In the history of the Magical Girl genre, the story of the first arc of the Sailor Moon Manga is easily one of the most influential and iconic stories in the genre. It is matched only by a few names; the 70s Cutie Honey anime, the Cardcaptor Sakura anime, the original season of Pretty Cure, the original anime for Puella Magi Madoka Magica and perhaps a few more. All these it competes with and the only magical girl story cleaned more iconic and influential then it is the first season of the 90s Sailor Moon anime. With that said, I don't think it is properly appreciated.
The Dark Kingdom arc is fantastic. Each arc of Sailor Moon amazes me, and my basis for judging a series a 9/10 is if I think it's as good as a Sailor Moon arc. Despite this, the Dark Kingdom Arc rates highly even in comparison to the arcs, only surpassed by the Stars arc. Sometimes I wonder if I should judge it that much higher, or indeed even higher than the other arcs. In comparison to the latter arcs, the arc starts out a little slow. It takes roughly half the arc for the plot to really kick in, whereas for most arcs it's more so the first third. This doesn't seem so bad for Sailor Moon compared to most series, because the arcs are so short in the first place that half an arc is 6-7 acts. Likewise Act 4 is a relatively poor act and the unexplained nonsense is probably at its worst in this arc, even near the climax. With that said I always end up placing it as highly as it is not for consistency but for its peaks. The first arc contains all the most iconic parts of Sailor Moon, iconic for a reason in my opinion; the entire first arc, the introduction of the other Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen dying after shielding Sailor Moon from an attack, the awakening of Princess Serenity, the Fall of the Moon Kingdom, the fight against Dark Endymion. These are all things centrally recognizable to Sailor Moon, and even Act 4 including its controversial part is reproduced in every single adaptation of Sailor Moon. Despite how much other versions change Sailor Moon; these are things that seem to be collectively viewed as the sacrosanct center of the franchise. The climax of this arc is one of my favorite scenes in all of fiction, and Act 9, Act 13, and Act 14 are some of the peaks of the series.
The themes of this arc are identity, destiny, as well as the themes that are major themes across the series; loneliness and the ennobling power of love. The central struggle of the arc is about the relationship of its two personal themes; in what ways are we the same people we've always been, and in what ways are we changing into new people. I love how this arc doesn't give a simple answer to this question. It'd be very easy to make one side the correct perspective; it could say that we are born as we are, that Serenity is and always will be the light of the universe, the sweet messiah who should be queen guardian by Senshi chosen by destiny and the villains and their ambitions are evil for trying to upset the established order of the universe, a fruitless endeavor. This was the morality civilized society had for a long time. Or it could have the more modern perspective; we can always constantly reinvert ourselves, fight the power. It could play up how they're fighting destiny, their doomed fate to repeat history and have the villains represents the binds they have to their tragic past. But just as Sailor Moon evocatively in its themes and plot elements mix time periods and aesthetics from different times, mixes science-fiction and fantasy, it also combines both perspectives. Just as Usagi will always be Serenity, is always herself the sweet normal girl Usagi, so to is she the girl that she will become, Sailor Moon. The arc challenges us to be at once all that we were, are, and have been, to unite our identities and be them all at once. This is what Sailor Moon had to do to stop Metaria, and it's what we all have to do to confront our own demons. This theme is constantly interwoven throughout the arc and I really feel a significant portion of people missed it because they were reading perhaps too quickly, not letting the words and ideas sink in.
I love the first arc for all the reasons I love Sailor Moon in general of course. I love how Naoko mixes in influences without regard to genre or tone, simply because she feels like it would improve the story. This is a majorly common trait in all my favorite works, the fact that it feels interconnected with the complex web of meta-fiction extending over the scope of human endeavors. Even now there are elements of Sailor Moon I don't know because they're about subjects I have basic or no information on like symbolism related to flowers, cars, minerals, etc. I love stories that reward further thought after it is completed, that reward rewatching. To use a metaphor, I'd much rather a five hour game that I like enough to play four times, than a 20-hour game I play once and never think about again. The density of a work is to me as important or more than it's length which to me is often a negative showing a central inefficiency. I love Naoko's ability to evoke tone and atmosphere, creating a sense of lurking mystery earlier on, theological or cosmological splendor in depiction of grandiose things, and the heavy crushing weight of fatalism and destiny later on. I love how efficient and fast-paced it is, even as it sometimes goes a bit too far. I'd still much prefer than then something that's much too slow. Connected to all of these I love how Naoko puts trust in the teenage girls that this manga was written about and for, weaving a serious dramatic cosmic epic putting feminine concerns at the forefront without ever denigrating masculinity, with dark themes and imagery ultimately culminating in the message that even a teenage girl like Usagi, a crybaby and a coward, someone Naoko designed to be a relatable everygirl, can be a champion of love. And on that meta level, I love how she was right, how Sailor Moon quickly became the most successful Magical Girl manga, and one of the most successful Shojo manga of all time.
Arc Ranking:
14: Act 4: Has some cute parts for sure, but is the closest thing the manga has to filler, has some of that early Arc 1 roughness, and the ending while not as controversial as I might fear it'd be, still gets me the side-eye sometimes if I try and defend it. The worst arc in the Sailor Moon manga, which just goes to show how much I love this series in how it's still pretty good.
13: Act 5: Act 5 is a notable step up from Act 4 and is a fine introduction for Makoto held back by Naoko trying to do too much at one and consequently the ending feels rushed. Also the villain scheme feels kinda lacking this act. This would have been divided into two acts I feel. Still much better than Act 4, if only for Makoto herself being my favorite Guardian Senshi,
12: Act 2: Act 2 is overall a pretty good introduction to Sailor Mercury. It also introduces Beryl, has the Magical Girl homage with the Disguise Pen, has some funny gags. It has a lot of good points but is really held by by one more central bad point, that being it's climax really failing to live up to it's potential, as well a more goofy villain plot than normal. It could easily be fixed just by giving Mercury a bit more agency and having her line against Garoben make more sense meaning I don't think it's flaws are as noticeable as Act 5's, plus it's good points are more varied I think.
11: Act...11: Wow, a placement that's the same as the chronological order. This is the lowest placement for any act in the second half. Act 11's fine. It's got some goofy parts like Motoki supposed to be threatening, it's got some Minako favoritism, but overall it's a pretty solid way of building up the tension for the finale. It's also got the funny scene with the holy sword at Ami's place. It does suffer a bit from repetition more than most acts I think, I think I like it a bit more than Act 2 but I could switch them if I felt like it. Act 2 I think aims for something grander and doesn't quite get there, while Act 11 aims for something more modest and gets it. I probably would put Act 11 higher because it has all the Senshi and it just feels more correct, it doesn't have some of the early Sailor Moon weirdness.
10: Act 6: Act 6 is a bit closer to a filler-ish chapter, but it does have a really interesting three-way conflict, something pretty rare in Sailor Moon and develops Usagi and Mamoru's relationship. It also begins to really move from the introductory phase of the series to the more grandiose cosmic themes I enjoy. It's pretty similar to Act 11 in that it's hard to talk about, it's generally solid but lacks anything that really impresses me or puts it higher. I do thing it's flaws are even less then Act 11, and I really like the scene where Luna reveals she's from their moon and their mission, so I'd probably put it higher, but it could go either way depending on the day.
9: Act 1: The act that started it off. Act 1 is kind of a microcosm for the arc as a whole. The first half is cute, and builds up things well but is kinda slow to start., but has an amazing moment near the end with Sailor Moon going to Naru without hesitation perfectly setting up the central dichotomy of the main character. It's a very good start to the series that sets up things well, and Usagi's set up is enough for me to put it here.
8: Act 3: Act 3 is the conclusion to the original Jadeite mini-arc and it really amplifies the elements seen in the prior two acts, showing more of Usagi's development into a hero, even though it doesn't go as far as I'd like it too, as well as showing Usagi understanding someone's true self. The fight with Jadeite is a pretty good fight for this manga and it also has the funny scenes with Usagi turning into a bus stewardess, mutually tsundere-ing with Mamoru, and going all heart-eyed over Rei. It's just a really classic Sailor Moon chapter for me and more thoroughly all throughout than the first act which starts slow.
7: Act 12: Act 12 is primarily an act of a lot of cool concepts and ideas. Some of them are basically unexplained but some of them are I think really well integrated into the central themes. The best parts of this act to me are the foreshadowing for Act 13, the depiction of Serenity and Usagi showing her difficulty integrating her identities, the statement she'll need to integrate her identities to beat Metaria, Metaria wondering if the Moon People are growing stronger. Likewise the cyclical and seemingly crushing weight of destiny leading to Usagi's suicide attempt is palpable through the act. It also has Minako stabbing Beryl which is arguably a bit brief but also one of the coolest moments for any of the Guardian Senshi.
6: Act 7: Act 7 is probably my favorite act from the first half of the arc. Act 7 has three separate good points; the conversation between Beryl and Metaria, Mamoru's backstory, and the introduction of Sailor V. None of these are fantastic individually, but the three together make a good case for this act. It also really lacks in bad points outside a kind of dumb villain plot which itself arguably might be fitting for Minako's introduction given the Dark Agency. It maybe has less ideas and is slower moving than Act 12, though Act 12 is pretty quick, and this is a good pace plus it better uses its ideas.
5: Act 10: I feel like the top 5 acts of the first arc are in a different tier than the other acts. The 2-part finale and the Kunzite mini-arc are I think the heights of the first arc. This act is fantastic and it includes a lot of amazing moments that put it higher than most of the arc, mostly from the section where Queen Serenity explains the fall of the Moon Kingdom. The fall of the Moon Kingdom is one of the most iconic coolest parts of the Sailor Moon story, it explains how Usagi is connected to the Silver Crystal, you have Queen Serenity saying that it's important remember she was born again to be a normal girl which itself connects to the earlier funny and heartwarming scene with her parents. You also have smaller points like Kunzite briefly defying Beryl or the contrast between Ami's scientific understanding of the Moon and the more magical understanding of it. I will say the brief fight with Kunzite does rely on just spectacle, on the characters being really strong, and a lot of it is an expository sequence so I would probably put it lower than the other acts in the Kunzite mini-arc, though that's a fairly mild complaint.
4: Act 8: Act 8 is also a little bit exposition-y, but overall it's just great. The act I think really develops Usagi showing things like her professes she's Sailor Moon to her father only to be flatly disbelieved, and later kissing Mamoru before going off to battle Kunzite again showing the development of her confidence. This is followed by Mamoru's description of Usagi which not only is the definitive explanation to me of why Mamoru loves Usagi but also encapsulates what's great about Usagi as a character, how she always seems to show a different side of her, how sometimes she's a normal girl yet also sometimes seems so strong. And it's full of other great little moments It introduces Kunzite, my favorite of the Heavenly Kings, it has Usagi wondering at Sailor V being a normal girl like her, it has the scene where it's revealed Luna's memories were sealed. It's just a great act overall. It's not quite as iconic as Act 10 but it's even more filled with great little parts here and there.
3: Act 9: There's another jump in quality as the top 3 acts of the Dark Kingdom arc are an even greater degree of amazing. Act 9 is the least bad act in this arc. I mentioned Act 10 is iconic and I would say archetypal throughout, and Act 8 is full of great little moments everywhere. Act 9 is literally between them and also incorporates the best of both. From the emergence of the Silver Crystal, to Usagi fearing she's losing herself to becoming Serenity, to her expression of why she loved The Earth and Mamoru and the revelation that she's the Princess Serenity, this is maybe the most iconic act of the Sailor Moon manga with the possible exception of Act 1 and yet it's filled with so many great little details. The way Usagi says in sorrow she never got to show Mamoru her true self, repeating what Mamoru thought to himself the act before showing that their hearts were as one, the way Kunzite goes for Endymion rather than the Silver Crystal as he gets his memories back, the scene where Luna feels guilty setting up her character arc for the rest of the Dark Kingdom arc. I could react this act 100 times and not get bored. It is the pinnacle of the Kunzite section and easily comparable to the best of the Dark Kingdom arc. It probably has less flaws then either. I would completely understand if this was someone's favorite act in the arc.
2: Act 14: Act 14 isn't an act that I have relatively deep reasons for loving compared to most Sailor Moon acts, it just makes me really happy. It's full of heartwarming moments. Usagi defeats Metaria, both literally and symbolically the demon of the past that's been hovering over her for half the arc, Usagi recreates the Silver Millennium and being crowned its queen, Queen Serenity blessing her normal life on Earth, Usagi being reunited first with Mamoru, then with the Guardian Senshi. It's an act that makes me happy every time I read it and I think it beautifully finishes off the arc, tying up the themes of identity and destiny. It even sets up the second arc in a funny way. Granted the way it does so is a little bit jarring, but it does at least get me excited when I see Chibiusa introduced again, Chibiusa being one of the most important characters in the entire manga. I would also completely understand if this was someone's favorite act in this arc.
1: Act 13: Act 13 is definitely not the least flawed act. The Guardian Senshi's sacrifice could be more individualized like the 90s anime, and there's some deus ex machina-y moments. But it touched me in a way almost nothing ever had. It contains most of the battle with Metaria, it contains an emotional segment of the Silver Millennium, Luna praying in the ruins of the Moon Kingdom, the symbolic awakening of Usagi in darkness connected to the Lotus form of the Silver Crystal. All of that would be fairly good points for it, but definitely not enough to put it above Acts 9 and 14. What puts it above is ending though. If Act 14 makes me feel happy, Act 13 is what makes me feel determined, inspired. It is the culmination, the climax, of the themes that have been built up the entire arc. This is the single point that Act 13 does better than almost every arc in Sailor Moon. They have themes too that pop in and out, but none of them build so much directed to a single point of epiphany. When Sailor Moon looks into Tuxedo Kamen's eyes, the eyes that resemble the Earth from a space, a world of hope and possibilities that first called her to Earth, saying she feels with him stronger little by little, I feel something go to my core, a feeling of deep understanding and admiration. That to me is what is most beautiful about the world; the way we through love are all at once who we always have been and yet slowly progressing. And when she declares proudly that she is both Princess Serenity AND Sailor Moon, it moves me to tears everytime because that to me truly is the ideal to aspire towards; where we are all at once who we have always been, who we are, and who we wish to be.
The first arc uniquely for the manga is made up of 2 and 3 parters with the villain of the month not dying in one chapter but having their own little section. Here's also how I would rank them as multi-parters:
6: Nephrite Sub-Arc: Nothing against Nephrite himself as a character, but this arc could really have used a third act and spread the plot developments more evenly across them. As it stands, Act 4 is a basically a filler act, with some cute bits and a controversial ending point and Act 5 is fine but has a rushed ending. Neither of the acts are bad, but they are the lower point of the Arc.
5: Jadeite Sub-Arc: Has a bit of early arc slowness but Act 1 is iconic and has the moment of Usagi going to help Naru, Act 2 has the homage to earlier MG series, and Act 3 makes for a good finale, the three forming a nice little introduction and mini-progression to Usagi's character as someone who is clumsy and cowardly but with a good heart and empathy learning to be more courageous.
4: Dark Endymion/Beryl Sub-Arc: Has a lot of great ideas with some...mixed execution. Act 12 is pretty good, Act 11 is fine. Once again this could probably have been improved by making it a three-parter to better explain some of the concepts Naoko just sort of threw in without explanation and especially given it focuses on two important villains, both of which are individually more important to the story than a Heavenly King.
3: Zoisite Sub-Arc: Zoisite is probably my least favorite Heavenly King, manga-wise. With that said both acts 6 and 7 were very solid, and while neither did anything particularly fantastic, the two acts, especially Act 7 had several individual good parts that add up, especially together begining the real development of Usagi and Mamoru's relationship.
2: Kunzite Sub-Arc: A great three-parter. Has my favorite heavenly king, has grand sweeping moments of cosmic beauty, has deep thematic stuff, has funny little bits here and there. It's a little bit exposition-happy at times, but all 3 acts I love, and especially Act 9 the middle act which is easily comparable to Act 13 or Act 14.
1: Metaria Sub-Arc: The climax is one of my favorite moments in all of fiction. Act 13 is inspiring, dramatic and a cosmic horror story while Act 14 is heartwarming. It's not so much a sub-arc itself so much as it is the culmination of every the the rest of the arc has been building too, talking about themes that matter deeply to me and expressing them in a way that impacts me emotionally everytime I read it.
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