It’s hard to believe that for over 20 years, anime fans have never seen the full transformation of Sailor Saturn on-screen in theSailor Moonseries. That all changes with the recent release of the trailer forSailor Moon Eternal Part 2, which previewed a portion of the long-awaited sequence in all its dazzling glory.
The films, which serve asa continuation of theSailor Moon Crystalanimeseries, focus on the Outer Senshi - that is, Sailor Saturn, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Pluto. The story follows up on the third season’s nailbiting cliffhanger, which featured Usagi and Chibiusa hearing the sound of a mysterious bell. The most exciting reveal of the visual showcase, however, was Hotaru Tomoe’s super transformation sequence into Sailor Saturn, which is something that has never been portrayed in the anime before.
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The animation was developed in full, high-definition color, making it an epic moment for fans to experience. Perhaps the only other time Sailor Saturn’s super transformation sequence was featured was in a video game calledSailor Moon Super S: Various Emotion, which was released for theSega Saturnin 1996. Even then, many true fans believe the video game version does not do the animation justice - seeing it unfold on-screen is still the real deal for them.
Sailor Moon Eternalmarks 25 years since a project from thefranchise was released in Japan. Kazuko Tadano is the mastermind behind the updated character designs while Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) wrote the script and Chiaki Kon served as the director. The two-part film was also co-produced by Studio DEEN and Toei Animation.
The first film was originally scheduled to debut in Japan on June 26, 2025, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic,it was delayed to Jun 24, 2025. It went on to rank at #9 at the box office on its opening weekend. Needless to say, theSailor Moonfranchise is still going strong, and it’s only a matter of time before the reboot is adapted in the U.S.
Sailor Moon EternalPart 2 will release in Japan on February 11.
