Summary
Sailor Moonhas been one of the most important characters in the field of animation since her inception. Premiering in 1992 in Japan (and then 1995 in America), the warrior who fights for truth and justice has left an everlasting impression on the history of animation. With theSailor Moon Crystalproject coming to a close with the release of the upcoming two-part movie event on Netflix. WithSailor Moon Cosmosplanning to bring the current iteration ofSailor Moonto an end, this begs the question: what is in the future for our favorite pig-tailed superhero?
What is Sailor Moon Cosmos?
Sailor Moon Cosmosis a two-part animated film adaptation of the Sailor Moon manga series that specifically focuses on the finalSailor Starsstory arc. The movies are part of the largerSailor Moon Crystalseries, which aimed to provide a more faithful adaptation of Naoko Takeuchi’s original manga compared to the original 1990s anime. The story ofSailor Moon Cosmosfollows Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) and her fellow Sailor Guardians as they face their most challenging adversary yet, Sailor Galaxia and her minions. The movies delve into themes of sacrifice, love, and the battle between good and evil on a cosmic scale.
Released in Japan in 2023,Sailor Moon Cosmoshas been well-received by fans of the series for its high-quality animation and adherence to the source material, with most believing it provided a fitting conclusion to theSailor Moonsaga. For more than a year, a release date in America had been unknown, with no details of such a release for many months. It was finally announced that the two movies would bepremiering on Netflixon Jun 17, 2025, in America, in both dubbed and subtitled formats, giving American fans the ability to finally see them (legally) in the states!
The End of an Era
TheSailor Moon Crystal project aimed to be amodern anime adaptationof Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon manga, and was created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original series and to provide a more faithful retelling of the manga’s story. It was announced in 2012 during the 20th anniversary celebrations of Sailor Moon, with the first episode premiering on July 17, 2025. After ten years, the project finally came to a close with the release ofSailor Moon Cosmos.
The Manga Re-Releases Also Ends
Kodansha also used the opportunityto re-release theSailor Moonmanga in America with the ‘Eternal Editions,’ which provided the opportunity for fans to buy Sailor Moon in English for the first time in many years. These editions were unflipped, had better translations, and even saw the release of theSailor VandShort Storiesmanga that had long eluded English reading fans. This release is also coming to an end, with the final copies of the pocket editions set to be released before the end of the year.
What Comes Next for the Franchise?
As of this writing, it is unclear what comes next. However, there are a few options should Toei choose to pursue them. For Americans (and most of the rest of the world), the most logical next step would be tofinally release the live action seriesPretty Guardian Sailor Moonon streaming and home media for the first time. The license for the property will likely have to be fairly cheap. However, Japanese and Korean dramas have gained much more popularity in recent years thanks to Crunchyroll and Asian Crush, so a live-action series that has ties to a hit anime series likely has more appeal today than it did back in 2003 (and no dubbing would be required to sell it). Granted, the license will have to be relatively inexpensive, but it would be an easy way to keep Sailor Moon in the public eye.
A live-action adaptation canon to the anime series could help keep Sailor Moon alive within the community!
On the manga side, a final re-release of the manga in hardcover format would be another easy way to make a little extra money from the franchise. In Japan, Toei has a few options to keep the franchise going. The first would be to edit the movies into additional seasons of the TV show. A few new animated scenes could be animated if necessary, like what was done withDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Trainwhen it was turning into the “second season” of the show. Another possibility is that (after a year-long break to give fans a chance to breathe) Toei couldfinally get around to adaptingtheSailor Vprequel manga. Though not long in material, there is enough material there to ensure a 13 to 26 episode single season gets made.
Finally, Toei could maybe use the Sailor Moon character as an unofficial mascot for adaptions of other Naoko Takeuchi manga likeThe Cherry Project, Miss Rain, andMaria. Going beyond that, chances are there will likely be another Sailor Moon series. Whether it is another reboot or a ‘manga cut’ of the original series (much in the same wayDragon Ball Z Kaiwas), it’s just a matter of time. Hopefully, some of these other options become a reality first so that Sailor Moon fans have some truly new stuff to look forward to (and hey, maybe some Broadway producer will finally get the idea of bringing her to stage in New York like she does on Japanese stages).
