Everyone's heard of the SuperS anime. Most people know about the SuperS manga. But very few individuals know about the SuperS musicals. That's right. Musicals. Live people, in costume, on a stage, dancing and singing. And the really shocking part? It's actually cool.

When I was first told about the world of Seramyu (Sailor Moon musicals), I was skeptical to the extreme. How could adults perform in this kind of farce and still be able to look themselves in the mirror every morning? How could a silly musical production possibly retain the drama, humor, and beauty of the Sailor Moon anime and manga? The concept reminded me far too much of a live-action Power Rangers show. Half the plot, forty times the absurdity.

I was wrong. Now's your chance to have the same epiphany.

Below are presentations of the two drastically different versions of the SuperS musical storyline. The first version of the musical is called Yume Senshi, Ai Eien Ni (Dream Senshi, Love Eternal). A revised musical, the result of many months of evolution, is known as Yume Senshi, Ai Eien Ni, Saturn Fukkatsu Hen (Dream Senshi, Love Eternal, Saturn Revives).

Yume Senshi, Ai Eien Ni
(Dream Senshi, Love Eternal)

The first scene of the SuperS musical contains little to make you think it is any different from the SuperS anime. Inside of Chibiusa's dream, the pink-haired urchin and her pegasus lover meet and sing a beautiful song about moonlight romance, complete with guest appearances by Usagi and Mamoru. But a small hint is present that things are not going to proceed in the same manner as the anime series. For starters, who is that dark-haired girl who cries out in pain when Pegasus appears, and what is she doing in Chibiusa's dream?

Things get strange -- and entertaining -- very quickly. Cut to a scene in forest, where Chibiusa has gotten lost and found again. Usagi and Chibiusa argue over the incident, but soon Mamoru, Rei, Makoto, Minako, and Ami arrive, picnic baskets in hand. All proceed to sing a catchy tune about having fun in the forest, during which odd creatures -- lemures -- ransack the gang's picnic baskets and scurry off unnoticed.

When the song ends and the empty baskets are noticed, Usagi is blamed. Mamoru comes to her defense by proclaiming: "Girls, it's not her fault she eats everything!" After Usagi throws a dramatic fit, the lemures reappear, and everyone realizes what really happened. The girls play with the animals, but things degenerate quickly into a fight when the lemures misbehave.

Enter the Amazon Trio, masters of the lemures. They rein in the out-of-control monkeys and, with a song praising the Dead Moon Circus, invite the girls to try out for the Circus Star Auditions. All are thrilled with the prospect except for Chibiusa, who alone hears the Trio's private thoughts about searching for dream mirrors.

The next scene is probably the most reminiscent of the anime. The Amazon Trio chat about their mission in a bar. Typically, Tiger's Eye insists on going after beautiful young women, Hawk's Eye expresses a preference for older women, and Fish Eye doesn't want women at all. Among a pile of photos of potential victims, Fish Eye spots Mamoru and promptly becomes obsessed with him. The other two tease Fish Eye about his choice. Fish Eye lashes back with a scandalous thought -- don't they, the Amazon Trio, have beautiful dreams like their victims? Enter Zirconia, who insists that their dream is the same as hers -- to find the Golden Crystal held by Pegasus, who is hiding in someone's beautiful dream. A song about this goal ensues.

This is where the musical begins to depart significantly from the anime. Zirconia reveals a dark-haired figure in white robes -- Miss Dream, her prisoner and slave. Zirconia demands that Miss Dream discover where Pegasus is hiding, and repeatedly tortures her with infusions of evil energy. Ultimately, Miss Dream bends under the pressure and begins to magically search for Pegasus.

It doesn't take her long to find him. In the next scene, Miss Dream is inside Chibiusa's dream, attacking Pegasus with bolts of energy. Chibiusa begs the stranger to stop hurting him, but she refuses. Enter Pluto, flying on wires. She commands Chibiusa to wake up, but she cannot. Pluto is overwhelmed by the dark minions assisting Miss Dream. Uranus and Neptune then make their entrance to assist their comrade. While fighting, the three outer senshi sing about protecting the universe from invaders. Ultimately said invaders, including Miss Dream, retreat. Tuxedo Kamen then puts in a late appearance and argues with the outer senshi about the identity of the dark-haired attacker. Pluto announces that she must be Sailor Saturn. Pluto wants to help rescue the misguided soldier, but Uranus objects. All are then distracted by Chibiusa, who has fainted.

Cut to the next day, the day of the Circus Star Auditions! The inner senshi and Mamoru perform tricks that gain approval, but poor Usagi fails at everything she tries. Rei gains acceptance in a particularly funny way -- by using her Burning Mandala as a parlor trick! The friends beg for Usagi to admitted to the circus despite her lack of skill. Finally she is allowed to join the circus -- as a janitor. Chibiusa refuses to participate in the circus in any capacity.

Usagi makes the best of her predicament by making her mopping duties into a game with a song. But her job is soon interrupted by Miss Dream, fleeing from the persecution of other members of the Dead Moon Circus, who are playing a vicious game of keep-away with her most prized possession, her medallion. (Note: This medallion has the multi-pointed star emblem of Saturn's fuku.) Usagi defends her with the mop and chases away her attackers.

Usagi introduces herself to Miss Dream, who is gun shy and refuses to provide her real name. Instead, she opens her medallion -- which turns out to be a music box -- and sings a sad, ethereal song about herself. The only name she will give to Usagi is Miss Dream. (Note: Though it is clear she is Hotaru -- and in fact is called that in the revision -- in this musical the strange newcomer is known and credited only as Miss Dream.) After singing her song, Miss Dream runs away.

Meanwhile, Tiger's Eye flirts with Ami, who bashfully ignores him by reading a book. The other three inner senshi are spying on the scene and gossiping. Suddenly, Tiger's Eye springs his trap and invades Ami's dream mirror. When the others try to intervene, they are captured and their dream mirrors are exposed as well. Zirconia arrives, and sensing the power hidden in the four girls, summons Miss Dream and uses her magic to turn the inner senshi to evil.

This marks the halfway point of the musical. A rousing chorus before the intermission compares the three dreams of the participants -- Usagi and Mamoru's dream of love and hope, the Dead Moon Circus' dream of finding Pegasus, and the outer senshi's dream of saving the universe.

The opening scene of the second act is a little disorienting, to say the least. That's because, like the first scene of the musical, it is a dream sequence -- about, of all things, Usagi's Rabbit Show. You guessed it. It's Usagi, dreaming about having a circus of her very own. The dream, portrayed in song, goes well until the end, when Usagi leaps to catch a trapeze, misses, and falls....

At this point, Tiger's Eye interrupts and walks among the audience, giving a speech about the mission of the Amazon Trio and exhorting the audience not to let the others know their secret. After the speech, Usagi wakes up, mop in hand, to discover that she has fallen asleep at her post.

The four inner senshi, now possessed by the spirit of the Dead Moon Circus, enter the scene and tease Usagi, the lowly janitor. Then they pass on. Fish Eye and Mamoru enter. Usagi hides to spy on their conversation. Fish Eye flirts with Mamoru but he is adamant that he already has a girlfriend, one with a beautiful dream. Fish Eye throws a fit and asks if beautiful dreams are all that matter. Suddenly a cat's call interrupts the scene and Fish Eye runs in terror. It turns out the "cat" in in fact Chibiusa, hiding under a trash can. A conversation ensues in which it is revealed that Pegasus is in hiding.

Miss Dream suddenly falls onto the stage, again chased by other members of the Dead Moon Circus. Usagi tries to defend her as before, but is stopped by Ami, of all people! Ami sings that she is no longer the shy person she was before -- now she is smarter, stronger, more mature -- and evil. Usagi responds by singing a song called "Remember Yourself," during the course of which she manages to bring Ami and the others back to their original, unpossessed selves.

The fun starts when the outer senshi appear on stage and insist that Sailor Saturn, AKA Miss Dream, must be eliminated before she destroys the universe with the power of a black hole. Miss Dream, frightened by what she hears, blasts everyone with energy. Uranus commands everyone to transform and destroy her. Chibiusa feels sorry for Miss Dream and performs her Twinkle Yell to call Pegasus. When Pegasus arrives, Tuxedo Kamen and Chibiusa ride the magical creature into Miss Dream's mind to see what is truly inside her heart. After they depart, Zirconia is heard laughing -- they have fallen into her trap!

A fight ensues between the remaining senshi and the Dead Moon Circus. The senshi are of course victorious. Pluto demands that they follow Chibiusa and Mamoru in order to get to the bottom of Miss Dream's nature as soon as possible. A Sailor Teleport is performed. Now everyone is inside of Miss Dream. (Note: This scene is set to "La Moon," generally regarded as the best song of the entire musical.)

Inside Miss Dream's mind, Chibiusa and Mamoru have been separated. As they search for each other, Chibiusa stumbles across Zirconia and the Amazon Trio, who have also gotten into Miss Dream's mind somehow. Chibiusa is quickly spotted by the bad guys but Tuxedo Kamen rescues her with a brief and mercifully short song. Soon afterward the rest of the senshi appear -- sans Sailor Moon! As it turns out, Sailor Moon is just late, as usual. She stumbles into the fight halfway through. Sailor Moon attempts to perform her standard speech about punishment, but Mars interrupts with a sassy comment about it being a little too late for anyone to care. The fight continues on.

Realizing that the battle is not going her way, Zirconia summons a mirror, through which can be seen the shadowy reflection of... Princess Serenity? No, Neherenia, the dark opposite of the White Moon Princess! Neherenia watches ominously, lending her dark power to her warriors. Miss Dream finally appears to participate in this battle in her own mind, but she is still possessed by darkness, and begins to overpower the senshi with her bolts of energy. Neherenia and Zirconia laugh. But they have underestimated Tuxedo Kamen, who sacrifices his life to block the blasts headed for the senshi. He collapses while smothering Miss Dream in a hug. As he falls, he tells Miss Dream that her power is spent... Now she is a normal girl, like she always wanted.

At this point many anime and manga fans will be shocked, because Tuxedo Kamen dies in an extended, painful scene. And no, he is not resurrected before the end of the musical. He's just dead. As a doornail. And many fans across the world, author included, rejoice loudly!

Affected by Tuxedo Kamen's sacrifice, the Amazon Trio question their purpose. A verbal lashing from Zirconia quickly brings them to their senses and they realign themselves with the forces of evil. Or do they? As they approach the senshi, supposedly to attack, they suddenly turn on Zirconia. Unfortunately, Zirconia is quick on the draw, and orders some lemures to capture and kill the Trio. As the Trio members fade away in an energy-draining net, they tell the senshi to keep dreaming, and to protect their friends. Then they are gone, transforming into three balls of light.

The senshi move to protect these balls of light from Zirconia's onslaught, but suddenly Miss Dream revives from her stupor, screaming "I am, I am, I am...." Images of Sailor Saturn are superimposed on her body, flashing on and off as she battles her own nature. The senshi of death and rebirth is finally waking up, but whose side will she take?

Pegasus decides it is time to intervene. He swoops in and announces that he's just given Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibimoon new powers. The two transform into Super Sailor Soldiers and proceed to serve buckets of whoop-ass to Zirconia and her remaining minions. Moon Gorgeous Meditation ultimately annihilates Zirconia in a flurry of brightly-lighted confetti. Neherenia's mirror disappears.

The battle is over, but the musical is not. An epilogue of sorts takes place, with the ethereal figures of Queen Serenity and King Endymion joining the senshi in a song about love and beauty's destined victory over evil. As the play ends, Sailor Moon places her hands on the shoulders of the newly freed Miss Dream and smiles.

Yet there are questions left unresolved by this ending. What happened to Tuxedo Kamen? Is he really dead forever? And what about Miss Dream? Did she truly awaken as Sailor Saturn, or is she now a mere girl?

The encore does nothing to resolve the questions, though it is entertaining to watch. As "La Soldier" booms forth victoriously, all of the senshi perform a perky dance. Paula Abdul, eat your heart out. You've got nothing on the soldiers of love and justice.

Yume Senshi, Ai Eien Ni, Saturn Fukkatsu Hen
(Dream Senshi, Love Eternal, Saturn Revives)

Most of the revision's plot points are similar to the original. There are, however, key differences in the second half of the production that resolve many of the unanswered questions and present some surprising new situations.

In this version of the musical, the battle does not end with the death of Zirconia. Neherenia steps in, appearing in person rather than just in a mirror's reflection. She succeeds where Zirconia failed, and manages to kill all of the senshi except Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon is left to stand alone against the dark reflection of her future self.

It is at this critical moment that Miss Dream snaps out of her stupor and screams "I am, I am, I am...." This time, however, her awakening is anything but ambiguous. Miss Dream appears in full Saturn regalia and sings a cathedral-style song about her gift to bring life to a brand new world. As she sings, she dramatically swings her Silence Glaive backwards in order to bring the dead senshi back to life -- including the previously-neglected Tuxedo Kamen.

Neherenia is enraged that her victory has been overturned. With her last bit of remaining power, she kills Sailor Moon. The others stand around Sailor Moon's prone body and lament the tragedy. Sailor Mars refuses to accept her death and insists on trying to revive her. Each senshi donates her power to Sailor Moon, but it is not enough. Suddenly Tuxedo Kamen's heart begins glow. The Golden Crystal that everyone has been searching for is not Pegasus' horn, but Mamoru's heart! He uses the power of the Golden Crystal to revive Sailor Moon.

And what a revival it is. Super Sailor Moon evolves into Eternal Sailor Moon, feathers and all! With her Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss, she cleans away the last of the bad guys, and all is well in the world again -- this time with no loose ends.

Other minor revisions were made to the second version of the musical. Miss Dream is finally given her proper name of Hotaru. Some songs, such as the opening tune and the song about having fun in the forest, are truncated by a few verses -- probably to make room for the new song by Sailor Saturn. There are also a few minor plot and lyric changes. For instance, Chibiusa does not frighten off Fish Eye with a cat's meow, and Uranus and Neptune know that the new threat to the universe is Sailor Saturn even before she appears in front of them. The staging of the musical is also different, with characters performing different moves, entering at different times, and having different lines. In short, the revision is the same musical... but not.

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