Sailor Moon (Manga) Review

Comic type: Japanese manga translated into English (12 volumes, plus 2 containing short stories)
Author: Naoko Takeuchi
Status: Finished in March 1997 (has been translated and recently reprinted)
Themes: Magical girl, romance, comedy, action, drama
Rating: Best for those 13 and older (some violence, suggestive themes)
Publisher: Kodansha Comics, in association with Random House

NOTE: I'm aware there was a translation of Sailor Moon released by Mixx/Tokyopop.  However, I haven't seen it and don't intend to look for it, since it's been out of print for several years.  I can't read Japanese, so reviewing the original manga is out of the question.  I'll be sticking with the translation done by the publishers listed above.

Like most people in North America, I was introduced to Sailor Moon through the anime adaptation.  It wasn't bad, but the manga is far better.  There are no odd voice-overs or removed episodes and scenes to worry about.  And with translation notes at the end of each volume, there's no need for awkward censorship or weird changes to the dialogue.

The artwork in Sailor Moon is wonderful.  Everything, from battles to backgrounds, looks beautiful and is nicely detailed.  The pages of colored artwork are a really nice bonus, too.  Another great thing about the artwork is that it's very easy to tell the characters apart.  The protagonists, antagonists, and even minor characters all have their own unique look, making for easier reading.

The story is pretty light-hearted for the most part: teenage girl and her friends learn they have super powers, and they must use them to fight evil.  When they're not fighting evil, they have their normal lives to worry about.  When things get serious, though, the story can get pretty dark and it doesn't try to sugar-coat things. And even if you've seen the anime, the manga still has a few surprises and plot twists that weren't present in the anime.

Sailor Moon is some pretty awesome reading, and definitely something to consider picking up if you're a fan of the magical girl genre.