*Information Every New Moonie Should Know*Background plus some words you might need to know
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon was created by Takeuchi Naoko after of the initial success of "Code Name wa Sailor V," a manga (comic) about a girl in a sailor suit who fights crime (Sailor V would eventually become Sailorvenus). "Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon" started as a manga series in February of 1992 and the TV serial orginally aired in Japan on March 7, 1992.
Already you have probably run into a few Japanese words which you don't know. Below are some of the most common words or phrases which you are probably gonna run into at some point.
Anime = Not necessarily a Japanese word, but a good one to know. Anime is the art style used in a lot of animated japanese movies, tv series, etc. Typically the girls (which are sometimes reffered to as "anime babes") are thin, pretty, wear school girl outfits, and have *long* legs. The guys also tend to be lean, athletic, and long-limbed. Anime is not, at least in my humble opinion, cartoons. Most anime isn't necessarily directed at children and many have nudity, violence, and a lot of sexual overtones, much unlike any American cartoons. Japanamation and Japanime are other terms that means the same thing.
Bishoujo = A pretty girl
Bishonen = A pretty/feminine boy (not necessarily a compliment ^^;)
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon = Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon
Chibi = Little (Chibiusagi (aka Chibiusa/Rini) is literally "Little Usagi" and ChibiChibi is "Little Little")
Kamen = Mask (Tuxedo Mask's Japanese name is Tuxedo Kamen)
Manga = A comic book, assumed to be Japanese. (For example, Sailor Moon has two art styles: the manga style and the anime style, that is, one style is used in the comics while another is used in the TV show)
Sailor Fuku (Seifuku) = The school girl uniforms you see many/most anime girls wearing. The school uniforms are based on English style school uniforms, which look like sailor suits. The sailor senshi's outfits were based on sailor fuku. Click the links to see a picture of Rei (Sailormars), Usagi (Sailormoon), and Mako (Sailorjupiter) wearing sailor fuku from the first season, and hereto see the inner senshi's highschool fuku.
Senshi = Warrior, soldier, or as the Sailor girls are refered to in the NA version, *shudder* scout
FYI (For you information): Japanese words do not have a plural form like most Western languages, i.e. plural form of senshi is not "senshis."
If you run into any other words you don't know, check out this awesome Japanese<=>English Dictionary.A quick summary of the story (based on the NA anime version)
A long time ago (1,000 years to be exact) there was a time called the Silver Millenium. During this era the universe, ruled by Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, was a peaceful and wonderful place.
Queen Serenity had a daughter by the name of Princess Serena. This princess had fallen in love with the prince of the Earth, Prince Darien. Relations between the people of Earth and the people of the Moon was forbidden so the two love birds had to be secretive. However, there was one women name Beryl (I think her first name was something like Michelle) who was also very in love with Prince Darien. When it became clear that she could not have him, her jealousy overcame her and she became evil Queen Beryl, set on destroying the Moon Kingdom and Serena and Darien's love.
And so Queen Beryl led the Negaverse attack on our universe. The princesses of each planet became the Sailor Senshi and tried to use their powers to protect their planet and the universe, but all efforts soon crumbled. Only the Moon was left, and the evil forces were getting stronger and stronger.
Just before the Negaverse attack, there was a ball going on in the royal palace. Because he was not allowed there, Prince Darien wore a tuxedo and also a mask (hence the name Tuxedo Mask) so as to not be recognized. While they danced, Darien told Princess Serena that the Moon was in danger, and that he would have to go and fight.
Suddenly, Luna and Artemis, Queen Serenity's loyal feline advisors, ran into the dance room and yelled that the Negaverse was attacking. Prince Darien went to fight, and Princess Serena stood on the balcony and prayed for his saf
