Sailor Moon is actually darker than it looks

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Sailor Moon.

summary

• The Sailor Moon manga explores darker themes such as suicide and abuse, setting it apart from typical magical girl series.
• The characters in Sailor Moon face tragic deaths and make complex choices that show their flaws and complexity.
• The series pushes the boundaries with disturbing scenes of abuse and non-consent, adding depth and realism to the characters.

on the surface, Sailor Moon Sounds like your average magical girls series, but actually, it's so much more than that. The anime touches on dark themes at some points, but it's the manga that takes it several steps further. Naoko Takeuchi's masterpiece Sailor Moon Filled with scenes involving loss, sacrifice, and tragedy.

In addition to defeating the forces of evil, Sailor Scouts often face extremely difficult situations and are forced to make impossible choices. Each version and adaptation of the series has its own humorous and cute moments, but there are also many scary and dark elements that are often overlooked.

Manga moments that are truly terrifying

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. The magical girl anime, full of colorful transformations and cute poses, takes a dark turn as it progresses. Sailor Moon is very different from other titles in the same genre as it is not afraid to show how flawed the characters are.

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

Themes of death and suicide

in Sailor Moon In manga, death especially is always present. 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 in a tragic way. Prince Endymion is stabbed to death after Queen Metalia impresses Queen Beryl. The Moon Kingdom falls after the Earthlings attack, and seeing all this, Princess Serenity is heartbroken and falls on her sword, killing herself.

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

In the Black Moon arc, we get to witness more death and destruction. The Black Moon Clan is a rebel group led by Prince Demande against the White Moon Kingdom and Neo Queen Serenity. Aided and influenced by another villain called the Wise Man, this clan wreaks irreparable chaos and destruction on both the past and the future. Among the most notable members of this clan were the four Ayakashi sisters.

They arrive in the present timeline from the future to ensure Black Moon's dominance through destruction. The youngest of them, Koan, with the ability to breathe fire, attacks a group of nuns, burning them alive. This was just one of many brutal acts by the Black Moon Clan that claimed thousands of lives.

The anime also featured some tragic deaths, including the sacrifice of Sailor Saturn. Hotaru Tomoe, Sailor Saturn, is considered the most powerful Sailor Guardian and in the Sailor Moon S anime, she is revealed to be the vessel of Mrs. 9, working with Pharaoh 90 to destroy Earth. Later, she sacrifices herself to stop Pharaoh 90 using all the power her weapon, the Silence Glaive, yields. Hotaru is reincarnated 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 side of your head to go into the spaghetti! – Sailor Mercury

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

Abuse and indecency

Takeuchi isn't afraid to push the boundaries

In the Infinity Arc, we are introduced to Souichi Tomoi, father of Sailor Saturn, Hotaru Tomoi. The respected scientist, while brilliant in his profession, failed as a father. His cruel experiments on his daughter were extremely uncomfortable to watch. Hotaru was treated as little more than a vessel for Mistress 9 by her father, causing further emotional turmoil for Sailor Saturn.

My father is tormenting me… but I can't escape him. He says it is for my own good – Sailor Shani

Next, we have Chibi-Usa and her Elektra complex, which was present throughout the show but was toned down as a running joke in the anime. But in the manga, it's actually quite intense. A particular scene where the villainized version of Chibi-Usa and the brainwashed Mamoru share a kiss caused much controversy. This happened when the wise man chibi corrupted her, turning her into a black woman. Considering that Mamoru is her future father, this scene is probably the scariest part of the entire series. The black woman's act of kissing Mamoru to torment Usagi was very questionable indeed. It's a testament that Sailor Moon pushes the boundaries of the magical girl genre like no other 90s anime ever did.

Depicting non-consensual scenes

It gets worse, like in the Black Moon arc, where the leader of the clan, Prince Demande, is obsessed with Neo Queen Serenity. This infatuation with Neo Queen Serenity and Usagi led her to kidnap Prince Demande and force himself on her, kissing her without consent. It was definitely a very triggering scene for viewers, and the show was criticized for romantic sexual abuse.

You are my desire. You are my future, my queen. I'll Make You Mine – Prince Demande

Another such scene is seen in Episode 3 of Sailor Moon Crystal Season 3. This happens when Sailor Uranus 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 audiences.

Dark themes that run deep Sailor Moon What sets it apart, though, is that it's not afraid to give us characters that feel more human than ever, given their complex personalities and the decisions they make. Along with the haunting tones, we also find inspiration and hope from the sailor parents fighting and how they continue against the forces of evil, even if it means sacrificing themselves.