Saturday, February 25, 2012

Why Sailor Moon hasn't reached American shores yet

Almost 3 YEARS AGO, Funimation released a survey to help what anime they license next and they are as followed:


  • Casshern Sins
  • Valkyria Chronicles
  • Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
  • Hetalia Axis Powers
  • Kaiba (NO NOT THE YUGIOH CHARACTER)
  • Rideback
  • Tales of the Abyss
  • Yozakura Quartet
  • Black Butler
  • Garei Zero
  • Chrome Shelled Regios
  • REDUB OF THE ENTIRE SAILOR MOON SERIES (MOST IMPORTANT)
  • Detroit Metal City
  • All of Initial D with a redub of previous releases
  • Rosario + Vampire
  • Toradora


Join me as I discuss Sailor Moon, it's possible redub, and why they haven't mixed together yet....

So if you're reading this, you probably know what Sailor Moon is. If not, I'll put the whole series in my own words. Here we go, no filler:

Sailor Moon is the Mega multi-billion dollar franchise started in 1992 in Japan by Naoko Takeuchi. It stars a 14 year old ditzy blonde teenager named Usagi Tsukino (or Serena depending on what side of the spectrum you're on). She get's joined by 4 (later 5 more) other girls to form the Sailor Senshi. The whole thing is Power Rangers-style tokusatsu action-adventure, comedy, drama, and romance combined to one. I rebirthed the then very non-existent magical girl genre.

OK, now that you know, Lez begin. So yeah.... You think that with one of the largest anime fanbases that lasted as far as 1995, Y'think that it would get licensed first, but...



We got Casshern, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Not by FUNi), Hetalia, Rideback, Tales (Again, Not from FUNi), Yozakura (Non-FUNi), Black Butler, Garei, Regios, Initial D, Rosario + Vampire, and Toradora (Non-FUNi), But No Sailor Moon. C'mon industry, thaz 3/4 of the anime titles listed that got or is going to get released. Is Sailor Moon your least priority when releasing anime. Sailor Moon has the biggest cult following out of all the titles listed. A following which has been alive since '95. R U suggesting Sailor Moon Won't sell in in the U S of A.

The big reason that this particular series hasn't came back yet is because, by and large...


NAOKO TAKEUCHI WANTS THE SERIES UNCENSORED AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!

Here's why that's a problem, What Super Sentai (the series that birthed Power Rangers) is for young boys in japan, Sailor Moon is for young girls in japan. The original uncut Japanese Sailor Moon has themes most young kids in america won't understand, and the juvenile premise is more than enough to turn casual adults away. If it were to get released in uncensored form, Toei is worried that the series will get criticism from "News" commentators like Bill O'Reilly, and Glenn Beck. Two Points Toei:

1. Juvenile premise and more controversial stuff aimed at the adult market didn't stop US Renditions (later Manga Entertainment) from releasing the Guyver OVA here in the states.

2. These are the same people who think KIDS have some type of political agenda, When really, MOST OF THEM THEY DON'T!!!!!!

But to be fair, Toei has a point. Let me put it this way, some anime that's meant for the high school/young adult market here in the states, is meant for kids in japan. For example, Crayon Shin Chan, meant for kids there in Japland. Fist of the North Star, meant for kids there. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, meant for kids in Japan. City Hunter, again, Meant FOR KIDS. See where I'm going at? HEY IG, Do you even know why Kinnikuman never made it to the states? It's because it's meant for kids in japan. If they wanted to market it towards kids here in america, it would have to be very heavily, HEAVILY, HEAVILY censored.

But honestly, to the parents and other adults reading this, most of the controversial stuff is really minor stuff, and more tasteful compared to most of the anime I mentioned above. If it was bigger, it probably wouldn't have made it in the form it came in the 90's here in the states. So most of Sailor Moon = PG or PG-13.

And here's the other big reason...


IT'S PROBABLY TOO EXPENSIVE TO LICENSE AN ANIME THAT MAY OR MAY NOT SUCCEED.

Look, When you take too much of a chance on an anime that may or may not succeed, you want it to be at least in the the top 3 best selling anime purchases of the week. Whether or not Sailor Moon succeeds is a life or death situation. If the anime fails, and you're the main dubbing director, what's your excuse to the investors going to be? It could be "Well I don't know why it failed, I thought it was a good idea at first.", but then the investors are going to be like "Well your idea sucks and you're FIRED!!!!" and boom, no more anime dubbing director job for you. But if you said (Under the same investors, circumstances, and company) "Well gosh sirs, I honestly don't know what happened. You saw all the sales and ratings info I did for Sailor Moon for other countries I did, an Sailor Moon's popular with key demographics, and the Manga and merchandise is really popular here, so Sailor Moon the anime should have been just as popular. I mean C'mon I honestly don't know what happened.", there's a good chance they'll go "Hmmm.... You're right, we totally can't blame you, the numbers all lined up, we don't know what happened.". Your job is safe and the only thing that was harmed was Funimation's reputation. Too bad you didn't mention the part that they're SCREWED!!!


Point is Sailor Moon should come back to the states, no matter the cost or the risks.: 

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