Pioneer Entertainment plans to release the three animated "Sailormoon" features in English speaking territories starting later this year. The features will be made available for Home Video in the VHS and DVD formats. Pioneer hopes to release each feature in 3 different versions:

Subtitled & unedited with the original Japanese soundtrack.
Dubbed & unedited with a mix of the Japanese & DiC music cues.
Dubbed & edited with a mix of the Japanese & DiC music cues.

The 3 DVD versions may become available on one or two DVD discs.

DiC Entertainment secured the usage of the original music cues through a separate agreement with TV Asahi Music Co.

First to be released will be the subtitled & unedited version of "Sailormoon R" feature planned for August 10, 1999. The dubbed versions are scheduled for a November or December release. We believe that the second feature, "Sailormoon S" could be released without the "Sailormoon S" television series having been made available first. It is not yet known if Kodansha & Naoko Takeuchi will allow the "Sailormoon SuperS" feature released without its television counterpart having been made available first.

Theatrical releases are not planned.

The dubbed versions will use the conventions of the television series including the Voice Artists (pending their availability).

Janice Sonski (having left DiC to become a consultant for Pioneer) helped with obtaining the music rights and will now be overseeing the creative aspects of the dubbed versions. Pioneer is funding all three features.

Attempts to release the features have concerned several companies off and on for several years. Besides DiC and Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE), a theatrical release via Lion's Gate Films was pursued as Terri Hawkes' (the Voice Artist for Serena/Sailor Moon) husband was an executive with the company. It is now hoped that BVHE may release more television episodes for Home Video.

Negotiations concerning Pioneer began over a year ago but stalled when the series went off-the-air on the USA Network and remained dormant until the sudden rise in ratings on the third run of the episodes on The Cartoon Network (and the tenth run via syndication). Our SMS Letter Writing Campaign directed at Buena Vista Home Entertainment may have also prompted Pioneer to finalize an agreement.

Congratulations and thanks to Pioneer Entertainment!