By Tracey Hoyt, the first North American actress to voice Rini in Sailor Moon.
I’m proud to share that I’ve been a working actor in film, TV, theatre and voice for nearly 30 years. In terms of my Internet presence as a performer, it may appear that I’ve actually only done one thing: voice act in the North American version of the Japanese anime series Sailor Moon.
Between 1993 and 1998, I appeared in 29 episodes of the TV series and in 3 feature-length movies. In addition to playing other roles, I was cast as the very first English-speaking Rini - a.k.a. Sailor Mini Moon - a cute & bratty little girl with long pink hair who did a lot of running, sobbing and battle cries. It was one of my earliest dubbing jobs in animation and it prepared me well for my career in voice.
Shortly after the successful release of the North American version, I attended a few Anime conventions in Toronto. It was lovely to meet the fans and fascinating to discover how many details they knew about all of the Sailor Moon productions. It was the first time in my career that I realized my work was being seen, heard and making an impact. It was both humbling and flattering.
To this day, well over 20 years later, I receive fan mail from my Rini fans. (The second North American Rini was the ridiculously talented Stephanie Beard.)
Over the years I have been interviewed for fan sites. Here’s a lovely one from 2010, created by Moon Chase, which includes one of my favourite fan-related stories about when I played a Russian ice skater in an episode of Sailor Moon:
http://moon-chase.blogspot.ca/2010/06/moon-chase-presents-interview-with.html
Imagine my surprise a few years ago when I discovered that I have a Rini hater on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdz5evef-Dcc
On a brighter note, there is a dedicated fan that has painstakingly assembled & compared all of the Japanese and North American Sailor Moon actors who have voiced Rini/Sailor Mini Moon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kYp9e2nynQ
My voice agent Sandi Sloan recently reminded me that last summer, after a performance of my solo show Face Value West here in Toronto, we went to The Drake Hotel with a few of her talented voice clients, including Scott Malloch and Loretta Jafelice. Incidentally, Loretta played Diana/Eugeal/TogeToge on Sailor Moon.
After we had a post-show meal, we discovered that a potato chip launch was happening in the next room, where we spontaneously sampled some very creative flavours. Young Scott introduced Loretta & I as Sailor Moon voice actors to some young chip connoisseurs. Well, they nearly dropped their chip bowls! They asked if we could pose for some photos, which were immediately shared on Twitter. All these years later, we’re still feeling the love.
In addition to many others, my voice colleagues Linda Ballantyne (Serena/Sailor Moon/ Mane Mane), Toby Proctor (Darien/ Tuxedo Mask/Moonlight Knight), Katie Griffen (Raye/Sailor Mars) and Ron Rubin (Artemis) regularly travel to anime conventions all over the world to visit and delight their Sailor Moon fans.
Each time I see one of them at an audition or a booking, there is usually a story about a fan sharing how Sailor Moon got them through really challenging times; how it inspired them or gave them courage or made them feel like they belonged.
Lately I’ve been seriously thinking that a documentary about the Sailor Moon phenomenon and fan culture needs to be made. If anyone would care to fund it, I’d be happy to help make that happen.
Maybe it can, with a little
“Crystalllllllllll….Moooooooon….Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Until next time,
Sailor Tracey Moon
p.s. Incidentally, fan mail can be sent to:
Tracey Hoyt
c/o Fountainhead Talent
131 Davenport Road,
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
M5R 1H8
Please include Canadian postage and a self-addressed, stamped envelope that pays for what you’d like me to sign.
Thanks very much,
Tracey