Sailor Moon (Japanese: 美少女戦士セーラームーン, Hepburn: Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn; originally translated as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, later Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from 1991 to 1997; the 60 individual chapters (later reorganized into 52) and several side stories were compiled into 18 tankōbon volumes. Set in Tokyo in the 1990s, the series follows the adventures of a schoolgirl named Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into the eponymous character to search for a magical artifact, the "Legendary Silver Crystal" (「幻の銀水晶」, Maboroshi no Ginsuishō; lit. "Phantom Silver Crystal"). She leads a group of comrades, the Sailor Soldiers, called Sailor Guardians in later editions, as they battle against villains to prevent the theft of the Silver Crystal and the destruction of the Solar System. The manga was written in conjunction with the airing of an anime series produced by Toei Animation, which was broadcast in Japan from 1992 to 1997. Toei also developed three animated feature films, a television special, and three short films based on the anime. A live-action television adaptation, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, aired from 2003 to 2004, and a second anime series, Sailor Moon Crystal, began simulcasting in 2014. The manga series was licensed for an English release by Kodansha Comics in North America, and in Australia and New Zealand by Random House Australia. The entire anime series has been licensed by Viz Media for an English-language release in North America and by Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand. Since its release, Sailor Moon has received critical acclaim, with praise for its art, characterization, and humor. The manga has sold over 46 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series, as well as one of the best-selling shōjo manga series of all time, marking its importance in the history of manga. Additionally, the television series played a major role in popularizing anime in the Western world, particularly in the United States. The Sailor Moon franchise has generated over $2.5 billion in worldwide merchandise sales.
Overview
The series focuses on Usagi Tsukino, a young middle school student in the Azabu-Jūban district of Tokyo in the 1990s, who learns from the talking cat Luna that she is actually a reincarnation of a princess from the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Moon. She is joined by Ami Mizuno, a student who awakens as Sailor Mercury; Rei Hino, a local Shinto shrine maiden who awakens as Sailor Mars; Makoto Kino, a tall and strong transfer student who awakens as Sailor Jupiter; and Minako Aino, a young aspiring idol who had awakened as Sailor Venus a few months earlier, accompanied by her talking feline companion Artemis. As they set out on their adventures, others join the Guardians later in the series, including Mamoru Chiba, a high school student who occasionally assists them as Tuxedo Mask; Chibiusa, Usagi and Mamoru's future daughter who awakens as Sailor Chibi Moon; Haruka Tenoh, a car-racer who can transform into Sailor Uranus; Michiru Kaioh, a violinist who can transform into Sailor Neptune; Setsuna Meioh, a physics student who can transform into Sailor Pluto; Hotaru Tomoe, who awakens as Sailor Saturn; and the Three Lights, pop idols who are really the Sailor Starlights. Together, they encounter extraterrestrials, space travelers, and other Guardians as they protect the Earth and the Moon from destruction by malevolent forces.
Production
Concept and creation Naoko Takeuchi, after working on the 1991 Nami Akimoto manga Miracle Girls, redeveloped Sailor Moon from her manga one-shot Codename: Sailor V, which was published on August 8, 1991, and featured Sailor Venus as the main protagonist. Takeuchi wanted to create a story with a theme about girls in outer space. While discussing with her editor, Fumio Osano, he suggested the addition of Sailor fuku. When Codename: Sailor V was proposed for adaptation into an anime by Toei Animation, Takeuchi redeveloped the concept so Sailor Venus became a member of a team. The resulting manga series became a fusion of the popular magical girl genre and the Super Sentai series, of which Takeuchi was a fan. Recurring motifs include astronomy, astrology, gemology, Greco-Roman mythology, Japanese elemental themes, teenage fashion trends, and schoolgirl antics. Codename: Sailor V would continue to run parallel to Sailor Moon as a serial, now recontextualized as an origin story for Sailor Venus. Takeuchi said discussions with Kodansha originally envisaged a single story arc; the storyline was developed in meetings a year before serialization began. After completing the arc, Toei and Kodansha asked Takeuchi to continue the series. She wrote four more story arcs, which were often published simultaneously with the five corresponding seasons of the anime adaptation. The anime ran one or two months behind the manga. As a result, the anime follows the storyline of the manga fairly closely, although there are deviations. Takeuchi later said because Toei's production staff was mostly male, she felt the anime had "a slight male perspective". Takeuchi later said that she planned to kill off the protagonists, but Osano rejected the notion and said, "[Sailor Moon] is a shōjo manga!" When the anime adaptation was produced, the protagonists were killed in the final battle with the Dark Kingdom, although they were revived. Takeuchi resented that she was unable to do that in her version. Takeuchi also intended for the Sailor Moon anime adaptation to last for one season, but due to its immense popularity, Toei asked Takeuchi to continue the series. At first, she struggled to develop another storyline to extend the series. While discussing with Osano, he suggested the inclusion of Usagi's daughter from the future, Chibiusa.
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