Sailor Moon CRYSTAL: My review!
Sailor Moon Crystal… a series with a lot of opinions. Some people love it, some people hate it; one believes is the true series the original Sailor Moon deserved, other believes is pure $tht…
I’m a great fan of Sailor Moon. Since I was little, I watched Usagi, doing all these circles moving with the electric guitar in the background with all those colors after said Moon Prism power, make up!. It was the most epic thing I have ever seen then and I fell in love with this TV show.
It is a must for me doing this review. After seen the original anime, this Sailor Moon Crystal and even read the manga; I feel I have to do this. Also, this is the first review I do of… something.
After beginning I want to clarify: Sailor Moon Crystal it is not a re-do of the original 90’ series; it is a reboot.
Reboot means to start the series again; ignoring the continuity from the previous work.
This new Sailor Moon, was made for commemorate the 20 years of the original manga. Crystal develop a story closer to the original manga events; that means, this version is slightly different from the 90’ Sailor Moon series you remember.
Ok, now. We can start the Review!
I’ll try to not make spoilers!
Sailor Moon Crystal, is a Webanime from 2014. Directed by Munehisa Sakai and later on by Chiaki Kon; this series is based on the original story of Naoko Takeuchi ,Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (美少女戦士セーラームーン). Its genre is: drama, romance and fantasy (specifically magical girls, Mahō shōjo). This story develops in a modern Japan, but with extra ordinaries characters.
Usagi Tsukino, is a normal but clumsy teenager girl, one day she finds a mysterious black cat which calls Luna. Luna, with a drawing of a crescent moon on its forehead, will change the life of Usagi forever; transforming her in the mythical Sailor Moon! The pretty soldier of love and justice!. Now, Usagi has the mission of find the other Sailor Senshis, find the enigmatic “Legendary Silver Crystal” in order to protect their princess. Meanwhile, the Queen of the Dark Realm, Queen Beryl, will try to find it first with her minions; causing torment events to Usagi and her friends.
Will Usagi find the Legendary Silver Crystal with her Sailor Senshis, and protect the princess?
It is very difficult to me to describe the review in one paragraph, so, I’m going to separate in many little paragraphs for have an order in my disorder.
It is very palpable that have passed 20 from the original series. The colors are vivid, cheerful and fluid; it looks happier in general. Fluid animations and everything is so colorful that look like a festive of rainbows and pastel caramels in front of your eyes. I noticed this animation also is closer to the original look in the manga. This was a thing I got difficult to accustom.
The transformation sequences now has an incredible CGI 3D which I honestly didn’t expect. Because of this animation now it is in 3D, the transformation sequences are longer than before. It is good the show doesn’t spam you this animation and one and every episode. In the third season, they remove this CGI to a traditional sequence. At this point the series has evolved a lot so it looks pretty anyway.
Thebattle scenes feels powerful and more fluid than before. I like the way how it goes the topic of the battles. It looks epic and awesome, thanks to the new especial effect; and some angles of the camera help on this a lot. The attacks are shorter but deadly, let it clears the great power our protagonist can handle.
The music, while it goes perfectly with the animation and the clave points, the tension, the funny moments, the drama times and the transformation sequences, I don’t feel it something with that power to stick to your mind, like happened with the old series (Sailor Moon 90’). Music in general is pretty and OK but, it’s lack of strength to be memorable.
But, the opening theme Moon Pride, and the third ending Eternal Etenity, are my favorites by far. I can’t tell how many times I have repeated these songs in my PC.
The story of this version, is absolutely awesome. I like how the scenes, the character act, how everything flows, I feel it is well thought. Everything is very clear and well explained, you don’t get lost; from why the evil are evils, why each sailor senshis have the rol its have given, where the powers come from and the importance of these. It’s fantastic
This doesn’t mean the serie is boring or evident. Unlike, the plot twist, the develops of the events the series shows you through the entire story is a trip of epicness which will make you want to watch more. In some times, the end would look predictable, but everything in between, is absolutely great.
One of the thing I liked the most, are the bad guys of this version. This time, they DO something. They do not sit and wait until their minions, by a lucky strike had succeed in their assignments. When the things start to get out of their control, they take the situation seriously, they show themselves if it’s necessary, being a real force to fear of.
The drama is heavy and you really want to know what happens in the next episode. This series, I’ll watch it again without dubbing.
Definitively I really liked Sailor Moon Crystal, It have been a long time since I didn’t enjoy a series so much; one which touch me to the point to make me cry, make me bite my nails and even got anger when someone interrupted me from watching it; with that little touch of humor but without being ridiculous and with a catching story; the hours gone quickly watching this series. I love this new version and the fact the story is closer to the original manga, give more points in favor to me.
Do I recommend it?
Well, here I want to clarify something:
If you are going to watch Sailor Moon Crystal, only for the Nostalgia of 90’; I don’t think you like it. There are a lot of changes between this version and the “original” which probably you won’t like it, and probably you will feel offended.
But, if you want to watch Sailor Moon Crystal as a new series, or because you want to know how goes the original manga. I totally suggest it. perhaps, you will be disappoint anyway, but you will enjoy it. I say this because it looks like nowadays nobody likes anything.
And here ends my review!
I have other things to say, but that will make this post larger than I want to, so I’ll let it here for today.
And that’s all for now! What do you think? Have you seen the series already? Do you have a favorite scene? What have you liked and what not? Tell me your opinions in the comment section!
I hope to see you soon folks!
Sources: Sailor Moon wikia, Wikipedia, a Youtube channel IXN media which explains the differences between the manga and the anime, and myself, I read the manga.
Images: some of them are my own elaboration (screenshots), gif from giphy.com and Sailor Moon Wikia, some Gif were made with gifs.com.
Everything belongs to their respective authors, Naoko Takeuchi and Toei animation. I only made the review, which has in part, my opnion.
Instagram DeviantArt Pivix
