Category Archives: Real World

What is Princess Kakyuu and the Starlights’ Connection to the Moon?

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"Your princess is in another castle..."

“Your princess is in another castle…”

One of the things that I’ve always loved most about Princess Kakyuu is how she serves as such an excellent counterpoint to Princess Serenity — and all in such a subtle way that neither the anime nor manga ever directly calls attention to it.

Despite how Japanese the myth of the “bunny of the Moon” our hero may be based on, it’s hard to deny that everything else about the Silver Millennium is about as western as they come. From their style of dress to the castles they live in, you can plainly see that the Moon Kingdom is most definitely not based in Japan.

And that’s where Princess Kakyuu and her entourage come in. As western-inspired as Princess Serenity and the Moon Kingdom may be, Princess Kakyuu and Kinmokusei take every bit as much inspiration from the east.

So today we’re going to talk about some of those inspirations, and about Princess Kakyuu’s mythological connection to the Moon. I hope you brought your reading glasses, because I’m about to get wordy!

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Why Does Sailor Moon Use a Kaleidoscope in the Dream Arc?

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Filed under Articles, In-Universe Lore, Real World, Usagi Tsukino
Kaleidomoon Scope? Moon Kaleidoscope? Who knows!

Kaleidomoon Scope? Moon Kaleidoscope? Who knows!

… and why does it look nothing like a kaleidoscope??

After watching season after season and following Sailor Moon’s adventures from one story arc to the next, we cheered along as our sailor-suited hero fought the forces of evil with various sticks, rods, and… well, more rods. It’s a simple idea with an even simpler naming scheme, so I never really thought much of it.

Well, except for the naming travesty that is the Moon Stick, but let’s put that aside for a second.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at Sailor Moon’s fourth wand — and the first one belonging uniquely to Super Sailor Moon — the Kaleidomoon Scope. While it may seem to make little sense on the surface, once you peel back a few layers, the puzzle starts to come together.

Stick around, things are about to get colorful!

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Why Can Makoto Wear Her Old Uniform at Azabu-Juban Junior High?

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Filed under Articles, In-Universe Lore, Makoto Kino, Real World
Makoto will NOT change for anyone

Makoto will NOT change for anyone

If I had to go on record and choose only one thing that made Makoto such a great character, it’d probably be the fact that she manages to so perfectly balance on that line between being a rough-and-tumble tough girl, all the while maintaining a delicate side to her.

And Makoto’s school uniform, worn defiantly in the face of her teachers and fellow classmates without even a hint of shame, is a perfect example of Makoto’s self-assuredness and determination. She doesn’t have time for stupid little rules, but when it comes to helping her friends, she’ll be the first one there at your side.

So in honor of Makoto’s school uniform, today we’re going to talk about just exactly how she got away with this act of defiance, and whether it’s just an anime myth, or if there’s some real world truth behind it.

Grab your lunch boxes, we’re going on a field trip!

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Was Sailor Moon One of the Most Popular Anime of the 1990s?

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Did anyone actually watch this show?

Did anyone actually watch this show?

As an anime fan living in the west, it’s always been difficult to get a sense for the actual popularity of a given series is from one continent to the next. I remember when I first came to Japan — nearly a decade ago, mind you — and tried to explain what some of my favorite anime were to my new Japanese friends, I was met with blank looks.

Didn’t everyone know about the greatness of Tenchi Muyo, Serial Experiments Lain, and Project A-ko? Apparently not.

While we (I assume…) all know, love, and adore Sailor Moon, I think it’s about time that we take a step back and see just how the series stacked up against its anime peers back in the best decade known to man: the 1990s.

Put your Titanic CD in, grab a Fruit by the Foot, and be sure to feed your Tamagotchi — where we’re going, we don’t need roads.

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Where Is the Supporting Cast of the Live Action Sailor Moon Today?

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Remember kids: do NOT mix friend groups... ever

Remember kids: do NOT mix friend groups… ever

I don’t know about you, but I think that my favorite underdog of the Sailor Moon series would have to be live action sentai-inspired tv show from the early 2000s. Though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s my favorite retelling of the story — that’s really a toss-up between the anime and the manga, depending on my current mood — but I still love how the characters were portrayed. It’s just fun!

One of the things that fascinates me about the series is that, unlike the anime, even when the series ends, the actors and actresses who brought these characters to life on the small screen continue on, living out their own careers. Seeing the Sailor Moon cast appear seemingly at random from time to time online is like seeing an old friend.

So with that in mind, we’re going to follow up on my previous article, Where Is the Cast of the Live Action Sailor Moon Today?, with a look at some members of the supporting cast!

Grab a cup of coffee — it’s gonna get interesting!

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How Much Money Does Toei Animation Make From Sailor Moon?

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Usagi the Accountant to the rescue!

Usagi the Accountant to the rescue!

We all know that Sailor Moon was — and is — an economic powerhouse, and that plastering the cast’s likenesses on a product is basically a license to print money. But with all the talk going on nowadays about the sharp increase in anime production costs, and the suspiciously missing-in-action Sailor Moon Crystal: Dream movies, I think it’s about time we address the pink rabbit in the room:

Just how much money is Toei Animation making off of Sailor Moon, anyway?

I hope you brought a snack, because we’re going to talk about a bunch of really big numbers!

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Is Sailor Mars Left-Handed?

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Filed under Articles, Real World, Rei Hino
Flaaaaaaame Snipeeeeeeeer!

Flaaaaaaame Snipeeeeeeeer!

This is another one of those interesting fan theories that I occasionally see bouncing around the internet. I especially like it because, in a series that is frankly lacking in diversity, the idea that any of the characters would have anything remotely different about them is interesting to me.

Not like being left-handed is much of a big deal anyway, but that’s about as close as we could hope to get.

So today we’re going to take a deeper look into the theory about our (possibly…) favorite left-handed Sailor Soldier!

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