Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon (known as 美少女戦士セーラームーン or Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon which literally translates as beautiful young girl warrior Sailormoon) is a shoujo (girls) manga (comic book) and anime (animated) Japanese series created by Naoko Takeuchi. The story revolves around the reincarnated defenders of a destroyed kingdom that spanned the Solar System, and the evil forces they battle.

Takeuchi combined many seemingly disparate themes in the creation of Sailor moon. Combining her love of space with Greek Myth, Roman Myth, Japanese elemental themes, and Meiji-era sailor-fuku school uniforms, she managed to fuse the popular magical girl and sentai[?] genres and create a completely new and original idea.

The premise is as follows: Immature, underacheiving student Usagi Tsukino discovers that she is the reincarnation of Princess Serenity, the princess of an ancient Moon kingdom. Her role as defender of the Solar System has been reissued to her in light of the reemergence of the evil force that originally destroyed her kingdom, the Silver Millennium. (Note: Silver Millennium is the name of the kingdom; it's not a time.) She fights using the identity of Sailormoon. As the series progresses, Sailormoon is reunited with other reincarnated defenders: the princess's guardian soldiers. She is also reunited with her lover, the prince of Earth, who serves equally as romantic interest and primary protector.

Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon ("Sailormoon" is written as one word or two when addressing the Japanese version because "Sailormoon" and "Sailor Moon" can be found in the original Japanese sources; the English dub shows just "Sailor Moon") is composed of five separate series: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon R, Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon S, Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon SuperS, and Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Sailor Stars. There are three Sailormoon movies, and these have independent stories that are separate from the series. The movies fall in the general timeline of each of the three middle series (R, S, and SuperS). Additionally, there are several Sailormoon soundtracks available.

A dubbed American version of the anime was created in the late 1990s. Unfortunately, many changes was made to the basic storyline; it was rewritten to be aimed at very young American girls. Plots were vastly changed; others were completely dropped. Some of the changes include: naming the team the Sailor Scouts instead of the much more accurate Sailor Soldiers; making each of the Sailor Senshi princesses; renaming almost all of the original attacks; censorship of much of the adolescent sexuality; and a complete omission of the Japanese version's original music. This American version was many peoples' first experience with Sailormoon, and the differences between the versions led to unnecessary confusion. However, many fans worldwide would never have known about the series had it not reach America. Most fans regard the American version as a mixed blessing.

PROTAGONISTS

Yon Shugo Jin no Senshi and the Princess[?] ("Yon Shugo Jin no Senshi" in Japanese means "soldiers of the four guardian deities;". That is their official name) -- These five senshi are the first to be introduced in the series. They serve as Earth's protectors.

• Usagi Tsukino (Sailormoon/Princess Serenity)
• Ami Mizuno (Sailormercury)
• Rei Hino (Sailormars)
• Makoto Kino (Sailorjupiter)
• Minako Aino (Sailorvenus)

Gaibu Taiyôkei Yon Senshi[?] -- The four soldiers of the outer solar system protect the solar system from external threats. They are introduced in the third series.

• Michiru Kaiô (Sailorneptune)[?]
• Haruka Ten'ô (Sailoruranus)
• Setsuna Meiô (Sailorpluto)
• Hotaru Tomoe (Sailorsaturn)

Sailor Starlights -- The Starlights were introduced in the final series of Sailormoon. The trio adopt human identities as male pop stars, but in truth they are three mysterious new -- and naturally female -- Sailor Senshi.

• Yaten Kô (Sailor Star Healer)[?]
• Seiya Kô (Sailor Star Fighter)[?]
• Taiki Kô (Sailor Star Maker)[?]

Additional Characters

• Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Kamen, prince of Earth, Moon princess's betrothed)
• Luna (Usagi's mentor, a cat from the planet Mau)
• Artemis (Sailorvenus's partner, a cat from the planet Mau)
• Chibiusa (a regular character in the second through the fourth series)
• Diana (Chibiusa's friend, a cat from the future)
• Perle[?] (A.K.A. "Peruru," the good fairy from the SuperS movie)

ANTAGONISTS (with series number)

• Dark Kingdom (Season 1 -- "Classic" is a fan-created name)
  1. Jadeite
  2. Nephrite
  3. Zoisite
  4. Kunzite
  5. Queen Beryl, queen of the Dark Kingdom
  6. Queen Metallia, master of the Dark Kingdom

• Al and En section (Season 2a "R")
  1. Al (from the "al" part of "alien")
  2. En (from the "en" part of "alien")

• Black Moon (Season 2b "R")
  Black Moon Clan
  1. Crimson Rubeus
  2. Green Esmeraude
  3. Blue Saphir
  4. Prince Demando
  5. Black Lady
  6. Wiseman
     Ayakashi no Yon Shimai -- The Four Sisters of the Phantom
     1. Kôan (Catsie)
     2. Berthier (Birdie)
     3. Calaveras (Avery)
     4. Petz (Prisma)

• R Movie
  1. Fiore (full name: Fiorial)
  2. Xenian (A.K.A. "Kisenian")
  3. Glycina (A.K.A. "Gurishina")
  4. Campanula (A.K.A. "Kanpanyura")
  5. Dahlian (A.K.A. "Darian")

• Death Busters (Season 3 "S")
  Death Busters
  1. Kaolinite
  2. Professor Tomoe Sôichi
  3. Mistress 9
  4. Master Pharaoh 90
     Witches 5
     1. Eudial
     2. Mimete
     3. Tellu
     4. Viluy
     5. Cyprine
     6. Ptilol

• S Movie
  1. Princess Snow Kaguya
  2. Snow Dancers

• Dead Moon Circus (Season 4 "SuperS" Part of 5)
  Amazon Trio
  1. Tiger's-Eye
  2. Hawk's-Eye
  3. Fisheye
  Amazones Quartetto
  1. Cere Cere
  2. Jun Jun
  3. Ves Ves
  4. Palla Palla

• SuperS Movie
  1. Poupelin (A.K.A. "Pupuran")
  2. Badiane (A.K.A. "Badiyanu")
  3. Banane (A.K.A. "Bananu," "Pananu")
  4. Orangeat (A.K.A. "Oranja")
  5. Papillote (A.K.A. "Papiyotto")
  6. Bonbon Babies

• Sailor Anima-Mates (Season 5 "Stars")
  1. Sailor Iron Mouse
  2. Sailor Aluminum Seiren ("Seiren" means "siren" in Greek)
  3. Sailor Lead Crow
  4. Sailor Tin Nyanko
  5. Sailor Galaxia
  6. Chaos

  More to come..

  Contributions by Surly Bob, Ian_Andreas_Miller[?]