The word is officially out– Viz Media announced (and confirmed via Twitter) that the elusive fifth season of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Sailor Stars) will arrive to home media in May, 2019.
What’s most brilliant to me about this simple little image and tweet? The decision to start it off with “Stage On!”
Long time fans of Sailor Stars, which debuted in Japan in 1996 know that this is the announcement phrase of the Sailor Starlights, the three Sailor Soldiers from a distant planet that fell to ruins in the hands of the powerful Sailor Galaxia, the top-tier Sailor Soldier who turned to evil when she crammed the evil energy of Chaos inside herself to seal it away instead of ask anyone else for help.
From there, Chaos went on a psycho mission, telling Galaxia she needed to collect Star Seeds (life force energy, in a nutshell) from other Sailor Senshi, and coerce a bunch of hot women into running around wearing only lingerie.
Raaaaaad.
In spite of the fact that bootleg video tapes of Sailor Stars have been around forever (I’ve got them all) and the season has been subtitled on Hulu for at least two years at this point, newer fans of the series just never made the effort to embrace the final season. Some people just want it dubbed– that’s their preference. Fine. Some people might have heard ‘weird things’ about the gender-sex-swapping Starlights upon transformation. But the truth is, the Sailor Starlights are my favorite Sailor Moon characters. And today, I’m going to drop some facts about them that not everyone might know. And if you do, well…you know…you are indeed good enough.
Ore ja dame ka.
You can get me a tissue, too.
1) Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten all share the first name ‘Kou’
They have the same first name, not the same last name if we’re going by traditional Japanese name delivery. However, if we consider the fact that they’re aliens, maybe the naming convention is different.
I’ll also drop here that thing that everyone loves to talk about. In the original manga, the Three Lights were women dressed as men. In the anime, they were boys who transformed into girls. According to the powers at Toei, they wants to have a male presence to replace Mamoru when he went off to college. Plus, there was the love-love power tension between Seiya and Usagi anyway.
That said…come on– we all know they are the first transgender icons of their time. Seiya Kou is a trans-man. I’ve always felt that Yaten was a woman, angry at the ‘plan’ forced onto him. Taiki is along for the ride, but is intrigued by Ami and the attention that being male gets him.
2) The Sailor Starlights hail from the planet Kinmoku, the Fragrant Olive Planet
That’s part of the reason why their princess’ scent is so important during their songs and the scenes with Chibi Chibi and the incense burner. The name of their planet is never explicitly dropped in the anime, but is discussed in the manga and musicals.
3) Speaking of songs, one would think from watching Sailor Stars that the Three Lights only have two published songs to their name.
While Nagareboshi He (Search For Your Love) and Todokanu Omoi: My Friend’s Love are the only two you hear in the anime, the Three Lights actually have a huge list of songs:
- Nagareboshi He (Search For Your Love)
- Todokanu Omoi: My Friend’s Love
- Ginga Ichi Mibun na Kataomoi (Seiya’s Single)
- Mayonaka Hitori (Yaten’s Single)
- Chikara wo Awasete (Taiki’s Single)
- Chasing After You (Sailor Stars Stage Musical)
- See Me, Boku-tachi no Jidai (Sailor Stars Stage Musical)
- Sailor War Supreme (Sailor Star Stage Musical)
- I Miss You (Seiya and Usagi’s duet in the Eien Densetsu Musical)
- Toki Michite Kourin (Kakyuu’s song)
- Princess Kakyuu and the Three Lights (Eien Densetsu Musical)
- Wandering Stars (Le Mouvement Final Stage Musical)
That’s almost enough songs for a soundtrack in and of itself! Don’t forget we also have delicious background music dedicated to these amazing characters, such as:
- Star Power, Makeup!
- Starlights Appear
- Starlights Attack
- Todokanu Omoi: Instrumental featuring Michiru on violin
- Super Idols
- Seiya’s Memories
- Princess Kakyuu’s Theme
- Plus the orgel music box versions of the Three Light’s singles
4) There’s a fan theory that because Seiya is a trans-man, he’s the one who constructed the whole ‘we need to be dudes’ plan
It’s been something I’ve been screaming for years, and it is illustrated perfectly in this Moon Sticks comic by Chibi Jennifer.
5) While Taiki Kou, Sailor Star Maker, is standoffish and cold, he’s actually the most nurturing and feeling among the Sailor Starlights.
This is proven by the fact that he writes all of their song lyrics (which they show him writing at his computer), as well as him admitting he has a love for poetry and literature. You can’t write love songs without a loving heart, guys! And while we all love to laugh at the attack Star Gentle Uterus, it has a connection to the maternal ‘Maker’ idea, and the idea of bringing forth love, life, and nurturing. Besides, when Seiya got blasted in the head, who was the one who carried him home? That’s right– Taiki. And the episode with the sick little girl? Ugh, so pretty.
Trivia: Taiki is my favorite Sailor Moon character and I will fight with fists as to why he’s amazing.
6) Head canon or not: Princess Kakyuu and Sailor Star Fighter, am I right?
7) Seiya’s Voice Actress voices another Sailor Moon character
In Sailor Moon SuperS episode 139, Niiyama Shiho voices the role of the strict mother of a young sword wielding girl who also sword fights in a mini dress and high heels. The beloved actress sadly passed away in 2002 at the age of 28 from leukemia.
8) Sailor Starlight Merch is the Best Merch:
Yes, these characters spatter my bedroom walls.