future Sailor Moon" without ever clarifying if it's Usagi in the future, Usagi reincarnated, or even one of her descendants or another person using the title.

Sailor Cosmos looks cool, but makes no sense.

edited 14th Jul '12 9:46:55 PM by Rebochan

We can add Cosmos to the list of shit that needs fixing.

The Amazoness Quartet is probably my favorite of the Quirky Miniboss Squads, although I also like the Witches 5 and wish that the others besides just Eudial and Mimete had gotten more screentime in the anime. Hopefully if the new anime does anything with the S season, they will be more equal with the Witches 5.

Yea, in most respects I actually liked the S anime better than the S manga, but the weird divvying up of screen time for the Witches 5 was one of the weak spots for me.

I'd probably say I really dug the Shittenou the most, but that may be the recaps and the Four King Hell talking. Jadeite's a weak link, but the arc in the anime with Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite all interacting and having their own agendas made for a more interesting villain arc. In the manga, I liked that they were tied in to the actual backstory of the universe and kept popping up even past their story arc (wish more had happened with that though...)

Jadeite might fall under Grandfather Clause; he may feel generic as hell now, but as the series' first villain, every trick he used, every trait he displayed, felt new and fresh back then.

I am pumped as a motherfucker for the new Sailor Moon reboot. ^^

On another note, I can't believe Funimation is going re-dub the anime. Hopefully they take out Mercury's dub voice actor and use the honorifics this time around. Also they should broadcast the dub on Toonami. ^^

I just HOPE that TOEI wouldn't water down the original's tone. I'd hate to see the premise and series that's founded upon a brutal-yet-charming progression (which was the whole point of the trend) gets retooled for the sake of 'target audience'

Why honorifics?

My favorite Quirky Mini Boss Squad is the Shittenou, hands down. Great male Evil Counterparts to the Sailor Senshi, and the most imposing henchmen too. Though the Amazon Trio and Amazon Quartet come very, very close after them.

By the way, I questioned the Purity Sue and Karma Houdini monikers because if you actually read the tropes, Galaxia is neither.

Talked up as the greatest Sailor Senshi who only became evil because she sealed Chaos within herself out of sacrificial LOVE? Purity Sue. Goes off scot-free for all she's done, even when her more sympathetic minions whom she cruelly killed off did NOT recieve such redemption? Karma Houdini. Sorry, I know you don't appreciate the arc in the manga, but manga Galaxia was just a much better executed, more interesting character. A tragic villain (but with emphasis still on villain!) who met an appropriately tragic end.

Plus, by this point in the anime, you should know that Usagi absolutely would not let anyone die if she thought they were redeemable.

Which is annoying as f**k. There's only so far you can go with being The Messiah...

Unlike Nehellenia, whose redemption I thought was really stupid and hamfisted, Galaxia actually deserved it.

Galaxia's redemption was equally stupid and hamfisted as Nehellania's, and while she might have deserved it, she also deserved death along with it! That's how the manga did it, and this is one instance where the anime should've followed suit.

but while it's really annoying that she just sends her minions out to die left and right in the anime, they don't exactly do more than that in the manga either. They're pretty much Galaxia's cannon fodder.

Problem is that the anime made Iron Mouse, Alluminum Siren, Lead Crow, and even Tin Nyanko more tragic and sympathetic than Galaxia was portrayed. That they get killed off in mean-spirited ways while Galaxia is cleansed of all evil and lives just rubbed me the wrong way, and ensured Stars went out with a HUGE whimper.

Jadeite might fall under Grandfather Clause; he may feel generic as hell now, but as the series' first villain, every trick he used, every trait he displayed, felt new and fresh back then.

Exatly. And I still freaking love him as the series Starter Villain because he's so inept and corny, that he Crosses the Line Twice and becomes bizarrely awesome. Evil Is Cool, Evil Is Hammy, Evil Is Sexy, and the more and more he fell, Evil Is Petty...he had all of it.

On another note, I can't believe Funimation is going re-dub the anime. Hopefully they take out Mercury's dub voice actor and use the honorifics this time around. Also they should broadcast the dub on Toonami. ^^

WAIT, they're actually going to re-dub the original anime? Where was this confirmed?

edited 30th Jul '12 8:46:22 AM by ManwiththePlan

First, she's not "the greatest Sailor Senshi". She may have been at one point, but the anime makes it very clear that Sailor Moon is stronger than her since she was able to do what Galaxia could not. Second, sealing evil in yourself is not Purity Sue fodder either (if anything, it's an act of pride). Merely being willing to sacrifice yourself to stop a larger force is not a Purity Sue, or we are going to have to count every person on the Heroic Sacrifice page as one of these.

So, again I ask, did you read the page or are you merely stretching a trope definition past its breaking point just to complain about shows you don't like?

Wait, what? Again, no, unless you're seriously holding her responsible for her actions committed when possessed by evil. And that list is going to have to get pretty long for the entire anime, and might even need to include Usagi herself since she actually repeatedly put the entire planet at risk due to her own belief in the goodness of others.

So, again, did you read the trope?

By the way, there's also no word on whether or not the other minions truly died or not, considering that Uranus and Neptune were reborn along with the rest of the Sailor Team after losing their star seeds and using Galaxia's bracelets to sustain themselves. Princess Kakyuu was also reborn and allowed to rebuild her home. Galaxia led all of the star seeds she gathered back into space, so while its not explicitly stated in the anime, it's more likely than not that the Sailor Animamates returned to their original planets. Oh, I guess that means they're Karma Houdinis too.

Actually, I don't really like either arc that much as the conclusion to its respective franchise. Yea, I know, that sounds really weird since I've been defending the anime, but I feel like S was the anime's highest point anyway, and Stars was sort of trying to get the anime back on track after the really awful Super S season.

The manga is way too rushed for me and drops a bunch of great character buildup from the previous arc for the sake of shock value. Mamoru has this really fantastic arc where he even gets the power of the Golden Crystal...and dies one issue later without even getting to put up a fight (even the anime let him actually fight a little before getting curb-stomped).

The anime just feels like an improvement over how crappy Super S turned out, and at least the main characters have something to do but be cannon fodder for a longer period of time. The Starlights are also better used in the anime, since they have to be Usagi's replacement team in the manga after her friends all die, but don't really get much character development aside from Seiya. Of course, the manga actually used the Sailor Quartet eventually (while the anime let that drop >_<).

Basically, I think Stars is a decent anime arc with some issues (for pete's sake, the core Senshi go down in one episode >_<) but better than the arc that came before it and is better at delivering the kind of storyline the anime had delivered (stupid Nehellenia redemption arc aside). Whereas in the manga, it's an arc that's got a lot of ambitious ideas and is really good at ramping up the stakes and providing a proper ultimate foe, but doesn't really explain any of it's ideas that well and sacrifices its core cast in the process. Seriously, Haruka and Michiru got a really emotional send-off in the anime...while the manga killed them off-screen.

I think both the anime and the manga could have had better resolutions, and if we're getting another pass at the series and in particular the Stars arc, I'd like to see something that hit the manga's bigger plot points while fixing some of its bigger flaws. Particularly Sailor Cosmos, who feels like a bit of an afterthought despite all she represents.

Well, take your pick - she's technically more bloodthirsty in the manga, but she's also capable of massive miracles. In the anime, she's got a lower power level, but she's more pure of heart and tries to prevent needless death wherever she can. No matter which way you slice it, she's definitely a Messiah and both the anime and manga are pretty consistent about this.

Except in the manga, Galaxia was explicitly killing people of her own free will and to satisfy a selfish lust for power. Redemption Equals Death made sense...and even in the manga, Sailor Moon was so pure of heart that she defended this absolutely monstrous woman instead of killing her (Galaxia actually died out of remorse!). In the anime, Galaxia tried and failed to contain a great power. Getting punished for it would be completely off theme of the anime, and also kinda douchey of Sailor Moon (though in character for some of the other characters who had a less idealistic view of the universe and tried to kill her anyway).

Again, I disagree that they stayed perma-dead considering what we saw in the end of the anime. Though it would have been nice to actually see them again and be reassured that they survived.

Yeaaaaaa, Funimation hasn't announced that. It's a rumor that won't die. Funi has been very open that they would love to dub Sailor Moon (they see it as a logical shoujo counterpart to the Dragonball license), but they haven't gotten a license yet and they'll definitely make a huge deal of it if they do score it again.

Nope, the only Sailor Moon property running in English right now is the manga, so...get to reading.

I finished reading Codename: Sailor V as preparation for reading Sailor Moon. I'm going to be very annoyed if in the main series Mina is completely pushed out of the spotlight after reading about her for so long.

She isn't completely. I mean, she isn't the main character, but she's a respected and useful part of the team. After al, she has far more Sailor Soldier experience than anyone else except maybe Pluto.

Which just makes it confounding when most fanfic authors who write Sailor Moon(-involving) stories insist on painting Sixth Rangers Haruka/Uranus and Michiru/Neptune as being the much more experienced of the non-Sailor Pluto members of the Solar System's Sailor Soldier team.

edited 24th Aug '12 1:27:53 PM by MarqFJA