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[MikeMyers]

So I just got done watching the episode and really liked it too. Yeah, I agree that it seems the humor here felt more organic rather than forced.

Oh, and I was randomly watching some clips of the original anime on a whim recently, and watching Crystal today made me realise how different Kotono Mitsuishi sounds as Usagi in Crystal. She was really loud in the original.

 

[Zoe]

That feels pretty late for this kind of show in Japan. Unless maybe it was a cheap slot to air in, I would've expected something more primetime (unless One Piece etc steals all those slots).

Well they're not really aiming for the childhood demographic this time around.

(plus all the kids know how to use DVR's)

I caught this as well but watched like 5 episodes of the first two seasons so I thought "maybe they know by now?". The girls also transformed with people around in the middle of the street?

The consequences of cutting stuff from the first two arcs...

 

[Shard]

Sailor Moon Crystal Season III, Episode 1:

SO here we are in the alleged third season, which i get where they are coming from, this is the third arc of the manga after all but still doesn't change the fact that Sailor Moon Crystal only had one previous season over 2 cours. Anyway, production technicalities aside, this was a decent start to the season as we are free of those god awful CGI transformations, the art till looks ugly, but this is a TOEI production so that is to be expected. Yes, I think I am looking somewhat forward to watching this season.

 

[Bladenic]

Well they're not really aiming for the childhood demographic this time around.

(plus all the kids know how to use DVR's)



The consequences of cutting stuff from the first two arcs...

wait so Naru does know? And they did transform right in the street, are they not even hidden anymore lmao (I'm not to this point in the manga yet)

Anyway they're really going for that "Haruka is confused for a guy" here since everyone seems to think she is. Or is she deliberately going for that?

 

[MikeMyers]

Well, in the manga, doesn't Haruka consider

Spoiler

herself to be both male and female?

I believe the recent Kodansha release says that.

 

[kirblar]

The consequences of cutting stuff from the first two arcs...

What stuff got cut that might be relevant?

 

[blamite]

I'm catching up on the first two seasons and the jump in quality from the first episode of Season 2 is pretty big. Sounds like I have another big quality jump to look forward to!

Well, in the manga, doesn't Haruka consider

Spoiler

herself to be both male and female?

I believe the recent Kodansha release says that.

I'm no expert, but I saw this on my Tumblr dashboard recently: http://i.imgur.com/0NOogus.jpg

 

[Curler]

I'm no expert, but I saw this on my Tumblr dashboard recently: http://i.imgur.com/0NOogus.jpg

I wonder if it is more figuratively, as in she has masculine characteristics and "a man's strength" but still the elegance/biology of a female.


Anyhow, the episode was great! Weird having it have such a lighter tone compared to the first 2 seasons. Like night and day! Wish the show was like this from the beginning. I think Mars had more lines in the first ep already! End song is still great, opening is... ok. Voices sound great! Haruka sounds very similar to Megumi Ogata so that was nice to hear

 

[BassForever]

Gonna watch later tonight or in-between classes tomorrow, most looking forward to non cg transformations.

 

[Zoe]

What stuff got cut that might be relevant?

I need to review to see if there was something for Naru, but Motoki explicitly figured out Ami and Makoto during the Dark Kingdom finale. There was another scene during Black Moon where he acknowledged the control center.

 

[Zoe]

Hmmm... They cut out the Mamoru/Diana moment and Usagi being bothered by "Usa" :\

 

[Bladenic]

I wonder if it is more figuratively, as in she has masculine characteristics and "a man's strength" but still the elegance/biology of a female.


Anyhow, the episode was great! Weird having it have such a lighter tone compared to the first 2 seasons. Like night and day! Wish the show was like this from the beginning. I think Mars had more lines in the first ep already! End song is still great, opening is... ok. Voices sound great! Haruka sounds very similar to Megumi Ogata so that was nice to hear

Haruka sounds legit almost the same. It's quite uncanny.

 

[BassForever]

This first episode is weird it feels like it took elements of the original anime and injected it here. When Rei started taking shots at Usagi I was kind caught off guard since I don't remember that being a thing in Crystal s1/s2 at all. It barely feels like a sequel to crysta outside of the artstyle.

 

[Bladenic]

This first episode is weird it feels like it took elements of the original anime and injected it here. When Rei started taking shots at Usagi I was kind caught off guard since I don't remember that being a thing in Crystal s1/s2 at all. It barely feels like a sequel to crysta outside of the artstyle.

As far as I'm concerned this is the real Crystal and I hope it keeps up. This is what the show should've been all along.

 

[Curler]

As far as I'm concerned this is the real Crystal and I hope it keeps up. This is what the show should've been all along.

It's awesome, and yet it kind of sucks because it makes the show not really consistent. Ah well, just gotta treat this as a new start, overall. I like to think that the senshi finally had some down time and were able to relax, since season 2 comes RIGHT after, and things start up again. Now they can loosen up and joke with each other and whatnot

 

[Bladenic]

It's awesome, and yet it kind of sucks because it makes the show not really consistent. Ah well, just gotta treat this as a new start, overall. I like to think that the senshi finally had some down time and were able to relax, since season 2 comes RIGHT after, and things start up again. Now they can loosen up and joke with each other and whatnot

Yeah it feels like a reboot of sorts. But Crystal was garbage incarnate, so who cares about consistency?

 

[MikeMyers]

Yeah, I'm liking the direction of this season better so far too. S1 felt like a motion comic at times.

 

[BassForever]

Yeah it feels like a reboot of sorts. But Crystal was garbage incarnate, so who cares about consistency?

I mostly care when it comes to this being an adaptation of the manga since correct me if I'm wrong but Rei and Usagi having some kind of rivalry was an original anime thing so for crystal to randomly introduce it in season 3 with no set up just feels out of place. If someone had never seen the original series and only saw Crystal it'd feel baffling.

 

[Cheerilee]

I mostly care when it comes to this being an adaptation of the manga since correct me if I'm wrong but Rei and Usagi having some kind of rivalry was an original anime thing so for crystal to randomly introduce it in season 3 with no set up just feels out of place. If someone had never seen the original series and only saw Crystal it'd feel baffling.

I don't think it's strictly an adaptation of the manga. It's undeniably influenced by the anime, but it makes a concerted effort to show more of a manga influence, but it also does entirely new things sometimes. (And it also sticks to some older things that should probably have been reworked. Like that Mercury intro episode with mind-control floppy disks CDs and widescreen computer monitors, and a modern teenage girl who is surprised to meet someone who knows how to operate a computer... it really got my brain twisted in knots.)

Also, I would describe Sailor Moon Crystal as fanservice (by which I mean, "made for it's fans", not the common dismissive term for softcore porn). I'm sure it's producers probably wanted Crystal to be a lot more ambitious and introduce Sailor Moon to a whole new generation, but it's mostly dragging on 90's coattails. I doubt there's any 90's Sailor Moon manga fans who didn't also watch the 90's Sailor Moon anime. IMO, the sooner this show realizes it's true potential as fanservice, the better.

 

[Bladenic]

So far so good, 2 episodes into S3 and they're both good.

Comments:

1. Why did Haruka threaten the girls? Is that a manga thing? Do they already know they're senshi?
2. LMAO they really don't give a shit where they transform anymore.
3. I didn't like that they played the entirety of everyone's transformation PLUS their intro speeches. That was about 4 and a half minutes. I guess we may have to sit through that every time for budget reasons if we want the rest of the show to look good. At least the transformations look good this season.

Hope next week brings the Uranus/Neptune transformation sequences

 

[Pluto]

3. I didn't like that they played the entirety of everyone's transformation PLUS their intro speeches. That was about 4 and a half minutes. I guess we may have to sit through that every time for budget reasons if we want the rest of the show to look good. At least the transformations look good this season.

I hope this was just because they had to fill time, two episodes for one manga act might have been a bit too long.

 

[SpikedGunner]

3. I didn't like that they played the entirety of everyone's transformation PLUS their intro speeches. That was about 4 and a half minutes. I guess we may have to sit through that every time for budget reasons if we want the rest of the show to look good. At least the transformations look good this season.

Hope next week brings the Uranus/Neptune transformation sequences

I'm giving them the leeway that this is the beginning of the season, but yea, I hope they don't make it an obvious time padding thing (even though I DO appreciate them) every episode, at least not throwing EVERYONE in there.

Otherwise, I've been enjoying what I've seen so far, hope it continues to do better.

 

[ROBOKITTYZILLA]

Season 3 is legit.

The art and animation has improved a lot (cats looked especially better), the transformations were great (ugly CG gone), and the comedic notes are much more frequent. I haven't been following the thread lately but did they make any major production changes that attributed to this or are they just listening to fan feedback and fixing things?

 

[Zoe]

3. I didn't like that they played the entirety of everyone's transformation PLUS their intro speeches. That was about 4 and a half minutes. I guess we may have to sit through that every time for budget reasons if we want the rest of the show to look good. At least the transformations look good this season.

Are you kidding me? The Moons were supposed to be the only ones in this battle :\

 

[SpikedGunner]

Season 3 is legit.

The art and animation has improved a lot (cats looked especially better), the transformations were great (ugly CG gone), and the comedic notes are much more frequent. I haven't been following the thread lately but did they make any major production changes that attributed to this or are they just listening to fan feedback and fixing things?

well a new director for one.

 

[Bladenic]

Season 3 is legit.

The art and animation has improved a lot (cats looked especially better), the transformations were great (ugly CG gone), and the comedic notes are much more frequent. I haven't been following the thread lately but did they make any major production changes that attributed to this or are they just listening to fan feedback and fixing things?

Both.

 

[Korigama]

well new a director for one.

A new character designer as well.

 

[Zoe]

Not a fan of the changes to this chapter at all. Hope it's better when they go back to 1:1 next week.

 

[Shard]

So far so good, 2 episodes into S3 and they're both good.

Comments:

1. Why did Haruka threaten the girls? Is that a manga thing? Do they already know their senshi?
2. LMAO they really don't give a shit where they transform anymore.
3. I didn't like that they played the entirety of everyone's transformation PLUS their intro speeches. That was about 4 and a half minutes. I guess we may have to sit through that every time for budget reasons if we want the rest of the show to look good. At least the transformations look good this season.

Hope next week brings the Uranus/Neptune transformation sequences

There are reasons why Hakura and Michiru are antagonistic at this point and it will be explained later on in the arc.

 

[MikeMyers]

Just saw the episode. Manga isn't fresh in my mind so I didn't notice any differences but overall I enjoyed it. I like the new voice for Hotaru.

2. LMAO they really don't give a shit where they transform anymore.

Haha yeah, they got busted fast.

 

[Zoe]

Just saw the episode. Manga isn't fresh in my mind so I didn't notice any differences but overall I enjoyed it. I like the new voice for Hotaru.

Only Usagi and Chibi-usa took part in the fight, and only Chibi-usa got tripped up by the monster. Usagi one-shotted it without any help or hesitation.

 

[MikeMyers]

Karma for Act 12. :/

Usagi actually looks pretty good in the Mugen Academy outfit!

 

[Bladenic]

The transformations are one thing but I always believed the speeches weren't occurring in some out of show dimension that only the audience sees. As in, that monster wasn't just gonna chill while they all introduced themselves. Plus why bother introducing yourselves to some beast? They could've easily pulled the intros and just kept the transformations.

Anyway more thoughts:

1. Chibi Moon's transformation sequence was probably the best in this show from all her sequences.
2. Poor Mercury only using Aqua Mist lmao, plus it seemed to look exactly like it did when she used it in Episode 2 of Crystal, lame. Burning Mandala and Sparkling Wide Pressure were great, being both homages and adding their own touches (SWP being a combination of Crystal S1/2 and OG anime). Venus Love Me Chain being like the OG anime was kinda lame though, considering how she's been using it thus far.

 

[MikeMyers]

Wasn't Ami always kinda the "weak" one in the manga? Pretty sure in the Dream arc

Spoiler

she was the only one who didn't beat her baddie by herself

.

 

[Curler]

Another great episode So I was looking on the other arcs, and the last two have 11 chapters each. I bet they will probably do something similar, and add one or two more eps to the count by extending them. Would be nice to have the last ep in two parts, if that's the case (and a return of a new, updating Moonlight Densetsu would be great!)

 

[MikeMyers]

Anyone got a GIF of Chibiusa blowing away that Usagi bubble?

 

[Toad.T]

So, I'd like to hear the consensus from Senshi-GAF, do you think after they get to Stars (It's not confirmed, but it feels expected with what they're doing now) they'll make new content? Sort of how what Dragon Ball Super's doing, with Toriyama laying out an outline, then Toei/Toyotaro expanding on the concepts?

Or do they have more respect for this cash cow than the other cash cow?

 

[blamite]

I finished Season 2 and I'm all caught up now! Man, S2 started off decent but the pacing was just awful in the second half. I'm glad they got rid of Mamoru's glasses though, those were awful.

I'm really impressed with Season 3 so far. I knew it'd look better, but it's actually, like, overall enjoyable to watch now? That's great. The background music is pretty boring though, not really memorable at all. The OP and especially the ED are really nice though.

I know basically nothing about the manga (so keep that in mind and basically disregard everything I say I guess??? haha), so I was a little surprised to see Pharaoh 90 show up basically immediately. I thought it was neat how in the original anime he didn't show up until like the second to last episode, but cool. I hope the Witches 5 actually get to do things and have characterization and not just just get wasted immediately like the Spectre Sisters.

As expected Haruka and Michiru are still the best, and I love the idea of characters who are just so cool and beautiful that they can do literally anything and everyone in the room falls in love with them. And I'm jealous that Haruka gets the real Tuxedo Mask mask and Mamoru is presumably stuck with the lame one with eyeholes?

I look forward to things continuing to happen.

Anyone got a GIF of Chibiusa blowing away that Usagi bubble?

 

[Curler]

So, I'd like to hear the consensus from Senshi-GAF, do you think after they get to Stars (It's not confirmed, but it feels expected with what they're doing now) they'll make new content? Sort of how what Dragon Ball Super's doing, with Toriyama laying out an outline, then Toei/Toyotaro expanding on the concepts?

Or do they have more respect for this cash cow than the other cash cow?

Well there is the side stories (which I still need to pick up, but been waiting for a possible mini boxset to go with my other ones...) Would be neat to see that, or even a new movie or something.

 

[Bladenic]

So, I'd like to hear the consensus from Senshi-GAF, do you think after they get to Stars (It's not confirmed, but it feels expected with what they're doing now) they'll make new content? Sort of how what Dragon Ball Super's doing, with Toriyama laying out an outline, then Toei/Toyotaro expanding on the concepts?

Or do they have more respect for this cash cow than the other cash cow?

Are you really questioning Toei's respect for Sailor Moon after S1/2 of Crystal? Lmao.

But I agree that the side stories being adapted would be a nice treat, especially since the original anime only adapted Ami's story. Having Mako's and Minako/Rei's adapted would be cool.

 

[Pluto]

Are you really questioning Toei's respect for Sailor Moon after S1/2 of Crystal? Lmao.

They have enough respect to fix the problems of early Crystal, new character designs, better and more consistent animation, the senshi have their own personalities, the great humor and visual charme from the 90s version was brought back etc., pretty much every problem has been solved and after two episodes I'm convinced that ot wasn't just a forst episode fluke.

After an adaptation of the Stars arc I hope they redo Dark Kingdom and Black Moon in the current style, it won't happen but I can still hope.

A continuation outlined by Naoko Takeuchi would be sweet. She could come up with some character designs for villains and the story, the anime staff does everything else.

 

[BassForever]

If they go back and redo crystal s1 and s2 reintroducing everything they added in s3 that'd be great. Until then I object to the personality changes introduced since they weren't established in the first 26 episodes of the series.

 

[Mr_Zombie]

If they go back and redo crystal s1 and s2 reintroducing everything they added in s3 that'd be great. Until then I object to the personality changes introduced since they weren't established in the first 26 episodes of the series.

So just because they failed 26 episodes they should continue with girls lacking any personalities? In both s1 and s2, aside from few scenes, Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto felt like one characters split into four girls. You could hardly feel Rei, Ami and Makoto were missing in season 2, because when they were present (both before they were captured and after they were rescued) they were doing nothing, they were just there, somewhere in the background; when they were speaking, they usually were even continuing each other sentences. When they were absent, Minako alone filled all their roles perfectly.

 

[Shard]

So just because they failed 26 episodes they should continue with girls lacking any personalities? In both s1 and s2, aside from few scenes, Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto felt like one characters split into four girls. You could hardly feel Rei, Ami and Makoto were missing in season 2, because when they were present (both before they were captured and after they were rescued) they were doing nothing, they were just there, somewhere in the background; when they were speaking, they usually were even continuing each other sentences. When they were absent, Minako alone filled all their roles perfectly.

To be fair some of that was a problem with the manga as well though not nearly as pronounced.

 

[MikeMyers]

So, I'd like to hear the consensus from Senshi-GAF, do you think after they get to Stars (It's not confirmed, but it feels expected with what they're doing now) they'll make new content? Sort of how what Dragon Ball Super's doing, with Toriyama laying out an outline, then Toei/Toyotaro expanding on the concepts?

Or do they have more respect for this cash cow than the other cash cow?

Hard to say. The Stars manga was a lot more conclusive than DB's was, so it'd be harder to make a sequel series. I'd like to see Short Stories adapted though.

Thanks!

 

[Bladenic]

They have enough respect to fix the problems of early Crystal, new character designs, better and more consistent animation, the senshi have their own personalities, the great humor and visual charme from the 90s version was brought back etc., pretty much every problem has been solved and after two episodes I'm convinced that ot wasn't just a forst episode fluke.

After an adaptation of the Stars arc I hope they redo Dark Kingdom and Black Moon in the current style, it won't happen but I can still hope.

A continuation outlined by Naoko Takeuchi would be sweet. She could come up with some character designs for villains and the story, the anime staff does everything else.

Fixing what was beyond broken isn't showing respect. I'm extremely happy with SMC S3 so far and look forward to new episodes with baited breath, but let's not pretend this excuses Crystal S1/2.

 

[Zoe]

Noooo... episode 29 requires a subscription on Hulu

 

[Bladenic]

Crunchyroll subs were so awful this episode lmao

 

[BassForever]

Best episode of the season so far imo good action and the plot is getting interesting.

 

[MikeMyers]

Noooo... episode 29 requires a subscription on Hulu

Funny thing is just the other day I was wondering wherever I should let go of my subscription or not.

But you should be able to watch on Crunhyroll for free right?