Minako being a pop idol is a reference towards what she wanted to be and the fourth in the story. So it is a reference towards her other two interpretations.
One cute thing about Usagi and Minako being so similar to each other is that the anime often has them react the exact same way and side by side. It does make it believable that Minako was originally supposed to be a double, even if the anime didn’t utilize that plot point at all. It also makes their friendship unique among the Inner Senshi, since Minako is the only one who resembles Usagi like that (aside from maybe Makoto).
Man, 2003 was a rough year for sixth rangers who are actually the 5th members of their team discovering the will to live only a short time before dying.
The fact that "C'est la Vie" is pronounced the same way in Japanese as "Sailor V" makes her look even more conspicuous than Hannah Montana. Also, having her die in a surgery complication not only makes her fears justified in retrospect, but it also makes the kids watching at home afraid to have life-saving surgeries of their own.
I say this everytime there's discourse about a character dying in a story: a character CAN die, a character CAN have a sad ending to their story, a character does not need to get what they want and live happily ever after. But a characters story DOES need to be SATISFYING. It needs to feel like it WASN'T a waste of the audiences time. If a characters resolution makes the audience feel stupid for caring? THAT is when it has failed as a story. Sometimes a character death is the best and most dramatically satisfying conclusion to their narrative. Sometimes a character death is a "that's it?" moment that sucks all sense of emotional investment away like a mosquito. And too often people will engage in discourse in bad faith and take people being annoyed at the later, and misconstrue their position by saying "oh you're just butthurt because your pet character didn't have a happy ending." No, they can have a sad ending. But it still needs to be a GOOD ending. When a character dies, I want to be CRYING over the STORY. I *don't* want to be ANGRY at the AUTHOR. It really is that simple.
One thing I don't like about this take is that it once again focuses on the viewer/reader/what have you way more than the actual work itself and the creator's intent. This is why discourse about any media's direction is always so dumb to me. Art should aim to be about itself first and foremost. If it's only goal is to pander to the audience so the author can get more money, then that's not art, that's just prostitution.
The episode showing Sailor Venus fate and Sailor Mars and the girls reaction had me sobbing! PGSM did such a good job with their character dynamic! 🔥 ⭐️ That’s also sharp of you to notice that Rei had never called Minako by her name till that moment. I’ve noticed in other shows, specifically other Tokusatsu shows that when the characters refer to the other by their names, how big a deal that is!
I'm a huge fan of all the changes they made to Minako's character. I agree with you about Minako being too similar to Usagi being a huge issue, and I think PGSM chose a great way to deal with it. Plus, Rei crying after Artemis tells her Minako's surgery didn't go well made me cry.
yeah having her be more of a 6th ranger in the live action series makes sense. Because that's how TOEI did it back in the 90/early 2000s. As Lance has seen watching Zyuranger. The 6th Ranger and Secondary Riders were originally only special occasions roles in their series. They weren't even in their series' opening and ending credits after joining the cast. Hell some series didn't even have extra heroes. It wasnt until Gaoranger and Kamen Rider Agito that TOEI (because of Bandai) figured out "hey if the extra hero is in every episode after he first shows up. We can sell more toys around him"
When I first watched the series, I always got the impression that because the showrunners couldn't squeeze every aspect of the franchise into their version of the Dark Kingdom story arc, that Venus was basically _PGSM's_ substitute for the Outer Guardians-specifically Uranus and Neptune, who were the most caustic of the lot. I still get vibes of that, but now having read the manga, I think that the showrunner simply took Minako's awakening from the end of _Codename: Sailor V_ to its most logical conclusion: "What if instead of integrating into the cast as its leader, she instead becomes so devoted to her mission that she completely discards her reincarnated life?" (To those unfamiliar: Yes, Sailor Venus is the *leader* of the Inner Guardians in the manga, as opposed to the anime.) I think that it's a brilliant and unique interpretation, and makes for a more memorable character. I also love the chemistry between Minako and Rei, and how they're really two sides of the same coin. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that when people shipped Mars × Venus, that it was because of *this* series… but even people that state they're fans of the franchise haven't bothered watching this adaptation. Alas. Anyway, I've been digging this retrospective, and am certainly looking forward to the next installment.
I believe when fans are fond of Reinako, they either refer to their relationship in PGSM, or that panel on Stars arc about not wanting men, or something...
@@Starseawhale I believe it's the latter, a side story where they nearly kissed (one of them was possessed), and the phenomenon of Pairing the Spares. Usagi canonically has Mamoru, and there was some ship tease between Ami and Makoto in the anime, so why not have Rei and Minako? I don't think that it's the influence of _PGSM_ at all. Most fans I see either haven't seen it (most of 'em), or are constantly singing its praises and telling other people to watch it (the scant few), lol.
I remember someone saying it was for the best that the explanation of Venus being the fake princess was cut as it was convoluted dealing with the explanation of Venus being seen as the fake moon, and this being a story for children. Didn't really agree with that, and I'm glad you gave a compelling argument for why it is better to have it.
I think this is one of the instances where the live action surpassed even the manga. If you think of it they keep who the princess was a “mistery” (no for us that we saw the anime and manga) but for the new audiences. The Princess not using usagi’s and sailor moon hairstyle was a great way to keep the mistery alive
I love how PGSM made all the girls have their own special friendship dynamics with each other. Even in 200 episodes we didn’t really get that much exploration of every girl getting to know every other girl in the inner senshi friend group. I never once expected Minako would DIE of her illness but the fact she did had me shook. I felt so bad for Rei and all the other girls. The writing for PGSM was so good!
Sailor Moon Crystal actually keeps Minako's ruse as the princess. She's still my favorite of the original team. Her birthday is a day before mine or something close to it actually.
Oh my god, yes, I definitely agree that there's a Venus problem. I don't really have a problem with her role, I think it's interesting that there's a Guardian who has been fighting before the others awoke. However, once she joins the team, her being Sailor V isn't really relevant anymore. After a while it doesn't matter that she has more experience or initially knew more than the others. Her drastic character change from season 2 on seems a little weird, as she was supposed to be the reliable, mature one (though I know she basically gets her Sailor V manga personality back). It seems like the writers didn't know what to do with her, so they rewrote the character. But then there's the problem that she's now very similar to Usagi. There are still some differences though. Tbh, I'm not the biggest fan of anime-Minako in the later seasons. She can be quite funny, but she also does some very stupid things and sometimes seems kind of selfish. (It's not that I dislike her though.) And yeah, it's pretty stupid that the anime didn't even try to use the "Sailor V is the princess" plot. I'll probably write another comment about live action Minako when I watched that part of the video.
Oh yeah, was also gonna say that "generic unnamed Slow Death Disease" is kind of a genre staple, but then I realised that indeed in another show by the same writer, a ranger /does/ have one with a specific fantasy name (~Osiris disease~), exactly like you suggest...
You explained it perfectly, I agree with almost all of that! At first I wasn't too happy with Minako's portrayal because she was mostly unlikable. I still think it's a pity that she's never really a part of the team. However, her character fits perfectly into this version of Sailor Moon. I understand her intentions better now, and she's really interesting. Minako kind of takes the role of the Outer Senshi (taking the mission too seriously, acting as if she's better than the others, staying away from the others....). The ending is so heartbreaking, I also tear up every time. The Shitennou are amazing! I love that they all have different goals and personalities. It's almost cute how Jadeite is so loyal to Beryl even when he dies, and almost heartbreaking how much Nephrite tries to get attention, but nobody takes him seriously. Zoisite has a cool concept and is very likeable, and Kunzite had one of the best actors of the show. What a presence this man had (rest in peace).
Excellent video once again! Thank you for giving this show the detailed analysis it deserves. I'll be honest: I've never been able to finish any version of Sailor Moon. My only milestone is finishing the first season of the anime, and I almost quit that until Makoto crashed into my life. PGSM, though? I binged it in a matter of DAYS. It's the only version where I care about all of the characters, and so deeply to boot. I truly consider it the swan song of the franchise, flaws and all. *Spoilers below this point!* "For the most part, the opening sequence is a lie." Yes! The OP is so cute and wholesome and happy. Then you watch the actual show and it's just a constant spiral of ever-escalating consequences that make you cry. I LOVE that they keep Minako apart from the others for so long. It makes sense for her as a character, and it allows the other four to bond better. There's always a nice interplay between the pairs of Usagi and Ami/Rei and Makoto, or Usagi and Makoto/Ami and Rei, etc. Having Minako there earlier would mess with that equilibrium; the show is written around the group of four friends, not five. And that makes it all the more tragic when that friendship finally begins to blossom, only for Minako to be ripped away from them unexpectedly. I KNEW that would happen at some point and I STILL wept like a baby. I think the fact we don't see it happen, or don't even precisely know what happens, only adds to that feeling of tragedy. There's far more emphasis on how it affects those left behind, which is a bigger gut punch imo. I'll have to keep an eye out for how Rei refers to Minako; I knew Minako sticks to the Senshi names until very late, but I hadn't noticed that with Rei in this instance. Thanks for pointing it out! Those scenes between Makoto and Minako are some of my favourites, and it's not just because Makoto has always been my number one Senshi. "Oh god, is THAT what I sound like?!" indeed. And yes, the fact the Senshi of Love has to learn to love herself is awesome! I think Beryl doesn't get rid of Zoisite because she's so possessive and so in need of adoration. Maybe a part of her believes that he will eventually come around--either naturally or through her influence--and that he'll come to love her like Jadeite and Nephrite do. Even with Jadeite and Nephrite though, I think there is a difference: Jadeite is completely devoted to her, but Nephrite wants her affection. It's like selfless love vs selfish love. Beryl responds better to the former, so that's why she spares Jadeite and kicks out Nephrite. (And also because Nephrite was the least useful, like you said. Zoisite may be unfaithful, but like Kunzite, he's super powerful.)
This video went from talking about The Cage on Star Trek to talking Christ and John the Baptist. And for some reason it amused me so much. I understand and both comparisons fit. But it just made me laugh
I can tell how much you love Sailor Moon. I also love Sailor Moon. I've watched and enjoyed basically all of your content and am so excited to see you tackle Sailor Moon. I know it doesn't seem to produce as many views as your Dragon Ball content, but I'm so in love with your content for Sailor Moon so please keep doing it! Especially if you love doing it
Out of all the Sailor Senshi, Venus has always been my favorite of the inner guardians. More than anything, I was fascinated with how more experienced Minako was since she has had her abilities longer than the others and has gone through many battles and heartbreak that is mostly covered in the Codename: Sailor V prequel manga. I can’t deny that PGSM’s rendition of Minako is possibly the best incarnation of the character, part of it because this show allows Minako to standout as her own character instead of the “prototype Usagi” portrayal from the 90s anime and admittedly from small moments in the manga.
My mom who just got caught up with her Sailor Moon actually said “Sailor Venus is like late 90s Mariah Carey joined Destiny’s Child and became one of Beyoncé’s back up singer.
As I really like Minako from the anime, the PGSM version didn't really please me. But this analysis was so impressive and the arguments were so convincing, that now I'll look at the character with completely new eyes. Maybe I'll even start to enjoy the drastic changes... Good job !
I can't think of a greater compliment than that. Thank you! You certainly don't have to agree with me, but I'll happily accept giving you an excuse to check out the series again. Thanks for sharing that with me.
Must resist urge to make Greek god joke! For this joke could become a spoiler! Also I feel like this is a group of fans getting one of the ships that are rarely examined by the fan base venus and Mars, damn it I failed! With no I succeeded it was a Roman joke not a Greek joke. Also I do have the same issues with Venus as you do on some of the occasions yeah R was her best story arc.
While I agree that Minako doesn’t really fit into the Dark Kingdom story arc, that one time she dated two guys at once was so iconic that I will never bad-mouth her. And she is my favorite regardless, so yeah.
So I started watching Sailor Moon the proper anime because I watched the first two videos in this series and hey im an anime guy and you only know 2 anime so I gotta get in there! So thanks for turning me into a Moonie! Sailor Venus always seemed like an oddball to me... like I knew that Sailor V came befor Sailor Moon and Sailor V was kinda retrofitted but... her acctually joining the team feels so odd because she is kind ploppedin with little ceramony and I get its weird production stuff but I was sorta expecting uhh.... because she seems like the odd one out, to be somewhat akin to a 6th ranger who has a little more going on like their own morphed and poses that kinda dont quite fit with the rest of the team and for V herself to be a little less interesting but kinda come off as a... smarter and older Usagi due to one part retrofitting V into the plot while Usagi exist but also because I assume Minako was just Usagi but more competent and less charismatic. and I guess that sorta happens but something about it feels uncanny and underbaked
Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that spoiler. Nice to see they managed to avoid fumbling that story beat, and how they made it rather effective instead. Thinking back to it, Minako out of the main 5 was the most forgettable, down to the point of having Usagi's hair colour, and a hairstyle similar to Rei, this seems to give her more individuality.
Usually in shows that have a five-man team each supporting member has something the leader needs to fine-tune in order to realize their potential. Three of the senshi offer wisdom, strength, and intuition, but it was never clear what Venus offered aside from generic leadership. Venus in this version offers maturity and a sense of consequence, which was something the original show never really delved into
Aino Minako is one the most beloved characters of the whole frenchise, if she's totally like the PGSM she would be definetly hated. She IS necessary. Like it OR NOT!!!
Yeaaaah Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
I was never quite sure if Sailor V at the beginning was intended to be an actual real life super hero or just a fictional character that Usagi kept comparing herself to. With all the mangas and video games that appeared early on my assumption was generally that the two series had a Digimon-Adventure-Digimon-Tamer kind of relationship. And as soon as Minako joined the cast properly they stopped with the Sailor V references altogether, none of the characters really acknowledge her as this famous figure, so I always took this as the writer going "ok, I changed my mind, please forget all the earlier stuff I said"
I am surprised you never brought up the one time she attempted to henshin and...it didn't work. Showing that her mal-alignment with herself and 'the mission' makes it impossible for her to transform.
Minako having an unspecified terminal illness here reminds me of another Toei magical girl production... In the twelfth episode of Ojamajo Doremi Na-i-sho, the episodes one episode wonder, Non-chan is a long term resident of the local hospital who befriends series headliner Doremi. Only hint we have of what Non-chan has is that scenes of her in intensive care show that she's bald under her bandanna, implying some variety of cancer(and I believe its a somewhat common fan theory she has leukemia, I'm guessing because it's a common childhood cancer), but it's never said what she has... though, like Live-Action Minako, she doesn't make it.
eaaaah Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
It's funny how Jadeite never quit Mommy Beryl when he was the one guy played by an actual teenager and therefore wouldn't have looked as weird to ship with one of the Sailor girls.
A representative for Minako lies to the girls, claiming her collapse at the concert was only a bout of anemia. Anemia is the excuse, not what she's actually suffering from. Japanese media, to my experience, often uses anemia as an excuse or cover-up for more serious maladies, particularly maladies that cause one to faint, as that's a typical symptom of anemia. Heck, even Act Zero of this series makes a joke about it. When Zoisite's police officer doppelganger collapses in a parody of his character's death scene, Kunzite reassures his colleagues by saying, "Don't worry. He's just anemic."
Couldn't disagree more with the idea that the 90s' anime doesn't do enough to make her an independent character. I would never call her a "charmingly clumsy bubblehead". She's mischiveous and a bit egotistical.
Well, I think that just goes to show how many varied interpretations there are of this character because no version ever really settled on a characterization. However, I don't think my description is at all out of left field. The Nurse Minako episode, for example, encapsulates every descriptor you quote me as saying, as Minako destroys everything and everyone in her path as she tries to help. That's a "charmingly clumsy bubblehead" if ever I saw one. Even the show flat out admits it. In the preview episode going into Sailor Moon S, Minako is described by the other characters as a clumsier version of Usagi, and they go on to say that the two are more or less twins in their behaviors and mannerisms. Thanks so much for your comment! It's always nice to hear other's perspectives.
eaaaah Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
Yeaaaah Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadd
Minako being a pop idol is a reference towards what she wanted to be and the fourth in the story. So it is a reference towards her other two interpretations.
One cute thing about Usagi and Minako being so similar to each other is that the anime often has them react the exact same way and side by side. It does make it believable that Minako was originally supposed to be a double, even if the anime didn’t utilize that plot point at all. It also makes their friendship unique among the Inner Senshi, since Minako is the only one who resembles Usagi like that (aside from maybe Makoto).
Man, 2003 was a rough year for sixth rangers who are actually the 5th members of their team discovering the will to live only a short time before dying.
The fact that "C'est la Vie" is pronounced the same way in Japanese as "Sailor V" makes her look even more conspicuous than Hannah Montana.
Also, having her die in a surgery complication not only makes her fears justified in retrospect, but it also makes the kids watching at home afraid to have life-saving surgeries of their own.
Comparing Sailor V to Hannah Montana made me laugh so hard. It's too true!
@@GleeChan She did indeed get the best of both worlds.
@@GleeChanI mean they're both blonde
I say this everytime there's discourse about a character dying in a story: a character CAN die, a character CAN have a sad ending to their story, a character does not need to get what they want and live happily ever after. But a characters story DOES need to be SATISFYING. It needs to feel like it WASN'T a waste of the audiences time. If a characters resolution makes the audience feel stupid for caring? THAT is when it has failed as a story.
Sometimes a character death is the best and most dramatically satisfying conclusion to their narrative. Sometimes a character death is a "that's it?" moment that sucks all sense of emotional investment away like a mosquito. And too often people will engage in discourse in bad faith and take people being annoyed at the later, and misconstrue their position by saying "oh you're just butthurt because your pet character didn't have a happy ending." No, they can have a sad ending. But it still needs to be a GOOD ending.
When a character dies, I want to be CRYING over the STORY. I *don't* want to be ANGRY at the AUTHOR. It really is that simple.
One thing I don't like about this take is that it once again focuses on the viewer/reader/what have you way more than the actual work itself and the creator's intent. This is why discourse about any media's direction is always so dumb to me.
Art should aim to be about itself first and foremost. If it's only goal is to pander to the audience so the author can get more money, then that's not art, that's just prostitution.
The episode showing Sailor Venus fate and Sailor Mars and the girls reaction had me sobbing! PGSM did such a good job with their character dynamic! 🔥 ⭐️
That’s also sharp of you to notice that Rei had never called Minako by her name till that moment. I’ve noticed in other shows, specifically other Tokusatsu shows that when the characters refer to the other by their names, how big a deal that is!
I'm a huge fan of all the changes they made to Minako's character. I agree with you about Minako being too similar to Usagi being a huge issue, and I think PGSM chose a great way to deal with it. Plus, Rei crying after Artemis tells her Minako's surgery didn't go well made me cry.
yeah having her be more of a 6th ranger in the live action series makes sense. Because that's how TOEI did it back in the 90/early 2000s. As Lance has seen watching Zyuranger. The 6th Ranger and Secondary Riders were originally only special occasions roles in their series. They weren't even in their series' opening and ending credits after joining the cast. Hell some series didn't even have extra heroes. It wasnt until Gaoranger and Kamen Rider Agito that TOEI (because of Bandai) figured out "hey if the extra hero is in every episode after he first shows up. We can sell more toys around him"
When I first watched the series, I always got the impression that because the showrunners couldn't squeeze every aspect of the franchise into their version of the Dark Kingdom story arc, that Venus was basically _PGSM's_ substitute for the Outer Guardians-specifically Uranus and Neptune, who were the most caustic of the lot. I still get vibes of that, but now having read the manga, I think that the showrunner simply took Minako's awakening from the end of _Codename: Sailor V_ to its most logical conclusion: "What if instead of integrating into the cast as its leader, she instead becomes so devoted to her mission that she completely discards her reincarnated life?" (To those unfamiliar: Yes, Sailor Venus is the *leader* of the Inner Guardians in the manga, as opposed to the anime.) I think that it's a brilliant and unique interpretation, and makes for a more memorable character.
I also love the chemistry between Minako and Rei, and how they're really two sides of the same coin. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that when people shipped Mars × Venus, that it was because of *this* series… but even people that state they're fans of the franchise haven't bothered watching this adaptation. Alas.
Anyway, I've been digging this retrospective, and am certainly looking forward to the next installment.
This is the show that officially made me a reinako fan and never been the same again
I believe when fans are fond of Reinako, they either refer to their relationship in PGSM, or that panel on Stars arc about not wanting men, or something...
@@Starseawhale I believe it's the latter, a side story where they nearly kissed (one of them was possessed), and the phenomenon of Pairing the Spares. Usagi canonically has Mamoru, and there was some ship tease between Ami and Makoto in the anime, so why not have Rei and Minako?
I don't think that it's the influence of _PGSM_ at all. Most fans I see either haven't seen it (most of 'em), or are constantly singing its praises and telling other people to watch it (the scant few), lol.
Yeah, I also think Minako has a similar role to the Outers in PGSM. And Princess Moon kind of is like Saturn.
I remember someone saying it was for the best that the explanation of Venus being the fake princess was cut as it was convoluted dealing with the explanation of Venus being seen as the fake moon, and this being a story for children.
Didn't really agree with that, and I'm glad you gave a compelling argument for why it is better to have it.
I think this is one of the instances where the live action surpassed even the manga. If you think of it they keep who the princess was a “mistery” (no for us that we saw the anime and manga) but for the new audiences. The Princess not using usagi’s and sailor moon hairstyle was a great way to keep the mistery alive
I love how PGSM made all the girls have their own special friendship dynamics with each other. Even in 200 episodes we didn’t really get that much exploration of every girl getting to know every other girl in the inner senshi friend group. I never once expected Minako would DIE of her illness but the fact she did had me shook. I felt so bad for Rei and all the other girls. The writing for PGSM was so good!
Sailor Moon Crystal actually keeps Minako's ruse as the princess. She's still my favorite of the original team. Her birthday is a day before mine or something close to it actually.
Oh man, that last part is a plot thread the series writer has played with before, but I wasn't expecting it here, that's bold.
Oh my god, yes, I definitely agree that there's a Venus problem. I don't really have a problem with her role, I think it's interesting that there's a Guardian who has been fighting before the others awoke. However, once she joins the team, her being Sailor V isn't really relevant anymore. After a while it doesn't matter that she has more experience or initially knew more than the others. Her drastic character change from season 2 on seems a little weird, as she was supposed to be the reliable, mature one (though I know she basically gets her Sailor V manga personality back). It seems like the writers didn't know what to do with her, so they rewrote the character. But then there's the problem that she's now very similar to Usagi. There are still some differences though. Tbh, I'm not the biggest fan of anime-Minako in the later seasons. She can be quite funny, but she also does some very stupid things and sometimes seems kind of selfish. (It's not that I dislike her though.) And yeah, it's pretty stupid that the anime didn't even try to use the "Sailor V is the princess" plot. I'll probably write another comment about live action Minako when I watched that part of the video.
Oh yeah, was also gonna say that "generic unnamed Slow Death Disease" is kind of a genre staple, but then I realised that indeed in another show by the same writer, a ranger /does/ have one with a specific fantasy name (~Osiris disease~), exactly like you suggest...
You explained it perfectly, I agree with almost all of that! At first I wasn't too happy with Minako's portrayal because she was mostly unlikable. I still think it's a pity that she's never really a part of the team. However, her character fits perfectly into this version of Sailor Moon. I understand her intentions better now, and she's really interesting. Minako kind of takes the role of the Outer Senshi (taking the mission too seriously, acting as if she's better than the others, staying away from the others....). The ending is so heartbreaking, I also tear up every time.
The Shitennou are amazing! I love that they all have different goals and personalities. It's almost cute how Jadeite is so loyal to Beryl even when he dies, and almost heartbreaking how much Nephrite tries to get attention, but nobody takes him seriously. Zoisite has a cool concept and is very likeable, and Kunzite had one of the best actors of the show. What a presence this man had (rest in peace).
Excellent video once again! Thank you for giving this show the detailed analysis it deserves.
I'll be honest: I've never been able to finish any version of Sailor Moon. My only milestone is finishing the first season of the anime, and I almost quit that until Makoto crashed into my life. PGSM, though? I binged it in a matter of DAYS. It's the only version where I care about all of the characters, and so deeply to boot. I truly consider it the swan song of the franchise, flaws and all.
*Spoilers below this point!*
"For the most part, the opening sequence is a lie." Yes! The OP is so cute and wholesome and happy. Then you watch the actual show and it's just a constant spiral of ever-escalating consequences that make you cry.
I LOVE that they keep Minako apart from the others for so long. It makes sense for her as a character, and it allows the other four to bond better. There's always a nice interplay between the pairs of Usagi and Ami/Rei and Makoto, or Usagi and Makoto/Ami and Rei, etc. Having Minako there earlier would mess with that equilibrium; the show is written around the group of four friends, not five. And that makes it all the more tragic when that friendship finally begins to blossom, only for Minako to be ripped away from them unexpectedly. I KNEW that would happen at some point and I STILL wept like a baby. I think the fact we don't see it happen, or don't even precisely know what happens, only adds to that feeling of tragedy. There's far more emphasis on how it affects those left behind, which is a bigger gut punch imo.
I'll have to keep an eye out for how Rei refers to Minako; I knew Minako sticks to the Senshi names until very late, but I hadn't noticed that with Rei in this instance. Thanks for pointing it out!
Those scenes between Makoto and Minako are some of my favourites, and it's not just because Makoto has always been my number one Senshi. "Oh god, is THAT what I sound like?!" indeed. And yes, the fact the Senshi of Love has to learn to love herself is awesome!
I think Beryl doesn't get rid of Zoisite because she's so possessive and so in need of adoration. Maybe a part of her believes that he will eventually come around--either naturally or through her influence--and that he'll come to love her like Jadeite and Nephrite do. Even with Jadeite and Nephrite though, I think there is a difference: Jadeite is completely devoted to her, but Nephrite wants her affection. It's like selfless love vs selfish love. Beryl responds better to the former, so that's why she spares Jadeite and kicks out Nephrite. (And also because Nephrite was the least useful, like you said. Zoisite may be unfaithful, but like Kunzite, he's super powerful.)
Minako's my favourite in the original but I like the live action version too.
This video went from talking about The Cage on Star Trek to talking Christ and John the Baptist. And for some reason it amused me so much.
I understand and both comparisons fit. But it just made me laugh
I can tell how much you love Sailor Moon. I also love Sailor Moon. I've watched and enjoyed basically all of your content and am so excited to see you tackle Sailor Moon. I know it doesn't seem to produce as many views as your Dragon Ball content, but I'm so in love with your content for Sailor Moon so please keep doing it! Especially if you love doing it
Her death was really a powerful moment, I never watched this series nor cared about sailor moon, and even I felt sad watching the clips
It's really worth it to read the comics and then watch the live action show, if you avoid any more spoilers. It's really a masterpiece.
Out of all the Sailor Senshi, Venus has always been my favorite of the inner guardians. More than anything, I was fascinated with how more experienced Minako was since she has had her abilities longer than the others and has gone through many battles and heartbreak that is mostly covered in the Codename: Sailor V prequel manga. I can’t deny that PGSM’s rendition of Minako is possibly the best incarnation of the character, part of it because this show allows Minako to standout as her own character instead of the “prototype Usagi” portrayal from the 90s anime and admittedly from small moments in the manga.
this show truly is the best version of the dark kingdom arc
It really is.
waiting for the Mamoru video where you cosplay as Tuxedo Mask
Keep waiting, I guess. Sailor Mercury is just more fashionable and looks way more fun for videos.
So thats why she is so similar in looks and character. Wow, never knew that.
My mom who just got caught up with her Sailor Moon actually said “Sailor Venus is like late 90s Mariah Carey joined Destiny’s Child and became one of Beyoncé’s back up singer.
Minako is my favorite character no matter the version!❤
This show might have my favorite take on sailor Venus. I would’ve loved to see the shows take on the outer Senshi as well the sailor starlights.
i am here for this channel.
Great video!
I really liked how PGSM interpreted Sailor Venus and Shitenno
Oh my gosh
I've been waiting for this video
😄!!!
I really loved Sailor Venus in PGSM!!!
I thought I noticed a sudden spike in Sailor Moon AMVs set to B*Witched's C'est la Vie in 2004!
As I really like Minako from the anime, the PGSM version didn't really please me. But this analysis was so impressive and the arguments were so convincing, that now I'll look at the character with completely new eyes. Maybe I'll even start to enjoy the drastic changes... Good job !
I can't think of a greater compliment than that. Thank you! You certainly don't have to agree with me, but I'll happily accept giving you an excuse to check out the series again. Thanks for sharing that with me.
I was not expecting Sailor Venus being compared to John the Baptist
Well, I always try to inject the viewing experiences I create with a little twist of lime! ;-)
I mean it's valid, since Sailor Moon obviously has parallels to Jesus, especially in the third season.
Minako in PGSM is perfect.
Minako is a GREAT character. Also, her role in the manga and Crystal is more stabelished although the others inner are really bad explored.
Must resist urge to make Greek god joke! For this joke could become a spoiler! Also I feel like this is a group of fans getting one of the ships that are rarely examined by the fan base venus and Mars, damn it I failed! With no I succeeded it was a Roman joke not a Greek joke. Also I do have the same issues with Venus as you do on some of the occasions yeah R was her best story arc.
While I agree that Minako doesn’t really fit into the Dark Kingdom story arc, that one time she dated two guys at once was so iconic that I will never bad-mouth her. And she is my favorite regardless, so yeah.
11:08 so she's basically tuxedo mask
Or maybe the Batman of the team.
So I started watching Sailor Moon the proper anime because I watched the first two videos in this series and hey im an anime guy and you only know 2 anime so I gotta get in there! So thanks for turning me into a Moonie!
Sailor Venus always seemed like an oddball to me... like I knew that Sailor V came befor Sailor Moon and Sailor V was kinda retrofitted but... her acctually joining the team feels so odd because she is kind ploppedin with little ceramony and I get its weird production stuff but I was sorta expecting uhh.... because she seems like the odd one out, to be somewhat akin to a 6th ranger who has a little more going on like their own morphed and poses that kinda dont quite fit with the rest of the team and for V herself to be a little less interesting but kinda come off as a... smarter and older Usagi due to one part retrofitting V into the plot while Usagi exist but also because I assume Minako was just Usagi but more competent and less charismatic.
and I guess that sorta happens but something about it feels uncanny and underbaked
Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that spoiler. Nice to see they managed to avoid fumbling that story beat, and how they made it rather effective instead.
Thinking back to it, Minako out of the main 5 was the most forgettable, down to the point of having Usagi's hair colour, and a hairstyle similar to Rei, this seems to give her more individuality.
Anyone else up for some Mars/Venus ship fiction?
i love your videos you put my thoughts into words so well!!
Thank you! That's so kind.
Usually in shows that have a five-man team each supporting member has something the leader needs to fine-tune in order to realize their potential. Three of the senshi offer wisdom, strength, and intuition, but it was never clear what Venus offered aside from generic leadership. Venus in this version offers maturity and a sense of consequence, which was something the original show never really delved into
Aino Minako is one the most beloved characters of the whole frenchise, if she's totally like the PGSM she would be definetly hated. She IS necessary. Like it OR NOT!!!
Yeaaaah
Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube
Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good
Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube
Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
Praise be to algorithm.
I will say in Nephy & Jedite's favor, Aya Sugimoto (Beryl) is Mother. That's just facts 💯
No argument from me!
I guess she got Emmy Cancer. And she didn't win one, what a waste.
Ah, a fellow Obscurus Lupa fan!
Sailor Venus Problem was kinda solved, it's called "Galaxy Fraulein Yuna"
Wow, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon has some of the most compelling writing EVER buried in some of the SHODDIEST special effects EVER.
after this I went immediately to listen c’est la vie
SAILOR VENUS MINA FROM PGSM COOL
I wonder how the girls PARENTS might feel about all this destiny, destined to suffer and die stuff
I was never quite sure if Sailor V at the beginning was intended to be an actual real life super hero or just a fictional character that Usagi kept comparing herself to. With all the mangas and video games that appeared early on my assumption was generally that the two series had a Digimon-Adventure-Digimon-Tamer kind of relationship. And as soon as Minako joined the cast properly they stopped with the Sailor V references altogether, none of the characters really acknowledge her as this famous figure, so I always took this as the writer going "ok, I changed my mind, please forget all the earlier stuff I said"
I am surprised you never brought up the one time she attempted to henshin and...it didn't work. Showing that her mal-alignment with herself and 'the mission' makes it impossible for her to transform.
Minako having an unspecified terminal illness here reminds me of another Toei magical girl production...
In the twelfth episode of Ojamajo Doremi Na-i-sho, the episodes one episode wonder, Non-chan is a long term resident of the local hospital who befriends series headliner Doremi. Only hint we have of what Non-chan has is that scenes of her in intensive care show that she's bald under her bandanna, implying some variety of cancer(and I believe its a somewhat common fan theory she has leukemia, I'm guessing because it's a common childhood cancer), but it's never said what she has... though, like Live-Action Minako, she doesn't make it.
Eeeeey doctor House got mentioned!!! Bet it's not lupus
eaaaah
Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube
Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good
Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube
Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
I wanted to share my theory about Minako's last day but my comment vanished... c'est la vie... anyway great video
Oh, no! It’s not in the spam folder either! I’d love to hear it.
It’s Morphin time lol 😅
Mommy Beryl...
It's funny how Jadeite never quit Mommy Beryl when he was the one guy played by an actual teenager and therefore wouldn't have looked as weird to ship with one of the Sailor girls.
27:46 "The Shitennou The Best Versions Thses Characters I've Ever, Uh?..."
F(
33:38 Good To You...
FJ
Nice Video ! Sub & Big Like ! And Love Sailor Moon !
Thank you!
Actually, in 36 , it says she has anemia .
A representative for Minako lies to the girls, claiming her collapse at the concert was only a bout of anemia. Anemia is the excuse, not what she's actually suffering from. Japanese media, to my experience, often uses anemia as an excuse or cover-up for more serious maladies, particularly maladies that cause one to faint, as that's a typical symptom of anemia. Heck, even Act Zero of this series makes a joke about it. When Zoisite's police officer doppelganger collapses in a parody of his character's death scene, Kunzite reassures his colleagues by saying, "Don't worry. He's just anemic."
You did it better then projared
Sailor Venus isn't redundant.
If this whole thing doesn't result in a full SMD of the whoke franchise. That'd be a huge missed opportunity.
Couldn't disagree more with the idea that the 90s' anime doesn't do enough to make her an independent character. I would never call her a "charmingly clumsy bubblehead". She's mischiveous and a bit egotistical.
Well, I think that just goes to show how many varied interpretations there are of this character because no version ever really settled on a characterization. However, I don't think my description is at all out of left field. The Nurse Minako episode, for example, encapsulates every descriptor you quote me as saying, as Minako destroys everything and everyone in her path as she tries to help. That's a "charmingly clumsy bubblehead" if ever I saw one. Even the show flat out admits it. In the preview episode going into Sailor Moon S, Minako is described by the other characters as a clumsier version of Usagi, and they go on to say that the two are more or less twins in their behaviors and mannerisms. Thanks so much for your comment! It's always nice to hear other's perspectives.
I mean, the japanese tend to be that way with disease. They don't talk about it, they keep it very secret even from friends and family.
I’m sorry, but if you constantly trash talk Dragon Ball, why should I take you seriously when talking about Sailor Moon… 🙄
You must have me confused with someone else.
eaaaah
Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube
Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good
Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube
Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadda
Yeaaaah
Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube
Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good
Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube
Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadd