Summary
Sailor Moonis one of the most famous, well-known, and beloved anime of all time both in Japan and around the globe. It helped shape the entire magical girl genre of anime into what we know today, and helped bring anime to Western audiences. Chances are, if you are an otaku today who grew up in the 90s, you watched the originalSailor Moonseries. And its popularity has led to a lot of spin-offs, includingSailor Moon Crystal, the well-received latest series.
But do you remember the 2003 television series,Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon? If you said no, don’t worry, you are not alone. This series is somehow oftenoverlooked and forgottenwhen people talk about theSailor Moonfranchise, and even people who claim to be fans may not remember it or have even watched it at all. And actually,Pretty Guardian Sailor Moonhas something extremely special about it that sets it apart from the rest of the series and should make it more memorable - it was live-action!
RELATED:Live-Action Movies Based On Anime That Are Actually Great
Let’s have another look at the forgottenPretty Guardian Sailor Moonlive-action series and where it came from, how it differs from the original source material, and how it was received by audiences. You may find yourself just as surprised as we are that hardly anyone seems to remember it, and even want to go out and watch it now yourself!
The History
The originalSailor Moonanime (released in Japan first asPretty Soldier Sailor Moonand later,Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, hence the name of the live-action) first aired in 1992. It was based on a manga that began pushing in 1991 and finished in 1997. After 200 episodes and 3 TV specials, the anime finally finished in 1997. It became popular abroad as well, and wasdubbed and releasedaround the world.Sailor Moon’s popularity never really waned, which led to a reboot of the series calledSailor Moon Crystalin 2014, which followed the original manga source material more closely.
The live-actionPretty Guardian Sailor Moonreleased in Japan in 2003, six years after the original anime finished airing. It eventually ran for 49 episodes, 2 made-for-DVD specials, and a concert before finishing in 2004. The opening theme was “Kirari*Sailor Dream!,” performed by Nanami Yumihara under the name Sae.
The Differences
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moonwas the first re-telling ever to be made for theSailor Moonseries, and it did so withsome considerable changesthat may or may not be one of the main reasons the series was forgotten. Unlike the anime, the live-action focused more on the girls' stories themselves instead of the action and magical scenes, showcasing more of their civilian lives outside of being Sailor Scouts, and on their personal backstories. This was likely done as it was easier to produce and did not require special effects.
One of the biggest changes to the live-action story was about Minako Aino, akaSailor Venus, who is a pop idol inPretty Guardian Sailor Moon. An even bigger change is that she has an ongoing medical condition with her head, causing her to have regular headaches, fainting spells, and more. While Minako agrees to have an operation to try to solve this, she sadly dies before it can be performed, and is not there for the climax of the story - a big change from the original anime, and one not well-liked by everyone.
RELATED:8 Forgotten Anime That Used To Be Very Popular
The Reception
You may have been thinking this whole time, surelyPretty Guardian Sailor Moonmust have been terrible since no one ever talks about it or seems to remember it. It must have performed poorly with such low scores thatfans don’t want to remember it, and maybe it is better left buried and forgotten like some other spin-offs and adaptations. But interestingly, it is completely the opposite.
Actually,Pretty Guardian Sailor Moondid quite well when it comes to scores. Even today, IMBD rates it at 7.4/10, which is not a bad score at all for an adaptation. 90% of Google users claim to like the show. Reviews generally say that while it is not as good as the original, it is still worth watching, and you get pulled into it if you give it a chance.
Of course, not everyone likes when adaptations differ from the original source material, which is the source of a lot of negative reviews. However, there is the argument thatPretty Guardian Sailor Moonis an adaptation, not a remake, which gives it morecreative liberty to make changesto the original story. Not everyone wants to watch a shot-for-shot remake anyway when they have already seen the original, so for some, it is nice to see something different and new.
It remains a mystery why manySailor Moonfans seem to have forgotten entirely aboutPretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Likely, the changes to the story are the main reason that it was pushed aside by many diehard fans. Another theory is that fans of the original series, prefer to watch anime, and simply are not interested in live-action series. It was also never dubbed into English, making it inaccessible for international fans who do not want to read subtitles, and the series had limited availability legally outside of Japan, anyway.
It is a sad ending for a television series that really is not that bad at all, and still has a lot of potential for love. If you are aSailor Moonfan looking for something new, givePretty Guardian Sailor Moonat least a try. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised by this forgotten title in the franchise!
