Pretty Guardian

Sailor Moon

Opening Credits 1

With the exceptions of Act 28, Act 48, Final Act and the DVD specials, every episode of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon ran with the one opening credits.

It would always start with the full moon transitioning from the opening scene into the series' main title which would feature a CG Sailor Moon and Luna jumping across the screen against a star cycle in the background.

The screen would then pull out to reveal all five Sailor Soldiers in a cloudy white limbo looking off-screen.

We are then taken to individual character screens showing each girl in her civilian form holding a magical Sailor Sodlier figure version of themselves that dances and spins in their hands before zooming at the camera and posing in clear Sailor Soldier form.

The rest of the opening credits is intermingled with shots of the five girls walking and riding the train together as well as shots of them in their Sailor Soldier forms singing the theme song on a rotating table of sorts.

What's interesting about these opening credits is that it shows a live action Sailor Moon that didn't really begin to exist until the final scene of the Final Act. Minako (Sailor Venus) never really hung out with the girls the way she is seen here suggesting that the main storyline for the series could possibly gone through some changes once the show began airing.

Other evidence of this is the shot of Sailor Moon with Tuxedo Mask in the ruins of the Moon Kingdom on the Moon looking at each other while the Imperium Silver Crystal floats above them.
It seems as though the original plan for the series was for it to follow a similar style as the anime or manga with the girls becoming friends early on and battling the Dark Kingdom while trying to live their normal lives.

Things obviously changed after the conclusion of the first story arc (which had followed the manga and anime rather closely) in Act 12 when Sailor Venus finally revealed herself to everyone. As soon as the next arc started though, Sailor Venus decides she doesn't want to join the Sailor Soldiers and flies off somewhere to parts unknown, it's revealed that Mamoru has a fiance, Kunzite arrives in a very different style than the three previous generals, Luna announces that the Sailor Soldiers need to awaken their powers "properly", Minako apparently had been terminally ill the whole time and the foundations are laid for some huge twists involving the Moon Princess and Metallia.

Personally I loved the new direction the series took but for those that wanted the show to stick to it's manga and anime roots, these first opening credits offer a glimpse of what (maybe) was going to be.