What can be said about Sailor Moon that hasn't been said before? Yes there are sailor outfits, romantic drama, hidden identities, and an obsession with bedazzled weapons that double as fashion accessories. Yes, some of the catch phrases are a bit cheesy and ridiculous, "I punish you in the name of the moon!" Yes, it stars a clumsy, not-too-smart school girl who transforms into a mystic superhero (with the help of classmates and her talking cat from the moon).
But you know what? It is fun for the same reasons that make it absurd. Sailor Moon speaks to the desire to be more than we think we are. To be more than normal, especially when you feel that you'll never live up to all the expectations that people have for you. It might seem exaggerated and over the top, but it's a wish fulfillment fantasy. And if you're going to dream why not dream big?
This is one of the original star-crossed lover mangas. In the 90s, Sailor Moon was most American kids' introduction to anime and it showed girls that there was an animated program just for them. The newly released Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a re-release of the original manga from the 90s, originally titled Sailor Moon. The new version has made some changes. Bunny, the main character, is now Usagi, which is Japanese for rabbit. It retains the right-to-left reading style of the original Japanese version, while the first printing in America was left-to-right, flipping the art so the book could be read like conventional western comics. The biggest change though, is that the original American printing came in 18 volumes, while the new release will tell the same story in 12. No material is lost, but the story breaks in different places.
If you have read Sailor Moon before, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is your chance to finally own the story. The original release went out of print quickly. For new readers this is a great way to discover the classic series for the first time.
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