"Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon R: The Movie" (劇場版 美少女戦士セーラームーンＲ, Gekijō-ban Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn Āru) later known as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon R: The Movie is the first movie based on the Sailor Moon anime, and was originally released in 1993 in Japan. When shown in theaters, it was screened with the animated short Make Up! Sailor Guardians at the beginning. It was released in English with the subtitle "The Promise of the Rose."
A CD, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon R: The Movie Music Collection, was released on December 21, 1993, and it contained the soundtrack for the film.
The movie is available for streaming on Pluto TV, Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, Microsoft Movies and TV, Google TV, and YouTube.
Summary[]
Years ago, a young Mamoru befriended an alien named Fiore, gifting him a rose and Fiore promising to return with a gift in kind. Years later, Fiore has returned with the life-stealing Xenian Flower. Now, the Sailor Soldiers must rescue the kidnapped Mamoru and save Earth before the flower claims both!
Plot[]
The movie begins with the Sailor Soldiers and Chibiusa arriving at a botanical garden, where Mamoru is waiting for them, the seven of them enjoy the wonderful weather and the vast collection of flowers.
Years before, a young and exhausted Mamoru reaches the roof of the hospital he's staying at, where a young boy is waiting for him. The boy is pleased and promises to return with lots of flowers, disappearing in a set of sparkles, leaving Mamoru to cry alone for his departed friend. In the present, Mamoru snaps out of it, not realizing Usagi was talking about the importance of the flowers they were looking at, forget-me-nots. To Mamoru's surprise, he turns to see Usagi puckered up for a kiss. After trying to make sure no one is spying on him, he goes to lean in for a kiss, not realizing Chibiusa and the other girls are watching, much to Ami's hypocritical protestations. However, Chibiusa's squirming alerts Mamoru and he pulls away, allowing them to instead tease Usagi with a caterpillar, freaking her out.
Mamoru escapes outside, allowing him to recompose himself and enjoy the garden. However, a mysterious shower of flower petals and a darkening sky surprises him. The Soldiers find Mamoru and are both awed and confused by the sight. As the showers end, Mamoru is confronted by a mysterious young man. As Usagi approaches Mamoru, the young man does the same, revealing he finally found the flower he wanted to give him but regrets having taken so long. However, Mamoru doesn't recognize him. When he goes to take Mamoru's hand, Usagi comes between them, proclaiming Mamoru's hers. However, the young man angrily shoves Usagi to the ground, the others running to her aid. Rei and Makoto yell at him, demanding to know what his problem is, but he just mentions he'll fulfill his promise to Mamoru and disappears in a whirlwind of flowers. Mamoru realizes who that person might be: Fiore.
That night, at the Hikawa Shrine, a news report mentions how an asteroid was detected that afternoon, but will have no direct effect with the Earth. However, Artemis and Luna are not convinced. Artemis did his own research on the asteroid and they learn that, despite its size, it has very little mass. Combined with the fact they detected plant energy within it, Ami wonders if it's actually a seed. Makoto and Minako both think he's overreacting, something he hopes is true. Usagi, however, is in a panic over Fiore: could he have been a long lost lover of Mamoru's? Is she overreacting? The other girls tease her for it, though Ami's musing that he might be popular with the guys leads to the other girls discussing such relationships, much to the cats' displeasure. Usagi does admit she doesn't know much about Mamoru's past, though. Usagi thinks back to a discussion about his parents, that despite losing them, he doesn't think about them much, considering Usagi his family and her promising to protect him. As Usagi slips outside, a mysterious seed floats from the sky and floats into the city, landing by a tree and planting itself, instantly blooming.
The next day, as the girls and the cats are heading off to school, something catches Rei's attention, getting them all to stop. There's an evil aura nearby, causing them to race in its direction. Chibiusa can't catch up and trips, calling them heartless for leaving her behind. Rounding the corner, they're caught by the horrific sight of various civilians passed out on the ground. Investigating one person, Artemis realizes they've been drained of energy and gets them to investigate. However, the person Minako's near, grabs her ankle and flips her up as he stands, leading to Minako kicking him and flipping back to her feet. More and more civilians rise up, their bodies wrapped in vines. Ami spots various weird plants racing out from the bushes and warns the others that they're the cause. The girls are overpowered, but Rei is able to end the threat with Akuryo Taisan, destroying the plants and knocking out the civilians. Ami's Super Computer pinpoints the source of the evil plants to a nearby flower. Discovered, the flower hops out, spawning four legs and runs towards Chibiusa. However, Usagi throws herself at her, saving her and taking the brunt of crashing through a diner window.
The flower charges back at the girls, spawning a torso resembling a humanoid woman. Rei attempts another Akuryo Taisan, but the creature dodges the talismen and grabs Rei and Ami by the neck, slamming them into a steel shutter and spawning a flower on its back, draining the girls of their energy. At Luna's command, Makoto and Minako transform into Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus, using a Venus Love Me Chain to cut away the creatures arms and a Sparkling Wide Pressure to push her back. It survives the Sparkling Wide Pressure, but allows Rei and Ami to transform into Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury. The creature is much faster this time, evading a Fire Soul and a Supreme Thunder. In the restaurant, Chibiusa attempts to rouse Usagi, ultimately shoving napkins in her nose and covering her mouth, causing Usagi to spring up from suffocation. Chibiusa tells her the other girls are fighting and Usagi goes to join them. She stops her briefly to thank her for saving her before letting Usagi transform into Sailor Moon.
As the creature overpowers and captures the Sailor Soldiers, Sailor Moon arrives, using Moon Tiara Action to cut them free from their binds. The creature attacks again, but Sailor Mercury captures it with Shine Aqua Illusion, giving Usagi time to attack with Moon Princess Halation. As the creature is destroyed, Fiore reappears, musing that he didn't expect people like them to be on Earth. As Fiore takes his true form, Luna and Artemis realize the flower on his jacket is a Xenian Flower, who finds Earth perfect for their flower. Knowing the Soldiers must be eliminated, Fiore tosses Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter with his power, leaving Sailor Moon and the cats by themselves. Fiore's nails grow long and attempts to skewer Sailor Moon with them when Tuxedo Mask arrives. Recognizing the flower, Fiore realizes Tuxedo Mask is Mamoru. Mamoru wants to know why Fiore is doing this. Fiore thinks Usagi is decieving him, but Mamoru tells him to put his trust in her. The Xenian Flower corrupts. him, making Fiore believe that Sailor Moon is brainwashing him and leaps at Sailor Moon, summoning a sword to attack her. However, Mamoru throws himself between them and blocks the sword. The struggle is a stalemate, knocking him to the ground, but Fiore loses the sword. As Fiore attempts to skewer Sailor Moon again, Mamoru throws himself in front of her, taking the attack. As she cradles Mamoru's body, Fiore steals him away, teleporting him to his arms. As Sailor Moon attempts to save him, Fiore flies away and teleports, leaving her alone, sobbing in despair.
Years ago, Mamoru suffers in a car crash that took his parents. As young Mamoru sobs for the loss of his parents, he's confronted by a young Fiore, who reassures him. In the present, Mamoru comes to, inside a crystal that is healing him, Fiore on the other side. Mamoru realizes that Fiore was actually real, not just some imaginary friend and Fiore explains that he wandered the galaxy alone until he was found by the young Mamoru. But, Fiore couldn't stay as he couldn't handle Earth's conditions. The flower he was gifted, though, made him search for a worthy flower to return with, finding the Xenian Flower. However, taking the flower made him believe that humanity should be destroyed for discarding Mamoru like he believes they did. As Mamoru demands answers, he realizes the Xenian Flower has taken control of him.
On Earth, Luna and Artemis tell the Soldiers about what the Xenian Flower is: an evil plant that seeks to drain other planets of its life force, one of the universe's deadlieset life forms. It takes control of weak-minded victims and uses them to spread its draining influence, ultimately destroying the planet on its own. The Soldiers realize Fiore is under its control. Sailor Mercury, then reveals that the flower emanates the same energy the asteroid has, which means the Xenian hideout and Mamoru are there. However, Sailor Moon, still rattled by earlier, refuses to go, scared by such a big risk and not wanting the others to get hurt and captured either. However, Chibiusa gets her to snap out of it, the other girls reassure her.
Performing Sailor Teleport, the girls arrive in space and the Xenian asteroid. As they approach it, the asteroid suddenly unfolds, revealing untold numbers of flowers inside. Suddenly, another woman flies past them, trying to cut them down. As it comes back, the Soldiers perform Sailor Planet Attack, destroying the woman, the Soldiers land safely except for Sailor Moon who lands harshly on her rear. Sailor Mercury discovers Mamoru's location with Jupiter stopping Moon from going to him, thinking it's a trap. With that, Fiore appears, reassuring them he'd never use Mamoru as bait. Sailor Moon demands he give back Mamoru, but Fiore shuts her up. He, then, reveals that he plans to have this asteroid seed the Earth when the asteroid reaches the closest it can get, killing the human race once they bloom. Sailor Mars reacts with a Fire Soul, but he teleports away. Suddenly, more creatures appear, bursting from the flowers that bloomed. The Soldiers attack, blasting many of them, only for more to spawn in. When Sailor Moon's Princess Halation destroys numerous ones, they retreat and reform into a massive tsunami. Sailor Mars tosses Sailor Moon away before the wave crashes into them, capturing the girls.
As Sailor Moon tries to dig them out, Fiore calls her a coward, but before she can attack him, a large vine rises up with the other Soldiers entangled in it. Fiore demands that she toss down her Cutie Moon Rod or he'll continue harming the Soldiers. Despite her friends begging her to forget about them and keep fighting, her kind heart can't handle it and Sailor Moon agrees. Though Sailor Mars calls her a coward, Sailor Moon just can't bear the idea of losing her friends again, the action confuses and hurts Fiore, causing the various creatures to disappear and the Soldiers to be freed. As Fiore struggles to understand, the Xenian Flower reasserts control and fuses with Fiore. As Mamoru finally frees himself and goes to Sailor Moon's side, Fiore goes on the attack, slamming Sailor Moon into a rock, then capturing her from behind. With her in his grasp, Fiore starts to absorb Sailor Moon's energy to feed the flowers.
As Fiore accuses the others of never understanding how he and Mamoru felt being alone and different, the awakening Soldiers are reminded of their past - Ami being ignored because people thought her intelligence made her superior to others, Makoto treated as a monster because of her strength, Minako being teased for never having friends and mocking the idea that she could be Sailor V, and Rei being shunned for her psychic powers. As Fiore drains Sailor Moon of her energy and prepares to kill her, the other Soldiers beg him to spare her, that without her, they would all be alone. Struggling further to comprehend, Fiore attempts to kill her, only for Mamoru to stab him with a rose. The act is enough to hurt Fiore, shattering his fused form and leaving him defeated because his friend attacked him.
Defeated, the flowers on the asteroid whither and die, leaving the asteroid a lifeless husk once more. However, the asteroid shakes and its core separates from the rest of the rocks. However, Fiore decides that if he can't have Mamoru, no one can, and sends the core hurtling towards Earth. Not willing to let this happen, Sailor Moon sits up, her Crystal Star brooch opening to reveal the Silver Crystal. Mamoru and the Soldiers realize what she plans to do and beg her not to or she'll die, but Sailor Moon refuses, since it's the only way to save them. Before she can, Fiore reaches out and grabs her brooch, vowing to stop her. He crushes the brooch, causing her uniform to unravel into ribbons and leaving her naked. Despite this, she takes his hand in hers and tries to reassure him that he won't be alone. He still thinks she is trying to lie and confuse him before the Silver Crystal reacts and shows him an image from the past:
As young Mamoru cries at the loss of his parents, his room door opens and a young Usagi approaches him, laying her hand on his and resting her head on his arm. As she reassures him, Mamoru tells him his friend is leaving soon and he has no way to help him. Usagi reveals that today was a big day - her mom just gave birth to her baby brother, so she's going around delivering roses to celebrate. She gives one to Mamoru, and Fiore realizes that the rose Mamoru got from Usagi was the same one he got in return. The Xenian Flower tries to get Fiore to focus, but the Silver Crystal's power overtakes them and both of them disappear.
With the asteroid entering Earth's atmosphere, Usagi uses the Silver Crystal's power to reform her ribbons into Princess Serenity's dress and prepares to protect her friends. Begging the Crystal to grant her more power to save everyone, Mamoru and the Soldiers get back to their feet to join their powers, Mamoru's Tuxedo Mask outfit is replaced with Prince Endymion's armor. As they gather, the Soldiers are reminded of Usagi's friendship to them - Usagi convincing Ami to actually play at the beach and not just read a book there, Usagi complimenting Rei's work ethic, Usagi not being afraid of Makoto and Usagi realizing and geeking out that Minako is her hero Sailor V. With the asteroid crumbling around them and the reassurance that they will be together, Usagi and the others combine their powers into Moon Crystal Power, protecting them but the strain causes the Silver Crystal to shatter, killing Usagi.
On Earth, Chibiusa, Luna and Artemis wonder how the girls are doing, Chibiusa reassuring them they'll all be alright. On the asteroid, as Mamoru and the Soldiers grieve at Sailor Moon's death, Fiore reappears once more. As thanks for saving him, he offers his own life flower, having Mamoru pass its necter to Sailor Moon, who does so with a kiss, reviving her and repairing the Crystal and brooch. As Fiore disappears elsewhere, Sailor Moon reawakens and tells them she kept her promise, prompting the others to cry for joy and cling to their dear friend.
Cast[]
| Character(s) | Japanese Voice Actor(s) | Pioneer Voice Actor(s) | Viz Media Voice Actor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usagi Tsukino / Sailor Moon | Kotono Mitsuishi | Terri Hawkes | Stephanie Sheh |
| Ami Mizuno / Sailor Mercury | Aya Hisakawa | Karen Bernstein | Katie Higgins |
| Rei Hino / Sailor Mars | Michie Tomizawa | Katie Griffin | Cristina Vee |
| Makoto Kino / Sailor Jupiter | Emi Shinohara | Susan Roman | Amanda Celine Miller |
| Minako Aino / Sailor Venus | Rika Fukami | Stephanie Morgenstern | Cherami Leigh |
| Chibiusa Tsukino | Kae Araki | Tracey Hoyt | Sandy Fox |
| Luna | Keiko Han | Jill Frappier | Michelle Ruff |
| Artemis | Yasuhiro Takato | Ron Rubin | Johnny Yong Bosch |
| Mamoru Chiba / Tuxedo Mask | Toru Furuya Megumi Ogata (young) |
Vincent Corazza Julie Lemieux (young) |
Robbie Daymond |
| Fiore | Hikaru Midorikawa Tomoko Maruo (young) |
Steven Bednarski Nadine Rabinovitch (young) |
Benjamin Diskin |
| Xenian Flower | Yumi Touma | Catherine Disher | Carrie Keranan |
| Glycina | Wakana Yamazaki | ||
| Campanula | Hiromi Nishikawa |
Gallery[]
.png "Sailor Moon's pose (R Movie, version 1).png (914 KB)")
.png "Sailor Moon's pose (R Movie, version 2).png (929 KB)")
.png "Sailor Venus' pose (R Movie).png (964 KB)")
.png "Sailor Jupiter's pose (R Movie).png (1.04 MB)")
.png "Sailor Mars' post (R Movie).png (533 KB)")
.png "Sailor Mercury's pose (R Movie).png (1.05 MB)")
Trivia[]
- Due to Chibiusa's inclusion in the main cast and her knowledge of the Sailor Guardian's identities, and also Mamoru and Usagi's intact relationship, this story most likely took place after episode 77 and before episode 82 since Chibiusa was still in the present.
- When this movie was screened in theaters in France (as Sailor Moon: Les Fleurs Maléfiques / "Sailor Moon: The Evil Flowers"), the short Make up! Sailor Soldiers was replaced by another short based on the anime Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai.
- In Pioneer's R1 DVD release of the movie, the voice of young Mamoru was incorrectly credited as "Emi Ogata."
- The display in the Mercury Goggle was in German in the movie, as opposed to English in the television series.
- The First English dub was produced by Pioneer Entertainment and Optimum Productions, instead of DiC.[1]
- In the First English dub, the song "Moon Revenge" was replaced with "The Power of Love." The original song was restored for the unedited DVD release.
- The First English dub omitted the first scene entirely.
- Moon Princess Halation was once again renamed; unlike the first two season dubbed by DiC, instead of using Moon Sceptre Elimination or Moon Sceptre Activation, it was dubbed as Moon Princess Elimination.
- The Viz Media English dub of the film was given a theatrical run in early 2017, and the DVD and Blu-ray were released on April 18, 2017.
- Irish band U2 has a promotional photo taken in front of a Sailor Moon R Movie advertisement, likely during its theatrical run. [2]
Errors[]
- In the scene during "Moon Revenge", Venus' back bow is yellow for a majority of the scene until part of the planet that is breaking away covers the Sailor Guardians and then it is blue for the remainder of the scene. It returns to its yellow color at the end of the film before the credits.