I'm just going to immediately say, I grew up on the 90's version of Sailor Moon. My oldest sister watched it and that was how I was introduced to anime and this awesome story. So, I realize that I have a bit of a biased view that is also tinted in nostalgia. I've only recently this year began reading the manga by Naoko Takeuchi as well as Crystal. I read the manga first and then watch Sailor Moon Crystal after finishing the story arc. I just finished reading the Black Moon arc and am going to start Crystal's second season soon. Also, I will be putting in the manga version in a bit since Crystal does follow it more closely. But anyways! You're all wanting to read what this blog post says: The differences between the 90's Sailor Moon and it's recent remake Crystal.
Since it's obvious I really like the original Sailor Moon, I'll start off with the things that weren't it's strongest points.
Usagi isn't as strong compared to the manga version.
Now I still love the 90's Usagi. She's hilarious. But in compared to the manga and Crystal, she doesn't grow to believe in her power or even become more adult. It's mentioned a few times in the manga that Usagi is growing into a responsible adult who is learning how to fight and believe in herself. Her family and friends will take a moment to mention how much she is changing into the ruler that she's destined to be. The 90's had moments like that but I admit, it's not that consistent. She still cries A LOT! She'll curl up in a ball a few too many times, especially in the first season. I still enjoy her and she is fleshed out, I just personally would have liked her to mirror her manga character a bit more.
So much filler!
I personally think these are good and bad, but I'm going to focus on the bad right now. Throughout the series, many episodes are dedicated to monster of the week templates. The Sailor Soldiers battle all kinds of low level baddies for lots of episodes, taking too long to get to the important ones. After a while, it gets really boring and I would occasionally just google search it to see if it had anything important in it. If it didn't, then I would skip it. The manga and now Crystal both just get everything moving forward with crucial events or information happening. Sailor Moon could have been a bit stronger if there weren't as many filler episodes.
Chiba Mamoru is pretty lame.
I really enjoy the characterization of Mamoru in the manga. He's a lot stronger, doesn't ever throw a rose and hardly ever leaves the Soldiers alone to continue fighting the bad guy. As I was re-watching the 90's anime with one of my sisters, when Seiya is introduced, my sister began to like the idea of male Seiya with Usagi over Mamoru. She liked Seiya's personality and how there was a lot of time for the two to grow closer together. While I am an immovable force when it comes to the relationship between Usagi and Mamoru, I could see her point. Mamoru and Usagi had some chemistry in the first season but the moment they realized they were the reincarnated souls of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, they just sorta fell in love and that was that. Cute but not what it's supposed to be. Mamoru would be the comical relief whenever he swooped in as Tuxedo Mask, showing up out of nowhere with his rose and catch phrase. It's hilarious and I love it, but it's not as romantic as the Mamoru of the manga and Crystal.
The Senshi aren't as strong.
I think the 90's anime does a fantastic job of fleshing these characters out, but physically they aren't that strong. They don't have as many powers as the manga versions. Like the filler episodes, it got boring when all Jupiter would do is "Supreme Thunder" for the hundredth time. It was a blessing and a relief when the soldiers would gain a new power but then it would be the same thing all over again. In the manga/Crystal, each soldier had different powers and multiple ones. They would use more than just "Fire Soul" or "Crescent Beam". I liked the idea that they had an array of powers that could be used multiple times or in conjunction with others. I definitely prefer more powerful senshi over the one note girls we got in the 90's.
The very confusing Sailor Starlights.
This decision from the producers and the writers of the 90's makes no sense to me. Takeuchi has made it apparent that only women can become senshi. So, she had the Sailor Starlights crossdress as men so that they could find their princess undetected. Yet this had to get muddled in the final season where these women get the ability to physically change into men. It goes against Takeuchi's rule and just makes it more confusing than anything else. It's a simple premise, three women need to find their princess in secret and to hide from their enemy Galaxia and so crossdress as men to hide from her. I think that's simple enough but apparently it wasn't to the writers.
Everyone is really mean to Usagi.
We all know that Usagi is supposed to be a crybaby, get really bad grades and is always late. She is supposed to start off as unreliable but eventually grow into a better version of herself as she matures through the trials of fighting as a Sailor Soldier. Now, in the manga and in Crystal, everyone does make a little bit of fun of Usagi and her flaws but act as very caring friends that truly love her and want to protect her. In the 90's version, especially in the seasons preceding Nehelenia, there is a lot of backlash to our favorite princess. They make fun of her for her flaws and constantly berate her for her clumsiness and how she is a crybaby. For a long time (especially in the filler episodes) they just are mean to her. I really don't like this. Usagi's flaws aren't that bad and she does get better. But, seeing as how they aren't making her as responsible and mature like she's supposed to be in the manga, it does make sense that the senshi would act a bit more mean. It fits but I still don't like it.
Now these are pretty big things and it's obvious they get on my nerves. But the things in the 90's anime that are good, are really freaking good. They really make up for everything in my opinion and they're what make me love Sailor Moon in the first place. But, I'll write about them in the next post. I hope you all enjoyed reading this and that it helps remove that nostalgia tint on the 90's Sailor Moon anime. See ya!
