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Post by Admin on Apr 28, 2020 18:56:22 GMT
Sailor Moon fans have been waiting for more of the anime franchise ever since the third season of the revival series, Sailor Moon Crystal, wrapped up a few years ago. But rather than return for a fourth season of the anime series, the franchise will instead be returning for a two-film project entitled Sailor Moon Eternal. Scheduled to release in Japan later this Fall (barring any major developments as a result of the novel coronavirus), fans recently got a much fuller look at the first film with a gorgeous trailer and poster. It's here that we got a look at the anime's newest art style that's reminiscent of the original 90s anime. But how closely do the two compare? A handy comparison whipped up by @artromdee (who you can find on Twitter here) shows just how closely they mirror one another as Sailor Moon Eternal has tapped into the nostalgic character designs of the 90s anime (thanks to returning designer Kazuko Tadano) but updated them with a slick new look. See for yourself below: While the second film in the project has yet to confirm a release window, the first Sailor Moon Eternal film is currently scheduled to hit theaters in Japan on September 11th. Original series creator Naoko Takeuchi returns to the franchise as a creative supervisor, Chiaki Kon returns from Sailor Moon Crystal to direct the films, and the voice cast from Crystal will be reprising their roles for the film as well! The gorgeous of the new film is undoubtedly going to be a major hook, but the films will be adapted the Dead Moon arc as well so there will be quite a lot to enjoy! It's clear from just this brief look at the film that there is a lot of attention to detail in giving this nostalgic series a new breath of life, and we can't wait to see how it shakes out! What do you think of the new take on the Sailor Scouts with Sailor Moon Eternal? Are you excited to see what the two new Sailor Moon films will be bringing to the big screen? Would you rather have had a fourth season of Sailor Moon Crystal instead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or talk to me directly about all things anime and other cool things @valdezology on Twitter!
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Post by Admin on Apr 30, 2020 8:22:38 GMT
Since Sailor Moon, also known as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, was introduced in Japan in the early ’90s, and later aired on Toonami (the Cartoon Network’s afternoon lineup of Japanese anime series), the show has captivated millions of fans, including celebrities like Saweetie, Lizzo, Megan Fox, Michelle Phan, Janet Mock, Halsey, and Brie Larson. On the surface, Sailor Moon appears to be a cutesy series about a girl with magical powers who becomes stronger after twirling in beautiful transformation sequences. But as all the Sailor Moon fans in Megan Thee Stallion’s mentions can tell you, the show is much more than that. The series follows Usagi Tsukino, a clumsy 14-year-old who’s bad at math and is terrified of monsters. She’s also a reincarnated Sailor Senshi (or soldier), known as Sailor Moon, who’s tasked with leading a group of other Sailor Senshi to fight the aforementioned terrifying monsters. Though she doesn’t have the ideal skill set to battle evil, Usagi proves time and time again that, despite her fears, she will fight any foe, especially when her friends are in danger. She is an unlikely hero, but it's Usagi’s vulnerabilities that make her so relatable to fans across the world; it’s what made her relatable to me. Before I watched Sailor Moon, I had been taught that you had to be fearless to be a hero, but Usagi showed me that being scared isn’t a flaw if you can be brave when it counts. The other Sailor Senshi are also multifaceted characters. The best example is Makoto Kino (Sailor Jupiter), who’s a tomboy, a skilled fighter, a caring person, and also a great cook; her dream is to become a chef. In many other series, a character has to be the “tough one” or the “soft one,” but in Sailor Moon, characters can be both simultaneously. Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) is another good example: She’s mostly reserved as she works at her grandfather’s shrine but isn’t afraid to get into a shouting match with Usagi, which shows her ability to switch from being quiet and reflective to loud and boisterous when the time calls for it. This anime series is also known for its portrayal of strong female friendships, especially among Usagi and members of her main crew: Ami (Sailor Mercury), Rei, Makoto, and Minako Aino (Sailor Venus). When Makoto showed up at Usagi’s school as the new girl with a bad reputation for fighting, it was Usagi who befriended her and accepted her for the great fighter and cook that she is. When Ami received an opportunity to study medicine in Germany, Usagi and the gang supported her decision and let her know that she would always be part of the team. Although Rei had a crush on the same guy as Usagi, they overcame it and remained friends. And when Usagi was heartbroken after the aforementioned guy broke up with her, Minako came to her house to cheer her up by brushing her hair and offering words of encouragement. When I think of Usagi, I think of her dedication, loyalty, compassion, relentless ability to forgive, and how she is not judgemental. These are the same principles that I carry with me, and I have Sailor Moon to thank for that. In addition to Sailor Moon’s themes of love, friendship, and empowerment, the show is known for its fashion. Since it takes place in the ’90s, there are plenty of pastels, overalls, high-waisted skirts, and denim-jacket ensembles that still look fashionable today, because the #90sanimeaesthetic is a real thing. Sailor Moon is one of the few anime shows to inspire fans, including myself, to not just wear the famous Sailor Senshi outfits (seen above), but to also attempt to re-create their classic, casual everyday looks. While I mostly identify with Usagi (and love her denim jacket, striped shirt, and pink shorts look), there are style inspirations throughout the series’ 200 episodes, including Rei’s pink overalls on top of a white shirt, Ami’s baby blue sweetheart dress, Makoto’s army green cardigan over a black turtleneck dress, and Minako’s coral crop top and pleated mint A-line skirt. And when Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi wasn’t creating classic outfits, she took inspiration from high-fashion looks, like this iconic Karl Lagerfeld-designed dress worn by Naomi Campbell in a Chanel ad and a Gianfranco Ferré-designed dress for Dior. Through such chic outfits, Takeuchi provided an empowering message that women can be badass crime fighters and look good while doing it. In fact, as Sailor Moon powers up, her Sailor Senshi outfits get more frills, ribbons, butterflies, and hearts, showing that femme looks can be a symbol of power.
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Post by Admin on Apr 30, 2020 20:22:21 GMT
This year marks 25 years since Sailor Moon premiered in North America. Since then there has been a live-action series, a reboot series (Sailor Moon Crystal), a re-release of the English dub by VIZ Media (to be more aligned with the original Japanese version, including fixing the erasure of a lesbian couple in the ’90s American dub), re-releases of the manga series, musicals (including one in the U.S. last year), and a variety of basic tees, sweatshirts, crop tops, dresses, and memorabilia from retailers like Forever 21, Hot Topic, Torrid, and Uniqlo. There’s also an upcoming movie, Sailor Moon Eternal, and a now-postponed ice show starring two-time world champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva.
Moreover, Sailor Moon continues to influence current pop culture. The series is often credited with popularizing the magical-girl subgenre in anime, which is defined as a series about a girl or woman with magical powers. Also, this subgenre often features transformation sequences and superheroes, a cute animal sidekick, and a knack for fighting supernatural monsters. Nearly three decades since Sailor Moon’s release, the subgenre’s popularity still reigns, and has influenced recent popular cartoons like Steven Universe, Craig of the Creek, She-Ra and the Princess of Power; contemporary magical-girl series like Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Princess Tutu, Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka, Adorned By Chi; and comic books like Jade Street Protection Services, Zodiac Starforce, Princess Love Pon, and Agents of the Realm. Fans have also proved their dedication through long-running fan sites like Miss Dream, Moon Kitty, and Shojo Power.
Brands have also taken notice of Sailor Moon’s impact and long-lasting influence. Last month, ColourPop cosmetics broke the Sailor Moon fan side of the internet when they announced a collaboration with the famed series. The brand’s Instagram posts usually garner 50,000 to 100,000 likes, but the Sailor Moon collaboration announcement post has gotten nearly 400,000 likes. And it was no surprise that the Sailor Moon-inspired line, featuring an eye shadow palette, lip gloss bundles (aptly named Moonlight and Daylight), body glitter, and blush sold out in seconds. In mid-March, ColourPop announced a second restock at ULTA Beauty stores, which also sold out — even as the early days of the coronavirus pandemic were upon us.
Sailor Moon’s popularity has been proven again with a KITH collaboration. Last week, the lifestyle brand had Sailor Moon fans scrambling to snag a piece of its capsule collection, which includes images on high-priced tees and cropped hoodies of the Sailor Senshi team and the black-and-white KITH logo. Similar to ColourPop, KITH’s posts, which often garner 1,000 to 2,000 likes each, increased after the Sailor Moon collaboration announcement, getting over 20,000 within a week; and the collection sold out within seconds of its release online.
As these reboots, re-releases, films, shows, and brand collaborations have proven, the series continues to be one of the most popular and influential shows ever, with an infinite amount of style inspiration. And as life amid the coronavirus pandemic has shown us, love, friendship, and outfits too cute to wear indoors, as seen in Sailor Moon, are things that should always be treasured.
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Post by Admin on May 2, 2020 5:27:23 GMT
http://instagram.com/p/B_fLR-jDGo3 She may not be the most famous of Sailor Moon’s cast, but a cosplayer has sourced the perfect colors and vibe for a sophisticated Sailor Neptune. Sure, nobody is perfect. It’s true that bringing out a prop, like the Deep Aqua Mirror, would take this look to another level. But ‘anarchystockers’ even rolled the gloves down a little, which is the signature look of Neptune and her lover, Uranus (...also known as her cousin, if you happened to watch the English dub in the 2000s). Striking teal, complemented by the depths of navy blue and a stark contrast in the white uniform and gold tiara. Adorned in a marine ensemble—Sailor Neptune paints an emotive picture. Known for her poise, elegance and mastery over the ocean, Neptune’s look fits snugly with her character. Teal is a comforting, albeit vibrant color that lends itself directly to her prowess in the arts and to her preferred extracurricular activity for relaxation: swimming. Navy blue, conversely, is an easy allusion to the mysteries of the deep sea—similar to the wide breadth of power hidden behind Sailor Neptune’s calm, graceful exterior. Instagram cosplayer ‘anarchystockers,’ does it right. The self-professed “human disaster” and “terrible cosplayer” is also a liar, because this look is a human success story and quality cosplay. http://instagram.com/p/B9cD2QoHTvc From the soothing aquatic hues to the unforced expressions, Tabitha of Delaware comfortably conveys the calm, yet spirited nature possessed by the Soldier of the Sea. Neptune’s alternate identity, Michiru Kaioh, is a composed, self-assured student who excels in the arts (specifically as a painter and violinist) and in all of her classes. Her other alternate identity, Princess Neptune, protected her home planet while rocking a gown and residing in a castle. That’s a multifaceted, yet consistently composed character. Someone who could casually flirt with a dude, Seiya Kou (while she is in her male civilian disguise), to figure out if they’re a threat—while not being attracted to men. Sneaky.
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Post by Admin on May 10, 2020 19:06:37 GMT
Following the completion of Sailor Moon, Takeuchi left publisher Kodansha for Shueisha, the company that published Weekly Shonen Jump. She met Togashi at a meeting for Weekly Shonen Jump artists. She was invited by the party's host Kazushi Hagiwara, the creator of Bastard!!! There, she met numerous artists of then-major manga, including Tetsuo Hara (Fist of the North Star) and his family (his daughter was cosplaying Sailor Moon) and an uncomfortable meeting with Nobuhiro Nishiwaki (Rurouni Kenshin). However, one meeting that stood out was with an unprepared nerdy guy described by many there as a "game otaku." This was Yoshihiro Togashi, who, like Takeuchi, was also of marrying age and single. By her own account, Takeuchi was almost immediately smitten. From there, mutual friends like Megumi Ogata (voice actress of Sailor Uranus, Kurama, and Shinji Ikari) would help the two get to know one another. When Takeuchi got to visit Togashi in private, she seemed stunned by his living condition, with his apartment being very messy and his diet consisting primarily of pudding. She immediately tried to help him take better care of himself. While Takeuchi helped Togashi get his personal life together, he helped her get back on her feet career-wise. Takeuchi, who was currently unemployed and depressed following the finale of Sailor Moon, started to collaborate with Togashi as an assistant on Hunter x Hunter, working on backgrounds until younger, upcoming artists for Shonen Jump replaced her. The work proved overwhelming for her, so she quit working for the publisher Shueisha. Shueisha's intense work schedule would later take a toll on Togashi's health. Togashi would later help Takeuchi develop Toki*Meca, her first fictional manga success following Sailor Moon. Around 1998, rumors started spreading on the internet among Yu Yu Hakusho fans that Togashi was engaged to another high-profile manga artist. By this point, Togashi and Takeuchi had been discussing the prospect of marriage, with Takeuchi half-joking that she could retire from making manga so she could be a full-time bride instead. They ultimately ended up marrying in January 1999, After receiving a Sega Dreamcast as a wedding gift, they went on a honeymoon to Turkey and Spain. The wedding attracted countless icons of the manga and anime industry to it. Among the people who wished them well were manga creators like Moyocco Anno (Chasing Amy) and Wataru Yoshizumi (Marmalade Boy) as well as voice actors like Kotono Mitsuishi (Sailor Moon, Misato Katsuragi) and Megumi Ogata. Takeuchi transcribed many of the warm messages (except for Ogata's, whose writing was impossible to read). Once married, the two kept their names. They had two children: a son born in 2000 and a daughter in 2009. The two have kept relatively private since the writing of the ...Punch! manga essays, which ended in 2004, though Takeuchi has also written about her difficulties giving birth and the challenges of raising children. Both Takeuchi and Togashi continue working on manga, with Hunter x Hunter coming on and off hiatus due to Togashi's health conditions. Thankfully, he has someone who clearly cares for him to help him recover during these hiatuses.
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