I went into this with pretty much zero expectations because, again, I’m curious about the anime so why not try the manga first since my library has neither animes? But even despite that I’m still shocked by how much I enjoyed this…even though I can’t clearly figure out why, haha.
The art style is not my favorite as it’s that clear ‘90s “chibi” style that I was introduced to in Rurouni Kenshin, though I will say Sailor Moon is prettier then Kenshin though maybe that’s because this is a shoujo? Or it just shows the different artists’ styles—who knows, but I like SM’s more then Kenshin’s, and some of the panels are STUNNING, especially in these large Eternal Editions (which I feel like if I ever smacked someone with it I could seriously give them a headache, but that’s beside the point).
The characters are all vastly different and even though we don’t get many chapters of the Sailor Scouts bonding I feel like in some way we really don’t need to? Somehow the way this is written the mangaka has managed to present these girls as fast friends with barely any time between them, same with the romance between Usagi and Tuxedo Mask, though I do know just by general knowledge that there’s a future “link” between them all that makes it so, but for the purposes of this volume it actually works without slowing the plot or pacing down.
Speaking of the plot, each chapter is very episodic with a main “monster” to fight and defeat but also with an overarching plot that hasn’t been resolved yet. The repetitive reintroduction of everyone at the beginning of each chapter could have been super annoying, but it did help me keep everyone straight at first and each time was done slightly differently, so kudos for the mangaka pulling that off! The episodic feel did get a little redundant after awhile, but I could ignore it.
Back to characters, I do want to say Usagi is a very interesting choice for a protagonist and not one you’d see being chosen nowadays, lol! She likes girly things, is a bit of a wimp and a crybaby, is very shallow, is obsessed over a boy (though she has every right to be, he’s great!), and yet I think she’s the perfect protagonist. She’s flawed and yes I rolled my eyes at her a couple of times for her silliness, but she grows and is so charming you can’t help BUT like her, not to mention she’s not an insufferable girl boss which is SOOOO refreshing! Even Rei, Sailor Mars, who IS a tough girl isn’t an insufferable girl boss which, again, I really appreciate because these girls are people first rather then labels of Things They Should Be According to Idiots Who Don’t Know How to Write Decent Stories.
And I’ve seen a LOT of complaints in other reviews about how passive and boring Tuxedo Mask is and I’m just like, um, HELLO, what are you talking about?! Dude has no idea who he is but is willing to leap into danger and help out Sailor Moon at the drop of a hat just because (he saves her life half a dozen times too!), not to mention the guy’s got a wicked sense of comedic timing and humor that cracked me up more then once. And he’s not the strongest presence here because he’s not the main character, Sailor Moon is—the other Sailor Scouts have a lesser role then he does in all honesty, so I’m actually kind of annoyed by all the dislike towards him. I think he’s great and he and Usagi are so stinking cute together it’s not even funny. 🤭🥰
(and as a side note, I did feel incredibly old when in the translation notes they felt the need to explain what a VHS was. *Elrond voice* I was there, three thousand years ago…)
So while I still can’t fully put my finger on why I really, really liked this volume or what’s drawing me to the story and characters so strongly, I’m enjoying myself and am eager to continue. Maybe after I read a few more volumes I’ll finally be able to pin point why I like it so much!
‼️Content‼️
Language: what the; oh my gosh; hell (as a place); darn it; dammit
Violence: monster like beings crumble away or burn up (PG); fighting with magic, weapons, and hand to hand (PG); a character is shoved off a balcony; characters fall off a balcony; a car drives/falls off a cliff
Sexual: a kiss; a girl transforms herself briefly to look like a guy; a shirtless guy
Drugs/Alcohol: a girl accidentally drinks alcohol and gets a bit tipsy/loopy
Other: magic; magical abilities/objects/creatures; a woman is tied up and gagged; people are routinely “cursed” and have their energy drained by an evil being; another dimension; people are vanishing/being kidnapped; a girl is briefly possessed; a “ghost”; a character has amnesia; past parental death