It’s widely acknowledged among Sailor Moon fans that Sailor Moon SuperS, the fourth season of the anime series, is among the weakest. Oddly enough, the manga arc that inspired it has some of the most consequential developments in the overall story of the Sailor Senshi. Here’s a few things from Sailor Moon SuperS we really hope don’t end up in the rebooted version of the Pretty Guardians’ epic adventure.
So. Much. Filler.
This one isn’t too likely, given how much shorter Crystal’s seasons tend to be (13 episodes instead of the original series’ average of around 40 per season over five seasons). Too many episodes of SuperS follow the monster-of-the-week formula, and while the animation quality is a noticeable step up from previous seasons, it’s perhaps the only arc of the original Sailor Moon anime that gets, well… boring. For several episodes at a time.
The point about filler needs to be extended into character development as well. Part of what made SuperS frustrating to watch is that Usagi and the other girls seemed almost to forget all the personal evolution they went through during the S storyline with Hotaru and the Death Busters. This is something Crystal really needs to focus on in its fourth season. Season 3 did a great job adding depth and nuance to Usagi, Chibiusa and Hotaru, but left Haruka and Michiru out in the cold. The reboot’s improved upon the characterization of the girls (or utter lack thereof) in its first two seasons, but it still has a way to go to reach the heights attained by the original Sailor Moon S and Sailor Moon Sailor Stars.
Less Amazon Trio, More Amazonness Quartet
As they’re rendered in the anime, the Amazon Trio are total creeps, and give off a strangely sex-pest vibe for a season with a more younger demographic in mind than its predecessors. Fish Eye aggressively chases dudes, Hawk Eye likes grown women of all ages, and the leader, Tiger Eye, prefers little girls. In comparison, the Amazonness Quartet are more interesting and twisted characters, and present more of a legitimate challenge and threat to the Sailor Senshi. Plus, not only are they more captivating villains, they also have a larger role to play in the overall Sailor Moon story.
READ: ‘Sailor Moon Crystal’ Season 4 Preview: 3 Major Ways The Reboot Will Differ From The 90s Anime [SPOILERS]
Chibiusa Overkill
Granted, the focus is on the pink-haired Small Lady more in the ‘Dream’ arc of the manga than in previous storylines, but 90s anime Chibiusa was tough to stomach in heavy doses. It didn’t help at all that the executives behind SuperS wanted to reconfigure Sailor Moon as more of a kid-friendly, toy-selling vehicle than the heavy storyline of Sailor Moon S and characters like Sailor Saturn would allow.
We’d like to see some of the focus of Crystal Season 4 shifted to the Outer Senshi, who do appear in the manga, but not the SuperS anime. This would be a great opportunity for Crystal to give Outer Senshi fans more insight about Haruka and Michiru’s relationship, and show how the four of them live together like a family.
There’s not yet a firm release date for Sailor Moon Crystal Season 4, but as soon as there is one, we’ll let you know. Previous seasons aired in spring and summer, so hopefully we can expect an announcement soon.
What aspects of Sailor Moon SuperS are you hoping to see brought into Crystal? Do you prefer the manga version of the Dream arc or the 90s anime? Feel free to chat all things Sailor Moon in the comments!
