She has got to be Japanese anime’s most recognized character from the 90’s – I’m pretty sure everyone is familiar with Pretty Guardian – Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon made a huge impact when she first debuted in the early 90’s. Her fanbase is very big that’s why up to this day, merchandise such as figures from S.H.Figuarts is still being patronized or supported by many fans from many generations.

I’ll be reviewing the latest S.H.Figuarts Sailor Moon Animation Color figure from Bandai. This figure review wouldn’t be possible without the help from our friends from GreatToys Online, if you want to check out more Sailor Moon related figures, go visit their website!

Box Design

The box design features both the series logo and the 25th Anniversary logo of the Sailor Moon Franchise which was also present in the first S.H.Figuarts Sailor Moon figure. This figure set is for the “Animation Color Edition” set which has different color iterations from the first figure release. The box design also features a simpler and cleaner layout compared to the first Sailor Moon figure.

Remember to always be on the lookout for authenticity seals and stickers to make sure your figures are legitimate and original!

First Thoughts

When I first saw an S.H.Figuarts Sailor Moon figure – regardless of which sailor it was – my first thoughts were how can they stand with their skimpy legs? The build for the Sailor Moon figure is quite accurate with how they were portrayed in the series – very anime-like. But to my surprise, the figure is very sturdy and durable – you just need to find the correct balance if you opt not to use the stands and base when posing her. I’ll be doing a detailed review of the quality as we go along.

What’s Inside the Box?

The figure set includes 3 different faceplates for her different expressions, a set of 7  interchangeable hands, the Moon Stick, a Luna figure, and a figure base and stand.

Luna’s head can be rotated or tilted from either side.

The stand is very unique to the Sailor Moon franchise as it is shaped differently – by different I mean a heart-shaped base – very apt for the series.

Figure Articulation and Details

Don’t be fooled by the figure’s slim look – this one packs a ton of articulation points. The thing I really like about S.H.Figuarts figures is their articulation, they are probably the best figures that features many articulation points that don’t sacrifice the figure’s overall look.

The arms are connected to the body via a ball-joint peg and the forearms via a hinge-type peg.

Her upper body part can be twisted – the articulation point is coming from the chest separation from the torso. The torso built is until the figure’s waist – I think they did this to lessen the obvious articulation parts from the figure.

Looking at Sailor Moon’s hair, given that she’s very active, her hair should also have some movement to follow – right? This figure comes with a ball-joint articulation from the bun to the pigtail.

The knees also have a hinge-type joint which hides the obvious articulation point at the back of the knee instead of the front. Somehow the kneecap and the boots hide the obvious fold of the knees – which is good attention to detail.

Her feet are connected via a ball-joint articulation which you can fully rotate.

The faceplates can be changed by separating her bangs from the face and by pulling out the attached faceplate from the face itself.

This figure probably would be the easiest one when it comes to changing the hands. Given the petite structure of the figure – the ball joint for the hands is small which makes it easier to pop in and pop out the hands from the ball socket.

Okay, you might ask – what’s the main difference between this figure to the older S.H.Figuarts release, right? Since I don’t have the older one to compare with – the easiest reference to look at would be the color reds in these figures. Those you see as reds are colored pink and have a metallic finish in the first S.H.Figuarts release.

Image Source: https://www.shfiguarts.com/category/1/6/SHFiguarts/SHFiguarts-Sailor-Moon.html

That’s why this figure is said to be Animation Color Edition as it follows the colors from the animation show. Also, the first release has more metallic paint finishes compare to the latest figure release. The paint application for this figure is a solid 100% for me as most of the smaller parts were painted in detail – given this, I could not find major issues with the paint apps as they are really working on a petite figure build.

Overall Rating

If you’ve missed out on the first S.H.Figuarts Sailor Moon figure releases – this might be your chance to catch up as the price is obviously lower compared to the older releases. Do check out GreatToys Online, if you want to check out their Sailor Moon figures up for sale!

The figure can really stand on its own even without the aid of the figure stand or base – you just need to find the right balance.