Early Impressions - Summer 2014: Sailor Moon Crystal

Just finished watching the premier of Sailor Moon Crystal. While I don't have the nostalgia factor that many of my friends do for Sailor Moon, I found it to be a pleasant little show. It has solid production values and good pacing. I already like it better than what I've seen of the original series (about 12 episodes). I don't love the original but I certainly don't hate it either, it makes for good background noise. Thankfully Usagi is nowhere near as obnoxious in Crystal, that is the one thing I don't care for in the original series. Crystal seems to have found a much better balance between the comedy and main plot line. Admittedly I have never read any of the Sailor Moon manga so I'm not sure which is more accurate (I would assume Crystal is).

In summation: Sailor Moon Crystal is a must-see for fans of the original. It has the potential to be a "gateway anime" for a new generation of fans that will ensure this title remains important to the medium. It is streaming on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and NicoNico.

Next up: Sword Art Online II