Editing Sailor Moon: Another Story

{{Video Game
| image             = https://i.imgur.com/IrT0Ylm.jpg
| caption           = Game box cover art
| Name (original)   = 美少女戦士セーラームーン: Another Story
| Name (romanized)  = Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story
| Name (translated) = Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon: Another Story
| System            = Super Famicom
| Publisher         = Angel Studios
| Date              = September 22, 1995
}}'''''Sailor Moon: Another Story''''' (often abbreviated to "SMAS") was an RPG [[Sailor Moon Games|video game]] developed by Bandai and released by Angel Studios for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System Super Famicom] on September 22, 1995. It borrowed primarily from the storyline of the [[Sailor Moon (manga)|manga]], but also incorporated many details from the [[Sailor Moon (anime)|anime]] and included unique elements of its own. SMAS took place directly after the end of the events of the [[Sailor Moon S]] season.

The character sprites (including [[Rei's Grandfather]] and [[Yuuichirou Kumada|Yuuichirou]]) were based on the anime designs, and the vocal samples for attacks were taken from the anime, but plot elements from the manga, such as the fact that the [[Shitennou]] were loyal to [[Prince Endymion]] without [[Queen Beryl]]'s mind control, were also present. The [[Sailor Senshi]] attacks were taken from both sources. Certain attacks were also altered: [[Sailor Saturn]]'s "[[Death Reborn Revolution]]" and [[Sailor Pluto]]'s "[[Time Stop]]" were significantly weaker in the game and did not end the user's life, respectively.

There were two possible endings, depending on whether [[Sailor Moon]] or [[Sailor Chibi Moon]]'s team defeated the final boss.

==Gameplay==
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| style="background:#ffcccc" | Game title screen
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The gameplay was a standard turn-based RPG battle system. A party could consist of up to five members, and when battles were fought the Senshi stood on the right side of the screen, the non-animated monsters were on the left, and a character HUD appeared at the bottom. Battles were fought at random by walking around the world map, where only one member of the party was shown. The story was fairly linear, especially in comparison to other RPGs.  

In addition to rows, various formations were available and characters could be moved around to create them. The formations acted as a modifier on a character's innate abilities.  Characters with high defense and stronger attacks were best placed in the front of a formation so their attacks would do more damage, while those with weaker attacks and lower defense were best placed in the back so they would take less damage. However, the abilities of certain Senshi, such as Sailor Saturn's "Death Reborn Revolution," were most effective when she was placed at the center of a formation. Formations also came with their own unique [[Formation Attacks|group attack]]. The group attack could only be executed by the first party member, once per turn, using the EP of all party members. 

Each Senshi had a basic physical attack as well as a selection of special moves, all earned as experience and levels rose. Rather than an MP meter, each Senshi had an EP gauge, which could be raised to a maximum of 12. Special attacks took anywhere from 1 to 6 EP each. Most EP moves were character-specific attacks from either the anime or manga, with Sailor Moon given a basic healing ability. EP was refilled after each battle and could also be refilled in battle with special items. 

Combination attacks called [[Link Techs]] were also available; these were formed by pairing Senshi in the game's menu and setting up those attacks. Link Techs could involve two or three Senshi. Combination attacks were only available if all members were in the same party at the same time, and the EP required was drawn from all the involved Senshi. Some healing or effect Link Techs affected all party members.
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| style="background:#ffcccc" | Gameplay screenshot
|}

Items ranged from basic healing items, EP refilling items, and special attribute boosters which worked during battle. These included items which boosted attack, defense, or other attributes. While the game did not rely on equipable weapons like many RPGs, many accessories could be equipped which would raise attack, defense, or other attributes. Some items were character-specific.

Enemies could inflict status ailments in addition to damage, such as poison, sleep, and confusion. Once a character's HP dropped to zero, they remained unconscious for the rest of the battle unless revived by a special item. Any character who was unconscious when a battle ended would not gain EXP. If the entire party was knocked out, the game ended. After a battle, any unconscious character would be revived with an HP of 1 and would need healing before the next battle. EXP distribution was determined at the end of each battle by the number of active characters in a team: one active member would gain all EXP, while a team of five would evenly distribute EXP gain. Monsters also gave up yen (the in-game currency) and the occasional item when defeated.

The world map that depicted locations from the anime was generally a condensed map that did not use the actual city layout as a basis, likely to simplify walking around. For example, [[Azabu-Juuban]] featured [[Usagi Tsukino|Usagi]]'s house, the [[Hikawa Shrine]], [[Osa-P jewellers|Osa-P]], and [[Game Center Crown]] within short walking distance, with [[Mugen Academy]] accessible by a bus which arrived whenever the player stood beside a bus stop.

The game could only be saved at [[Luna P]] spheres scattered throughout the game. In addition to the main story, there was also a side quest to obtain puzzle pieces. There were 180 pieces in total, and most pieces were gained as award items in random battles, though the rest had to be found in barrels and such. These pieces had to be obtained when the chance arose, as they would not appear again later. Obtaining all 180 pieces not only completed the team picture, but also allowed access to the "Imperial Gift" item in [[Crystal Tokyo]] near the end of the game, though the puzzle completion was technically an optional quest.
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==Characters==
The main villain of the story was [[Apsu]], a sorceress who sought to alter time so that she could stop Crystal Tokyo from existing, because its existence was slowly killing her. With four disillusioned young girls from Crystal Tokyo ([[Sin]], [[Nabu]], [[Nergal]], and [[Marduk]]), as well as Nabu's friend [[Ishtar]], who was accidentally recruited, she created the [[Oppositio Senshi]]. Together they formed [[Hell Destiny]], along with Sin's little brother [[Anshar]] and his pet [[Kishar]]. This band of rebels was convinced that the [[Silver Crystal]] needed to be destroyed for the good of the future. 

Other villains who appeared during the game were past enemies that Apsu revived by "changing their destinies." These included [[Queen Beryl]], [[Mistress 9]], [[Black Lady]], the [[Black Moon Clan]], the [[Death Busters]], and various [[Youma]], [[Daimon]], and [[Droid]]s. The Shitennou, now allies to the Senshi, appeared as ghosts and aided them in recovering the [[Shin no Ishi]]. [[Prince Demande]] and [[Saphir]] appeared in the game but were never fought, as both were killed by Sin.

==Plot Summary==
===Chapter 1: Hell Destiny===
{| border=1 style="text-align: center; float: left; margin-right: 5px;"
| https://i.postimg.cc/RZ0L9pY4/pssmshot42.gif
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| style="background:#ffcccc" | Usagi transforming into Sailor Moon.
|}In the future Crystal Tokyo, a small band of discontent citizens has come together to form a rebel team of Senshi called the [[Oppositio Senshi]], who feel that the Sailor Senshi and the [[Silver Crystal]] are the source of all of Earth's past battles. Together with a mysterious woman named [[Apsu]], they desire to twist time and change the destiny of the Earth.

In the present day, the [[Sailor Senshi]] are enjoying peace now that the [[Death Busters]] have been defeated. However, strange things begin happening in the city. Previously defeated [[Daimon]]s, [[Droid]]s and [[Youma]] appear throughout the city. A visit by [[Ryo Urawa]] reveals a cryptic statement that the past and future are being replaced. The strangeness doesn't end there - [[Hotaru Tomoe|Hotaru]] grows from a baby into a child in a matter of minutes, [[Rei Hino|Rei]] sees strange apparitions in the fire, and then the four [[Inner Senshi]], along with [[Chibiusa]] go missing.

Sailor Moon meets up with Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn to go look for the missing Senshi. They are told to go [[Juuban Municipal Junior High School|Juuban Junior High School]] and rescue [[Sailor Mercury]], [[Sailor Mars]], [[Sailor Jupiter]], and [[Sailor Venus]], who were trapped in illusions. On the roof, they find Chibiusa being held captive by [[Sin]], the leader of the Oppositio Senshi. Sin demands that Sailor Moon gives her the Silver Crystal and Sailor Moon accepts, but [[Tuxedo Mask]] refuses and in return, the [[Oppositio Senshi]] unleashes a devastating attack. [[Tuxedo Mask]] is hit by the blast and injured, and Sailor Saturn is injured by an energy beam from Sin before her group leaves.

After taking Mamoru to his apartment to recover, the Senshi are greeted by the spirits of the [[Shitennou]], no longer under Beryl's control. Each gives one of the Inner Senshi their "Yin" stone, which will lead them to the matching "Yang" stone. When all four of these stones are brought together, the location of Mamoru's crystal, the [[Rose Crystal]], will be made apparent, and when all five stones are in the same place, Mamoru will be healed.

Each of the Inner Senshi goes on a solo mission to locate the Yang stones: Sailor Mercury to Switzerland, Sailor Jupiter to Canada, Sailor Mars to Tibet, and Sailor Venus to Turkey. Each is followed by her counterpart of the Oppositio Senshi, who is also looking for the stones. Usagi stays in Japan to take care of Mamoru, and Chibiusa secretly heads out to look for the Rose Crystal, which the Shitennou believe is somewhere in Japan.

===Chapter 2: In Search Of The Stones===
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| style="background:#ffcccc" | The Oppositio Senshi<br>discussing their plans.
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====Sailor Mercury====
After Sailor Mercury arrives in Switzerland, a large crowd of Youma frightens her and she backs away and accidentally falls off a cliff. She lands in Kainess Town, located under a gigantic glacier. Hans, a local villager, finds Mercury passed out on the ground and takes her in. Together, Hans and Mercury nurse Hans' mother back to health, find [[Zoisite]]'s Yang Stone and defeat Mercury's counterpart, [[Nabu]]. Nabu reveals that she joined the Oppositio Senshi because the Sailor Senshi of the future failed to protect the Earth with the Silver Crystal.

====Sailor Mars====
Sailor Mars arrives in the town of Lasa in Tibet where she explores a temple, then is attacked by a group of [[Youma]] who are masquerading as monks.  Her counterpart, Nergal, had created a ruby that would paralyze Sailor Mars in order to stop her from interfering.  A man named Faregg saves her and takes her to the village of Yaga but later becomes captured. Subsequently, Sailor Mars embarks on her journey to retrieve [[Jadeite]]'s Yang Stone and to rescue Faregg which culminates in an encounter with Nergal, at which time Nergal reveals that she joined the Oppositio Senshi because she desired to become as strong as a Sailor Senshi with her own power.

====Sailor Jupiter====
Soon after Sailor Jupiter arrives in Canada, a man named George is enticed by the smell of her dinner, and as a token of appreciation for Sailor Jupiter's food, he takes her into the hidden village of Medias. Here, and in the neighboring village of Mishii, Sailor Jupiter helps George and his lover, Mary to be engaged and mends the broken friendship between the two villages. Along the way, she meets her counterpart, [[Marduk]], and retrieves [[Nephrite]]'s Yang Stone. Marduk reveals that she joined the Oppositio Senshi because billions of people died for the sake of the Silver Crystal, and purified people have no free will or negative emotions. Unlike the others, she recruited herself.

====Sailor Venus====
Sailor Venus finds herself in an underground village in Turkey, Rias, where the entire population is male and completely obsessed about Sailor Venus' arrival, showering her with marriage proposals and gifts. After her counterpart, [[Ishtar]], accidentally knocks over a sacred statue of [[Kunzite]] and thus turns the villagers into stone, Sailor Venus travels to the nearby village of Sariel, populated with only women. Venus eventually learns about her history in this village and finds Kunzite's Yang stone and Ishtar in a giant airship called the Ark, owned by her past self. After Venus and Ishtar fight, Ishtar reveals that she was accidentally recruited at the same time as Nabu.
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===Chapter 3: The Rose Crystal===
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| style="background:#ffcccc" | The Senshi meet the revived Beryl.
|}Back in Tokyo, Chibiusa heads to [[Mugen Academy]] with [[Momoko Momohara|Momoko]] in hopes of finding the Rose Crystal. Sin, who placed a small mind spell on Chibiusa, lured her to Mugen Academy even though the Rose Crystal was not there. Anshar, Sin's little brother, let his memory be erased so he would not know of the plan to let Chibusa lead them to the Rose Crystal. Chibiusa and Momoko are attacked, and though Anshar saves them, Momoko is poisoned. After Anshar cures Momoko, Sin pretends to attack Chibiusa, but the brainwashed Anshar believes that he is supposed to protect Chibiusa, and he takes her to where she believes the Rose Crystal is. Once they land, Anshar falls unconscious, leaving Chibiusa stranded in a forest.

After being informed of the situation by Momoko, Usagi decides to go to Mugen Academy to look for Chibiusa, however, she instead faces [[Professor Souichi Tomoe|Professor Tomoe]] in his lab, who reveals that Hotaru's destiny has also been changed and has now reverted to the identity of [[Mistress 9]]. Sailor Moon defeats Mistress 9 and revives Hotaru as Sailor Saturn, and the two of them defeat Prof. Tomoe, though they are unable to change his destiny when he dies once again. After locating Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, they all teleport to Chibiusa's location.

As the Sailor Senshi and Anshar explore the forest, they find a cave and are attacked by the [[DD Girls]], who are again protecting their revived master [[Queen Beryl]]. After an initial battle, Beryl uses the ambient energies in the cave to transform into her [[Super Beryl]] form and become invincible, but Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon combine their Silver Crystals to weaken Super Beryl and destroy her. Shortly afterward, the Senshi find the Rose Crystal, but Anshar betrays them and takes the crystal to his sister Sin.
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===Chapter 4: Hostility and Friends===
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| style="background:#ffcccc" | Sailor Pluto trapped in<br>the dimensional maze.
|}Later, all the Senshi meet in Mamoru's apartment to plan their next move. To their surprise, Mamoru is healthy again but can no longer transform. It is then decided to find [[Sailor Pluto]]. When the Senshi arrive at the Space-Time Door, they find Sailor Pluto, who tells them not to enter the door. However, she is revealed to be Nergal in disguise when she mistakenly calls Chibi Moon "Princess" (which the real Sailor Pluto never does). After fighting Nergal, the real Sailor Pluto is found trapped by the [[Makaiju]] deep within the dimensional maze beyond the door and is rescued.

Meanwhile, in the Crystal Tokyo era, Apsu tells the Oppositio Senshi that she no longer needs the power of the Silver Crystal to alter reality, because stealing the Rose Crystal was enough to keep Crystal Tokyo from existing. However, Apsu accidentally resurrects the Black Moon Clan using her fate powers, and they steal the Rose Crystal and go to the [[Silver Millennium]] of the past.

The Sailor Senshi realize that they no longer have any memories of Princess Serenity at all, suggesting that someone has altered the time stream.  After some debate, all of the Senshi decide to go back in time to the Silver Millennium in order to find Sin and the Rose Crystal. Their trip is briefly delayed by the arrival of the Black Moon [[UFO]] and the [[Spectre Sisters]], who the Senshi reluctantly defeat. Upon arrival in the Silver Millennium, the Senshi locate the Ark and activate it, allowing them to travel the world quickly in their search for Sin.

While visiting the Earth Kingdom in the north, Sailor Moon disguises herself as a servant girl and explores the palace. She meets Beryl, who is currently a Sage for the Earth Kingdom and has not yet joined [[Queen Metalia|Metalia]], and also witnesses her past self and [[Prince Endymion]] having a conversation. Finally, up in the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Moon meets [[Queen Serenity]] herself, who recognizes her daughter through her disguise. Queen Serenity says that she is fully ready to accept her fate now that she sees her daughter and her granddaughter. Sailor Moon is upset by the knowledge that her mother and everyone in the Moon Kingdom will soon perish but knows that there is nothing she can do to change her destiny.

The Senshi later return to the Moon Kingdom in the aftermath of Beryl's attack and are greeted by Prince Demande, who threatens to alter the future by tampering with Princess Serenity's corpse. Sailor Moon allows herself to be taken prisoner by Demande in exchange for her past self's safety. The other Senshi are then met by Saphir, who begs them to stop his brother from making a deadly mistake. Deep in the basement of the palace, Sin kills Demande as payback for murdering her parents in the Black Moon invasion, then attacks the Senshi before running away. With Sailor Moon rescued and the Rose Crystal recovered, the Senshi return to the present.  However, before they leave, the Oppositio Senshi replace one of the Rainbow Crystals that make up the Silver Crystal with a fake, ensuring that it will weaken over time.

===Chapter 5: After The Battle===
Back in Tokyo, the Oppositio Senshi have abducted Usagi's little brother [[Shingo Tsukino|Shingo]] to lure the Senshi into a trap. The Senshi and Tuxedo Mask follow them to the Space-Time Door, where [[Fiore]] stands to block access. Tuxedo Mask stays behind to fight off Fiore while the Senshi go through the door into Crystal Tokyo. Upon arrival, they find a powerful force field blocking access to the palace because the Silver Crystal is now weakened, and so they split into two teams: one to rescue Shingo and one to get into the palace. 

The first team goes to Apsu's palace, where the Oppositio Senshi launch an all-out attack but are defeated.  The Sailor Senshi use the Silver Crystal on them and completely rewrite their original personalities, making them perfectly happy. However, Sin refuses to leave Apsu for the sake of protecting Anshar and escapes. The remaining Senshi disable the force field by defeating the [[Witches 5]], then enter the palace to find and fight Anshar.  Anshar refuses to fight, but Apsu forces him to go berserk; the Sailor Senshi kill Anshar, then revive him with the Silver Crystal.

Finally, the Senshi return to the Space-Time Door to find a trail of rose petals leading inside. With Tuxedo Mask her prisoner, Apsu meets the Senshi and tries to convince them to give in to her power by promising them their dream lives. Sailor Moon refuses, and she and the other Senshi fight back. 

Apsu is seemingly defeated, but Sin locates the dying sorceress begging to live. She forces Apsu to absorb her power, whereupon Apsu transforms into the monstrous [[Deity of Destruction]] and tries to destroy everything. Faced with the overwhelming odds, the Senshi prevail and destroy Apsu. Sin is allowed to live and is reunited with Anshar and the Oppositio Senshi, who comfort each other saying they did their best; because of Apsu, they are now all a strong team and strong friends, and they leave without looking back at the Sailor Senshi. (If Sailor Chibi Moon's team had to take over for Sailor Moon, an alternate reality is created in which Sin is forced out of the Deity, and the timeline is altered so the battles never took place, nor does Anshar recognize Chibiusa.) The girls bid farewell to Setsuna at the Space-Time Door. Back at the Tsukino residence, Hotaru reverts to a baby once more, and Haruka and Michiru leave the other Senshi, hoping they will not have to meet again to fight. Minako, Makoto, Rei, and Ami all head home, after the latter reminds Usagi to study. With the destiny of the world resetting itself to normal, the Senshi are ready to face a new day.

==Trivia==
* There was a bug in the game which caused innkeeper characters from Tibet to appear in Canada.

* There was an optional quest in the fourth chapter, in which the player could travel to Switzerland to fight [[Esmeraude]] in both her human and dragon forms.

* Even though [[Nekonneru]] never appeared in the game, the game booklet listed her as a regular enemy able to be found in Nepal during [[Sailor Mars]]' mission in the second chapter.

* The game was originally translated into English by a group of fans known as "Bishoujo Senshi Translations" in 1999. This translation heavily relied on the knowledge gained from fan-subtitled versions of the anime, therefore the translation had many issues in the spelling of the character, item, and attack names, and simple mistakes such as misinterpreting the title of the first chapter (ヘルデスチニ; Heru Desutini) as "Her Destiny" instead of "Hell Destiny." This translation was redone and overall improved in 2019, giving the game a complete English localization 24 years after its original release.

* There have been numerous fan translations of the game in languages such as French, Spanish, German, Polish, and Russian.

* Even though the game has never been officially released in Germany, the cover art of the game appeared in the tenth issue of the [[Sailor Moon in Germany#Manga|German anime comic]].

[[Category: Video Games]]