Sailor Moon S: The Movie - Hearts in Ice

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.

The trouble with most movies derived from a TV show are they don't always stand on their own, most of the time it just feels like their branching off from their source. This film I really love because it did what I felt "Sailor Moon R the movie" didn't really do which was stand as it's own movie.

Based off of a mini arc from the comic series, what really makes this film and story unique is the fact that it's not about Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon and the rest are practically second string characters. Even it's plot and the action going on really by it's nature is just a sugar coated topping. It was really focused on one unlikely character Luna. The Luna character was always just a mentor or narrative device in the series, in this story we actually get to see her become a real character.

I even like the other characters two that aren't regular characters of the series. Kakura and Himako both of them are not cliché generic characters which is a fundamental problem most TV shows have, but they do feel like just that people. Himako despite not seeing her much in the movie we can see is beautiful (she could almost be Setsuna/Sailor Pluto's sister), has a sweet persona, is a person of science that believe in the facts and does have aspirations mainly of being with Kakura forever. Kakura is an astronomer whom believes and is fascinated with things that science hasn't touched upon he also has aspirations as well. I do like some of the interaction between the two you do get a sense of history along with certain things he says about her but their relationship is not on stable ground which I'll get to latter. Artimis is good despite also being in the film for very little time but you do feel for him as we see he has feeling for Luna that are beyond friendship.

You really feels a strong sense of pathos for Luna because her feelings for the man Kakara are very human. Even though he talks to her about certain things that she shares the same interest unfortunately she is unable to talk back to him even though she want to, nor really have a physical presence to him as a regular human would because after all she is a cat. Like with the angels from "Wings of Desire" they can observe mortals, but can never touch or be seen.

There is a parallel going on with all four of them. Kakara and Himako it's both a physical and personal distance, both of them have been apart for a long while so it's understandable why Kakara would be a little embittered but just simply in what ideologies they believe in. For Luna it's obvious she want a way to be with Kakara physically. Artimis it's to simply come out with how he feels about Luna and be more than friends.

There's is a bit of a universal sensibility from one standpoint those who have a relationship with someone from a certain business that requires a lot of time or travel, or someone in the military that has to go on a tour of duty, on another standpoint it's the common dilemma of having feelings for another person but not finding the guts to express them. The common theme in all this is all about distance, how truly hard it is to be close when miles or even mere steps away. This is something I can relate to because there was a girl I had feelings for but didn't have the guts to tell her.

This makes the romance all the more enduring, you not just want the right people to get together but you want them to somehow close the distance and the only way to do that is to reach out to each other, by it's nature it's really easy it only looks hard the only thing blocking them is them. And the ending really gave me a good feeling at the end which is something I don't get enough.

No one is alone forever once you close the distance.

Rating: 3 and a half stars

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.

This movie was fabulous! Its like the manga short story and also have new parts! Was because!

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.