Let me preface this article by saying I absolutely don’t think that Sailor Moon Crystal is done and I think that Sailor Moon Eternal is the first half of what could be considered the fourth season of Sailor Moon Crystal. That said there are a few hints which suggest other and I think it’s only fair to share them with some analysis. As I reported on the other day, a new film called Sailor Moon Eternal is coming in 2020. What I did not notice at the time and didn’t notice until I saw it mentioned on Twitter by Moonkitty, was that “Crystal” isn’t found anywhere in the title. What does this mean? Is Sailor Moon Eternal even technically a Sailor Moon Crystal film? The full title is simply “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal”. The use of the original anime’s opening theme Moonlight Densetsu in the trailer could similarly be an attempt to distance the film from the Sailor Moon Crystal series, though there has not been a single theme song used throughout all three seasons so this doesn’t tell us much.
Own The Entire Series Today!
This brings me to something else I noticed in the booklet included with Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 1 Limited Edition Blu-Ray. There is an ad for Sailor Moon Crystal seasons 1 to 3 on home video which includes the caption “Own The Entire Series Today!”. When I first saw it I simply laughed a bit, as fans had been waiting nearly three years for new Sailor Moon Crystal and here this ad was referring to everything we had previously gotten as the “Entire Series”. Perhaps “The Entire Series To Date” would have been a more accurate caption! Could it be that Viz had already gotten word that the new film would not be using the Sailor Moon Crystal brand and that the series really was over?
I do still feel that this film is in every sense meant to be a continuation of the Sailor Moon Crystal story, and there hasn’t been much to the contrary. Looking at the Sailor Moon Eternal announcement on the official site the first sentence refers to this as the movie version of Sailor Moon Crystal. The Dream arc was always advertised as a continuation to Sailor Moon Crystal, it was clearly indicated that it would be delivered as movies and that Kazuko Tadano would be working on the project, all of which are consistent with the news of this film. The official web site doesn’t actually have “Sailor Moon Crystal” as one of the buttons in the header anymore. Instead there is one that says “Anime” in Japanese with the English word “Animation” underneath it. This link leads to information about Sailor Moon Crystal. It seems Sailor Moon Crystals seasons 1 to 3 as well as the Eternal film are all considered part of this Anime franchise which may not be as tied to the Crystal title as it was.
Why then are they not using the name Sailor Moon Crystal in the title? I can only speculate but I can think of a few reasons. The title “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal” works well as is. Calling it something like “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Eternal” is not at all the same and keeping the full series titles could result in something very awkward like “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Sailor Moon Eternal” or every worse “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal”. Try jamming all of that into a title! It would make the “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Sailor Stars” title seem short in comparison!
Another reason for not using the Sailor Moon Crystal name may simple be to reach a broader audience with the film. The original Sailor Moon anime was a massive phenomenon and having the Sailor Moon films attached to that series was just good business sense. I don’t think Sailor Moon Crystal is anywhere near as popular in Japan or internationally. Tying the movie’s branding too much to the Crystal title may attract the fans of the series who are almost guaranteed to see the film anyway, but what about the hordes of other Sailor Moon fans who spend massive amounts of money on merchandise and events but don’t really care much about Sailor Moon Crystal? You tell them there’s a new movie called Sailor Moon Eternal in theatres and they may be more likely to check it out than if it was clearly tied in to the Sailor Moon Crystal series.
Finally there’s the fact that it’s been over three years since we saw any episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal and this could be four by the time this movie is released in theatres. Some fans may be moving on from the franchise with new ones coming in, especially if the goal is to target a younger demographic.
As I said, this is all a lot of speculation on my part. I can’t say for sure why they aren’t using “Sailor Moon Crystal” anymore. I don’t really think the series is over, as my intentionally alarming title might suggest, but this is certainly a conclusion some of you may feel the need to jump to! What do you think?
Buy the entire Sailor Moon Crystal series using the links below! You can also stream Sailor Moon Crystal on Crunchyroll, Hulu or Neon Alley.
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Hmmm… “own the entire series” might mean just TV Series. Which begs the question, would you consider the original sailor moon movies (dream hole, hears/ice) part of the original Sailor Moon Series?
Agree with you that it’s still part of the SMC world. And still dream of the day we win the lottery, buy the rights, and redo the entire show the right way. Maybe even convince Kotono for a 6th Season. I had a dream a long time ago that I saw a billboard for a 6th season, in sunset colors, and it was called “Sailor Moon World”. Please please let’s prove my clairvoyance.
Super Sailor Moon World for the Super Famicom!
You should check your info prior posting. If Crystal was done, they would reffered to the project as Sailor Moon Crystal The Movie Eternal on the official site. Eternal is not Part 1, it is a 2-parter movie named Eternal, both parts will be out in 2020 as mentioned on Sailor Mon official tweeter.
“Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Rise of the Dawn of the War for the Planet of the Apes.”
Yeah, I agree. Even before, say, Game of Thrones wrapped up, I saw sets that bundled “all episodes!” into a single box, prior to the final season. While the two-movies approach is different, I never assumed, with the announcement of ‘Eternal,’ that ‘Crystal’ as we know it is screaming “STAGE OUT!!” and disintegrating.
Or maybe it is “disintegrating,” and I just misused the word. I’ll rephrase myself! I didn’t assume ‘Crystal’ would face total annihilation.
I agree that it is a continuation.
For me, it could also be a sign that they split the first three arcs into the “Crystal” set and then separating the final two arcs into the “Eternal” set.
But most of all, we have to remember that Toei has been inconsistent, confusing and lacking any real coherency for this series since the beginning!
Untill we get something a bit more definite, I wouldn’t think too much about it. They probably saw a catchy title and that’s the long and short of it.
I think they have decided the switch way back when the Eternal esition started under this name in the US
No, Sailor Moon Crystal is not finished. But I do hope Rei Hino will hold someone in her arms or a swimsuit scene.
I noticed that too, but I don’t know that crystal is finished. From what it seems unless they have specifically stated otherwise this is a continuation of crystal. Unless they rebooted the whole series which does not seem like the case since they seem to be picking up where they left off. Now as I have thought before what they should have done is just finish the show off as a tv series. Forget trying to do this series as a movie. It would work for a side story or something extra if they wanted to develop it for a movie, but with the amount of stuff that happens in the manga it just does not work as a movie. I think they should have just said sailor moon crystal season 4 the movie. That probably would have been better. As we know using a new name is really not going to help since new fans will still have to catchup from the beginning. Older fans will know that this is not another reboot so it is confusing for no good purpose. However, I am sure it is more about being simple and to distance itself.
Super sailor moon was in SM crystal’s equivalent of Sailor Moon S so I think Eternal is a way of saying she is stronger and onto her next transformation which would have been Super Sailor Moon in Super S we will now have Eternal Sailor Moon instead.
I wonder what will be done for the crystal version of Sailor Stars…
In the meanwhile can we get some dreamy helios drawings pretty please?
She just becomes Eternal towards the end of the Dream Arc, so I don’t mind the title. But if we ever get Stars, I wonder how will they name it. Stars, would be good, but they could have used the subtitles from the begining… Galaxy? Cosmos?
I see your point…
I can’t remember if Sailor Cosmos had any attacks in fhe manga or if she soley came to warn Eternal Sailor Moon about the danger she was in .
If they end up changing the ending to Sailor Cosmos and Eternal Sailor Moon going up against the Chaos things could get interesting
I think it is a bit of too big of a chase and it ie personal battle that Sailor Moon needs to do alone.
Sailor Moon Crystal is not finished, you know.
Nothing new on anime ezpo, I guess… Toei should have shown at least the In the name of the moon i will punish you animated…
Yeah, I half-expected them to announce Sailor Stars Part 2. Maybe at Comic Con International, I hope, which begins the 17th this month!
Well, the Crystal Season IV is still there.
The ocidental logo says Sailor Moon Crystal Season IV – Eternal – The Movie. So it is a sequel to Sailor Moon Crystal.
I believe they are deliberately distancing the movies from Crystal for PR reasons. Search for “Sailor Moon Crystal review” and it doesn’t paint a glowing moonlit picture. We know it’s Crystal, they know it’s Crystal, but casual outsiders don’t need to know this. Just how many outsiders will decide to watch the movie I can’t say. Surprisingly, there are many Japanese people who either don’t know who Sailor Moon is (first hand experience) or think it is some kind of adult content so we can never make assumptions. If done right this movie could be a springboard for a whole new group of soon to become Moonies.
That’s an interesting and convincing insight! Thanks!
Dear people, they are not distancing anything. Have you seen the interenational logo at anime Expo? It clearly says Crystal Season IV. They advertize Eternal as part of the Crystal project on the official website. Before devilng into conspirecy theories, check your info.
Sailormoon seasons 1-2 were so mature and the artwork beautiful. Then season 3 came, which could have been so amazing, and seemed to cater towards a younger audience. I’m worried the movies will be cutesy and cuddly and pink. I hope I’m wrong, but we’ll see.