Sailor Moon in France
Sailor Moon in France refers to Sailor Moon translations and merchandise released in France.
Anime
France was the first foreign country to screen the Sailor Moon anime, which premiered in the country in December 1993. Like the North American distributors, the French did not get the rights to Stars and ended the series at SuperS. Only the SuperS season was ever released on DVD, but it was incomplete because the license expired. The release was also out of order, as it started at episode 149 and used images of Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and the Moonlight Knight.
Censorship and Changes
- Haruka and Michiru's relationship was explained away by saying that Haruka pretended to be a man in civilian form to hide her identity, and Michiru pretended to be "his" girlfriend.
- Fisheye was changed to be female, but the moment where "he" showed his chest was kept.
- Zirconia was changed to be male.
- Artemis was changed to be female in some episodes, but later other characters referred to him as "he." Luna remained female, however.
- Many cultural references were removed and scenes showing Japanese writing were cut.
- All insert songs in the first season were retained, but almost all songs were deleted from Sailor Moon R onwards. "Azusa Nigou" in episode 99 was replaced with a non-vocal version of "Otome no Policy." "Route Venus" was left in as an instrumental version in episode 154. "Watashi-tachi ni Naritakute" was left in as an instrumental version in both episode 158 and episode 159.
- In several occasions during the third season, Rei's nightmare about the upcoming Silence was cut. It was entirely removed from the beginning of episode 90, leaving only the brief flashbacks she had later on. In episode 119, her nightmare was again cut from the beginning of the episode.
Character Names
The French dub changed some characters' names without explanation during the show: for example, An was first called "Annette" in episode 47 but was then called "Anne" in episode 59, and Naru and Umino changed from "Nanou" and "Marc" to "Nina" and "Joël," respectively, in episode 131.
| Japanese | French |
|---|---|
| Usagi Tsukino | Bunny Rivière |
| Mamoru Chiba | Bourdu |
| Ami Mizuno / Sailor Mercury | Molly / Sailor Mercure |
| Rei Hino | Raya Hino |
| Makoto Kino | Marcy Maurane |
| Minako Aino | Mathilda (Amélie) |
| Haruka Tenou | Frédérique |
| Michiru Kaiou | Mylène |
| Setsuna Meiou / Sailor Pluto | Sylvana / Sailor Pluton |
| Hotaru Tomoe | Olivia Williams |
| Chibiusa | Camille |
| Tuxedo Mask | L'Homme Masqué |
| Moonlight Knight | Le Chevalier du Clair de Lune |
| Naru Osaka | Nanou Nina (episode 131 only) |
| Gurio Umino | Marc Joël (episode 131 only) |
| Shingo Tsukino | Charlie |
| Yuuichirou Kumada | Théodore Lambert |
| Ail/Seijuurou Ginga | Alex/Serge Antonin |
| An/Natsumi Ginga | Anne (Annette)/Nathalie Antonin |
| Rubeus | Robin |
| Esmeraude | Émeraude |
| Koan | Carole |
| Berthier | Bérénice |
| Calaveras | Sélimène |
| Petz | Perrine |
| Prince Dimande | Prince Diamant |
| Kaolinite/Kaori | Carolina/Carole |
| Eudial | Eugénia |
| Mimete | Babette |
| Tellu | Théodora |
| Cyprine | Emilie |
| Ptilol | Emilia |
| Tiger's Eye | Oeil de Tigre |
| Hawk's Eye | Oeil de Faucon |
| Fisheye | Oeil de Poisson |
| CereCere | Flora |
| JunJun | Nina |
| VesVes | Prisca |
| PallaPalla | Carla |
Voice Actors
In the French dub, one actor often played several roles.
| Actors | Characters |
|---|---|
| Emmanuelle Pailly | Bunny Rivière/Sailor Moon/Princess Serenity (seasons 1-3) |
| Sylvie Jacob | Bunny Rivière/Sailor Moon/Princess Serenity (season 4) Flora |
| Philippe Ogouz | Bourdu/L'Homme Masqué/Le Chevalier du Clair de Lune/Endymion Frédérique (episode 95+) Nephrite Makaiju Wiseman Helios Zirconia Kenji-papa Raya's Grandfather Most of the male monsters |
| Gérard Dessalles | Bourdu/L'Homme Masqué (episode 47) |
| Maurice Sarfati | Bourdu/L'Homme Masqué (episodes 53-56) |
| Virginie Ogouz | Molly/Sailor Mercury Sailor Pluton (season 2) Artémis (season 2+) Queen Metallia Annette/Nathalie Antonin Bérénice Eugénia Babette Mistress 9 Pégase Prisca Queen Nehellenia Nanou Charlie (first episodes) |
| Claude Chantal | Raya/Sailor Mars (seasons 1-2) Artémis (seasons 1-2) Ikuko-mama (seasons 1-2) Many monsters |
| Francine Lainé | Raya/Sailor Mars (season 2+) Sailor Uranus Diana Carole Carolina (episode 113+) Théodora Carla Ikuko-mama (season 2+) |
| Marie-Laure Beneston | Raya/Sailor Mars (episodes 62-67) |
| Françoise Pavy | Raya/Sailor Mars (episodes 84-89) |
| Agnès Gribe | Marcy/Sailor Jupiter Mylène/Sailor Neptune (episode 92+) Sylvana/Sailor Pluton (episode 110+) Olivia/Sailor Saturne Queen Serenity Luna Queen Beryl Pérrine Esmeraude Black Lady Carolina (episodes 90-102) Viluy Oeil de Poisson Melle/Sabine Rose Some monsters |
| Amélie Morin | Mathilda/Sailor Vénus Camille/Sailor Chibi Moon Sailor Neptune (episodes 90-91) Sélimène Yui Bidoh Emilie Emilia Nina |
| Annabelle Roux | Mathilda/Sailor Vénus (episodes 48-52) |
| Sophie Gormezzano | Mathilda/Sailor Vénus Camille (episodes 84-89) |
| Mark Lesser | Frédérique (episodes 92-94) Zoisite Alex/Serge Antonin Prince Diamand Marc Charlie Théodore (second voice) |
| François Leccia | Jadeite Kunzite Robin Saphir Professor Williams Oeil de Tigre Tommy Théodore (first voice) |
| Olivier Destrez | Oeil de Faucon |
| Julie Turin | Xénian |
Transformations and Attacks
Sailor Moon
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Moon Prism Power, Make Up Moon Crystal Power, Make Up Moon Cosmic Power, Make Up |
Pouvoir du prisme lunaire, transforme-moi ! | Moon prism power, transform me! |
| Crisis, Make Up | Pouvoir suprême, viens à mon secours ! | Supreme power, come to my rescue! |
| Moon Crisis, Make Up | Pouvoir suprême, transforme-moi ! | Supreme power, transform me! |
| Moon Tiara Action | Frisbee lunaire, agis tout de suite ! | Moon frisbee, take action immediately! |
| Moon Princess Halation | Cicatrisation lunaire, exécution! Pouvoirs de la Lune, venez et aidez-moi! (episode 52) |
Moon Healing, execution! Moon Powers, come and help me! |
| Moon Healing Escalation Rainbow Moon Heart Ache |
Cicatrisation lunaire, exécution! | Moon Healing, execution! |
| Moon Spiral Heart Attack | Baguette du Cœur Lunaire, fais disparaître le mal, tout de suite! (episode 91) Cicatrisation lunaire, exécution! |
Moon Heart Rod, eliminate the evil right now! Moon Healing, execution! |
| Moon Crystal Power | Pouvoir du prisme lunaire, agis tout de suite ! | Moon prism power, take action immediately! |
| Moon Gorgeous Meditation | Kaléidoscope lunaire, action ! | Moon kaleidoscope, action! |
Sailor Mercury
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Power, Make Up Mercury Star Power, Make Up |
Pouvoir de Mercure, transforme-moi ! | Mercury power, transform me! |
| Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up | Pouvoir du cristal et de Mercure, transforme-moi! | Power from the crystal and Mercury, transform me! |
| Sabão Spray Sabão Spray Freezing Double Sabão Spray Freezing |
Paillettes d'argent, agissez tout de suite ! | Silver sparkles, take action immediately! |
| Shine Aqua Illusion | Vague d'argent, agis tout de suite ! | Silver wave, take action immediately! |
| Mercury Aqua Rhapsody | Rhapsodie de l'eau, agis tout de suite ! | Water rhapsody, take action immediately! |
Sailor Mars
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Mars Power, Make Up Mars Star Power, Make Up |
Pouvoir de Mars, transforme-moi ! | Mars power, transform me! |
| Mars Crystal Power, Make Up | Pouvoir du cristal et de Mars, transforme-moi! | Power from the crystal and Mars, transform me! |
| Fire Soul Fire Soul Bird |
Âme du feu, agis tout de suite ! | Fire soul, take action immediately! |
| Burning Mandala | Cercles du feu, agissez tout de suite ! Âmes du feu, agissez tout de suite ! |
Fire circles, take action immediately! Fire souls, take action immediately! |
| Mars Flame Sniper | Flèche du feu, agis tout de suite ! | Fire arrow, take action immediately! |
Sailor Jupiter
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Jupiter Power, Make Up Jupiter Star Power, Make Up |
Pouvoir de Jupiter, transforme-moi ! | Jupiter power, transform me! |
| Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up | Pouvoir du cristal et de Jupiter, transforme-moi! | Power from the crystal and Jupiter, transform me! |
| Supreme Thunder Supreme Thunder Dragon Super Supreme Thunder |
Eclair suprême, agis tout de suite ! | Supreme thunder, take action immediately! |
| Sparkling Wide Pressure | Eclair suprême, agis tout de suite ! Disque d'argent, agis tout de suite ! |
Supreme thunder, take action immediately! Silver disk, take action immediately! |
| Jupiter Oak Evolution | Couronne de Jupiter, agis tout de suite ! | Jupiter crown, take action immediately! |
Sailor Venus
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Venus Power, Make Up Venus Star Power, Make Up |
Pouvoir de Vénus, transforme-moi ! | Venus power, transform me! |
| Venus Crystal Power, Make Up | Pouvoir du cristal et de Vénus, transforme-moi! | Power from the crystal and Venus, transform me! |
| Crescent Beam Crescent Beam Shower Venus Love-Me Chain |
Croissant d'amour, agis tout de suite ! Croissants d'amour, agissez tout de suite ! |
Love crescent, take action immediately! Love crescents, take action immediately! |
| Furious Random Crescent Beam Shots | L'energie de ma colère | The energy of my rage |
| Venus Love and Beauty Shock | Cœur de Vénus, agis tout de suite ! | Venus heart, act immediately! |
Sailor Chibi Moon
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Moon Prism Power, Make Up | Pouvoir du prisme lunaire, transforme-moi ! | Moon prism power, transform me! |
| Moon Crisis, Make Up | Pouvoir suprême, transforme-moi ! | Supreme power, transform me! |
| Twinkle Yell | S'il te plait Pégase, protège les rêves des gens ! Carillon de Cristal, sonne ! | Please Pegasus, protect the dreams of the people! Crystal Carillon, ring! |
Sailor Uranus
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Uranus Planet Power, Make Up | Pouvoir d'Uranus, transforme-moi ! | Uranus power, transform me! |
| World Shaking | Cercle de feu, brûle ! | Circle of fire, burn! |
Sailor Neptune
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Neptune Planet Power, Make Up | Pouvoir de Neptune, transforme-moi ! | Neptune power, transform me! |
| Deep Submerge | Cercle de glace, gèle ! | Circle of ice, freeze! |
Sailor Pluto
| Original | French | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Pluto Planet Power, Make Up | Pouvoir de Pluton, transforme-moi ! | Pluto power, transform me! |
| Dead Scream | Globe de Pluton, roule ! Pouvoir de Pluton, agis tout de suite ! |
Globe of Pluto, roll! Pluto power, take action immediately! (episode 113 only) |
Manga
The manga was published in France by a company called Glénat. It was released from 1995-1999 in paperback book editions, most of which had the same covers as the Japanese editions. The back of each book had no summary and simply featured art from one of the artbooks. Each of the covers was extra-long and folded over, to create cover flaps which also had art from the artbooks. The front cover flap gave a summary of the volume, and the back listed books previous to that one in the series. The logo used was the one from the artbooks, minus "Pretty Soldier" in Japanese, and each volume was given its own title. Three of the French manga covers were printed with mixed-up covers: volume one had the cover for volume two, volume two had the cover for volume six, and volume six had the cover for volume one.
Most of the dialogue in the French editions was accurate, and there were very few alterations of Japanese elements. The only major change in this regard was that Rei Hino became Catholic and her chant was changed to "Vade retro, satanas !" ("Go back, demon!", a Latin exorcism). Her school's name was also changed to the "Saint Anne Academy for Girls."
The bulk of the main characters had the same or similar names as the Japanese version. However, the attacks and transformations were not given exact translations, and some were never called the same thing twice. The villains' names were also very different, and many had their genders changed: Kaolinite became "Elvira," Zirconia became a man, the Amazon Trio were all-female (and Hawk's Eye was named "Oak"), and the Amazoness Quartet were never given names.
In addition, there were some mistakes such as referring to the previously named "Rubis" as "Zoisite" in the short story "Casablanca Memory." A few other characters were given different names for no apparent reason: Sailor Mercury became "Sailor Mercure" by the third book and Séverine was once called "Setusna."
There is a common misconception among fans that Haruka Tenou became a man for the French manga, but this was not the case. She was referred to as "he" at first, before anyone knew she was female. After her identity was discovered, she was always referred to as "she," and her feminine figure was undeniable even outside of sailor uniform. The relationship between Haruka and Michiru remained vague; when they first appeared and Haruka was thought to be male, they were referred to as boyfriend and girlfriend, but later they were called "best friends."
The first artbook was also licensed by Glénat and was released in a hardcover format with the liner notes translated.
Character Names
| Japanese | French |
|---|---|
| Usagi Tsukino | Bunny Tsukino |
| Mamoru Chiba | Manoru Chiba |
| Ami Mizuno | Amy Mizuno |
| Rei Hino | Raya Hino |
| Makoto Kino | Mako Kino |
| Minako Aino | Minako Aïno |
| Haruka Tenou | Frédéric Tenno |
| Michiru Kaiou | Mylène Kaio |
| Setsuna Meiou | Séverine Meio |
| Hotaru Tomoe | Olivia Tomoe |
| Chibiusa | Mini-Bunny |
| Sailor Chibi Moon | Sailor Mini Moon |
| Tuxedo Mask | Tuxedo Masqué |
Trivia
- Episode 18 of the dubbed anime was titled "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son," which was a reference to a popular song by France Gall.
- Haruka's name in the French manga was "Frédéric," which is a name spelling used only for men ("Frédérique" is the feminine spelling). This was a possible reason why many fans believed that her gender had been changed in the manga.
- Minako, though she was renamed "Mathilda" in the French dub, was sometimes called "Amélie Morin." This was the name of the voice actress who provided her voice.
- In episode 93, Bunny mentioned that Mathilda was fluent in Spanish.
- In episode 102, Carolina said that she would meet with Bunny at Tokyo's Eiffel Tower.
- Frédérique called Bunny "Face de Lune" (Moon Face).
- Viluy was never given a name in the French dub, and she had two voice actresses: one, Agnès Gribe, for her Viluy form, and another, Amélie Morin, for her Yui Bidoh form.
- François Leccia, an actor who played a number of roles in the French dub, died in 2009.
