6 Degrees of Separation? No! It's.....

6 Reasons To Buy All The Pioneer "Sailormoon" Releases!

Have your parents ever scolded you? Did they tell you what was wrong or right? Did they try to punish bad behavior and hopefully reward the good?

Well it's no different with today's multinational entertainment conglomerates--except we're the parents and they're the children.

No Chibi-Usa!  Only good little girls get to share Usagi's cookies!
There's this one kid we know, we'll call them "Pioneer" to protect their identity, that's gone off and is starting to make 3 different versions of the 3 "Sailormoon" animated features on 2 different formats. That's a lot of versions! The big question is, are we, as "Sailormoon" fans, going to reward them or not? Are we going to buy all the versions to encourage them to make more or not?

Now this stuff is expensive--it's not cheap. But it's been a long time since we've had the opportunity to vote with our pocketbooks! (We haven't had the chance since Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the first "Sailor Moon" tapes!) So while it is expensive, the opportunity is very infrequent.

It's Time To Play.....

You Be The
Executive!

Why should we buy more than one version of the same title? It's no big secret: to encourage Pioneer to pick up where DiC and (if it should) where The Cartoon Network leaves off--with the dubbing (AND SUBTITLING!) of additional "Sailormoon" episodes.

But what to do with any extra copies? Give them as gifts for birthdays & holidays to our friends--to help win them over to "Sailormoon" and anime in general!

So then, the members of the Save Our Sailors Campaign present 6 really good reasons (and more) why we should buy all the versions of the "Sailormoon" features!


Reason #1 - Subtitled/Unedited DVD Non-SD Kenshin

Of course, the purists out there need no further reason to snap up the "Sailormoon" Subtitled and Unedited DVDs. Yes, you know who you are! If you've memorized "Moon Revenge" in Japanese--even though you don't really speak the language... or if you constantly badger friends that it's "Usagi, not Serena(!)" then you need no encouragement. Yes, for your discriminating experienced otaku palettes, make sure to snap up a copy quick before they run out. (And while you're at it, get your fellow otaku friends to get one as well!)

Now what about those who have been groomed and raised on the DiC version? Well, you may swear by your dubs (heaven knows we love both subs and dubs) but there's no time like the present to expand one's horizons!

If you dare, see the movies the way they were meant to be seen. I must confess, even though the dub voices grow on you, there's nothing quite like listening to the Japanese voice actresses with their dizzyingly high pitched voices (by American standards) with all the emotional punch that the director intended. No cuts! No edits! Every moment as it was originally produced!

To dub fans everywhere, give it a shot... unlike the fansubs floating around, this is legit... it's the real "Sailormoon" (your favorite!)... and dangit, they've left all the good stuff in this time! Sure, they may speak funny now (can you count how many times they say "Hai" to one another?) but it's all part of the true anime experience. Expand your horizons, and enjoy... maybe even learn a foreign language (if you watch it enough)! And you can do that with DVD! You can play it over and over again without wearing it out with constant abuse--though some of us are going to try!

Reason #2 - Subtitled/Unedited VHS

Goury

Though I like the dubbed version of "Sailor Moon", it really doesn't compare to the original Japanese anime. Whether the changes were mandated by the North American children's television market or DiC Entertainment and the other companies or individuals involved, the cuts, edits, and mistranslations often distract from my enjoyment of the show. I don't want to see a romantic kiss interrupted by childish jokes about sticky bubblegum.

(If I - an SOS member - feel that way, I can only imagine how some fans feel! Some even dislike all dubs, no matter the quality. While I can't agree, I can see why they feel that way.)

Of course I was VERY pleased to hear that Pioneer would be releasing the films in a subtitled, unedited format. This is what hardcore fans have been wanting for a very long time! Just look at the popularity (especially recently) of "Sailor Moon" fansubs. At last fans will be able to have commercial-quality, legal "Sailor Moon"! It's a win-win situation for everyone! I would even say that it's almost too good to be true!

Of course the best reason to watch the subtitled, unedited version, as opposed to the dubbed, unedited version, is to hear the original Japanese seiyuu voicing the characters! I don't have anything against the English voice artists, but I think the Japanese voices suit the characters a bit better.

This is what we've been waiting for! Let's buy a lot and prove to North American companies that anime can be profitable in its original form.

ShinjiiLike many fans of "Sailor Moon" in the United States, I started watching the series through the English dub version on television. As I learned more and more about the series, I discovered that theatrical features had been produced.

I was honored to be able to watch my first "Sailormoon" feature at the very first anime convention I ever attended (Anime Weekend Atlanta - 1996)! Unfortunately, the copy was a third-generation fansub and therefore the visual quality wasn't as good as I had hoped.

One of the reasons that I had joined the SOS was to get the feature films available in the U.S. commercial market with decent prints. My hopes are becoming a reality.

Even though I'm pro-dub, you may wonder why I'm buying the subtitled/unedited version (in VHS, no less)! Because anime, above all else, is an artform which should be enjoyed in it's original format whenever possible. The reason why I'm buying them in VHS (and you should consider this as well) is because they're cheap and everyone I know owns a VCR.

For example, living in the South (having been both born and raised in the Tennessee Valley), I know that I can show these creative pieces of pop-culture art to my cousins in Middle Tennessee. They have no less than three VCRs in their "double-wide" which is out in the middle of a horse field. (Now why is it that I doubt that they have purchased that DVD player yet?)

The only possible downside to this scheme is the fact subtitles are written in normal English and all my cousins (and yes, myself included) consider Southernese our native tongue. So we're not as familiar with, "In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!," as opposed to the Southernese translation, "In tha name of tha Moon, I'll stomp a mudhole in yer @*&%!"

Regardless, these features are animated classics, which I recommend to everyone who loves "Sailor Moon"--regardless of what language they may speak. (And besides, buying the tapes and reading the subtitles is a whole lot easier than waiting for them to pop-up on Japanese television using mamma's satellite dish with the bigass number "3" on the bottom part of the dish!)

Reason #3 - Dubbed/Unedited DVD

Oh no!  I see that Bad 'Bad' Badtz Maru is here again!  Watch out below!wow! this is great! not only do i get to see my favorite movie in a format compatible with my big-screen TV (and digital sound, no less) but i get to hear it in a language i know! sure, i might miss a few of the songs, but instead of giving myself a headache trying to read the subtitles, i can listen to it in plain english. and since it's unedited, i know that i won't miss any of my favorite parts! i can't lose!

in addition to the amazing benefit of understanding the movie (however much we love the original voice artists), getting a dubbed version will encourage those higher-ups in the industry to support new, dubbed episodes of sailor moon. and since the number one complaint is censorship, an unedited version is an excellent way to encourage more people to try dubbed anime. i know my friends (who have previously suffered through the subtitled versions as i tried to convert them) will be pleased (pleased may be too strong a word), err, relieved that at least they can now understand what's going on.

Reason #4 - Dubbed/Unedited VHS

Ferrio

Is a dubbed/unedited VHS version such a good idea? Now why would anyone (especially us hard-core fans) want a dubbed version and on VHS?

Well, according to sales statistics, we do want dubbed versions on VHS. Dubbed versions consistently outsell subtitled versions (and of course VHS is still king until DVD takes over).

And, because dubbed versions are more popular, they can be sold for less. This is why, according to Matt Greenfield of ADV Films, subtitled versions are usually priced higher--fewer of them are sold, making them more expensive to release.

But are you surprised that a member of the Save Our Sailors Campaign would be in favor of an unedited version?

Believe it or not our number one complaint has been censorship. Some of it we understand: programs run shorter here, ethnic groups protest different cultures' unintended slurs, guns & violence are not acceptable to sponsors, some parents are convinced that their children will be turned into homosexuals from watching gays & lesbians portrayed on screen, etc. We haven't defended these cuts, we just understand why they were made.

Ultimately, there is no reason for any censorship at any time. It's high time for all of us to be treated (and to behave) as responsible individuals--regardless of age. Treat us like children and we will behave as such. Treat us as responsible individuals (as they do in Japan) and we will react accordingly.

Some fans have failed to distinguish the SOS's position in all of this. They have confused our "understanding" of censorship with somehow being in favor of it!

Well, there's a little tape that I'd like you to buy.

It's shockingly unedited and disturbingly has the same voices and music cues as in the dubbed TV series.

And, as an extra bonus, it's on VHS! So there'll be no excuses for not being able to show it to that otaku-to-be. You know, that whiney person who complains about having to read subtitles or that they don't have a Laserdisc (and now a DVD) player? This tape was made for them! Or more specifically, this tape was made for you to subvert those who have resisted in the past.

Buy it, show it, change the world.

Reason #5 - Dubbed/Edited DVD

Our bi-coastal correspondent writes to us:

Misato

I'm a mommy of 6-yr-old girl. Together, we watched all 200 episodes and own all those 3 movies in original Japanese VHS. So I don't really need to buy any of the upcoming DVD/VHS from Pioneer. Yet, I will buy dubbed/edited DVD for a few reasons...

I've gotta have something that I can show my daughters' friends so that they'll get hooked on Sailor Moon, too! And it's important that I do that without getting their parents mad at me!!

Also, DVD is probably sophisticated enough to impress the parents and hopefully sends them a message that this is too good for kids' show. Soon, they will surf the net and discover that there are many adult fans of Sailor Moon and it's all right to love Sailor Moon even though you are a parent......!!!

Then, they'll get hooked and start buying the unedited dubbed/subtitled version for themselves! They might also start making Sailor costumes for their daughters, start going to anime cons with the kids (might even sign up for masquerade), and start spending money on all those Sailor Moon merchandises claiming that they are buying for their kids...! (^^;

It all started with the dubbed/edited version!!

Based on the true story..... (^^;
(.... and it's not just me!!)

Reason #6 - Dubbed/Edited VHS

That mean ol' Bad Badzt Maru!!!

I spoke out-of-turn one too many times at a recent SOS meeting so now my punishment is to have to write about why fans should buy the (choke) dubbed (gag) edited (gasp) VHS version of the animated features. (Oh cruel fate!) Dubbed?! Edited?! VHS?! I watch anime on laserdiscs, in Japanese (subtitles are for wussies) in their full raw, uncut, nakedness!!!

But I have a confession to make. It's a guilty pleasure. Call me snide, cynical, heartless but I enjoy watching Hollywood performing somersaults avoiding the sex & violence in anime. I am going to feel an extreme rush of pleasure and superiority as I watch all the twisting, contortionist-like manipulations of Janice Sonski in full, shrieking political correctness!

It's a Janice fest! It's a Janicepolooza!

I can hear her sweet, sweet lilting voice--barking out commands left, right and center--agonizing over every little indiscretion! I can hear her now saying, "We can't show that!" and "We can't show that!" and my favorite, "We can't show that!" Did I mention, "We can't show that!"? And who can forget that one time when, at a meeting at DiC, she stood up to Kevin McLaughlin and shrieked, "We can't show that!"

I can't forget. Can you?

So yes, I'm buying the cut version. And being on tape is a plus! 'Cause at the very first sign of damage or if I should finally reach the breaking point, I'm ripping into that cartridge and tearing out its guts. Let me tell you--that will be well worth the price. Who needs psychoanalysis when one has dubbed, edited VHS tapes at home--ready to meet their maker? Oxide ready to go to JVC heaven!

Now if only they had a "Sailor Says" at the end..... (sigh). We can only dream at how funn--errr, how appropriate one would be. Please don't let us down Pioneer, let Janice be Janice in her full unshackled glory! ("Let my Janice go!") Let's have a "Sailor Says" at the end dammit!



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