StoryThrilling fantastical battles. Heart-rending romance. Heroic and self-sufficient women. I expected nothing less from a seminal mahou shoujo series. Emphasis on ‘expected’, because what Sailor Moon actually delivers is something altogether different. At once idiotically basic and zanily funny, Sailor Moon often gives the impression it wants to insult the intelligence of its viewers, albeit with a cheeky wink and a smile.
Generally, coincidence and happenstance play too big a part in resolving the conflicts, ensuring that nothing genuinely surprising transpires. This applies particularly to the well-tailored crusader, Tuxedo Mask, who appears without fail in every damned battle, inevitably stealing the victory which the sailor warriors should have secured by themselves. In time, rather than wondering excitedly how Sailor Moon will evade her enemies’ latest trap, viewers will wearily wait for Tuxedo Mask to toss his trademark rose at the monsters’ feet and literally steal the show.
Even Card Captor Sakura, a younger programme of similar formulaic quality and with twice as many episodes, still manages to inject enough peril and variation into its magical battles to keep viewers guessing. Sailor Moon, in comparison, lacks the necessary imagination. The series even goes through various antagonists, one for every arc of the overall plot, but with each performing pretty much the same function (stealing energy from humans) using similarly themed tricks (did the life-sucking jewellery prove a dud? Then try the life-sucking sports equipment!).
And yet, with all of its flaws laid bare, dissected, and analysed, Sailor Moon remains a series worth celebrating. Indeed, I have yet to mention one fundamental trait which singlehandedly raises the show’s entertainment value. The comedy. Even if little of substance happens, the script injects so many precious moments of hilarity (wacky expressions, ironic twists, slapstick combat etc) that the weak plot and shallow fights become secondary concerns. Often, the main appeal of an episode will be Usagi’s uproarious struggles to grasp moral lessons or practical skills like sewing, cooking, and not being selfish.
Furthermore, while the battles disappoint, the drama surrounding them fares much better. In particular, the arc involving Nephrite builds upon the show’s mystery as well as providing some deft character development and darkly emotive outcomes.AnimationFor some, Sailor Moon will represent a nostalgic jaunt through old-school graininess and quaint two-dimensionality reminiscent of an innocent, less cynical era. To others, it’ll just look old. Background detail is so sparse that it might as well not exist, and with such sketchy watercolour effects, the series feels like a moving picture book rather than a billion-yen project. Add to that the repetitive transformation sequences and finishing moves and you easily have two or three minutes of recycled frames taking up precious running time every episode.
On the other hand, the cute style is cheerfully vibrant and easy on the eye. Moreover, Usagi’s explosive facial expressions alone compensate for any technical weaknesses.SoundApart from the catchy opening theme, I’ve largely forgotten Sailor Moon’s soundtrack, which, like the battles, is repetitive. One or two character themes might demand attention in the short-term, but none will leave any lasting impression.CharactersShallow, self-absorbed, and a shameless cry baby, Usagi Tsukino, the titular hero of the show, should rank amongst the most reprehensible of protagonists. In keeping with the plot, however, her humour becomes her saving grace. She may be irresponsible and make many mistakes, but her brazen cheerfulness and naivety will endear her to most viewers. Moreover, she generally ends up doing the right thing even if it takes her longer than most to understand why she should. In her own petulant words: ‘I do a good job when I have to!’
Additionally, the show plays Usagi off other characters very well. Mamoru’s (Tuxedo Mask) teasing relationship with her provides many moments of comedy whilst competently setting the two up as lovers for later events. The rest of the sailor warriors also evince memorable and lovable personalities, with the acerbic Sailor Mars and gentle, intelligent Sailor Mercury topping the list.
The antagonists, on the other hand, uphold Sailor Moon’s darker themes as they lie, cheat, and murder their way through the plot. The four Shitennou or chief henchmen of the Dark Kingdom - Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite – take on the sailor warriors in sequence, each lasting several episodes before conceding their role to the next. While Jadeite is the first of the four to attempt to destroy the human race, and Kunzite the last, both are also the least memorable. In fact, the conflicts peak in quality through the Nephrite arc and generally stay interesting through the Zoisite arc as well. The reason for this is that Nephrite and Zoisite’s personalities exceed the bland archetypes of the other two, with Nephrite later showing some fantastic developments and Zoisite being unashamedly and devilishly gay.OverallMake no mistake, Sailor Moon is a significantly flawed work. On balance, though, the series redeems itself with a disarming wit that belies its shallow appearance. Once past the introductory episodes, it transforms into a light-hearted romp that even has one or two emotional surprises up its sleeve, and is just bizarrely charming. The simplistic presentation makes it perfect for children and young teens, but with its strong cast and self-deprecating humour, I also recommend this to adults looking for something undemanding but satisfying.