The costumes, oh my gosh, the costumes. Super Sailor Moon looks flawless (I love the transparent back bow).
Everyone's singing is generally improved.
The new Ura Nep combo (Shiotsuki Shuu and Fujioka Sayaka) has chemistry to burn, and I hope they both stick around.
The Witches 5 are hilarious, and Kaolinite is awesome.
Takahashi Karin is fantastic as Hotaru. The Hotaru/Chibi-Usa friendship is given the development and care it deserves, and it pays off.
The "fake Sailor Moon" ploy is a nice nod to the anime.
"The Time Is Near" is probably the best number in the show, and I could almost recommend UNV on its strength alone. There are some other great songs here, such as "The Awakening", "Eye of the Storm", "A Small Sparkle", and "Music of the Spheres".
This show takes a missed opportunity from Mugen Gakuen and has the Senshi fight each other, which makes me so happy.
The Bad:
The "cheating" subplot was handled poorly. Usagi's interactions with Haruka in this adaptation do not justify Mamoru's reaction, and he ends up coming off like a real jerk because of it. This imbalance destroys why this subplot works in the manga (in which Usagi has similar suspicions about Mamoru and Michiru) - the distrust goes both ways, and they end up being stronger after working through it together.
The Mistress 9 outfit is pretty lame (which is a real letdown, because Karin is otherwise killing it).
The Meh:
Mistress 9. I think having a different actress play her a la Black Lady would have been a better choice, because Karin looks too young and cute. Karin's performance is great, though, which keeps Mistress 9 out of the "bad" category (except for the outfit).
"Chosen One" could have been cut from the show and we would have lost pretty much nothing (it could've easily been replaced with a short monologue).
The "fake Sailor Moon" scene could have been more over-the-top.
There was a missed opportunity to include Ptilol (they managed to pull off the droid Senshi in Petite Etrangere, so it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to get Cyprine and Ptilol together).
Okubo Satomi plays Usagi and Sailor Moon really well and demonstrates a continuity of character growth in a way that other actresses haven't, but there are instances when she's really straining with her singing. It's one reason why I tend to feel some ending fatigue during the final battle with Pharaoh 90. To her credit, in the last two musicals, her singing would have landed her in the "bad" category (make of that what you will).
Final Thoughts: As far as adaptation is concerned, Un Nouveau Voyage is the best stage version of the Infinity Arc. It's not without its weak points, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable show that has earned my recommendation. I look forward to seeing where the musicals go from here. If we get a Dream Arc adaptation as strong as this one, I will be a very happy camper.
Un Nouveau Voyage
The Good:
The Bad:
The Meh:
Final Thoughts: As far as adaptation is concerned, Un Nouveau Voyage is the best stage version of the Infinity Arc. It's not without its weak points, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable show that has earned my recommendation. I look forward to seeing where the musicals go from here. If we get a Dream Arc adaptation as strong as this one, I will be a very happy camper.