Imagine you like anime, but you live in a time when everyone referred to it as “Japanamation” and thought you were either crazy or a pervert for watching it. Welcome to 1994, when authentic anime was tough to find in North America. That’s one of the reasons why anime-related video games flew under the radar for so long.
One of the most popular anime series of the 1990s, maybe even of all time, was Sailor Moon. Even given the limitations of anime’s reach at the time, North America still got a lot of related merchandise, imported comic books, and a poor English dub of the show. One of the things we never saw was the fighting game based on the third chapter of the series, Sailor Moon S. The game is experiencing a resurgence more than 25 years after its initial release. Here are ten things that you didn’t know about the Sailor Moon S fighting game.
10 It Exists
Yes, there really is a fighting game based on the third season of Sailor Moon Super S. Anything as popular as Sailor Moon is going to get franchised to the hilt anyway so why not a bunch of video games on top of the accessories, toys, and books? Even when the series was virtually unknown in North America, it was the most popular animated series on the planet at one point. This specific fighting game has become the focus of more popularity thanks in part to the rise of competitive gaming leagues.
9 Only in Japan
The next and most obvious question is, why was this a secret for so long? The answer is that the game wasn’t made for PCs or North American consoles, like the original Nintendo or Sega systems. It was only released in Japan on a home console called the Famicom. This was a gaming system that was also made by Nintendo but was intended for use only in Japan. Today, thanks to dedicated collectors, it’s fairly easy to find a Famicom on eBay or Mercado Libre, but in 1994, buying a Famicom was like looking for plutonium in 1955.
8 Other Games Exist
There are several more Sailor Moon based games that you also don’t know about because they were also released in the 1990s and were intended only for sale in Japan. There was one developed for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer in 1995, but who had one of those things?
Once again, however, most of these games were made for the Famicom and didn’t break out of that format until collectors and Moonies alike started hunting for vintage merchandise. The games are currently available online at virtually every online store.
7 More Room in a Broken Heart
Despite widespread condemnation of the game as broken, in the sense that the characters are vastly different and therefore unbalanced to the point of satire, it’s proved to be a popular and fun game for more widespread community and personal gameplay. In fact, most players like the game specifically for the so-called “broken” mechanics and see it as a strength instead of a weakness. It’s especially entertaining when it comes to high-stakes tournament play.
6 The Canadian Connection: Tournaments, Conventions and FCGs
The renewed interest in the Sailor Moon S fighting game from 1994 didn’t just pop out of nowhere like a daemon erupting from a corrupted heart crystal. There are several online Fighting Game Communities (FGCs) dedicated to this specific tournament game, which might be surprising given its age and issues. The game made a short but sweet appearance at Ontario’s Canada Cup in 2017 and was so well-received that it has made other appearances since then to rave reviews. Toronto is currently one of the most active of the Sailor Moon S FGCs, hosting a tournament every week.
5 Same but Different
There are so many fighting games out there it’s overwhelming. What sets Sailor Moon S apart from all the others? It has the same kind of animation and other features like power bars and special moves, so what’s different about this one?
It’s not just that you can play as the Sailor Soldiers themselves, which is great, but there’s a unique feature that other games don’t have. Aside from the insanely bent character mechanics, there’s also an option to “Guard Cancel” which cancels an attack in progress and allows the player to go on the defensive instead.
4 Authentic Toei Merch
Did you already open another tab to eBay and check their stock of Famincoms and Sailor Moon S video games? Before you buy, there’s an easy way to ensure the item you’re investing in is an authentic piece of Toei merchandise. There’s a unique sticker that comes with every boxed version of the game decorated with a complex color scheme that serves as the official Toei Certificate of Authenticity.
3 The Mask is Missing
One major character that’s missing from the fighting game is Tuxedo Mask, also known as Darien or Mamoru, depending on which version of the show you’ve watched. Most players barely notice his absence and he never does anything anyway. His role as eye candy and little else is so persistent that it’s become a popular internet meme. What would his special move even be, a pep talk? Throwing a flower?
2 It’s Older Than You
In case you haven’t already done the math, it’s interesting to point out that this game is older than most of the people playing it. The game was released in 1994 along with several other titles that were also part of the same franchise. It looks like other vintage fighting games like Street Fighter, so it has a vintage charm that both gamers and collectors appreciate.
In 1994 it was a difficult quest tracking down the uncut videos and nearly impossible to find a working Famincom, never mind getting your hands on one of the games. How many households even had a universal voltage adaptor back then?
1 Moonlight Fight
What do all the cool games have these days? A Discord server all their own, of course. Just to prove that this movement is legit, the Sailor Moon S fighting game is no exception. Even if you’re not a tournament fighter or Sailor Moon fan, anyone with the link can join the Moonlight Fight Society and experience the community that loves all Sailor Moon fighting games, not just this one.
NEXT: Sailor Moon: 25 Things About The Series That Make No Sense
