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Musical ~The Emerald Witch and the Werewolves' Forest~

MAIN VISUAL!!!!!! (source)

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I’m Cure Kiss. I’m Cure Zukyoon. Cure Kiss. Cure Zukyoon. Bye-bye. Cure Zukyoon… - Kimi to Idol Precure♪ - Episode 17

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The fact that people don't think friendship is enough to justify characters doing insane acts of love for each other baffles me. Like have you never loved your friend so so much you want to live in their ribcage. Have you never been really weird about a friend. Have you never wanted to bite your friends parents or shove them down a staircase. Have you never wanted to be buried in the same grave as a friend. Have u never. How do u people live like this.

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My UsaMamo Couple Ranking

I thought about making a UsaMamo ranking and here it is:

I'm going to omit Sailor Moon: The Super Live from this ranking because it wasn't recorded. I'm also going to omit Yui Yokohama & Sufa from the London version of The Super Live, even though I saw it, but since many didn't get a chance to watch it, I'm leaving it out. (If I had to place them I would put them behind Anza & Mizuki Sano. )

I also can't rank Riona Tatemichi and Riko Tanaka because it feels like they don't have a single scene together.

Don't forget that this is all my opinion.

Ranking:

16th place: Satsuki Sugawara & Tenju Mitsuki

Satsuki is my least favorite Moon, and I find Tenju Mitsuki as Mamoru very tiring. I find Tenju overacts a lot, and it just bothers me. I just don't see any chemistry.

15th place: Fumina Hara & Yuuta Enomoto

They only appear together in one musical, and they don't have many shared scenes. (Shin Densetsu Kourin is also my least favorite musical), but in the few moments they do share, I don't see any connection. I don't think their voices fit together very well either.

14th place: Riko Tanaka & Riku Sorahane

It's the same problem as with Fumina and Yuuta. Only here, I think potential was wasted. Unfortunately, the original doesn't offer many shared moments, so the focus is more on Luna and Kakeru. I find the few moments they have together are very sweet.

13th place: Hotaru Nomoto & Yuga Yamato

Yes, there's a big age difference, the biggest of all—almost 20 years. Yuga's portrayal of Mamoru is very uncharacteristic. Unfortunately, Mamoru doesn't have much stage time in Amour Eternal and Le Mouvement Final, especially in Le Mouvement Final. Perhaps the two fare a bit worse than Satomi and Yuga because I generally prefer Satomi as Moon...

12th place: Nagi Inoue & Tenju Mitsuki

Another couple that only appears in a musical. I think Nagi is better as Moon than Satsuki, and I think she handles Tenju's overacting better. Their voices fit together better. It's especially clear during the curtain call that the two seem to get along well. Nagi kisses Tenju. Tenju hugs Nagi. I think it would have been even better without Tenju's overacting.

11th place: Satomi Okubo & Yuga Yamato

I already said in the Moon actress ranking that I like the two of them together better than Hotaru & Yuga. I don't know exactly why, but I think they work better together. Maybe because they have more scenes together than Hotaru and Yuga. For example, the Silver Millennium scene, the scene with King Endymion where Usagi find out that Chibiusa is her future daughter (which I find very funny), they not fight over Haruka.

10th place: Marina Kuroki & Gyo Miyamoto

You guessed it three times...that's right. This Usagi Mamoru couple also only appears in a musical. A lot of people don't seem to like Gyo, but I do. Maybe it's the age difference again, since the dynamic isn't as good. Unfortunately, a very good Usagi Mamoru moment from the original was omitted from the remake. That's why "You Are My Jewelry" is missing.

9th place: Marina Kuroki & Yuu Shirota

I know this is an unpopular opinion, and I'll probably get hated for it. I don't want to blame the two actors, but there's no chemistry between them. Also, Mamoru is very poorly written and says some very mean things to Usagi. The only reason they don't fare worse is because their voices stand out. The best ones sound incredible together.

8th place: Sayuri Inoue & Mikako Ishii

Sayuri is a good Moon and can sing very well. But she's very shy, and I got the feeling she wasn't comfortable with Mikako. Her discomfort is especially noticeable in the scene in Moonlight Densetsu where Mikako kisses Sayuri. Although Mikako speaks very positively about her.

7th place: Shiori Kubo & Mikako Ishii

They have some really good moments together, especially the hug in Moonlight Densetsu. One scene I'd like to highlight is the scene where Tuxedo Mask reveals his true identity. This execution is definitely the best of all five versions. Mikako also says she's glad Shiori was her moon.

6th place: Anza Ooyama & Mizuki Sano

Another couple that only appears in a musical. I really like the two of them together, especially the scene where Mamoru tries to comfort Usagi, the Silver Millennium scene, and the scene where Mamoru dies. It's a shame they didn't stay together longer. But we got a really good Usa and Mamo couple afterward.

Top 5 begins:

I can't decide between 5th and 4th place. So you can swap them as you wish.

5th place: Fumina Hara & Hironari Amano

I would have loved to see them together longer. The story gives us more insight into their civil relationship. It's beautiful, and some moments are quite funny. Plus, the two of them sing my favorite Usagi and Mamoru love song, "You're My Jewelry."

4th place: Marina Kuroki & Kenji Urai

Marina is much younger than Kenji, but it's not as noticeable. Together they sound like I imagine Usagi and Mamoru. They work perfectly as a comedy duo. Kenji also handles Marina's overacting best. Mamoru is also written much better than in later musicals. Unfortunately, they only sang "You're My Jewelry" in a fankasha. I would have liked to have seen a version in a regular musical.

Top 3: The top 3 is already known from a previous post but I didn't say anything more about it.

Top 3: Miyuki Kanbe & Hidemasa Edo

Miyuki doesn't have another tuxedo mask, and I'm glad for that. They have good chemistry and work perfectly in both funny and serious moments. They also fit together perfectly vocally. (not to forget Miyuki is my favorite Moon.)

Top 2: Anza Ooyama & Yuuta Mochizuki

But back to the first stage. It's no secret that the two have a deep connection. This is still true today, almost 30 years later. I do think Yuuta is a bit too old for Mamoru, but that doesn't matter. Especially in the later story arcs, their relationship has matured. The two even hugged and kissed in several musicals. Their voices fit together.

But there can only be one top 1. It's probably an unpopular opinion, but whatever.

Top 1: Mizuki Yamashita & Mikako Ishii

The little subtle things make them the best Usagi Mamoru couple for me. I've seen this version so many times, but I discover something new every time. I could go through every scene with the two of them and find something in each one, be it just a small smile, a glance, or a a slight touch. Also, of all of Nogizaka Moon's and Mamoru's, their voices fit together the best. Their "Memory Ai no Kioku" is so emotional you'd think they were serious. And let's not forget the kiss in Moonlight Densetsu. Mizuki apparently had no problem with that. (It apparently wasn't the only one either; there's a photo of them kissing in the Silver Millennium scene.) It's such a shame they only have one musical together, and that's one of the reasons why Team Moon 2018 is my favorite version.

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My Sera Myu project continues with Miyuki Kanbe

As a lifelong Sailor Moon fan, it is sometimes difficult for me to believe that there are whole corners of the fandom that I did not explore until recently.

I skimmed the surface, sticking to the anime and manga, while missing out on wonderful additions to the franchise like PGSM and the Sera Myu. Thankfully, I’ve started to rectify that oversight.

In the course of my little Sera Myu “side project”, I’ve finally encountered Miyuki Kanbe, who performed as Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon in a series of vampire-themed musicals. It’s so wonderfully out there; I love it.

Kanbe has proven to be a personal favorite; she really nailed Usagi as a character. Her voice and cadence is instantly iconic. I was heartbroken to learn that she passed away in 2008.

What’s particularly frustrating is that her wonderful performance is stuck on VHS, of all places. The Dracul series of musicals has never been released on DVD and has been out of print for decades.

So…about that “special project”…

VHS poses a particular challenge for a hobbyist like me. Turns out, there’s not a whole lot of THERE there. I spent a week just experimenting with various approaches, poking at the edges of what could be done, trying to find the limits of what is possible.

Ultimately, I settled on an approach. Is it perfect? By no means. Is it better?

You tell me…

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Looks like Mikako Tabe was an extremely popular Yaten/ Star Fighter? All the japanese comments under my uploads of A Shootong Star Light on YouTube are full with praise. 😅

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Guardian of love and beauty ʚɞ

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Nao Inada as Sailor Venus in the Last Dracul Jokyoku Footage

@sera-myu-week monday: Bandai Myu

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X

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1 / 2

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@vampiru-chan

Bloody Dracul Vampir in her civilian outfit.

Based on the outfit she wore in one of the musicals as well as her official artwork from the pamphlet.

ps: if you like Vampir and the Dracul Myu feel free to check out my Dracul-related fic

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Michiru x Haruka <3

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stay tuned. I just have to render it. And I'll get super sad if I don't get many views. 😂

my brain: I'm so in Winx mood ✨✨✨

also my brain: let's do a Sera Myu ranking video instead of writing and thinking about Winx 🫶🏼

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