LIBERATION 44: BANDAI ASIA SPECIAL EDITION SAILOR MARS

The Sailor Moon license has gotten a steady workout since the first line of dolls was produced in 1993. In every country where the show has aired, fans of all ages have clamored for dolls of their favorite characters. There are dolls unique to markets in Japan, Europe, Italy, the US, Canada, and Asia. The Sailor Mars shown here (Rei Hino in the original Japanese show, Raye in North America) is a Bandai Asia special edition. These unusual dolls have been produced for Asian markets outside of Japan in the last few years. The packaging for this doll was reused from the European edition, and is marked as an Asian edition by the presence of a large sticker on the front of the package. The doll within is the 11 inch, bendable leg mold previously produced for the European market, as distinct from the 10.5 inch dolls without bendable legs or the 11 inch talkers produced for the Japanese market. These dolls are some of my particular favorites- the quality of these dolls is the highest of any save the various talking dolls. Best of all, due to their recent production, these dolls can be found in the United States at much more affordable prices than the other editions.

The Doll

Rei has a lovely anime style face mold with a very tiny nose, even compared to other anime dolls. Her wide eyes are deep brown and need no shadow to accent them. Her mischievous smile is a pale coral, and she has the faintest hint of a coral blush on her cheeks. Her forehead has two pegs for her removable Sailor Mars tiara. Her earrings are the correct Sailor Mars stars and are not removable. She has long brown hair with curly bangs which completely hide the peg holes in her forehead.

Rei is 11 inches tall, and her legs are even longer than Barbie’s! This makes her legs seem endless, especially when wearing her barely-skirted sailor fuku (uniform). She has small hips and an even smaller bosom, befitting the slender teen of her character. Her legs have two solid clicks and hold a position well. Her skin tone is a pale, soft pink. Her tiny feet don’t have much of a built in high heel, so while she can wear Barbie’s shoes, Teen Skipper’s lower heels look more natural on her. And check out the cute angled waist!

Doll Scorecard
Face: A+
Body: A
Hair: A
Overall: A

The Outfit

Sailor Mars comes with her original fighting fuku. This short-sleeved sailor outfit has a ruby red skirt and collar in a flat-sheen satin. It is accented with the correct purple front bow with red button clasp and red back bow. It also includes her red ribbon trimmed gloves, which unfortunately fit about as well as most modern gloves. She has white stretch panties for modesty’s sake. The final touch is tiny red heels.

Outfit Scorecard
Fabric: B
Style: A+
Execution: A-
Overall: A-

The Accessories

Sailor Mars finishes off her costume with her ‘jeweled’ tiara and red plastic choker. She also comes with her first season transformation pen (used to transform from Rei Hino into Sailor Mars). She also includes two cardboard trading cards and a clear plastic stand. I have including two box enclosures that I believe are written in Japanese. One appears to be a warranty information card, and the other is a small scratch-off card- perhaps a fortune? If you can identify these pieces, please email me.

Accessories Scorecard
Concept: A
Style: A
Playability: A
Overall: A

The Result

Rei, always the most fashionable of the Scouts, is ready to take on the town in this gorgeous Teen Skipper Fashion Avenue. But what’s that sticking out of her evening bag? It’s her transformation pen, of course- because you don’t get to be Sailor Mars by being unprepared!