Sometime after the Black Moon arc, Usagi, Mamoru, Chibi-Usa, and the others make a day trip to the botanical gardens where they come across a mysterious figure, named Fiore, who claims he has returned to fulfil a promise to Mamoru. Shortly after this mysterious strangers arrival, an asteroid is reported to be traveling close by Earth followed by the arrival of energy draining plants. Fiore soon reveals himself as being possessed by a parasitic flower called a Xenian Flower that has corrupted Fiore's love of Mamoru into a twisted obsession intent on destroying the Earth.
The first of three theatrically released Sailor Moon films produced during the run of the Sailor Moon TV anime series, Sailor Moon R: The Movie was released in December 1993 prior to the conclusion of Sailor Moon R's run. Like other films based on serialized shonen/shojo anime, Sailor Moon R doesn't easily fit into the continuity of the show (down to the fact Chibi-Usa really shouldn't be here assuming this is as people have said taking place at the end of Sailor Moon R) and like films based on Dragon Ball Z or Saint Seiya seems to be designed to be watched somewhat independently of the TV show. Eventually dubbed and released by Pioneer in February of 2000 (surprisingly making it the last Sailor Moon film to be released despite being the first produced). Sailor Moon R is admittedly a Sailor Moon VHS I had growing up, and I did watch it, but it's honestly not my favorite incarnation of the property and if I'm being honest I've probably got a stronger emotional investment in Sailor Moon S: The Movie than Sailor Moon R: The Movie.
The film structurally speaking basically follows more or less the same formula as the show with our core group doing something together, a force using a trap/attack based on what they started off doing in the episode, followed by a confrontation with the person or persons behind the attack. Being a movie, it does expand the formula by trying to tie into Mamoru's past and setting up a nadir followed by an ultimate confrontation, but strictly speaking Sailor Moon R: The Movie is pretty much in line with what you'd expect from an episode of the TV show save for the animation which has been slightly polished up to be more dynamic.
Continuing with the Sailor Moon's proud history of queer coding characters both major and minor, our film's antagonist is Fiore who bears more than a passing resemblance to Ail from the anime exclusive Makai Tree arc. Fiore's actions towards Mamoru carry a romantic air to them which I suppose is serviceable motivation for an antagonist, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the Makai Tree arc when it was first utilized and here with Fiore being very similar to Ail down to the plant connection (with a flower in place of a tree) it feels like the movie is just retreading ground that was already done before and much more successfully. I guess to a degree I did enjoy seeing more into Mamoru's past involving the time after his parents' death, but the attempts to tie Mamoru and Usagi's relationship to that point in time comes off as pretty flimsy even by the admittedly loose standards of a show all about reincarnation and the strings of fate drawing eternal loved ones together (and this isn't a slight against the show's concept, I LIKE those things about it).
The action is well done with considerably more dynamic movement than is seen in the TV show and there's force, weight, and impact given to the action sequences. Sometimes the movie gets a little too ambitious, especially in the case of a CGI rendering of an asteroid that looks pretty poor, even by the standards of 1993, and carries noticeable pixilation and perspective warping. There are moments that achieve emotional resonance as the series is known to do with Usagi's friendship with the Sailor Guardians and romance with Mamoru carrying a lot of good will, and if you're invested in these relationships from watching the show you'll find what you're looking for. If you're not familiar with the show and coming into this blind I don't think you'll be as invested.
Sailor Moon R: The Movie isn't bad, but it's unfortunately pretty underwhelming for a theatrical experience. For fans of the show there's definitely value to be had revisiting the characters and seeing the show's action on a bigger budget with less restraint, and for newcomers to the franchise I suppose it's fairly representative of the core concept and appeal of the show. But the story just isn't all that engaging. Fiore is a pretty weak reskin of Ail and the Makai tree elements whose relationship with Mamoru doesn't carry the weight the movie seems to think it does and while the action and animation is good, I was never as invested here as I was during the best moments of the TV show. Sailor Moon R: The Movie is worth a viewing as a curiosity, but it's not my favorite of the Sailor Moon property.
The first of three theatrically released Sailor Moon films produced during the run of the Sailor Moon TV anime series, Sailor Moon R: The Movie was released in December 1993 prior to the conclusion of Sailor Moon R's run. Like other films based on serialized shonen/shojo anime, Sailor Moon R doesn't easily fit into the continuity of the show (down to the fact Chibi-Usa really shouldn't be here assuming this is as people have said taking place at the end of Sailor Moon R) and like films based on Dragon Ball Z or Saint Seiya seems to be designed to be watched somewhat independently of the TV show. Eventually dubbed and released by Pioneer in February of 2000 (surprisingly making it the last Sailor Moon film to be released despite being the first produced). Sailor Moon R is admittedly a Sailor Moon VHS I had growing up, and I did watch it, but it's honestly not my favorite incarnation of the property and if I'm being honest I've probably got a stronger emotional investment in Sailor Moon S: The Movie than Sailor Moon R: The Movie.
The film structurally speaking basically follows more or less the same formula as the show with our core group doing something together, a force using a trap/attack based on what they started off doing in the episode, followed by a confrontation with the person or persons behind the attack. Being a movie, it does expand the formula by trying to tie into Mamoru's past and setting up a nadir followed by an ultimate confrontation, but strictly speaking Sailor Moon R: The Movie is pretty much in line with what you'd expect from an episode of the TV show save for the animation which has been slightly polished up to be more dynamic.
Continuing with the Sailor Moon's proud history of queer coding characters both major and minor, our film's antagonist is Fiore who bears more than a passing resemblance to Ail from the anime exclusive Makai Tree arc. Fiore's actions towards Mamoru carry a romantic air to them which I suppose is serviceable motivation for an antagonist, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the Makai Tree arc when it was first utilized and here with Fiore being very similar to Ail down to the plant connection (with a flower in place of a tree) it feels like the movie is just retreading ground that was already done before and much more successfully. I guess to a degree I did enjoy seeing more into Mamoru's past involving the time after his parents' death, but the attempts to tie Mamoru and Usagi's relationship to that point in time comes off as pretty flimsy even by the admittedly loose standards of a show all about reincarnation and the strings of fate drawing eternal loved ones together (and this isn't a slight against the show's concept, I LIKE those things about it).
The action is well done with considerably more dynamic movement than is seen in the TV show and there's force, weight, and impact given to the action sequences. Sometimes the movie gets a little too ambitious, especially in the case of a CGI rendering of an asteroid that looks pretty poor, even by the standards of 1993, and carries noticeable pixilation and perspective warping. There are moments that achieve emotional resonance as the series is known to do with Usagi's friendship with the Sailor Guardians and romance with Mamoru carrying a lot of good will, and if you're invested in these relationships from watching the show you'll find what you're looking for. If you're not familiar with the show and coming into this blind I don't think you'll be as invested.
Sailor Moon R: The Movie isn't bad, but it's unfortunately pretty underwhelming for a theatrical experience. For fans of the show there's definitely value to be had revisiting the characters and seeing the show's action on a bigger budget with less restraint, and for newcomers to the franchise I suppose it's fairly representative of the core concept and appeal of the show. But the story just isn't all that engaging. Fiore is a pretty weak reskin of Ail and the Makai tree elements whose relationship with Mamoru doesn't carry the weight the movie seems to think it does and while the action and animation is good, I was never as invested here as I was during the best moments of the TV show. Sailor Moon R: The Movie is worth a viewing as a curiosity, but it's not my favorite of the Sailor Moon property.