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Sailor Moon (manga)

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Sailor Moon
The first cover of the Sailor Moon manga, July 1992.
Publication information
PublisherKodansha
FormatManga
No. of issues52 acts (re-released in 60 acts)
Main character(s)Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Team
Creative team
Created byNaoko Takeuchi

The Sailor Moon manga series (美少女戦士セーラームーン, Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon) was the first version of what would eventually become the media franchise known simply as Sailor Moon. It was created by Japanese artist Naoko Takeuchi and debuted in Nakayoshi magazine in December 1991. It continued to be serialized by Nakayoshi throughout its five-year run, except for certain side-stories which appeared in Kodansha's Run Run. The book collections were all published by Kodansha.

Naoko Takeuchi, the story's creator, devised the idea when she wanted to create a cute series about girls in outer space. Her editor, Fumio Osano (whom Takeuchi calls "Osa-P"), asked her to put them in sailor fuku. This resulted in Codename: Sailor V, to which Sailor Moon is a sequel, and which stars one of Sailor Moon's secondary protagonists, Minako Aino.[1]

When Codename: Sailor V was slated to become an anime, Takeuchi decided to merge in plot elements from the popular sentai genre, most notably the concept of a team of five heroes. The manga was reimagined as Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon, with a new central character: Usagi Tsukino. Only after the completion of the first series was Takeuchi asked to continue, and four more story arcs were produced.[2]

The complete original manga spans 52 issues, known as Acts, as well as nearly a dozen side-stories. These were originally collected into 18 Volumes, beginning in July 1992 and concluding with the series in 1997.[citation needed] Beginning in 2003, the series was re-released in a new format known as the "Renewal" or "Shinsōban" edition. The individual Acts have been redistributed so that there are more per book, and some corrections have been made to dialogue and even art. In all, the new edition consists of 12 story volumes (each with new cover-art) as well as two "short story" volumes, separating the short stories from the main plot.[citation needed]

By the end of 1995, the thirteen volumes then available of the Sailor Moon manga had sold about one million copies each.[3]

By the end of 1995, the Sailor Moon manga had been exported to over 23 countries, including China, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, most of Europe and North America.[3]

Release information

Because the manga has been released in two different collections, it may be easiest to think of it in terms of story, which generally had discrete divisions between one plotline and the next.

Note: Some Acts were divided up differently for the re-released edition, especially near the end of the series. The total of Acts is thus 60 for the Shinsōban, rather than 52. Storyline divisions below are delineated by the original Act numbers; there may be errors in exact Shinsōban numbering.

The storyline was originally coordinated so that exciting issues would hit stores at the peak sales seasons for Nakayoshi.[4]

Dark Kingdom

The original plot arc, consisting of Acts 1-14. These chapters were originally collected in volumes 1-4 and re-released in Shinsōban collections 1-3. It was originally given no specific subtitle, but its name was eventually given by Takeuchi.[5] It is named after the Dark Kingdom, the major villain group which features in the story. Its plot mostly corresponds to the first series of the anime, as well as to the more recent live-action spinoff, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.

This first arc introduces the major characters Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, and Tuxedo Mask, as well as the guardian cats Luna and Artemis. Recurring minor characters include Usagi's family and classmates, as well as Queen Serenity.

Black Moon

The second plot arc comprises Acts 14-23 (very slightly overlapping with the previous arc). These chapters were originally collected in volumes 4-7 and re-released in Shinsōban collections 3-5. Its individual Acts are inconsistently given the subtitle "Black Moon," a reference to the primary villains of the arc, the Black Moon Clan. This storyline mostly corresponds to the Sailor Moon R series of the anime.

New characters include Chibiusa, Sailor Pluto, and Diana, as well as the possible future of all other characters in a utopian city called Crystal Tokyo.

Infinity

The third plot arc includes Acts 24-33. These chapters were originally collected in volumes 7-10 and re-released in Shinsōban collections 5-7. Its Acts are always given the name "Infinity," and from this arc on the arc names are consistent across all Acts. The name is a reference to an Academy which figures in the plot, established by the evil Death Busters. This storyline mostly corresponds to the Sailor Moon S series of the anime.

Newly introduced characters include Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Saturn.

Dream

The fourth plot arc consists of Acts 34-42. These chapters were originally collected in volumes 12-15 and re-released in Shinsōban collections 7-10. Its name is a recurring motif throughout the story developments therein. It corresponds to the Sailor Moon Supers series of the anime and the first six episodes of Sailor Stars.

New characters include Pegasus, Helios, the Dead Moon Circus, and the Amazoness Quartet.

Stars

The fifth and final plot arc comprises Acts 43-52. These chapters were originally collected in volumes 16-18 and re-released in Shinsōban collections 11-12. Its name is a recurring motif throughout the story and among the new characters introduced. It corresponds to the Sailor Stars series of the anime, though with more divergences than in any other plot arc.

Many new characters are introduced in this arc, which focuses largely on other Sailor Senshi from distant parts of the galaxy. These characters include Chibichibi, the Sailor Starlights, and Princess Kakyuu, as well as the evil Shadow Galactica, led by Sailor Galaxia and the ultimate enemy, Chaos.

Side-stories and specials

  • Chibiusa's Picture Diaries were special sidestories that appeared four times, about a year apart. They were originally released in Volumes 5, 10, 15, and 17 of the manga, but were later collected into the Shinsōban Story Collection Volume 1.
  • The Lover of Princess Kaguya (Kaguya Hime no Koibito) appeared as a special episode filling most of the original Volume 11. It was adapted into Sailor Moon S: The Movie in 1994, and was re-released in Story Collection Volume 2.
  • Casablanca Memories, featuring Rei Hino, appears alongside The Lover of Princess Kaguya in both Volume 11 and in the Shinsōban Story Collection Volume 2.
  • The Exam Battles were three short-stories focusing on Ami Mizuno, Makoto Kino, and a combination of Rei Hino and Minako Aino. They were originally released at the end of manga Volume 13, but were later included in Story Collection Volume 1 of the Shinsōban.
    • Mako's Depression — Makoto has difficulty studying for high school entrance exams and buys tea and cakes from a suspicious shop to keep herself awake. She is briefly incapacitated by a spirit called Tohi-chan, but Usagi encourages her to wake up and defeat it.
    • Ami's First Love (Ami-chan no hatsukoi) — Ami battles for the highest test score with a mysterious person codenamed Mercurius, panics over a love letter from the same, and fights off a monster called Bonnon. This piece was made into an animated special of the same name, which played in Japanese movie theatres in December 1995.[citation needed]
    • Rei and Minako's Girls School Battle — Minako disguises herself as a student at Rei's prestigious school. While looking for a lost volleyball, she accidentally releases a spirit called Ghost Cistern which possesses Rei and tries to eat the other students. Minako defeats it with one of Rei's anti-evil ofuda.
  • Parallel Sailor Moon is an alternate-reality story written in 1999 to celebrate the year of the rabbit. It was originally published in the Materials Collection artbook, and later combined into Shinsōban Story Collection Volume 2.

Artbooks

A special artbook was released for each of the story arcs, plus two additional volumes. They are collections of cover art, promotional materials, and other drawings done by creator Naoko Takeuchi. Many of the drawings are accompanied by comments on how she developed her ideas, how she created each picture, whether or not she likes it, and commentary on the anime interpretation of her story.

  • Original Picture Collection Volume I, ISBN 4-06-324507-1, August 1994. Covers development of the original arc.
  • Original Picture Collection Volume II, ISBN 4-06-324508-X, August 1994. Covers development of the Black Moon arc.
  • Original Picture Collection Volume III, ISBN 4-06-324518-7, September 1996. Covers development of the Infinity arc.
  • Original Picture Collection Volume IV, ISBN 4-06-324519-5, September 1996. Covers development of the Dream arc.
  • Original Picture Collection Volume V, ISBN 4-06-324522-5, August 1997. Covers development of the Stars arc.

Special books:

  • Original Picture Collection Volume Infinity was released after the end of the series. It was self-published and is considered rare, including art from Takeuchi herself as well as from her friends, her staff, anime staff and from many of the voice-actors (seiyuu) who worked on the anime.
  • Materials Collection, ISBN 4-06-324521-7, September 1999. This volume contains character art for nearly every character in the manga, as well as some who never appeared. Each drawing is surrounded with notes from Takeuchi about the specifics of various costume pieces, the mentality of the character, or even her particular feelings about them. It also includes a timeline, both for the manga arcs and for the real-life release of products and materials relating to the anime and manga. At the end, the Parallel Sailor Moon short story is featured.

English-language version

The manga was translated into English in 1997 by manga publisher Mixx (now renamed Tokyopop). The US comic was released as three series: Sailor Moon, which collects the first three arcs, Sailor Moon Supers, which collects the Dream arc, and Sailor Moon Stars, which collects the Stars arc. While they feature all of the content from the original manga collections, the volumes also contain the occasional new sketch and "thank you" commentary from series creator Naoko Takeuchi. All the names of characters appearing in the first and second story arcs are changed to those used in the English-dubbed anime; subsequent anime seasons had not yet been released in English, so all characters introduced thereafter retain their Japanese names.

As of May 2005, Tokyopop's license to the Sailor Moon manga has lapsed and is out of print.[6][7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (2003). Sailor Moon Shinsouban Volume 2. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-334777-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (1999). Materials Collection. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-324521-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Schodt, Frederik (1996). Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. pp. p.95. ISBN 978-1880656235. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ Schodt, Frederik (1996). Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. pp. p.93. ISBN 978-1880656235. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  5. ^ Sailormoon Channel Template:Ja icon Name used on the official website.
  6. ^ "Tokyopop Out of Print". Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  7. ^ "The Comics Reporter". Retrieved 2006-10-06.
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