_v_violatte_
August 16, 2013
Recommended
~ I had watched the full first English dub season and watched the 6 cut episodes in Japanese w/ English subtitles just to make it fair to say I have watched all episodes. Most of this review is about the dub only, while some parts include the original too ~ Sailor Moon is a perfect starter anime for those beginning their anime addiction. I also chose this anime to begin with because it was a memorable classic back in the day, which makes it more likely to become a big hit with those interested in anime. ~ Story ~ The Plot: The plot, in my eyes, wasvery unique at the time that this anime was put on air. Nowadays, if you look at it, the plot may feel overused because of all the anime that has been out since then, surely there will have to be a few spinoffs by now.
Episodes: The episodes fit together neatly into a continuous story, though you can tell a few were rushed a bit. A lot of the episodes in the beginning had ______ in them. This idea was cool at first but got a tad bit tiresome during the last ______ episodes because it was predictable that the _____ would _____ once again. These episode seemed a bit like filler episode because there wasn't that much of a need for 5-7 episodes of the same concept but after that idea was finished, the episodes do start to get a lot more action into them with new plot twists spitting out at you. The ending was an open ending making you feel as if you must start the next series because you can not live without knowing what happens next.
~ Sound ~
Intro: The dub intro was very colorful and makes a lot of sense even if you watch only a few episodes. The piecing of parts was nicely thought out and the sounds were very magic like. Though for the original Japanese version, I can not say the same. The first intro (up to Epi. 27) seemed dull with all the black and white in the first few shots. The intro song Moonlight Densetsu" (ムーンライト伝説 Mūnraito Densetsu) was catchy when listened to in Japanese but became confusing when translated into to English. The original song may confuse people when watching the series with subtitles. The dub intro song still has the same melody as the original though with different lyrics. The original's lyrics were mainly focused on the main characters love, but in the dub the lyrics give off more of a heroic vibe, something more suited since more of the series is focused on defeating the evil, though the romance does start to peek out a lot more during the final episodes. The second original intro (27+) was a bit less dull and started to become a lot less confusing than the first.
Voices: The actors were chosen very nicely and specifically for each and very charecter. One of the main charecter has a very teacher/lecture like personality and the voice actor chosen was very good at portraying that voice tone.
~ Art ~
Style: The style of the anime was focused on magic and fighting off evil. The artist's did a great job incorporating both these attributes of the idea into a non confusing, bright poppy colored, sparkly, fun anime. What I like about this anime is that in fight scenes there is no gore/blood making it child friendly and sparing the light hearted.
~ Characters ~
A lot of the thought in the series has been focused on the characters, which I like better than say if they spent a lot on art supplies and poor character personalities. The art for each character portrays their flaws and strengths nicely, and the idea/animation for their battle attacks varies on each characters personality which is better, than say, if the stupid characters suddenly became smart with their powers. The main characters (as seen in the preview image for the anime) all have a similar outfit but the colors of the outfits, hair lengths & colors, battle cries & animations, strengths & flaws, all differ making it easier to tell who is who. The anime dips in and out of events that could happen in reality and events that would never happen, which means you can relate to some characters in some events and just keep on wishing you could be that character in other events. Obviously, the creators intention was for us to hate the villains but feel sympathy for them when we see their backstory, which means a few life lessons along they way including the famous "Never Judge A Book By Its Cover." Most main characters grow throughout the series as they become braver and older, also teaching us some life tips along the way. 2 main characters look quite similar to each other making it easy to guess that they have to do something in common with each other, making the suspense in seeing who one of them actually is, not as suspenseful, but for all you know, that character may turn out to be someone they don't look like, I won't be telling ;).
~ Enjoyment ~
I'm not a big fan of watching/reading the same book again because the mystery would be gone, making it a one time only ecperience, but thats just me. Maybe I would read the manga since a few things usually get cut in shows/movies. I wouldn't exactly want to own the actual licensed boxed DVD version because I've already watched the series, but that doesn't mean I would say no to buying a few licensed figures/knick knacks! Since the concept of the anime is very unique in my eyes, I think I'll be remembering this anime for a long time, including the lessons I've learned along the way, also who doesn't remember the first time they took a peek into the world of anime? If you don't, well that's what MyAnimeList is for! As you know, this anime was a hit back in the day, the reason more and more people got into anime. Even if you aren't a fan of anime or manga, I would still recommend you to watch the series. It may just change your mind! ^U^
