WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER MOON!
And it's the turn of the earliest English/American/western translation of the manga from the year 2000, simply titled 'Sailor Moon, Vol. 1', by Chix Comix/MixxZine/Tokyopop.
It collects the first five Acts/chapters, its pages are "flipped" to be read from left to right instead of right to left*, and it's translated to be very light and breezy, to be read on a break from school or work, much like a pocket-sized comic book. It really is simply put.
It was made to accommodate audiences familiar with the anime's first English dub by DIC, it's that kind of adaptation; so Usagi is Bunny (a nickname for Serena, somewhat respecting all her given names, as Usagi means 'bunny' or 'rabbit' in Japanese), Ami is Amy, Rei is Raye, Makoto is Lita, Mamoru is Darien, Naru is Molly, Umino is Melvin, Furuhata is Andrew, the Sailor Guardians, or Soldiers, are the Sailor Scouts, the Silver Crystal is the Silver Imperium Crystal, etc. The Dark Kingdom remains unchanged, however. Plus, there are quite a few western pop culture references added to the first couple of chapters.
Yes, it's cringey, but it has an old school '90s charm to it. Reading it is like going back in time, and being a teenager again (there are a few mild uses of profanity in this translation, where none existed originally, preventing it from being for very young audiences - for audiences of the DIC dub). The nostalgia power is strong.
Also included are translated short interviews and notes from Naoko Takeuchi herself.
I can't believe it's from this edition where I realise that maybe the Sailor Guardians are popular and recognised by the general public in Jūban, Tokyo, as they are featured in newspapers, recounting them solving crimes and saving the day - Sailor Moon is given her due here, not just Sailor V. I just expected them to be much more popular and talked about, and the evil forces they fight to be widely known, even investigated by those outside the Sailor group.
With the pop culture references added in at the start, too, I'm surprised 'Sailor Moon, Vol. 1' didn't leave in Sailor Moon comparing Tuxedo Mask to Lupin the Gentleman-Thief when she first sees him. Though maybe Tokyopop/Chix Comix thought young western audiences wouldn't know who Lupin is; they assumed their target audience wouldn't be that well read, not of French literature, if they also read manga and American comics.
Well, warts and pandering and Americanization and all, I will forever own this pocket-sized version of the 'Sailor Moon' manga, for nostalgia's sake, and because 'Sailor Moon' forever owns my whole heart!
Next is the two 'Codename Sailor V' manga volumes - back to the very beginnings of 'Sailor Moon' before Sailor Moon! And how the latter pretty girl in a sailor suit with an astronomy theme ended up exploding in popularity around the world - and practically starting and influencing the magical girl genre as we know it today.
Happy September Moon!
Final Score: 3.5/5
*This leads to funny mistakes, such as at the beginning of Act 5, where Luna admonishes Bunny for oversleeping and being late for school as usual... at 4pm, according to her bedside clock. Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's already missed school by now, Luna. Originally, un-flipped, according to the clock, it is 8am.
2024 REREAD: Yay! I have my own copy again! And I actually managed to get it extremely cheap online! Glad I waited!
This earliest English language, Chix Comix/MixxZine/Tokyopop, pocket-sized edition of the first volume of the 'Sailor Moon' manga is a must for all 'Sailor Moon' fans, early translated cringe and cheesiness and all!
I love it.
Moon Prism Nostalgia Power Make-Up!
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Of course I once owned this first translated volume series - up until the point the out-of-print rubbish became too expensive to purchase online; I was a silly, obsessive, frivolous and selfish young teen but even I had my limits - before the retranslated, uncut release in 2011. This point in history was when the dreams of myself and so many others came true - our prayers were finally answered - and we could collect the entire 'Sailor Moon' manga series widely, cheaply, easily, and in good, faithful condition/editions (and let's not forget the 'Eternal' editions).
It's about time I added the first, miniature, rough, flipped and wrong-names English translation of one of my favourite manga - and one of my favourite franchises - of all time, in here, for old time's sake. Even though I don't own it anymore. What lovely, imperfect nostalgia.
Read my review of the first volume of the 'Renewal Edition' here.
Read my review of the first volume of the 'Eternal Edition' here.
Read my review of the nonfiction book 'Warriors of Legend: Reflections of Japan in Sailor Moon' here.
You know what? For fountains more of my writing my gushing, star-studded love for 'Sailor Moon', click here.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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