From: phoenix@mediaone.net   
      
   I really should have posted sooner, but AWA got in the way. In any   
   case, here we are.   
      
   Because of the source of Sailor Moon's Super transformation, the S   
   movie must take place after episode 111 but before 123. Personally, I   
   would put it between episodes 117 and 118, two fairly innocuous   
   stories.   
      
   In this tale, the Earth is covered in ice as it is attacked by a woman   
   who herself is apparently made of ice. I don't think she is ever   
   directly named, but she accepts the name of Princess Kaguya when she   
   hears it from Kakeru, an astronomer who is obsessed with Princess   
   Kaguya from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.   
      
   Watching this movie again after all this time, I found that I really   
   enjoyed it. There were many small but poignant romantic moments.   
      
   When the first ice attack occurs, there is a scene with Haruka,   
   Michiru, and Setsuna eating in a cafe. When the window is shattered,   
   Haruka grabs Michiru and pulls her close to protect her.   
      
   I dearly loved the scene where Usagi and Mamoru were sitting on a park   
   bench by the ocean as the sun was setting. After discussing Luna's   
   situation, Usagi and Mamoru are standing up, speaking to each other as   
   Usagi is concerned about Mamoru's feelings for her. Mamoru (in his own   
   way) reassures Usagi that he does love her. Usagi throws herself   
   against his chest in relief and then he pushes her back a bit, leans   
   towards her and in return she stands up on tiptoe to receive his kiss.   
   Later we see Usagi in her room brushing her let-down hair, obvious   
   quite happy and humming Moonlight Densetsu.   
      
   Of course there is the main romantic story between Luna and the human   
   astronomer Kakeru. Luna wishes she could be human so she could   
   experience a human kiss with him. Poor Artemis.   
      
   We get to see all of the senshi transformations with one exception   
   (Nine of them total, including Chibiusa's). We will never get to see   
   Saturn's transformation in any episode or movie.   
      
   There are a number of Ami-Makoto moments here after a long absence of   
   such scenes in the recent Super TV episodes. One possible scene is   
   where the girls are sitting around a table studying and discussing   
   romance. Ami is sitting across from and staring directly at Mako as   
   they talk. We get that same tired joke about no time for anything but   
   study from Ami, but then she does loosen up and says that she would   
   love to be in a nice romance after the exams are over. The Pioneer   
   subtitle left the comment gender-free (although the dubbed line did   
   not). I did hear the word "koi", but I can't tell more then that.   
   Maybe someone with a little more Japanese experience could help out   
   here.   
      
   Also, Ami and Mako are constantly framed together during the final   
   battle even as Haruka and Michiru are pictured paired with other   
   senshi. When Sailor Moon makes the final attack and the senshi   
   surround her, Ami and Mako are still together and Haruka and Michiru   
   are still separated (by Pluto in this case).   
      
   I love the Super movie ending credits the most of any other. It is a   
   scene of Mamoru and Usagi sitting on one side, Artemis and Luna on the   
   other looking away at the sun setting over the ocean. Moonlight   
   Destiny is playing in the background. At the end Mamoru and Artemis   
   each draw their respective loves close to them, each in their own way.   
      
   The first time I watched this on the Pioneer DVD release, I was   
   shocked with disappointment when I saw that they cut to a black screen   
   for the ending credits and I would not get to see it. However, when I   
   was later looking through the extras, I saw to my relief that they had   
   included it as a bonus (with the Japanese credits).   
      
   --   
   Phoenix   
   www.phoenixanime.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)