Sailor Moon S: Season 3, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		1.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Sailor Moon S: Season 3, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 14, 2018

In what feels like a cash grab, and certainly not the first, Viz has yet again released a Sailor Moon series in two parts, forcing fans to shell out $40+ for each half of the season knowing they would be less likely to spend $80-$100 for the complete season in one shot, particularly given the show’s history of poor performance on Blu-ray, which is sadly once again the case with S Part 2. The split at least allows “early access” of sorts to at least part of the show, though it’s not like part 2 wasn’t preplanned; part 1’s limited edition, after all, comes with the perfect-sized spacer for it. Maybe with any future installments of this or any broken-date release, Viz could release the two parts individually while releasing the limited edition as a complete set first as incentive to pick it up at a slightly higher price.

As for the storylines and ins-and-outs for Sailor Moon S it’s difficult to discuss the show’s second half without referencing the first. Spoilers follow for both Parts 1 and 2.

S Part 2 picks up right where Part 1 left off. As the original Sailor Guardians, as well as the newly introduced Guardians, continue to compete with one another for the pure heart crystals, secret identities are revealed and new problems arise when Professor Tomoe and the Witches 5 continue to seek the destruction of the world for Master Pharaoh 90. Will Sailor Moon and the Guardians be able to save the pure heart crystals and keep Uranus and Neptune from killing people to prevent the prophesied destruction from taking place? Will their pure hearts save the day or destroy the world?

As it was with S Part 1, S Part 2 shines in its ability to explore its characters’ dualities, the narrative interconnection and character building as the show shifts between the Guardians’ superhero lives and the more “mundane,” but often no less dramatically enticing, teenage lives they lead away from the fields of battle and in the process of saving the world. Typical teenage fodder -- jealously, tests, relationships and more -- serve as the building-block background for the battles the Guardians face against the DeathBusters. Episode 109, the introductory show for S Part 2, embodies the season’s and the show’s dual spirits when Minako (Sailor Venus) becomes jealous that her pure heart has yet to be attacked by a Daimon and attempts to provoke an attack out of her jealously. It’s an interesting springboard that defines not only the central conflict and the arc that has taken shape prior in part 1 but is also representative of the sort of more personal dramatic flair one can expect from the half-season, and the entire series for that matter.

Story evolution and dramatic intensity remain a highlight. Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon try everything in their power to save Hotaru after Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus decide that the safest way to keep the prophesied destruction from becoming reality is to destroy Hotaru before she can transform, creating a natural-break tension within the group that becomes the most exciting point of tension in the season. It’s also an interesting evolution of the “pure hearts” narrative. It is the desire to protect the innocent that reveals their Pure Hearts, ultimately leading to salvation. While part 1 concentrated more on the pure hearts of a wide variety of humans, part 2 uses these broader pure hearts as merely a backdrop to better reveal the sacrificial pure hearts the various Sailor Guardians possess.

S Part 2 isn’t entirely dramatically stagnant, doesn’t always tread water and eventually reach the resolutions fans might presume the show will reach. Storylines evolve away from the expected. In a change from Season 2’s modus operandi, the Witches 5 don't seem to care for one another and are perfectly willing to sacrifice each other to get closer to Professor Tomoe and the Messiah. In season 2, the Sailor Guardians were able to change the Spectre Sisters; here the witches are essentially immune from any reason.

Sailor Moon S: Season 3, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sailor Moon S: Season 3 Part 2's 1080p transfer regrettably and irritatingly carries on with the previous split seasons well-documented problems. Rather than regurgitate all the drama and dissect the image all over again, it seems best to simply refer readers to the previous releases comprehensive breakdowns and know to expect more or less the same basic visual presentation here. All of the core problems remain, and though the image maintains a base foundational boost in overall color and clarity thanks to the 1080p resolution, it's otherwise a disaster, so troubled even those who generally dismiss any video deficiencies will be left wondering what went wrong. Few Blu-ray releases exhibit so many problems, consistently and egregiously, as this; a poor master has been put through the processing ringer and come out much worse for wear. Please click here and here for more.

Sailor Moon S: Season 3, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sailor Moon S: Season 3 Part 2's audio is a straight extension of Part 1's pair of DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtracks. Neither are particularly robust. Effects lack precision clarity and nuanced detail. Music, notably opening title music, doesn't stretch all that far to the ends, settling to image towards the middle. The lack of spacial range is disappointing, and the absence of more affirming clarity, instrumental distinction, and a muddy low end are issues of note. Dialogue in both languages does benefit from the center imaging and clarity is generally fine.

Sailor Moon S: Season 3, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sailor Moon S: Season 3 Part 2 contains extras on all three discs.

Disc One:

• Gallery (1080p): Various poses of Sailor Moon in her new transformation as Super Sailor Moon (3), Sailor Mercury (2), Sailor Mars (2), Sailor Jupiter (2), Sailor Venus (2), Setsuna Meioh (5), and Sailor Pluto (2).

Disc Two:

• Gallery (1080p): Chibi-Usa (3); Sailor Chibi Moon (7); and Sailor Moon, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, Sailor Pluto, Sailor Neptune, Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Chibi Moon (1).

Disc Three:

• Interview with Keith Silverstein (1080p, 10:33): Silverstein, who voices both Professor Tomoe and Kenji Tsukino, answers questions about his roles and the show. He hits on the differences between his two characters, the duality within Tomoe's character itself, his relationship with Christine-Marie Cabanos, and the cultural importance of the show.
• Getting to Know the Guardians: Sailor Uranus (1080p, 7:27): Erica Mendez discusses her role and how she works as a voice actress, hitting on the difficulties she had with the role and why she enjoys her job.
• Getting to Know the Guardians: Sailor Neptune (1080p, 10:05): Lauren Landa discusses her role and working as a voice actress, covering how she got started, what inspired her to become an actress, and how she voices Michiru. She fields the same questions as Erica.
• Getting to Know the Guardians: Sailor Saturn (1080p, 8:26): Christine-Marie Cabanos discusses her role and working as a voice actress. She speaks about her planning process and her personal connection to her character. She fields the same questions as Erica and Lauren.
• Episode #119: Live Reaction with the New Guardians (1080p, 24:45): A picture-in-picture presentation feature showing Erica Mendez (Sailor Uranus), Lauren Landa (Sailor Neptune), and Christine-Marie Cabanas (Sailor Saturn) viewing Episode 119: "The Messiah of Silence Awkaens? Stars of Destiny" for the first time. Essentially a commentary track with the participants appearing on-screen.
• Art Gallery (1080p): Includes Still images of Hotaru Tomoe (4), Sailor Saturn (6), Kaolinite, Eudial, Mimete, Viluy, Tellu, Cyprine, Ptilol, Mistress 9, all the Sailor Guardians, and Super Sailor Moon.
• Clean Opening (1080i, 1:33): With English and Romaji Subtitles
• Clean Closing (1080i, 1:32): With English and Romaji Subtitles
• More from Viz Media (1080p): Trailers for Sailor Moon Season 1 Part 1 Limited Edition, Sailor Moon R Season 2 Part 1 Limited Edition, Sailor Moon Crystal Season 1 Limited Edition, Sailor Moon Crystal Season 2 Limited Edition, and Sailor Moon R The Movie.

Sailor Moon S: Season 3, Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sailor Moon S: Season 3 Part 2 delivers both solid entertainment and some in-depth character arcs. The show maintains the same essential beats but takes its time to explore characters and narrative beyond the obvious while also interconnecting them all to a satisfactory level. Video is again crummy, audio isn't great, and the supplements are about average for a Sailor Moon release. For fans only, and only on a good sale.