So I figured I just take some time to talk about the series and the impact it’s had on my life. Actually to start, I wanted to talk about before Sailor Moon appeared. Growing up for the first years of my life the shows I remember the most are The Simpsons, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and Batman: The Animated Series. These shows had a major impact in molding my sense of humor, with the last one pretty much becoming the definitive Batman cartoon for me. These were basically what I consumed the most when it came to watching tv.
Not a bad list to start watching cartoons if I say so myself.
Then one day while watching Cartoon Network in 1998, I ended up seeing the new program block at the time, Toonami, and with it one of the two animes that would forever change everything for me, Sailor Moon.
I can say that I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for these two.
If you’re wondering about the other, it’s Dragon Ball Z. Before this I was used to seeing Power Rangers having a couple of girls on a team, but the only other all girls team I remember at the time were The Powerpuff Girls, which while it was cool, was another episodic western cartoon full of crazy things happening but ultimately going back to the status quo. Even Simpsons and BTAS with their plot important episodes eventually reverted back to status quo somewhat.
Powerpuffs save the day indeed.
Sailor Moon was a breath of fresh air compared to the other cartoons that were on at the time. A cartoon with a progressing story? Besides The Simpsons and BTAS this was unheard of to me. I mean half of the episodes are filler, but that’s fine because they’re so good. Not to mention having an entire team full of girls was a big change compared to the Power Rangers or Justice League where there were only two girls on the team. An entire superhero team full of girls kicking ass was something I didn’t know I wanted to see back then.
Being relatable made the senshi feel much closer to you than most characters.
So over the next several years I watched Sailor Moon constantly on Toonami whenever it came on. However once I became a teenager, Sailor Moon ended up going into the back of my mind, mainly because I was getting into other things and the final season never aired at the time. My teen and young adult years were focused on life and all the crazy shit it threw at me, and Sailor Moon simply just didn’t have a place while I was dealing with everything life was throwing at me. That was until one day I ended up seeing videos of the anime on youtube of episodes I never saw, not knowing this was the season that didn’t air at the time. And from there I went to rewatch the anime, read the manga, and it has stuck with me ever since. For now I don’t know what the future has in store for Sailor Moon, but I do know that I will be along for the ride.
