美少女戦士セーラームーン 12 [Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon 12]

美少女戦士セーラームーン [Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon] #12

by Naoko Takeuchi, 武内直子

そして、セーラームーンは伝説から神話へ……！

KCデラックス なかよし

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Romance, Comics, Young Adult, Fiction

276 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2004

About the author

Naoko Takeuchi (武内直子) born March 15, 1967, a manga artist (mangaka), lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime/manga fans. She has become a well-known mangaka worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga/anime figures to date.

Takeuchi is married to Yoshihiro Togashi, the author of the YuYu Hakusho series and Hunter × Hunter series.

Please note that anime related books are listed under Kōdansha.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Sailor Moon! I stand for love. And I also stand for justice. And in the name of the Moon, I will punish you!

Everything began with Sailor Moon. The age of the animes and mangas and the age of female heroins transforming into warriors for justice and love. Now we know several series like Pretty Cure or Tokyo Mew Mew, but everything started with Sailor Moon and her adventures.
She finds the cat Luna who helps her to transform into Sailor Moon and step by step the two of them find the other senshis like Sailor Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus.
Over and over again they have to face their fears and great dangers and fight for the Moon and the Earth.
With ongoing time they discover that they are not the only senshis of the solar system and that there are three more, the outer Senshis, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Together they even awake another senshi, Sailor Saturn, the senshi of Silence and Destruction.

This series contains many interesting and diverse characters, exciting adventures combined with a progressing plot and amazing character developments. It is wonderful to read and see how the Senshis change and how they travel into the future and into the past...
Sailor Moon, who is very unreliable and whiny and weak at the beginning is growing stronger and stronger until she is a powerful and yet caring woman. Her friends are always by her side no matter what happenes...
Sailor Moon is full of tragic and pain and at the same time humour and thrill.
This series always makes me go through a set of emotions...

Without Sailor Moon my childhood wouldn't have been the same and therefore I still love Sailor Moon and her friends...
Thank you, Naoko Takeuchi for creating such a wonderful story and world.
I highly recommend this series to everyone, no matter if manga-lover or not!

Sailor Moon, you will always be invincible. The most beautiful shining star.

[Bobby Hougen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon...what an amazing manga/anime series!! When I was a little kid, I would watch the 1990's anime (that was dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment) every morning before the school bus came to pick me up for school, but I never read the actual manga until I hit my teen years. Like most manga, this renewed manga series tells a more developed and dark storyline of Sailor Moon. To be honest, before reading this series I never thought I could love Sailor Moon anymore than I already did, but I was wrong.

Takeuchi Naoko (Naoko Takeuchi) creates a realm where every planet and star in the Milky Way Galaxy have Sailor Guardians as the protectors of their planets. As the story progresses, newer guardians are revealed, but I don't want to give any spoilers about the series, so I'll just say that most people can relate to at least one of the Sailor Guardians to some degree. (Personally, I relate to Usagi [Sailor Moon], Makoto [Sailor Jupiter], and Haruka [Sailor Uranus] the most.)

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon tells the story of Usagi Tsukino (or as I know her, Serena), a fourteen year old middle school student, who encounters a mystical talking black cat named Luna, who reveals Usagi's destiny as a Sailor Guardian and launches their operation to search for the Princess of the Moon Kingdom. As the secrets of the past are revealed to Usagi, she searches for the other Sailor Guardians and the Princess that they're sworn to protect. Obviously, as the series progresses, Usagi finds the other Sailor Guardians, and together they are destined to protect the Princess and their respected planets by battling and defeating all of the evil threats that attempt to invade Earth.

Ultimately, there are 5 seasons/arcs/series:

Sailor Moon (Pretty Guardian #1-3)
Sailor Moon R (Pretty Guardian #3-5)
Sailor Moon S (Pretty Guardian #6-8)
Sailor Moon SuperS (Pretty Guardian #8-10)
Sailor Stars (Pretty Guardian #11-12)

Secret Identities

Usagi Tsukino: Sailor Moon, Super Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium, Neo Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, and her ultimate form: Sailor Cosmos.

Mamoru Chiba: Tuxedo Mask, Prince Endymion of Earth, King Endymion of Crystal Tokyo.

Ami: Sailor Mercury

Rei: Sailor Mars

Makoto: Sailor Jupiter

Mina: Sailor Venus

Chibi-Usa: Sailor Mini Moon, Princess (Small Lady) Serenity.

Haruka: Sailor Uranus

Michiru: Sailor Neptune

Setsuna: Sailor Pluto

Hotaru: Sailor Saturn

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ay. Qué feels con el final.

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was little (comparatively speaking) I had read the final volume of Sailor Moon and had no idea what was going on. After rereading it as an adult, with a new, definitely better translation, I'm still going, "Wait, what did I just read?"

It's not that it's bad. It's just really, really confusing. I'm not sure what's going on. Wasn't back then, still not sure now.

I think part of the problem is that ending is kinda rushed. There's a lot of "Okay, moving on," in Sailor Moon in general, but this volume in particular felt like that.

If someone could explain this to me, I'd be eternally grateful.

Thanks!

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a beautiful ending to a wonderful series. Though I am sad it is over. :(

Re-read. It is the great finale. The strongest sailor guardian/princess, Sailor Moon versus the biggest evil the world has seen, Galaxia. Be prepared to cheer, cry, laugh, cry some more. Because this volume is just heartbreaking and so well written. Sailor Moon, the princess, the Three Lights and Chibi-Chibi all head to Galactia to find and fight Galaxia and get the world saved again. Usagi, oh Lord, I just wanted to hug her and tell her things would be all right. Because things get tough, especially when she sees her friends again… but they are not her friends and her lover is not her lover. Oh my gosh, I just can’t imagine how hard it was for Usagi at the moment. Thankfully she does have some help as Chibi-Usa comes back from the future again with her team and tries to help out. Again, I love how mature Chibi-Usa has become. Her mom in the future.. I just wish she had let her daughter go sooner. Usagi could have used Chibi-Usa’s help. We learn who this mysterious Chibi-Chibi is, and be prepared to have your brain broken. 😛 I was happy with the reveal though.
The battles were intense but I was so delighted to see that Usagi didn’t give up hope, just found more courage, more love, more hope inside of her showing why she is indeed the strongest in the universe. She has to make a difficult choice in this one and I loved what she decided to do.
The ending was great… however I would have loved it to be a bit longer because now it felt a bit rushed. But I am happy to see that event. Yay!

[Canette Arille · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh wow! I love Sailor Moon! Its awesome!

[jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We’re all, each of us, lonely heavenly bodies. That is why we pursue each other, because we want to be together.”

The twelfth and final volume of the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon series marks the ending of an era – of the adventures, love, and pain of our Sailor Guardians; of the rebirth and popularity boost of the magical girl genre; but not of the hope and strength that the series has inspired so far (and will continue to inspire to new audiences now and in the future).

The Stars arc leaves Usagi with fewer and fewer friends as it moves along, robbing her of the support and love that she was used to relying on throughout the series. It isolates and separates her from those she loves most – Mamoru, and both the Inner and Outer Guardians. Usagi’s pain and loneliness is almost palpable; she doesn’t know what to do, and has no solid plan to stop Sailor Galaxia’s deadly rampage. All she has is little Sailor Chibi Chibi, who does her very best to comfort her and be there for her if she needs her.

Her confrontation with Galaxia is desperate; the way Usagi leaves her Earth family behind with Luna, Artemis, and Diana well taken care of, reminds you of a hero who leaves for a battle that they know they will not be able to win. Travelling to Galaxia’s location in the Milky Way in one final, desperate attempt to save her friends’ Sailor crystals from certain doom, Usagi is the only person that’s still left. It’s one of those moments that reminded me of a quote in another female-centric series – Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in which Buffy gets cornered. A villain asks her what’s still left if she has no weapons, no friends, no hope, and Buffy answers: “Me.”

It’s much the same for Usagi, and the climactic end battle comes with a devastating reveal that also puts the less interesting villains of the series in a more positive light. There is only one way for Usagi to defeat the true evil that lies beyond Sailor Galaxia, and it’s a truth that she almost can’t accept.

It turns out that all villains in the series are incarnations of the evil concept of Chaos, a being originally born inside the Galaxy Cauldron, which brings forth all forms of life – both good and bad. Gaining power, Chaos used Queen Beryl, Nehalenia, and others to do its bidding to defeat the bearer of the most powerful Sailor crystal in the entire universe: Sailor Moon. In doing so, Chaos hoped to rule the galaxy itself. And the only way to defeat Chaos is to destroy the Galaxy Cauldron, because otherwise parts of Chaos will be reborn again and again throughout time. But destroying the Cauldron means destroying ALL existing life.

Though still almost as mysterious as she was introduced, Sailor Chibi Chibi’s true nature is also revealed, as she remains with Usagi to the bitter end. She is actually Sailor Cosmos, a possibly reborn version of Sailor Moon from the very distant future, even beyond that of Crystal Tokyo. In that future, Chaos had developed itself into an ultra-powerful Sailor Chaos, one that Cosmos was unable to defeat, and who had caused massive pain and suffering throughout the galaxy. Cosmos travelled back in time to this moment, having remembered that she once had the power to destroy Chaos once and for all, but chose not to – referring to destroying the Galaxy Cauldron and all life in the universe.

One of the most powerful things about this volume, in my opinion, is the level of depth. The choice Usagi needs to make at the end delves deeply into the philosophical – what would you do if you could vanquish all evil, but had to pay the ultimate price? And not just your own life, but that of all life in the entire universe? Are good and evil not just two sides of the same coin; in the way that light needs darkness to exist, and that you cannot erase darkness without erasing the light. And that brings you to the ultimate question: is it worth it?

Is pain and suffering and evil worth it, if you also know that love, friendship, and hope exist?

Usagi even admits to herself that she never really fought for peace and justice, but rather to protect the people she loves – her comrades and friends. If she has nothing left to fight for, why would she even fight anymore at all?

It’s an incredibly powerful read and ending, with an almost bittersweet touch to it, and it had me in tears several times while reading. I really love and admire that Naoko Takeuchi managed to make an already enjoyable series work on a deeper, more profound level that makes you reconsider things as a reader as well. It’s not just a female-centric series about heroism and love and friendship; it’s also about making difficult choices, and accepting certain negative consequences of them.

Truly the end of an outstanding era, and a fantastic ending to one of the greatest manga series ever made. I can’t end this review other than with this perfect and very true quote from the finale:

“Even if one day, we all have faded away, and new Sailor Guardians… new heavenly bodies are born… Sailor Moon, you will likely be forever immortal. For you are the most beautiful, shining heavenly body of all time.”

[Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hermoso y emocionante último volumen.
Es la batalla más épica y desoladora que ha tenido Sailor Moon hasta ahora, y a pesar de todo la fe y la esperanza jamás se pierden.

Bellísimo final, voy a extrañar este manga.

[Macarena Yannelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ay mis feels ese final. No lo voy a superar nunca

[Repellent Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5. Uno de los grandes recuerdos de mi infancia, son esas mañanas y tardes disfruando de la explosión del anime (y el manga) en España. Uno de los primeros que recuerdo y al que siempre le he guardado un gran cariño es "Sailor Moon". Me tragaba la serie diariamente y pasaba las siguientes horas jugando a transformarme en Usagi (Bunny en español), Rei, Ami o el resto de guerreras. Ver y crecer con una serie donde las que luchaban por salvar el mundo eran mujeres, superheroínas que colaboraban juntas y se defendían unas a otras con sororidad, cuando la propia palabra era una desconocida para todos, contribuyó a crear la persona que soy hoy en día. Así de importantes son los referentes, y cuando son buenos, hasta te educan.

Pese a que el anime era, es y seguirá siendo uno de mis grandes favoritos, nunca me había animado a leer el manga. Este año pasado quise ponerle remedio a eso y lanzarme a descubrir las diferencias del anime y el manga. Según tenía entendido el anime es bastante más infantil que el manga, cosa que suele pasar mucho al ser estos adaptados, y en efecto, he encontrado un manga algo más adulto, de lo que recordaba en la animación.

He disfrutado mucho estos 12 volúmenes, y todos los arcos de la trama me han gustado, pese a que mantuvieran una fórmula similar. También me ha gustado mucho lo diferentes que eran las guerreras entre ellas, pese a que son muchas. A todas les tenía un cariño especial, pero no recordaba tanto a la segunda tanda de guerreras que aparecen, y el manga me ha permitido disfrutar más de estas. Además, no paran de salir constantemente mujeres poderosas de otros planetas y galaxias, no solo se reduce a las guerreras protagonistas.

En el mundillo otaku más "snob" muchas veces se hace de menos animes o mangas shojo o "magical girl", pero me parece super emocionante imaginarme el impacto tan importante que habrá tenido en tantas niñas y en algunos niños (esos pocos que eran libres para ver series etiquetadas como de "niñas"), ver mujeres luchadoras que salvaban el mundo y no necesitaban que un señor viniera a salvarlas, de hecho, eran ellas las que salvaban a ese señor. Y todo esto en los noventa, ¡qué maravilla! Voy a volver a ver el anime, e incluso puede que me vea el remake, que pese a que el dibujo no me convence mucho, parece ser que es más fiel al manga.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe it's over!! The ending was so sad ç__ç (but in a good way)

I absolutely LOVED this manga! I've always been a fan of the anime and at first I was a bit skeptical about reading this... but I'm so glad I did it, because it was totally worth it! And I ended up liking the manga better than the anime, because it was more fast-paced and there weren't any fillers. And then the characters and their growth, relationships, battles, everything was great *___*

[Mizumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-more incoherent noises, slamming five stars over and over again-
... I'll be back to do a proper review of the entire series. When I'm done sobbing, I mean.

It's half a week later now and I've calmed down a bit. So I'm back with a proper review, as promised.

I've already done my post of nostalgia and things I owe to Sailor Moon in the first volume, so I'll save you from repetition. Just a little warning that if you're reading this to get an insightful and objective review of the series, eh, move along. This is probably just going to be a slightly wordy list of all the things I love about Sailor Moon. Seeing as how I gave every volume five stars without a doubt on my mind, you can be sure this will be a lot. I'll refer to the entire series below in general terms, so hidden as spoilers just in case.

Firstly, reading the series properly in (almost) one go has made me fully appreciate Usagi as a character. She's amazing. We see her growing up from a pretty childish girl to a young woman with way too many responsibilities and worries on her shoulders, and yet she tackles it all. She isn't afraid to admit that in the end, she didn't fight for the greater good or love and justice - she fought for the people she loved. And she's the strongest senshi in the Milky Way for it (or Silver River galaxy as I will now call it). She's an ordinary teenage girl with these amazing powers, who just wants the people she loves to be happy, and preferably be happy with them. She's so inspiring her future selves are in awe and impressed when they meet her. Usagi, I love you just so much and you're my hero.

Talking about heroes, I just adore how this manga (early nineties, let's not forget that) just flips gender roles like it's nothing. I read a lot of interesting essays talking about this, arguing how Tuxedo Kamen takes the typically feminine powers (his healing abilities come to mind) while the girls all just... well, kick ass. Usagi is happier when she has Mamoru, and he helps her reach her full powers. In the end, she stands her own, not needing her man to fight her final battle, but she loves him and her love for him and her friends strengthens her. It's not about being a girl or being weak because you're a girl; she's strong, period. It's just beautiful.

Another thing they twist is destiny. So many things weren't meant to be, but that didn't stop them - Serenity and Endymion couldn't be together. Their love had to die a tragic death. Sailor Saturn meant the end of the world. Sailor Pluto couldn't break the three taboos. They took matters into their own hands: Serenity and Endymion came to rule Crystal Tokyo, the world was resurrected and Saturn was reborn in a way she had control over her powers, Pluto broke the taboos even if it killed her. And it's not a bad thing to look at what people say you're destined to be and say 'hey, that's not what I want'. Usagi accepts she's both Sailor Moon and a normal girl, and she's amazing as both. She's embraced that part of herself, but she will fight for her own destiny. (There's also this essay here on destiny focusing on Usagi and Mamoru, check it out if you're interested.)

On a lighter note, I love how Naoko Takeuchi knows her classics and her planets. For example, in a flash in the Stars arc, we see the outer senshi going to their respective castles - and Uranus and Neptune were shown to have rings, something people tend to forget (all giant planets in our solar system have rings, Saturn's are just easily the prettiest and best visible). The series repeatedly refers to the myths the characters were named after. I mean, it's thrown out there Pluto's a descendant of Chronos, too bad if you don't know your classics. It's just small details like these that make me really appreciate the series as a whole all the more.

On a personal note I haven't mentioned yet, this has been a tremendous help in my Japanese reading skills. The first couple of volumes took a while for me to get into, but then I got into fairly unknown terratory and I was swept so much into the story I forgot to look words up I didn't know. I learnt the important step of not looking up every word I don't know and just go with what I do know. I've found that that's the most important step for me towards fluency, so this is pretty great.
Of course, this also meant I read the manga until late at night even though I had to get up early in the morning, and I was wide awake anyway because I was so excited and still didn't want it to end.

Let's not forget how I learned some awesome words in Japanese. Moon eating! Silver River system! God, I love astronomy.


Sailor Moon celebrates her twentieth birthday this year - I've been there for almost half of those twenty years. Sailor Moon is responsible for a very big part of who I am today, and rereading the manga has only inspired me all the more once again.

In conclusion, FEELINGS. SO MANY FEELINGS.
I might come back to gush some more afterwards, but for now, I'll leave you with this.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I fully got the ending to this. I mean, it was a good ending, but I was just left a bit confused. Still such a ridiculously amazing series full of so much heart.

AND I AM DONE.
DONEEEEEEEEEEE.
SO MUCH DONE.

WAIT. There are 2 short stories books? Oh, huh. YAYYYYYYYYY. XD

[Tar Buendía · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terminé. Después de la primera gran trama tenía la necesidad de que el manga siguiera subiendo e hilando pero siempre ha usado la misma estructura y repetido todos sus recursos. Es una pena porque tiene muchísimo potencial y algunas cosas me han gustado bastante.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should have realized that Chibi-Chibi was Usagi as guardian of the cosmos, especially since I've read these before. Admittedly, it's been almost 20 years.

This manga is pretty, mystical (focused on crystals as sources of life and power), and nonsensical at times, but now and then it gets deeper than I'd expect for a story that was originally written for middle schoolers. "If it weren't for conflict, could life exist?" That kind of thing. It's thrown out there to be taken up by the reader, or not. There's plenty of bombastic pastel entertainment to be had, regardless of that.

I enjoyed Sailor Moon just as much the second time through as I did the first. (Now to watch the anime? all 200 episodes of it?) It feels much more sincere than I'd expect a huge, worldwide multimedia behemoth to be. I recommend it both in its own right, and as a piece of manga history, a sort of retro bridge between the shoujo of today and manga from the '70s such as Rose of Versailles (which I am very much looking forward to reading, now that it has an official English translation).

[Miss Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't think this is one of the series best volumes but it's a pretty solid ending. one of the problems was that there were way too many new characters and no time spent with the sailor scouts that we'd seen developed and care for. chibi-chibi was the only one that really managed to get a reaction out of me and that's due to the her being the ultimate version of sailor moon reveal. i've never quite been able to understand queen serenity as someone who could grow from usagi as we've seen her but sailor cosmos worked for me as a darkest timeline kind of character. the plot resolution ends up being bittersweet because of that -- i love the idea of usagi being able to draw hope from herself but the time loop means we know for sure that she's going to end up in that conflict ridden future someday. i might see if i can get my hands on anime version of the stars arc, i think the whole too many characters weakness could be ameliorated with more time for development, leaving only the epicness of the finale. 3 stars

[Clow Place · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Qué final tán metafórico! Muy de acuerdo a la filosofía oriental. Durante el desarrollo de este volumen obvio se sigue sintiendo muy apresurado, todo pasa muy aprisa. Pero lo rescatable se encuentra en las últimas páginas del mismo, con el monólogo que sailor moon a Sailor cosmos, su "yo" del futuro lejano. " la fuerza para luchar por todo, y por todos" , aceptar que cada existencia es necesaria, pues todo es parte del universo: día y noche, luz, oscuridad. Así mismo, la existencia de toda posibilidad y en esa probabilidad se encuentra la esperanza.

Excelente final. I love you sailor moon.

[Sesana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the end of one of my favorite manga series. And I loved it, of course, even when I could see some faults in the storytelling. The ending was rushed and a little confusing (which could be because of the very literal translation) and there were a lot of characters. I didn't keep count, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were nearly 20 characters in the grand finale scene. And yet, I still adored it. The art is probably the best from the entire series, and I loved what we got in volume one. I know that I'm biased, because this is the first manga that I ever loved, but there it is.

[mandinmandin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaannnd... It's over :(

[Ruby La Belva · Rating 5 out of 5]

un finale bellissimo e non capisco come l'anime sia stato totalmente stravolto con cose senza senso e con una storia che non centra nulla.
Le Sailor Starlights sono poco approfondite e forse la storia va un po troppo veloce ma rispetto al anime mille volte meglio

[Jen • Just One More Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is also posted on my blog.

Okay I’m trying to wrap my head around that ending.

I mean. HOLY SHIT. But I’m just trying to understand it???

Like - okay, lemme get this straight - so the ENTIRE SERIES was a dream of Usagi’s, after already being in the 30th century, and right as it wrapped up she felt a tingling that meant she was pregnant with Chibi-Usa? And right before that - Chibi-Chibi is her future self as Sailor Cosmos?? Who somehow got younger when she went back in time to help, I’m not sure I’m understanding that - and EVERYONE DIED? LIKE LEGIT? EVERYONE??? I mean holy fuck. That’s even worse than Game of Thrones. Cause EVERYONE DIES. LITERALLY. ALL OF THEM. DEAD. WHAT THE EFF.

Wow. Oh my god. I can’t believe I finished. I’m still not sure I understand it right. I am most definitely sensing some sort of re-read at one point in the future JUST SO I CAN TRY TO GET THIS SHIT CAUSE I FEEL LIKE I MISSED SOMETHING.

I really did not expect everyone to ACTUALLY DIE. And honestly I’m not sure if the wedding scene at the very end was the afterlife, or if the ENTIRE STORY really was just one really, really really REALLY LONG dream. The dream thing is what seemed to be implied, and I’m not sure how I feel about that right now. I feel like I need to do some wiki-searching just so I can understand this better and then maybe decide if my heart is crushed or not.

Cause HOLY SHIT IT’S DONE. I FINISHED IT. I FINALLY READ ALL OF SAILOR MOON. OH MY GOD.

WHAT DO I DO NOW. (hush that’s hypothetical I have Grave Mercy to get back to plus a ton of other manga to read)

(Jesus christ I’m not sure I’m ready to watch the original anime now cause I do NOT WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS WAS ANIMATED I’M PRETTY SURE I’LL DIE OF SADNESS AND HEARTBREAK)

THAT WAS FANTASTIC THOUGH (AND SO INTENSE)

…. *impromptu wailing at the series being officially finished*

(An afterthought - DON’T FUCK WITH CHIBI-CHIBI MAN)

[Tinka · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s kinda sad that a beautiful series has to go out on such a low note, but whatever Naoko Takeuchi was thinking when she wrote Sailor Stars it didnt't work for me.

The plot is a highly convoluted mess and does a disservice to almost every character in the series. While Mamoru and the Sailor Senshis have been taken out in the last volume already, this time the Starlights as well as Princess Kakyu share their fate. The manga made you believe they would be important with the focus they got in the penultimate volume, but nah, they don't even get a real conclusion or goodbye (something the old Anime actually did better? You don't say)

I get the purpose was to isolate Sailor Moon in the end and make room for that ridiculous Sailor Cosmos reveal, but it just didn't work. As a reader you care about more than just one character and the other Senshis as well as Mamoru deserved better in the final volume than a glorified cameo.

Usagi as well didn't really feel like Usagi. All her great character development was suddenly gone and she acted like a naive rookie again falling for the stupidest tricks (that were also pretty repetitive. Evil version of Tuxedo Mask again? Are you fucking kidding me?)

And what's up with Galaxia seriously? Build up as this great and ruthless villain only to get a half-assed pseudo redemption because Chaos is the true villain? That worked way better with Nehelenia before.

The only upside here is Chibiusa. She swoops in and saves the day and is the one with common sense.

Seriously, if you read the series you can easily stop with Volume 10 and take that ending.

[Lissibith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout this manga, my interest waxed and waned, but this volume had me totally and completely under its spell. The concluding volume is appropriately epic in scale, reminding the reader that the universe is so much wider than we'd even seen before while also drawing back to the one important thing - the love and protectiveness we feel for those we love. It looks at how powerful and overwhelming lonliness and loss and fear can be, and how they can warp a person. And in the end, it's just full of hope, which is what made this ending feel just perfect.

[Milena Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non sarà perfetto ma come posso non dargli il voto massimo? Sin da piccola ho amato Sailor Moon e riviverla adesso da "adulta" è stato meraviglioso... Un finale degno di questo nome per una serie che porterò sempre nel cuore!

[Jesus Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente final para excelente manga

[Kerstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich + Sailor Moon = Eine Liebe die NIE enden wird! ♥

[Aliix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mi amada Sailor Moon






¡Que final!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, my apologies to everyone whose Goodreads feeds was cluttered and spammed with my Sailor Moon updates the past days, but, well, I can't help it that all those manga series are so long...

I'm not really a manga specialist, but I've always had the impression that Sailor Moon is one of the biggest manga franchises of all time and I'd been trying to get my hands on the original one for quite some time when I got lucky and found the original 12-part series for €10...

So, basically it's about a teenager Usagi Tsuniko who meets a talking cat, gets a gift and finds out she can change into this alter ego called Sailor Moon, who has superawesome powers and has to save the world and the universe - again and again and again - together with her other Sailor friends. The original series, which I've just read, consists of 5 different story arcs. As the story progresses, she meets new Sailors and finds out they're all linked to the 30th century.

As I already mentioned, I'm not used to manga and other Japanese art, I'm much more of a European/Franco-Belgian comics person, so the drawings are very different than what I'm used to. I must say I've never much liked those manga and anime series with characters that have very sharp angles and stuff. That, thankfully, is not the case here. It's still clearly different, a bit more straight-edged than usual for me, but it didn't annoy me. Most of the time, I really liked the style - the only thing that I did find a bit ugly were the Sailors' legs, which at times were very long. As usual, the designs are in black-and-white, which makes the story a bit more difficult to follow sometimes because it's not always 100% clear what's happening - but on the other hand, I do think that your eyes might start hurting if it was all in colour... The biggest problem I had was that some of the characters look a bit like each other, so I got confused a few times when I wasn't sure who was doing something.

I read the story in German, which isn't my native language by far, but thankfully I understood nearly all of it. The story arcs aren't easy, but I wouldn't call them difficult either. If you're not used to this kind of literature/art, just take your time and it will turn out fine. There are some great action scenes - also with great drawings - spread out over several pages, at the end even over - I dunno - two entire chapters, I believe. Wow. It's very exciting, it never slows down. All in all, all five arcs combined must account for about 2700 or so pages, so there is a lot going on.

Most of the characters are fantastic as well. I was a bit scared at first that there would be much talk about Sailor Moon/Usagi's relationship with Tuxedo Mask/Mamoru Chiba, but somewhere in the second arc that all dies down a bit - it doesn't disappear, but it's not the centre of attention anymore, for which I was very glad indeed. Then, I feared that Chibiusa would turn out to be one of those annoying new characters you'd hate for the rest of eternity, but that turned out to be fine as well. And everyone else is just terrific, I loved all of them, and each Sailor gets her own moment in the spotlights, they all have a nice background worked out. My favourite character, in case you're interested, is Sailor Pluto/Setsuna Meiou. Don't ask why, I just like her best.

7/10

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many great quotes in this volume I won't number them all.


Just... wow. Everything - how it all could and should end - is here.

Chaos! Cosmos! Heavenly bodies! Evil Sailor Guardians! I enjoyed every ounce of it. Why did it take me so long to express it until now?

It has always been about Sailor Moon, the Pretty Guardian in a sailor suit. She is the star. She is the hero. The manga finale reaffirms this: She alone can save the universe, and this time without her loved ones and companions, whom she had depended on for so long, and were the sole reason for her fighting up until now. Sailor Moon is Eternal, is Cosmos, a mother, a queen. The most beautiful, shining, luminescent star - Sailor Crystal - of all time. Her hope is truly immortal.

In ‘Volume 12’ we learn that Sailor Galaxia has delusions of grandeur and a god complex. She had wanted to escape her own dull planet, and collect more power from other Sailor Crystals in order to gain a mother planet of her own, and rule over the Milky Way. She learned about the birthplace of the Milky Way from Wiseman, oddly enough. Though as it turns out, Wiseman, along with all of Sailor Moon's past enemies, is a manifestation of Chaos, a failed heavenly body who controls the Galaxy Cauldron at Sagittarius Zero Star, the centre of the Milky Way. Galaxia constantly calls things she considers beneath her "scum".

Usagi firmly believes that Sailor Guardians are worth more than just the sum of their Crystals - she wants to restore her dear friends' bodies, somehow. She, Chibi-Chibi, the Sailor Star Lights, and Princess Kakyu travel to Sagittarius Zero Star for the final showdown with Galaxia; after leaving the injured Luna, Artemis and Diana with Usagi’s mother, who has a strange feeling that her daughter will never come home again...

Sailor Moon will learn the positives and negatives of both being protected and being independent. Elements from Greek mythology meet the Guardians at Sagittarius Zero Star - and Galaxia's castle. There's a tragic story of a lesbian Guardian couple; following Sailor Moon's declaration that she would willingly die if it meant that no war or conflict will cause any more suffering due to her Silver Crystal existing. The Star Lights perish easily, and Sailor Chibi-Moon and her Sailor Quartet Guardians arrive from the 30th century to save the past; thus saving their future. (There's a really funny, cathartic moment of Chibi-Chibi being introduced to Chibi-Moon). Princess Kakyu reveals herself as a Sailor Guardian (Well obviously. And couldn't she have transformed before? Like, when her Star Light protectors were killed?). She dies also, in Sailor Moon's arms.

All her Sailor Guardian friends, and Tuxedo Mask, appear... but as Galaxia's reincarnated slaves. Chibi-Moon and Chibi-Chibi use their power to protect Sailor Moon, but only she can fight - this is her solitary battle, even when her wings are torn off by those she once loved. By never giving up, and by using the Silver Crystal's fathomless power, she defeats the imposters.

Now the fight is on: Sailor Moon versus Sailor Galaxia. Galaxia mocks her opponent's trust and faith in others and their power, for one's strength can only come from oneself. Sailor Moon fights for the belief that having comrades in arms - physically and spiritually - is what it means to be a Sailor Guardian to begin with.

Galaxia leads Moon to the sanctuary and source of star seeds/heavenly bodies, the Galaxy Cauldron, which is also the home of Chaos, a Metalia/Wiseman enemy father. Galaxia throws all the Sailor Guardian Crystals into the cauldron, obliterating any chance of restoring their physical forms. With Tuxedo Mask gone, Sailor Chibi-Moon fades from existence. Things have never been so intense for Sailor Moon; Galaxia wants to get her angry, desperate and hopeless enough to pour out her maximum Silver Crystal power into the cauldron, and destroy Chaos. Galaxia plans to become the cauldron's new ruler - a god who controls life, death and rebirth.

A beaten-yet-still-loving Sailor Moon ends up saving Galaxia from Chaos, for she sees her enemy's loneliness reflected in herself. She also realises and understands all her previous foes’ wish to obtain her Silver Crystal light - to embrace it, to seek companionship in a big, dark, lonely universe. Chaos fully merges with the Galaxy Cauldron. Suspense mounts to the brim: Will Sailor Moon, the epitome of love and hope, have to take up Sailor Saturn's torch and bring death to the cauldron, and therefore all heavenly bodies, and the Milky Way?

Pointless, because conflict can never cease. Light cannot exist without darkness, and vice versa. The Galaxy Cauldron must live on, for rebirth - and therefore, hope - to carry on forever.

Sailor Moon is a hero of the universe who continues to have faith, to believe in a better future, to embrace anything, everything and everyone. Even when she says she has nothing to fight for anymore. A brave warrior, and shining star; living and struggling on in war, to no end.

"Together as one". Eternal Sailor Moon will not abandon hope for the future. Alone she enters the Galaxy Cauldron and embraces Chaos, and uses the power of all the Sailor Guardian Crystals inside - and across the Milky Way - to defeat the enemy, sacrificing herself in the process. Everyone is "regenerated" back into their heavenly bodies.

Chibi-Chibi, inspired by Sailor Moon to never give up no matter what, reveals her true form at last: She is Sailor Moon's ultimate future self, Sailor Cosmos. The Sailor Quartet acts as the audience’s stand-in as she explains her purpose. In Cosmos's future she did abandon hope, when battling the never-ending threat of Sailor Chaos. She ran away, and then revisited the past in order to fix her mistakes and stop Sailor Chaos from existing. Sailor Cosmos wanted the Galaxy Cauldron destroyed so as to prevent future conflict. But, thanks to her past self, she remembers hope, her reasons for fighting, and the Silver Crystal's good light.

Usagi, Mamoru, Chibiusa, and everyone else (I assume the cats are alive and well, as are Kakyu and the Star Lights) are together again. What a happy reunion! There is a Guardian Cosmos in the Galaxy Cauldron as well, who returns them to their old lives on earth.

The series draws to a close with Usagi and Mamoru getting married, and the conception of the future small princess of Crystal Tokyo.

The End.



Phew! Epic all around.

Other characters don't get much attention, except for Chibiusa. Old minor characters barely appear at all (Helios doesn’t show up at all, for example). But, as I've said at the start of this review, this manga has always been about Sailor Moon and the power she possesses - not just with her MacGuffin/slight deux ex machina Silver Crystal, but with her heart, her ferocious dedication to protect others, and limitless amount of hope in her battles with darkness from all across the universe. To be lent support from her loving friends and comrades. ‘Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon’ has always been an emotional journey more than anything, and the ending delivers in swirling, twinkling, teary galaxy loads!

There are two more of Naoko Takeuchi's phenomenal manga volumes left for me to review, containing short stories which don't connect to the main plots of any the series' arcs. As well as telling more fun adventures for 'Sailor Moon' fans, the stories are character studies which should make up for this finale's lack of panel time with fan favourites.

One quick note before I sign off for now: At the end, Guardian Cosmos tells Usagi that her past self, Princess Serenity, and the Silver Crystal were conceived when Queen Serenity once entered the Galaxy Cauldron with a "small heavenly body cradled to her chest". And Chaos calls Sailor Moon "my child" at one point. So it is implied that Chaos - or at least the cauldron itself with its billions of star seeds - is Princess Serenity's father. That... explains a lot, actually. It should begin many interesting reader interpretations and theories.

I love this manga/anime series, and will keep on loving it forever. As well as love, hope is the key to a brighter future.

Final Score: 5/5

[TheBookishHobbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

And ladies and gentlemen, we are at the end of one of the most popular Shojo series of all time. This will contain my review for the entire series since I have completed it. :)

I would give this whole series five shiny stars because I love it so much. I appreciate the girl power in here and that these girls are strong in their own right. Even when Usagi is saved by Mamo, that is really only towards the beginning and they combine their strength and work as a team. Yet, at the end of the series Usagi can stand on her own and lead everyone towards victory. I love that about this series because it show younger girls who read this series that yes they are strong enough to stand on their own, and that if they do have a man by their side they are to combine their strengths and work as a team! This also goes for how much I adore the friendship between the senshi and how that also gives them the strength they need to tackle their enemies. This shows how we too should surround ourselves with friend who can help us "defeat" our own "enemies" in our lives.

Usagi used to annoy me, especially in the first read with her "crybaby" attitude but now I appreciate that because I now see she has truly grown as a character. She did go from a scared little girl to a strong young woman, a real leader and that was illustrated well in the series.

I also like how there truly was a diverse set of characters with LGBT characters, to those with unique personality traits. This did not feel "preachy" like some of the newer YA books tend to do, but it felt natural to the story and lovely to see! I am not a big romance girl, but in this manga series I actually do like it a little bit because it is so sweet. I like the innocent romantic stuff because it was cute and warmed my heart. Usually with romance it is too sexy, which is why I don't like reading it, but this was the right amount for me.

There were also a few little issues I had with the series. For one when Chibi-Usa was first introduced I did find it off that Takeuchi would choose to have her somewhat crushing on Mamo (who is her future Dad) and that rubbed me off the wrong way. I'm glad this lessened to almost nonexistence by the end of the series. Instead, she choose to show that with both Helios and in my opinion Hotaru too. I also felt at times the pacing was little too fast, especially with that last arc, and the artwork itself was a bit busy for the page and took away some of the impact it would have had. The last thing to mention was I always thought it was a wee bit odd, especially now as an adult that Mamo (who is in college) would be attracted to Usagi (a fourteen year-old middle schooler). Yes their relationship was cute, but I felt like the age gap was inappropriate and it might have been beneficial to age down Mamo to at least high school.

Yet, even with these issues I still love this series and find it fun! I do recommend it to shojo readers not just because it is a classic, but there are good lessons to be learned from this series as well. :)