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lunarblazes's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
this rating is fully just how much fun i had. it's sailor moon. what do you want from me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death of parent, Genocide, and War
the main romance is between a 17-18 year old and a 14 year old but like. they're also both a thousand years old. you know how it is sometimesnmcannon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I’ve read Sailor Moon’s initial ten volume series over and over since deep childhood. I had a Sailor Moon-themed birthday (we played pin the pigtail on Usagi), created Sailor Moon OCs with my friend, purchased Sailor Moon decorations for my room, and rented VHS tapes from Blockbuster of the various anime movies. Tiny me felt very distinguished and erudite because I disparaged the anime series for its filler and failure to adapt the manga word-for-word. All this is to say, the below review will be spectacularly, breathtakingly biased. My tattered copies can mean little else.
Fourteen year-old middle schooler Usagi Tsukino is a crybaby gamer girl, who loves food and naps. One day as she rushes to school, she rescues a stray cat with a crescent-shaped bald spot. The cat not only talks (!), but also calls Usagi to her destiny as Sailor Moon. A galactic protector of love and justice, Sailor Moon must find the other four Sailor Scouts, uncover the lost Moon Princess, and defend the Earth from the encroaching Dark Kingdom, who seeks to enslave all humanity. A tall order! Thankfully, Usagi is not alone. This initial Sailor Moon series covers the Dark Kingdom, Black Moon, and the Infinity arcs.
For all I re-read Sailor Moon as a child, tween, and teenager, it’s been a hot minute since then. Memory softens the edges. I’ve also grown as a person, and I’ve read a lot more books. This latest read through was a different edition than my usual TokyoPop Pocket one. The most obvious difference is the translator, who didn’t alter the character’s Japanese names. This was my first time reading Usagi’s adventure as Usagi, and not “Bunny.” This edition included new-to-me side stories, including one about Rei and Makoto. Both characters are sore from break-ups, and their mutual healing was beautiful and melancholic. The biggest surprise was learning that the Pocket edition was censored. I have no memory of Dark/Small Lady and Momo-chan fully kissing, besides the gag ones when she falls from the sky. Their will-they-won’t-they incestuous relationship has always prickled me with discomfort, but I never thought it was so big a deal that someone would edit out Takeuchi-san’s art for the English-speaking audience. Weird.
As for the work itself, the manga has a fast, almost breakneck pace, which leaves less room for character development. That’s the only real criticism I have. When I was the age of the target audience, I thought the pacing was perfect, so honestly: who cares. I cannot overstate the global cultural impact of the Sailor Moon series. It is the series of the Magical Girl genre. It was the first time I saw hyper-femininity be a source of bad guy obliterating strength. Makoto remains a personal role model. The art is beautiful, delicate, flowing, and detailed. As a youth, I was oblivious to the queer themes, and it was a joy to return and see them, to fully understand the story and what Takeuchi-san put in there. Five stars it is.
My review of the sequel series Sailor Moon: Super S: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/3cfb462e-aeca-465d-9857-3afe42b281bb
My review of the final series Sailor Moon: Stars: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/a6353bdc-2ac2-4345-b40e-419d01f9803e
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide attempt
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