Sailor Moon - Movie 2: Schneeprinzessin Kaguya

I could not believe my eyes when I saw this movie. I mean I loved Sailor Moon R, but Sailor Moon S was fanastic. Why do you ask? Simple: 1. A great plot involving Luna falling in love with a Human. 2. You get to see the Outer Senshi, no Satrun. gggrrr! 3. Awesome Special Effects, and superb animation 4. great music.

Nomally I would give the entire plot away, but I'll spare you the details on this one. Why? I want you to see it for yourselves for a change.

The second Sailormoon movie takes place a Christmas time, and revolves around Luna.

This movie is overall good. Why?

You get to see the Outer Senshi(minus-Saturn). They don't have that good of a part in the movie, but do have their kick-butt moments.

Princess Snow Kaguya is cool, and the plot revoloving around her is interesting.

The animation in this movie was superb.

Basically, my interest was kept the entire time. The manga version of the movie is much better, but this is still my favorite Sailormoon movie.

An astromer named Kakeru witnesses a comet around the moon which releases a crystal that he finds, unaware the comet is the avatar of malicious snow witch Princess Snow Kaguya. As Usagi, Chibi-Usa, and the other Sailor Guardians enjoy their winter break, Luna finds herself having caught a cold. As Luna attempts to go home she collapses and is nearly killed by a car but is rescued by Kakeru who also nurses her back to health. Luna develops feelings of unrequited love not only due to being a cat, but also Kakeru's estranged girlfriend Himeko who finds it challenging to stay by him due to his ridiculed theories of a kingdom having once been on the moon. Unbeknownst to Kakeru, the crystal he recovered is draining his energy and is being sought after by Princess Snow Kaguya for her ultimate plan of freezing the entire Earth into silence.

While Sailor Moon R: The Movie was successful, Sailor Moon creator, Naoko Takeuchi was reportedly dissatisfied with the end result of R: The Movie and took a much more involved approach to the follow-up Sailor Moon S: The Movie, basing the premise upon her side story written for the manga and Takeuchi even traveled to Kennedy Space Center to watch the launch of space shuttle Columbia as part of her research. Takeuchi was reportedly far more please with the end result of Sailor Moon S: The Movie, and rightly so because it does everything Sailor Moon R: The Movie tried to do, but so much better.

What makes Sailor Moon S: The Movie work so well is in its emotional core of Luna's love for Kakeru. The scenes where she falls for Kakeru are engrossing and when Luna frets over Kakeru's deteriorating health it's quite heart wrenching. There's both a sweetness and element of heartbreak to the story that strikes all the right notes as the movie and the audience know this is a love that can never be and it's handled very well with both the highs and the lows eliciting that emotional resonance that was missing (or at best very diluted) from the previous film. Much like Sailor Moon R: The Movie this is a standalone story that doesn't require in depth knowledge to enjoy it, but unlike Sailor Moon R: The Movie it doesn't seem like it has the same continuity gaffes as that film (except maybe the Outer Guardians, but they're not front and center so it's forgivable).

The action is still on point, keeping the visual polish from the previous film, but also making the stakes more heavy and global with Princess Snow Kaguya's plan to freeze the Earth treated with more urgency and investment. I think that this is a really strong showcase of all the best aspects of Sailor Moon with the romantic aspects, action, and even the humor (particularly a scene involving a Santa Claus display) being very much on point.

Sailor Moon S: The Movie is a welcome addition to the franchise being a strong self-contained story that plays to its strengths. With emotional weight from Luna's relationship with Kakeru and suitably heavy stakes from Princess Snow Kaguya, there's something that pretty much every Sailor Moon fan will be able to appreciate be they franchise veterans from the syndicated Dic dub or franchise newcomers spoiled by Viz.

This is a good, solid dose of typical Sailor Moon fun, with the appearances by the Outer Senshi, the smooth animation, and the sweet plotline revolving around Luna's love for an astronomer making this especially good. Kudos to the very slick music and the directing as well. Senshi die-hards need not hesitate, and for others, this is a very good way to sample some of the brilliant Sailor Moon series. My only regret is that the manga version is streets ahead of this.

As a child glued to the TV in the late '90s and early '00s, "Sailor Moon" was pure magic-superhero transformations, heartfelt friendships, and epic battles of good against evil. It was a show mainly for girls, but it had a quality about it that could appeal to boys as well. Among the original movie trilogy, "Sailor Moon S: The Movie" (also known as "Hearts in Ice") stands out as my favorite, holding up far better than its predecessor, "Sailor Moon R: The Movie". This 1994 gem, directed by Hiroki Shibata, clocks in at a brisk hour but delivers a tighter, more emotional story that's better than it has any right to be.

The plot kicks off with an unnatural snowstorm blanketing Tokyo's Juban District. The Sailor Guardians uncover Princess Snow Kaguya, a villainous ice queen intent on encasing Earth in eternal frost.

Drawing from the classic Japanese folktale "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter", the film weaves folklore seamlessly into the "Sailor Moon" universe-my first unwitting introduction to this ancient story as a kid. While the "save the world" elements are familiar at this point, the film smartly sidelines the canon-contradicting backstory that plagued "R: The Movie", opting for more straightforward heroism.

At its core, though, this is Luna's tale. The feline advisor who falls deeply in love with Kakeru, a kind but frail astronomer whose astronaut girlfriend is prepping for space. Luna's unrequited romance-poignant, tragic, and tender-steals the show, exploring themes of sacrifice and longing amid the chaos. It's a rare spotlight on a supporting anime character that does her justice, and does not contradict the TV show.

Visually, the film shines. Budget boosts yield fluid animation: crisp lines, dynamic action choreography, and vibrant colors that elevate the iconic stock transformations. Snowy set pieces glitter with ethereal beauty, from swirling blizzards to Kaguya's crystalline palace. The Outer Guardians (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) make cameo appearances, which is nice to see despite minimal screentime-understandable, as this is Luna's story.

The soundtrack, with its soaring orchestral swells and poignant piano motifs, heightens the melancholy.

Voice acting (in the Viz dub) captures nuance, especially Stephanie Sheh's Usagi and Michelle Ruff's heartfelt Luna who struggles with her inner turmoil. They deliver just as good performances just like in the TV series. Even though my Sailor Moon was Terri Hawkes, Sheh captures the character of Usagi wonderfully with her exaggerated mannerisms, and constant love for her friends which has always been the defining traits of her character.

However, the hour runtime rushes some resolutions (much like in the last film), and Kaguya is an underdeveloped villain, just like the Xenian Flower before her. Yet, these pale against the emotional depth and cultural nods. "Sailor Moon S: The Movie" proves anime films can blend spectacle with soul, making it essential for fans nostalgic for '90s magical girl anime.

Rating: 8/10 - Great.