cj_iwakura
Member
It kind of has a rustic charm, too.
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Sailor Moon Community Thread: She Blinded Me With Science!
- Thread starter MikeMyers
- Start date
SpikedGunner
Member
In better news...we finally have footage of Amanda C. Miller voicing Jupiter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHcaJUCqQME
I was just thinking a bit more about video quality, so I'll keep rambling.
If you look at the screenshots on the previous page, particularly the one with the purple dress and green card (large amounts of solid colors), you can clearly see film grain on the JPN DVD, but you can't on the ADV.
Quick background: Classic animation was painted by hand, with actual paint, on clear celluloid (that's why they're called "cels"). Then the cels are placed in a big camera that captures them to film, one at a time, frame by frame, similar to stop-motion clay animation. Then the film is copied, and copied, and copied some more. Film grain means that you're seeing the texture of the film itself. It's like the film version of being able to see the brush strokes in a painting, and artistic detail exists beyond that point. If you clean a picture until the grain goes away, it's pretty much a fact that you have just cleaned away artistic detail.
Animation cels are generally destroyed or given away or otherwise discarded (there were stories of fans digging them out of dumpsters in Japan). But the film probably shouldn't be (to put it lightly), because it's the original source of all the copies, and makes the best copies.
I saw people on another forum mentioning that Dragon Ball was filmed using 16mm film (cheaper and more grainy than 32mm film), and then converted to Beta (magnetic tape that had higher quality than VHS, but never caught on with the general public), and that Sailor Moon likely had the same process.
The ADV DVD was reportedly based on worn out magnetic tape, so... that means it was a Beta copy?
The 2009 Japanese remaster shows film grain, so they either went back to the film to make a new copy (which might have required an extensive restoration, similar to Star Wars, because film gets old and needs to be rescued), or they dug out a Beta tape that was very close to the original (which might have required some kind of digital restoration, because the magnetic signal on tape fades away with time and use). Or maybe they worked the Laserdiscs into the mix somehow (digital copies that don't age). But in any case, Toei got a clear picture of the film, to the point where you can see film grain.
Viz apparently got Beta tapes, because they mentioned in an interview that "a big box of tapes" landed on their desk. Film is never referred to as "tape", nor is anything more modern like discs or hard drives. But Viz's tapes aren't like the 2009 or even ADV's tapes, they've been extensively cleaned (not faded or degraded) and detail has been ruined. Unless Viz is lying or getting badly mixed up, and passing off their "remaster" as the original.
Apparently when Dragonball was remastered for the Dragon Box sets, they went back to the 16mm original tapes, which were being held by Fuji TV, not Toei, and performed a restoration. Viz says that Sailor Moon's 16mm tapes do not exist, which suggests that there might be a question of "Who has them?", unless Toei was the one entrusted to care for them, and they went and threw them in a dumpster, because apparently Toei is notorious for not taking care of their things.
Also, since I looked at that interview again...
Also, if Viz took "the utmost care", why did they encode black bars into a DVD in an attempt to force widescreen TVs to display 4:3, rather than clicking the 4:3 button?
If you look at the screenshots on the previous page, particularly the one with the purple dress and green card (large amounts of solid colors), you can clearly see film grain on the JPN DVD, but you can't on the ADV.
Quick background: Classic animation was painted by hand, with actual paint, on clear celluloid (that's why they're called "cels"). Then the cels are placed in a big camera that captures them to film, one at a time, frame by frame, similar to stop-motion clay animation. Then the film is copied, and copied, and copied some more. Film grain means that you're seeing the texture of the film itself. It's like the film version of being able to see the brush strokes in a painting, and artistic detail exists beyond that point. If you clean a picture until the grain goes away, it's pretty much a fact that you have just cleaned away artistic detail.
Animation cels are generally destroyed or given away or otherwise discarded (there were stories of fans digging them out of dumpsters in Japan). But the film probably shouldn't be (to put it lightly), because it's the original source of all the copies, and makes the best copies.
I saw people on another forum mentioning that Dragon Ball was filmed using 16mm film (cheaper and more grainy than 32mm film), and then converted to Beta (magnetic tape that had higher quality than VHS, but never caught on with the general public), and that Sailor Moon likely had the same process.
The ADV DVD was reportedly based on worn out magnetic tape, so... that means it was a Beta copy?
The 2009 Japanese remaster shows film grain, so they either went back to the film to make a new copy (which might have required an extensive restoration, similar to Star Wars, because film gets old and needs to be rescued), or they dug out a Beta tape that was very close to the original (which might have required some kind of digital restoration, because the magnetic signal on tape fades away with time and use). Or maybe they worked the Laserdiscs into the mix somehow (digital copies that don't age). But in any case, Toei got a clear picture of the film, to the point where you can see film grain.
Viz apparently got Beta tapes, because they mentioned in an interview that "a big box of tapes" landed on their desk. Film is never referred to as "tape", nor is anything more modern like discs or hard drives. But Viz's tapes aren't like the 2009 or even ADV's tapes, they've been extensively cleaned (not faded or degraded) and detail has been ruined. Unless Viz is lying or getting badly mixed up, and passing off their "remaster" as the original.
Apparently when Dragonball was remastered for the Dragon Box sets, they went back to the 16mm original tapes, which were being held by Fuji TV, not Toei, and performed a restoration. Viz says that Sailor Moon's 16mm tapes do not exist, which suggests that there might be a question of "Who has them?", unless Toei was the one entrusted to care for them, and they went and threw them in a dumpster, because apparently Toei is notorious for not taking care of their things.
Also, since I looked at that interview again...
Charlene Ingram said:
So, the difference between ADV's DVD and the Japanese DVD is night and day, and the difference between the Japanese DVD and Viz's "can't see the film grain" Blu-ray is at least that large, if not more, because Viz's masters have problems. I guess that's actually true, but not in the way we were led to believe...
Also, if Viz took "the utmost care", why did they encode black bars into a DVD in an attempt to force widescreen TVs to display 4:3, rather than clicking the 4:3 button?
Pardon the double-posting and quoting myself, but I just read in another forum that Toei had possession of the 16mm film, and that they literally took a pair of scissors to it, and gave the pieces away as free bookmarks to any kid who wanted one, and that they were still giving them away as of 2008.
I love how we all double post so much here. Very interesting to know Cheerilee.
Sailor Moon R 77
Charlie's Angels in that screencap! Well anyway, the
arc comes to an end. A lot of people dislike this arc, but I do like that there was some tension in this dynamic, otherwise it'd have just been boring.
Sailor Moon R 77
Charlie's Angels in that screencap! Well anyway, the
protective break-up
KDash31987
Member
Sailor Moon Crystal X Tortilla Chips
Also, here's a higher-quality version of that promotional image for the Black Moon Arc:
Also, here's a higher-quality version of that promotional image for the Black Moon Arc:
RoryDropkick
Member
I love how we all double post so much here. Very interesting to know Cheerilee.
Sailor Moon R 77
Charlie's Angels in that screencap! Well anyway, thearc comes to an end. A lot of people dislike this arc, but I do like that there was some tension in this dynamic, otherwise it'd have just been boring.protective break-up
I'm reminded of this when I see Venus there
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk8SToEQPGw
KDash31987
Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5vuzfdmsDo
That's not the only Sailor Moon reference in the series, either: http://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Sailor_Moon
That's not the only Sailor Moon reference in the series, either: http://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Sailor_Moon
Sailor Moon R 78
Nurse Minako time! That GIF I always used to see even before I ever watched this episode. I wonder if it is the most iconic Minako moment, and one of the series most famous moments? Either way, Minako plus Esmueruade equals comedy gold.
@Ayumi: You should see the South Park episode where Kenny is Sailor Moon. So funny.
Nurse Minako time! That GIF I always used to see even before I ever watched this episode. I wonder if it is the most iconic Minako moment, and one of the series most famous moments? Either way, Minako plus Esmueruade equals comedy gold.
@Ayumi: You should see the South Park episode where Kenny is Sailor Moon. So funny.
eastx
Member
Aww, they could have at least switched it up for future releases.
Those who want a proper Sailor Moon release will get it but it will be 200 mvk files and at this point I can't say I feel sorry in any way for Viz.
At this point if they limp to Stars part 2 then, fine, those files will have an English language option.
The Hand of
is swift, angry and ultimately right.
At this point if they limp to Stars part 2 then, fine, those files will have an English language option.
The Hand of
Sailor Moon R 79
Heh, I think Minako says something similar in the two-timing episode in SuperS. Oh, and Artemis episode, but sadly a Artemis/Luna one and not an Artemis/Minako one, since I find the latter dynamic a lot more interesting. I wonder what ever happened to that Clark Gable cat fro Season 1?
Heh, I think Minako says something similar in the two-timing episode in SuperS. Oh, and Artemis episode, but sadly a Artemis/Luna one and not an Artemis/Minako one, since I find the latter dynamic a lot more interesting. I wonder what ever happened to that Clark Gable cat fro Season 1?
Simply Sarah
Member
Those who want a proper Sailor Moon release will get it but it will be 200 mvk files and at this point I can't say I feel sorry in any way for Viz.
At this point if they limp to Stars part 2 then, fine, those files will have an English language option.
The Hand ofis swift, angry and ultimately right.
I really wish I didn't agree that this will almost certainly be the case. The idea of getting a better quality product from piracy compared to a commercial release lots of people are quite willing to buy is a bit ridiculous. And that's not even getting into the upscaled, blurscaled, downscaled again, boarderscaled DVD release.
The anime hasn't been given justice in the US at all, but I think the Kodansha release of the manga is worth buying.
Sailor Moon R 80
Esmuerade's latest plan is to turn Ami against all her friends. Usagi was pretty funny in this episode and I love how Esmeruade is in a bath for like the entire episode and waits like 72 hours to tell a guy to stop staring at her. Might have been more interesting if we got a Blue Lady instead of Black Lady later on.
Sailor Moon R 80
Esmuerade's latest plan is to turn Ami against all her friends. Usagi was pretty funny in this episode and I love how Esmeruade is in a bath for like the entire episode and waits like 72 hours to tell a guy to stop staring at her. Might have been more interesting if we got a Blue Lady instead of Black Lady later on.
cj_iwakura
Member
The anime hasn't been given justice in the US at all, but I think the Kodansha release of the manga is worth buying.
Sailor Moon R 80
Esmuerade's latest plan is to turn Ami against all her friends. Usagi was pretty funny in this episode and I love how Esmeruade is in a bath for like the entire episode and waits like 72 hours to tell a guy to stop staring at her. Might have been more interesting if we got a Blue Lady instead of Black Lady later on.
Well, you effectively get that in PGSM.
strangedopamine
Member
Just popping down to say hi to you lot at SailorMoonGAF.
I watched the entirity of Sailor Moon for the first time only a few months ago and I really enjoyed watching it all mostly because not only was it a great story, it was pretty funny too!
My favourite season was Sailor Stars which had some great episodes with Minako who's my favourite of the the Sailor Senshi. There was also the episode with Usagi's house which is one of my favourite episodes. I actually liked Sailor Stars so much I made a cover of Sailor Star Song using FamiTracker. The song could also be played on a real Famicom too!
Link here.
Hope to talk more Sailor Moon stuff with you lot soon!
I watched the entirity of Sailor Moon for the first time only a few months ago and I really enjoyed watching it all mostly because not only was it a great story, it was pretty funny too!
My favourite season was Sailor Stars which had some great episodes with Minako who's my favourite of the the Sailor Senshi. There was also the episode with Usagi's house which is one of my favourite episodes. I actually liked Sailor Stars so much I made a cover of Sailor Star Song using FamiTracker. The song could also be played on a real Famicom too!
Link here.
Hope to talk more Sailor Moon stuff with you lot soon!
Hours Left
Member
So uh, what's going on with the Blu-rays? I've been out of the loop.
They're not very good, and future releases will be the same???
They're not very good, and future releases will be the same???
This review covers what the controversy is on the Bluray release.
Welcome. Stars is my least favorite season, but I think they all have merit to them. I'll make sure to check out that song, especially since I actually like that song more than the song used for previous seasons. It just got overplayed having to hear it for four seasons in a row.
Welcome. Stars is my least favorite season, but I think they all have merit to them. I'll make sure to check out that song, especially since I actually like that song more than the song used for previous seasons. It just got overplayed having to hear it for four seasons in a row.
Basically, Sailor Moon will never be properly remastered, because apparently Toei (in a feat of true stupidity) attacked the film masters with a pair of scissors (after destroying/discarding most of the animation cels), because giving away ~1,000,000 free novelty bookmarks is apparently worth more to Toei than any sort of archive or future. So the Japanese DVDs are the best that 90's Sailor Moon will ever look.
Viz supposedly got the original masters that were used to create the Japanese DVDs, looked at them, and decided that they can make 1080p Blu-rays out of 480i content, using upscaling filters. This is stupid and pointless, and appealing to casuals who don't care about video quality but still want the placebo of Blu-ray, but mostly harmless (unless you count Viz selling upscales for the same price as actual DVD/BD combo packs), so long as the DVD is a quality product.
But the DVD is not a quality product. Viz's masters are either screwed up or Viz doesn't know how to use them (picture is washed out, colors are messed up, and serious interlacing issues). And Viz decided to solve this flaw (or incompetence) by down-converting their Blu-rays to DVD, which is dumb. Also, they added black bars to force 4:3 into widescreen, and then mastered the DVD as widescreen, which is dumb.
Viz has admitted that the 4:3/widescreen issue is a mistake, which they will correct in the future, but has said nothing about recalling their broken product (for the minority of fans who actually care about such things). And they are likely not going to stop downscaling their upscales, because that's apparently their solution to bad masters/their incompetence.
As a result, the ADV box sets apparently have better picture than Viz, but Viz has much better audio. And fansubs have better picture than either of them. Viz also has an exclusive new dub, but that will likely be pirated and added to the fansubs within hours of the box sets being released.
Listening to strangedopamine cover of the Stars theme. Pretty good dude! I remember reading that Takeuchi wrote the lyrics to it. I wonder if that is true?
Oh and if anyone is interested, Kunihiko Ikuhara (director of Sailor Moon R, S, and SuperS) has a new anime coming out soon. I'll probably check it out.
Oh and if anyone is interested, Kunihiko Ikuhara (director of Sailor Moon R, S, and SuperS) has a new anime coming out soon. I'll probably check it out.
Hi, and welcome! Please don't just disappear, stay with us!
Ohh. Can't say much from that trailer but sure? Nice colors, wonder what it's gonna turn out like. The name is "Yuri Kuma Arashi" for those interested.
Surprise, surprise. The photo director from Sailor Moon Crystal will be staff in this too.
Also, Shigeru Nishiyama, will be doing the editing. He has worked on some really amazing things in the past so this might actually turn into something great.
Sorry, but I'm going out for dinner very soon.
These Skype times always seem like such bad timing for me. :<
MikeHattsu
Member
It's made by most of the same staff that worked on Penguindrum apparently.
Hi there!
strangedopamine
Member
It took me a while to make that one. There's also a Moonlight Densetsu one lieing around on the FamiTracker forums somewhere. It's what got me to make this cover in the first place.
I think Takeuchi did write the lyrics to it. Don't have an source to confirm it to hand though.
I'll be around every so often. Not sure if I'll disappear as of yet though
Nice seeing you here too!
Sailor Moon R 81
Makoto and Motoki's daughter from the future comes to befriend Chibiusa meets a new friend Momo who is basically Makoto Jr, and Esmeraude plots to have the kids at Chibiusa's school turn evil. I was literally telling someone today elsewhere that the show really does over use the "turn people evil" element a lot and then it shows up in the next episode I watch. Although, this one had some badass moments, so I can't fault it.
Poor Usagi.
Wiseman shows up. I love this guy.
Usagi and Mamoru probably bond over their ability to bullshit speeches on the spot.
Makoto being awesome.
Esmeraude being awesome.
Chibiusa: the legendary Super Saiyan.
To anyone like Zoe who is familiar with the manga, aren't these
?
Poor Usagi.
Wiseman shows up. I love this guy.
Usagi and Mamoru probably bond over their ability to bullshit speeches on the spot.
Makoto being awesome.
Esmeraude being awesome.
Chibiusa: the legendary Super Saiyan.
To anyone like Zoe who is familiar with the manga, aren't these
the guys who get killed by Minako and Mamoru in the manga
I'm pretty sure she wrote the lyrics for the Crystal theme song, but I like the Stars theme best.
What's everyone favorite ending song? I think mine is either "Heart Moving" or "Tuxedo Mirage."
Sailor Moon R 82
Mamoru takes Chibiusa to the future and the Senshi join along. While in the future, the Senshi have to battle a youma who can use time to reflect their attacks. Well I really enjoyed this episode. Glorious Esmeraude and other Black Moon villains aside I really like how Chibiusa's development is handled in this season. Funny thing is I didn't really like her when I first watched this series a few years back, but now I'm kind of gonna be sad to not see her in the early parts of S.
Mamoru takes Chibiusa to the future and the Senshi join along. While in the future, the Senshi have to battle a youma who can use time to reflect their attacks. Well I really enjoyed this episode. Glorious Esmeraude and other Black Moon villains aside I really like how Chibiusa's development is handled in this season. Funny thing is I didn't really like her when I first watched this series a few years back, but now I'm kind of gonna be sad to not see her in the early parts of S.
Yep. I've got the "Best Song Collection" CD, and SailorStars Song is on that one, so I dug it out and flipped through the insert, and her name was there under (what I assume to be) "Lyrics Written By".
Then I noticed that she has the same credit on almost half of the CD.
Apparently her first song credit was Sailor Moon's second ending song, "Princess Moon". She also did "Tuxedo Mirage" and "Rashiku Ikimasho".
According to Wikimoon, she also wrote more than a dozen "image songs" for the anime soundtracks.
I think SailorStars Song gets attention because Moonlight Densetsu was iconic, and for four years Toei was afraid of changing it (beyond a remix), and then for the fifth-and-final season, "OMG, they changed it. And they let the manga author write the new one?" But in actuality, she had already become a major source of song lyrics.
cj_iwakura
Member
Does 'Remember Morning Moon' from the S movie count? If so, then that.
Yes, most definitely!
Sailor Moon R 83
Tuxedo Mask meets Toru Furuya, and Prince Dimande has decided he wants Usagi all to himself. Pretty good character moments for Mamoru, especially his decision to transport through a glider.
You thought Usagi was clumsy, Mamoru just lost a fight to himself.
But this was pretty badass.
Esmeraude is awesome.
Tuxedo Mask meets Toru Furuya, and Prince Dimande has decided he wants Usagi all to himself. Pretty good character moments for Mamoru, especially his decision to transport through a glider.
You thought Usagi was clumsy, Mamoru just lost a fight to himself.
But this was pretty badass.
Esmeraude is awesome.
Simply Sarah
Member
Why didn't I see this before?
Venus: Mamoru Nagano (Director of Five Stars Stories)
Mars: Kunihiko Ikuhara (Director of Sailor Moon & Utena)
I'm finding myself stuck on staring at Mamo-chan's bow and thinking it's both too big and too round. I'm just not sure V-chan would approve.
MikeHattsu
Member
Sailor Moon R 09
Makoto seeing her senpai everywhere.
Everybody being in love in this episode then. Makoto, Umino, Ail, An and even Usagi (although she loves food not another person).
Makoto seeing her senpai everywhere.
Everybody being in love in this episode then. Makoto, Umino, Ail, An and even Usagi (although she loves food not another person).
MikeHattsu
Member
Sailor Moon R 10
Everybody wants to be snow white and kiss Mamoru.
Nobody wants to be one of the 7... no... 6 uh... zoo animal fairies?
Everybody wants to be snow white and kiss Mamoru.
Nobody wants to be one of the 7... no... 6 uh... zoo animal fairies?
Hey, I played Snow White back when I did acting as a child. Let me kiss him!
Supreme Thunder Dragon is the most badass looking Attack in the series. Like seriously, it looks like it hurt.
You know thinking about it, all the Senshi's strongest attacks seemed to be their first. Minus Ami of course. But Mars goes from spewing huge amounts of Fire from her fingertips to releasing a few rings and then shooting an arrow. Jupiter goes from releasing a huge amount of electrical discharge to shooting ONE small ball of electricity then releasing several balls of energy. Minako has it the worst, going from a high powered concentrated beam of energy to a chain to a fucking small heart that anyone could dodge easily. Shameful.
At least Ami powers up.
You know thinking about it, all the Senshi's strongest attacks seemed to be their first. Minus Ami of course. But Mars goes from spewing huge amounts of Fire from her fingertips to releasing a few rings and then shooting an arrow. Jupiter goes from releasing a huge amount of electrical discharge to shooting ONE small ball of electricity then releasing several balls of energy. Minako has it the worst, going from a high powered concentrated beam of energy to a chain to a fucking small heart that anyone could dodge easily. Shameful.
At least Ami powers up.