If you've ever wondered how a magical Japanese animation would translate into a live-action stage show, I can tell you: incredible well.
I was lucky enough to be invited to one of the first UK performances of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live Show. Billed as a "2.5D musical", the show follows the Silver Crystal storyline from the first season of the anime.
It features an all-female cast of the Sailor Guardians – Sailor Moon (Yui Yokoyama), Sailor Mercury (Yui Oikawa), Sailor Mars (Marisa Yasukawa), Sailor Jupiter (Rii Tachibana) and Sailor Venus (Yu Nakanishi) – as well as Tuxedo Mask (Sufa) and Queen Beryl (Mayu Tsuyuzume). But you don't need to be a fan to get to grips, as it also provides an introduction to the characters and world of Sailor Moon.
In a time when there is so much negativity in the world, I've been enjoying reconnecting with things I enjoyed as a child, with anime and manga being some of those things. Seeing Sailor Moon live took me back to a much more innocent time, when I didn't have bills and work to worry about, and I could just switch off and smile for a few hours.
I saw the show at Here At Outernet in London, but it is also scheduled for dates at KOKO in Camden. I'd never been to the venue before, so even just walking in surrounded by the enormous and vibrant screens, I was excited.
Once In I was given a goodie bag, including a fun light stick which big screens said would allow us to take part at the end. They were also available for purchase, along with a few other small items of merchandise.
As soon as the show kicked off, it was a treat of colours and lights, as well as fun songs and incredible choreography. It was obviously performed in Japanese, with the screen at the back providing subtitles.
The screen was also used perfectly to bring the Sailor Guardian's magical powers to life. Thanks to expertly timed choreography, lights would flash and graphics would display as the characters hit a specific pose, giving them their iconic attack moves.
There were physical fight scenes too, with around 10 cast members being on the small stage at once, all while flying through the air from kicks and punches. Despite being real people (who sadly don't actually have the powers of the planets), the cast brought the anime to life beautifully, with the same energy as the 2D version has.
From the constant bright colours, to cartoon-like sound effects, I was amazed at how well Sailor Moon could be translated onto the stage.
There were a number of standouts – Sailor Mars and Queen Beryl had incredible voices, and Sailor Venus was impossible to look away from when she was on-stage. Of course, every single person gave a show-stopping performance, and it was great to see each of them getting a moment to shine on their own at some point.
After the story portion, the screen informed us we could take photos and videos, as the cast members encouraged us to make some special memories.
What came next was even more bright lights, fun music and crowd interaction. This is when the light sticks came in, with the crowd waving them in the air as they show turned into a Sailor Moon party.
I was lucky enough to have an aisle seat – if you can choose the same, I'd highly recommend it. That's because the Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask dance their way down the central aisle, giving up-close looks at their incredible costumes.
I was completely blown away by the show, which is running throughout February and March at KOKO in Camden and Here At Outernet. Whether you're a Sailor Moon fan or not, it's such a unique experience, not like any other West End show that it's definitely worth checking out.
Now, excuse me while I go and binge the anime...
Prices start from £50, with tickets available at sailormoonsuperliveuk.com
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