About to watch PGSM for the first (kinda) time!

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Apr 9, 2019
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#1
I'm about to watch Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon all the way through for the first time and I'm excited. :) I'd seen the first 7 or 8 episodes way back in the day, when it first started airing, but got sidetracked and never finished it. Now that I'm older and recently got back into Sailor Moon (I've been binge-watching the original 90's anime), I want to watch it in its entirety for the first time. I'm happy because I feel like I'm in for a real treat, I remember enjoying some of the extra character development and exposition this series offered. Sailor Moon's great and memorable cast of characters has always been its strongest point, yet I felt both the anime and manga could have developed them a bit more, and I've heard this is where PGSM really shines. I love the original anime and manga, not that big a fan of Crystal tho, so I'm interested to see where PGSM will rank among the different incarnations for me.
 
#3
@EphemeralMelody I think you'd like PGSM. A fellow forum member has created a community rewatch thread that might interest you.

@Prince Rose My favorite version of Rei too!
 
Likes: Neo King Rose
Sep 6, 2014
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#4
PGSM is criminally underrated. I started watching it this year for the first time and I recently finished it (up to act 49. I have yet to watch act zero, the special act, etc.), and this is the first time I really like a Sailor Moon version that isn't the 90's anime, which I watched for the first time last year (yep, I'm relatively new to Sailor Moon and I love both series without any nostalgia).
I feel like PGSM rightfully has been getting a lot of appreciation by moonies lately. Probably because Crystal isn’t very good


The only gripes I have with this series is that the low budget really shows in the cgi/special effects and youma costumes, and there's more miracle romance than I'd like, although said romance was well executed for the most part.
Be fair. The 90s anime was super low budget too. Lots of repetitive animation and reliance on stock footage. It’s just the material doesn’t necessarily translate well in low budget live action the same way it can for low budget animation.

I just really wish they had modified the costumes a bit. Those damn chest bows are too big and gaudy and the skirts look too boxy for my taste.

Sometimes I wish PGSM was anime instead of live action (I refused to watch it for months because of that), but only sometimes, because the live action of this series has grown on me more and more, and although the acting isn't always great, the actors really bring these characters to life. Miyuu Sawai is so Usagi, and I love it.
PGSM may be my favorite version of the character.

There’s definitely still a novelty to it being in live action.
 
#6
@Spyro I really like PGSM as well even if the special effects and monster cosumes weren't that great. I like how it was different from the manga and 90's anime. Miyuu Sawai was a believable Usagi for a live action TV series adaptation. I agree, Nakamura was the worst 90's animator.

@Frenchfries&AChocolateMalt No, Crystal wasn't good, I'm aware of the poor writing and direction.

@EphemeralMelody I love Sailor Venus' tranformation in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, everything about it including the background music. It's definitely the best of the five core Sailor Soldiers.
 
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Apr 9, 2019
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#7
So I just finished watching PGSM in its entirety, all 48 episodes and the specials. I'm a little sad that it's all over, it was a fun ride while it lasted!

All in all, I'd rank it below the original 90's anime and probably even the manga, but still definitely higher than Crystal. In particular, I liked some of the fresh and original directions they took with the storyline, such as Dark Mercury and Princess Sailor Moon. It was definitely not just a rehash and you can tell they really tried to do something creative with the Dark Kingdom story. I also liked a lot of the character development and exposition, the girls felt more realistic than their anime and manga counterparts, which is somewhat to be expected due to the fact that they're live action actresses, but the writing also played a huge part in conveying that. I liked the focus on the little details and their family life, I sometimes wished the 90s anime had a little more of that. Ami in particular I think I liked better than her anime/manga incarnation, she had more of a personality and was more interesting. Minako was also different in a lot of ways, they really focused on her tragic backstory and her serious leader side this time around.

I don't have too many complaints about it, the low-budget and the effects/costumes were really cheesy at times but meh, all good Sailor Moon is full of camp and cheese. To me, it's not fair to rag on PGSM and ignore all the camp of the original 90s anime. I do wish that maybe it had ventured into the later seasons, I would have loved to see a live-action version of the Infinity/Death Busters/S arc since that's my favorite, but I can understand that perhaps they wanted to keep it sweet and simple. I guess I can always look into the musicals if I really want to see the Infinity arc in live action, I still haven't really checked out any of them yet...
 
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JunoDX

Solaris Luna
Nov 8, 2018
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#9
So I jumped on the PGSM train. I remember trying it a couple of years ago, but I just found it too cheesy and trashy/cheap. I gave it now another try and I have to say: I really enjoy it a lot! I'm at episode 24 and I'm quite addicted ;)

The characters are all very lovable and they represent the senshi very well PLUS they add some new sides of them. Usagi IS USagi.

This shows me again how inferior SMCrystal is, where the characters have no personality.

I like that friendship is more important then romance. I like how the girls are bonding, we see relationships between them that were not even there in the 90s anime.

I almost watch the opening everytime, it's catchy and the english words they throw in are funny "lamé and charms doo doo doo" "starlight p l/r ayers" and i love the "moon light real girl" hehe

I also like that we see more interaction between the generals

I have to say, Queen Beryl is a little bit lame so far. In the 90s anime she was that powerful, scary witch...in PGSM she always needs to claim for respect lol.

I like how the senshi have their small extras on their outfit, like Mars has her gem, Jupiter the belt and so on.

Before I didn't watch PGSM, I cringed about the idea of Sailor Luna. Now I find it quite funny.

Okay I will continue this list later :-D


Question: Please no spoilers, but so far I know they only did the Dark Kingdom arc. Why didn't they go on with more arcs?
 
Apr 9, 2019
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#11
[QUOTE="JunoDX, post: 920176, member: 11319"Before I didn't watch PGSM, I cringed about the idea of Sailor Luna. Now I find it quite funny.

Okay I will continue this list later :-D


Question: Please no spoilers, but so far I know they only did the Dark Kingdom arc. Why didn't they go on with more arcs?[/QUOTE]

Sailor Luna was about the only thing I didn't really like in PGSM; she was kind of cheesy and annoying. That said, I'd still take her over Chibiusa anyday.

I agree about how I wish PGSM would have gone past the Dark Kingdom arc. In particular, I would have loved to have seen an Infinity adaptation; can you imagine seeing the Outers in live action, and having their personalities developed the same way the Inners are in Classic? That would have been so amazing!!
 

JunoDX

Solaris Luna
Nov 8, 2018
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#12
I finished PGSM.

I really miss it. I miss the girls. I rarely miss TV-characters. Last time happened when I watched Star Trek: Voyager 3 years ago. I really missed the crew after i finished the last episode. PGSM has adorable and likeable characters, I like them all. They are all unique and authentic. This show introduced me to a new dimension of the SM universe. Maybe I'm ready now for the Myusicals (I hate muscials haha).
I hope we'll get soon some original SM stories. The universe has a lot potential and creative writers can enhance what Naoko created. I love the weapons the senshi get by the end of PGSM...would be amazing to see them in an anime.
 

pgsmfan

Luna Nova
May 14, 2021
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#13
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread. I am on my 5th(?) re-watch of PGSM, since I saw it during its original run. (Currently Episode 18.) And what I only have realized now: I did never attempt a re-watch of the anime, although I have all the boxsets (The original Anime. Crystal I am not watching, as it is without soul imo.) The Anime still has an important place in my heart, but PGSM has spoiled me so much on what this story and its characters could be. The depiction of Usagi alone would a good example, being an actual capable Senshi.
 
Jun 17, 2019
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#14
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread. I am on my 5th(?) re-watch of PGSM, since I saw it during its original run. (Currently Episode 18.) And what I only have realized now: I did never attempt a re-watch of the anime, although I have all the boxsets (The original Anime. Crystal I am not watching, as it is without soul imo.) The Anime still has an important place in my heart, but PGSM has spoiled me so much on what this story and its characters could be. The depiction of Usagi alone would a good example, being an actual capable Senshi.
PGSM to me is the best iteration of the Dark Kingdom arc to date.