ORIGINALLY POSTED: September 16, 2018
If you were a kid in the 90's then you know it was hard to turn on a television after school and not see Sailor Moon. The series is iconic, and if you are reading this post I am going to assume that even though you may have been introduced to Sailor Moon as Serena (thanks to television companies that wanted to Americanize and sensor anime) that you now know her as Usagi Tsukino and have picked up one of the several releases of the manga in the U.S. over the past 20+ years (written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi). Since we are all well acquainted with the story and the characters I will not be giving you a summary, instead I want to take the time to share my thoughts on Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Edition Volume 1.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Edition was released earlier this week on September 11, 2018 by Kodansha Comics. The book itself is the U.S. version of the Japanese counterpart that went into print in Japan starting in 2013. I picked my copy up off of Amazon for $17.72 USD (thank you to the powers that be for two-day Prime shipping). The description of the manga indicates that this version is the "definitive" addition of the title while boasting about the color illustration pages and large size of the book. I admit I was skeptical. I thought to myself do I really need another version of Sailor Moon on my bookshelf? The answer is yes, yes I do.
The book itself is larger than any other addition I have owned (about 7x10 inches), and upon receiving it I was immediately impressed by the holographic cover art. The image of Sailor Moon holding the unrivaled Moon Stick (also known as The Crescent Moon Wand) is captivating. The inner pages are glossy and I’ve counted about 10 full color illustration pages. This volume encompasses Act 1 through Act 7. The story covers the very beginning, meeting Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Tuxedo Mask. This edition truly is definitive and I would have to say the most beautiful version of the manga I have read so far. When this version is compared to the previous release in 2011, it is pretty obvious that in size and quality the Eternal Edition is going to win every time. (See photos below).
These books are going to be released monthly. Whether you pick up this edition is up to you, but I highly recommend it for any Sailor Moon fan. This is absolutely a collectors piece. I will be purchasing the next volume when it is released on November 13, 2018.
For more of my commentary follow me on Instagram @kelizabethbooks
DISCLAIMER: I was in no way compensated for this post. I am just a lifelong fan of Sailor Moon who wants people to enjoy the title for years to come! The photos included in this post are of my copy of the manga, but protected under copyright laws by Kodansha Comics and Naoko Takeuchi.
