Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon R: Uncut Season 2 (1993)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Based upon the manga by Naoko Takeuchi
Directed by Junichi Sato and Kunihiko Ikehara

Features:

• None
  

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• death
• sacrifice
• amor vincit omnia
• precocious youth
• a little more giggling
• depression and loss

Released by: ADV
Region: 1
Rating: 15+
Anamorphic:

My Advice: Get it or be sorry.

It's been two months since the Sailor Scouts sacrificed themselves for the good of our universe and defeated Queen Beryl. A meteorite strikes near the Tsunkino household bringing a pair of aliens with a mysterious tree that they feed with human energy. Can Usagi and Mamoru respectively resist the charms of Ali and En, and discover the secret of the Doom Tree before it's too late for everyone? It is in this series that we meet the Moonlight Night.

Season two has a second storyline, however, after the Doom Tree saga is resolved. A mysterious young girl literally falls on top of Usagi and Mamoru, demands the Silver Crystal, and then brainwashes the Tsukino family into thinking that she is a relative so she can move in. There are many mysteries confronting us now: who is this weird child, what does she want, why does she need the Silver Crystal so badly, and why on earth does Mamoru want to dump Usagi when he clearly still loves her? There are also some rather nasty villains after Chibi-usa, starting with Rubeus and the Ayakashi Sisters, and progressing toward the enigmatic Prince Diamond/Demondo and the sinister Wiseman, all of whom serve the Negamoon and seek the destruction of Crystal Tokyo--and Neo-Queen Serenity.

Again, this show brings us stories and events with real emotional punch. You can even cry for the villains when they suffer and even die for what they believe, if erroneously, to be true, and even when they die in the arms of their own true love. Usagi, Ami, and the rest, meanwhile, have to face leaving behind their hard-won normal lives (yet again), as they take up their destined mantels again as the Scouts to stop this new danger. That's dedication and sacrifice. We even have a young girl, lost without any family or friends, who struggles alone to rescue her mother and her country; no matter how irritating she may be at times, you have to give Chibi-usa props for sheer courage and strength of character. Besides, the Japanese voice actor for her we have here is much less grating on the ears than the English version.

The visual quality is on par with the first season boxed set, which is to say that it looks great. The colors are vibrant and true, and the digital transfer was handled skillfully. However, the great lure of the show is its great art. It's a splendid example of the magical girl genre, with detailed backgrounds, fantastically detailed and at times truly creepy villains (the Cherry Tree Cardian, anyone?), and fine points such as the Doom Tree, Wicked Lady's costuming, Queen Serenity in Usagi's vision, or Artemis' expressions. The music is not only similarly appropriate with incidental music that underscores the sacrifices or danger of the characters, but is also clean and distortion-free. Keep an ear out for Ali's haunting flute tune.

There are no features for this release.

If you thought the last season had a lot of self-sacrifice and examples of courage, then this season will blow you away. There's a reason why Sailor Moon has such a following all over the world, and it's not just because of Mars' "Fire Soul Bird" attack. This series combines seemingly disparate elements, such as horror, mystery, romance, and comedy, with a deft touch that should never work, but somehow does. From the first creepy villain to the last, Sailor Moon Season 2 will keep you entertained and engrossed. If the goofy attack names bother you, look past that to the very real human issues they're covering and the heroism these girls, boy, and cats are asked to live everyday. If you love Sailor Moon (and really, you should), then you need to have this box set in your collection.