Sailor Moon Eternal Box Office

[Seira Hazuki]

I am speculating here, but maybe it’s wrong to assume that Naoko owns all legal rights of “Sailor Moon.” She owns the broadcasting rights of the 90’s anime and her own manga, and she may be the major shareholder, but TOEI, Kodansha, and Bandai may have their share, too. “Sailor Moon” was ultimately animated by TOEI to sell Bandai toys.

Toei, Kodansha and Bandai obviously owns some legal rights, but ultimately Naoko has the final say, because in Japan, the gensakusha (original creator) has the ultimate say in everything.

There’s also really nothing stopping her from going to another studio. I feel like I see Sailor Moon fans claim otherwise all of the time using weird logic that because Toei had some suggestions for the manga, it makes them co-creator... It just doesn’t work that way. There are plenty of anime that change studios. In fact, Cutie Honey and Devilman’s first anime adaptations of Go Nagai’s manga were both created by Toei and their most recent anime adaptations were produced by other studios. And those are ICONIC works that I doubt Toei would have just let go if they had the power.

 

[Kon]

Toei, Kodansha and Bandai obviously owns some legal rights, but ultimately Naoko has the final say, because in Japan, the gensakusha (original creator) has the ultimate say in everything.

There’s also really nothing stopping her from going to another studio. I feel like I see Sailor Moon fans claim otherwise all of the time using weird logic that because Toei had some suggestions for the manga, it makes them co-creator... It just doesn’t work that way. There are plenty of anime that change studios. In fact, Cutie Honey and Devilman’s first anime adaptations of Go Nagai’s manga were both created by Toei and their most recent anime adaptations were produced by other studios. And those are ICONIC works that I doubt Toei would have just let go if they had the power.

However, in the case of Sailor Moon, Toei was involved in Sailor Moon manga creation from the start. I think this won't allow so much freedom to change another studio.

Toei has likely more power in Sailor Moon franchise than the cases you mentioned, where Toei only make the anime.


Sailor Moon is a pretty uncommon case, that's why it so difficult to analize.

 

[Seira Hazuki]

However, in the case of Sailor Moon, Toei was involved in Sailor Moon manga creation from the start. I think this won't allow so much freedom to change another studio.

Toei has likely more power in Sailor Moon franchise than the cases you mentioned (where Toei only make the anime).

Devilman has almost an identical history to Sailor Moon, so again that’s completely wrong. Giving their input =/= being considered an original creator of a work in Japan. They do not have that kind of authority that they’re the only studio that can produce Sailor Moon.

 

[GuerreroLuna]

I'm happy for Doremi fans. I have never seen the series. My only magical girls show has been Sailor Moon.
I think the situations are different though, apart from the fact that Japan in November 2020 is not Japan in January 2021.
From what I have seen, the film is the project chosen as the 20th anniversary of the series. I think if Crystal had done something similar it would have had a greater reception than the Doremi film has had. We must remember that Eternal comes after 6 hard and tortuous years of pretty bad animation, debatable decisions (the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month, really?) Then the third season designs that were, well, a choice.
after all those shifts those that remain in the franchise are the unconditional fans. Toei will go down in history on how NOT to run a franchise that can make you earn a ton of money. In fact, in 2019 Sailor Moon gave them almost 9 million dollars. 2019, a year in which they did not release any animation related to the franchise, and Naoko, being the biggest owner of the franchise and having the rights to the 90s series, probably took twice that number.
In any case, I'm seeing that both Doremi and Digimon made 2 million dollars in Japan so if both Eternal movies do that ... it's the least I think we can hope for so we don't consider it an absolute failure. The costs are clearly covered by the agreement with Netflix and the multitude of merchandising that they have been releasing with the film, much of which has been sold out within hours. A crystal kaleidoscope for $ 300? They took out 1000 pieces. That's $ 300,000 ...

 

[sapphire91]

Btw Winx live action wasn't half asbad as I thought. Of course I know next to nothing about the original. So I guess a live action of Sailor Moon might be quite good if you forget it is Sailor Moon.

 

[Clow]

Doremi definitely does, it has episodes covering the more serious of topics like death, racism & divorce.

Examples:

https://twitter.com/statuses/1083404127567106049

https://twitter.com/statuses/1083404133581778944

https://twitter.com/statuses/1181402867711823872

More examples (along with staff info) in this article: 20 Years Of Ojamajo Doremi: The Ideal Kids Anime Grows Up With Its Audience

I had never seen an anime address the problem of racism as openly as Doremi did.

Impressed.

 

[Clow]

Toei, Kodansha and Bandai obviously owns some legal rights, but ultimately Naoko has the final say, because in Japan, the gensakusha (original creator) has the ultimate say in everything.

Yes, I agree that Naoko is the major stakeholder & has the final say, but personally I am not sure if she can take “Sailor Moon” to a different studio.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am a manga fan & love Crysternal, but if I owned “Sailor Moon,” I would take it to a different studio—and I wonder why Naoko didn’t.

I think the broadcasting of Crystal seasons 1-2 was messy (e.g. airing unfinished episodes) and it could have been handled much better. Moreover, Crystal was not a consistent show. The art kept changing, the format kept changing, and these changes demonstrate, to me at least, that TOEI didn’t have a plan.

 

[Clow]

Well there's that x kissing scene Mexico edited out. So yeah she doesn't have full control.

I believe she is unaware that TV Azteca censored her creation & I believe she would oppose TV Azteca’s decision by writing a letter if she could.

 

[Masquerade]

I believe she is unaware that TV Azteca censored her creation & I believe she would oppose TV Azteca’s decision by writing a letter if she could.

There's no proof she cares about international censorship.
That's fan rumour. Lots of countries still censor Sailor Moon to this day.

 

[Clow]

This is speculation from my part, but I think she was involved in some capacity in the VIZ release (she had to approve it) and I think she wanted the anime to be introduced in North America as it was in Japan. No censorship, original character’s names, etc. Similarly, I also believe she would oppose a publisher censoring or altering scenes from the manga or changing character’s names.

 

[julayla]

This is speculation from my part, but I think she was involved in some capacity in the VIZ release (she had to approve it) and I think she wanted the anime to be introduced in North America as it was in Japan. No censorship, original character’s names, etc. Similarly, I also believe she would oppose a publisher censoring or altering scenes from the manga or changing character’s names.

Didn't Naoko herself approve of the name changes back in the 90s back then as well? I always found it odd that her and Toei actually allowed the censorship for the American viewers

 

[Clow]

Didn't Naoko herself approve of the name changes back in the 90s back then as well? I always found it odd that her and Toei actually allowed the censorship for the American viewers

Speculating, but I think TOEI doesn’t care. You can name the characters Serena and Darien, and it’s fine with them. Naoko, on the other hand, seems to care a lot. I don’t believe she would allow a publisher to publish her manga or a studio to redub the anime with the characters’ names being different.

 

[Jawshx]

it’s strange. On some levels she seems really over her own franchise judging from how little new art she produces for it (no new art book, in fact nothing outside of new covers)

But then you have her being upset over the smallest changes with regards to attack and transformation phrases. Even though most of them are gibberish anyway.

She has strange hang ups.

 

[Star Angel Haruki]

it’s strange. On some levels she seems really over her own franchise judging from how little new art she produces for it (no new art book, in fact nothing outside of new covers)

But then you have her being upset over the smallest changes with regards to attack and transformation phrases. Even though most of them are gibberish anyway.

She has strange hang ups.

She knows it still brings in profit and will always bring in money so she can contest whatever she desires without producing anything new.

And if she isn't under contract to produce anything new...she can chill and eat pork buns all day as the dollar signs keep coming in from 25+ year fan obsession.

On the real, she may be in silent retirement. Sailor Moon series made her a millionaire and she still gets checks from whatever is released and all kinds of dibs. Her husband also brings in some good money from his series too. I think she is just chillin' on the fact she and most likely her children will be rich for all eternity..lol

 

[rgveda99]

And if she isn't under contract to produce anything new...she can chill and ride on her Porsche, Ferrari and Bugatti collection all day as the dollar signs keep coming in from 25+ year fan obsession.

Fixed.

 

[Masquerade]

Didn't Naoko herself approve of the name changes back in the 90s back then as well? I always found it odd that her and Toei actually allowed the censorship for the American viewers

Toei is interested in money. They are a media company. The staff even stepped in to help Italy with the censorship in Sailor Stars. The Italian dubbing director said it himself. They don't care about censorship and editing.
And Naoko sure didn't have much of a say in the early nineties. And according to the 2013 interview on ROLa Magazine, she's well aware countries like Indonesia censor Sailor Moon to this day and apparently doesn't care.

 

[rgveda99]

And according to the 2013 interview on ROLa Magazine, she's well aware countries like Indonesia censor Sailor Moon to this day and apparently doesn't care.

Did they had a revival in South Korea? That dub is the most awful when it comes censorship with . Beats even the whole French is a man who turns to a girl and the Italian Starlights (correct me if I'm wrong on this one) being men having twin Sailor females. Or Portuguese Healer having the worst voice in history.

 

[Clow]

And Naoko sure didn't have much of a say in the early nineties. And according to the 2013 interview on ROLa Magazine, she's well aware countries like Indonesia censor Sailor Moon to this day and apparently doesn't care.

I am speculating here, but would Naoko approve a new dub that censors her characters and story like the many existing dubs from the 90s did?

I don’t think she would.

 

[Clow]

I am not sure if this rumor is true, but apparently a manga publisher had a dispute with her over the RGB values of a color. The color exists in Japan, but it allegedly didn’t exist in the publisher’s country.

 

[Crystal Moon]

I am not sure if this rumor is true, but apparently a manga publisher had a dispute with her over the RGB values of a color. The color exists in Japan, but it allegedly didn’t exist in the publisher’s country.

What do you mean? They use CMYK in printing, not RGB. And if that's a special color, they will premix it before printing.