Written by Jade Inglada
Long-time fans of the Sailor Moon franchise can relive old memories from the very beginning of the original 90’s anime with “Sailor Moon: Season 1 - Part 1” on DVD and Blu-ray.
Entertainment company Viz Media completely re-dubbed the original Sailor Moon anime with a new English voice cast. The main differences from the old dub are the use of the characters’ Japanese names, respect of original relationships and uncensored dialogue.
The new cast is refreshing and makes the legendary anime feel new all over again. The main cast, notably Kate Higgins (Sailor Mercury/Ami Mizuno) and Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars/Rei Hino) are great matches to their characters. The Dark Moon cast, such as Todd Haberkorn (Jadeite), Liam O’Brien (Nephrite) and Cindy Robinson (Queen Beryl) bring sinister charms to their respective roles.
The re-dub’s script has also gone through a makeover, upgrading the comedic banter as well as taking advantage of the serious moments in the anime.
Part 1 contains the first 23 episodes on three discs. Although perfectly divided, it cuts off the final segment of Nephrite’s story arc, ending it with the rest of the season. It almost halts the momentum of watching the episodes back-to-back, considering all of Jadeite’s story line is completed, but also creates anticipation for the next release.
The third disc contains extra features, one of which is highlight footage from Sailor Moon Day (July 5) at Anime Expo 2014 in Los Angeles, California. More footage from that day at the convention will be included with the rest of season one.
A new Sailor Moon anime, “Sailor Moon Crystal,” began earlier this summer in celebration of its 20th anniversary and unlike the original series, the reboot is a closer adaptation of the manga by Naoko Takeuchi.
“Sailor Moon: Season 1 - Part 2” is set to release Feb. 10, 2015 on DVD and Blu-ray.
