just-like-sailor-v - Tumblr blog

[just-like-sailor-v]

Welcome to the Live Blog!

Hello everyone! I am about to start the long and probably overdue task of watching the original Sailor Moon Anime in its original Japanese (with subtitles because alas I’m limited to only English and Spanish comprehension). 

I say over due because I was raised on Sailor Moon. Basically from the womb. As the youngest daughter in a family of 4 girls, born in 1996, the Sailor Moon Dic Dub was a near constant in my life. 

^screencap of actual video evidence of me and my dad watching sailor moon when I was 9 months old

I grew up listening to the soundtrack. We had neon pink tapes that contained some of the most important episodes in the Negaverse arc, tapes with episodes recorded from television, often with the first few minutes missing because my sisters would run home from the bus stop to watch that days episode, all 3 movies, and many toys which I gladly inherited--crescent moon wand, transformation locket, barbie sized dolls of the scouts, miniature versions of the scouts, even a sailor moon alarm clock.

I watched those tapes so many times. I have loved sailor moon for literally as long as I can remember. Watching those DIC dubs, hearing that sparkly sounding Canadian produced background music, its like nostalgia injected directly into my veins.

I also moved around a lot, leading to a rotating cast of best friends in my life, each of with I’d initiate by watching episodes of Sailor Moon, first from the tapes and later from YouTube. Even now, I initiate my loved ones--most recently my last ex boyfriend--so that they can truly understand the person I have grown into. We parted ways on good terms (you can tell he was a good one because he liked Sailor Moon).

^awkward 9 year old me, about to go out for Halloween in the Sailor Mercury costume my grandmother made (my best friend at the time dressed as Princess Serena, having recently been enthusiastically presented with the masterpiece that is Sailor Moon)

To this day I love Sailor Moon, though I admit a large portion of that is tied up in some sweet sweet nostalgia. I have still taken some time to experience some other Sailor Moon Media--Last summer I read the manga out of curiosity after watching some of Sailor Moon Crystal. I have watched some of the new VIZ Dub, but it does not fill my heart with the sweet high of nostalgia. I cannot quote the occasionally ridiculous dialogue. Molly, who is no longer called Molly, does not have a thick Brooklyn accent! It does not speak to me. While it may technically be a higher quality dub, it will never be my preference. 

But I was just thinking... I have never seen all of Sailor Moon! I have only actually watched to the point where they stopped dubbing. And quite frankly I have only seen the Heart Crystal and Dream Snatcher arcs once and I really don’t remember much (they changed the voice actress for sailor moon in what felt like a personal affront--they also started using the original Japanese music, which felt very strange to me after an entire childhood of upbeat synth pop).

So, here i am. In quarantine. Procrastinating homework. And struck with the sudden desire, no, need, to complete the work that has been left unfinished for these 24 years. I will watch the entirety of Sailor Moon.