Sailor Moon
Say the magic word and you have the power, hold the moonstone and feel the power. You can do it, oh Sailor Moon! Fight for victory over darkness, follow your dream of justice. You can do it, oh Sailor Moon.
Saban Moon: the US reboot
Sailor Moon is iconic. It is part of our childhood. And it was outrageously successful, especially in the 90s. And what do Western studios like to do with successful Japanese brands? Exactly, they remake them for their own market. A similar fate was lined up for Sailor Moon, under the name Saban Moon. The plan was for a blend of live action and animation with a completely non-Japanese cast. (After all, Tuxedo Mask was just as ... umm ... useful as in the original). But the bizarre pilot episode (which incidentally surfaced and was posted online after 20 years) went down so badly with viewers, the project was prematurely scrapped. It's probably better that way.
The secret of Sailor Moon's success
"My name is Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I will punish you!" Every child of the 90s who was allowed to turn on the TV at least occasionally will have almost certainly come across Sailor Moon! After all, the adventures of Usagi "Bunny" Tsukino are among the best and most successful anime of all time. Today, the series is considered one of the most important pioneers of anime in the West, and Sailor Moon quite rightly enjoys unquestioned cult status.
When Usagi met the talking cat Luna, we also shared in the excitement. Lining up with the other Sailor Guardians to combat brightly coloured, dangerous villains. And in what is perhaps the most famous transformation sequence EVER, watching her first transition from fidgety girl to guardian of love and justice. Wow, just thinking about it immediately brings the title song to mind: "Say the magic word and you have the might. Hold the Moonstone firmly and feel the power!" (Sorry, that earworm will be with you all day now.)
Here's to homework and crybabies
When a film or series (or whatever) becomes wildly successful, it's never easy to figure out the precise factors that contributed. Ultimately, a whole range of things can be responsible. Did Sailor Moon perhaps become so big because Power Rangers were a huge hit at the time? And Sailor Moon was something like the girls' version? (It might sound strange but the manga artist Naoko Takeuchi actually took inspiration from Power Rangers for certain elements). Did the series perhaps simply strike a chord? Was it the animation style? The names of the Guardians, such as Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter or Sailor Mars? Perhaps it was ultimately mere chance?
But the one thing we can probably say for sure is that being a crybaby and everyday problems like homework are unlikely to be the main reason for the success. On the other hand, now we think about it ... Maybe that's exactly the reason! For all her superpowers, epic transformations and galactic threats, Bunny is, first and foremost, just a normal teenager. In fact, she is a rather timid, clumsy and strident specimen of the species! Which is exactly why we can identify with her. She is absolutely not some kind of super-figure. She is no all-conquering heroine, far from it. She is like us! That might even be the main reason for Sailor Moon's success, although all the sorcery and her supernatural, magic powers certainly didn't hurt.
Back to childhood!
Writing these lines makes us want to binge-watch the entire five seasons — all 200 episodes — from start to finish! Since we don't have that much time on our hands, plus we have what feels like a thousand other anime series lined up to watch, we might revisit our childhood in a different way: via the very finest Sailor Moon merchandise! For example, a T-shirt with our favourite Sailor Guardian, an epic collector's figure or even a Sailor Moon mug to remind us of our favourite series even at breakfast. The range of Sailor Moon merch now available is truly extensive, so there's something for everyone. And if we do have time, we can always watch the series too. Maybe even the later spin-off Sailor Moon Crystal. It isn't nearly as iconic as the first series, but it is more loyal to the original manga.