2026 REREAD:
WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER MOON!
I'm halfway there!
Now it's onto 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 9', where the circus is in town. The Dead Moon Circus, that is.
Sure, it has quite a few flaws, but I enjoyed myself the further I read.
Basically, it's about Sailor Mercury/Ami, Sailor Mars/Rei, Sailor Jupiter/Makoto, and Sailor Venus/Minako, and the Dead Moon Circus's Amazoness Quartet, and their Amazon Trio - Fish's Eye, Tiger's Eye, and Hawk's Eye - turning the girls' dreams against them, twisting them, making them doubt themselves and their lives and roles as Sailor Guardians. The dreams turn into nightmares. But thanks to each girls' "mini-me" (or in Rei's case, her crows Phobos and Deimos transforming into humanoid girls), who are their true inner selves, that represent each of their destinies as Guardians and Princesses of their respective planets, and who grant them new Crystal heart brooches and weapons (and thanks to remembering advice given to them by Sailor Pluto/Setsuna, Sailor Neptune/Michiru, and Sailor Uranus/Haruka), the Inner Guardians continue to fight the Circus.
Throughout each passing day, the Dead Moon Circus's dark influence invades the Guardians' hometown.
Age-switched Usagi and Chibi-Usa doesn't last long, as they switch back once they transform.
Chibi-Usa is falling for the imprisoned Pegasus, Helios, who reveals he is the Priest of Elysion. Elysion is at the heart of Earth, and is the planet's protector, and since Mamoru is the prince of Earth, the evil brought upon it by the arrival of the Dead Moon Circus is why he is sick and coughing up black blood. He has a black rose in his chest, and so does Helios.
Mamoru, Helios, Earth and Elysion are connected, and are now cursed.
Chibi-Usa feels inferior to Sailor Moon's power and role in everyone's lives, and she has self-doubts, and thinks Helios's needed "Chosen young maiden" is actually Sailor Moon/Serenity.
Usagi swears to always be by the side of the bedridden Mamoru, despite his protestations and lamentations, thinking he is only a burden to her. And at the end of the volume, Usagi starts coughing as well...
Meanwhile, Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna have been raising baby Hotaru for six months. Hotaru began rapidly aging ever since the total solar eclipse, that the Dead Moon Circus escaped through, from the Dead Moon, their Kingdom of Nightmares, inside the new moon's darkness. The innocent yet extraordinary and magical little girl soon remembers who she is, and "awakens". As Sailor Saturn, she reminds the other Outers of their destiny, as Guardians who need to work together to save Earth and the universe - with the Inners. All the Sailor Guardians (and Princesses) of the solar system must fight side by side, no longer separated. All have a destiny to protect the Moon Princess and Silver Millennium. Sailor Saturn grants the Outer Sailors their own Crystal heart brooches, and together they head off to reunite with and help Sailor Moon/Serenity and the Inner Sailors.
Quick points and observations:
When Mamoru and the Inner Guardians first see Chibi-Usa as a teenager, they think she is Black Lady, and back away in fear, initially. Great bit of continuity there, although I am confused as to why Chibi-Usa is confused by their reactions, and she frantically asks, "Who's Black Lady?", like she doesn't remember that identity of hers at all, when there was no indication of this before. If she doesn't remember, how and why would no one tell her about it?
Well, either way, Chibi-Usa undergoes stellar character development and growth in this volume. In her teenage body - the 903-year-old is growing up at last! - she tries to act like an adult in control of a situation, but she doesn't feel it. She dreams of becoming a real adult and a beautiful lady, but she believes she hasn't earned it, nor the love of a prince... or priest, like Helios. It's a bit disappointing that her looking older only lasts for one act/chapter. The Amazoness Quartet's Orb spell magic is weak.
Chibi-Usa also wishing to be a full-fledged Sailor Guardian with her own team of companions is good foreshadowing...
Chibi-Usa saying Mamoru is her "soulmate" and that she is committing "adultery" by falling in love with Helios... gross. Totally gross and inappropriate, Chibi-ugh-sa! This is after she comes to accept that Mamoru is her future father, and she shouldn't keep getting in the way of his and Usagi's relationship.
It's ironic that, at the beginning of the volume, emphasis is placed on Sailor Moon's importance in her roles, including the destined ones, and in her relationships, and how everyone loves and needs her... when the rest is about the Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus finding themselves and fighting individually, as they regain their confidence.
They fight individually in each of their acts/chapters, mostly because the other characters, in investigating the Dead Moon Circus, will be suffering from the effects of the Circus shows' draining and brainwashing EM waves.
Ami's doctor mother appears! There's more backstory concerning Ami's parents and how and why they divorced. Ami unconsciously feels insecure and lonely, and like she doesn't have a normal and loving home life; she may be jealous of what Usagi, Mamoru and Chibi-Usa have together. Sailor Mercury's new weapon is the Mercury Harp (lyre, actually), and like Sailor Moon's and Chibi Moon's Crystal Kaleido Scopes, it has a mind of its own. Sure, why not? She defeats Fish's Eye with it.
Rei's family backstory is explored further, too. And she's an archer, as well as a miko. There are touching moments and reflections involving her rarely-seen grandfather at her home, the Hikawa Shrine. Rei is uncertain of her dream to become the high priestess at her shrine, when the other girls' dreams seem clearer to her. She never wants a boyfriend or husband either, and good for her. She doubts herself and what she really wants; is she just going along with what her family and friends expect of her? (In fact, her grandpa anticipates she'll leave the shrine to live her own life one day). Phobos and Deimos save her from Tiger's Eye, the Amazoness Quartet and their Lemures. Sailor Mars's new weapon is the Mars Arrow, aiming true, with all her heart and soul. No, it's not sentient, I don't think.
Makoto, the "tall, domestic tomboy", the big sister, and whom Chibi-Usa sees as the most reliable of the Sailor girls on matters such as cooking, meals, and love advice, possesses a lot of dreams in her heart - marriage, being a florist and cake baker, who owns plant shops and cake shops, and being strong like Haruka and beautiful like Michiru. Makoto fears she is not close to achieving any of her dreams, that she is not striving towards anything, what with her duty as a Sailor Guardian taking up all of her time. But calm down, girl, you're not even sixteen yet. Anyway, she foolishly and desperately falls for the nightmare trap set up by Hawk's Eye (is his/her gender supposed to be ambiguous, or is the female civilian form simply a disguise, or...?), when she knows that Hawk's Eye works for the Dead Moon Circus. Thanks to her "mini-me"/inner-self, and memories of Haruka giving her advice, Makoto remembers how tough she is - that she is "monster strength Jupiter" - and right now her main dream and goal is to be the strongest Sailor Guardian, in order to protect the people she loves. She fights back as Sailor Jupiter, with her new weapon - oak leaves on her head, that are "The emblem of thunder and lightning". It's more an accessory, really.
Minako, self-assured and a little conceited and selfish, is insecure, and having doubts about her role as the leader of the Inner Sailor Guardians. This is not helped by her sudden inability to transform into Sailor Venus, a secret she keeps from her friends, so as not to appear weak and useless. Mina wants to fight the Dead Moon Circus alone, a big mistake as, like her friends tell her, Sailor Guardians are strongest when fighting together. The Amazoness Quartet take advantage of Mina's idol dreams, and she wilfully walks into their trap, full of the false confidence that she can take them down on her own.
Minako and Artemis share a link and development together not seen since the 'Codename Sailor V' series. Volume 9 is the most we ever see Artemis do anything, as he helps his beloved friend Mina, and even transforms into a human to save her! Theirs is a truly special, magnificent bond.
One mark against Artemis is when he peeps at Mina while she bathes, thinking how beautiful and like the goddess Venus she has become. Luna rightfully punishes him by biting his tail.
Is Sailor Venus's "invincible whip of love" a new weapon? It's no different from her whips/chains of love in the past.
I assume the flashbacks of the Outer Sailors giving the Inner Sailors advice come from the times the 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Short Stories' are set. They don't make sense as part of the main canon, where the Outer and Inner Guardians were separated for pretty much the whole time they knew each other, back in the Death Busters arc. In fact, they considered each other suspicious, even enemies, for the majority of that arc. Now the younger Inners talk about the older Outers with the same reverence as the best, the absolute greatest, and most helpful of friends and mentors, and they miss them dearly.
Speaking of the Outer Guardians, Sailor Pluto/Setsuna is a scientist and astronomer (isn't she still a college student?), Haruka is still a famous F1 race car driver (whom not everybody knows the true gender of, in referring to her by male pronouns and as "Michiru's boyfriend") (is Haruka canonically genderfluid or not?), and Michiru a famous violinist, and violin teacher to children. On top of raising the mysterious, magical and magically-growing Hotaru by themselves, an awful lot is expected of these teens.
According to little Hotaru, her family are "Haruka-Papa", "Michiru-Mama" and "Setsuna-Mama". Haruka and Michiru are symbolically married and parents, definitely.
It's three Sailors and a Sailor baby, and once the baby grows and awakens, the older Sailors must also awaken from the dream of a domestic civilian home life, and get their transformation powers back; return to Guardian business. Now, together with the Inner Guardians, they must protect their other princess - Usagi/Sailor Moon/Serenity.
There is an overflow of familial, friendship, and love bonds in volume 9. Everybody loves everybody, and everybody needs everybody. It's beautiful and wonderful to see. So much love and trust.
I adore Usagi's look of maternal love towards Chibi-Usa on page 65, as she finds her outside, says she'll catch a cold, and they should go home. The artwork remains as gorgeous and emphatic as ever.
Luna is frustrated that she, Artemis and Diana can't do much, and are not allowed in places at the Dead Moon Circus, because they're cats. Oh, they will all be human very soon, I'm sure...
Diana calls Luna "Mama-chama", and Artemis "Papa-chama".
Chibi-Usa's Luna-P is still around. In the previous volume, even Luna-P laments its lack of use, purpose and presence.
Speaking of lacking presence, will Naru and Umino never appear in the series again? They don't even show up in high school with Usagi. Where are they?
The Amazon Trio - the Eyes - are, rather disappointingly, killed off too quickly.
The spirits of Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite are still watching over Mamoru.
Goddesses, I never thought I'd discuss so much about Chibi-Usa in these rereviews! She is a well developed and fully-and-thoughtfully-realised character, in spite of how annoying she can be.
It's Queen Nehelenia, not Nehellenia - stupid Artemis Crescent, making such a mistake in the previous rereview, of volume 8's stupid mistranslation, corrected here.
Queen Nehelenia of Dead Moon is set up to be the dark equivalent of Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium of the ancient past...
Can the Amazoness Quartet's Lemures turn anyone into evil minions, or drain their energy, or just give them nightmares, or all of the above?
There's something about the Quartet's Amazon Stones, as well...
I don't like how light Sailor Pluto's skin tone is on the cover of the volume, when in the manga itself she has dark skin, and in other artwork in colour she is noticeably tan.
Volume 9 - it's irresistible!
I hope volume 10 - yay, I've reached the double digits! - will be similar.
Happy September Moon!
Final Score: 4.5/5
Original Review:
Powerful, climactic stuff!
Mamoru is sick, and soon coughs up black blood. Usagi and Chibiusa, having switched physical sizes, comprehend the inner and outer problems all around them, what with the Dead Moon Circus spreading their influence everywhere. (There's a moment of self-awareness where the Inner Guardians mistake the grown-up Chibiusa for Black Lady. Yet, Chibiusa frantically wonders, "Who's Black Lady?" She really doesn't remember being her evil alter ego in the Black Moon arc? There wasn't any indication of this before). Anyway, the two revert back to normal after transforming into Super Sailor Guardians in the next battle. Chibiusa's Pegasus, Helios, is desperate for help from a young maiden - mainly to find the Golden Crystal. She develops feelings for Helios: Is he her new prince? In the middle of the story he finally reveals himself to be the Priest of Elysion - a land which protects the Earth from deep within its heart. Helios, Mamoru the prince/Guardian of earth, the earth itself, and Elysion are all connected. Due to Dead Moon destroying dreams, spreading darkness and imprisoning Helios in their new moon (no longer inhabiting the extinct Silver Millennium), the linked four are dying. His strength to appear in spirit gone, Helios vanishes, his last words a declaration that both the Legendary Silver Crystal and the mysterious Golden Crystal are the only forces that can drive out Dead Moon's darkness and death.
No matter how much Mamoru tries to steer Usagi away from him, feeling himself a constant burden and a danger to her in his sickness, she vows to stay by his side always - for that is her dream.
Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus each get chapters of their own where they are confronted by what their dreams really mean, and by their deepest insecurities. They are conflicted by their individual desires and their shared Sailor destiny to fight evil and protect the Moon Princess Serenity. Each Guardian meets a "mini-me" - a "mini-me" who calls her “Princess” - of her own during her battle and new transformation. Each of them looks up to the Sailors Uranus, Neptune and Pluto for guidance (i.e. like Chibiusa, learning how to be an adult).
Tensions rise, and as the girls continue to feel useless - unable to transform ever since the solar eclipse which brought Dead Moon to Earth. They fight alone. Teamwork suffers, and the relentless enemy gains the upper hand.
Meanwhile, the sorely-missed Outer Solar System Guardians live a quiet, peaceful and productive life raising a rapidly-aging Hotaru. It's only a matter of time before she awakens again, and lets the Outers know what they've felt is their mission all along: It's the same as the Inners', to protect their Princess Serenity, for the future Silver Millennium.
Artemis gives Minako the power to transform into Sailor Venus, but the Amazoness Quartet seem unstoppable. No power seems strong enough to defeat these parasites.
Chibiusa and Diana are concerned for Mamoru. And for Usagi, who has started coughing...
Phew! There is a lot going on!
I love the Guardians' character development the most. Intelligent, sweet Ami with her dreams in medicine, whilst still coping with her parents' divorce and feeling that they think she's always too busy studying to care about them. Serious, aloof Rei wants to be a shrine priestess, and is constantly under pressure to fit into gendered traditions and get married and settle down. Lonely but ambitious Makoto has many dreams, and doesn’t know how to prioritize each one realistically. And the bubbly Minako wishes to be an idol, and this becomes more potent when, as the only Inner Guardian left who cannot transform (something only Artemis, Luna and Diana know about), she feels she's failed as a leader and protector. Her bond with the brave Artemis gets a spotlight. Nice to know she is grateful for everything he's done for her, too.
The Guardians learn to overcome their weaknesses, and know they are not alone in their confusion about what it means to achieve their dreams. It’s a good metaphor for growing up.
Plus, Chibiusa is heartbroken at the possibility that she isn't the grown, beautiful maiden Helios is looking for. Despite their constant bickering, she looks up to Usagi, and is also jealous of her for being so powerful and lovely a saviour as Sailor Moon, even though she is her future mother. Chibiusa's inferiority complex is explored further in this arc, and thank heaven she is given her own prince to fawn over instead of her future father, Mamoru. When in the body of an adult, it's easier to see that she can be a brave woman sometimes, in the face of so many traumatising things happening.
Usagi, as she grows older, does start thinking about taking her relationship with Mamoru to "the next level" - which in the beginning is very awkward when she is in the body of a child. Like her love life, Usagi Tsukino is maturing, along with the 'Sailor Moon' series with its more complex storylines and artwork. Near the end, when it appears she might have been infected by Mamoru's curse, it is genuinely terrifying. A perfect cliffhanger!
I would talk about the character journeys the Outer Senshi go through in this volume, but that would take far too long. I'll only say that their development is as inspiring and thoughtful as that of the main characters. They have their own professions, as well as a child to bring up, and now they're called to be Sailor Soldiers once more. What lives these ladies lead! Plus, little Hotaru/Sailor Saturn knows poetry.
Bigger, badder villains; increasingly intense action, suspense, character background and depth; more excitement. What more could any 'Sailor Moon' fan want? The Dead Moon Circus arc is turning into a fairy tale in the Brothers Grimm sense. Even though Death Busters is my favourite arc, it still feels like the series keeps getting better and better. The love is brimming; I can't wait to get into the tenth volume.
Wow, ten already! I'm positively flying through these reviews!
Final Score: 5/5
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