Sailor Moon Super S – The Complete Series

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Episodes: C+

 

 

I never understood the appeal of Sailor Moon and still do not.  The Sailor Moon Super S series did not win me over either, but the entire 39 episodes are here on seven DVDs, yet nothing here is more “super” than the original series.  I have not seen the whole original, but a few shows were enough, though fans will not want to hear that.

 

Either way, the only explanation I have to the success of the series is that it was one of the first ones marketed to the target audience intended, a hit before Animé really took off as it has.  This is not the best-animated series in the genre and the color is far from diverse, but perhaps the world this kind of combination creates is one of the reasons it has the fans it has.  These shows are uncut and any violence or unacceptably stressed-out-for-kids moments that may occur do not matter one way or the other, but the female hero and the fact that it is not too exploitive (versus something horrible like Cosplay Complex) helps.  It should be noted that this is marked for ages 13 and up.  Every title to almost every show has an explanation point or a question, showing the heightened emotional approach the show tries to have.  Note as follows:

 

1)     Meeting Of Fate!

2)     Super Transformation Again!

3)     Protect A Mother’s Dream!

4)     Capture The Pegasus!

5)     A Couple made For Each Other!

6)     Artemis’ Affair?

7)     Lita (Makoto)’s Friendship!

8)     Hearts That Communicate!

9)     Protect Darien (Mamoru)!

10)  Love Those Minis!

11)  Storm Of Love!

12)  Mansions Of Secrets!

13)  Time To Believe the Pegasus!

14)  Sparking Summer Days!

15)  Ami For The Prima!

16)  Holiday In Juban City!

17)  The Fated Partner!

18)  Shadows Of Dreams!

19)  Mirror Of Dreams!

20)  Amazoness!

21)  The Power Explodes!

22)  Burning Passion!

23)  A Dentist Of Terror!

24)  Confrontations In Dreams!

25)  Over The Fear!

26)  Don’t Lose Your Dreams!

27)  Pegasus Is Gone!?

28)  The Secret Of Pegasus!

29)  Rini (Chibiusa)’s Little Rhapsody Of Love

30)  Dream To Be An Adult!

31)  Coming Terror!

32)  The Center Of The Darkness: Dead Moon Circus

33)  Labyrinth Of Mirrors!

34)  The Golden Crystal Appears!

35)  Time For The Crystal To Shine!

36)  Dreams Forever!

 

 

This gets dizzying and leans more towards a young female audience, but is not as oversexualized as many such shows we have seen, a sad fact of this genre.  It gets very tired very quickly and have to expect that young girls would eventually get bored with all this repetition, especially with so many other, smarter shows out there for their age group and gender.  Nevertheless, this is a successful franchise and the repetition would be considered satisfying to fans, who are the only persons who should even consider this set.

 

The full frame 1.33 X 1 image is not bad for its age, but the simple animation can only offer so much, while the transfers were done in the Pioneer era, before the Geneon name took over.  There is a slight softness throughout that can be attributed to two factors, the actual animation and the compression of the DVD for most full frame presentations.  Fine detail is lacking, what little such a show could offer.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono shows its age as well, being not too loud or clear, but adequate, matching the age and lack of fidelity of the image.  A dream match?  One thing that is no dream is the absolute absence of any extras whatsoever, which is odd for a popular show in a boxed set like this.  Nevertheless, Sailor Moon Super S – The Complete Series has some kind of Japanese Pop appeal and an Audience, but it is overrated to say the least.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo