The Ultimate Uncut Edition of Sailor Moon R: The Movie DVD - A Must-Have for True Fans!

Highlights

The initial dub of Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon was heavily edited to make it more acceptable for American audiences, which was a common practice for anime shows at the time.

The Sailor Moon movie project, Sailor Moon R: The Movie, was released in America in its uncut form. However, the release from Pioneer Entertainment contained an animation mistake where Sailor Moon's mouth moved while Fiore was speaking.

The error in the Pioneer release of Sailor Moon R: The Movie resulted from receiving the original master with incorrect animation. Consequently, the English version had to work around this mistake by writing and dubbing around it. The BluRay release from Viz Media, however, features the corrected animation.

The debate of whether to edit or not to edit has long haunted anime productions as American companies sought the most effective methods to market these shows to American audiences. The case of Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon was no exception, as the initial dub is infamous for the alterations made to cater to American viewers.

However, in a curious turn of events, despite the overwhelming demand for an uncensored version of the TV series, one of the Sailor Moon movie projects was released in America completely unedited, much to the surprise of an executive who described it as "overly uncut." What exactly did he mean by this?

What is Sailor Moon R: The Movie?

Sailor Moon R: The Movie, also known as Sailor Moon R: The Movie - The Promise of the Rose, is a Japanese animated film from 1993. Directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara, it is closely tied to the Sailor Moon R TV series and takes place after the Makai Tree arc. The specific placement within the Dark Moon Arc is a bit unclear. The story revolves around Sailor Moon and her fellow Sailor Guardians as they confront Fiore, an alien who used to be close friends with Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Mask) during their childhood.

Driven by a desire for revenge due to his mistreatment as a young boy, Fiore plans to use the deadly Kisenian Blossom to drain Earth's energy. It is up to the Sailor Guardians to thwart Fiore's destructive intentions and protect humanity. As the inaugural film in the Sailor Moon franchise, Sailor Moon R: The Movie offers the expected combination of magical girl action, romance, and drama that fans have come to love. For many enthusiasts, it remains the top theatrical release within the franchise.

Who Was Pioneer Entertainment?

Initially released in Japan on December 5, 1993, the film didn't hit American screens until 1998. Pioneer Entertainment was the first to bring the film to the US, starting with a subtitled version on VHS and later followed by a dubbed release on DVD a few years later.

Pioneer Entertainment, also known as Pioneer LDC and Geneon in later years, was an esteemed entertainment company with expertise in producing and distributing a diverse range of media content, encompassing anime and music. Originating in Japan, the company ventured into North America, where it played a pivotal role in the growth and expansion of the American anime industry. This was achieved through licensing and distributing numerous anime series and films.

Some of the more popular titles they were involved in include Tenchi Muyo, Serial Experiments Lain, and, in relation to our topic, the movies and later seasons of Sailor Moon. In 2003, Pioneer LDC underwent a name change to Geneon following a completed merger with Dentsu. However, the company encountered financial hardships in the subsequent years, leading to the cessation of in-house distribution of its titles by Geneon USA in 2007. Various licenses were then acquired by other companies, and the Geneon brand itself was retired. Nevertheless, Pioneer, the parent company, still exists in Japan, specializing in electronics.

Prior to their closure, they had the distinction of being the first company to release Sailor Moon R: The Movie in America, initially on VHS and later on DVD. However, when the DVD version was released, observant viewers noticed an animation error where Sailor Moon's mouth was moving but the voice that came out belonged to the film's antagonist, Fiore. Fans were promptly intrigued by this unusual occurrence. As it turns out, there had been a rather embarrassing mix-up.

The Problem with their Release

The animation mistake was intriguing. During the initial release of the film, in an attempt to meet the deadline, an animator accidentally animated Sailor Moon's mouth moving even though it was supposed to be Fiore speaking. To fix this error, Toei Animation reanimated the scene before releasing the film on VHS in Japan. However, when Pioneer received the master copy of the film, they received the original version with the incorrect animation instead of the corrected one.

When fans in America noticed the discrepancy, a Pioneer representative jokingly referred to their release as "too uncut" and explained the situation. The English writers faced a challenge when dubbing the film because they had to work around the animation mistake since obtaining a new master was not possible. At present, Viz Media has released Sailor Moon R: The Movie on Blu-ray, and unlike Pioneer, they have the proper master without the animation error. Therefore, this mistake is no longer available for purchase. Nonetheless, fans found it interesting to witness how far a release could go with a major mistake before someone detected it.