We should consider ratings aren't so important. Sailor Moon was almost ended/cancelled in its first season, because merchandise sales were not good (although the ratings were good).
The Moon Stick toy good sales allowed that Sailor Moon anime continue more seasons.
SuperS is by far the season with most toy and game merch. I noticed that like 13 years ago looking up SM toys on YouTube.
But didn't Bandai face a financial crisis during that time? There's even a Dateline NBC reporting that Sailor Moon was selling really well in Japan during 95.
The Super Sentai series of 95 Ohranger also sold really well in the toy department despite lackluster ratings. I believe adjusted for inflation it actually has the best selling toy sales in Japan for any Sentai series.
Dragon Ball got axed in the same year as Sailor Moon, even though its ratings were way higher and good enough to keep it going. Sailor Stars still performed decent enough for a shojo anime.
I think there was something else going on.
Dragon Ball has also been going on for 11 years when it ended, compared to Sailor Moon's 5. GT only existed because Toei and Bandai weren't ready to give up Dragon Ball just yet. Despite fans insistence it was unpopular it still pulled good ratings. More than likely Toei never planned on GT existing indefinitely and only intended for it to last roughly a year to keep the Dragon Ball gravy train rolling
We should consider ratings aren't so important. Sailor Moon was almost ended/cancelled in its first season, because merchandise sales were not good (although the ratings were good).
We should consider ratings aren't so important. Sailor Moon was almost ended/cancelled in its first season, because merchandise sales were not good (although the ratings were good).
The Moon Stick toy good sales allowed that Sailor Moon anime continue more seasons.
I think they went over budget on marketing and advertising. SuperS had an OVA , the specials and the movie plus that god awful game called Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon SuperS: Various Emotion both for the Playstation 1 and Sega Saturn no one played.
It was the Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Live Show, where Osa-P commented that Moon Stick sales saved Sailor Moon from cancellation (it starts at 27:00).
I guess Sailor Stars has decent rating for a Shoujo anime, but the popularity has already fall a lot at that point. Toei likely see more potential in Ojamajo Doremi, which replaces Sailor Moon in the timeslot.
I think they went over budget on marketing and advertising. SuperS had an OVA , the specials and the movie plus that god awful game called Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon SuperS: Various Emotion both for the Playstation 1 and Sega Saturn no one played.
So after the success with S they really invested in the franchise. After all, SuperS season and the movie look best and most expensive, but they fu**ed it up with the boring storytelling and many other reasons. I can remember myself, my own excitement for Sailor Moon as a teenager back in the 90s dropped with SuperS, and we all (or at least most of us) including the japanese fans know why.
Also Doremi was on a different timeslot, the same one that had other Toei shows airing including Ghost Sweeper Mikami (1993), Marmalade Boy (1994) & Boys Over Flowers (1996).
Just a few hours till the next trauma by Toei and Crystal... Any predictions? I highly doubt they will even mention anime project at all or it is going to be in the vagueliest way possible. But it is so weird they randomly chose April for anniversary event. And Osabu is not there, so chances of them actually announcing anything most of us care for are slim.