Brief Summary
Ray Mona's "The Western World of Sailor Moon Part 2" documents the search for the lost Saban Moon pilot, picking up where Part 1 left off. The investigation includes interviews with key figures, new leads, and a deep dive into the Library of Congress archives, ultimately uncovering the full pilot episode.
- Interview with Rocky Solitov and the mysterious man in red
- Contacting Raymond Iacovacci
- Discovery of the full pilot episode
Prologue
The video begins with a reflection on patience and persistence in lost media hunts, emphasizing that answers often appear unexpectedly. The search for Saban Moon required significant patience, leading to crucial interviews and new information. Despite progress, the investigation had only scratched the surface, with new leads emerging while waiting for key interviews.
Intro
The episode continues the investigation into the Western World of Sailor Moon, featuring an interview with Toon Makers CEO Rocky Solitov and the producer of the live-action pilot. New leads and individuals of interest have emerged, potentially bringing the investigator closer to the answers sought. The goal is to tie up loose ends and uncover new information about Saban Moon.
Chapter 1: Call My Name (I’ll Be There)
The discussion with Lynn Walsh led to communication with Saban Moon's live-action producer and Rocky Solitov, resulting in a scheduled call to discuss Project Y. The investigator hoped to uncover more about the lost pilot, confirm theories, reveal cast identities, and potentially find keepsakes or a copy of the pilot. The investigator urges viewers to watch the previous episode for context. After some scheduling, a date was set for the call, providing an opportunity to further investigate and potentially gather more information for the interview.
Chapter 2: Super Sailor Starship Trooper
Following the premiere of the first part, the investigator received feedback, corrections, and new tip-offs. Three new individuals rumored to be part of Project Y were identified. The first was musician Ron Wasserman, known for the Power Rangers theme, who had ties to Saban and Renaissance Atlantic. Wasserman confirmed writing songs for the Sailor Moon album but was unsure about involvement with the pilot. The second lead was actress Tammy Adrian George, rumored to have played Sailor Jupiter, who confirmed her role and willingness to speak about her experiences. The third person of interest was Ellen Price, a Renaissance Atlantic executive, who was responsible for producing art bibles and video pilots.
Chapter 3: In the Name of the Moon…I’ll Find You!
Despite failing to contact Ellen Price, the investigator pursued correspondence with Tammy Adrian George. Tammy shared memories of a busy casting process, mentioning Mindy (Sailor Mercury), Danny (Sailor Mars), and Stephanie Dickerson/Dickinson (Sailor Moon) as co-stars. She recalled voiceover work with Patricia Alice Albrecht (Luna) and Adrian Barbeau (Queen Serenity/Beryl). Tammy didn't keep any relics from the set, as production retained everything. She now works as a pilates instructor and is involved with onlinepilatesclasses.com.
Chapter 4: A Super Moon Meeting
Tammy's information led to the identification of Stephanie Dicker as the actress who played Sailor Moon. Stephanie was active in the 1980s and 1990s, appearing on shows like General Hospital and Boy Meets World. She is now Stephanie Shanfield, a realtor in Los Angeles. The investigator reached out to Stephanie for an interview. Finding Danny and Mindy proved more challenging, with limited information available.
Chapter 5: Ego and Moon Pride
Finding Danny and Mindy was difficult due to limited information. Tammy's details suggested Danny was an Asian actress and trained dancer, while Mindy was a red-haired actress who was under 18 during filming. The investigator searched through cast lists of teen sitcoms and dramas but found nothing. A man named Ian Landry contacted the investigator, claiming to be in touch with Raymond Iacovacci, the producer of animation who appeared in the cast photo that Lynne Walsh shared. Raymond claimed to possess the lost tape but was hesitant to share it due to copyright issues.
Chapter 6: The Rainy Day Man
The investigator contacted Raymond Iacovacci, who agreed to an interview. Raymond shared his background as an animator, including his work on The Simpsons. He claimed that Rocky Solitov and he formed a partnership and Rocky and his cronies did the live action, meanwhile they shoved his ass over to Korea to do the animation part. He mentioned that the actresses who played the sailor scouts were very successful. The interview was cut short, and a follow-up call was disjointed and filled with misinformation. An anonymous letter revealed that Raymond had lost his copy of the pilot when his storage locker was auctioned off.
CALL TO ACTION
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Chapter 7: A Dream With The Sailor Team
The day of the interview with Rocky Solitov and Stephen Wilzbach arrived. Stephen Wilzbach, the producer of live action, had worked on films like The Iron Giant and Space Jam. The interview began with thanks for their time and acknowledgment of the cult following Saban Moon has garnered. Rocky and Steven shared their backgrounds in animation and how they got involved in the project. They discussed the casting process, the decision to create a live-action hybrid, and the challenges they faced with a limited budget.
Chapter 8: That’s Not All, Folks!
The interview with Stephen and Rocky provided crucial insights into the production of Saban Moon. Key takeaways included the involvement of talented animators, the request for a He-Man/She-Ra hybrid, the low budget, and the thousands of people who auditioned. The Moon Cycle toy concept was drafted by Rocky's team and made it to toy shelves. There was behind-the-scenes footage filmed by Renaissance Atlantic.
Chapter 9: A Moon Chamber…Of Secrets
Despite the progress made, the investigator felt unsatisfied and decided to revisit all the evidence. A comment from Rocky about finding things in the last place you look sparked the idea to investigate the Library of Congress. Copyright entries from Renaissance Atlantic were found, including titles like "Project Y" and "Sailor Moon." This confirmed the theory that Toei was looking to capitalize on the success of Power Rangers by creating Americanized live-action hybrids.
Chapter 10: The Space and Time Door
The investigator called the Library of Congress and learned that written permission from the copyright holder, Frank Ward, was needed to obtain copies of the material. Frank Ward was the president of Renaissance Atlantic. The investigator decided to contact Cecilia de Anastasio, the journalist who interviewed Frank Ward in 2018. Cecilia agreed to help and acted as a middleman between the investigator and Frank.
Chapter 11: A Realm of Sailor Energy
Frank Ward agreed to sign the letter, and the investigator forwarded everything to the Library of Congress. A representative from the company responded to the inquiry and informed the investigator that Frank's signature had been approved. The investigator paid the fee and waited to hear back from the library staff.
Chapter 12: En Route to Venus!
The investigator received the material from the Library of Congress, including the full pilot episode of Saban Moon.
Chapter 13: Winner Takes It All (To The Moon And Back)
The pilot and music video confirmed several rumors and revealed new information about Toon Maker Sailor Moon. Bondi prototyped unique merchandise, and the lyrics were updated. New character designs for Queen Serenity and Tuxedo Mask were revealed. The name theory was partially confirmed, with Serena Usagi's name being Victoria. The musical score sounded similar to work from Bob Summers and Don Perry. The identities of four out of the five actresses who played the Sailor Scouts were confirmed.
