Rose Reviews: Sailor Moon Crystal
Episodes 1 and 2
Okay, in case you don't already know, I am a huge fan of the original Sailor Moon. I own the Japanese language DVDs (the limited edition ones) and have been looking forward to the release of Sailor Moon Crystal - a remake of the original Sailor Moon based more heavily on the manga and with many returning voice actors - but I have also avoided following details concerning the production or information about the show to avoid spoilers (aside from voice actor info).
Anyway, yesterday, I saw that the first two episodes of Crystal were up on Hulu, so I had to watch.
Act 1: Usagi
I'm not going to do a point by point review for one very important reason - this episode follows the beats of the original episode 1 almost exactly, with only a few interesting deviations. It is those deviations that I will focus on.
First up, the show is making no pretensions about the audience not already knowing the plot. Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion embrace in the very first scene. Awesome.
We move from that into the normal "Usagi is late" bit - again, it is pretty much identical to the original episode 1 so I won't belabor it. One thing - Usagi's mom tells her to be more like Sailor V, who is in the news again. Neat!
I should probably take a moment to comment on the opening credits. The song is okay - I honestly wasn't paying much attention since the video had 100% of my brain cells locked in. There's a lot of focus on the inner senshi, of course, and Mamoru appears to wear glasses now. Also, the inners seem to have had some serious upgrades to their attacks.
Anyway, back to the episode, where in a very awesome scene, Jadeite summons up the Youma for the episode and tells it to go find the Legendary Silver Crystal. Interesting. Particularly since the Youma later talks about needing energy. Hm.
Usagi meets Luna, is late for school, stands in the hallway. We're introduced to Naru and Umino. We are not introduced to Usagi's two other friends who were pretty much forgotten after the first few episodes of the original series anyway. One difference - while one of the friends is the same as the original, the other one is very different. Hm.
On to the Jewelry store. There's no fight, but it is a bit of a feeding frenzy. Naru's mom is, of course, possessed, but less obvious about it this time. Usagi has a quiet, introspective moment - which is really different. She still throws her test -
- into Tuxedo Mask. Not Mamoru, fucking Tuxedo Mask walking around in broad daylight. She even comments on him being weird for wearing a Tuxedo.
I don't much care for the translation of "bump head" for odango atama. Dumpling head or meatball head make more sense than "bump".
Anyway, on to the Sailor V video game bit. Usagi lingers over the image of Sailor V as if she recognizes her, but can't remember from where - a very nice, subtle touch. Awesome!
Usagi introduces the arcade-worker guy whose name I still can never remember (he's just too damn dull in all versions for me to be bothered) and has a staring contest with Luna. Weird.
Yada yada, yelled at about test scores, yada. Shingo makes a brief appearance so we remember he exists.
Tuxedo Mask stalks the jewelry store while Naru's possessed mom takes a moment to explain that she is gathering energy while seeking the Legendary Silver Crystal - which isn't in Naru's Mom's jewelry store, so the day has been a bust. Okay, that explains my earlier confusion - she's doing both plotlines. Naru walks in on evil mom and - eye catch.
Back from the commercial break, Usagi has an unexpected dream! She's on the moon, being led around by Prince Endymion. A monster appears - and then Sailor V appears! ... and then we're in the Sailor V video game, where Usagi has to rescue Luna.
... wow. Usagi's subconscious is a weird place.
Anyway, on to the Luna revealing she can talk and providing exposition bit. So far so standard. And we get to the new transformation sequence.
It is... hard to describe.
It's awesome. The computer aided animation is weirdly realistic (while still anime) - almost pushing uncanny valley at a few points. It's a hair disturbing - one second I'm marveling at the most beautiful Sailor Moon transformation ever, and the other I'm shaken out of it by one of those uncanny valley moments.
So yeah. Three parts awesome, one part weird.
On the costume, she is wearing the usual season 1 broach with some minor modifications, and she has the Grail hair clips (retroactively, one assumes) that she doesn't gain in the original anime until season 3. Everything else looks pretty much like her normal season 1 outfit.
Anyway, back to the usual script - Usagi gets the Naru alarm (I wish I was kidding), Naru's mom threatens her. One interesting difference is that we get to see Tuxedo Mask hiding in the window awaiting his cue.
Usagi has a better time remembering her lines this time. The new "in the name of the moon, I will punish you" is pretty neat.
The battle goes exactly as it did in the original, except that the zombie women have to come in from elsewhere - all the way up to Sailor Moon stunning the enemies and Tuxedo Mask telling her to use her tiara. The new tiara looks pretty impressive.
Tuxedo Mask mention the Legendary Silver Crystal before departing this time, setting that up right from the start. Very nice.
Oh, and yes, Tuxedo Mask is wearing the EXACT SAME OUTFIT as earlier. Except now he has a hat and a very thin mask instead of glasses. The glasses covered MORE of his face than the mask does.
**shrugs in confusion**
Anyway, Jadeite talks to himself. The next day, Naru gushes about her run-in with a Sailor Senshi. Usagi has a quiet moment. And AMI walks by, foreshadowing the next episode.
End credits - once again, we're back to Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. The song is okay - about as good as any Sailor Moon ending credits.
Final Thoughts: So far so standard. The first episode of the anime followed the first manga fairly closely, so that isn't really a surprise. We'll see how things go differently in Act 2...
But first, an add for the BluRay release of the original uncut Sailor Moon series. FUCK YEAH! Shut up and take my money already, etc.
Act 2: Sailor Mercury
We open on Ami doing her impression of Homura from the first episode of Madoka. Which is funny, since Homura was doing her impression of Ami - oh god, we've gone recursive!
AMI IS WEARING GLASSES AGAIN!!!!!
Yes, I find that very exciting. Ami looks awesome in glasses. Also, Ami has her much more attractive longer hair-do. Have I said "fuck yeah" lately? No? Well, fuck yeah! I always hated that super-short cut that the original anime gave her until later seasons.
Ami spends a little time being lonely and watching Usagi with her friends. And opening credits.
Ah, we finally meet Queen Beryl. Neat. Apparently they're combining the Legendary Silver Crystal plot and the Energy Gathering plot into the same thing. Also, the Dark Kingdom looks WAY MORE AWESOME now - it has cloisters. As any Doctor Who fans knows, Cloisters make anything better. Jadeite gets yelled at and then summons up another Youma in the neat way he did the first episode. Cool.
Back to standard - Luna has moved in and tells Usagi that this Sailor Moon gig is long term. Also the "find the Princess" plotline gets its start. Luna says she already has her eye on someone as a possible senshi, then looks away in... sadness? Interesting.
Also interesting is that the arcade no longer contains the Cat Computers. Instead, Luna appears to be... using a Tardis. Or, at least, an extra-dimensional space that looks kind of like the Tardis console room.
Actually, the Sailor Senshi being Time Lords would kind of explain a few things....
Ahem.
Anyway... back to the episode. We get back to the usual "introduce Ami" bit here she has the best test scores and attends Crystal Seminar, a fancy (and evil) cram school. Not to be confused with Mugen Academy, the evil school from season 3. Apparently the cram school is near the arcade and very expensive. Ami overhears people talking about her being a stone cold ***** and leaves in a huff.
-- and then pets Luna, which instantly convinces Usagi that Ami is nice. Which she, of course, is. Cute awkwardness ensues until Ami hands Luna back to Usagi - when Ami has a flashback to the Moon Kingdom! Ami looks confused and a little frightened... Usagi, meanwhile, tries to befriend her in an attempt to get help studying. And thus, on to the arcade (because that's how Usagi's brain works).
Motoki. That's arcade guy's name. I'm sure I'll forget again soon enough.
Ami is good at the Sailor V game... for some reason. **shrug** That bit never made sense to me in any version. Anyway, the game spits out Ami's transformation pen - and then Usagi's disguise pen. Again, so far, so standard. However, rather than rushing off late, Ami and Usagi actually talk a bit and develop their friendship in a comparatively realistic fashion. Awesome! I like the greater attention to characterization and relationships in this version.
Oh, and the brain-washing floppy disk has been upgraded to a brain-washing CD rom. ^^;;
Eye catch.
Kuri-chan is the new friend. She is randomly muttering numbers when we return from commercial (while Usagi, Naru, and long-haired friend from the original series hang out). Usagi bumps into Ami in the library and invites her out for ice-cream.
OH! And UNLIKE the original, we actually see the result of the brain-washing! When Usagi invites Ami out, Ami starts to accept, but then she has a sudden flash of the Youma teacher telling her that she has to study more. She goes glass-eyed and turns Usagi down, saying she needs to leave. Fortunately, she forgets her evil CD rom.
Later, Usagi walks past the Crystal Seminar and is handed a flyer (by the Youma teacher) advertising discounts for the program and featuring a photo of Ami and the evil disk. Usagi throws the flyer over her shoulder - and hits Mamoru again. AND HE'S STILL WEARING HIS TUXEDO! Again, the glasses cover more of his face than his mask. How is she not recognizing the fact that he's wearing the exact same Tuxedo as Tuxedo Mask?
Oh, never mind. Usagi tries using Ami's CD rom and it turns out to be evil, just like in the original version. Usagi heads out to investigate.
And we get our first use of the disguise pen. She transforms into a... nurse, I guess? She then gets past the guards by claiming that she's there responding to a medical emergency. Without an ambulance? Ah well, this is better than the original version where she disguises herself to get past an unguarded door. This time, at least, she needs to bullshit past guards.
This time, instead of leading a class, Ami has been taken to a special room where she has been given a new, special disk. Apparently the Dark Kingdom wants to tap her awesome brain, so they're stepping up her brain washing. While Ami is working, the Youma picks up her transformation pen and wonders what it is.
Cue a mental flashback (audio only) to that friendship-developing conversation I mentioned earlier. Ami resists the brain washing due to her friendship - particularly when the Youma throws away her pen.
And, just then, Usagi bursts into the room. Luna provides a distraction while Ami recovers her pen. Usagi then tells the Youma how they know all about her evil plans. Cue Sailor Moon transformation.
... I like it better the second time. The weird uncanny valley is still there, but it isn't as distracting once I expect it.
The battle begins pretty much as it did before, except with better special effects - the papers the Youma throws actually look like a threat rather than a bad Read or Die rip-off (which is odd since Sailor Moon came first).
Which brings us to Ami's transformation.
... which gave me literal chills. Ami's transformation is almost identical to her transformation in the original series, except with a massive graphical upgrade. It has none of the weird uncanny valley moments, and thus is pure awesome.
I think the problem with Usagi's transformation is that she occasionally bends in unlikely fashions that make her obviously CG, whereas Ami follows the motions of her original animated version more closely, and thus she never seems to be made of CG rubber.
Anyway, this brings us to Ami's part in the battle. And... Mercury Aqua Mist. ... which is just Shabon Spray again. Damn. The opening credits made me think she had a real attack, like in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. But no, we're stuck with mist.
At least the mist seems to actually work in this version (ie, the Senshi can see perfectly, but the enemies are blinded). That's... something. **sigh**
Once Sailor Moon kills the Youma, we get a cute moment between Ami and Usagi where Ami insists on a meeting so she can get filled in on all the details. Which is nice - no one ever asked for one of those in the original anime.
Also, we get a teaser clip of Rei meditating in her temple.
And roll end credits.
Final Thoughts: Yup, this is following the manga much more closely. All the filler episodes just got tossed out a window. That means that, next episode, we not only meet Rei but we should have our first battle with one of the Dark Kingdom Generals.
Overall? I like it. I like it a lot. As much as I like the original Sailor Moon, one criticism of it that I have is that it rarely took the time for slow moments or character development. In just the first two episodes, the new series has done just that, cutting down battles and comedy in favor of character development.
I am fondly reminded of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (the live-action remake of season 1 which, while it had its flaws, was far more character driven than any other version of Sailor Moon I've seen). If Sailor Moon Crystal can take the lessons of Pretty Guardian and the awesomeness of the original series and give the whole thing a graphical upgrade... then hell yeah, sign me up for that.
I only have two overall criticisms:
1) The slight uncanny valley issue with the CG aided animation (mostly during Sailor Moon's transformation).
2) WHY IS MAMORU WEARING A TUXEDO EVERYWHERE?!
I've heard people don't like the new opening credits. I'm not sure why - it seemed fine to me. It isn't Moonlight Densetsu, but then nothing ever was. Sailor Moon had other songs, and none of them were all that good (and several were physically painful). There were people who didn't like the theme for Sailor Stars, but I always liked it better than Moonlight Densetsu. I wouldn't say the new one is better, but is isn't bad - it is unoffensive, which is more than some of the ending credits could muster.
Recommendation: If you like Sailor Moon - any version of Sailor Moon - then yo should watch Sailor Moon Crystal.
If you aren't familiar with Sailor Moon, but are curious, then this version may be the best place to start. It jumps right in to the best stuff without wasting time on filler.
For comparison, it takes about 8 episodes of the original to cover the plot presented in the first two of Crystal.
Episodes 1 and 2
Okay, in case you don't already know, I am a huge fan of the original Sailor Moon. I own the Japanese language DVDs (the limited edition ones) and have been looking forward to the release of Sailor Moon Crystal - a remake of the original Sailor Moon based more heavily on the manga and with many returning voice actors - but I have also avoided following details concerning the production or information about the show to avoid spoilers (aside from voice actor info).
Anyway, yesterday, I saw that the first two episodes of Crystal were up on Hulu, so I had to watch.
Act 1: Usagi
I'm not going to do a point by point review for one very important reason - this episode follows the beats of the original episode 1 almost exactly, with only a few interesting deviations. It is those deviations that I will focus on.
First up, the show is making no pretensions about the audience not already knowing the plot. Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion embrace in the very first scene. Awesome.
We move from that into the normal "Usagi is late" bit - again, it is pretty much identical to the original episode 1 so I won't belabor it. One thing - Usagi's mom tells her to be more like Sailor V, who is in the news again. Neat!
I should probably take a moment to comment on the opening credits. The song is okay - I honestly wasn't paying much attention since the video had 100% of my brain cells locked in. There's a lot of focus on the inner senshi, of course, and Mamoru appears to wear glasses now. Also, the inners seem to have had some serious upgrades to their attacks.
Anyway, back to the episode, where in a very awesome scene, Jadeite summons up the Youma for the episode and tells it to go find the Legendary Silver Crystal. Interesting. Particularly since the Youma later talks about needing energy. Hm.
Usagi meets Luna, is late for school, stands in the hallway. We're introduced to Naru and Umino. We are not introduced to Usagi's two other friends who were pretty much forgotten after the first few episodes of the original series anyway. One difference - while one of the friends is the same as the original, the other one is very different. Hm.
On to the Jewelry store. There's no fight, but it is a bit of a feeding frenzy. Naru's mom is, of course, possessed, but less obvious about it this time. Usagi has a quiet, introspective moment - which is really different. She still throws her test -
- into Tuxedo Mask. Not Mamoru, fucking Tuxedo Mask walking around in broad daylight. She even comments on him being weird for wearing a Tuxedo.
I don't much care for the translation of "bump head" for odango atama. Dumpling head or meatball head make more sense than "bump".
Anyway, on to the Sailor V video game bit. Usagi lingers over the image of Sailor V as if she recognizes her, but can't remember from where - a very nice, subtle touch. Awesome!
Usagi introduces the arcade-worker guy whose name I still can never remember (he's just too damn dull in all versions for me to be bothered) and has a staring contest with Luna. Weird.
Yada yada, yelled at about test scores, yada. Shingo makes a brief appearance so we remember he exists.
Tuxedo Mask stalks the jewelry store while Naru's possessed mom takes a moment to explain that she is gathering energy while seeking the Legendary Silver Crystal - which isn't in Naru's Mom's jewelry store, so the day has been a bust. Okay, that explains my earlier confusion - she's doing both plotlines. Naru walks in on evil mom and - eye catch.
Back from the commercial break, Usagi has an unexpected dream! She's on the moon, being led around by Prince Endymion. A monster appears - and then Sailor V appears! ... and then we're in the Sailor V video game, where Usagi has to rescue Luna.
... wow. Usagi's subconscious is a weird place.
Anyway, on to the Luna revealing she can talk and providing exposition bit. So far so standard. And we get to the new transformation sequence.
It is... hard to describe.
It's awesome. The computer aided animation is weirdly realistic (while still anime) - almost pushing uncanny valley at a few points. It's a hair disturbing - one second I'm marveling at the most beautiful Sailor Moon transformation ever, and the other I'm shaken out of it by one of those uncanny valley moments.
So yeah. Three parts awesome, one part weird.
On the costume, she is wearing the usual season 1 broach with some minor modifications, and she has the Grail hair clips (retroactively, one assumes) that she doesn't gain in the original anime until season 3. Everything else looks pretty much like her normal season 1 outfit.
Anyway, back to the usual script - Usagi gets the Naru alarm (I wish I was kidding), Naru's mom threatens her. One interesting difference is that we get to see Tuxedo Mask hiding in the window awaiting his cue.
Usagi has a better time remembering her lines this time. The new "in the name of the moon, I will punish you" is pretty neat.
The battle goes exactly as it did in the original, except that the zombie women have to come in from elsewhere - all the way up to Sailor Moon stunning the enemies and Tuxedo Mask telling her to use her tiara. The new tiara looks pretty impressive.
Tuxedo Mask mention the Legendary Silver Crystal before departing this time, setting that up right from the start. Very nice.
Oh, and yes, Tuxedo Mask is wearing the EXACT SAME OUTFIT as earlier. Except now he has a hat and a very thin mask instead of glasses. The glasses covered MORE of his face than the mask does.
**shrugs in confusion**
Anyway, Jadeite talks to himself. The next day, Naru gushes about her run-in with a Sailor Senshi. Usagi has a quiet moment. And AMI walks by, foreshadowing the next episode.
End credits - once again, we're back to Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. The song is okay - about as good as any Sailor Moon ending credits.
Final Thoughts: So far so standard. The first episode of the anime followed the first manga fairly closely, so that isn't really a surprise. We'll see how things go differently in Act 2...
But first, an add for the BluRay release of the original uncut Sailor Moon series. FUCK YEAH! Shut up and take my money already, etc.
Act 2: Sailor Mercury
We open on Ami doing her impression of Homura from the first episode of Madoka. Which is funny, since Homura was doing her impression of Ami - oh god, we've gone recursive!
AMI IS WEARING GLASSES AGAIN!!!!!
Yes, I find that very exciting. Ami looks awesome in glasses. Also, Ami has her much more attractive longer hair-do. Have I said "fuck yeah" lately? No? Well, fuck yeah! I always hated that super-short cut that the original anime gave her until later seasons.
Ami spends a little time being lonely and watching Usagi with her friends. And opening credits.
Ah, we finally meet Queen Beryl. Neat. Apparently they're combining the Legendary Silver Crystal plot and the Energy Gathering plot into the same thing. Also, the Dark Kingdom looks WAY MORE AWESOME now - it has cloisters. As any Doctor Who fans knows, Cloisters make anything better. Jadeite gets yelled at and then summons up another Youma in the neat way he did the first episode. Cool.
Back to standard - Luna has moved in and tells Usagi that this Sailor Moon gig is long term. Also the "find the Princess" plotline gets its start. Luna says she already has her eye on someone as a possible senshi, then looks away in... sadness? Interesting.
Also interesting is that the arcade no longer contains the Cat Computers. Instead, Luna appears to be... using a Tardis. Or, at least, an extra-dimensional space that looks kind of like the Tardis console room.
Actually, the Sailor Senshi being Time Lords would kind of explain a few things....
Ahem.
Anyway... back to the episode. We get back to the usual "introduce Ami" bit here she has the best test scores and attends Crystal Seminar, a fancy (and evil) cram school. Not to be confused with Mugen Academy, the evil school from season 3. Apparently the cram school is near the arcade and very expensive. Ami overhears people talking about her being a stone cold ***** and leaves in a huff.
-- and then pets Luna, which instantly convinces Usagi that Ami is nice. Which she, of course, is. Cute awkwardness ensues until Ami hands Luna back to Usagi - when Ami has a flashback to the Moon Kingdom! Ami looks confused and a little frightened... Usagi, meanwhile, tries to befriend her in an attempt to get help studying. And thus, on to the arcade (because that's how Usagi's brain works).
Motoki. That's arcade guy's name. I'm sure I'll forget again soon enough.
Ami is good at the Sailor V game... for some reason. **shrug** That bit never made sense to me in any version. Anyway, the game spits out Ami's transformation pen - and then Usagi's disguise pen. Again, so far, so standard. However, rather than rushing off late, Ami and Usagi actually talk a bit and develop their friendship in a comparatively realistic fashion. Awesome! I like the greater attention to characterization and relationships in this version.
Oh, and the brain-washing floppy disk has been upgraded to a brain-washing CD rom. ^^;;
Eye catch.
Kuri-chan is the new friend. She is randomly muttering numbers when we return from commercial (while Usagi, Naru, and long-haired friend from the original series hang out). Usagi bumps into Ami in the library and invites her out for ice-cream.
OH! And UNLIKE the original, we actually see the result of the brain-washing! When Usagi invites Ami out, Ami starts to accept, but then she has a sudden flash of the Youma teacher telling her that she has to study more. She goes glass-eyed and turns Usagi down, saying she needs to leave. Fortunately, she forgets her evil CD rom.
Later, Usagi walks past the Crystal Seminar and is handed a flyer (by the Youma teacher) advertising discounts for the program and featuring a photo of Ami and the evil disk. Usagi throws the flyer over her shoulder - and hits Mamoru again. AND HE'S STILL WEARING HIS TUXEDO! Again, the glasses cover more of his face than his mask. How is she not recognizing the fact that he's wearing the exact same Tuxedo as Tuxedo Mask?
Oh, never mind. Usagi tries using Ami's CD rom and it turns out to be evil, just like in the original version. Usagi heads out to investigate.
And we get our first use of the disguise pen. She transforms into a... nurse, I guess? She then gets past the guards by claiming that she's there responding to a medical emergency. Without an ambulance? Ah well, this is better than the original version where she disguises herself to get past an unguarded door. This time, at least, she needs to bullshit past guards.
This time, instead of leading a class, Ami has been taken to a special room where she has been given a new, special disk. Apparently the Dark Kingdom wants to tap her awesome brain, so they're stepping up her brain washing. While Ami is working, the Youma picks up her transformation pen and wonders what it is.
Cue a mental flashback (audio only) to that friendship-developing conversation I mentioned earlier. Ami resists the brain washing due to her friendship - particularly when the Youma throws away her pen.
And, just then, Usagi bursts into the room. Luna provides a distraction while Ami recovers her pen. Usagi then tells the Youma how they know all about her evil plans. Cue Sailor Moon transformation.
... I like it better the second time. The weird uncanny valley is still there, but it isn't as distracting once I expect it.
The battle begins pretty much as it did before, except with better special effects - the papers the Youma throws actually look like a threat rather than a bad Read or Die rip-off (which is odd since Sailor Moon came first).
Which brings us to Ami's transformation.
... which gave me literal chills. Ami's transformation is almost identical to her transformation in the original series, except with a massive graphical upgrade. It has none of the weird uncanny valley moments, and thus is pure awesome.
I think the problem with Usagi's transformation is that she occasionally bends in unlikely fashions that make her obviously CG, whereas Ami follows the motions of her original animated version more closely, and thus she never seems to be made of CG rubber.
Anyway, this brings us to Ami's part in the battle. And... Mercury Aqua Mist. ... which is just Shabon Spray again. Damn. The opening credits made me think she had a real attack, like in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. But no, we're stuck with mist.
At least the mist seems to actually work in this version (ie, the Senshi can see perfectly, but the enemies are blinded). That's... something. **sigh**
Once Sailor Moon kills the Youma, we get a cute moment between Ami and Usagi where Ami insists on a meeting so she can get filled in on all the details. Which is nice - no one ever asked for one of those in the original anime.
Also, we get a teaser clip of Rei meditating in her temple.
And roll end credits.
Final Thoughts: Yup, this is following the manga much more closely. All the filler episodes just got tossed out a window. That means that, next episode, we not only meet Rei but we should have our first battle with one of the Dark Kingdom Generals.
Overall? I like it. I like it a lot. As much as I like the original Sailor Moon, one criticism of it that I have is that it rarely took the time for slow moments or character development. In just the first two episodes, the new series has done just that, cutting down battles and comedy in favor of character development.
I am fondly reminded of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (the live-action remake of season 1 which, while it had its flaws, was far more character driven than any other version of Sailor Moon I've seen). If Sailor Moon Crystal can take the lessons of Pretty Guardian and the awesomeness of the original series and give the whole thing a graphical upgrade... then hell yeah, sign me up for that.
I only have two overall criticisms:
1) The slight uncanny valley issue with the CG aided animation (mostly during Sailor Moon's transformation).
2) WHY IS MAMORU WEARING A TUXEDO EVERYWHERE?!
I've heard people don't like the new opening credits. I'm not sure why - it seemed fine to me. It isn't Moonlight Densetsu, but then nothing ever was. Sailor Moon had other songs, and none of them were all that good (and several were physically painful). There were people who didn't like the theme for Sailor Stars, but I always liked it better than Moonlight Densetsu. I wouldn't say the new one is better, but is isn't bad - it is unoffensive, which is more than some of the ending credits could muster.
Recommendation: If you like Sailor Moon - any version of Sailor Moon - then yo should watch Sailor Moon Crystal.
If you aren't familiar with Sailor Moon, but are curious, then this version may be the best place to start. It jumps right in to the best stuff without wasting time on filler.
For comparison, it takes about 8 episodes of the original to cover the plot presented in the first two of Crystal.
