REVIEW: ‘Sailor Moon Cosmos’ Is A Magnificent Tale Of The Tenacity Of Hope

In Sailor Moon Cosmos, the concluding two-part film of Crystal, we see the ideals of the Sailor Moon franchise brought to life in the most magnificent ways. It all started 33 years ago, on December 28, 1991, legendary manga artist Naoko Takeuchi published one of the greatest manga, and subsequent anime, of all time, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. 

From 18 volumes of the manga to a beloved anime series from 1992-1997 (including three movies), to a live-action series in 2003, countless merchandise, and a second anime series adaptation starting 2014 (with four films rounding it up), more closely aligning with the manga, called Sailor Moon Crystal, Takeuchi created a story that eternally resonates with millions of fans worldwide. At its core, Sailor Moon is a story about the tenacity of hope and courage, fueled by friendship and love in the face of seemingly overwhelming forces, all the while staying true to oneself, and this concluding two-part film brings it all to the fore.

Sailor Moon Crystal, as a whole, has been a mixed-to-positive bag for fans. From critiques of the animation in the first few seasons to the condensing of the manga material, especially when compared to the much longer original 90s anime series, the series has had its rough patches.

However, starting in Season 3 and the subsequent movies, the Sailor Moon Crystal team took the feedback to drastically improve the animation, increase the epic feel of the story, and do the justice they could to the manga. While still not necessarily perfect, it marked a drastic improvement that has reached a beautiful crescendo in its last two concluding films of Sailor Moon Cosmos, directed by Tomomi Ikeda, Katsuya Shigehara, and Yoshifumi Sueda, and written by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, based on Takeuchi’s Stars manga arc.

Everything seems to be going well for Usagi Tsukino (AKA “Sailor Moon”) and her friends and the beginning of Sailor Moon Cosmos. They had just defeated Queen Nehellenia and the Dead Moon in the Eternal arc, achieved their Eternal Sailor Senshi forms, and are looking forward to the new school year. However, when Mamoru leaves for America for a study abroad, and the arrival of the Star Lights boy band coincides with attacks involving “star seeds,” and the mysterious arrival of the toddler “Chibi-Chibi,” things begin to unravel for Sailor Moon and her allies in the most horrific ways possible, setting them on a seemingly final battle for the fate of the entire cosmos itself.

Sailor Galaxia, voiced with sinisterly with aplomb by Megumi Hayashibara, is a master villain worthy of being Sailor Moon’s greatest foe. She is the ultimate colonizer, taking over every planet in the galaxy, installing puppet rulers (the Sailor Animamates) to usurp their real Sailor Senshi/Princesses. But like insatiable colonizers in real life, she would not be satiated until she acquired the Silver Moon Crystal of Sailor Moon. It’s obviously a high-concept depiction, as a literal cosmic being taking over these numerous planets, as opposed to the palpable colonization we continue to observe here on Earth, but it works. You understand why she has this insatiable need to conquer, like many warmongers and colonizers do in real life, and the contrast with Usagi’s drive to heal and protect makes the story all the stronger.

And it really is Usagi who is firmly the driving force of the story, as is appropriate. But in the space of only these two films to encompass the “Stars” arc of the manga, it can often feel like the various other Sailor Senshi don’t have enough time to shine. However, the films smartly position them in ways that are pivotal for our main heroine as she undergoes a journey to save them and the whole universe. Ultimately, the Sailor Senshi as a whole is still at the core of Sailor Moon Cosmos for Usagi’s journey, even if they’re not always present on the screen.

Legendary voice actress Kotono Mitsuishi, who has voiced Sailor Moon in all her animated appearances, gives the performance of a lifetime as Usagi as she pursues her most dangerous and anguishing journey yet. Not since the anime adaptation of the Stars arc in Sailor Stars (which was a markedly different adaptation of the Stars arc), has she delivered such a profound performance encompassing heartbreak, willpower, joy, and hope. We’ve been with Usagi and Mitsuishi on this journey for over 30 years, and the power of the story and performance amazingly feels novel.

The animation of Sailor Moon Cosmos is extraordinary to behold. The use of light, special effects never feel like too much, and the use of perspective is masterful throughout. You feel the thrill of the journey throughout the films, and the tenderness of the intimate scenes is always kept intact. We have beautiful shots of the solar system, stars, and the galaxy, making this a grand cosmic journey as well as a personal tale of grief and transcending from it into hope.

Likewise, the music of Sailor Moon Cosmos by composer Yasuharu Takanashi does a great job at conveying the scale of the cosmic battle, while conveying the personal stakes of each of the characters. You feel the spirit of determination in each of the Sailor Senshi’s themes while they battle for the fate of the universe, making what should be so large beyond our conception feel, in fact, quite close. It’s a well done soundtrack to a masterclass of an anime adaptation.

Sailor Moon Cosmos is a magnificent closing to Sailor Moon Crystal. Faithfully adapting the Stars manga arc brings closure to fans worldwide who yearned to see Naoko Takeuchi’s vision fully realized on screen, and the directors, writers, and animators did such a wonderful job in their adaptation. With stirring themes of hope and determination in the face of unbelievable evil, beautiful animation and music, and doing Usagi Tsukino justice in her story, Sailor Moon Cosmos will bring joy to virtually any Sailor Moon fan, and inspire you to rise to the challenge of whatever evil you face in life—at the same time, fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight.

Sailor Moon Cosmos Parts 1 and 2 are now streaming on Netflix.