9/27/2025: Wrapping up September
It’s sometimes so difficult to find time to update! But here goes.
- Minako from Sailor Moon episode 42. I just love this flashback to her time as Sailor V, but many of the cels from this episode (and this scene in particular) seem to have vinegar syndrome. I was glad to find one that is still in reasonably good condition!
- Michiru appears in the pool during a fateful encounter with Ami. This was probably the most drama I ever saw with an auction–the price kept jumping and then falling by about 30,000 yen every two minutes or so. Still have no idea what happened here, but I’m glad I walked away with it!
- Sailor Chibimoon wraps up her attack Twinkle Yell in this gorgeous SuperS bank cel (with color copy background).
- Cute Diana looks so bewildered in this scene! She’s sitting atop a pile of ingredients for a gourmet meal, though thankfully she’ll appear as a guest of honor and not as the entrée, ha!
8/28/2025: Last two additions
It’s so unusual to find cels with their original backgrounds, and here I was lucky enough to find two!
- Luna looks like a very disturbed kitty…she senses the Dark Kingdom. Usagi, naturally, is oblivious.
- The freeze-frame of Mercury almost getting hit by the DD Girls from episode 45. The amount of detail in this book cel is breathtaking and it’s in superb condition!
8/18/2025: Catching up on scanning
I had a few shipments and it’s taken me weeks to finish the scans/uploads. At least now I should be caught up. Additions include…
- Minako from Sailor Moon S, episode 100. I absolutely love this episode and Mari Tominaga’s art style. It’s a picture perfect shot and the background is the original of the school gym (though used earlier in the episode).
- Rei is super cute here as she is trying to be nice to Usagi (for once!) and cheer her up. Such a change for her character arc! It happens near the beginning of the Stars season, which is evident when studying her eye contour/art style. The background is a copy and the cel itself is huge…probably because it was used in a pan shot with Usagi in the foreground.
- Haruka from episode 106. I have found so many cels from this ep lately! This comes with the gorgeous original (and oversized) background, which of course was the main draw. Haruka looks so distinguished here as she pauses to take in Michiru’s artwork (not shown).
- Venus deploys Love-Me Chain in the SuperS movie. This was incorrectly billed by the seller as a bank cel, but the hair highlighting made it obvious it was used in one of the movies. After a quick search, it was easy to find the matching frame from a special unique sequence. This cel had circulated on Yahoo Japan for several weeks unsold, because the price was a bit high. But then another cel from a few frames later turned up at a negligible starting price, and quickly drew attention with several competing bids. I figured the bidding war could eventually spill over to this cel and since I preferred this frame, I took the plunge and bought it before the second auction closed. It turned out to be a wise move, because the other cel closed for MUCH more than I paid for this one!
- Mamoru from the closing moments of episode 200…need I say more?! It’s funny that my only two cels of solo Mamoru are from this ep.
- Pluto makes her first appearance, bowing in introduction to the inner senshi in the R season. This pan cel took several scans to piece together, but it was entirely worth it. It’s a great piece in the quintessential Masahiro Andō style.
7/3/2025: A small (but mighty) update
Today’s update comes from the acquisitions over the past few months…it’s taken me a long time to post these!
- Sailor Chibimoon lies unconscious near the end of the S arc. It’s so cool finding the entire setup with the original background, especially since I have the cel from Uranus and Neptune’s reaction shot that immediately follows.
- Cels from episode 106 are a special treat! Haruka reacts with wide-eyed shock as Michiru confesses how long she has been watching her.
- Back in present day in ep 106, Uranus finishes up her World Shaking in a kickass pose. I just love the outers and their efficiency!
5/9/2025: New additions (this time, without VS)
The first two of today’s cels come from the Mandarake BWA:
- Sailor Moon dies at the end of the first season
- Pluto turns up in the middle of the S arc, to produce the third talisman and save Uranus and Neptune
The last cel comes from Splash Page–which, funnily enough, is the same purveyor from whom I bought my first cel, way back in the 90s! Even though the cel section of their website appears to be long gone, it’s nice to see they are still in the game.
- Michiru and Haruka leave the senshi behind to square off with Galaxia, meeting Setsuna and Hotaru on their way. I’m so thrilled to find a cel from this scene!
5/4/2025: May the fourth be with you
I may need a mystical energy field to control the destiny of this cel, truth be told! This is the first time I have (knowingly) purchased a cel that is already deep into the stages of vinegar syndrome. But, even so, it was worth it. Hopefully it will last a while longer, and at least I was able to get a workable scan.
Saturn makes her first appearance in Sailor Stars, and assists the first transformation of Eternal Sailor Moon.
4/16/25: This is overdue
It’s taken me a while to scan and organize, but here they are finally. I’ve gotten a little more selective lately in which cels I purchase, but the number of filled books is growing, and the commitment to preservation of the collection has to take priority. Still, I was so happy to see these hit the market over the past few months! There were three cels from episode 106 (!), two cels from openings (my first ever), and an absolutely stunning Neptune from the climax of the S season.
- Sailor Mars from the S Opening
- Sailor Venus from the Stars Opening. This is two cels used at different points in the sequence (with a handmade background)
- Haruka, complete in motorcycle gear from the beginning of the episode 106 origin story
- Neptune and a sad violin, also from ep 106 (it’s gorgeous, complete with original background)
- Haruka upon seeing her first monster, ep 106
- Desperate Neptune, incredulous that Sailor Moon is about to hand over the holy grail to Hotaru/Mistress 9. This one has been subjected to some amateur correction over line fading, which while not ideal, hasn’t diminished the impact of the image.
1/29/2025: One small addendum
One last cel for January: Rei from her character episode in SuperS. I have a soft spot for portrait cels like this one. Although the background is not original, it’s a great copy of the temple used as part of the scene’s backdrop. I so rarely find cels of Rei, so this was a special treat.
1/25/2025: Brrrr!
Seems like the whole country is in a deep freeze and it’s no exception here. Thankfully, shipments are still being faithfully delivered! Today’s update features four cels (including two from episode 106!).
- An injured Sailor Neptune, explaining their destinies to Haruka for the first time
- Haruka, deciding to pick up her wand and fight alongside Neptune
- Minako’s flashback from the R Movie. Such a gorgeous shot!
- Helios with the original background. Truly an amazing find on YJ!
Keep warm everyone!
1/16/2025: Happy 2025!
It’s a great start to the year with the Mandarake BWA, and two cels of Sailor Uranus from the end of the Stars arc!
- Uranus from episode 197, about to smite Galaxia
- Uranus suddenly realizes her ruse has failed–Galaxia does not, in fact, have a star seed
Needless to say, given how much I love these episodes, this was a landmark find! I’m so happy these came available!
