7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The battle of good versus evil escalates in Sailor Moon Crystal Season 3 as Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians face a new threat—this time from outer space! When a strange phenomenon starts turning people into monsters, Usagi and her friends learn that a secret organization called the Death Busters is responsible. Led by their all-powerful ruler Pharaoh 90, these alien beings are determined to invade Earth to make it their second home. Will the two mysterious Guardians calling themselves Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune be the key to Sailor Moon’s victory, or her doom? And what is their connection to the prophetic dreams warning of impending destruction? With the fate of the world hanging in balance, Sailor Moon’s resolve to protect all life will be put to the ultimate test! Contains episodes 27-38.
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Hisako Kanemoto, Rina Satô, Ami Koshimizu, Shizuka ItôAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 91% |
Fantasy | 50% |
Comic book | 35% |
Comedy | 31% |
Romance | 27% |
Teen | 21% |
Supernatural | 16% |
Action | 11% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (2 BDs, 2 DVDs)
DVD copy
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Sailor Moon, one of the most popular anime franchises in both Japan and the rest of the world, has remained in good graces with established fans (various poor quality Blu-ray releases notwithstanding) and won over countless new ones since its inception in the 1990s. In honor of its 20th anniversary, Toei Animation’s Sailor Moon Crystal rebooted the franchise by retelling the story of the famous Usagi in a manner more faithful to the original magna by Naoko Takeuchi, as opposed to simply remaking the original as it was first imagined for the screen. Now, both fans of the original anime and those new to the franchise can rediscover, or meet for the first time, Usagi and her friends and fall in love with the "Pretty Guardians" on their quest to save the universe. Again.
With Crystal now in its third season, Viz has long established a level of visual excellence for this version of the series, but it's still a breath of fresh air when fans consider just how lousy the classic anime looks on Blu-ray. These new Crystal sets are plagued by banding, and this one is no different (though appears a little less intense here), but Crystal's third season is otherwise a very impressive outing on Blu-ray. Colors are wonderful, favoring pastels rather than bold, deeply saturated hues. There's an airiness to the image, particularly in title and credit sequences but it's one of the most generalized visual characteristics throughout the season. Essential colors are handled well within the show's visual stylings, such as Sailor attire and variously colored hair. The 1080p Blu-ray transfer presents the animation crisply and accurately, with generally firm, straight lines, high yield environmental detail, and effortlessly complex character models. Close-ups fair very well, with fine detail in eyes and hair amongst the highlights, but even distant shots, which are a little more crude, hold firm, particularly in terms of environmental detailing. Overall image sharpness and clarity are excellent. Only a little banding here and there keeps this form visual perfection.
Like the previous seasons, Crystal's third outing features a pair of DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtracks, one in the original Japanese and one in dubbed English. The English track seems to boast a little more depth to it, a bit more punch and vigor to transformation sequences, action, and more intense music. Either track will stretch the limits of the two-channel configuration, with both offering a seamless front stage presence where music, effects, and dialogue play in harmonious balance. Dialogue images to the center with such distinction that one would be surprised to learn this is a two-channel track if previously unaware. While surrounds are obviously silent, the fronts engage with such detail and energy that some of the more dynamic scenes nearly pass for creating a semblance of surround detail, again such as during the transformation sequences. The track plays very large and never fumbles any critical details, large or small. It's a treat.
This limited edition release of Sailor Moon Crystal: Season 3 comes housed in an attractive, sturdy slip box and includes three collectible cards
featuring the five original Sailor Guardians: Sailor Neptune, Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Pluto, Sailor Saturn, and Sailor Chibi Moon. Also included is a
collectible book featuring artwork and episode summaries for each episode; interviews with the cast (including all the Sailor Guardians and the principal
Death Busters); character art spreads for Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Uranus, Sailor
Neptune, Sailor Pluto, The Witches 5, Professor Tomoe and Kaolinite, Sailor Chibi Moon, Sailor Saturn, Artemis, Luna, Diana, Mistress 9, Super Sailor
Moon, Super Sailor Chibi Moon, Super Sailor Guardians, and various item and location sketches. Also included are lyrics for the opening song New
Moon ni Koishite and ending songs Eternal Eternity, Otame no Susume, and Eien Dakega Futariwo Kakeru. Finally, the
book features a list of the voice
talents for the Japanese and English language versions of the show. The set also includes the show on DVD, but no digital versions are bundled.
The following on-disc extras are included.
Disc One:
Crystal's third season works hard to be the definitive anime version of the original manga. It's more condensed but it doesn't feel lacking content. Animation is improved. Voice work is excellent and retains many of the actors from previous versions. The entire Crystal series makes for a great introduction to the Sailor Moon universe and an interesting point of comparison with the previous anime releases as well as the original manga. Sailor Moon Crystal: Set 3's Blu-ray release features strong video and audio. Supplements are disappointing in quality and don't offer much variety, but the included physical content is, again, terrific. Highly recommended.
Limited Edition | Dark Kingdom Arc
2014
Dark Kingdom Arc
2014
Limited Edition | Black Moon Arc
2015
Black Moon Arc
2015
Death Busters Arc
2016
1992-1993
1993
Sailor Moon S: The Movie - Hearts in Ice
1994
1995
2005
1991
Classics
2001
魔法先生ネギま!?
2006-2007
2010
1998-2000
Anime Classics
2010
2021
InuYasha: Kanketsu-hen
2009-2010
Anime Classics / はたらく魔王さま! / Hataraku Maou-sama!
2013
東京レイヴンズ / Tōkyō Reivunzu
2013
Essentials
2008
2012
2022
Episodes 1-27
2004-2005
犬夜叉
2000-2001