Sailor Moon S: The Movie

This article is about the movie. For the third story arc of Sailor Moon, see Sailor Moon S.

Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon S The Movie
Movie poster
Directed by	Hiroki Shibata
Written by	Naoko Takeuchi, Sukehiro Tomita (screenplay), Lisa Lumby-Richards (English adaptation)
Starring	Kotono Mitsuishi, Masami Kikuchi, Megumi Hayashibara, Eiko Masuyama, Keiko Han (Japanese version) Terri Hawkes, Linda Ballantyne, Jeff Lumby, Jill Frappier, Susan Aceron (English version)
Distributed by	Toei Company, Ltd. (Japan) Walt Disney Pictures (U.S.) Pioneer Entertainment (U.S.) Optimum Productions (U.S. and Canada) Cloverway (Mexico)
Release dates	December 4, 1994
Running time	61 min.
Country	Japan
Languages	Japanese, English

The Sailor Moon S movie is the second of three theatrically released Sailor Moon movies. Its full name in Japanese is Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon S The Movie (劇場版 美少女戦士セーラームーンＳ, Gekijouhan Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S). The English dub is called Sailor Moon S the Movie: Hearts in Ice. It debuted in Japanese theatre on December 4, 1994. It is named for the third arc of the Sailor Moon anime, Sailor Moon S, as it was released around the same time. The events portrayed seem to take place during approximately the same time period.

The "S movie" is the only one of the three to have been based on a story which actually appeared in Naoko Takeuchi's original manga series. The sidestory, entitled The Lover of Princess Kaguya (Kaguya hime no koibito), was published as Volume 11 in the original release of the manga. It was accompanied by a shorter sidestory called Casablanca Memories, featuring Rei Hino.

Plot

File:Luna Manga.jpg

Luna's human form as seen in the manga.

Long ago, Princess Snow Kaguya tried to cover the Earth in ice, but failed when the Ginzuishou melted the ice and saved the planet. She has now made her way to Earth to try again. A piece of her comet has been lost and she cannot proceed without it. She sends her minions, the Snow Dancers, to search for the missing shard. A young astronomer named Kakeru Ōzora finds the shard and keeps it in his observatory.

The Senshi are enjoying a day in town. Luna develops a cold and leaves the Senshi to go back to Usagi's house. On the way there, she is almost hit by a car, but is rescued and nursed to health by Kakeru. Luna then develops romantic feelings for him, even kissing him in his sleep, leaving Artemis feeling dejected. Luna herself ends up with unrequited love because it turns out that Kakeru has a girlfriend of his own, an astronaut named Himeko Nayotake, and more importantly, because Luna is a cat. It turns out the two are unhappy because the scientific Himeko cannot come to terms with Kakeru's belief of the existence of the mythological Princess Kaguya; Himeko later leaves on a space mission without reconciling with him.

The shard of the comet attaches itself to Kakeru's life force, and begins slowly stealing his energy, causing him to become very ill. Princess Snow Kaguya takes the shard, but because it is linked to his life force, he is brought even closer to death when it is taken. She throws the shard into the ocean and creates an enormous ice crystal that will continue to draw away Kakeru's energy until he dies. She and her Snow Dancers then begin to freeze the Earth. The Senshi attempt to stop her, but none of their attacks seem to work. All of the Senshi combine their powers to activate the Ginzuishou, which destroys Princess Snow Kaguya, her Snow Dancers, the ice crystal in the ocean, and her comet.

When the Senshi defeat Princess Snow Kaguya, Sailor Moon wishes for Luna to become Princess Kaguya. Kakeru, worried about Himeko's safety, had been wandering in the snowstorm and is saved by Luna, transformed into a woman. She takes him near the moon, where Himeko, on her space mission, witnesses the odd phonemenon. Luna tells him that he needs to stop focusing on his work so much and to pay more attention to Himeko. She shares a sad kiss with him, then they return to normal. Kakeru takes up Luna's advice and meets Himeko, who now believes in Kaguya, at the airport. Artemis then comforts Luna, and they make up.

New characters

File:Princesssnowkaguya.JPG

Princess Snow Kaguya.

Princess Snow Kaguya

Princess Snow Kaguya (プリンセス・スノー・カグヤ, Purinsesu Sunō Kaguya) is the main antagonist of the movie and its manga counterpart. She is a powerful alien entity that travels by comet from planet to planet, freezing them and making them part of her "collection".

Princess Snow Kaguya's name comes from the Japanese legend, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. This is not her real name. When she appears in Kakeru's observatory, she reminds him of Princess Kaguya. He mentions the story to her, and she says that she likes it. She is afterwards referred to as Princess Snow Kaguya.

In the Japanese version, she is voiced by Eiko Masuyama. In the English version, she is voiced by Linda Ballantyne.

Kakeru Ōzora

A brilliant young astronomer who nevertheless believes in the Japanese legend, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. He is obsessed with Princess Kaguya from that legend, and he studies the moon because of his obsession.

Kakeru Ōzura was ahead of the game but considered crazy by his peers. He would often say that a thousand years ago there was a kingdom on the moon and such, everything that people our day would deem crazy. As he nursed the sick Luna, he talked to her, but then stopped himself, thinking Luna was not capable of speech. The princess he believed ruled on the Moon Kingdom was Princess Kaguya. Princess Snow Kaguya took that name after Kakeru confused her with the Moon Kingdom princess. He was in love with an astronaut named Himeko, who thought he was crazy as well, until she saw the transformed Luna in space.

In the Japanese version, he is voiced by Masami Kikuchi. In the English version, he is voiced by Jeff Lumby.

Himeko Nayotake

This young woman is Kakeru's childhood friend. When they were both young, they dreamt of going to the Moon and meeting the legendary Princess Kaguya. Intelligent and resolute, she is saddened by Kakeru's refusal to keep trying to become an astronaut after he is surprisingly rejected in his first try. Despite this, she does not rennounce her dream and successfully becomes herself an astronaut. In both the movie and the manga, Kakeru and Himeko become lovers (breaking Luna's heart), but it is only in the manga where it is later revealed that Himeko is pregnant with their child.

In the Japanese version, Himeko is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara. In the English version, she is voiced by Jennifer Gould (who also did the voice of Hotaru Tomoe).

Trivia

• Of the three feature-length Sailor Moon movies, this is the only one based on a story from the manga, and thus the only one envisioned by Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi.
• The film was soft matted for it's theatrical release, as it was animated in 4:3 full screen. The same was done with the Sailor Moon R Movie and the Sailor Moon Super S Movie.
• In the English dubbed version, a random civilian emits a Wilhelm scream when frozen by a Snow Dancer. He is outside the restaurant where Amara (Haruka), Michelle (Michiru), and Trista (Setsuna) eat.

See also

• The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
• Yuki-onna

External links

• Hitoshi Doi - Summary of the Sailor Moon S Movie
• Manga Guide - In-depth synopsis of "The Lover of Princess Kaguya" side story
• Princess Snow Kaguya @ The Oracle - Information, Images, Name Origin