Friday, March 30, 2012

Weekly Review - Starry Sky Orgel (Sakky's Version)

OK, so again I've been very busy with work and college so I have not made a Weekly Review post (yet). In fact, I woke up this morning and suddenly realized "Wait, it's Friday?!?"

Also, I'm proud to say that my second nephew may be born today! As of 3:30am my oldest brother and his wife were headed to the hospital! No news on the name yet, they have kept it a secret until the baby's birth. I have materials to make a blanket for him to match his brother's, but I have not gotten that done yet, either!

So, please forgive me, I will try to get back on track soon, but in the meantime I'd like to highlight this awesome collector's blog post about the "Starry Sky Orgel" AKA "Star Locket" it is incredibly well researched and has lovely photos. She even features a photo of my Korean Star Locket!

Starry Sky Locket Comparison Guide


Also, if anyone knows anything about the Spanish version of this locket, we'd love to get more information/photos of it.

As a final note, GE Animation is set to release a Star Locket Necklace this year!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Weekly Review- Collecting

Sorry, I don't have a item review this week, rather, I wanted to share a bit of my story on how I started collecting and what collecting means to me. I tried to make it as short as possible but it's still rather long so please bear with me. 

I have been collecting Sailor Moon items for over 10 years.

I started watching Sailor Moon in Middle School and started collecting by High School. Back then I only got $15 a week in allowance for working hard on a farm and doing chores around the house. I was in a few clubs at school so I didn't work a "regular" job outside of school.


At first I bought the manga and DVDs, and anything cheap I could get my hands on! I would sometimes beg my dad to let me use his eBay account. The star locket I own now is the same one I bought in high school, I saved up for weeks and finally dropped $50 to buy it on eBay, and I thought that was expensive!


It has taken a lot of searching, saving, and yes, maybe even some luck to get my collection to where it is today. I am by no means rich. I am a full time student who works part time, and I now live on my own paying rent, bills, etc myself. It's harder to save up for buying items for my collection now, but it is not impossible.


Maybe I'm just fortunate that I'm a very frugal person, I've always been a saver. I saved up twice to pay my own way to go to Germany, it might have taken me two years(+) each time, but I did it.


Maybe some people think "you must have credit card debt". Well, you're wrong. I don't even own a credit card and never plan to, the only debt I have now is student loans. Some say that it's stupid to spend so much on "toys" look around you, chances are you have a collection, too. Be it books, coins, shoes, purses, clothes, etc... I do a lot of things to save up for what I have. I save money where I can, and it's my money to spend how I want.


Ask yourself: Why do you buy things? Why do you keep them?

Because they most likely make you happy in some way (or you really need it).


So, my collection is not “big” because I am rich, and by sharing it, I am not trying to rub it in anyone’s face... I’m trying to say “I’ve worked hard on this and I’m proud of it, so I want to share it with you” and I hope that you will enjoy seeing it, too.


Of course I get a little jealous of items in other people’s collections, but I’m jealous in a way that I think “wow, their collection is neat, I hope people think the same of mine”. I look to anyone who has a collection for advice, I’ve seen very small, focused collections have an item I never knew existed, and asked them to tell me about it.


A collector is not defined by the size of their collection, I don’t think there are good or bad collectors, you’re all sharing the same love for something, be it Sailor Moon, or whatever. It takes a lot of love, time, and devotion to be a collector. Big or small, your collection is something for you, and that’s what matters most.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Treated myself a bit!

I grabbed these two shirts at Hot Topic on clearance. They may be a bit small for me. I might alter them if needed, or maybe I will just hold onto them for awhile.

Bought the fourth volume in-store today (I had been ordering them previously), just to get myself caught up on the volumes which have already been released. I still need to read them, though!

Finally, I bought the mug because it reminds me of Tuxedo Mask (of course) it was also on clearance so it was cheap.

I was hoping to find the purple shirt at my local store since they are all XS size online, but they are already completely gone!  Also, I wanted to get the new brooch but it is not in the store yet.

I think Sailor Moon items must be selling well! I didn't see any more lanyards, and there was only one sticker left. The new Outer Senshi shirts I mentioned last time have the larger sizes sold out online! I was going to order the Saturn and/or Neptune ones, but I definitely am not going to pay full price+shipping for a shirt that will be too small. I'm hoping they will re-stock on those soon.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

More new Sailor Moon items at Hot Topic!

Remember the Tuxedo Kamen Tote and the Wallet which I got recently? Well, Hot topic is now carrying them! Not sure if they are in stores yet, but they are online!

The Tuxedo Kamen Tote is listed at $24.50. I'll be honest, this seems a steep price since it's not very big.

The Wallet is listed at $18.50, but at least it has a lot of compartments.




They have also added the iPhone 4 case for $14.50, as well as the Sailor Moon Brooch for $12.50.

I am hoping to get the brooch soon. I would like the case but I only have an iPod.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Weekly Review - Inner Senshi Transformation Devices

There are several versions of the Transformation/Henshin Pens and Wands from various acts of Sailor Moon.

Transformation Pen
The Oracle
princess-halation
The transformation pen ( 変身ペン - Henshin Pen )was the first item which the inner senshi (Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus) used to become sailor soldiers. The pens basically look the same but with varying colors and symbols depending on which senshi's pen it is, except in the manga, where Sailor Venus has a different pen.
To use the pen to transform, the owner would shout "(Planet) Power Make up!"
 
First Appearances:
Sailor Moon manga in Act 2- Ami: Sailor Mercury.
Sailor Moon Anime episode 8: "Is the Genius Girl a Youma? Brainwashing School of Terror" also with Sailor Mercury's pen. In the dubbed anime it was referred to as the transformation stick.


Merchandise
msmaria @ LJ
Bandai Japan 1992:
This pen set features Mercury and Mars Transformation pens. These are actual felt tip pens you could use. Though I'm sure by today they are all dried out! I know that the Pink pen has a pink felt tip, so I assume that the other two have a blue and red tip respectively.

This set is very rare! I have yet to see the actual set sell, I have only seen the pink Luna/Disguise Pen replica sell for $125.

Remember this item? I previously reviewed it in the Disguise Pen Review!



Candy Toy Pens
You'll have to forgive me as I know very little about the candy toy items other than the fact that they exist! However, when I find out more information I'll be sure to add it!

At the top of the photo you can see a few transformation pen replicas. These are all made of plastic pieces and were only released in Japan.



Star Power Stick

wikiMoon
Mercury's Power Stick
The Star Power Stick  ( スター・パワー・スティック) is the second transformation device used by the inner senshi. Again these pens all look the same but with different colors and corresponding sailor symbol. To use the stick to transform, the owner would shout "(Planet) Star Power Make up!"

First Appearances:
Manga Act 14: Black Moon Koan-Sailor Mars. Anime Episode 62 (56 dub) "The Friendship of the Sailor Senshi! Goodbye Ami."

Merchandise
sakky @ deviantArt
Bandai Asia 1993:
 These two sets feature all of the inner senshi star power sticks released by Bandai. As you can see in the boxes, the tops of the wands come off, and actually hold nail polish! These are the most accurate versions of this item and are somewhat rare. Particularly the Venus/Jupiter set is incredibly hard to find and very expensive! The Mercury/Mars set is actually relatively cheap and much easier to get ahold of.

Price: The Mercury/Mars set tends to cost around $65 MIB. The Venus/Jupiter set is rarely seen and averages around $350.

Fun Fact: Apparently these were never actually given a name in the manga or anime, the "Star Power Stick" was the name given to them when Bandai released the actual merchandise.

shiningpolaris
Bandai Japan 1995:
This version of the wand was released with the SuperS merchandise line. It comes with four interchangeable discs, one for each inner senshi! This is a very rare item and it is even harder to find it with all of the pieces, let alone MIB. 

Requires: 2 AAA(?) batteries.

Operation: It lights up and makes a sound when you press the button. It's actually not all the exciting but the item itself looks lovely. Watch it here.

Price Range: I have seen one sell for nearly $250 MIB on eBay Germany. Otherwise I have only witnessed it selling loose from $50-150 in late 2010.

I actually owned one of these in terrible (non-working/beaten up) condition and only one of the discs once, but I sold it hoping I'd find a better one. Now I somewhat regret it since they are so hard to find!

Candy Toys
Again, I'm sorry to say that I know very little about these! But  I'm going to include them anyway.
There are several mini versions of the Star Power Stick in this candy toy form. To the left is a set
MIB, you can see a individual piece here.

To the right we have another example, you can see these came in pieces and had to be assembled.

This version on the left features a star with a golden sheen on top. It is part of the Sailor Moon World merchandise line.


On the far right we have a small piece which resembles the very top of the stick featuring Sailor Mars.





Crystal Change Rod
Wikia
The Crystal Change Rod (クリスタル・チェンジ・ロッド) also known as the Crystal Transformation Rod (dub anime) it was given to the senshi by Pegasus in the SuperS anime. To use the rod to transform, the owner would shout "(Planet) Crystal Power Make up!"

First Appeared: Anime Episode 143 (dub 136) "Time to Believe the Pegasus! The Super Transformations of the Sailor Senshi." This item never actually appeared in the manga.




Merchandise

sailormooncollectibles
Bandai Japan 1995:
This version of the rod comes with four interchangeable discs for each senshi.  It also comes with an extra orb on a golden chain to carry around with you. This item is an IRS sender so it can interact with other IRS items to activate them to lights/sound in response. It is fairly accurate to the anime.  

Requires: 2 AAA Batteries 

Operation: Lights and plays a tune, followed by a recording of the inner senshi saying "Crystal Power Make Up!" as seen in this video.

Price: $50+ loose, $70-250 MIB in 2010-2011. It has sold for $185 MIB once in 2012 so far.



sailormooncollectibles
Candy Toy:
So far this is the only candy toy version of this item I have found (second from the right). It is from the Sailor Moon World line of Merchandise.




Do you have any more information on some of these items? Did I miss anything? Be sure to let me know! Feel free to ask me anything.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Happy Birthday Naoko Takeuchi!

comicvine.com


Today, March 15th, is Naoko Takeuchi's birthday.
She is the wonderful creator of Sailor V and Sailor Moon!
(And other great works) 

Official Website for Sailor Moon: http://sailormoon.channel.or.jp/







junglekey


This photo is really adorable. I think this may officially be my favorite photo of her that I have ever seen.

Thank you very much Takeuchi-sensei for introducing Sailor Moon to the world. Your art is truly beautiful and your stories have inspired so many people, including myself.

I truly admire this woman for all she has done, empowering young women to believe in themselves and chase after their dreams.


I hope this birthday is very special for her!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

New shirts online at Hot Topic

hottopic.com
 Hot Topic just added three new Sailor Moon shirts today, this time with individuals of some of the Outer Senshi.

Pluto

Saturn

Neptune

Sadly no Uranus to go with these, and still no individual Inner Senshi T-shirts! Also lacking are the shirts for men. My favorite is the Sailor Saturn one. I like the design for it the best, but I love the color for Neptune.

Also recently added was this metal case, as well as this SMS Shirt.




SailorMoonWorld.it

In Italy there are several pairs of Sailor Moon Shoes that were released!


I really hope we get some shoes in the U.S. as well.

Sadly my budget can't handle all of these new adds! I'm having to pick and choose what merchandise I want to purchase as I go on, even though I would really love to have everything!




Lastly, GE Animation has been adding new items to their site as well such as Sailor Moon Messenger bags. So far they have only listed Moon, Mercury, and Jupiter bags, but I am sure the other (Inner) Senshi will follow. I also hope that they will release some Outer Senshi items as well!

Friday, March 9, 2012

Weekly Review - Space-Time Key

p. 102 Japanese manga
moonlightsoldiers.com
The Space-Time Key (時空のカギ - Jiku no Kagi), or the Time Key  first appeared in the manga in Act 14 (p.73).

It is sometimes referred to as the Crystal Key, in the anime it appeared in episode 60 (54 in the English dub) titled "An Angel? A Devil? Mysterious Girl from the Sky" this is also the first episode in which ChibiUsa (aka "Rini") first appears.

Uses: The key is used to transport the user (and sometimes a group of people) through time. When ChibiUsa uses it she says "Time Guardian! Tear apart the sky, and open the space-time door to me! I call the true name of the almighty God of time, the time guardian's father! Chronos! Reveal to me the path of light!"

Merchandise:
sailormoontoys.com

1993 Bandai Japan:

This is a very desirable version of the time key, it is also extremely hard to find. This key comes on a gold chain and with a small heart box featuring Neo-Queen Serenity. It is very accurate to the anime style, and is made of metal!
Additionally, it looks to be about 8cm tall.
See a larger and more detailed photo of this set at sailormooncollectibles.com

Price: You can expect this to sell for over $600 MIB. That is, if you can find it for sale at all!


Mandarake
 1993 Nakayoshi:

This version of the key is fairly common, it comes with a small mirror and a pouch. It is made of metal and appears to be smaller than the Bandai Japan version. Additionally, it has a string attached instead of a chain. This version is more accurate to the manga in style.

 See more detailed photos of this item here from this website. 

Price: $35-60. It may or may not have the pouch and mirror with it.



moon-collection
2001 World Doll Version:
 
This version comes with the Bandai World version of the ChibiUsa doll. It is very accurate to the anime. It appears to be made of plastic and comes on a golden chain. This set is somewhat hard to find.

Price: $80-150 for the doll and key MIB. The average is about $100.






Lunazvezda

1993 SMR ChibiUsa Doll:

This doll comes with her own tiny Time Key to hang around her neck on its own small gold chain. I'm fairly certain the Time Key must be made of plastic. This doll is fairly rare.

There's a slightly better photo of the key here

Price: $25-35 loose, $100 MIB. Based on the very few times I have seen this sell, which was only three times in 2011.



sailormoontoys.com

1993 SMR Time Key and Tiara Set:

This time key features the image of ChibiUsa. I believe it is made of plastic and looks as if it hangs on a plastic ring.

Here's a better photo of just the key: SMR Time Key

Price: I have yet to see one of these sell.







1994 SMS Tiara and Time Key Set:

The key in this set looks almost identical to the one above, however, it appears to be stuck to a flat butterfly-shaped piece on a gold chain. 

Price: Recently just the key sold for about $17 on eBay.





This may be considered another version of the time key, but I don't know anything about it, other than the collector's description of course.

Did I miss any versions you know of? Please tell me! And as always, feel free to leave comments, questions, and/or suggestions for future reviews!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary in the LA Times

We believe that part of the lasting appeal of ‘Sailor Moon’ comes from the empowerment that it provides,” says Yasumasa Shimizu, President of Kodansha Ltd., which publishes the English translation of the manga in America. “It is a story that encourages young people to stand up for themselves, be independent, and fight for what is right. Sailor Moon’s journey is one of friendship, determination, magic and love.
 — LA Times

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

20th Anniversary / My Birthday!!!

Made by Dragonfly
My Birthday: March 7th, 1989.
Sailor Moon Anime first aired: March 7th, 1992 in Japan.

So today, March 7th, 2012 is both my 23rd birthday and the 20th Anniversary of the Sailor Moon Anime!


So obviously this birthday is pretty exciting with all of the new merchandise being released in the states and abroad. I plan on going out and trying to get myself something today after I go take a midterm exam.
But in the meantime, here are some fun photos! (Mostly of SM inspired cakes!)

Right: So far this is my favorite Sailor Moon inspired cake! 



A birthday cake from the anime.

Fun Fact: Usagi and Chibiusa's birthday is 30th of June.







 Some cute cookies, lollipops, etc! Check these and many more out at 3 O'clock Fairy!

A Cosmic Compact inspired cake by paper-feet at deviantArt.

One day I might try to make one like this, I do already have the heart-shaped cake pans! :)


Chelsea's Sailor Moon Birthday Cake!

Here's her Blogspot: Chelsea Dreamland








A Luna-Inspired Birthday cake!

This one is really cute, I love all of the detail!

She looks just like Luna from the anime!

I found this one on wordpress here: Jemgirl






This one is really amazing!

Apparently Usagi on top is many pieces of fondant layered on top of each other after being cut out. I'm sure that took a lot of tedious work, but it really looks great.

This cake is by Valerie Elizabeth Confections




Sailor Moon in Balloon form!

This darling was made by Rainbow of Balloons here on Blogspot!

As cute as she is, I don't think I'd ever be able to recreate this!





And finally, these adorable Sailor Moon Cat inspired shoes!

Created by aishavoya on Etsy. Sadly they are a bit expensive at $85 + shipping, but they are custom made just for your shoe size, and obviously take a lot of time and effort to make! Check out their other designs, too.

These would be a perfect addition to your growing Sailor Moon wardrobe thanks to all of the new clothing and accessories GE Animation, FYE, and Hot topic are selling!


Well, I hope everyone has a great day!  Feel free to ask or share anything you like, especially if it's about Sailor Moon! :)


Friday, March 2, 2012

Weekly Review - New Hot Topic and GE Merchandise

I recently bought some of the new Merchandise from Hot Topic and GE Animation. So this week's review is going to be a look at some of the newest merchandise!


From Hot Topic:

Sailor Moon T-shirts:
Shirts at my local store: Raglan Shirt, Purple Moon and ChibiUsa, Sailor Moon White, Sailor Moon Black, White Bow Shirt (No longer online), Group Shirt.
Sizes generally range from XS-2XL
Retail: $24.50 - $26.50
Many cute designs are available. However, like many HT shirts these are made with a very thin material. It seems like these might be easy to wear out or tear. Junior sizes only, so be careful choosing a size if you are an adult.
My favorites are the Group shirt and the Tuxedo Mask shirt. The Tuxedo one seems to be made with a little bit heavier material, but it is no longer in my local store or online.


This shirt was added yesterday to their online store!


Sailor Moon Hoodie:
Sizes range from XS-3XL
Retail Price: $49.98  Currently on Clearance: $23.98

I LOVE this hoodie, I think the image is really cute and the hoodie is comfortable to wear. It is not very heavy but warm enough and very soft on the inside. Some fans are saying the sleeves are too long but I don't think they are too bad. 

Seat-belt Belt:
Retail Price: $26.00 
This belt is really cute, featuring the girls' faces and a seat belt buckle! Seems pretty sturdy/durable, also the size is widely adjustable! The price seems a bit high, but I just could not resist. I had bought a similar belt years ago and it still works very well so I'd say that this should last a long time!

Lanyard:
Retail Price: $8.00
This lanyard comes with an ID protector and extra rubber charm! This is some of the GE Animation Merchandise which HT is carrying. GE has recently added a few more lanyard designs to their website.

Other items which my local HT had include: Blue Rubber Bracelet $7, Blue Sailor Moon Wallet $18.50, Button $2.99, Sticker (Not online). Also note there are a few other items online which I did not see in my local store, so you may want to check their website: HotTopic.com

I also visited my local FYE store and they currently have two of their own shirt designs.

Recently I participated in a Group Auction (GA) with some other collectors and we won a large lot of the new GE Merchandise which we split up. I'll review the items which I received from the lot.


Sailor Moon Sticker: (Left, same as HT's)
A lovely group image sticker. It is actually quite large, about 3-4" tall and 2-3" wide!
Retail: $2.99 +


Sailor Moon Phone Charm: (Right)
There are many phone charms and keychains being released,
Retail: $6.00 (price sticker)


Sailor Moon Magnets: 
Set of five magnets each a design including one of the inner senshi.
Retail: $7.00 (price sticker)



Tuxedo Kamen Wallet:
A pink wallet featuring Tuxedo Kamen (Mask) it unfolds and has quite a few slots for cards and a clear ID slot. On the back is a zipper pocket with the new Sailor Moon logo for coins, when unfolded there is an area for bills also.
Retail: $18.00 (price sticker)



Tuxedo Kamen Tote:
Not too big or too small! This tote is large enough to hold a spiral notebook standing up with a little room to spare, it features a smaller inside zipper pocket and can close with a zipper at the top. I like to carry a few of my text and notebooks around in it to class!
Retail: $18.00 (price sticker)

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Quick Note

Hey Everyone,

I've been super busy this week with two projects, a paper, all of my usual homework, and 34+ hours at work on top of that! I am going to try to get the weekly review post up sometime tomorrow but I still have a lot of other work to do for classes today and I will be at work tomorrow. Plus, some of my family wants to get together to celebrate my brother's birthday which was the 28th, and mine which is coming up on the 7th! The only bad thing about that is it cuts into what little free time I already don't have!

Anyway, this week and next week are extremely busy with all the work I've got going on, next week is midterms (hooray for tests on your birthday?!?) but I might have a little more time so hopefully that post won't be late! And to think, I started out having one of my posts made a week ahead of time! ^^;

Oh! As a final note, I also now have a Tumblr! I honestly like blogspot better for editing, but I have more friends/fans using Tumblr. ^^; so far my posts have been copies of the weekly reviews here, so it is likely both blogs will be incredibly similar but I'll likely still start out writing/making the review posts here and copying them to my Tumblr because I really dislike their editing options... or lack thereof. Maybe it's just me.

As Always, feel free to ask me any questions you have! :)