Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
Rating: Average 8.20 / 10
Alternative: Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (美少女戦士セーラームーン)
Author(s): Naoko Takeuchi
Artist(s): Naoko Takeuchi
Genre(s): Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Type: Manga
Release: Dec 28, 1991
Status: Finished
Plot Summary:
"In the name of the moon, I shall punish you!" Usagi Tsukino is a cheerful 14-year-old who attends Juuban Municipal Junior High School. She prefers eating and playing video games to studying, which results in her notably poor grades. She also gets easily upset, whether by baseless insults or reasonable reprimands. It is very unlikely that she could be known as anything but a bad influence and a crybaby, but that begins to change when she meets a black cat. Given a special brooch from the black cat named Luna, Usagi can use it to transform into a guardian of justice named Sailor Moon! She is now tasked to protect the Earth from all that is evil and to find both a missing princess and a sacred jewel known as the Mystical Silver Crystal. Whether she likes it or not, Usagi's beautiful transformation marks the start of meeting the mysterious Tuxedo Mask, fighting alongside new comrades, and learning to take responsibility in this acclaimed magical girl classic.
Reviews
Rating: ★★★★☆
"Story: The Sailor Moon series (dubbed) is what got me into anime and manga. Fans of the anime or of shoujo in general would love this series. The story spans over 17 of the 18 volumes in 5 arcs (one of the volumes is filler). The manga story often deviates from its anime counterpart, often taking a darker turn. However, the manga still has plenty of comedy, especially in the Exam Battle Chapters. Fans of romance would enjoy the story as well. I gave the story a 10 because I found it epic, classic shoujo. Art: The artwork is great. I really love the trademark long, flowing hair.The covers, both original and reprint, are well designed and eye catching. My only complaint is that the main bad guys often look the same- Chaos, Pharaoh 90, and Queen Metallia all look like big black blobs to me. Character: While Usagi, Chibi-usa, and Mamoru are well developed and interesting, the vast majority of the others aren't. They are often put aside to make more room for the other characters. The other sailor senshi are given personalities and backstory, but they don't really mature or change. This is understandable because of the lack of time, but some of the characters spend a significant amount of time completely out of the picture- kidnapped or dead. Enjoyment/Overall: As I said in the story section, I went into my first read already enjoying the Sailor Moon story, and the manga version did not disappoint. It offers the same basic story I came to love while giving me enough different things to keep me interested. The artwork is good looking as well. Sadly, the English version of the manga is out of print. I would highly recommend the purchase of this series if you ever come across it. I would also recommend the artbooks as well. "
Rating: ★★★☆☆
" I first watched the dubbed anime when I was little, and it along with Speed Racer is what got me into anime in the first place. Sailor Moon holds a special little spot in my heart because of that, it was the first anime show I couldn't get enough of. Starting a few days ago I decided that I would read the manga, and I just recently finished all of it, and it was wonderful, but it seemed rather rushed. Each villian went down so quickly, and each story arc ended rather fast. I prefer the anime to the manga because of this. When I watched the anime, I got to know each character better, including the villians, and story arcs didn't have to move so quickly. In the end for me: the manga was a great way to pull me back into the Sailor Moon fandom, and would be a nice introduction to it for someone new, it was a lot of fun to read, and I would recommend it. But after, I would recommend watching the anime; which I plan to go do again myself. "