What is the Manga Comparison Project?

Since its initial release in the February 1992 issue of Nakayoshi, the Sailor Moon manga has gone through four major reprints in Japan – the original Nakayoshi print, the compilation tankobon print (early 90s), the re-mastered ‘shinsoban‘ reprints (early 2000s), and the ‘kanzen‘ (early 2010s). What you may not know, though, is that Ms. Takeuchi has made changes to the art and text with each release.

This project is dedicated to compiling a list of what’s changed with each release to help us better understand how Sailor Moon has evolved over its past 25 years.

While many of these changes are minor, I think they’re worth pointing out since Ms. Takeuchi felt it was worth making these changes. Please note, though, that when a change is made in one version and is retained in the rest, I will only point out the version when the change is made.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my kind Patreon subscribers who help make this, and other side projects, possible. These comparisons go up 1 month early on Patreon, so it you’re interested in being involved, please check it out!

Brought to you by:

• Zephyr Chan
• Joe
• Misty Van Dyke
• Efrain R
• Retrosofa
• Katie A.
• Roffles Lowell
• The Sailor Book
• Ellorgast

Without further ado, let’s get started!

 

Act 5 – Jupiter

The versions we’re looking at are:

• Nakayoshi magazine – Published June 1992 (released to stores in May 1992)
• Original tankobon – Published July 6, 1992
• Remastered tankobon – Published September 22, 2003
• Perfect tankobon – Published November 29, 2013

Note: There were few differences between the Remastered and Perfect editions, so for the sake of simplicity, I will only discuss the Perfect version when there are changes. Also, I didn’t bother to point out non-substantive changes, such as Ami’s name being changed throughout from hiragana (あみ) to kanji (亜美) in the transition between the Original and Remastered, as well as changed or rewritten sound effects. There are also many cases where the under-eye makeup is made slightly more emphasized for the Sailor Team, but the change is so small that I often omit it.

Let’s get going!

Page 1

Since Naoko no longer needed the space at the bottom to add in the “Last Time on Sailor Moon…” section, the panels were moved down slight and extended a bit, though there weren’t many changes. In the Original release, some dots were added around Usagi’s hands in the right-hand panel to suggest a glow, and in the top-right a leaf border has been added rather than just leaving it text in an empty space.

From the Remastered edition, we get some glow-balls – Naoko’s favorite! – added throughout and some text moved, but no substantial changes. Oh well!

Page 2

Pretty minor changes here, but only a background added to the lower-left panel with the Original version.

Once we get to the Remastered, unsurprisingly we get a touched-up Luna in the top panel, and Luna’s face has been cleaned up in the lower-left. Next!

Page 3

That… chin in the top-right. I’m not usually a fan of square-jawed characters, but Mamoru really needs to get that sorted out.

So in the Original, Tuxedo Chin gets some background art in the top-right, and some of the lines are removed in the Remastered. I think Usagi’s make-up is ever-so-slightly adjusted in the middle panel, but only barely.

Page 4

I’m starting to think that Naoko’s motivation was waning the further she made it into Volume 1, both in the Original and Remastered releases.

The only changes on this page that I can see are an adjustment to Luna’s face in the top-center panel as well as slight changes to Usagi and Makoto’s makeup at the bottom, all in the Remastered edition.

Page 5

Starting with the Original, Naoko kindly added a background to the middle-right panel (with Usagi and her friend), drew-in some ruffles to Wedding Dress Naru’s sleeves along with some flowers to her hair in the left-hand panel, and put a heart above Usagi’s head in the lower-left panel.

Once we hit the Remastered edition, Naru gets some further touch-ups in the left-hand panel, with her sleeves being slightly redrawn and her hair adjusted to give it some more volume. At the bottom-left, Usagi’s right odango has been redrawn to make it more round and her bangs filled out.

Page 6

The Original introduces a few small design changes, specifically the girls’ skirts have been colored in black in the top panel, a screentone added over the background of the middle panel, and some sunflowers added to the speech bubble in the bottom.

In the Remastered, Usagi’s bangs have been filled out (on the right-hand side) in the bottom panel, and perhaps a runner-up for the most pointless edit ever, some lines have been added to her odango in the lower-left.

Page 7

I’m actually not finding any changes on this page, with the exception of the removal in the Remastered edition of a small author’s note next to the lower-right panel, where Naoko explains to her young readers that this 天パー (tempaa) Makoto is talking about is short for 天然パーマ (ten’nen paama; natural perm).

Page 8

I’m going to be completely honest – I was really, really hoping that Makoto’s lunch would get redrawn over one of the iterations. Sadly, no luck.

In the Original, a background is drawn behind Usagi and Naru in the top-center panel and Usagi’s musical note is colored in to the top-left. From the Remastered, Usagi gets a much-needed odango in the top-left, some more kids are added playing baseball in the middle-left panel, and some of our favorite glow-balls have been added to the bottom-right. Yay for glow-balls!

Page 9

In the lower-middle panel (where Makoto is offering up her lunch), a screentone has been added over Makoto in the Original version, and once we get to the Remastered edition, some movement lines are added above Usagi’s odango and she gets some bang-ier bangs in the same lower-middle panel. To the lower-left, Usagi’s school blouse is redrawn slightly and the tiny Makoto head has had her hair colored in.

Page 10

Is it just me, or does the Sailor V game seem to change in every single issue? It’s almost like Naoko really wasn’t sure what kind of game she wanted it to be, and just drew whatever sounded fun at the time.

No changes to the Original, but from the Remastered edition Usagi gets some bang-extensions in the top-right panel. In the top-left, we lose another out-of-panel note, this time with a comment from Usagi that reads:

I’m so sorry! Listen, you can have my lunch!

Seems kinda sad to get rid of this note, since Usagi’s offering to let Makoto eat her own lunch that Ikuko made.

Finally, in the bottom-left, Ami gets some more volume to her hair, and Luna’s face is touched up.

Page 11

There are some interesting changes on this page, starting with the Original edition. The least interesting of which is that, in the top-left panel, some circles have been added behind Makoto. But more interesting is the fact that the kanji for Motoki’s name has changed (from 基 to 元基; in the middle panel) and in the lower-right panel, Usagi’s speech bubble regarding calling Makoto “Mako-chan” has been extended from just “You’re Mako-chan!” to:

You’re Mako-chan, then! Mako-chan – she’s good at cooking, and strong too!

In the Remastered, Usagi’s hand on her chin is lowered a bit in the lower-right panel (you can see a slightly-too-thick black line on her cheek where the edit was covered up) and an out-of-panel comment from Usagi next to Luna and Ami was removed. In response to Luna’s comment about “What about Tuxedo Mask??” Usagi replies:

Well, Motoki came first…!

In reference to her love for all the cute men around her.

Page 12

Wow, this page changed quite a bit from its original design. So much so that I doubt I really even need to point it out.

The bridal shop that they go to has been completely redrawn in the Remastered edition in the top and bottom panels, and in the middle-right panel the decorative arch below the window has been removed. The reason for this is because the building is in fact the very  Yumi Katsura Bridal Salon, so I imagine they wanted to clean that up.

Also in the Remastered, the background building in the top panel is redrawn, and the decorative arch is again removed in the top-left. Ah well!

Page 13

Let’s talk about the pink elephant in the room first – those crows are really ugly. And they never get better. Okay, good, that’s done.

Changes to this page start in the Remastered version, and include changes to Luna’s face (shock!!), Usagi’s bangier bangs, a left odango adjustment, more makeup under her eye, Usagi’s right-side shirt sleeve is less poofy, and the building in the background is adjusted, including a less decorative arch (all in the top panel). In the lower-right panel, the Hikawa shrine panel has been entirely redrawn.

Page 14

Just a few small changes in the Remastered version, and those would be Makoto’s arms are redrawn in the top panel, Rei’s makeup redone, Ami’s sleeve have some ruffles added on the right side in the lower-right panel, and in the lower-left panel more of Usagi’s arms and drawn and her bangs grow.

Page 15

Lots of small revisions to this page in the Remastered edition! Specifically:

• Naoko adds her favorite Dark Kingdom shading effect to the bottom of the Rei panel in the top left
• in the middle panel, the background is redrawn (specifically, the building between the two boys and the trees on the left)
• Luna is almost completely redrawn in both of her panels
• Usagi is touched up quite a bit in the lower-right, including:
  • her bangs (right side) are more banged
  • her sleeves are re-poofed and stripes on her collar cleaned up
  • her blouse is redrawn a bit
  • it… looks like her ears are a bit lower?
  • the border is made solid around the whole panel
• one again, the bridal salon is redone, and so is the building next to it

Page 16

So now we can see the bridal salon from the inside and, surprisingly, it looks like Naoko didn’t feel like many revisions were needed. You can even see that the decorative border above the window was left intact. However, it looks like a window (and some… banner, hanging from the roof?) has been removed in the Remastered.

Also, in the lower-left panel, a sort of… water-color? Cloud of evil? A design is added behind the text.

Lastly… hey, is that Endo talking to Motoki? You know, who brainwashed Mamoru brutally murders later on and we never hear from again? Weird, I thought he only existed to die.

Page 17

It always amazes me that this panel was never “fixed” or otherwise altered, seeing as how Makoto is clearly buying from an Asahi Beer vending machine. She’s clearly getting ready for a long night of… studying. Yes, studying.

Anyway, almost no changes to this page, except one thing in the remastered: in the bottom panel with a closeup on Mamoru closing his book (and probably thinking about murdering Endo at some time in the future), the bottom of the panel has now been added to clean up the page layout.

Also, Makoto stuttered in the middle-right panel, but that’s a non-content text change.

Page 18

So, umm… how long do you think Tuxedo Mask was watching her in the window before Usagi woke up? And am I the only one who finds this creepy?

More importantly, look at Usagi go! Not even henshin’s as Sailor Moon and she still dives out the second-story window and chases after him! You go, girl.

Minor changes here. In the Original, shading is added to Usagi’s huge window sill and under Tuxedo Mask. Also, the ruffles on Usagi’s pajama collar get cleaned up.

In the Remastered edition, Usagi’s hair has a few more detailed lines added to it in the top-right, her eye makeup is made more extreme in the top-right and middle panels, and Tuxedo Mask has had a lot of the light-source reflection spots colored in black.

Surprisingly, no changes to Luna!

Page 19

In the Original edition, text has been inserted into the bottom-center panel to have someone (Usagi?) recognize that this is the same ghost from earlier. The two text inserts read:

Is that…
That’s the ghost bride!!

In the Remastered version, Luna is redrawn in both the top- and bottom-right panels – and that’s a good thing, too, since she didn’t have eyes before! Also in the bototm-right panel, the rest of Rei and Ami’s clothes are drawn in. Finally, that dark spraypaint effect is added to the top of the panel with the ghost bride.

Page 20

Whoa, finally a noteworthy text edit! In the top-right (and continued in the top left), in the first Nakayoshi appearance, the Ghost Bride says:

Become my slaves and give up your energy for those under my command!

These two lines have been rewritten in the Original to:

Give yourselves up to my mannequins and sacrifice yourself to those under my command!

I’m guessing that they wanted to avoid the “slave” comment here? Otherwise, it’s a weird edit.

Also in the Original, a dark screentone was added to the top of the top-middle panel and, in the Remastered edition, the checkerboard pattern is more pronounced behind Tuxedo Usagi. Finally, the rabbit image in the lower-right bubble is redrawn.

Page 21

One note here: I wonder if Sailor Moon still technically has white boots at this point in time (before the story settled on her red boots). Probably red, but something about the shading here is iffy to me.

Anyway, small change in the Original release, but some extra shading/effects were added around the brooch during the transformation.

Moving into the Remastered edition, we get the… umm, super ugly brooch redraw? And that’s about it!

Page 22

Wow, lots to talk about here in the Remastered edition!

• Sailor Moon’s brooch is redrawn and her odango (right) is made a bit larger
• Her speech bubble is rewritten from:

In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!

To:

I, sailor-suited pretty soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon, will punish you in the name of the moon!

• Sailor Mercury’s background changes from just mist to water droplets
• Her speech bubbles are also rewritten from:

Trying to manipulate people is unforgivable! You should use that knowledge for the good of the world and the people! I will punish you. With the power of Mercury, I will cool your head!

To:

The soldier of water and intellect, I am Sailor Mercury! Your knowledge should be used for the good of the world and the people! With the power of Mercury, I will submerge you! Cool your head and face your punishment!

All rough translations, of course!

Page 23

In the Original, we’ve got one small edit to the top-left, with the Jupiter symbol being added to Makoto’s forehead (something that wasn’t done with any of the senshi until the Original release).

Once we make it to the Remastered edition, that Jupiter symbol is edited (poorly…), some flame effects are added under Mars in the right panel, some lightening is done to Makoto’s hair at the top, and in the bottom-left panel, Makoto’s collar and hair are defined a bit better. Sailor Mars also gets some slight edits, with her back bow being colored in, and Naoko added in the jewel to her waist, that was forgotten before.

Now for the text changes! Sailor Mars gets a rewrite too! From:

Trying to trick women? Don’t underestimate us! By the power of Mars, I will show you what the fire of fury!

To:

The soldier of fire and passion, I am Sailor Mars! Don’t underestimate women! By the power of Mars, I will incinerate you!

And Makoto also gets a small rewrite in the top left from “You tricked me?” (だましたの？; damashita no) to “Damn…” (チクショウ; chikushou).

In the bottom left, her text is also rewritten from:

You would dare trample on a girl’s pure heart?!

To:

I will show you the power of a girl’s pure heart!!

Page 24

In the Original release, Makoto’s hand, face, and Jupiter symbol are added to the lower-right behind the henshin stick, to make it clearer that she grabbed it. Also, some stars are added behind her feet when she transforms into Sailor Jupiter.

With the Remastered edition, Luna was redrawn in the top-right, the Jupiter symbol and transformation effects were changed on the right, glowy star things were added behind Jupiter in her transformation, and – probably most importantly – her belt with potpourri ball have now been added in.

For some odd reason, the shading on Makoto’s boots was removed.

Page 25

Yay Nephrite! Time to… well, die. At the hands of flowers. Lots of people often forget the Sailor Jupiter’s first attack ever in the series was, in fact, Flower Hurricane. But I’m sure none of you people did, right?

One small change in the Original edition, and that’s with Sailor Jupiter in the middle panel. More flowers were added to the background behind her.

Starting with the Remastered, Sailor Jupiter gets even more flowers behind her (I mean, it is a hurricane, so…) and Naoko remembered to add in her potpourri belt. Also, Jupiter’s last bubble is written ever-so-slightly rewritten. Up to the Original, it says “Let lightning…!!” and continues on the next page to say “Strike!!”  But from the Remastered, it reads “Let lightning Strike!!” and is followed up on the following page with “Jupiter Thunder Bolt!!”

Page 26

First off… text-changes in the right panel, see the previous page.

Otherwise, the only notable change on this page is to Jupiter in the right panel, where she now has a potpourri belt and more extreme (supreme?) lightning behind her.

NEXT!

Page 27

Surprisingly very few changes to this page. Naoko even forgot to lay on her heavy MSPaint spraypaint effect and add black borders to all the Dark Kingdom panels!

The only changes are in the Remastered, and are limited to basically Beryl’s hand looking slight more wrinkly and old in the lower-right panel, and some shading added to the top of that panel.

Page 28

Wow… that was a good looking Luna, even going all the way back to the Nakayoshi release! In fact, it was so good looking that the only revisions are to Sailor Jupiter in the top right getting her potpourri belt and Tuxedo Mask’s top hat getting filled in to the top-left, both of which happened from the Remastered.

Page 29

Not much in the way of changes here either. In the top-right, Sailor Jupiter’s rose earring is made a bit smaller and adjusted, and some background decorations are added to the bottom panel.

Neeeeext!

Page 30

Starting with the Original edition, the Jupiter symbol is added in, along with some nice… bubble effects? Once we move into the Remastered release, the Jupiter symbol is redrawn. Also of note, Mars’ face gets an update in the top-right (specifically, her lipstick is removed) and Luna gets updated again in the top-left.

We also have some text changes to the top-left dialogue. It goes from:

We’re all friends, Mako-chan. Everyone has their own powers. And you, you’re Sailor Jupiter!

This was rewritten to:

We’re all friends. And of course you, granted the protection of Jupiter, the soldier of lightning and bravery, you are our friend too Sailor Jupiter.

Page 31

Changes to the Original release were minor – just coloring in Sailor Moon’s odango jewel and adding shade to her skirt. In the Remastered release, some glowing starbursts are added behind Luna, a glow effect is added around the Moon Stick, and the Moon Stick has been redrawn slightly in both shots.

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And that concludes my review of Act 5, the fifth chapter and final chapter in the first Sailor Moon tankobon release. I hope you enjoyed it!

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