#pgsm trivia

[real-life-senshi]

NO WAY. The Sailor Moon live-action and anime universes are colliding!

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos's 2nd Movie has Kitagawa Keiko (PGSM Hino Rei/Sailor Mars) cast for the voice of Sailor Cosmos - Sailor Moon’s final and ultimate form in the distant future!

Keiko made a Twitter post about several fun facts regarding this occasion.

1. Keiko gets to work with Mitsuishi Kotono again, and Keiko calls their meeting a "miracle romance"!

Mitsuishi Kotono is well known for voicing Usagi/Moon in the 90’s anime, as well as in Sailor Moon Crystal, Eternal and now in Cosmos, as Usagi/Moon and Chibi Chibi. Keiko got to work with her in the TV Series Rikokatsu (2021), where Kotono played Keiko’s character’s mother.

2. As part of the film's cast greeting event (in Japanese it's called stage greeting) where Keiko's casting was announced, she also participated in an interview in the exact same room where she auditioned for her live-action role 20 years ago! How phenomenal is that?!!!!

Keiko also made a blog post about it and it's very heart warming. You can read the unofficial English translation on the wonderful Keiko Kitagawa Diary Translation Website.

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos’s 2nd part will release in Japanese theatres on June 30th, 2023, on Usagi and ChibiUsa's birthday!

[docholligay]

Shamash answers: Live action final

The brief was, Sailor Moon thought: Angsty

Only 6 answers, so you're all getting a point today!

3rd places, with a place in my heart

The girls have to deal with honest to good consequences for being child soldiers- nightmares, ptsd, etc. --@amhrancas MakotoxAmi but Makoto refuses to acknowledge that she is gay --Alice (No tag for your so you'll have to pay attention when we draw!) I'm so disappointed that PGSM winds back the Minako thing so fast, after I'd spent so long anticipating it. I suppose it was too much a little-kids show but I really want to chew on that for a while, the pain of this Amazing Cool Girl that most of them idolised and were just getting to know and were so excited about and she's just… gone. --- No name, let me know if this is you and I'll try to verify. BUT ALSO YES THIS IS MY BIGGEST CRITICISM OF PGSM FUCK ME The idea of Usagi never being awakened is a fun one to play with for me - how it can all go terribly wrong if she doesn't bring everyone together, if there is no healer in the mix, how does it make the inner/outer conflict play out when S comes around - assuming everyone makes it that far. -- @vassekocho this is such an intersting idea to me, the idea of a SM where people could DIE AND STAY DEAD.

Second place, shocking even me by being about Mako

Mako knows everyone's tastes by heart. It never takes her long to learn- 3 times cooking for somewhere to get their allergies and sensitivities down, maybe another 2 to hammer out their dislikes, and 2 or 3 more to pinpoint and memorize favorites and preferreds. It's habit to make things for her friends. So when they're adults, those of them that remain, and she finds herself humming Haruka's favorite song while making a beer batter, or able to recall Ami reciting trivia as she dices vegetables, it always slams into her. She's making something for someone who isn't around anymore. She made a coursed menu, and only half of it can be fully enjoyed. The cupcakes don't need to be lactose-free anymore. She'll freeze up. The batter stiffens, the vegetables wilt, the courses are mistimed, the cupcakes burn.

@katrani Mako's not my girl, but good work is good work and damn this is GOOD WORK. I love this idea so much I moight use it myself someday, that way of indexing people by what she does in the kitchen.

And first place, coming for me personally and well:

Sailor Moon S AU: The gun lays abandoned on the road, left by Eudial in her haste to depart. Michiru stares. She had seen it. A premonition, Haruka laying broken and lifeless, a heart of such pureness pulsing as a star above her. She understands. Haruka had been but a brief respite, a moment to bask in light and goodness. That she would be the cause if its demise is fitting, she supposes. She is not light, or good. And Michiru has always done what is necessary. Personal cost is immaterial. She picks up the gun. Sights Haruka. "Michiru?" Confusion in those verdant eyes, but also trust. So much trust. She cannot do this, yet she must. The world is at stake. The mission above all else. She closes her eyes. Opens them. "I'm sorry." A whisper carried away on the wind, a prayer swallowed up by the universe. She shoots.

@seolh ABSOLUTELY tailor made to me, holy fuck. I love this, I cannot wait to see Michiru ruin her own life in the aftermath.

[princess-of-the-corner]

As an aside on Senshi pairing, well some of them anyway XD

I tend to find, or at least feel weirdly disconnected from one of the most popular one's outside specific contexts.

Minako/Rei, be it in manga/Crystal or the original anime, doesn't really vibe with me. The former cos I couldn't get into the characters due to how clipped the story was & the latter cos I just don't see their dynamic as being as interesting as the one they have with with Usagi.

On the other hand, the original (I think) Live action Sailor Moon adaption has those two going fucking off. Minako's a celebrity & the most grizzled experience Senshi. Rei's also in the "Had to grow up too quick & has angst about it" club. Also Minako is like.. Literally dying if I recall, so there's a tragic doomed element to it, but I think they spend Christmas together.

Also fun trivia, but:

The PGSM series also introduced evil Sailor Mercury. Who was like, trying to support all her friends but was having her own needs ignored & then got transformed into an evil version of herself by Kunzite. Cut to Usagi hugging the socks Ami had knitted her and crying. There's so much drama to that potential dynamic and whole story & character arc angle.

Honestly I love the fact that there's so many versions because you get alternate takes on the characters and dynamics.

Like someone looked at the original manga and said 'ya know what let's explore these two' and made a whole live action drama about it

[keyofjetwolf]

I’m not sure why this specifically jumped out at me today, but I HAD to go look it up.

Did you guys know “FREAKS OF GO GO SPECTATORS” is the writing credit for the duo of Koji Kurumatani and Shokichi Ishida who release music as “Spiral Life”?

I’m unsure why they had to basically give themselves a collective name tied to their other collective name, and I’m just as unsure why they’re receiving a credit in the PGSM opening, BUT THERE IT IS.

[wikimoon]

Random Sailor Moon Trivia: 

Phobos and Deimos only appeared once in the live-action series, and then only as digitally animated crows.

[sailormoonsub]

time for another fun PGSM trivia fact:

Usagi never even knew that Minako was sick

this has been a fun PGSM trivia fact

[real-life-senshi]

Teletia S

Looking up references for the Teletia S and went back to the official PGSM website archive. Now that I understand Japanese much, much better, I am fascinated by what the official description says.

Translation:

The communication items the Senshi holds are cell phone type, but they are special ones.

Except for Minako, the other four Senshi received their respective item from Luna. Whenever a Youma or other enemy appears, even if the phone is turned off, an emergency signal will still be triggered. As long as there is no direct interference from the Dark Kingdom, the Senshi can contact each other anytime, anywhere. The phone also has a function that allows the user to transform into any costume and appearance by taking a photo, and if the image is saved, the user can transform at any time! It seems that all the Senshi have various outfits saved in their respective phones should the need to use them arise Normally, they can enjoy making phone calls and sending messages as if they were normal cell phones.

I wrote AND rewrote EoT chapter 7 before finding this, so I feel a sense of validation for writing the phones to have operated on a "Senshi signal" based on some sort of "Lunarian communication system." lol

Also, I laughed at the part where they said the respective Senshi had saved up different costumes in their phone, though we know only Rei had saved up the practical ones based on Act 31. XD

Not sure what type of costume Makoto might have saved, but I'd bet Minako has the Sailor V costume saved in hers for a pseudo-transformation since that's how Artemis had her transform in Act Zero.

My specific headcanon about the Teletia S are:

They are waterproof.

They are shockproof and practically indestructible.

They don't need electricity to charge. Just by being near their owners, they are magically charged up.

^Basically it's completely made of alien / Lunarian technology

Emergency signal normally overrides silent/vibrate mode, airplane mode and being turned off. Artemis had to make some special adjustments for Minako's so hers doesn't ring in the middle of her work. Coz.... that'd be awkward.

The only downside of these phones is they look so childishly toy-like. The Senshi all kept theirs even as adults, but everyone but Rei also acquired a normal phone just coz... they got too embarrassed using their Teletia S publicly. Rei feels the same but is too frugal and doesn't use a cell phone enough to bother buying one. :P

Here's my theory/headcanon on how the physical Sailor V costume and Teletia S transformation work together.

[real-life-senshi]

10 (Mostly) Spoiler-Free Reasons to Watch Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon 2003 Live Action

A countdown to the 20th anniversary of Act 1 air date!

Reason 8: The insert songs!

Following the trend that started sometime in the early 2000s (I think), where many voice actors/actresses started doing character songs in anime, the live-action also followed that formula and had our Senshi cast sing character songs called "Image Songs". Many of them are also featured as insert songs in the show itself!

Aino Minako's Best Selling Songs! (In-Universe)

Minako has the most songs because her character is a pop singer in the live-action, and 6/7 songs actually are used in the show itself. Only I'm Here wasn't.

C'est La Vie

Katagoshi ni Kinsei

Romance

Kiss!2 Bang!2

Sayonara ~ Sweet days

I'm Here

Happy Life, Happy Times

By far the most famous is the first song you'll hear in the series (hilariously as Usagi's alarm clock...), and with the most brain-washing tune eve: C'est La Vie.

Most of Minako's songs have very catchy tunes. And hidden within are references to her Senshi identity or the motif of love. In fact, the name C'est La Vie is a pun for "Sailor V" pronounced in Japanese. No matter what universe we're in, Minako is still not known for subtlety. lol

It's actually fun to find all the in-universe references in the song titles and the lyrics. You can practically make a game out of it. lol

My personal favourite is Kiss!2 Bang!2

Other character songs

Besides Minako, each Senshi cast member has 2 Image songs.

Tsukino Usagi

Over Rainbow♡Tour (insert song)

Here We Go! Shinjiru Chikara (insert song)

Mizuno Ami

Yakusoku (insert song)

Mi Amor

Hino Rei

Sakura Fubuki (insert song)

Hoshi Furu Yoru-ake

Kino Makoto

Lovely Yell (insert song)

Miracle Dance Night

Some of these songs are also performed at the live-action musical performance Kirari Super Live.

THE MOST IMPORTANT SONG OF ALL!

The stage event also introduced the insert song sung by all 5 Senshi - Friend, and it's a song that holds a special place to the Senshi cast, as the song was written by the producing staff with the 5 Senshi cast's real life dynamic in mind.

Don't believe me? Please see my translation of what Ayaka - Sailor Venus/Aino Minako has to say about this song.

And with that, please give this song a listen! It would be even more powerful if you watch and hear this song where it plays. ;)

You can watch the subbed versions of the series at:

Miss Dream Fansubs

Sea of Serenity Fansubs

The series is also on other online streaming sites, but be cautious to only visit them with good adware and firewall installed.

3 days till the 20th anniversary of Act 1 air date!

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

[real-life-senshi]

Director Suzumura talked about how the directors and production crew were all so used to Kamen Rider or Super Sentai filming in Tokusatsu, which means they are more often than not working with men and the approach is more masculine and rough. So they had some tough times adjusting to filming PGSM, trying to be kinder to the girls (and often failing for the most part). It's reason why the girls liked Suzumura's film shoot because he's kinder and made the adjustment, but other directors are "scary".

Also, they struggled to think of things that would make them feel more "cute" and "girly" lol It's partially that reason that Miyuu (Usagi) was asked to doodle some cute shapes for the story recap bubbles shown at the start of the episodes.

Apparently, one director is very kind to Rika, calling her "Ami-tan", but then would yell at Keiko and Mew as "KITAGAWA" "AZAMA" so the difference scared them.

[real-life-senshi]

They are talking about the wigs, and Mew talked about how she felt the most fortunate with her Jupiter wig because it's relatively short and normal looking, most like her own hair.

Even with Keiko, because the wig is so long despite its black hair, it's inconvenient.

(I think...) they were talking about how Ayaka's wig changed a bit for the Princess reveal scene in Act 12, that the bangs were shorter intentionally to show the crescent moon scene.

[real-life-senshi]

So the last Oshiokiyo talk with the 5 Senshi was filmed right after the Usamamo's wedding ceremony scene, and they were all dead tired. LOL

Miyuu (Usagi) tried to cheer everyone up, but Rika, Keiko and Ayaka weren't really having it. That explains the slight awkwardness of that behind the scene talk lol

At some point before the filming completely closed, Director Suzumura had mentioned that it's very likely out of all 5 of the Senshi, at least one of them will likely retire from the industry within 10 years, so they talked about how impressed and surprised all of them are still in the industry now!

[real-life-senshi]

It started! :D

It's already hilarious with Miyuu on screen XD

She's just so bright and funny! Giving me same vibes as Ayaka's episode where it's just full of laughter!

CHEERS!

They are now talking about how she started in the entertainment world. Previous to this, Miyuu shared she was a basketball player, but was scouted in Yokohama into the entertainment world.

They talked about how in PGSM Act 6 they had the basketball scene as well. LOL

[real-life-senshi]

Apparently some of the PGSM directors are very strict and often scolded the girls during filming.

On the other hand, Director Suzumura's pretty popular and the girls get excited because he's kinder.

They are now talking about the napalm (explosion) scene in Act 36 again. lol Rika's being made fun again for having thought napalm was just like "fireworks" and then thought she was gonna die. Same as Ayaka hahaha Both were very shocked by how the heat from the explosion reached them!

[real-life-senshi]

Because of the Sailor Senshi's uniform being... skimpy, Mew talked about how during the summer it still a fits cold wearing it, and then it's very cold when filming in the winter.

Especially Keiko (Mars), Ayaka (Venus) and Mew all suffered the most because they can't even slip anything into their footwear to keep themselves warm, her boots being too short and Mars and Venus being in heels/pumps.

[real-life-senshi]

We've resumed watching Act 14 and just finished the rest of it. Starting from where Sailor Moon just made Kunzite retreat, there are only a few minutes left.

Miyuu's response to the ending scene was really warm.

Also, just before the earthquake, Miyuu shared that typically an episode takes around 2 weeks to film?!

And just now she also spend some time responding to a comment and talked about how the Senshi seems to have determined their signature hand poses themselves? I'll go back and check this later.

[real-life-senshi]

We just passed the motorbike scene, Miyuu def had a moment exclaiming it's very nostalgic to hear Over Rainbow Tour, which she sang.

Folks in the chat were all also sharing comments on commemoration and appreciation for Kubodera Akira, so Miyuu also spoke about him for a while.

We are back on track talking about the episode though. Apparently part of the motorbike ride filmed from afar might have been a stunt person/two stunt people doing the drive. Miyuu's not 100% sure, claiming her memory's not the best. lol