7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A sudden snowstorm has hit Tokyo, marking the return of an ancient being named Princess Snow Kaguya! She has a chilling plan to freeze Earth, but it requires the recovery of a missing piece of her ice crystal. After falling ill due to the cold, Luna is rescued by a kind hearted but misunderstood astronomer, Kakeru, who happens to have the remaining shard of the crystal! Called into action to protect Luna and her newfound crush, Sailor Moon and her team of Sailor Guardians are now the only hope the world has of avoiding eternal winter!
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Keiko Han, Tôru Furuya, Yasuhiro Takato, Kae ArakiAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 94% |
Fantasy | 36% |
Comic book | 27% |
Comedy | 26% |
Romance | 19% |
Adventure | 2% |
Action | 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, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There are usually two routes for TV shows to take when spinning off into a movie: most will either improve the franchise by adding more world and character depth and detail or destroy the franchise by trying too hard to make the transition into something different and spectacular when drastic shifts in course aren't necessary. Sailor Moon S: The Movie gravitates towards the former, finding an enticing balance between world and character building by way of an offbeat story that fits right into the now well-established universe. And it doesn't hurt that the film is little more than an extended episode in terms of structure: it introduces a couple of new characters, including a love interest and a new enemy, and the Guardians fight to dispatch of said enemy. But the film thrives on its greater focus on characterization with the opportunities afforded to it by the generous (though obviously short by cinema standards) hour-long runtime. The film focuses almost entirely on Luna, relegating even Sailor Moon and the other Guardians to background supports as the feline falls in love with an unusual companion.
Sailor Moon S: The Movie arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer framed at a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. There's a little opening title wobble, some dirt splotches appear from time to time, and the image is a bit jittery in places, but it's obviously an entirely different animal than its season counterparts (part one, part two). For one, the aspect ratio is shifted to 16x9 rather than 4x3. Second, the animation is much more crisp, sharp, and stable. Whereas the season sets feature unsightly artifacts and processing remnants, the movie offers a very firm, accurate reproduction. It's enjoyable, which is not a word associated with the season sets. While lines are not always absolutely firm and crisp, they're clean enough to satisfy, Details are stable, whether character models or static backgrounds. Colors are bold and lively, finding perfectly impressive saturation on hair, clothes, furnishings, and environments.
Sailor Moon S: The Movie contains several different soundtrack+subtitle options, all in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless configuration:
English, English
with English subtitles, English with Songs and Signs, English with SDH subtitles, and Japanese with English subtitles. Most of them are self explanatory;
"Songs and Signs" includes on-screen translations of critical Japanese text elements.
The two-channel configuration in both English and Japanese is fine, if not a bit underwhelming in places. Music lacks total aggression and the absence
of a subwoofer channel limits its low end potential, leaving it sounding a little flat. Essential instrumental clarity is good, though. Environmental details
satisfy in baseline clarity but without surround channels there's no feel for absolute immersion into the locations. Action effects suffer from the absence
of both subwoofer and surround speakers; limited physical range stymies such scenes, and even the most active moments that intermix music with
action never really get off the ground. Dialogue is sufficiently clear and images seamlessly to a front-center location. The track is by no means bad, but
its limitations are apparent from the outset. The Japanese language track is not dramatically different, if at all, in terms of dynamic range, clarity, and
the inherent limitations of the two-channel setup.
Sailor Moon S: The Movie contains a couple of interviews, English language credits, and trailers. A DVD copy of the film is included with
purchase. A digital code is not. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.
Sailor Moon S: The Movie is both familiar and full of surprises. Its focus on Luna, a cat who falls in love with a human, is certainly unique, but it's absolutely Sailor Moon at its core: structurally, thematically, and visually. At an hour long it has more the feel of a double length episode than a feature film, and the story isn't quite compelling enough to warrant too much separation from the main series, but it's very well done in series context and is a must-see for franchise fans. The video and audio qualities are imperfect but largely fine. A few extras are included. Recommended.
1995
1993
1996-1997
Limited Edition | Black Moon Arc
2015
2003-2004
2000-2004
2014
1998-2000
犬夜叉
2002-2003
InuYasha: Kanketsu-hen
2009-2010
2008
2010
Anime Classics
2010
2013
2010
2012
SD on Blu-ray
1996-1997
Classics
1996
SD on Blu-ray
2000-2001
2005