Moonlight on Manga highlights only the differences in the Sailor Moon manga compared to the anime. Please read the anime storyline above before reading this section. The Sailor Moon manga is comprised of 18 volumes, or 18 books. Each volume has 3-4 acts, which are like chapters of the book. There are 52 acts in all.
One of the most interesting differences between the manga and anime is that the Sailor Senshi do not use transformation pens to transform. When they are first discovered, the same transformation pen is used to reveal the planet symbol on a Senshi’s forehead but the pen is not needed later to transform and the Sailor Senshi, other than Sailor Moon, do not need to shout any words, like “Mars Planet Power Make-Up!”, to transform.
There is a suspicion that the Inner Senshi and the Four Generals dated (Jadeite & Mars, Kunzite & Venus, Zoisite & Mercury, Nephrite & Jupiter) during the Silver Millenium of the manga. There is a clue to this in Act 3. Rei is kidnapped by Jadeite and when she lie unconscious, Jadeite touched her hair and said, “How pretty. There is something special about this girl.” Unfortunately, when Sailor Moon and Mercury arrive, Jadeite took Rei hostage. Rei then transformed into Sailor Mars and killed Jadeite herself.
In the anime, Nephrite died before Sailor Jupiter was discovered. In act 5 of the manga, Sailor Jupiter killed Nephrite immediately after she became a Sailor Senshi. There was never a romance between Naru (Molly) and Nephrite nor was there a romance between Kunzite and Zoisite. On the contrary, Kunzite criticized Zoisite in Act 5 and called her an embarrassment.
Mamoru always knew he was Tuxedo Mask. In the first act, he said he was looking for the Imperium Silver Crystal. The romance between Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon was also much more evident. Sailor Moon episode 22 in which Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask share their first kiss after saving Princess Dia happened in the fourth act. Mamoru also discovered that Usagi was Sailor Moon in this act, though he suspected in Act 3. Usagi had use “disguise power” to change her into a princess for a ball. After having punch spill on her dress, she used a handkerchief with her name embroidered on it and dropped it. Tuxedo Mask found this handkerchief and knew that Usagi was Sailor Moon. In Act 7, Tuxedo Mask helped Sailor Moon use her Crescent Moon Wand for the first time. After using it to heal the energy-drained people of Tokyo, Sailor Moon fainted. She awoke in Mamoru’s apartment and Mamoru told him that he was Tuxedo Mask. While saving her, Tuxedo Mask dropped a broken, moon-face watch into her lap. She kept this reminder and Mamoru kept the handkerchief.
In Act 8, Zoisite was killed by Sailor V so obviously, there was no dual between Tuxedo Mask and Zoisite. Sailor V and Artemis joined the Senshi party. Sailor V was the Moon Princess they had been searching for and now that she was found, the tiara on Sailor Moon’s forehead turned into a moon-shaped crest. Sailor V and Artemis had also been using the Sailor V game in the arcade to train the Senshi, especially Sailor Moon. Using the game machine, they could access a secret control room that was located under the arcade game. Sailor V also had a different transformation pen than the other Senshi.
Kunzite attacked the Senshi and Sailor Moon wanted to protect Sailor V, the Moon Princess. She cast Sailor V and the other Senshi away with her Crescent Wand. Then, Kunzite attacked Sailor Moon with a large bolt of energy. Sailor V called out, “Oh, no! Protect Sailor Moon!”
Tuxedo Mask, who blamed himself for not being able to protect Sailor Moon from Zoisite when he was caught in a force field in the last act, said to himself, “This time…I’ll protect her…for once.” He jumped in front of Sailor Moon and was blasted by the bolt. Sailor Moon cried over him and the trauma brought back her memory of Prince Endymion dying in her arms. When he opened his eyes slightly and saw Sailor Moon crying, he too remembered the past when he was dying and remembered that his name was Endymion.
“I was reborn as Mamoru to find you, Serenity,” he said and then died.
“Nooooo!!” Sailor Moon cried. The crest that hid her forehead shattered, revealing a glowing moon mark. The moon on Sailor V’s forehead suddenly faded and a normal tiara appeared in its place. Sometime between the Moon Kingdom and present-day Tokyo, Luna and Artemis had created the moon mark on Sailor V’s forehead so she would act as a decoy princess while Luna could train Usagi to be a Sailor Senshi and keep her safe from Queen Beryl. Sailor V was actually Sailor Venus, the leader of the other three Sailor Senshi. Luna and Artemis themselves did not remember that they had done this or that Usagi was actually the Moon Princess until now.
Mamoru’s broken watch began to run backward, whisking Usagi to her past to remember what happened on the Moon Kingdom. (Go to the Moon Kingdom to see the memories.) When Usagi returned with all her memories, she cried over Mamoru and her tear became the Silver Crystal, like in the anime. The Silver Crystal was so powerful that when it appeared, the Earth trembled and the great light shined. People with illnesses were suddenly cured, withered flowers sprung with life again, and the three dead Generals awoke, remembering how they used to serve Prince Endymion. The three Generals turned into stones. The Silver Imperium Crystal followed the heart of the Princess, so a piece of it went into Prince Endymion’s body. Kunzite then stole Mamoru away for Queen Beryl to be used by Queen Metallia. Prince Endymion actually died and Metallia filled his dead body with evil energy. Kunzite is later killed by the Sailor Senshi.
Usagi and the Sailor Senshi took a trip to the moon, like in the anime, where Queen Serenity told them about their pasts on the Moon Kingdom. In the manga, Queen Serenity’s image was generated by a computer in the Moon Palace. They also found the Sword of the Moon, which is for the Sailor Senshi to use to protect the Princess. When they returned to Earth, the evil Endymion was walking around Tokyo but he posed as Andrew’s best friend, Endo, and the Senshi were not sure if he was Mamoru or not.
The battle finally escalated to where evil Prince Endymion stole the Imperium Silver Crystal from Sailor Moon and Queen Beryl was near killing her. Sailor Venus discovered that the Sword of the Moon was made of Imperium Crystal itself. She called on the Sword’s powers and used it to kill Queen Beryl. After killing her, Sailor Venus fell into a short trance, in which the Sword spoke through her and explained that the Crystal needed to be complete in order to seal the Dark Kingdom. Then, Sailor Venus fainted. (Don’t worry! She wakes up in the next paragraph!)
Sailor Moon attempted to heal Mamoru with the Crescent Moon Wand but since his body was dead to begin with, there was nothing to heal. She realized then what she must do. In a quick sweep, Sailor Moon grabbed the Sword of the Moon, kissed Prince Endymion, and then killed him with the Sword. She then stabbed herself…
Endymion…you are my first love…my only love. Even if we’re reborn in another life, we’ll find each other…and then…fall in love again. Endymion…we’ll transcend time…to live again. Perhaps this time…we’ll find happiness…Endymion…
As Sailor Moon fell, Sailor Venus cried out, “This can’t be the reason we were reborn! We are just repeating our former lives.”
Sailor Moon died. Suddenly, Usagi’s Crystal and the piece of crystal inside Mamoru combined. It grew and encased the two dead lovers. Metallia saw her chance and shallowed all of it whole. With the Crystal’s power within her, Metallia began to envelop the Earth in darkness.
Luna realized that the Silver Imperium Crystal was protecting them and healing them. The Sailor Senshi knew that the Princess would need more power. They decided to transform into the powers of their guardian planets to reach full potential but to do this, they would have to give up their lives. To save the Princess, they cried their planets names, releasing their powers. Just as they finished, Metallia struck them down, killing all four.
Princess Serenity remembered when Sailor Venus scolded her when she was caught on Earth with Prince Endymion. Kunzite was there also and Sailor Venus blushed when she saw him. (Another clue to the Senshi/generals romance.)
Princess Serenity awoke from death inside the Crystal’s case. Her tear drop turned the Silver Imperium Crystal into its flower-like shape. Prince Endymion awoke too, though blind. Sailor Moon began to fight Metallia with the Crystal but it wasn’t working. She was too weak. The powers of the Senshi came to her then and they spoke words of comfort. Their powers were added but the Crystal still was too weak. Then, the spirits of Prince Endymion’s generals appeared, adding their powers. Kunzite also told them that Metallia’s weak spot was the diamond on her forehead. Lastly, Prince Endymion added his presence which always gave Sailor Moon more power and strength. She was all fired up now and ready to seal Metallia.
The Sailor Senshi’s transformation pens and the Sword of the Moon crystallized and formed the Crystal Tower in the Prayer Room, the center of the Moon Castle. Queen Serenity’s spirit told Luna and Artemis to pray and the Moon would protect them. Meanwhile, Sailor Moon fought Metallia but her power wasn’t strong enough. She began to pray for more power and Luna then sent her spirit to fight with her. Sailor Moon released a burst of burning sacred light so bright that even the blinded Prince could see it, and killed Metallia. Sailor Moon also restored the Moon Kingdom on the moon from its ruins. However, she had used all of her lifeforce, much like she had in the anime, and her transformation brooch was shattered. Mamoru’s kiss revived her and he regained his sight. Finally, they found each other and they shared a love-filled moment.
Then, Usagi remembered the other Senshi and found them dead. She no longer had a brooch and no powers. Using the Crescent Wand, Usagi, Mamoru, and Luna returned to the Moon Kingdom. Luna told her that she was now the new ruler of the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Millenium could finally be reborn. But Usagi told Luna, “My place is on Earth, where Mamoru is.”
Luna was about to protest when Queen Serenity appeared. “This time find happiness, Serenity, with the one you love.” She gave her a new brooch and with its power, Sailor Moon healed everyone on Earth, including the Senshi. They had a happy reunion and never lost their memory like they did in the anime.
Return to Tokyo
