Remember Back in 1995...

An Old Promotional Flyer from Sailor Moon's Canadian Debut!

I came across this tonight while going through my files, and I thought that I should share this with you all. There's going to be no formality to this post, as I'm just going to write my thoughts...

Many years ago, YTV used to hold contests during their New Years Meltdown cartoon blitzes held from December 31st to January 1st. Viewers, (if I remember correctly) would be entered in for a draw for big prizes and "mystery prizes" when they would send in a postcard to YTV (yes , there was a time before email)!. I was in grade six at the time and I had won one of the 30,000 Mystery Prizes, a door hanger (whoopee.), and a photocopied letter with Paul Maguire's autograph (Yeah, they couldn't even send us a real one...). I don't know where either of those are now :S.

But, I guess they kept my address and I got sent a promotional pamphlet probably the June or July before Sailor Moon premiered in 1995. I saved it, like most kids do when they get "important" pieces of mail! This was probably just after the time I started to really get interested in the Canadian Media Industry. YTV had pulled Power Rangers off of the air (which was a favorite of "the cool crowd" back in the day) and all the news coverage of why and the workings of the CRTC interested me.
I'm glad I saved it, but I digress...

I had found it again while going through boxes in our basement about a year ago, and I scanned it thinking I could use it for something or other, and this is that something! Now, I didn't scan the whole thing. I may scan it all later, but I am posting this much for now.

Click the image for full size - The Zone has been around for a very long time. This is the second set, and probably lasted the longest of the 4-5 that it has had since its inception in 1992. The host you see there is "Fresh" Phil Guererro - who now from what I read plays in a goth band and still acts. And there's Snit in the background! That animatronic television with the teeth! Anyway, spot the glaring "Megaverse" error...

And this is a very large image. This is the schedule Sailor Moon had followed all through it's initial run in 1995-96. I remember coming home from school and waiting for tired Alvin and the Chipmunks to finish up so I could watch Sailor Moon, and I didn't get off the couch until Rugrats had ended. Aside from Hello Kitty and Keroppi , Sailor Moon was a huge pioneer for anime on this station back in 1995. And the rest, as they say, is history. YTV is now one of the premiere stations in Canada for eager anime fans.

Looking back on all this, it saddens me to see how in 12 years this series has been through so much turmoil not only here but all over the world. Many countries never got to see the last season, the movies, or the specials. It's even sadder to think that while the series was "homegrown" in Canada that many provinces (including mine) never saw the dvds in any store. Short of ordering online, there was little recourse for us to own the series. It's still up in the air if anywhere out of Japan will ever see it again. Genvid.com reported earlier that Toei will be releasing the first three seasons on something akin to iTunes soon, and for a relatively cheap price. Of course I'm happy to see the anime in Japan again, but there will always be a sadness, at least with me that the series isn't here anymore.