Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese tokusatsu
television series in the Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon
metaseries originally created by Naoko Takeuchi
. It is produced by Toei
, the same company that produces the Super Sentai
Series and the Kamen Rider Series
and of which their animation firm Toei Animation
, produced the original anime version of Sailor Moon.
PGSM came out exclusively in Japan
. It ran from October 4, 2003 to September 25, 2004, and was a retelling of Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moons first major story arc, albeit with considerable plot divergences.
The theme music
is called and was written by Takeuchi and performed by J-pop
singer Nanami Yumihara under the name .
The series lasted 49 episodes (called "Acts"), and also included two separate made-for-DVD specials, for a total of 51 acts.
Standing in their way are the Sailor Senshi
, five middle-school-aged girls: perky Usagi Tsukino
, genius Ami Mizuno, paranormally gifted shrine maiden
Rei Hino
, tomboyish Makoto Kino, and J-pop idol Minako Aino
; two beings that appear to be sentient stuffed cats (Luna and Artemis); and Tuxedo Mask, a jewel thief in search of a Silver Crystal.
Later in the series, Metaria and Sailor Moon each get too powerful to be reined in, and the conflict shifts to attempting to postpone the inevitable destruction of the planet Earth. (It looks like Earth is plunged into darkness and not actually destroyed per se, but the effect is the same.)
Although Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a retelling of the first manga story arc, there are many differences that set it apart from the manga and anime. The storylines are more character-based and driven, focusing on the girls' civilian lives and their connection to the past more than on action sequences. While the first few episodes seemed directly based on anime and manga story lines, by the time Sailor Jupiter
had arrived the show was starting to spin off in its own direction. Additionally, Usagi and Rei's relationship is closer in spirit to the manga; while they have their disagreements, it never gets to the heated level that it does in the anime.
One of the largest changes was to the character of Minako Aino
, who, rather than being an ordinary girl among the other Senshi, is a famous pop idol
. When introduced, she is fighting crime under the alias "Sailor V" (as in the other versions), and makes subtle reference to this double life
in her music. Her most popular song, , is a Japanese pun
: and are pronounced nearly identically.
In addition to plotline changes, some updating has been done to minor elements of the series, making them more in line with modern culture. For example, in the original anime and manga, there were scenes involving Ami and a cassette tape. In the new version, the tape is replaced by a MiniDisc
. Instead of a transformation pen and communicators, each Senshi is given a bracelet and a magical camera phone
. Also, their secret hideout is not hidden in a video arcade, but rather in a magic karaoke room.
With the new adaptation of the show, certain characters were modified to give it freshness and originality. New aspects and forms include Sailor Luna, Dark Sailor Mercury, and Princess Sailor Moon. A new antagonist, Mio Kuroki, is also introduced.
, is a strange and manipulative girl who joins Usagi's class at school. She is a fellow pop idol and thus has a rivalry with Minako Aino. She pretends to be Usagi's friend while doing all in her power to cause her sadness. However, Minako is aware of who she really is and suspects she's an agent working for the Dark Kingdom. She continuously warns Usagi to stay away from Mio because she suspects her motives were just to cause pain in her life and sees her true intentions. Because of Usagi's forgiving nature, she continually gives her extra chances, much to Minako's chagrin because she knows she can't be trusted. Mio soon becomes very envious of Usagi's closeness to Mamoru and fakes fainting in front of his motorcycle
in order to kidnap him and take him to Queen Beryl. There, Mio taunts Mamoru, telling him that Beryl will kill him if he does not join the Dark Kingdom
and become Beryl's lover.
Mio is revealed to be created from a part of Queen Beryl herself, apparently to do harm to Usagi. After kidnapping Mamoru, her main role is to keep an eye on him for Beryl. The only powers of her own she demonstrates are slight mind control powers, and teleportation, of both herself and others.
Toward the end of the series, Mio is apparently killed by Endymion/Metaria. However, she is somehow resurrected as the main villain
of the "Special Act". Once again, she kidnaps Mamoru, this time wanting to marry him so they can rule a new Dark Kingdom as King and Queen. She is confronted and attacked by the Shitennou, forcing her to transform into a plant-like monster that makes quick work of her former allies. Ultimately, her final form is destroyed by the Senshi's
combined powers, channeled through the Moon Stick in the Sailor Planet attack.
After her revival for the Special Act, she seems to gain new powers. She can repair objects, cause them to appear out of thin air, and create monsters from flames. She can also summon legions of pierrot, or clowns, to serve her and gather energy, even creating replicas of the Shitennou. Mio is also able to brainwash others and transform into a plant-like monster. At one point she interrupts a television broadcast to announce that she is taking over.
contributed to the decision to produce another series of Sailor Moon, and Takeuchi was more closely involved in the production than she was for the anime.
(which, in the anime, is first shown in the Dark Moon arc
of Sailor Moon R). Before their nuptials they must do battle with Mio Kuroki who has been resurrected and claims to be the new queen of the Dark Kingdom. She kidnaps Mamoru and Usagi and intends to force Mamoru to marry her. However, the Shitennou are revived and help their master to defeat Mio's youma
, Sword and Shield. Meanwhile, the Sailor Senshi, minus Sailor Mars who is hospitalized with injuries from battling Mio while in her civilian state, use the Moon Sword provided by Queen Serenity to restore their power, enabling them to transform and defeat Mio. The story ends with Usagi and Mamoru's wedding, and Motoki and Makoto's engagement. This act is an hour long, twice as long as all the other acts.
of sorts that leads directly to the first episode. In it we see how Minako Aino
met Artemis and became Sailor V on Christmas. She must use her newfound powers to foil a stage magician/jewel thief called Q.T. Kenko and his Killer Girl assistants. Meanwhile Usagi
and her friends decide to dress in their own homemade sailor fuku in order to scare the thieves away from the jewelry store owned by Naru Osaka's mother, (Usagi as Sailor Rabbit, Naru as Sailor N, and their other friends, Kanami and Momoko as sailors K and M) only for Usagi to get kidnapped by Kenko. The actors who portray the Shitennou are featured as the inexperienced police officer
s group self-dubbed the "Police Shitennou" for comic relief
: Captain Kuroi (Kunzite), Officer Akai (Nephrite), Officer Shiroi (Zoisite), and female Officer Hanako (Jadeite). The story ends with Luna coming to Earth, feeling the burn of hitting the atmosphere, in order to give Usagi her powers.
. Hina Afterward shows what happened to Hina after breaking off her engagement with Mamoru Chiba. Tuxedo Mask's Secret Birth shows the origin of the Tuxedo Mask persona. It includes a joke-henshin
sequence in which, rather than transforming magically, he pulls his clothes on with dramatic flair.
Many of these actors also appear in the Kamen Rider series
, including Jouji Shibue (Mamoru), as Kamen Rider Ibuki
in Kamen Rider Hibiki
(and later in Kamen Rider Decade
as well), and Masaya Kikawada (Motoki), as Kamen Rider Ichigo (Kamen Rider: The First and Kamen Rider The Next
). Hiroyuki Matsumoto (Nephrite) and Akira Kubodera (Kunzite) also appear, as well as Satoshi Ichijo (Yuuto from Act 32), who played Kamen Rider Gai in Kamen Rider Ryuki
. More recently, Rina Koike (Luna in human form) played Shizuka Nomura from Kamen Rider Kiva
, and Miyuu Sawai (Usagi) appeared in the W: Begins Night segment of Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010 as Erika Mutsuki, a deceased musician whose ghost apparently had returned to haunt her sister.
Keiko Han and Chieko Kawabe had been involved with Sailor Moon previously: Keiko reprise their roles as Luna's (in cat form) voice in the anime and Chieko previously played Sailor Mercury in the Sailor Moon Musicals
or SeraMyu.
The cloaked youma which appeared starting in ep. 37 are redesigned Golem Hei from the 1992 Super Sentai
series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (which were adapted to the Putty Patrol in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
).
Keiko Kitagawa (Rei) also made an appearance in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
, as Reiko.
s on them.
"Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Original Song Album ~ Dear My Friend" was released in June 2004.
A 3-CD box set, "Moonlight Real Girl" was published in September 2004.
The broadcast originated from Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
. Another 28 television stations
in Japan, mostly those affiliated with Japan News Network, retransmitted the series, though some of them were weeks behind the TBS schedule because they started airing the series late.
There are several radio programs called "DJ Moon" based on the show that originated from Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
radio and were broadcast on other radio networks in Japan. The shows were a combination of a radio drama
and promotional tool
for the TV series, often foreshadowing upcoming events. These shows were later sold on CD.
The broadcast's ratings were not as high as those of the original show. The show had a high start, but then the ratings slid. They picked up in January 2004 and then again at the end of the series.
In addition to the broadcast television
show, there was also a stage musical performance
, Kirari Super Live! by characters on the show. Some footage from the filming of the stage show was used in the television broadcast. A special limited-edition promotional video, Super Dance Lesson, was available for purchase only through order forms found in the magazines Youchien, Mebae, and Shougaku Ichinensei in July 2004.
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
television series in the Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
metaseries originally created by Naoko Takeuchi
Naoko Takeuchi
is a Japanese manga artist who lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime and manga fans worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga and anime products to date.-Early life:...
. It is produced by Toei
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
, the same company that produces the Super Sentai
Super Sentai
The is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
Series and the Kamen Rider Series
Kamen Rider Series
The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...
and of which their animation firm Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
, produced the original anime version of Sailor Moon.
PGSM came out exclusively in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It ran from October 4, 2003 to September 25, 2004, and was a retelling of Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moons first major story arc, albeit with considerable plot divergences.
The theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
is called and was written by Takeuchi and performed by J-pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
singer Nanami Yumihara under the name .
The series lasted 49 episodes (called "Acts"), and also included two separate made-for-DVD specials, for a total of 51 acts.
Plot
A great evil, consisting of Queen Beryl, her four generals, and an amorphous evil power named Queen Metaria attempt to steal energy so that Beryl can take over the world.Standing in their way are the Sailor Senshi
Sailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
, five middle-school-aged girls: perky Usagi Tsukino
Usagi Tsukino
is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon metaseries and the main protagonist of the franchise, as well as its title character. Her civilian name, , becomes Serena Tsukino in the English-language versions...
, genius Ami Mizuno, paranormally gifted shrine maiden
Miko
is a Japanese term that anciently meant a "female shaman, spirit medium" who conveyed oracles from kami , and currently means a "shrine maiden; virgin consecrated to a deity" who serves at Shinto shrines.-Word:...
Rei Hino
Rei Hino
is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a Shinto priestess and schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
, tomboyish Makoto Kino, and J-pop idol Minako Aino
Minako Aino
, is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a cheerful schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
; two beings that appear to be sentient stuffed cats (Luna and Artemis); and Tuxedo Mask, a jewel thief in search of a Silver Crystal.
Later in the series, Metaria and Sailor Moon each get too powerful to be reined in, and the conflict shifts to attempting to postpone the inevitable destruction of the planet Earth. (It looks like Earth is plunged into darkness and not actually destroyed per se, but the effect is the same.)
Changes to story
Sailor Jupiter
is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a strong schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
had arrived the show was starting to spin off in its own direction. Additionally, Usagi and Rei's relationship is closer in spirit to the manga; while they have their disagreements, it never gets to the heated level that it does in the anime.
One of the largest changes was to the character of Minako Aino
Minako Aino
, is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a cheerful schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
, who, rather than being an ordinary girl among the other Senshi, is a famous pop idol
Pop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
. When introduced, she is fighting crime under the alias "Sailor V" (as in the other versions), and makes subtle reference to this double life
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
in her music. Her most popular song, , is a Japanese pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
: and are pronounced nearly identically.
In addition to plotline changes, some updating has been done to minor elements of the series, making them more in line with modern culture. For example, in the original anime and manga, there were scenes involving Ami and a cassette tape. In the new version, the tape is replaced by a MiniDisc
MiniDisc
The disc is permanently housed in a cartridge with a sliding door, similar to the casing of a 3.5" floppy disk. This shutter is opened automatically by a mechanism upon insertion. The audio discs can either be recordable or premastered. Recordable MiniDiscs use a magneto-optical system to record...
. Instead of a transformation pen and communicators, each Senshi is given a bracelet and a magical camera phone
Camera phone
A camera phone is a mobile phone which is able to capture still photographs . Since early in the 21st century the majority of mobile phones in use are camera phones....
. Also, their secret hideout is not hidden in a video arcade, but rather in a magic karaoke room.
With the new adaptation of the show, certain characters were modified to give it freshness and originality. New aspects and forms include Sailor Luna, Dark Sailor Mercury, and Princess Sailor Moon. A new antagonist, Mio Kuroki, is also introduced.
Mio Kuroki
, played by Alisa Yuriko DurbrowAlisa Durbrow
is a Japanese model, actress, and singer from Saitama Prefecture. She is most famous for her role as Mio Kuroki in the Sailor Moon live action show Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Her mother is of Japanese descent, while her father is an American of English descent. She is fluent in both English and...
, is a strange and manipulative girl who joins Usagi's class at school. She is a fellow pop idol and thus has a rivalry with Minako Aino. She pretends to be Usagi's friend while doing all in her power to cause her sadness. However, Minako is aware of who she really is and suspects she's an agent working for the Dark Kingdom. She continuously warns Usagi to stay away from Mio because she suspects her motives were just to cause pain in her life and sees her true intentions. Because of Usagi's forgiving nature, she continually gives her extra chances, much to Minako's chagrin because she knows she can't be trusted. Mio soon becomes very envious of Usagi's closeness to Mamoru and fakes fainting in front of his motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
in order to kidnap him and take him to Queen Beryl. There, Mio taunts Mamoru, telling him that Beryl will kill him if he does not join the Dark Kingdom
Dark Kingdom
The ' is an organization of antagonists in the Sailor Moon metaseries. They are the primary villains of the first story arc in every version of the series, and are responsible for the destruction of the ancient Moon Kingdom....
and become Beryl's lover.
Mio is revealed to be created from a part of Queen Beryl herself, apparently to do harm to Usagi. After kidnapping Mamoru, her main role is to keep an eye on him for Beryl. The only powers of her own she demonstrates are slight mind control powers, and teleportation, of both herself and others.
Toward the end of the series, Mio is apparently killed by Endymion/Metaria. However, she is somehow resurrected as the main villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
of the "Special Act". Once again, she kidnaps Mamoru, this time wanting to marry him so they can rule a new Dark Kingdom as King and Queen. She is confronted and attacked by the Shitennou, forcing her to transform into a plant-like monster that makes quick work of her former allies. Ultimately, her final form is destroyed by the Senshi's
Sailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
combined powers, channeled through the Moon Stick in the Sailor Planet attack.
After her revival for the Special Act, she seems to gain new powers. She can repair objects, cause them to appear out of thin air, and create monsters from flames. She can also summon legions of pierrot, or clowns, to serve her and gather energy, even creating replicas of the Shitennou. Mio is also able to brainwash others and transform into a plant-like monster. At one point she interrupts a television broadcast to announce that she is taking over.
Development
The popularity of the Sailor Moon musicalsSailor Moon musicals
The , commonly referred to as , are a series of live theatre productions based on Naoko Takeuchi's metaseries Sailor Moon. The series consists of 29 musicals which have had more than 800 performances since the show opened in Summer 1993...
contributed to the decision to produce another series of Sailor Moon, and Takeuchi was more closely involved in the production than she was for the anime.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Special Act
A sequel to the series, set four years later, that portrays the wedding of Mamoru Chiba and Tsukino UsagiUsagi Tsukino
is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon metaseries and the main protagonist of the franchise, as well as its title character. Her civilian name, , becomes Serena Tsukino in the English-language versions...
(which, in the anime, is first shown in the Dark Moon arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
of Sailor Moon R). Before their nuptials they must do battle with Mio Kuroki who has been resurrected and claims to be the new queen of the Dark Kingdom. She kidnaps Mamoru and Usagi and intends to force Mamoru to marry her. However, the Shitennou are revived and help their master to defeat Mio's youma
Dark Kingdom
The ' is an organization of antagonists in the Sailor Moon metaseries. They are the primary villains of the first story arc in every version of the series, and are responsible for the destruction of the ancient Moon Kingdom....
, Sword and Shield. Meanwhile, the Sailor Senshi, minus Sailor Mars who is hospitalized with injuries from battling Mio while in her civilian state, use the Moon Sword provided by Queen Serenity to restore their power, enabling them to transform and defeat Mio. The story ends with Usagi and Mamoru's wedding, and Motoki and Makoto's engagement. This act is an hour long, twice as long as all the other acts.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Act Zero
The last special made for the series is a prequelPrequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
of sorts that leads directly to the first episode. In it we see how Minako Aino
Minako Aino
, is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a cheerful schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
met Artemis and became Sailor V on Christmas. She must use her newfound powers to foil a stage magician/jewel thief called Q.T. Kenko and his Killer Girl assistants. Meanwhile Usagi
Usagi
Usagi may refer to:*Usagi, a Japanese term for rabbit*Usagi, a Japanese unisex given name meaning rabbit*Hana Usagi, a manga series by Kentarō Kobayashi*Samurai Usagi, a manga series by Teppei Fukushima...
and her friends decide to dress in their own homemade sailor fuku in order to scare the thieves away from the jewelry store owned by Naru Osaka's mother, (Usagi as Sailor Rabbit, Naru as Sailor N, and their other friends, Kanami and Momoko as sailors K and M) only for Usagi to get kidnapped by Kenko. The actors who portray the Shitennou are featured as the inexperienced police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s group self-dubbed the "Police Shitennou" for comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
: Captain Kuroi (Kunzite), Officer Akai (Nephrite), Officer Shiroi (Zoisite), and female Officer Hanako (Jadeite). The story ends with Luna coming to Earth, feeling the burn of hitting the atmosphere, in order to give Usagi her powers.
Mini-episodes
Act Zero also comes with two mini-episodes. Each one is approximately five minutes long and tells a quick short storyShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
. Hina Afterward shows what happened to Hina after breaking off her engagement with Mamoru Chiba. Tuxedo Mask's Secret Birth shows the origin of the Tuxedo Mask persona. It includes a joke-henshin
Henshin
is the Japanese word for "transformation," literally meaning, "to change or transform the body." This word is primarily used in manga, anime, and tokusatsu dramas for when a character transforms into a superhero. usually have a "henshin call", a catchphrase which they recite when they transform...
sequence in which, rather than transforming magically, he pulls his clothes on with dramatic flair.
Super Dance Lesson
A quick video hosted by Luna, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Moon, that instructed the viewer how to perform the dances from different songs from PGSM. The dances included were for the songs "Romance" and Also demonstrated were and although no formal instructions were given on how to dance to them.Kirari Super Live!
A Special Live Event occurred on May 2, 2004 at Yomiuri Hall. This Special Event was held for the 1,000 winners of the Sailormoon Campaign (a contest held earlier in the year, in which viewers had to send in UPC symbols to enter). The event combined musical performances, in which the cast members sang and danced to songs from the PGSM soundtrack, and a dramatic storyline with spoken dialogue, in which the Senshi had to stop the Shitennou from stealing the energy of the audience members. The show was recorded and released on DVD. The DVD also included bonus behind-the-scenes footage of the performance and interviews with the cast members.Cast
- Miyuu Sawai as Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon/Princess Serenity/Princess Sailor Moon
- Chisaki HamaChisaki Hamais a Japanese model, actress, and singer. She formerly used the stage name when she was with Snow Rabbits Productions. After Izumi returned to the modeling world in 2008, she used both 泉里果 and 泉里香 as stage names; both are pronounced "Izumi Rika"....
as Ami Mizuno/Sailor MercurySailor Mercury, in Japan, is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a genius schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
/Dark Mercury - Keiko KitagawaKeiko Kitagawais a Japanese actress and former model. She was an exclusive model for the Japanese Seventeen magazine from late 2003 to mid 2006, and left modeling when she left the magazine. Her first acting role was Sailor Mars in the Sailor Moon live action show Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon , and after her role...
as Rei Hino/Sailor Mars - Mew AzamaMew Azama, born December 26, 1986 in Hiroshima Prefecture and raised in Okinawa Prefecture, is a Japanese model and actress. Azama signs her name "Mew" using romaji characters. She explains it in her : "美優 is read Mew. I was named from Kyōko Koizumi's famous song 'MEW of dawn'. So, the inscription is...
as Makoto Kino/Sailor JupiterSailor Jupiteris one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a strong schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi.... - Ayaka KomatsuAyaka KomatsuAyaka Komatsu is a Japanese model/actress. She was born on July 23, 1986 in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture.-Modeling career:Her modeling agency is Amuse inc. She was a regular model of the now defunct Candy magazine...
as Minako Aino/Sailor V/Sailor Venus - Rina KoikeRina Koikeis a Japanese actress and idol affiliated with Very Berry Production.Koike started a junior Idol career with the DVD Big Brother at age 10, when she was in 4th grade. Koike also works for Very Berry Production as a model. Koike Rina had a role on the live-action version of Sailor Moon, Pretty...
as Sailor Luna - Keiko HanKeiko Hanis a Japanese voice actress. She attended Tōyō Eiwa Jogakuin, going on to study theatre arts at Nihon University. She gained experience in theater while attending school by obtaining work through Aoni Production, singing the theme songs in productions such as Story of the Alps: My Annette and...
as Luna (voice, cat form) - Kappei YamaguchiKappei Yamaguchi, better known by his stage name of , is a Japanese voice actor and actor from Fukuoka, affiliated with Gokū and 21st Century Fox.He is best known for the roles of Ranma Saotome , Jackson Neil , Tombo , Yattaro , InuYasha , Ryuichi Sakuma , L , Usopp...
as Artemis (voice) - Jouji Shibue as Mamoru Chiba/Tuxedo Kamen/Prince Endymion
- Aya SugimotoAya Sugimotois a Japanese TV personality, actress, dancer and author born in Kyoto. She also had a J-pop career in the late 1980s-early 1990s.-Early life:Aya Sugimoto grew up in Kyoto under a "strict" upbringing, making her first foray into the world of entertainment when she began modeling at age 15...
as Queen Beryl - Jun MasuoJun Masuois a Japanese actor best known for his role of Jadeite in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Jun has also worked as a model.- Profile :* Birth date: * Hometown: Tokyo, Japan* Talent agency: Office Watanabe- External links :...
as Jadeite - Hiroyuki Matsumoto as Nephrite
- Yoshito Endō as Zoisite
- Akira Kubodera as Kunzite
- Alisa DurbrowAlisa Durbrowis a Japanese model, actress, and singer from Saitama Prefecture. She is most famous for her role as Mio Kuroki in the Sailor Moon live action show Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Her mother is of Japanese descent, while her father is an American of English descent. She is fluent in both English and...
as Mio Kuroki - Chieko KawabeChieko Kawabeis a female Japanese pop singer, model, radio host and actress. She was born on February 24, 1987 in Tokyo. She is a graduate of Toshima, Tokyo. As of her marriage to producer Masato Ochi on August 8, 2008, her legal name is .- Career :...
as Naru Osaka - Masaya KikawadaMasaya Kikawadais a Japanese actor. His most prominent role has been as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider #1 in the film Kamen Rider The First and its sequel Kamen Rider The Next. He was also in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon as Sailor Jupiter's love interest Motoki Furuhata, as well as the sequel to Battle Royale, Battle...
as Motoki Furuhata - Kaori MoriwakaKaori MoriwakaKaori Moriwaka is a musician and actress. She was in the band The Go-Bang's and Ram Jam World; more recently, she portrayed Ikuko Tsukino in the live-action TV series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. She also wrote songs and played the guitar as a back musician for Japanese girl band Chee's.-External...
as Ikuko Tsukino - Naoki Takeshi as Shingo Tsukino
- Moeko MatsushitaMoeko Matsushitais a Japanese singer and actress from Hyōgo, Japan.Her most famous TV role to date was on Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon as Hina Kusaka. She entered the spotlight at age 15 when she won the multimedia prize of the Japan Bishōjo Contest, a beauty contest. In 2001, Moeko released her first single "Natsu...
as Hina Kusaka - Narushi Ikeda as Sugao Saitou, Minako's manager
Many of these actors also appear in the Kamen Rider series
Kamen Rider Series
The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...
, including Jouji Shibue (Mamoru), as Kamen Rider Ibuki
Kamen Rider Ibuki
is one of the Oni Kamen Riders in the 2005 Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Hibiki. His name literally means .-Iori Izumi - Ibuki:, known as is a 21 year old member of the head family of the Oni that run Takeshi at Yoshino. Being born into the head family meant that his life would always revolve...
in Kamen Rider Hibiki
Kamen Rider Hibiki
is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the fifteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. Kamen Rider Hibiki first aired on January 30, 2005 and aired its final episode on January...
(and later in Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider Decade
is the title of the first of the 2009 editions of the long-running Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu dramas. Decade, as its title suggests, is the tenth of the Heisei Rider Series, having begun with Kamen Rider Kuuga in 2000...
as well), and Masaya Kikawada (Motoki), as Kamen Rider Ichigo (Kamen Rider: The First and Kamen Rider The Next
Kamen Rider The Next
is a 2007 Japanese tokusatsu film directed by Ryuta Tasaki and written by Toshiki Inoue. The film was released on October 27, 2007. The film borrows elements from the Kamen Rider V3 television series and is a sequel to the Kamen Rider The First movie...
). Hiroyuki Matsumoto (Nephrite) and Akira Kubodera (Kunzite) also appear, as well as Satoshi Ichijo (Yuuto from Act 32), who played Kamen Rider Gai in Kamen Rider Ryuki
Kamen Rider Ryuki
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was the twelfth installment in the Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and it was shown on TV Asahi from February 3, 2002 to January 19, 2003. The catchphrase for the series is...
. More recently, Rina Koike (Luna in human form) played Shizuka Nomura from Kamen Rider Kiva
Kamen Rider Kiva
is the title of the 2008 Kamen Rider Japanese tokusatsu television series produced by Toei Company and Ishimori Productions. It premiered on January 27, 2008, following the finale of Kamen Rider Den-O. It aired as a part of TV Asahi's 2008 Super Hero Time block with Engine Sentai Go-onger...
, and Miyuu Sawai (Usagi) appeared in the W: Begins Night segment of Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010 as Erika Mutsuki, a deceased musician whose ghost apparently had returned to haunt her sister.
Keiko Han and Chieko Kawabe had been involved with Sailor Moon previously: Keiko reprise their roles as Luna's (in cat form) voice in the anime and Chieko previously played Sailor Mercury in the Sailor Moon Musicals
Sailor Moon musicals
The , commonly referred to as , are a series of live theatre productions based on Naoko Takeuchi's metaseries Sailor Moon. The series consists of 29 musicals which have had more than 800 performances since the show opened in Summer 1993...
or SeraMyu.
The cloaked youma which appeared starting in ep. 37 are redesigned Golem Hei from the 1992 Super Sentai
Super Sentai
The is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (which were adapted to the Putty Patrol in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
).
Keiko Kitagawa (Rei) also made an appearance in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2006 street racing action film directed by Justin Lin. It is the third installment in the The Fast and the Furious film series and currently the sixth in terms of series chronology...
, as Reiko.
Music
In March and April of 2004, singles for each of the five Sailor Senshi were released with image songImage song
An image song or character song is a song on a tie-in single or album for an anime, game or dorama that is usually sung by the seiyū or actor of a character, in character...
s on them.
"Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Original Song Album ~ Dear My Friend" was released in June 2004.
A 3-CD box set, "Moonlight Real Girl" was published in September 2004.
Distribution and reception
| Act 14 January 10, 2004 - 4.0% |
| Act 15 January 17, 2004 - 3.2% |
| Act 16 January 24, 2004 - 3.2% |
| Act 17 January 31, 2004 - 4.7% |
| Act 18 February 7, 2004 - 3.8% |
The broadcast originated from Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...
. Another 28 television stations
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
in Japan, mostly those affiliated with Japan News Network, retransmitted the series, though some of them were weeks behind the TBS schedule because they started airing the series late.
There are several radio programs called "DJ Moon" based on the show that originated from Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...
radio and were broadcast on other radio networks in Japan. The shows were a combination of a radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
and promotional tool
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
for the TV series, often foreshadowing upcoming events. These shows were later sold on CD.
The broadcast's ratings were not as high as those of the original show. The show had a high start, but then the ratings slid. They picked up in January 2004 and then again at the end of the series.
In addition to the broadcast television
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
show, there was also a stage musical performance
Musical performance
Musical performance may refer to:* Concert* Performance* Recital* Audition: a performance in front of a panel of judges* Concerto: a virtuoso solo work * Musical technique...
, Kirari Super Live! by characters on the show. Some footage from the filming of the stage show was used in the television broadcast. A special limited-edition promotional video, Super Dance Lesson, was available for purchase only through order forms found in the magazines Youchien, Mebae, and Shougaku Ichinensei in July 2004.
External links
Fly Me to the Sailormoon The Official Toei site Sailormoon Channel Official Bandai site HICBC Official HICBC Sailor Moon site- Genvid News updates and forums
- Sailor Dream Product and show information
- Three-Lights.net Magazine scans of actresses and show
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Review at japanhero.com
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon review at anime news network - Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Live Action Episodes