Sailor Moon is actually darker than she looks

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Sailor Moon.

Summary

• The Sailor Moon manga explores dark themes such as suicide and abuse, setting it apart from typical magical girl series.
• The characters in Sailor Moon face tragic deaths and make complicated decisions, showing their flaws and complexity.
• The series pushes the boundaries with disturbing scenes of abuse and disapproval, adding depth and realism to the characters.

on the surface Sailor Moon It seems like your average magical girl series, but it's actually so much more than that. The anime touches on dark themes at some points, but it's the manga that takes it many steps forward. A masterpiece by Naoko Takeuchi Sailor Moon it is filled with scenes that involve loss, sacrifice, and tragedy.

In addition to defeating the forces of evil, sailors are often faced with extremely difficult situations and forced to make impossible decisions. Each version and adaptation of the series has its own comedic and cute moments, but there are also plenty of scary and dark elements that are often overlooked.

Manga moments that are really scary

The original source will leave you in shock

In the Sailor Moon manga, we see many arcs such as Dark Kingdom, Black Moon, and Infinity that explore dark themes. A magical girl anime full of colorful changes and cute poses takes a dark turn over time. Sailor Moon is very different from other titles in the same genre because it isn't afraid to show how flawed the characters are.

None of the protagonists we see are portrayed as typical heroes. Sailor protectors make mistakes and face complicated choices, which is what sets Sailor Moon apart. This is especially evident in the manga, where Naoko Takeuchi does not shy away from exploring themes such as suicide, incest and abuse.

Themes of Death and Suicide

IN Sailor Moon manga, death is especially ubiquitous. Perhaps the most heartbreaking moment was in the Dark Kingdom arc, where Sailor Moon's past self, Princess Serenity, and Mamoru's past self, Prince Endymion, die tragically. Prince Endymion is stabbed to death after Queen Metalia influences Queen Beryl. The Moon Kingdom falls after the humans invade Earth, and as she witnesses it all, Princess Serenity gets heartbroken and ends up taking her own life by falling on her sword.

In the name of the moon I will punish you – Sailor Moon

In the Black Moon arc, we witness more death and destruction. The Black Moon Clan is a rebel group led by Prince Demand against the White Moon Kingdom and Neo Queen Serenity. With the help and influence of another villain named The Wise Man, this clan causes irreparable chaos and destruction in the past and future. One of the most notable members of this clan were the four Ayakashi sisters.

They come in the present timeline from the future to ensure Black Moon's dominance through destruction. The youngest of them, Koan, with his ability to spread fire, attacks a group of nuns and burns them alive. This was just one of the many cruel acts of the Black Moon Clan that resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.

The anime also featured several tragic deaths, including that of Sailor Saturn. Hotaru Tomoe, Sailor Saturn, is considered to be one of the most powerful Guardian Sailors and in the Sailor Moon S anime, she is revealed to be the vessel Mistress 9, working with Pharaoh 90 to destroy Earth. She later sacrifices herself to stop Pharaoh 90 by using all the power her weapon, the Silence Glaive, provides. Hotaru is reborn as a child after Sailor Moon uses the Silver Crystal, but her sacrifice remains one of the most painful moments in Sailor Moon.

You have meatballs on the sides of your head to match the spaghetti inside! – Sailor Mercury

We also see the tragic deaths of the Inner Sailor Senshi Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus who were killed one by one by the Doom And Gloom Girls in the Dark Kingdom arc. It was painful to watch each of their deaths as they gladly accepted their tragic fate to protect Sailor Moon. Fortunately, they were resurrected after Beryl's defeat.

Abuse and incest

Takeuchi is not afraid of pushing the boundaries

In the Infinity arc, we are introduced to Souichi Tomoe, the father of Sailor Saturn, Hotaru Tomoe. An acclaimed scientist, though brilliant in his profession, he failed as a father. Watching his cruel experiments on his daughter was extremely disturbing. Hotaru was treated by her father as nothing less than a vessel for Mistress 9, leading to more emotional turmoil for Sailor Saturn.

My father hurts me… but I can't escape him. He says it's for my own good – Sailor Saturn

Next, we have Chibi-Usu and her Electra complex, which was present throughout the show but was toned down as a running joke in the anime. But it's actually much more intense in the manga. One particular scene where the villainous version of Chibi-Usa and the brainwashed Mamoru share a kiss has caused a lot of controversy. This happened when the Wise Man corrupted Chibi Usa and turned her into a black lady. Considering that Mamoru is her future father, this scene is perhaps the most disturbing part of the entire series. The act of the black lady kissing Mamoru to torture Usagi was indeed very questionable. This is proof that Sailor Moon is pushing the boundaries outside of the magical girl genre like no other anime from the 90s.

Showing non-consensual scenes

It's much worse, like in the black moon arc where the clan leader, Prince Demande, is possessed by Neo Queen Serenity. This crush on Neo Queen Serenity and Usagi's resemblance to her leads Prince Demande to kidnap her and force himself on her and kiss her without consent. This was definitely a very triggering scene for the audience and the show was criticized for romanticizing sexual assault.

You are the one I desire. You are my future, my queen. I will make you mine – Prince Demande

Another such scene is seen in Sailor Moon Crystal season 3 episode 3. This is when Sailor Uran kisses Sailor Moon without her consent at the end of the episode. While Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune are considered LGBT icons, this scene did not sit well with viewers.

Dark themes lying deep Sailor Moon they're what makes it stand out because it's not afraid to give us characters that feel more human than ever given their complicated natures and the choices they make. Along with the somber tones, we also find inspiration and hope from the battles the guardian sailors go through and how they persevere against the forces of evil, even if it means sacrificing themselves.