Ennui
I’ve been reserving my judgment up to Volume 4. But now six months in, and four books down I am continuing to wrestle in reading Sailor Moon. I have barely read any of the previous release of this comic in English. But, it does seem that this new release has some advantages and improvements over it such as the larger page count per book, color pages, the best art, and Japanese names and cultural references intact. Still, I have a hard time finding an audience to recommend this release to. The hardcore Sailor Moon fan is likely to be quite upset since the advertisement of “incredibly accurate translation” and “completely true to the original” doesn’t quite fit with the reality. Previously the volumes have contained a few missteps in translation, as well as grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, plus a couple un-translated sound effects. Volume four is just more of the same as far as I’m concerned since I kept noticing mistakes throughout. An original commentary strip by Ms. Takeuchi for the Japanese re-release is also missing. The nostalgia faction I think will be potentially off put less by familiarity with past versions. However, the “detailed translation notes” omit all but one explanation of Japanese honorifics. This accessibility issue requires the reader to have some familiarity with Japanese. Another problem is that one of the sources of greatest confusion and controversy in the past continues to be so as some character’s names are given an explanation while others aren’t. It doesn’t make sense to me to not cover this aspect thoroughly since Ms. Takeuchi uses naming schemes and puns, especially when this release uses a new variation like “Demande”. As for new readers, I have concerns that they likewise will not be engaged or patient enough to want to keep on reading 12+ volumes, because personally I don’t really wish to keep purchasing these books. Though it really is the teenage girls out there that I would want to read Sailor Moon! This series is a wonderfully rich, romantic, and inspiring tale of a teenage girl. Usagi starts out living an average life, but gradually matures and grows bravely to understand the nobility and necessity of sacrifice through most of her far less than normal trials. There is a reason that Sailor Moon is so beloved and iconic around the world 20 years after it was first released. If this release were any better I would rate it much higher. But, honestly this book depressed me to the point I think I’m going to wait for July when the French version is coming out.
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Overview
A new group calling themselves Black Moon is after Usagi and the rest of the Sailor Guardians, wielding a new power known only as the Malefic Black Crystal. Chibi-Usa may be the key to it all, but to find the answers and rescue her kidnapped friends, Usagi will have to journey through time to the 30th century and discover what fate has in store.
This new edition of Sailor Moon features:
- An entirely new, incredibly accurate translation!
- Japanese-style, right-to-left ...