Codename: Sailor V 1

コードネームはセーラーV 完全版 [Codename wa Sailor V Kanzenban] #1

by Naoko Takeuchi

セーラームーン誕生の原点的作品がついに完全版となって登場。ここからすべては始まった!

KCピース

Genres: Manga, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Romance, Graphic Novels Manga

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2014

About the author

Naoko Takeuchi (武内直子) born March 15, 1967, a manga artist (mangaka), lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime/manga fans. She has become a well-known mangaka worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga/anime figures to date.

Takeuchi is married to Yoshihiro Togashi, the author of the YuYu Hakusho series and Hunter × Hunter series.

Please note that anime related books are listed under Kōdansha.

Reviews

[Dayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally Spies vibes

[Andromeda M31 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sailor V is a very silly series. It doesn't have the gravitas of Sailor Moon manga, nor does it have the slice-of-life appeal of the 90's anime. I can't really recommend it except for Sailor Moon completionists (which I am).

Sailor V is pretty much a prequel to Sailor Moon. Sailor V was Naoko Takeuchi's first take on the magical girl genre, prior to the idea being re-tooled into Sailor Moon. Vestiges of this exist in Sailor Moon, both anime and manga, in that Sailor Venus has a strange blue and red outfit in flash backs, her own cat, and that the Crown Arcade has a Sailor V Video game. Only the first three issues of Sailor V were actually written and drawn before Sailor Moon launched, the rest were haphazardly issued during Sailor Moon chapters. This allows the rest of the sailor senshi and the Moon Kingdom to be referenced in later Sailor V chapters. It also allows Naoko to tie in the Sailor V villains to the first boss of the first Sailor Moon season. It seems pretty clear she didn't have an idea of what the major plot one was going to be in Sailor V from the get go.

The lack of clear vision in Sailor V is its downfall. Minako is almost more likable that Usagi; she has a beat 'em up attitude and has literal physical attacks which are fun. However, she has no love specific love interest and is instead boy crazy, every other chapter has her falling for some other schmuck. The lack of mythology makes EVERY chapter feel filler. Because Minako doesn't really have any senshi to share her adventures with, the slice of life aspect isn't very fun either.

That said, this edition is beautiful. I love the colored images and the huge size. The translations notes are great, and it's wonderful to finally have a translator on Sailor Moon give a damn.

And I do enjoy the Artemis and Minako interactions. Those are fun.

[Anna Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally decided it was time to read "Sailor V"! As a Sailor Moon fan since the American dub first aired in the 90s, the idea of reading the Sailor V manga was always an elusive one--something we read about on geocities webpages and Sailor Moon forums, but I never imagined it would really happen.

Sailor V is rather fun, rather silly, and rather 90s. It's not as serious as Sailor Moon, and it's much more episodic than the Sailor Moon manga. It's still really neat to see another side of the "Sailor Moon" story, albeit one that isn't really as satisfying.

[Elisa Belotti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bello scoprire qualcosa in più su Sailor V. I capitoli sembrano più delle short stories che le tappe di una trama complessiva.

[Tiffany F · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was super nostalgic for me! Even though she never got her own show like sailor moon. Really loved seeing Sailor V as the main protagonist! Wish I could binge watch them as episodes, but maybe one day who knows.

Bought the book when I was in Japan and definitely struggled with the Japanese I thought I was up for the challenge but really wish I would have gotten the English version.

[Megan (Bookish_Raider) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute. Glad to add to my collection.

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see the inspiration for or from power rangers in this for sure. Baddie of the week and special attacks abound, but it's a fun ride, if only for the nostalgia.

Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!

[Lesly ୨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a sailor moon fan, i knew i needed to read this and im so glad i did! i really enjoyed some of the reoccurring characters of sailor moon making an appearance in this: furuhata, kunzite, naru, and of course, usagi!! it felt super rewarding to read those moments. also just realizing now some of the backstory elements of the sailor v within sailor moon’s story.

the fact that artemis made the sailor v game in order for minako to learn how to be a sailor guardian and that just ties so perfectly with the sailor moon manga especially at the beginning.

i will say sailor moon and sailor venus have always been two sides of the same coin however, sailor moon has always been a bit more nuanced than venus. this manga is such a treat to read but, i wish minako had a bit more distinction from usagi because it felt like reading usagi’s story as they share some of the same traits: bad at school, loves slacking off, giving their cat familiars a hard time, do i need to continue?? however, i loved this volume nonetheless i can’t wait to read volume 2!

[Mara Hessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Minako is just such a fun protagonist! She’s funny and relatable and she actually fights crime. Don’t get me wrong, Usagi eventually gets endearing, but Minako is just so effortlessly likeable.
The lore behind Sailor V is a pared down version of the general structure of Sailor Moon, with Minako being a reincarnation of the goddess Venus instead of a guardian of the planet Venus. This is fine by me. Overall I highly recommend this precursor to Sailor Moon and look forward to volume 2!

Side note: I’ve been on a quest for the past year or so to find a copy of volume one of Codename Sailor V and couldn’t find it anywhere. Numerous trips to comic stores and Barnes and Noble and I could usually find volume two, but not one. eBay had some copies, but I didn’t really want to shill out $100 for a copy. Fortunately, during my year of sporadic searching (more as a hobby than anything) these beautiful eternal editions of Sailor V were released. I’m not a collector of Sailor Moon paraphernalia by any means (yet) but this is… wow. Blew me away. Highly recommend for collectors, fans, or anyone really who wants to get into this super fun series.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the first half of Sailor V's backstory for the first time was super fun! Takeuchi wrote one of these chapters first and then was approached to develop it into what became Sailor Moon, and for the first series, the two were published simultaneously!

It's an odd volume because it sometimes feels more like a first draft for Sailor Moon than its own thing—there are a few elements that don't really work with the Sailor Moon canon, like Sailor Venus uses a crescent moon compact and says Moon Prism Transform.

Sailor Venus also has most of the same personality traits that Sailor Moon has, but I think the author kept that in later. The two have a special connection even among the other sailor scouts.

[Andrea Ambroso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prima parte di questa storia che fa da prequel alla comparsa di Sailor Moon e alla sua battaglia contro il Dark Kingdom.
In principio infatti c’era Sailor V o meglio conosciuta come Sailor Venus; scelta dal gatto Artemis per diventare la bella guerriera che veste alla marinara per combattere la Dark Agency, seguendo le istruzioni di una voce misteriosa (chiamata boss da Artemis).
Piccolo tassello che si va a incastrare nella storia di quel bellissimo manga che poi sarà Sailor Moon, questa edizione Eternal, impreziosisce ancora di più la storia con pagine a colori e un formato da perfect edition. Per chi ama la saga di Sailor Moon è un acquisto obbligato.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal TBR 18/142

I love the origin story of Sailor Venus, and it starts a lot like Sailor Moon. The small cameos of Usagi and Rei was a nice touch!

[Lady Cassiopeia · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Conclusion:

I picked up Sailor V for nostalgic reasons, but unfortunately, the story didn’t draw me in as much as I had hoped. Quite early on, I noticed that the protagonist, despite being only 13 years old, shows a surprisingly strong interest in romantic relationships. Combined with her otherwise childlike portrayal, this felt somewhat contradictory to me.

One particular scene also stood out in a negative way: she is criticised for eating ice cream, and the wording used, which targets her body, struck me as clearly inappropriate, especially considering the intended audience.

Furthermore, many aspects of her personality reminded me strongly of Bunny/Sailor Moon. While I understand the in-universe reasons for their similarity, I still would have appreciated more character distinction and a stronger sense of Sailor V’s own identity.

Regarding the format, the price of €28.99 for a mostly uncoloured omnibus edition feels rather steep compared to other manga releases. I’ll still purchase the next volume, as I prefer to finish what I start, but overall, I’m left somewhat disappointed by the experience.

Book Details:
Title: Codename: Sailor V Eternal Edition Vol. 1
Author: Naoko Takeuchi
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Publication Year: 2021
Page Count: 288
Genre: Manga | Magical Girl
Language: English
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5 stars)
Price: €28.99

[Pretty Book Guardian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly what I expected it to be: charming, fun, and dorky? We get introduced to Minako as the recantation of the goddess Venus instead of the guardian princess of planet Venus which was a surprise! I suppose it makes sense considering this mini series is a prequel to Sailor moon or (it could be a translation thing). Minako is a 13 year old girl who is hesitant to take up the mantle of crime fighting heroine. Mina is a relatable and funny character that has a lot of growing up to do in a short amount of time. This first volume follows the traditional formula of sailor moon manga which can feel a little repetitive to an adult. We see her and Artemus struggle to get along which reminds me a lot of Usagi and Luna when they first meet. Mina is eventually convinced to become Sailor V and fight against the Dark Agency who is determine to brainwash the people of Japan by infiltrating the entertainment industry. The art is phenomenal and if you are interesting in reading this, the Eternal editions are 100% worth it. I highly recommend this is your looking for something nostalgic that will whimsical and magical!

[Aurakinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I've never actually gotten through the Sailor V volumes before. I can see why.

This time, I tried reading the newest English translation available (Specifically, the Naoko Takeuchi Collection). It was definitely more readable than the previous one Kodansha but out, known for being very clunky and literal. I did appreciate this one flowing more smoothly, though I think some parts where overly localized ("Power Rangers-style" instead of "sentai", for example). Overall it's definitely an improvement, however.

That said, I'm still not vibing with the story itself. It reads a lot like Naoko Takeuchi's short stories and bonus chapters, which I was never a fan of. It's too episodic, leans too much on comedy parts I don't find very funny, and doesn’t go much into an overarching story (At least not in the first volume).

I do appreciate it setting up the world for what would become the Sailor Moon franchise, and it's fun seeing Usagi and the others pop up here and there, even if they're not directly involved in the story yet.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am pretty familiar with Sailor Moon, having watched the show when I was younger and even reading a good chunk of the manga. Sailor V had been a gap for me, and it's one I wish I'd tried to fill earlier. This is, in my estimation, a much funnier and goofier book than Sailor Moon necessarily is (and take that as you will). Minako and her supporting cast are pitch perfect weird, and the new translation is excellent. To give an idea of what you're in for here, aside from doing battle with evil idols and celebrities, there's a whole chapter dedicated to Minako just wanting to play video games before ultimately squaring up with some misogynistic guy who doesn't believe girls should be in arcades.... leading her to realize he's not actually an alien monster (just a terrible person) and that she needs to book it after knocking him out. I picked up the second volume as well, but as I meandered my way through this one I'm planning on taking my time through it as well.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that they came out with this edition!
It's kind of funny looking back how many parallels you can find between Sailor V and Sailor Moon and how much Takeuchi wanted to write Sailor Moon, which is definitely apparent while reading. It is hard to criticize since this is my favorite series, but I will say it makes sense that Sailor Moon becomes our main character and story. Overall, Mina's character is not as compelling or interesting as Usagi, the challenges Mina faces are more villain-of-the-week which she never has trouble facing, and there's also the Toshio Wakagi who I'm not sure yet why he was introduced since he doesn't add anything to the plot whatsoever.
In conclusion, it's alright by itself, but when it serves it's purpose as a prelude to Sailor Moon, it's fun to read, especially with a couple cameo from our beloved characters which we meet later on.

[Rebecca Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a prelude to Sailor Moon (and originally created prior to it), it is a very simplified version of the classic series. It isn’t as refined in story or direction and is even a bit of a slog at times, leaning super hard into “girl boss super hero” tropes without filling out much else. The beginning is quite directionless and, to a modern audience, rather a dangerous lesson to young girls who daydream about a very black-and-white ideal of “Good vs Evil” that can be easily recognized and eradicated. In short, make sure your daughters know not to take directions from faceless people who call themselves “the good guys” without explanation. 😅

The art is beautiful however in this new publication, and for any Sailor a moon enthusiast or completist, still a must-read to appreciate exactly how young these poor characters were when thrust into their roles as guardians of the cosmos.

[DiAngelea Millar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a HUGE sailor moon fan since my childhood. Finished the new movie for Cosmos and was inspired to read the manga after people claimed it differs even from the Crystal version show.

I had no idea there was a Sailor V prequel but it makes sense. I always wondered why Sailor V was first and what she did for a year before everyone else awakened. I always wondered why Artemis was partnered with her and only had to find one guardian but Luna had to find the rest. So hopefully I will get some answers.

I love seeing her come into her own. This series is fun. So far differs a bit from the show we were told Sailor V was fighting evil around the world not just Japan. But in this first version she takes one small trip to Greece. So we will see how true that ends up being.

I love seeing some crossover with her running into Usagi and later Rey at the arcade.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

tbh, I only bought and read this to be a Sailor Moon manga completionist. I loved Sailor Moon, and I thought I would enjoy this as well.

Unfortunately, this lacked the same charm as the main series. Every chapter was so repetitive as there's no overarching plot (I mean, I guess there technically is, but it's not expanded upon in any way, and it's just a new villain in each chapter).

I also want to say that Mina is pretty much the same character as Usagi except for a few minor differences, which also wasn't enjoyable for me.

Overall, this was rough to get through because I didn't have much interest in what was happening. I might end up buying volume 2 just to complete my collection, but I'm not sure I'll want to read it.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay let me start but saying I have not been reading this for the two years like it says.
I tried to read it back in 2022 but I didn’t like it at all.
I have since started the 90’s sailor moon cartoon and after quite a few eps, I began to like it. Now that I’m used to the vibe of that, which this is very similar to, I can enjoy this. I started it again today and read it in one sitting.
It is enjoyable but I would recommend watching some of sailor moon 90’s anime to set the time first.
I’m giving it 3 stars as whilst it is fun, it isn’t life changing and I’m only reading it for completion purposes before I begin the sailor moon manga.

[-moonprismpower- · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore these Eternal editions. They’re beautiful. The pages are big and on high quality paper. Also, lots of full color art pages!!!!

So this is a prequel series to Sailor Moon about how Sailor Venus found her powers before everyone else (since she’s the leader technically). It’s mostly comedy. Especially this first Eternal volume. I honestly did not enjoy this series as much as the main series. It wasn’t horrible but I was getting bored easily. You don’t have to read this prequel series to understand the main series. Honestly, I would recommend reading this AFTER the main series.

[Sylvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read "Codename: Sailor V" for the longest time, and I'm so happy that the time has finally come!
Before starting, it's important to remember that the individual chapters were published monthly in a manga magazine back in the day, so that's why some character introductions are repeated every chapter.
If you love Sailor Venus/Minako as a character, you will have a great time with this manga! And the art is amazing! It is especially beautiful in this Eternal Edition, which has a very high printing quality and thus makes everything shine so much more ♥️

[Michael O'Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sailor Venus was always my favourite of the Sailor Scours so it was great to read her origin story before Sailor Moon came along.

The collection packs the first eight editions of the manga in to one volume, with the same spirit of the Sailor Moon cartoons - a different boss fight each edition and a magical girl transformation sequence.

I know it’s not in the spirit of manga but I do wish it was colourised. The several pages that have colour in between chapters really pop and looks so lovely.

A pleasant and easy (if sort of forgettable) read and recommended for all Sailor Moon fans.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful color illustrations included. Mina is just your average middle school girl.. until a talking cat tells her she’s supposed to help protect earth against evils as a sailor scout. Her antics remind me so much of Usagi and I love the little Easter eggs of what’s to come thrown in. As someone who has loved the original sailor moon series ever since she was young this was very nostalgic while introducing new things about a character that I’m already familiar with.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

No bc I realized Mina is basically Spider-Man??? A crime fighting hero with a secret identity that is at odds with the police - but is pop obsessed, loves arcades, and has a cute talking cat! 🌙🧡

WE NEED MORE HEROINES OBSESSED WITH POP STARS!! I saw a bit of my teenage self in Mina and I really enjoyed learning about her inception as a sailor guardian. There are so many good lines in this volume too - the one about men who go to arcades and will never have lasting relationships killed me 💀

[☽ Jess ☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

C'était vraiment cool car cette histoire fait partie de l'univers de Sailor Moon que j'affectionne particulièrement. Après, c'est, pour moi, un peu en dessous. J'ai même trouvé que le schéma d'attaque des méchants via la musique, comme si on relisait la même histoire plusieurs fois, était longue...

Mais les interactions entre Minako et Artémis sont drôles et on s'attache à Mina comme on peut s'attacher à Usagi 💖
Hâte de lire le prochain tome pour compléter ma collection 🥰

[Julie Simps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the entire eternal series due to my love for the Sailormoon anime; although the anime was fun with the repetition because we got to get to know the characters a bit more and see the relationships between everyone grow it wasn’t as fun to read so far. Reading a story that only repeats itself with no true character growth or memorable character relationship growth is boring. Hoping as I finish Sailor Vs story and enter Sailormoon it becomes more enjoyable to read.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading Sailor Moon with a friend and the first two volumes (or prequel volumes?) are Sailor V. All that is to say this is my first exposure to this world.

4.5 stars. It’s so funny. I’ve turned the page a few times and been shocked by what is drawn. In a good way. I didn’t know what to expect from this manga but it wasn’t this. I am enjoying it thoroughly. I hope it doesn’t dive off of a cliff as it seems to me manga tends to do.

[Kennedy Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

loveeeeee the graphics! how cool! the stories are just the right amount of cheeky. a few issues: we don’t really get much of the lore explained (which i thought we surely would given that it’s a prequel to sailor moon). we don’t really see minako train, but at least she takes the job seriously when the time comes. looking forward to vol. 2 to see if it dives any deeper.