Sailor Moon S

Sailor Moon S
Season 3
The anime series title, which originally translated to Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon S, and later as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon S.
No. of episodes38
Release
Original networkTV Asahi
Cartoon Network
Original releaseMarch 19, 1994 (1994-03-19) –
February 25, 1995 (1995-02-25)
Season chronology
← Previous
Sailor Moon R
List of episodes

The third season of the Sailor Moon anime series, Sailor Moon S (originally released in Japan as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon S[1][2] (美少女戦士セーラームーン S(スーパー), Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn Sūpā), and later as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon S),[3] was produced by Toei Animation and directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara. It began broadcasting on TV Asahi on March 19, 1994, and ended on February 25, 1995. It adapts the "Infinity" arc of the Sailor Moon manga series by Naoko Takeuchi, and follows the adventures of Usagi Tsukino and her fellow Sailor Guardians. In this season, they must fight against the Death Busters, who are planning to take over Earth. In 2000, Cloverway Inc. licensed the season for an English-language broadcast in North America. Optimum Productions dubbed the season, continuing over from the first two seasons that were licensed by DIC Entertainment and General Mills' The Program Exchange. The series aired on YTV in Canada, who adjusted the episode numbers to match those of the original Japanese version,[4] from June 12, 2000, to August 1, 2000. The season later aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block in the United States. Edited and unedited VHS tapes and uncut bilingual DVDs of their adaptation were released by Pioneer Entertainment. In contrast to DIC's handling of the first two seasons, Cloverway retained the background music and sound effects from the original Japanese version. Eventually, the season was re-licensed by Viz Media in 2014 for an updated English-language release, produced by Studiopolis. The first 19 episodes of the season were released as Part 1 on November 15, 2016, and the remaining 19 episodes were released as Part 2 on June 20, 2017. While Sailor Moon S began very similarly to the first two seasons, it eventually took a darker, more emotional turn.

One of the controversies surrounding Sailor Moon S is in the romantic-lesbian relationship of Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, who are subtly depicted as romantic lovers, although this is never mentioned directly. Takeuchi has openly admitted they are a romantic couple,[5] and their voice actresses were instructed to play the characters "as if they are a married romantic couple."[6] However, because of differing cultural standards, most countries outside Japan, excluding Greece, Germany, Spain, and Mexico, have censored the relationship. In the Cloverway/Optimum English version, this subtext was altered, and Neptune and Uranus were portrayed as biological cousins instead of being in a romantic relationship with each other.[7] The Viz/Studiopolis English version preserves the subtext of the original material.

In the 1995 favorite episode polls for Animage, "The Death of Uranus and Neptune: The Talismans Appear" came in first place, "The Bond of Destiny: Uranus' Distant Past" came in eighth place, and "The Labyrinth of Water: Ami Targeted" came in ninth place.[8] The following year, "A Bright Shooting Star! Saturn, and the Messiah" came in fifteenth place.[9]

Three pieces of theme music used: one opening theme and two ending themes. The opening theme, an updated version of "Moonlight Densetsu" is performed by Moon Lips. The first ending theme, used for the first two episodes, is "Otome no Policy" performed by Yoko Ishida. The second ending theme, used for the remainder of the season, is "Tuxedo Mirage" performed by Peach Hips, a group consisting of voice actresses Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Aya Hisakawa, Emi Shinohara and Rika Fukami. Cloverway used the English-language version of "Moonlight Densetsu" first commissioned for DiC Entertainment's dub of the first season and R for their adaptation.

  1. ^ "美少女戦士セーラームーンS DVD‐COLLECTION Vol.1". toei-video.co.jp. Toei Video. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  2. ^ "美少女戦士セーラームーンS DVD‐COLLECTION Vol.2(完)". toei-video.co.jp. Toei Video. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  3. ^ "美少女戦士セーラームーンS BLU-RAY COLLECTION" (in Japanese). Toei Video. 25 May 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  4. ^ YTV at https://web.archive.org. "YTV - Shows - Sailor Moon". Archived from the original on 2002-02-04. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  5. ^ "Interview with Naoko Takeuchi". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  6. ^ Johnson, Dany (2001-04-21). "Q & A Rocking the Boat". Akadot. Digital Manga, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-02-21. When I was cast to play Haruka, I asked director Kunihiko Ikuhara, "Are they gay?" He answered, "Act as if they are a married couple." And I asked him again, "Married couple? You, mean, with two ladies?" He replied, "Yes." So they are husband and wife.
  7. ^ Sebert, Paul (2000-06-28). "Kissing cousins may bring controversy Cartoon Network juggles controversial topics contained in the "Sailor Moon S" series". The Daily Athenaeum Interactive. Archived from the original on 2008-02-08. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  8. ^ 第17回アニメグランプリ ［1995年5月号］ (in Japanese). Animage.jp. Archived from the original on 2010-10-19. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  9. ^ 第18回アニメグランプリ ［1996年5月号］ (in Japanese). Animage.jp. Archived from the original on 2010-10-19. Retrieved 2009-07-19.