4/2/2024: April showers bring…new cels!
What else can you do when there are perpetual tornado watches and spring storms? Stay in and watch auctions, of course! I was fortunate to pick up three to start the month:
- Queen Serenity from the Sailor Moon Classic flashback. This cel is absolutely gorgeous in person. I was quite nervous about it, because the seller on YJ has habitually posted cels already succumbing to advanced stages vinegar syndrome (though not readily disclosed); the descriptions all say the cels were bought 26 years ago and kept in a closed file for a long time, which I suppose is code for “buyer beware.” Upon close inspection, nearly every one of their auction images have shown telltale wrinkling along the sides of the acetate, or worse. This was the first cel listed that didn’t display the obvious signs, but goshdarnit, those old cels from season one seem to be most at risk–at least, judging from the cels I have found in the past few years. I took a huge chance on this one, even though I swore off cels from that particular seller long ago, and wow did I get lucky. This cel is in pristine condition without a hint of vinegar scent. Thank goodness!
- This Eudial cel was an impulse purchase because I haven’t made a point to collect the Witches 5, but I dearly love seeing cels with their original backgrounds. It’s also in fantastic condition. And imagine my surprise when I located it in the episode featuring the deaths of Neptune & Uranus! She’s just correctly ID’d the talisman holders and is ready to pounce. What a cool find!
- Once again, I broke my promise to steer clear of Heritage Auctions due to the wide price swings (and crazy high fees). Weirdly, this cel didn’t go for nearly as much as I would have thought. I’ve paid more for basic cels of Hotaru, and to find such a key scene was a dream come true.
3/18/2024: Lots of new additions
I may have overdone it this month! Still, I was able to find some gorgeous cels to add to the gallery.
- Sailor Moon from the SuperS movie. It’s a nice full-body shot!
- Teenage Chibiusa and Pegasus from SuperS. I am so sad that vinegar syndrome has taken hold of this one, but I’m going to do my best to care for it as long as possible.
- Chibiusa running in her elementary school race, from the end of SuperS. I am such a sucker for athlete Chibiusa!
- A Chibiusa reproduction, based on Ikuko Itō’s work from the 2nd SuperS ending (featuring “Rashiku Ikimasho”). Although it’s a fancel, it is extremely well-done.
- Jupiter about to kick some @$$ in SuperS
- Minako and Rei saying goodbye to Chibiusa at the beginning of Stars (and a very sad Artemis who can’t bear to see Diana go!)
- Neptune’s intro in Stars, after her super senshi upgrade
- Yaten from Stars. This one came with the full set of speaking animations, as well as the timing sheet and original background.
2/20/2024: February update
A little update for February:
- Chibiusa from the end of Sailor Moon R (episode 88). This is such a great image of Chibiusa, running to reunite with her mom Neo Queen Serenity.
- Sailor Moon & Chibi Moon are switched in SuperS episode 158. Applesymphony posted this one and it was a little pricey, but it’s such a cute shot of baby Usagi and comes with the original background!
1/16/2024: Happy New Year!
I hope everyone has had a great start to 2024! Here is a small update, including two cels from the beginning of Stars: a stressed Neptune from episode 167, and a Sailor Uranus intro that I had an eye on for months and finally added to the collection (episode 168).
Here’s to a new year of health and happiness!
12/20/2023: OK, so twice upon a December
Much thanks to Casey and Marisa over at Anime-Online; they are closing down their collection, and I was fortunate to inherit custody of these two Iron Mouse (Iron Mice?) cels. I’ve always admired their collection, and they still have many beautiful pieces!
At any rate, the Anima-Mates are icons and cels of them are so difficult to find. I really love these two of Iron Mouse, with her preparing to bow before Galaxia, and a put-out expression as her workday is interrupted.
12/15/2023: Once upon a December
The holidays are turning out to be very busy, but happily I still managed a small update this month.
- Another Michiru from S, Episode 102. It’s featured in the same car ride as the cel I added in October! I love finding scene-mates.
- Setsuna looks sad as Chibiusa pleads with her not to kill Hotaru; S Episode 120. This one made it on YJ for all of one day. I’m lucky to have found it in time.
- Applesymphony posted this hilarious Minako from S Episode 109. It’s my only cel under the direction of Kazuya Kuroda, whose work was featured in just two episodes.
- I was very excited to find this last one from the final episodes of the Stars arc, Episode 196. It appears in sequence with another cel I have from this scene, which features nearly every senshi in the series (sans Michiru & Haruka). The girls are looking on Galaxia’s destruction, and preparing to march into battle for the final time. This one came from the good people who run Akihabara’s auctions.
11/2/2023: One small update in Sailormoon
This is a tiny addendum to the last update. Both cels are from SuperS. They were sourced from Heritage, which is my first time going through this auction house. I typically steer clear, as the market is muddied by investors and other secondhand curators, and prices can get absurdly high as a result. Thankfully, neither of these two ended up in the stratosphere, so I was able to pick them up–even though I hadn’t held out much hope. I love the dramatic moment of Artemis rushing to Luna’s side (Episode 133). The cel of Usagi (plus Chibiusa and Diana, how cute are they?!) is a special find from Episode 141. It’s so rare to get original backgrounds such as this one, and it’s in wonderfully preserved shape.
10/30/2023: Sailormoon update
After spending the entire month with three weeks of bronchitis, followed by COVID, I suppose there’s not much to do except update. Silver linings! (And yes, this has been a busy month for acquisitions. I don’t have much of an excuse, except that I really have been so sick that I’ve just had extra time to go hunting.)
- The girls in a crowded alley, from an Ikuko Itō-directed episode of Sailor Moon Classic, Episode 31. I never thought I would get my hands on a cel from this scene! It was a firefight on YJ but completely worth it.
- Chibiusa and Tuxedo Kamen from the final battle of Sailor Moon R, Episode 88. If I overpaid for the earlier entry, this makes up for it. Super cheap, especially for SM!
- Two cels of Michiru from Sailor Moon S, Episode 106 (the flashback episode). This makes five entries from this episode! I waffled on getting the injured Neptune, but couldn’t resist pairing it up with the base layer that I already had on hand.
- Civilian Iron Mouse from Stars, Episode 176. I’m always looking for cels of the Animamates, but they are just so hard to find…especially Mouse and Crow.
10/11/2023: Sailormoon gallery update
This is a big (for me) update. Usually I try not to get so many cels at once, but…well… Cels from the end of the Stars arc are my most sought-after scenes, especially if they feature emotional moments. They’re pretty rare to see, and wouldn’t you know, last month there were two–both ending within an hour of each other on YJ! What’s a girl to do?!
- Inner Senshi from an Ikuko Itō-directed episode of Sailor Moon R, Episode 68
- Michiru Kaiou from Sailor Moon S, Episode 102–you know, the one where Usagi gets her heart crystal taken and Kaolinite dies
- Sailor Moon agonizing over the deaths of the Inner Senshi, Sailor Stars Episode 196 (!!)
- Sailor Uranus’s death scene, Sailor Stars Episode 198 (like I was going to pass that up!)
9/27/2023: Cels up for offers
9/7/2023: Update in Sailormoon
A small update for September, with three cels:
- Sailor Moon from an Ikuko Itō-directed episode of Sailor Moon Classic, Episode 37
- Minako Aino being captured by the Dead Moon Circus from SuperS, Episode 141
- Ami Mizuno battling in a video game tournament, Sailor Stars Episode 191
