You once said (i believe) that Sailor Moon R movie was the best option when introducing friends to the show. Is this still the best option?
In my opinion, absolutely. The R Movie is self-contained and gives you all you need to know to enjoy up front without a lot of complicated backstory. It pretty much encapsulates all the strengths of Sailor Moon, emphasizing the characters and their relationships, and it does an absolutely amazing job with them. There’s just enough action and ass-kicking to get those elements across, and YE GODS THE FEELS.
Plus it does all this in an hour(ish). Anyone who’s potentially interested can spare an hour to give something a try. If they come out of the R Movie wanting to see more, it’s a thrill to know there’s A LOT more to see. And if they come out of it not particularly interested, they haven’t wasted too much time.
This isn’t necessarily a blanket answer for everyone of course. If you know your friend will respond better to other elements, that’s what you should cater to. But in my opinion, everything else remaining equal, the R Movie is a perfect first exposure to the characters and story.