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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Stalking, War
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
With all the remastered art and reiterations of the Sailor Moon IP, it can be hard to remember that this is the blueprint.
Sailor Moon is the woman's Batman. She does everything.She's a princess, and she can fight. She's surrounded by jewels, friends, and pretty dresses, and there's a hot guy in the background helping her out. She can beat up bad guys with gems and high heels. I love that she's so normal. Female main characters nowadays have to be unproblematic and strong and feminine and demure, and Usagi is canoncially a whiney, dumb, spoiled glutton who proudly proclaims that she's happiest napping or playing video games (same).
I have a hard time finding other stories that encompass girlhood so well for me (Guinevere and the Jewel Riders is pretty close and is notably EXTREMELY similar). There's an emphasis on jewelry, dresses, gemstones, going to movie stores, and video games, and it is so aggressively 90's. There's a hidden heir trope, a masquerade ball, fated mates, and an animal familiar. Now does any of that sound wildly familiar, women who've read ANY fantasy YA book this past decade? Yeah, me too.
If Naoko Takeuchi doesn't have a drop of pansexual blood in her body, I will be shocked. And I'm not saying that in a "I'm a lesbian who has to project my queerness onto media" kind of way. I mean, Usagi is blushing and has LITERAL heart eyes when she meets girls she admires, there's a wild amount of adrogeny and cross dressing in this book, and the amount of video essays on youtube about it is kind of wild. What's more, this is book one, and I hear it gets WAY more wild in later books.
The Eternal Editions are clearly the superior publication, and I found the translator's notes in the back super helpful while I'm brushing up on Japanese before a trip (although I think it's hilarious that they had to include notes to explain what videotapes and CD's are to the youngins)
Sailor Moon is the woman's Batman. She does everything.
I have a hard time finding other stories that encompass girlhood so well for me (Guinevere and the Jewel Riders is pretty close and is notably EXTREMELY similar). There's an emphasis on jewelry, dresses, gemstones, going to movie stores, and video games, and it is so aggressively 90's. There's a hidden heir trope, a masquerade ball, fated mates, and an animal familiar. Now does any of that sound wildly familiar, women who've read ANY fantasy YA book this past decade? Yeah, me too.
If Naoko Takeuchi doesn't have a drop of pansexual blood in her body, I will be shocked. And I'm not saying that in a "I'm a lesbian who has to project my queerness onto media" kind of way. I mean, Usagi is blushing and has LITERAL heart eyes when she meets girls she admires, there's a wild amount of adrogeny and cross dressing in this book, and the amount of video essays on youtube about it is kind of wild. What's more, this is book one, and I hear it gets WAY more wild in later books.
The Eternal Editions are clearly the superior publication, and I found the translator's notes in the back super helpful while I'm brushing up on Japanese before a trip (although I think it's hilarious that they had to include notes to explain what videotapes and CD's are to the youngins)
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A fun, silly manga, with lots of Evil Plots foiled by the Power of Friendship and cool costumes. This is the first manga I've read in the magical girl genre, and so far I'm enjoying it. I was not expecting how overtly queer it is - Sailor Moon is equally diverted by pretty faces belonging to any gender. This is amazing and I love it. The art style is a little unsettling at times though - the proportions of the facial features are off in a weird way. I will be reading the next one.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
lighthearted
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
Oh this brought me back! I've actually never read the manga before, but I used to watch the original show all the time!
I love how we are introduced to the guardians, the villains, and all the lore. It's easily digestible and still very interesting without slowing anything down.
Honestly, there isn't much to say about this manga because it's such a classic!
I love how we are introduced to the guardians, the villains, and all the lore. It's easily digestible and still very interesting without slowing anything down.
Honestly, there isn't much to say about this manga because it's such a classic!