This is mostly related to the anime, but chat about the manga is allowed. The basic thing is the men and women in the Sailor Moon universe (including The Code Name is Sailor V) in combat.

I find the uniform of Eternal Sailor Moon — particularly in the anime — to be rather bulky and not very sensible for combat, this might not be true for the manga however those wings are troublesome for Sailor Moon. The Super uniform(s) were by far the best, it looked much lighter.

If the anime had gone the route of "real time" (or RT), I believe that Sailor Mars would have be performed her "Fire Soul!" by pointing her index finger at her target. If Sailor Mercury were to use her "Sabão Spray!" in RT, she would simply hold her hands out before spreading her arms (that would be without the rotation the anime has her do).

Personally, I like to think the Items (weapons) — such as the Mercury Harp (lyre) and the Mars Arrow — materialize when the Soldier uses for their attacks, the only items not bound to materialize are the ofuda (used by Rei or Mars) as well as certain other items such as the Stallion Rêve, the Silence Glaive, and others. In most cases, particularly if the Soldier is not in their uniform, the Item materialize because of the Soldier wills for it to manifest. Sometimes, the Items remain in physical.

The fact that the anime allowed the Sailor Soldiers to combine their abilities with each others is something I do like. It would have been neat to see "World Shaking!" and "Deep Submerge!" (and "Dead Scream!" for that matter) combine in some fashion like "Mars Flame Sniper!" and "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" did.

What about you? Anything about the combat in Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon and The Code Name is Sailor V you want to talk about? One thing I ask, no arguments about "who is stronger?" or "why is [Soldier] so [blank]?" as those types of arguments are for another topic.

Love this discussion ^^ I often get teased for trying to figure out "senshi science", like where their real clothing goes, and how if their fukus are torn in one fight they are whole again the next. And also I think about where the henshin items and various weapons / tools materialize and dematerialize from. I have some zany ideas. I know, I know...it's supposed to be magic. LOL But it's fun to think about.

First of all I think the material of their fukus has to be some sort of as yet unknown material that is not only flexible and resilient but must provide at least some shielding. Soldiers don't go into battle without some sort of protection or armor so I rather doubt senshi don't either.

As for the items they use that materialize and disappear like Mercury's harp.....I tend to think it must actually be constructing itself out of energy in some quantum physicsy way.

In the material collection, it is written than below the leotard, there is a chest armor ^^ So it solves the "uniform not defensing anything" part.
The only thing that really bothers me about battles in the series, mostly in the manga, it's how fast some goes @_@ I mean, just look at Eudial: She died in four pages, with very little dialogue.

Page 1: Mars and Jupiter introducing themselves. Eudial being all like "gotta kill some beetches"
Page 2: Rei using her Snake Fire. Eudial melting into that daimon thingie.
Page 3: ON the other inner's side, Ami is being all "hey, beetches are missing" and Minako is like "omg burning stuff"
Page 4: The three remaining inners getting their respectives asses transformed. Mako and Rei seemed in a bad position, Usagi do her stuff and Eudial is like "KABLOOIE".
After that, Usagi stalks a lesbian in the woods but got more or less raped
HAPPY END.

The anime in the majority of the youma-of-the-day battle scenes makes the sailor senshi appear very weak and ill-prepared.

The "Monster of the Day" battle might make the Soldiers (even Tuxedo
Kamen/Mask) ill-prepared, but the Soldiers also seem to be very quick
thinkers — Mercury and Neptune seem to be the 'strategists' out of their
respective teams.

I wonder what the rest of you think the RT (real time) attacks would look like — I mean without the stock-footage. Do they verbally call out their attacks, or are the abilities? What do they do to have their abilities work?

I think they do call out their attack names in RT. But like transformation sequences, they would be like... 5 seconds long to use I guess. I mean, come on, I hate when people are all like "why don't they attack them while she is swirling her wand everywhere?" It's obvious the time goes faster in attack sequences for them. They are just here for the viewer's enjoyment.
Plus it would be rather unrealistic. Phages and Daimons would have to be really STUPID to dodge Starlight Honey Moon Therapy Kiss or any variations of Moon Spiral Heart Attack.

I do believe that the transformations — the willed ones that is — take about five seconds at the very most (the very minimum would be either a split-second or a full-second).

Attacks and abilities on the other hand, if they absolutely need to call out their attacks then it would take as long as that takes, if they do not need to call out their attacks then it would only be dependent on the Soldier's about of magical energy and/or physical health. For example: "Fire Soul!" would take about three or four seconds or at the very most two minutes which is more dependent on how Sailor Mars is doing (exhausted would mean she takes more time to "charge" her attack). For a[n anime] comparison, "Venus! Love and Beauty Shock!" which would take a bit longer then "Crescent Beam!" if only the incantation is required, if not then it depend on the amount of time for energy buildup for "Crescent Beam!".