Ask John: Does Saber Marionette R Have Anything To Do With SMJ?

Question:
I just recently bought the box set of Saber Marionette J and a tape of Saber Marionette R. Does Saber Marionette R have anything to do with SMJ or is it just something anime Anime Village made just for the hell of it? Also, is Saber Marionette R a series or a movie?

Answer:
SM Gals Saber Marionette R was a 3 OAV series that actually came out in Japan over a year before the Saber Marionette J TV series. According to the Saber Marionette chronology established by creator Satoru Akihori in the Saber Marionette manga and novels, Saber Marionette R occurs 200 years after the events in Saber Marionette J, and in a different country. The “R” in Saber Marionette R stands for “Romana,” the country in which the story occurs. The “J” in Saber Marionette J stands for “Japoness,” again the location setting of the series.