For long-time fans of Sailor Moon, the anime’s recent remake, Sailor Moon Crystal, was an unexpected opportunity to bask in the nostalgia of seeing many of their favorite characters from the series once again. We say “many of their favorites,” though because fan loyalty is divided pretty evenly among the franchise’s numerous celestial-themed heroines, and there just hasn’t been time in the 26 episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal to introduce all of them.
So if you’ve been waiting patiently for Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn to show up, you’ll be happy to know that production has begun on a third season of Sailor Moon Crystal that will finally bring together the full complement of all 10 Sailor Senshi.
As part of its plan to retell the Sailor Moon story in a style closer to that of series creator Naoko Takeuchi’s original manga, Sailor Moon Crystal went all the way back to the beginning. Its first 13-episode season began streaming in July of 2014 and covered the story’s Dark Kingdom chapter, which more or less corresponds to the events shown in the original Sailor Moon TV anime. Crystal’s next batch of 13 was released online beginning in January of this year and handled the events of the Black Moon arc, which were also portrayed in the Sailor Moon R anime of the id 1990s.
But Sailor Moon has no shortage of foes, and so the announcement has been made that a third Sailor Moon Crystal season has entered production, in which Usagi and her companions will be up against genocidal Professor Tomoe and his Death Busters organization, who served as the antagonists during the previously produced Sailor Moon S anime.
▼ The announcement, with Sailor Uranus’ sword and Sailor Neptune’s mirror prominently dislayed
Luckily, Sailor Moon is getting some new allies to go with the new enemies, as the powerful Sailor Uranus, elegant Sailor Neptune, and potentially planet-obliterating Sailor Saturn will make their Sailor Moon Crystal debuts.
Producers are yet to say when the new season will air. Given that the first seasons of Sailor Moon Crystal will be rerun on TV broadcaster Tokyo MX starting on October 5, and that rerunning the second season immediately after seems a likely decision, odds are we won’t be seeing the remaining Outer Senshi appear until summer at the earliest, but fans will be happy to know that they are indeed on their way.
Sources: Comic Natalie via Jin, Sailor Moon official website
Top image: Sailor Moon official website
Insert image: Sailor Moon official website