About the Gallery
Collection History
I have always been interested in art in various forms, and was captivated by Naoko Takeuchi’s manga designs. Over time, I grew to love the Sailor Moon anime in its original Japanese, though I was never crazy about the English adaptation. I purchased my first cel in January 1999, from Splash Page Comics, and have been collecting ever since.
Animation by cel painting is, in all practicality, a dead art following its replacement by computer animation. With no new supply, cels have increased in value. For this reason, I tend to be selective of which cels I seek to purchase. They are either of favorite characters or special scenes, mostly still from Sailor Moon (though occasionally I’ll add a Revolutionary Girl Utena cel to the mix).
Because cels are becoming increasingly hard to find overall, I feel it is more important than ever to preserve interest and share with the world. I initially established the Luna Illuminata online gallery in late 1999. A Rubberslug edition was opened in 2002 and still remains, though sadly the site has diminished in functionality over time and no longer allows updates. Due to constraints there, I have re-established this independent site, though I do recommend visiting Rubberslug for the entire collective of galleries there.
Will You Sell [X] Cel?
It’s extremely unlikely. I have been collecting for many years and have already sold most of the cels I didn’t feel strongly about. Though my collection is relatively small, I love it! The cels currently in my collection are worth more to me than market prices (and let’s face it, those are already pretty insane).
Consequently, inquiries such as “For what price are you willing to sell X cel?” will be met with a response of “That cel is not for sale.” If there is a cel in my collection that you feel you cannot live without, I will not blacklist you for making an offer. After all, that is how many of us obtain our wishlist cels! But please understand the answer is still likely to be no, so please do not take it personally.
Where to Find Cels
Where Can I Connect with Other Cel Collectors?
The community is small, but we are still around! I don’t typically attend conventions, but I hear many people do and sometimes meetups might occur there. You can find many collectors and great information about the hobby at the following forums and Facebook groups:
What Steps Do You Take for Preservation?
Cels painted during the studio’s animation process were never meant to survive for long periods of time, and acetate is not a stable medium. Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of cel collectors like the words “vinegar syndrome.” Because I believe the animation art of Sailor Moon (and other series, too!) is important, and that preservation is a key duty of any curator, I take great efforts to maintain my collection. Each cel is stored in an unsealed polypropylene bag with the open end aligned with the open sleeve of an Itoya book, to allow venting. Books are stored vertically to prevent pressure on the contents. Additionally, I place microchamber paper over the face of each cel to absorb off-gassing. Nothing is placed behind the cel, to prevent paint sticking. Every so often, I will check my cels for the telltale scent of vinegar, and if I detect it, will allow them to sit out to vent for a while. And for goodness sake, I do not frame my cels and I keep them away from humidity and light. Thankfully, these measures appear to be working. Over the past 20+ years, my cels are still in great condition and no signs of deterioration are present. That said, I have inadvertently purchased a few cels that already showed signs of vinegar syndrome, including warping of the acetate. Those few cels are quarantined in their own book, in a different room, as once the process begins it can accelerate and affect neighboring cels.
Because I take such pains for adequate storage and cels are hidden from quick viewing behind microchamber paper, it doesn’t facilitate easy flipping through an Itoya. Additionally, I like to leave them undisturbed if at all possible. Thus, it is much easier to view my collection electronically–which is part of why I have an online gallery!
What About Fakes?
Sigh…it happens. Toei Studios (the animators of the original Sailor Moon anime) did make licensed reproductions, either as part of limited runs, or for display in their studio tour museum. The versions of these I am familiar with include henshin cels of the inner senshi (I have one of Jupiter), or opening cels from the Stars season. I also have a few of their repros that were used for display, which are noted in gallery captions. But because cels have increased in value, sometimes to several thousands of dollars, unscrupulous dealers may either create or sell fakes. It is worth locating and checking screenshots before making any purchase, which has saved me from several mistakes in the past. Usually fakes can be distinguished by a variety of features. Either the painting may not be exact, or line work may be off or too uniform. Originals had xeroxed line art, and trace lines will fade over time (particularly over skin tones). Reproductions usually have line work that is too strong or dark. Additionally, sequence numbers may not make sense in the context of the scene. Currently, there is one dealer on Yahoo Japan who has been frequently selling fan-made reproductions, so I always advise caution before spending a lot of money. Unfortunately I have seen fakes dupe unsuspecting sellers and go for final auction prices exceeding 100,000 yen…so be careful!
That said, there is nothing wrong with purchasing fan-made reproductions. I have three in my gallery (at least, that I know about!–and always identified as such), and I love them!