36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best season I've seen so far, September 25, 2005
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Sailor Moon S - The Complete Uncut TV Set (DVD)
I bought this DVD set at Best Buy after remembering that I watched Sailor Moon on Cartoon Network when I was seven. I had always wondered when all the planets were going to be represented, and now I know. I'm guessing that Cartoon Network showed the first and second seasons (completely dubbed and out of human control, not that I noticed, since I was just a kid).
Anyway, this season is great, because all of the plot twists (they were also predictable at the same time, but a few of the crucial things were a complete surprise to me). Almost all the episodes are the same, as the Sailor Senshi deal with the Death Busters (or Bureau of Bad Behavior, as in the English version) and their evil plot to steal the pure hearts from good people, usually friends of the Sailors and the Sailors themselves. The professor in charge of the Death Busters calls forth Kaorinite, and all of the Witches 5: Eugeal, Mimet, Telulu, Byruit, and Ptirol (Individually, of course, just to stretch out the season). This is also the season where Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn (Saturn doesn't appear until much later in the season) are introduced, and Pluto comes back halfway through the season. The normal Senshi don't know if Neptune and Uranus are fighting with them or not.
I really like the Japanese version better than the English, because it just makes a lot more sense and the voice acting is SOOOOOOOOOO much easier and less frustrating to listen to. I hate the English voices for the normal sailors, because they just don't match. The outer planet soldiers' voices match better, but I just can't stand listening to the others. But because these episodes were made in the 90's, everything was recorded in mono...which I didn't really notice until I switched between the English and Japanese.
This season is probably the best out of all 4 that I have seen (I haven't seen StarS yet, but I will soon) because it has the best plotline and villains, and it gets to the point without an insane number of filler episodes...the best episode is "Glass Shoes for Her Birthday! Usagi in Tears!" -It's Usagi's birthday and her friends act like it's nothing special and...well...you should see for yourself!
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sailor Moon S is super, March 2, 2005
This review is from: Sailor Moon S - The Complete Uncut TV Set (DVD)
This to my mind is the best of the 5 seasons of Sailor Moon, so I was eager to get the DVD box set. I'll divide this review into *detailed* info about the characters/story and the translation/packaging.
Characters/Story:
If you've only seen the first two seasons of Sailor Moon, this one may come as a bit of a shock, since it takes quite a different turn in theme, especially in the latter half (in this set, the 2nd half of disc 4, plus discs 5 and 6).
To make an analogy, Sailor Moon S is the "Empire Strikes Back" of the Sailor Moon series: it comes in the middle of the series, but more than that, it also alters the tone of the series; the other seasons surrounding it are much more light-hearted. S is significantly darker, with more mature themes (the emphasis on world destruction is prominent), and the addition of new characters adds new blood to the series. These new characters and their personalities (to my mind) are more interesting: they have a more serious agenda, more strength and more evolved personalities; this tempers the sometimes-annoying aspects of the younger Usagi and friends (and Chibiusa). The manner in which Uranus, Neptune and Pluto play off of the original Sailor Soldiers helps to add depth to the characters of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Sailor Moon. Each of the original characters gets at least one "personalized" episode focusing on their own obstacles, as does Haruka/Uranus (in which Michiru/Neptune plays a big part, as one would expect).
There is still some silly stuff (the Daimons in the early part of the series are all pretty goofy) but as the season progresses the intensity of the enemies and the issues increases.
This particular season is also where the tide turns from being a kid-friendly cartoon into something rather more serious. Again, despite some silly enemies and friendship-oriented storylines, the increased focus on destruction, "The Silence," and a child whose possessed father has twisted her into a force of evil with apocalyptic powers certainly has the potential to freak out a lot of kids. As viewers may or may not be aware, in Japan this wasn't really meant as a kids' show (as is the case with many anime programs), which is why some of the characters/plotlines had to be manipulated to make them fit the audience to which the show was ostensibly marketed when it was aired on U.S. tv (i.e. children). This box set recommends that the show is suitable for ages 13+, which sounds accurate to me based on the content of this season.
Also, less-than-liberal-minded folk might be distraught over the fact that Haruka and Michiru are a lesbian couple. In the dub [more on that in a minute] they are said to be "cousins," though one would have to suspend disbelief quite a bit to buy that story, considering the events of various episodes. In my opinion, their relationship is much deeper, and sweeter, than the oft-cloying one of Usagi and Mamoru. Uranus and Neptune's combined powers also make them a well-matched team during battle sequences, as do their personalities in their everyday surroundings. They also work side by side, unlike Tuxedo Kamen (Mamoru -- whose very name means "to protect" or "guard"), who usually swoops in to save Sailor Moon when something has gotten too hard for her to handle, though he isn't consistently present.
Translation/Packaging:
Like many other viewers, I prefer the subtitled version [this is the case for anything foreign that I watch, really], and once you've seen it in the original format, the dub comes across as pretty dreadful, but in this case part of that is due to the changing of the characters' relationship (Haruka and Michiru) and how some episode plots were tinkered with to accomodate the idea that they are supposed to be "cousins" rather than partners. (If you want to see the difference between the real story and how it's been changed in the dubbing process, when you're on the menu page at the beginning of any of the discs, go to the Setup section and choose English language with subtitles On; this way you are watching the dub but with the subtitles from the original Japanese version, so you can follow along and see what was warped during the translation. This is particularly enlightening for the episode "The Distant Days of Uranus.")
Though I prefer the subtitles, there were a couple of strange discrepancies, such as name spellings, between discs; in one, the name of the first of the Witches 5 is spelled "Yujiel" and thereafter it's "Eugeal." Not a big deal, but a little editing would have helped continuity.
Also, as others have mentioned, the translation of "odango atama" (dumpling head -- a reference to Usagi's hairdo) to "buns-head" is just plain wrong. (One line in particular in a subtitled episode comes out really badly with this translation...I'll let you find it.) Even "meatball-head" from the dub would be preferable to this.
As to the physical aspects of the box set, the slimline packaging doesn't bother me, though some other people don't seem to care for it. It was easy to get the DVDs out of their plastic holders within the cases (which isn't always true!), and the thick cardboard slipcase seems like it will be durable, which are the most important elements to me.
I do wish that there were some special features with these DVDs! That may be the biggest disappointment.
Overall, this is a great season and a decent set. Enjoy it!
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
S is Best, March 27, 2006
This review is from: Sailor Moon S - The Complete Uncut TV Set (DVD)
Not ever being a big fan of anime, Sailor Moon caught me off-guard several years ago. Even thought the show is very "little girl oriented" I fell in love with it instantly.
Sailor Moon S is the third of five seasons of Sailor Moon. It is also my very favorite. This season introduces Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn while giving Sailor Pluto a more important place with the Sailor Soldiers.
Sailor Moon S is also the darkest of the five seasons of Sailor Moon. The deaths of the villains (Witches 5)are also very entertaining.
If I were to recommend a cartoon/anime to pretty much anyone, I would definitely recommend Sailor Moon S
[As an added hint, watch the English dub with the subtitles for the Japanese version. This may help you uncover information that is unclear in the English version.]
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