I've been meaning to get this off my chest for a while, but didn't want to post of Tumblr due to the huge backlash I'd probably get.

Don't get me wrong, the animation is great! I loved the over all arc, the Outer senshi and Hotaru's character development, the senshi's manga only attacks. How the senshi went from fearing Saturn to being sad because she had to sacrifice herself in order to save the world. In terms of story, it was fantastic.

BUT......

I can't help not loving the new style, it's just flat and boring to me. Sure the characters are more expressive, I just don't love that they look 10 years old and much more childish looking than the 14/15 year old their suppose to be; it's like the beautiful designs  the first two season based on Naoko's manga were just thrown out. I'm also disappointed that we're just seeing pretty versions of the 90's anime attacks rather than the ones based of the manga.I mean sure it would probably look the same in the manga, but I dunno it's just boring to me. The same goes for Haruka and Michiru's henshin. Instead of something brand new, we get the same transformation sequence only with a slightly different backgrounds. The senshi's henshins are just basic magical girl transformations instead of the special ones we saw in the first two seasons, I loved those, they were so beautiful and detailed.

 The animation now looks like any other MG anime out there instead of the unique style of before. It's sort of disappointing they're basing everything on the 90's anime (which we've seen already) rather than the manga that it was based on. I miss the amazing detail, color and shading from the first two seasons.And sure, some episodes had derpy moments but if you didn't go looking for them, then you could enjoy it.

I know they changed the design to appeal to a broader audience, but it's a shame that they had to throw out the beautiful animation from the first couple seasons to do it. I hope there can be a compromise to have both styles in future seasons.

Please don't be angry with me, it's just how I feel.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I certainly am not angry with you for expressing your opinion in a polite manner.

I also have some disappointments in season 3, though mine tend to be more technical (i.e. the animation...or some times, the lack thereof) but I too was a little bummed when I saw they chose to use the same transformation for Uranus and Neptune as the 90's anime. I feel like the Inners had a newer animation sequence with nods to the old anime, but for the Others the animators basically copied the old anime frame-for-frame. And Chronos Typhoon? It was such a disappointment. Not only was the attack the same as the old anime's Dead Scream, the animation wasn't dynamic and way too brief, IMO.

Again, everyone has things that irk them or that they do not agree with. I think as long as we're polite and civilized about our discussion there's no need to be apologetic.

Of course it is ok to not like something! Just like mangaka said. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I bet you aren't the only who feels the way you do and that is ok! No one should get upset or genuinely angry at another for voicing their feelings about something unless it is malicious.

I will however disagree. I enjoyed this animation more so because I find the characters to be more engaging now that they don't walk and talk like stiff robots. But I do see where you are coming from about them looking quite young. They need some harder facial structure to make them look closer to the age they are intended to be.

This is a safe place to express your opinions.  I totally understand why someone doesn't like the season's new art-style. The previous one had some beauty and glamor to it that made it appealing. I prefer 3's art style more because it looks less stiff and flows more smoothly

I agree with the art style.  I wish they stayed with the art of the first season but add a little bit more depth and NOT make them stick thin.

Hey! That's basically my opinion that I never really expressed. I felt that the animation switch was very disappointing. As much as I do love Season 3's plot and everything, I was honestly bummed out with the major change in animation style. I honestly preferred the gorgeous detail and style in Season 1 and 2... I think the reason why people hated it was because it wasn't the 90s anime. Now more people are loving Sailor Moon Crystal, but some are still saying that the 90s anime tops it (even in animation apparently)- so I think there's that...ahem... sorry to keep using this word... "nostalgia" that will never wear off for people who watched the 90s.

See, I began my Sailor Moon adventures with Crystal and the Manga. I actually watched Sailor Moon Crystal episode 1 first, then began reading all of the manga. Afterwards, I started watching the 90s. It was great, but I would say Crystal kinda gains my favour.

The numerous references to the 90s anime kinda bugged me a bit, but what bugged me most was Sailor Venus' transformation which was absolutely lacking... the beauty in her is completely washed out by this animation style.

I suppose you can't please everyone, but for me the animation change in Season 3 took some getting used to. Nowadays due to the major complaints Ive read, I started noticing the nitpicks from Season 1 and 2 (and they bug me too now...sadly), but you were right, if people didn't do the nitpicks, they could've enjoyed it as much as I did.

Neo-King Kronos wrote:

I think the reason why people hated it was because it wasn't the 90s anime. Now more people are loving Sailor Moon Crystal, but some are still saying that the 90s anime tops it (even in animation apparently)- so I think there's that...ahem... sorry to keep using this word... "nostalgia" that will never wear off for people who watched the 90s.

   I think that is important not to put fans in a box and assume why people like/dislike what they do. There's a lot of SM fans out there and I've seen people who never watched the 90s anime before dislike the first two seasons of Crystal. I personally have no nostalgia for the 90s anime at all and haven't watched it all the way through. Yet I hated the first two seasons of Crystal because for me, it was a horrible adaption of the manga, I didn't think the art style resembled the manga at all, and that the animation was horribly done not because I was a fan of the 90s anime but because the manga is my favorite adaptation of SM. I don't know...it feels like it's invalidating many people's opinions to say that the reason most people didn't like it is because of one adaption.

   Either way I think it's perfectly fine to be disappointed in or straight up dislike season 3 just as long as you can respect and understand anyone who feels that way towards the first two seasons as well. 

Of course it's okay to be disappointed with season 3! While I may not agree with all you said about it, it's certainly not the perfect entity of sailor moon, and there were some changes that I didn't agree with, but I overall enjoyed it, and it's okay that others didn't feel the same.

I personally haven't been watching this season of SMC (however I'll likely watch Dream and Stars), but it's totally fine to have a different opinion. You'll fine that the people here will definitely accept your opinion even if they disagree with you.

Sailor Mars wrote:

Neo-King Kronos wrote:

I think the reason why people hated it was because it wasn't the 90s anime. Now more people are loving Sailor Moon Crystal, but some are still saying that the 90s anime tops it (even in animation apparently)- so I think there's that...ahem... sorry to keep using this word... "nostalgia" that will never wear off for people who watched the 90s.

   I think that is important not to put fans in a box and assume why people like/dislike what they do. There's a lot of SM fans out there and I've seen people who never watched the 90s anime before dislike the first two seasons of Crystal. I personally have no nostalgia for the 90s anime at all and haven't watched it all the way through. Yet I hated the first two seasons of Crystal because for me, it was a horrible adaption of the manga, I didn't think the art style resembled the manga at all, and that the animation was horribly done not because I was a fan of the 90s anime but because the manga is my favorite adaptation of SM. I don't know...it feels like it's invalidating many people's opinions to say that the reason most people didn't like it is because of one adaption.

   Either way I think it's perfectly fine to be disappointed in or straight up dislike season 3 just as long as you can respect and understand anyone who feels that way towards the first two seasons as well. 

I agree with Mars. To me, the first two seasons were just a horrible adaptation of Crystal on all sides: animation, story, character development, the dialogue and voice acting (yes even the voice acting).  SE3 improved on some of that and made the show more enjoyable for me. My dislike of SMC has nothing to do with the 90s anime. The 90s anime is chock full of issues including animation and story telling and I recognize those too.

What I find to be the worse is how whenever I expressed my dislike for the first two seasons of SMC, I (and others) basically got called haters for being so "negative" about the show, but now I turn around and can enjoy SMC3 but the same types of people have essentially switched their opinions. (I don't mean on the forum, just in the fandom in general).

I'll stop there as I don't want this thread to become a general fandom bashing one as that essentially breaks GC rules anyway. So...yeah. Its totally cool to dislike things and voice your opinion though. All we ask for its respectful discourse.

Thank you all for understanding.

I think the other thing that bothered me was the overly cutesy style. I just had the cheesy hearts for Moon and Chibimoon's attacks instead of them a powerful beam. That's why I wish they'd gone with the powerful pink ray like in the final episode for Double Moon heart attack. Also, the extra sound effects during transformations made me feel like I was watching a show that was for a much younger audience.

For me, the disappointment is less in the style which S3 was drawn and moreso the lack of characterization. We are used to the very strong characterization of each individual character from the original anime, musicals, and manga. I was really let down by how Michiru was presented as more of Haruka's armcandy rather than the deep, complex character she is usually depicted as. Same goes for the Inners... they always seem more as Usagi's lackies rather than their own characters.

TBH, the manga is the weakest version when it comes to the other characters except Usagi and Chibiusa so it only makes sense that SMC's characterization is just as lack luster. Even in the manga, Haruka has way more of the focus than Michiru ever does.

As one of you also said, I'm more disappointed with the characters and the story rather than the animation. Though I'll be a little disappointed with the animation to please the creator of this thread, of course.  Anyways, whilst I dislike it that they changed the art style from the elegant and delicate one in the first two arcs to a more cute one, an action that is also not very faithful to the manga's gorgeous art style, I think this one was fine for the most part, though I hope they make it more sophisticated, ravishing and more akin to the first art style in the Dream arc. The characters, whilst charming, were pretty hollow like in the first two arcs, and I feel like we didn't get to know Haruka, Michiru or Hotaru at all nor see them or any of the previous characters in a more personal manner. And Usagi's characterization was again very thinly portrayed. Also, I didn't like it how thinly their friendships and bonds were formed and the plot was fine, but not portrayed well. Oh well, it was a charming season, though.

I don´t have the same opinion, but I totally respect you But of course, I agree that S3 wasn´t perfect.

The problem with them making the attacks and transformations the same as the 90's animation is that the new animation HAS TO BE BETTER than the old one. And I was really disappointed that not only was the Crystal animation not better than the 90's animation, but it was actually worse! Super Sailor Moon's transformation looked awful compared to the 90's version, it was like watching some weird stick figure with stiff joints. And Moon Spiral Heart Attack looked like some animation out of Totally Spies.

I enjoyed the newer attacks like Mars Snake Fire and Jupiter Coconut Cyclone, and Uranus and Neptune's transformations didn't bother me THAT much since the transformations have been based off the 90's animation since Crystal season 1. 

Also, there were derps sprinkled throughout season 3 too! The only good part about S3 is that the animation is smoother, there's more expression in the characters, and the comedy is cute.

Personally, I'm disappointed about the home release.
They didn't fix anything, ugly dresses, ugly faces, ugly poses. Nothing!
I feel that my Crystal collection, which was acceptable, is damaged.

Of course it's okay.
Just because you're a fan of somthing, doesn't mean you're going to like all aspects of it. And it does not make you any less of a fan. Anyone who says otherwise needs a reality check.

At the end of the day, nothing is perfect.

"Is it okay to be disappointed with season 3?"

When you really think about it, that's akin to asking, "Is it okay for me to have a mind of my own?" And you need to understand one very important thing about GC, Sailor Moon, and life in general.

NO it's not okay to have a mind of your own! That type of behavior will not be tolerated around here.

*Sigh.* Obviously Luna's been slacking off on her job around here, and she let yet ANOTHER member slip through the cracks without the proper dosing of her mind control agent. Smh.

Great Rainbow Crystals! When will you get it through your head that animation is a SCIENCE, not an ART?! The proportions of the characters are precisely and exactly measured with absolute consistency frame by frame, with absolutely NO margin of error. Characters are prevented from having depth so that viewers will not become jealous and self-conscious about their own shortcomings. If you think Sailor Neptune appears to be arm candy, that's because she IS arm candy. It's not possible for anyone to be beautiful AND charming AND have brains and independence all at the same time. Don't you realize the kind of damage that would cause to the psyche of women everywhere? What, do you think that type of characterization might be inspirational for people? Well sure it is-- inspiration for women to grumble and cry about their own two-dimensional lives! Inspiration to run to the store and drown in self-pity and the remaining puddle of three pints of Ben and Jerry's. And then that would cause women to become FAT, and we never EVER want fat women for any reason.

Which brings me to my next point-- as I said the proportions are exactly and perfectly measured so that women can easily determine the precise ratio of thigh-wrist-neck thickness that they must strive for. Any deviation from this formula could inspire independence, or at the very least it could resemble acceptance of differences, and don't you realize the mess this world would be in if that happened?

The reason transformation and attack sequences resemble the older cartoons is because that was the one thing they got RIGHT! Quite frankly I'm amazed they actually did get something right. And anyway, once a particular animation sequence for using powers has been established it makes no sense to change it. Once again that would encourage accepting differences, the bane of existence in this world. Suddenly life might cease to be rational, and people who are prone to thinking for themselves could begin to inspire changes and differences in EVERYTHING! I mean, imagine a world where people use different colors in their homes. Or what if they sat down to eat breakfast-- but this breakfast was COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE DAY BEFORE? The human body was simply not meant to take such abuses!

*Sigh.* You know, before Luna dosed me with her mind control agent, I, like you, was an open-minded fool. I would have found myself comparing details of both series-- even to the point of comparing seasons within a series! I would have commended the hard work the animators put into the first season of Crystal-- and yet, paradoxically been disappointed with so-called "inconsistecies" in the art, or complained about what were known as "derp faces". I would have felt totally thrilled with the new animation style of the third season, and yet, once again displaying those paradoxical behaviors-- I would have felt a wave of nostalgia over those old-fashioned, traditional transformation and attack sequences. Imagine such nonsense coming from me, of all people!

I also would have been simultaneously quite satisfied with the more true-to-the-original storylines and character development-- despite the fact that the older anime had much more of both, and the fact that I enjoyed those too! Such barbarism!

Honestly, where IS Luna and her mind control agent? Oh well. I guess while we wait here for her to come get you, I should take this time to assure you that you won't feel a thing. It only takes a minute, and the needle is no longer or thicker than your index finger. You might go temporarily blind, but that's desirable, because not only is that a sign that the syrum is working, it also serves as a metaphorical taste of what your life will be like afterwards.

Ahhh, blindness. To be blind to individual differences. To be ignorant of possibilities. Such... bliss...

^lawwwwwwl XD. I'll take Luna's Brainwashing any day!

Jokes aside, I was overall really happy about S3 (just watched it a few weeks ago yay!), but I can understand how the change would inevitably create opinions on both sides.

I just finished catching up with the third season earlier this week and I have to say I did notice a change, I almost felt like the quality of the anime went down, but didn't stop to consider that maybe the reason it seemed different was just because they were going for a new style. Sorry to say I was actually disappointed with this season, partly because this is my absolute favorite arc so my expectations were very high. I was disappointed with the quality, and the transformations, and most of the attacks were underwhelming to me. They did do a good job of adapting the manga story wise, but it also killed me a little bit that the Hotaru and Chibusa relationship was really very straight to the point, I would have hoped that they would have at least implied better that the two of them had spent some time becoming close friends at least off screen. (I don't remember if the manga implies this during that arc?? I don't think the manga gives much thought to their friendship development ether)

But even though Hotaru and Chibusa's friendship was not portrayed in the way that I WANTED to see it, it did make me think about those two in a different light. The urgency and severity of their friendship and closeness could really be stemmed from Hotaru's short and painful life, where because Chibiusa is Chibiusa she sees Hotaru's body and ultimately decides "I reached out for your friendship,  I will never take my hand away" and to Hotaru Chibusa is all that she has, so she clings to their friendship with everything. So in this perspective even though the two do not have a long term connection or even know each other all that well they have a strong and incredible bond that is believable and heartfelt even without the character development or build up. SMC made me really notice that element of their characters.


I also want to give praise to the way they handled Haruka and Usagi's relationship. it was my favorite part of Crystal and I thought that it was done absolutely beautifully and it made me understand the feelings between those two that didn't quite get across to me as strongly as when I first read the manga. (maybe it just flew over my head, like I saw it, but I didn't really FEEL it you know?) I felt like this SMC season gave me a whole new depth of understanding about Haruka and even Usagi. I also DIED when they made Mamoru actually show that he was having feelings of JEALOUSY towards Haruka. since I feel Mamoru's feelings are often secondary or downplayed in the series, it meant allot for me to actually see that kind of behavior from him, human and flawed behavior.
Even though Mamoru has no flaws

Prior expectations are such a big factor affecting fans' enjoyment (or not) of any of the Crystal seasons! This thread is a great testimony to that.

@Rainbow.Ruby I think you've got an excellent understanding of the Hotaru-Chibiusa relationship conveyed in Crystal despite it not being what you hoped. I actually had never paid much attention to Saturn/Hotaru before watching this season and afterwards, I was looking through fansites for a week! (There's always more to learn, amiright?) I think they did such a good job of portraying the tragedy of her character and how it ties into her role as the Senshi of Destruction. I don't remember feeling this way when I read the manga.

And your third paragraph just gets my head bobbing - yes yes and yes! The two of them resolving their little jealousies gave me such UsaMamo feels too.

Though, for the record I totally agree with LaMoonstar's comment re: the hearts in Moon/Chibimoon's attacks. It didn't bother me, but it did sort of stand out in an odd way.

You've pretty much said everything ive been thinking!