7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Long before Mamoru found his destiny with Usagi, he gave a single rose in thanks to a lonely boy who helped him recover from the crash that claimed his parents. This long-forgotten friend, Fiore, has been searching the galaxy for a flower worthy of that sweet gesture long ago. The mysterious flower he finds is beautiful, but has a dark side- it has the power to take over planets. To make matters worse, the strange plant is tied to an ominous new asteroid near Earth! Faced with an enemy blooming out of control, It’s up to Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians to band together, stop the impending destruction and save Mamoru!
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Tôru Furuya, Michie Tomizawa, Aya Hisakawa, Emi ShinoharaAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 95% |
Fantasy | 39% |
Comedy | 36% |
Comic book | 28% |
Romance | 25% |
Action | 1% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The Sailor Moon legacy has been a bit tainted with less-than-stellar Blu-ray releases over the past few years. That's a shame, because beyond the eye-gouging 1080p transfers is a classic Anime, one of the greatest of all time, many might argue, that has both entertained and inspired for more than a generation. The series received a welcome redo recently in its Crystal variation (season three is coming!) that thankfully wasn't besieged by any serious video flaws. Neither is this film. Fans who have long yearned to see classic Sailor Moon animation in all its high definition glory will be pleased to know that Sailor Moon R: The Movie looks excellent, though it's not quite perfect. There's none of this overly processed, old master, train wreck of a transfer stuff. It's a sight to behold, and the movie is fantastic, too, marking the first time the Guardians appeared on the big screen.
Guardians of the Solar System.
Sailor Moon R: The Movie offers a reprieve from one of the great disappointments the Blu-ray format has seen over its decade-plus lifespan, the Sailor Moon half-season box sets that are plagued with some of the most unsightly Blu-ray transfers one is going to find and are the subject of much scorn from fans. Sailor Moon R: The Movie offers an imperfect 1080p transfer, but one that's nevertheless a quantum leap forward. The movie arrives at a 1.78:1 aspect ratio as opposed to the 1.33:1 presentation of its season counterparts. The uptick in quality is immediately obvious. Color saturation is significantly better, detailing is tighter, backgrounds are cleaner: most all of the fatal flaws from the season sets are greatly reduced or completely eliminated here. It's quite amazing, and very satisfying, to finally see the Sailor Moon classic anime style appearing so refreshingly clean, with well defined lines, vibrant colors -- the Guardians' hair and costumes and the sparkling transformation sequences are particularly enjoyable -- and general image stability that really makes one wish Viz would go back and at least bring the season sets up to this level of competence. The image is not perfect, though. Sporadic instances of print wear -- scratches, pops -- are evident, common but never all that intrusive. Wobble is frequent and the image jitters with some regularity, particularly in panning shots but also during some more stable shots as well. Imperfect through it may be, the improvement over the TV series releases is enormous. Fans should be thrilled with, finally, a more-or-less proper classic Sailor Moon Blu-ray.
Sailor Moon R: The Movie features the usual franchise audio tracks, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 in both original Japanese and dubbed English. The usual subtitle options are included, too, but note that neither the audio tracks nor the subtitles can be toggled in-film; all changes must be made at the main menu screen. That said, the tracks are proficient and largely enjoyable. Musical width satisfies, as does clarity throughout the range. The lack of a subwoofer channel is more a hindrance to effects than to music; some of the more would-be deeply pronounced elements struggle to push hard enough, leaving the sounds more clumpy than organically potent. The lack of surrounds never seems much of an issue, though, as the fronts carry action well, including strong imaging and discrete element placement. Even dialogue reverberation halfway through nearly passes for a mild surround sensation. Dialogue images nicely to the center. The spoken word is well prioritized and effortlessly detailed.
Sailor Moon R: The Movie contains a brief collection of extra content. A DVD copy of the film is included with purchase.
Sailor Moon R: The Movie is probably better thought of as less a "movie" and more an extended episode. The added uninterrupted runtime does allow for additional plot and characterization but even ignoring the runtime, the movie never seems to push beyond the confines of its established routine. It follows the same basic structure, only here afforded more an opportunity to stretch out its themes and get deeper into the relationship shared between its two top characters. It's still an excellent bit of Sailor Moon; just don't expect anything out of the ordinary, except, of course, a vastly superior Blu-ray presentation compared to the season releases. Highly recommended.
Sailor Moon S: The Movie - Hearts in Ice
1994
1995
1996-1997
Limited Edition | Black Moon Arc
2015
1989
Anime Classics
2010
2020
2010
Classics
2001
Season 2 Limited Edition
2011
1998-2000
2005
Essentials | 機巧少女は傷つかない / Mashin-Dôru wa Kizutsukanai
2013
Essentials
2012
2006
To aru majutsu no Index
2019
2003-2004
犬夜叉
2002-2003
きまぐれオレンジ☆ロード The O.V.A
1989-1991
きまぐれオレンジ☆ロード あの日にかえりたい
1988