Sailor Moon, orPretty Soldier Sailor Moon,is the quintessential magical girl anime that populated the genre and has spawned countless anime and manga series that attempt to capture just a glimmer of its magic. With an ensemblecast of female characters, this anime was on the radar of every girl who was growing up in the early 2000s.
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The series continues the story of these magical girls and the tribulations they face against the evil forces that threaten to destroy the world. Fans will probably look back on the show as a whole with fond nostalgia, and while all the seasons of the original show are pretty great, there are those thatstand out as the best.
5Sailor Moon (Season 1)
Every show must start somewhere, with the first season and particularly the pilot episode, responsible for laying down the groundwork; it should set up the world, characters, and plot points for the audience, and it is imperative that it hooks them to ensure they come back for more. And the Classic series ofSailor Moonmanages to do just that. Season 1 introduces the audience to the world of magic and the fight between good and evil.
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In this season, magic is introduced not only to the audience but to Usagi herself as she realizes she has a magical alter ego: the titularSailor Moon. It also sets up series antagonists Queen Beryl and Prince Endymion, who she faces off against with her newly acquired powers. It is a great season overall and serves as an introduction to the world, but is let down by somefiller episodessuch as “Slim City/Learn How to Be Skinny from Usagi!” which could send the wrong message to impressionable young girls about weight.
4Sailor Moon S (Season 3)
As the show reached its third season, it was established by this point and knew what it wanted to be and the type of story it wanted to tell. As such, the third season took some risks for the ’90s, such asincluding a lesbian relationshipbetween Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus, though the relationship was portrayed as subtle in this season.
Sailor Moon Sbrings in another nefarious group for the sailors to face off against, known as the Death Busters, headed by Mistress 9 until she manages to successfully summon Pharoah 90, who is the true leader of the organization. The Death Busters prove to be sly as Mistress 9 manages to trick Usagi into giving her the Holy Grail, an item she could use to call her master forward. But this season also shows Usagi shine, as with the help of the other sailors, she becomes Super Sailor Moon, giving her the powers needed to save her friends.
3Sailor Moon Sailor Stars (Season 5)
Not all shows manage to land their final seasons, with some fans still sore with how shows such asGame of Thronesended, butSailor Moonholds up its quality even after five seasons and hundreds of episodes. Though this season plays into some magical girl tropes and is lacking the appearance of certain fan-favorite characters, it was still a treat to watch Sailor Moon triumph once and for all, banishing the evil Shadow Galactica organization headed by the corrupted Star Guardian.
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The stakes are higher than ever in this season, with plans for world domination topped by dominion over the entire Milky Way. Queen Nehelenia returns from the fourth season, attempting to enter the world through mirrors, send glass monsters to fight the Guardians, and drag unsuspecting victims into a nightmare realm, wrapping up the introductory mini-arc before the rest of the season even starts. Unfortunately, the first six episodes are the best, with some of the episodes going slightly downhill from this climax. But with that being said, it picks up again once more with the introduction of Galaxia and her plans of universal domination. All in all, it is more than a worthy send-off for the series.
2Sailor Moon Super S (Season 4)
Lauded as one of the darkestseasons ofSailor Moon,Sailor Moon Super Sis undoubtedly one of Sailor Moon’s greatest seasons of all, adapting the Dream arc from the manga. Introducing the Dead Moon Circus, it was not one to be missed. Split into two arcs, the two parts of the season focus on disparate but equally fantastic stories. The Sailors are equipped with new and exciting powers to deal with the new threats and go through advanced training to master these powers.
As mentioned before, the series contains two arcs, with the first giving the spotlight to Chibiusa as the deity Pegasus enters her dreams to flee the Amazon Trio, who are the minions of the fearsome Dead Moon Circus. He has a golden crystal in his possession they want to steal, and he will do his utmost to protect it. As a fan favorite, it was a treat to see more of Chibiusa and her exploits. The second part of the season deals with the arrival of the Amazon Quartet, a new threat whose goal is to remain forever young, as well as the evil Queen Nehelenia, Dead Moon Circus’s sovereign, bringing an elevated sense of tension with her depravity.
1Sailor Moon R (Season 2)
Sailor Moon R, with the R standing for Romance, Return, or Rose, follows on from the success of the first season, bringing more of the magic and actions fans craved. It brings a taste of slice of life at the start, offering a refreshing change that allows fans to see them living their normal lives, as well as the introduction of a new character into the fold. With somedealing in time traveland amnesia,Sailor Moon Ris certainly one of the more unique seasons that will have fans instantly hooked.
The season starts with the slice of life angle, as the Sailor Soldiers are lacking their memories and living life as they normally would, adding more depth to their characters. ButSailor Moonis a magical girl anime; thus, their powers and memories are soon restored, and they are back to kicking the butts of bad guys, starting with the Hell Tree Aliens that are caught harvesting the energy from people. The second arc of the season introduces time travel after the Black Moon Clan travel to the future, to a time when the Sailor Soldiers, along with the newly introduced Chibiusa, chase them to put a stop to their plans. All in all,Sailor Moon Rstands out as a fantastic season with so much originality and excitement.
