The fifth season of the Sailor Moon anime series, titled Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars (美少女戦士セーラームーン セーラースターズ Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn Sērā Sutāzu), was produced by Toei Animation and directed by Takuya Igarashi. The season began broadcasting on TV Asahi on March 9, 1996 and ended on February 8, 1997. This season of Sailor Moon has not been dubbed into English.
This season takes as its basis the fifth story arc (Stars) of the manga by Naoko Takeuchi. Given the existing popularity of the series, Toei Animation started adapting Stars into an anime even before Takeuchi had finished the manga. The anime follows the same themes and depicts many of the same characters and events as the manga, but with fewer new characters and some significant divergences, especially towards the end.
Sailor Stars begins with six episodes that re-introduce the previous season's villain, Queen Nehellenia, as well as the four Outer Senshi, who meet her for the first time (they did not appear during the fourth season). These episodes originated as filler to allow Takeuchi time to begin her new story-arc; afterward the season follows the manga. Its plot branches out to introduce new characters and even new Sailor Senshi from other planets, including the Sailor Starlights, Princess Kakyuu, and Chibi Chibi. As in the manga, Chibiusa returns to her own time after the final battle with Nehellenia, and is not a participant in the events of this story arc. The primary villain is Sailor Galaxia, queen of an organization called Shadow Galactica, who seeks to rule the galaxy by collecting "true star seeds" (the equivalent of the manga's Sailor Crystals). Of the five story arcs, Sailor Stars is the only one featuring recurring villains of only one gender; all female, because they are all parody-Senshi. In the anime, it is also the only arc in which all the villains who die are killed by other villains.
Takeuchi, however, expressed disappointment with some of the changes made in the adaptation from the manga, stating that many of things she had wanted to see included in the anime did not appear, including the Senshi's final uniforms and characters such as Sailors Kakyuu, Cosmos, Lethe, and Mnemosyne. She also expressed surprise when she learned that the Sailor Starlights, whom she regarded as very minor characters, played leading roles in the anime.[1] In particular, she was strongly displeased that the Starlights physically changed gender, from man to woman when they transformed, feeling that it undermined her rule that only girls could be Senshi.[2]
Broadcasts have also taken place in several non-Anglophone Western markets, including parts of Latin America and Europe. Tokyopop has translated the corresponding manga volumes into English. According to Anime Insider magazine, this season was never dubbed into English due to licensing issues in the U.S. as well as the content of the season itself.
Sailor Stars uses three pieces of theme music:
| No. | Original Japanese title[3] | Original air date[3] |
|---|---|---|
| 167 | "Scattering Nightmare Flowers! Queen of Darkness Revives" "Akumu hana wo chirasu toki! Yami no Joō fukkatsu" (悪夢花を散らす時!闇の女王復活) |
March 9, 1996 |
| Setsuna comes to take baby Hotaru from Professor Tomoe. Meanwhile, as Chibi-Usa prepares to go back to the future, a mysterious presence awakes Nehelenia, who sends glass shards from a broken mirror to Earth after learning that Sailor Chibi Moon and Sailor Moon have survived. The broken shards appear like "falling stars", and one falls in Mamoru's eye, while the disturbance interferes with Rini's attempts to go back to the future. Meanwhile, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus fight glass monsters that appear from the glass shards. Sailor Pluto arrives with baby Hotaru, who gives Uranus, Neptune and Pluto the power to transform into Super Sailor Senshi, like the rest. After the battle, Hotaru suddenly starts growing up, and gives a warning of a revolution that will put the princess in danger. | ||
| 168 | "The Awakening of Saturn! The Ten Sailor Soldiers Unite" "Satān no mezame! Sērā jũ Senshi shūketsu" (サターンの目覚め!S10戦士集結) |
March 23, 1996 |
| Mamoru begins to act strangely, and Usagi becomes worried. Hotaru continues to grow up, and a visit from the spirit of Sailor Saturn awakens her to her past experiences. The Sailor Saturn inside young Hotaru awakens, and along with the Outer Senshi, she tries to warn Sailor Moon of the danger she's in. Sailor Moon becomes Eternal Sailor Moon for the first time. | ||
| 169 | "Cursed Evil Mirror! Mamoru, Trapped in a Nightmare" "Noroi no makyō! Akumu ni torawareta Mamoru" (呪いの魔鏡!悪夢にとらわれた衛) |
April 13, 1996 |
| People all around Tokyo, including Mamoru, become entranced by mirrors. Usagi remembers a shadow she saw in Mamoru's mirror, and races off with the other Senshi to find him. Just as she identifies the shadow as Nehelenia, the queen drags Mamoru into her mirror world. | ||
| 170 | "The Destined Night! The Agony of the Sailor Soldiers" "Unmei no ichiya! Sērā Senshi no kunan" (運命の一夜!セーラー戦士の苦難) |
April 20, 1996 |
| Mamoru gets taken through a mirror, and Usagi transforms and follows him — against her friends' wishes. The other Senshi teleport to Nehelenia's world to find Sailor Moon, but end up getting separated. Mercury and Uranus form a team and attempt to defeat Nehelenia, but their opponent - revealed as a clone - traps the two in mirrors. The episode ends in a cliffhanger with Mars and Neptune caught in a trap. | ||
| 171 | "For the Sake of Love! Endless Battle of the Evil World" "Ai yue ni! Hateshinaki makai no tatakai" (愛ゆえに!果てしなき魔界の戦い) |
April 27, 1996 |
| Mars and Neptune battle against another mirror-copy of Nehelenia, but after an exhaustive battle they faint and get captured by Nehalenia. Meanwhile, Pluto and Venus also fall into captivity, while Jupiter sacrifices herself to save Sailor Moon, who fell under Nehelenia's hypnosis. One of Jupiter's rose earrings remains behind, and as Usagi looks at it, she remembers Tuxedo Karmen. The hypnosis is broken, and Usagi makes her way through the final barrier to Nehelenia's castle: A stairway covered in thorns. | ||
| 172 | "The Power of Moon Love! The Nightmare Ends" "Ai no mūn pawā! Akumu no owaru toki" (愛のムーンパワー!悪夢の終わる時) |
May 4, 1996 |
| Sailor Chibi Moon and Sailor Saturn face Nehelenia. Sailor Saturn attempts to use her Silence Glaive, but Chibi Moon stops her. Usagi finally arrives in time to see Chibi Moon disappear as the curse progresses. When the 9 senshi's power helps Usagi transform directly into Eternal Sailor Moon, Nehelenia reveals that she experienced a lonely childhood, but that the mirror kept her company. After Nehelenia physically assaults her, Usagi's pity breaks the curse over Mamoru. Chibi Moon returns, all the other Senshi are freed, and Eternal Sailor Moon's power returns Nehelenia to her childhood. | ||
| 173 | "A Farewell and a Meeting! The Flow of the Stars of Destiny" "Wakare to deai! Unmei no hoshiboshi no ryūten" (別れと出会い!運命の星々の流転) |
May 11, 1996 |
| Leaving for New York City to study abroad, Mamoru gives Usagi a pre-engagement ring. While Mamoru is about to leave, three new popular idols named the Three Lights appear (Seiya/Sailor Star Fighter, Yaten/Sailor Star Healer, and Taiki/Sailor Star Maker). A new enemy, Sailor Iron Mouse, extracts a woman's "Star Seed", but Sailor Moon appears to stop her. However, the woman who had her Star Seed extracted transforms into a "Phage", a monstrous form of a human once their star seed is exposed and allowed to turn black. A group of three mysterious Sailor Senshi, named the Sailor Starlights, say that it is impossible to turn a human back to its original form after they become a Phage. However, Sailor Moon is able to turn the woman back to normal. | ||
| 174 | "A Fierce Storm at School! Transfer Students are Idols" "Gakuen ni fuku arashi! Tenkōsei wa aidoru" (学園に吹く嵐!転校生はアイドル) |
May 18, 1996 |
| The Three Lights arrive at Usagi's high school as new students. They want to join a club. Seiya joins the American Football Team and meets the captain, Kayama. Sailor Iron Mouse turns him into a Phage. The Sailor Starlights show up again, and the other Senshi meet them. | ||
| 175 | "Aim to be an Idol! Minako's Ambition" "Aidoru wo mezase! Minako no yabō" (アイドルをめざせ!美奈子の野望) |
May 25, 1996 |
| Minako aims to jump-start her idol career by becoming the Three Lights' personal assistant. Meanwhile, Iron Mouse sets her sights on a pushy hot-shot photographer. | ||
| 176 | "Fighter's True Form! A Shocking Super Transformation" "Faitā no shōtai! Shōgeki no chōhenshin" (ファイターの正体!衝撃の超変身) |
June 8, 1996 |
| The Three Lights practice for an upcoming dance-musical, with a harsh female director who holds down another job as a nun in Rei's school. Seiya, especially, doesn't get along with her. Sailor Iron Mouse selects this woman as her new target, and Seiya transforms alone to try and stop her. Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon convince Seiya not to kill her. | ||
| 177 | "Entrusting Dreams and Romance to the Stars! Taiki's Transformation" "Hoshi ni takusu yume to roman! Taiki no henshin" (星に託す夢とロマン!大気の変身) |
June 15, 1996 |
| Professor Amanogawa at the Senshi's high school anticipates the return of a comet visible from Earth. However, it begins to rain, and it looks bad for viewing of the comet. Meanwhile, Sailor Iron Mouse attacks Amanogawa, and Taiki, who arrived alone, transforms to battle him. Amanogawa is turned back to normal and the sky clears up, allowing for clear viewing of the comet. | ||
| 178 | "Luna Saw It!? Idol Yaten's True Face" "Luna wa mita!? Aidoru Yaten no sugao" (ルナは見た!?アイドル夜天の素顔) |
June 22, 1996 |
| Seiya signs the Three Lights up for a TV program about pop idols and their pets, but an iguana they had ready for the show runs away. Luna does not stay far, however, and Yaten takes her in, not knowing that she belongs to Usagi. Yaten bonds with Luna, while the Senshi try to find out Luna's purposes. The audience identifies Yaten as Sailor Star Healer. | ||
| 179 | "Enemies? Allies? Starlights and Sailor Soldiers" "Teki? Mikata? Sutāraitsu to Sērā Senshi" (敵?味方?スターライツとS戦士) |
June 29, 1996 |
| Taiki runs into Makoto in the school greenhouse and asks her to come and cook with him on a TV program. Usagi volunteers to serve as Makoto's assistant and makes a mess of things, while the head chef of the program turns into a Phage. Taiki laughs for the very first time in years. | ||
| 180 | "The Brightness of the Calling Stars! Haruka and Company into the War" "Yobiau hoshi no kagayaki! Haruka-tachi sansen" (呼び合う星の輝き!はるか達参戦) |
July 13, 1996 |
| The Three Lights and Michiru plan a joint concert, and the Senshi want to obtain tickets. After the concert, Seiya and Michiru flirt - Haruka walks in and Seiya and Haruka openly disagree with each other. Sailor Iron Mouse attacks a famous conductor. | ||
| 181 | "Seiya and Usagi's Heart-Pounding Date" "Seiya to Usagi no doki-doki dēto" (セイヤとうさぎのドキドキデート) |
July 20, 1996 |
| Seiya and Usagi go on a date. They spend the day at an amusement park and go dancing, which causes Usagi some discomfort. Sailor Iron Mouse targets Seiya, forcing him to transform into Sailor Star Fighter. Usagi, having transformed into Sailor Moon, arrives on the scene and notices the pin Seiya won as a prize on the ground. She questions the Starlights about his disappearance. Iron Mouse, having seen the transformation, threatens to reveal Seiya's identity. Before she can do so, however, Galaxia appears and removes Iron Mouse's magical bracelets, causing her death. | ||
| 182 | "Invasion from Space! Seiren Comes Flying In" "Uchū kara no shinryaku! Seirēn hirai" (宇宙からの侵略!セイレーン飛来) |
August 3, 1996 |
| Galaxia's new Sailor Soldiers, Sailor Aluminum Seiren and Sailor Lead Crow, take up Sailor Iron Mouse's task. Usagi finds a strange little girl, whom she tries to talk with. The girl, who apparently can only say "Chibi", then runs off. She later appears at Usagi's home, Ikuko-mama now declaring her Usagi's sister. After a search for a lost Chibi Chibi, Sailor Aluminum Seiren changes a chief of police into a Phage. Usagi and Setsuna now have to face this new enemy. | ||
| 183 | "The Scream of Dead Souls? The Mystery of Terror Camp" "Shiryō no sakebi? Kyōfu kyampu no kaijin" (死霊の叫び!?恐怖キャンプの怪人) |
August 10, 1996 |
| Sailor Aluminum Seiren attacks an unidentified man. Usagi and the others travel to a lake, and Rei reveals that her cousin, a ceramic artist, lives nearby. The Three Lights have come to the same lake to film a horror movie. A monster appears and ravages Usagi's camp, causing Usagi and Rei to transform while the rest scatter. The monster's dialogue and the way he reacts to a pendant Rei reveals him as Rei's cousin, Kengo, turned Phage. | ||
| 184 | "A Night for Just Us! Usagi's Pinch" "Futarikiri no yoru! Usagi no pinchi" (ふたりきりの夜!うさぎのピンチ) |
August 17, 1996 |
| Upon learning that Usagi will spend the night alone, Seiya offers to sleep over and protect her. Before Seiya can reveal his secret identity as Sailor Star Fighter, Chibi Chibi interrupts. All the Sailor Senshi (except Hotaru and Setsuna) as well as Taiki and Yaten "happen" to come by, and a pushy news reporter, trying to get to the Three Lights, gets turned into a Phage inside Usagi's house. Chaos ensues. | ||
| 185 | "Taiki Sings With Excellence! A Believing Heart Carried by a Song" "Taiki zesshō! Shinjiru kokoro wo uta ni komete" (大気絶唱!信じる心を歌にこめて) |
August 31, 1996 |
| A young girl named Misa lies in the hospital suffering from a dangerous and almost incurable illness. Misa is a huge fan of the Three Lights, and when Taiki comes to greet her, the drawing she makes looks just like a mysterious Princess the Starlights are searching for. A doctor from America comes to perform Misa's operation, turns into a Phage, but is transformed back and successfully completes Misa's surgery. | ||
| 186 | "The Mystery of ChibiChibi! The Big Noisy Chase" "Chibichibi no nazo! Osawagase daitsuiseki" (ちびちびの謎!おさわがせ大追跡) |
September 7, 1996 |
| ChibiChibi comes home with a bag of candy, and Usagi wonders where she got it. Usagi follows her when she goes out again, believing that she has gone to visit a "world of sweets". She loses track of ChibiChibi, only to find her again in an extravagant mansion with a very rich man, who is turned into a Phage. | ||
| 187 | "The Power of a Shining Star! ChibiChibi's Transformation" "Kagayaku hoshi no pawā! Chibichibi no henshin" (輝く星のパワー!ちびちびの変身) |
September 14, 1996 |
| The founding member of the Three Lights Fanclub notices Usagi's familiarity with the Three Lights, and challenges her to a game of softball. She must win to continue associating with Seiya. After Seiya trains Usagi, the game starts. Before the final inning, Sailor Aluminum Seiren attacks the opposing team's captain. Usagi transforms to save her, but Aluminum Seiren sees her, decides that Usagi holds the true star seed, and attacks her. Chibi Chibi appears, providing the power for a stronger attack she uses to defeat the phage. Later, Usagi makes the game-winning catch. | ||
| 188 | "An Invitation to Terror! Usagi's Night Flight" "Kyōfu e no shōtai! Usagi no yakan hikō" (恐怖への招待!うさぎの夜間飛行) |
October 12, 1996 |
| Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako all have tickets to board a fan-club flight with the Three Lights. Jealous at missing out on all the fun, Usagi sadly walks back home to find a letter addressed to Sailor Moon from Sailor Aluminum Seiren. Realizing that the flight is actually a trap, Usagi is desperate to save her friends. The Sailor Team and the Starlights are forced to reveal their identities to each other, and Aluminum Seiren is killed for not finding a Star Seed. | ||
| 189 | "Torn Between Duty and Friendship! Confrontation Among the Sailor Soldiers" "Shimei to yūjō no hazama! Sērā Senshi-tachi no tairitsu" (使命と友情の間!S戦士達の対立) |
October 19, 1996 |
| Usagi feels torn between the Three Lights as her friends and as Senshi. Yaten and Taiki urge Seiya to stay away from Usagi, and a local DJ gets turned into a Phage. Sailor Moon defeats him, but Sailor Tin Nyanko makes a sneak-attack on her with a paw-shaped blaster. Seiya jumps in and takes the blast for Sailor Moon, which causes him great pain. Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker show up, and cooly tell the Senshi to stay away from them. | ||
| 190 | "Truth Revealed! Seiya and Company's Past" "Akasareta shinjitsu! Seiya-tachi no kako" (明かされた真実!セイヤ達の過去) |
October 26, 1996 |
| The Outer Senshi (sans Saturn) and the Starlights reveal their identities to each other. Seiya tells them he will not see Usagi anymore. Usagi tries to get in contact with Seiya, despite opposition from the Outer Senshi and the other Starlights. Seiya secretly invites Usagi to a upcoming concert, where his song reveals to Usagi his past: Galaxia destroyed their planet and many others. Their Princess escaped to Earth, they followed behind her, and they are now searching for her. Seiya, still not fully recovered after his injury, faints from exhaustion after singing. The manager of the concert is turned into a Phage. | ||
| 191 | "When a Light Butterfly Dances in the Air! Premonition of a New Wave" "Hikari no chō ga mau toki! Atarashī nami no yokan" (光の蝶が舞う時!新しい波の予感) |
November 9, 1996 |
| The Guardian Senshi, minus Usagi, go to a game-event in order to get closer to Taiki and talk to him about Seiya and Usagi. A woman is turned into a Phage, and the Senshi are forced to fight it until Usagi arrives. | ||
| 192 | "Straight to Your Dream! Idol Minako is Born?" "Yume icchokusen! Aidoru Minako tanjō!?" (夢一直線!アイドル美奈子の誕生) |
November 16, 1996 |
| Minako has tried out in an "idol" competition judged by Yaten and has reached the final round. Sailor Tin Nyanko, in disguise, is also judging. Everyone keeps telling her not to forget her "real dream" outside of her duties. One of the judges is turned into a Phage. Yaten begins to understand the Senshi more now. He also gets closer to Minako. Minako passes the final round, but decides being with her friends is more important now. | ||
| 193 | "The Silver Crystal is Stolen! The Fireball Princess Appears" "Ubawareta ginzuishō! Kakyū Purinsesu shutsugen" (うばわれた銀水晶!火球皇女出現) |
November 30, 1996 |
| Sailor Lead Crow has identified Usagi as Sailor Moon, and confronts her at the local school festival. Lead Crow threatens the lives of bystanders with a black hole. Usagi allows her Star Seed to be taken, but Sailor Tin Nynako attacks Lead Crow, who drops the black hole, gets sucked in, and dies. Usagi and Chibi-Chibi are swallowed by it as well, but the power of an incense burner Chibi-Chibi produces destroys the black hole. Usagi's Star Seed is returned to her as she floats down in the arms of a woman that the Starlights identify as the Princess they've been searching for. | ||
| 194 | "Holy War in the Galaxy! Sailor Wars Legend" "Ginga no seisen! Sērā Wōzu densetsu" (銀河の聖戦 セーラーウォーズ伝説) |
December 7, 1996 |
| The Princess reveals that she came to Earth to find the Light of Hope that will stop Galaxia from trying to plunge the entire universe into chaos. The Sailor Senshi try to protect Usagi from an attack, following her all the time. Meanwhile, Usagi tries to contact Mamoru. Sailor Tin Nyanko attempts to attack Usagi on the roof of her high-school. When Usagi uses her Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss on Nyanko, her right golden bracelet is knocked off by the Crystal Power Kiss, causing that side of Sailor Tin Nyanko to turn white. | ||
| 195 | "Fireball Princess Dies Out! Galaxia Descends" "Kakyū Purinsesu shōmetsu! Gyarakushia kōrin" (火球皇女消滅!ギャラクシア降臨) |
December 14, 1996 |
| With their Princess found, the Three Lights announce that they will disband and hold their final concert. Galaxia and Tin Nyanko attack, and when the Senshi try to fight back, Tin Nyanko feels torn between her good side and her bad side. Galaxia just removes the last bracelet and kills her. Princess Kakyuu sacrifices herself to defend the Senshi, and Sailor Galaxia obtains her Star Seed. | ||
| 196 | "When the Galaxy Perishes! The Sailor Soldiers' Final Battle" "Ginga horobiru toki! Sērā Senshi saigo no tatakai" (銀河滅びる時!S戦士最後の戦い) |
January 11, 1997 |
| With Princess Kakyuu's Star Seed in hand, Galaxia begins to attack the Earth and obtains the Star Seeds of every innocent person. The Starlights have already confronted Galaxia to avenge their Princess, and the Sailor Team goes after them. When they reach Galaxia and the Starlights, Galaxia steals the Guardian Senshi's Star Seeds, killing them. | ||
| 197 | "Ruler of the Galaxy! Galaxia's Threat" "Ginga no shihaisha! Gyarakushia no kyōi" (銀河の支配者! ギャラクシアの脅威) |
January 18, 1997 |
| Sailor Moon learns what happened to Mamoru: Galaxia took his Star Seed in the beginning of the season. The Senshi retreat to Galaxy TV, where Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn head off to fight Galaxia. Their efforts prove futile, and Galaxia simply offers them a deal to side with her. Pluto and Saturn oppose, but Uranus and Neptune accept Galaxia's bracelets. To prove their loyalty to her, they kill Pluto and Saturn and obtain their Star Seeds. | ||
| 198 | "Disappearing Stars! The End of Uranus and Neptune" "Kieyuku hoshiboshi! Uranasu-tachi no saigo" (消えゆく星々!ウラヌス達の最期) |
January 25, 1997 |
| Sailor Moon and the Starlights must face off their own teammates in a battle for their lives. When Galaxia commands the two to take Sailor Moon's Star Seed, they turn on Galaxia and attack her instead, thinking once that her Star Seed is removed, she'll be killed. But Galaxia has no Star Seed, and since Uranus and Neptune betrayed her, she removes their bracelets and leaves them to die. | ||
| 199 | "The Light of Hope! Final Battle for the Galaxy" "Kibō no Hikari! Ginga wo kaketa saishū kessen" (希望の光!銀河をかけた最終決戦) |
February 1, 1997 |
| With only Sailor Moon, Chibi Chibi, and the Starlights left, the Starlights give the last of their energy to attempt to defeat Galaxia, but suffer terrible wounds in the process. Sailor Moon believes it possible to turn Galaxia good again, and while her powers attempt to work, Galaxia retaliates at the last minute and nearly kills Sailor Moon, removing her star seed. Chibi Chibi reveals herself as The Light of Hope. | ||
| 200 | "Usagi's Love! The Moonlight Lights Up the Galaxy" "Usagi no ai! Gekkō ginga wo terasu" (うさぎの愛!月光銀河を照らす) |
February 8, 1997 |
| Chibi Chibi restores Usagi's Star Seed and transforms into the Sword of Sealing, which she begs Serenity to use as a weapon to defeat Galaxia. Serenity refuses to kill her, believing that she still has good inside her. She instead heals Galaxia, and gives her the strength to expel Chaos from her body, an act which returns darkness to the minds of all life, where it belongs together with the Light of Hope. After the battle, everyone returns to life, including Mamoru. The Starlights and Princess Kakyuu say their goodbyes and leave. The show ends with Usagi kissing Mamoru under a full moon after they reaffirm their love for each other. "Moonlight Densetsu", the opening song used for the first four seasons, plays over a photo-montage and the end-credits. | ||
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