Welcome to the sailor moon newswire! Here, you'll find all the latest information dealing with the release of the "Sailor Moon" series in the U.S. and Canada! Any other pertinent SM news will be posted, too. =) archived news + a new ad for SMS - with the U&N picture! + 04.30.01. It seems that the 'controversial' picture*, the original Japanese LD cover for disc five that features Sailors Uranus and Neptune in a telling embrace, will be used in the upcoming release of either the next set of SMS VHS/DVDs or the one after that (due out in August). This is because that very picture was used in an ad featured as the back inside cover of the latest Animerica. It reads: {above the Uranus and Neptune pic} "Introducing Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune" {above a pic of a cuuute Mini/Chibi-moon} "The return of Chibi-usa!" {above a pic of moon and chibi-moon falling} "...and Sailor Moon gracefully vanquishing her foes. Here's a closer look at the ad: the entire ad Uranus and Neptune, close up! *[note: in the original anime, U&N were lovers, not cousins. this is why this picture was disputed over, as it shows them about to kiss.] + new DVD and VHS info, new Seramyu + Well, with the success of the second set of "S" VHS and DVDs, Pioneer has released information about the third set, "Heart Collection III DVD" and the two VHS tapes (as of now unnamed). They will come out on June 12, 2001. The first of the dubbed/cut tapes will feature Sailor Mercury posing, the second will feature a very cute Sailor Mini Moon. The DVD will reporedly feature Sailor Chibimoon (Mini Moon), as taken from the fourth original Japanese LD cover. However, there's no word on the reverse cover art of the DVD yet, but Pioneer has announced that it will do one of 2 things - either use a picture of Uranus and Neptune (presumably from the fifth Japanese LD cover) or another one of Sailormoon. Lets hope that U&N get some cover art! Here are the pics, courtesy of The Sailor Senshi Page! the fifth TV dubbed/cut tape cover the sixth TV dubbed/cut tape cover the third DVD cover In other news, the title of the latest Seramyu (Sailormoon Live Action Musical) has been released! It's "Tanjyou! Ankoku no Princess Black Lady", or "Birth! The Dark Princess Black Lady". I'm a fan of the Myu, bear with me. :-) + Sailor Moon taken off Cartoon Network? + 04.01.01. According to SOS, Cartoon Network will be taking off "Sailor Moon" until the summer. Here's what they say: ....The Cartoon Network will temporarily drop "Sailor Moon" with the last episode of the 3rd run of the series "Sailor Moon SuperS" on Thursday, June 7. The program will return later in the Summer (probably with Episode 1). We had been planning a nifty little campaign concerning this but got sidetracked with the "Sailor Stars" situation. Watch for our fun, mini-campaign in a week or two! ................. Meaning that it's coming back, so don't worry! SM will be back on the air after a while. But as for Sailor Stars, I don't know if any of their campaigns can get it over to the US... + DVD cover released, new dates for the next volumes of S+ 03.27.01. The next cover art for "The Heart Collection II" DVD, due April 10th, has been released. It will be double sided, like the first DVD - one side will have that edited picture from stars (click HERE), the other will have the new picture, which is the same as the "Labyrinth" cover. Check it out: the new DVD cover! Also, the date for volumes 5 and 6 (DVD III) has been released: June 12. Everyone start your preorders! + VHS covers released for the next volumes of S + Finally, the next two VHS covers for the next two volumes of S, "Labyrinth" and "Birthday Blues", have been released! The first cover, for "Labyrinth", features Venus and Mars in juxtaposition, with beautiful oranges and reds strewn about. SM aficianados will notice that this is the SAME cover as used for the third Japanese LD of S. "Birthday Blues"'s cover is the same as the one for the new DVD, that edited picture of Usagi from Sailor Stars. Take a look, they're really pretty! "Labyrinth" cover "Birthday Blues" cover Both tapes, as well as the "Heart Collection: II" DVD, are due out on April 10th. + SM moved, WB closed, and movies delayed + 03.15.01. A few events occured in the past few days that should be of notice. First of all, oaccording to SOS: "The Cartoon Network has decided to postpone the airing of ALL the Sailor Moon features because the agreement concerning them has still not been settled. The network had started airing commercials for Sailor Moon R's planned broadcast for this Friday but have since pulled them. The network believes this to be a minor setback and expects to air the features in 2001." Meaning that the R movie, which was supposed to be shown on Friday, March 16, will NOT be shown. Next, remember the merger between Time/Warner and AOL? It wasn't really a MERGER but a PURCHASE. All the WB Studio Stores will be closed within the next month, if not so already. The Store, which had sold various Cartoon Network merchandise, including Sailor Moon merchandise, will be missed by CN lovers everywhere! Where else to go? Suncoast and Hot Topic both have SM stuff, I'd start there. Finally, the time that Sailor Moon plays on Toonami has been moved to 4:00 PM EST. Everyone fix the timers on your tapes! + the SMS DVD collection 2 cover art it out! 03.01.01. Finally, the cover art for the second SMS DVD collection, "The Heart Collection 2" (due in April) has been released! The image is courtesy of check it out! While it is not yet known what will be on the reverse cover, it's expected that the Japanese LD cover, featuring Mars and Venus, will be shown. + SM Movies Aquired and the Rising Sun is no more + 02.15.01. According to SOS, Cartoon Network is canceling the Saturday Morning "Rising Sun" block of Toonami programming. They state that they are losing ratings-wise to other Saturday morning programming and to sports, so they have to take it off. March 3rd will most likely be the last day of Rising Sun. But there's good news - the Sailor Moon R movie, "Promise of the Rose", and the S movie, "Hearts in Ice", have been acquired by Cartoon Network! The R movie will be shown on Feb. 17 and on Friday March 16, and the S movie will be shown Friday April 13. No news yet on the SuperS movie. Note that these are the Pioneer-dubbed movies - in the DiC, not the CWi, style... + the SMR Toonami viewing scandal! + 02.08.01. Can it BE? Could Cartoon Network have lied to us? Maybe they were just wrong before. In either case, this is a surprising date change. For about two months, Cartoon Network had listed on their site that the Sailor Moon R movie, "Promise of the Rose" (dubbed/cut) will be shown on Toonami's "Rising Sun" block, Febrary 17th. However, the picture to the right of this paragraph proves otherwise - apparently, the R movie, "Dead Zone" (DBZ), and "Endless Waltz" (Gundam Wing) will be shown that day. However, this hasn't been confirmed yet by anyone. What does this mean? Well, check Toonami at 5:00 PM (EST), Feburary 16th, as this was also rumored to be a starting time for the R move. Also check it out on the 17th, that Saturday morning, which was the original starting date. If it's not on either of these times, then March 3rd it is! Sorry that I don't know any better as of now. I'll keep this site posted! + the understocked SMS DVD + 02.08.01. In an unusual turn of events, it seemed that the newly released DVD of the first seven episodes of Sailor Moon Super, entitled "The Heart Collection 1", has been undershipped to both retailers and on-line stores. According to Amazon.com, the DVD is on special order and should be delivered in "four to six weeks". While this happens on occasion, it is very unusual to occur on a site like Amazon.com. Also, it seems that national video chains, such as Saturday Matinee, are also having trouble obtaining the title. At a local store (by my house), the clerk said that there weren't too many of them, and that they were sold out in a day. Why is this happening? Probably a combination of two things: underproduction by the original company, Pioneer, and an unexpected fan turnout. SMS was probably more popular than Pioneer realized, and so they didn't produced as many as needed. Now, of course, there aren't enough, and fans are complaining. What can we do? Not too much, I'm afraid - what I would do is write to Pioneer about it. Their web site is pioneeranimation.com if you are interested. (The link isn't working right now, it should be back up soon.) Since I don't have the DVD yet, the SMEC's review will be late. Very sorry guys, but it's all I can do. :-( back home!