Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Tribute CD Coming This Month

Good day, Sailor Fans!

     An exciting announcement to report on today. I wrote a little over a month ago on the upcoming release of the "Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Memorial Tribute Album" that would include a collection of fan favorites from the anime. Yesterday, the release date for this collection was announced for January 29th. Fans are eager to get their hands on this album, especially due to the fact there is no authentic Sailor Moon soundtrack available, leaving ringtones (often remixed) as the closest thing to Sailor Moon music. This release should also help lessen the blow of the anime being pushed back to July of this year. Josh Totman, an associate editor at Japanator, wrote, that in addition to the album release,

"There's also a set of stickers that will be passed out to certain music stores to give away with the release. However, don't get your hopes up about easily snagging the complete set: each of the stores will be getting a different sticker out of the ten on offer. Good luck collecting all of those stickers, ultra-fans. You have your work cut out for you."

A trailer was also released for the album on YouTube, and can be viewed below:

There was some slight speculation of additional songs being added, as well as more artists, but here is the final track listing for the album:

"Moonlight Densetsu" by Momoiro Clover Z

"Heart Moving" by Shoko Nakagawa

"Princess Moon" by Haruka Fukuhara

"Otome no Policy" by Etsuko Yakushimaru

"La Soldier" by Tommy heavenly6

"Ai no Senshi" by Mariko Goto x Abu-chan

"Tuxedo Mirage" by Momoiro Clover Z

"Rashiku Ikimasho" by Haruko Momoi

"Sailor Star Song" by Mitsuko Horie

"Kaze mo Sora mo Kitto..." by Makoto Kawamoto

Bonus Track: "Moonlight Densetsu (French version) by Clementine

The album features some great talent and should be a big success among fans (especially during their sticker hunting endeavors!). Here is the album artwork, done originally by Naoko Takeuchi, that will be featured on the album's cover. Hope everyone is able to pick up a copy on January 29th! Stay safe, friends!

Peace and Good Fortune,

- Rei Hino

Korean Retail Site Pays Tribute to Sailor Moon

Good day, friends!

     Over the last few weeks, it's been exciting to see how active Sailor Moon has stayed around the world, whether online in the news, in popular culture, or in the realm of retail. I definitely believe that the new anime release is building a lot of hype, as well as rekindling the love and excitement that Sailor Moon gives to its fans. One recent Sailor Moon spotlight appeared yesterday in South Korea. Popular Korean retail site, 11st, featured a new series of product commercials that contained a "not so subtle" theme, obviously being that of Sailor Moon. 11st hired Korean girl supergroup Sistar to lead in the commercials, which included the group undergoing a "Sailor Star" transformation into Sailor Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus while the Sailor Moon theme song served as the background music. The videos went viral on YouTube, leading 11st to a host a competition in which fans can upload their own cover videos of the Sistar's dance. Here below are the campaign commercials, starring Sistar:

     Again, I really think it's fantastic that Sailor Moon is staying so actively involved and present in all forms of media, and I believe this will grow stronger as we continue to approach the premier date of the anime. Well done, 11st! 

Peace and Good Fortune,

- Rei Hino

Tuxedo Mask Remains a Strong Favorite in Japan

Happy Monday, friends!

     I trust everyone has heard by now that the new Sailor Moon anime has been delayed until July. Fans have taken the news fairly well, evidenced by the positive reception seen on several social media sites. This past weekend in Japan, our very own Tuxedo Mask shined brightly in a poll conducted by Otome Sugoren. This survey was targeted towards Japanese females, asking the question, "Which hero character from Shojo manga would be your dream boyfriend?" The survey received great response, and the final results were listed, naming the top 9 winners. As much as I would like to have seen it, Tuxedo Mask did not place first. . . . He did, however, finish strongly in the polls. Here are the final results:

#1. Shota Kazehaya from Kimi ni Todoke - From Me to You

#2. Shinichi Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile

#3. Yu Matsuura from Marmalade Boy

#4. Tsukasa Domyoji from Boys Over Flowers

#5. Masumi Hayami from Glass Mask

#6. Tuxedo Mask from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

#7. Shun Makabe from Tokimeki Tonight

#8. Shinobu Morita from Honey and Clover

#9. Andre Grandier from The Rose of Versailles

     CrunchyRoll writes:

"Shojo series provide an abundance of male characters that Japanese females dream of, whether it's a classroom hero, a cool and perfect senpai or knight in shining armor. Many of them maintain a delicate balance of coolness, shyness, manliness, and sensitivity that the main character usually falls for."

     Although he didn't take first place, it was still good to see Tuxedo Mask rank so high among all of the possible manga choices. He's #1 in our hearts. (:

Peace and Good Fortune,

- Rei Hino

 

"Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" Anime Postponed to July 2014

Good Day, Moonies!

     Well,  definitely not the happiest Sailor Moon news announcement to talk about today. For the second time now, the new Sailor Moon anime premier date has been extended, this time to July of this year. This will now make the release date a year later than the original release date of summer 2013. While this does involve more patient waiting, I am not upset or angry in any way. I think that the production team working on this has encountered some road blocks that they have had to fix, and in doing so, will produce a better anime for all of us to enjoy. With this news, that came directly from the official site of the 20th Anniversary Project, additional facts about the new anime was given.

     The first announcement was that Sailor Moon will be streamed worldwide via Nico Nico Douga. For those that are not familiar with Nico Nico, it is a video sharing and streaming website managed by Japanese company, Niwango. As of April 18, 2012, Nico Nico was the fourteenth most visited website in Japan.

     The second announcement was that the new anime will indeed be produced by Toei Animation, the same company that worked on all five seasons of Sailor Moon in the mid-1990's. In addition, One Piece and Suite PreCure director, Munehisa Sakai, will join the production team as director for the new anime. These are both great signs for the forthcoming anime.

     The third announcement, which is already old news, was that the opening/ending theme of the new Sailor Moon anime will be performed by five-member singing group, Momoiro Clover Z.

     Producer Atsutoshi Umezawa released a statement on the new series, assuring fans that the anime was in fact a new series, and in no way a remake of the past anime series. "It is a project to animate Takeuchi's manga story anew from scratch."*

     Definitely some news to be excited about, despite the fact we have to wait six more months. I think that this is definitely a good move on Toei's part, especially considering the fact we have had no news on this anime for several months. Probably a good indication things have not all gone according to plan. Let them take as much time as they need to make it as perfect as possible. Definitely something to look forward to! Until next time, stay safe!

Peace and Good Fortune,

- Rei Hino

*Quote taken from CrunchyRoll

Sailor Venus Pre-order Now Launching

Warmest greetings, Sailor fans!

     There has literally been no new news for the Sailor Moon franchise the last couple of weeks. Because it has been so long since I have posted, I would like to wish everyone (a late) Happy New Year! Nothing too groundbreaking to report today, though I am remaining hopeful that we will receive news on the upcoming anime soon. I wrote a few weeks ago on the latest Bandai SH Figuarts Inner Senshi figure, Sailor Venus. Up to this point, Sailor Moon, Mercury, and Mars, have been available for pre-order, with Moon and Mercury now both available for purchase. Finally, Sailor Venus has been added today to the line-up for pre-orders, and will ship out to buyers in April. For the United States, the two best marketplaces to purchase any of the Sailor Moon figures would be either Amazon or CrunchyRoll.

     Sailor Venus will stand at 14 cm. tall, and will ship with four facial expressions that include a Sailor V mask and bangs, as well as alternate hand parts (for those that want to re-enact the "Venus Crescent Beam"). In addition, Sailor Venus will be shipped with close companion, Artemis. Here are a few shots of the gorgeous pieces:

(And my favorite!)

     I think it is really cool that Bandai chose to include Artemis and Sailor V's mask with this figure, because it captures the full character and presence that is Sailor Venus. So, in review, Sailor Venus will feature three replacement face parts, four replacement left hand/wrists, five replacement right hands/wrists, Sailor V mask and bangs, Artemis figure, and figure stand for $40.00. Do note that this price is static, so one marketplace may sell the figure for a little less or a little more. I do hope you'll be able to pick this figure up, which will make a great addition to your Sailor Moon memorabilia collection! And keep those fingers crossed for upcoming anime news!

Peace and Good Fortune,

- Rei Hino

New "Sailor Moon" Tribute Album Released for 20th Anniversary

Season's Greetings, Friends!

     I hope everyone has had an excellent holiday season! I have a bit of exciting news for today. A Sailor Moon tribute CD was announced yesterday in celebration of the franchise's 20th Anniversary. "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The 20th Anniversary Memorial Tribute" will contain various songs from all seasons of the Sailor Moon anime, including favorites like "Moonlight Densetsu." Another exciting feature of the CD is that the front album artwork will be original artwork from Sailor Moon creator, Naoko Takeuchi. The CD will also feature many collaboration artists, including: Shoko Nakagawa, Momoiro Clover Z, Mitsuko Horie, Tommy heavenly6, Mariko Goto x Abu-chan, and Haruko Momoi. It should be noted that more artists are to come, and which song(s) each artist will record has not yet been released. The songs that will be recorded are:

• "Moonlight Densetsu" (Opening Theme for the 1st through 4th Seasons)
• "Heart Moving" (1st Season 1st Edition)
• "Princess Moon" (1st Season 2nd Edition)
• "Otome no Policy" (2nd Season Edition)
• "La Soldier" (88th Episode Insert Song)
• "Ai no Senshi" (68th, 89th, 102nd Episode Insert Song)
• "Tuxedo Mirage" (3rd Season Edition)
• "Rashiku Ikimasho" (4th Season 2nd Edition)
• "Sailor Star Song" (5th Season Opening)
• "Kaze mo Sora mo Kitto..." (5th Season Edition)

And, here is a shot of the gorgeous album artwork:

The "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The 20th Anniversary Memorial Tribute" CD will be available to purchase everywhere on January 29, 2014. This is definitely something Sailor fans will want to pick up, and something that won't break the bank like some of the recent collectible figurines. While all of the new merchandise is exciting and beautifully designed, I am really wanting some previews of the forthcoming anime, even if it is just a screenshot or short trailer. Oh, well. . . fingers crossed for something soon. If anything new surfaces, I will be sure to let you know. Stay safe, everyone!

- Rei Hino

"Sailor Moon" Most Popular in "Fighting Bishoujo Anime"

Good morning, everyone!

     A news article surfaced on CrunchyRoll this morning which gave the latest results of a web poll taken by Goo, a Japanese search engine, that included Sailor Moon. The poll asked participants to identify their favorite "Fighting Bishoujo Anime" that features both battles and beautiful female characters. Of all the different choices, Sailor Moon showed an overwhelming popularity. The survey was a bit of a landslide, with Sailor Moon earning 6.5x more votes than second place anime, PreCure. This could definitely be a reason why Japan has been diligent in keeping the markets fresh with new Sailor Moon accessories and merchandise. This poll was conducted between October 28th and November 4th, and received a total of 18,258 votes. Congratulations, Naoko Takeuchi and Sailor Moon!

1.) Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (11,843 votes)

2.) PreCure (1,805 votes)

3.) Cutey Honey (1,251 votes)

That's all for Sailor news today. Until next time, stay safe, friends!

- Rei Hino

New Sailor Venus Release!

Good morning, friends!

     In continuation of the S. H. Figuarts Sailor Moon figure line, Bandai has released product images of the Sailor Venus figure. With these images, you are able to see Venus's accessories, different facial expressions and poses, and the bonus Artemis figure included with Venus. Pre-orders will begin soon with an estimated release date being in April of 2014.

And, let's not forget Artemis:

As you can see above, Venus comes with a lot of pose possibilities, including her Crescent Beam Attack pose. Like the previous figures, Sailor Venus will cost $43.60 (4,536 yen). Additional information on this product can be found on the Sailor Moon Tamashii website. This figure looks great, and the addition of Artemis is a nice little bonus. Get yours before they sell out!

- Rei Hino

Naoko Takeuchi on "Sailor Moon: La Reconquista"

Good evening, Sailor fans!

     The world of Sailor Moon has been relatively quiet the last week; however, a rare, exclusive interview with Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi did surface on BroadwayWorld. This interview was done by Shounen Aya, and focused on the recent stage musical of Sailor Moon: La Reconquista and the continuing success of the Sailor Moon franchise. Aya began the interview by asking Mrs. Takeuchi, "When the serialization of Sailor Moon was running, the anime and musicals were also simultaneously happening, so Mrs. Takeuchi, do you have any thoughts you can share about what it was like doing a mixed media campaign?"

Takeuchi: "I think looking back on it, I think it's good to do something different like that. But because I was so young when I was in the thick of it, it felt awful, and there was definitely a part of me that felt it was way too difficult to handle."

On the subject of a possible Hollywood film adaptation of Sailor Moon, Takeuchi revealed that "there was an offer made from Hollywood to make a movie." Fumio Osana, Takeuchi's partner, spoke up on the topic saying, "The truth is its really hard to make a movie adaptation with Hollywood. It would be almost impossible to do without messing up the original work," with Takeuchi agreeing in full accord.

In closing, Takeuchi bragged on the loyalty and support of her fans. She began, "I never imagined that 20 years later, this work of mine would still be so popular, and I can't believe that there are still so many people who love it (laughs). But you know, even now when I hear someone say that they love Sailor Moon, that they think its beautiful, it makes me really happy to hear that."

You can read the full interview with Naoko Takeuchi here. And more information on Sailor Moon: La Reconquista can be found here. Until next time, peace and good fortune, friends!

- Rei Hino

Reissue of Sailor Moon's Accessory Cases from the 1990's

Good afternoon, friends

     Japan is continuing to roll out Sailor Moon merchandise, which may be a marketing plan to get more attention and hype for the franchise in the time leading up to the big anime release. Today, Premium Bandai started accepting pre-orders on two remade products that were huge successes in the 1990's, that being Sailor Moon's own accessory cases. The product comes in two versions: the Crystal Star Mirror Case and the Cosmic Star Mirror Case. The Crystal Star Mirror Case was originally released in Japan in 1993, and sold almost 500,000 units. The Cosmic Star Mirror Case was later introduced in 1994, and it sold nearly 300,000 units. These remakes are nearly identical to the original products, but have been slightly re-modified for more practical use by adult woman (the targeted audience of these two products). The price for both items is $45.74 and they have an expected shipping date of March 2014. Here are a few shots of the two new products!

Cosmic Heart Mirror Case

Crystal Star Mirror Case

Premium Bandai is really doing a great job on these new Sailor Moon products, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else they will release for us! That's all for news today, though. Until next time, stay safe!

- Rei Hino