In 1992, the celebrated Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon anime debuted in Japan, capturing the hearts of thousands of young fans. The series would eventually explode across the globe, resulting in five major story arcs, stage musicals, live action series, and countless pieces of iconic merchandise (after all, who didn’t want their own sailor outfit?). We shared in the excitement of their battles and victories, we laughed at their antics, we sang that catchy theme song, and we definitely envied their cat. Now, twenty later, creator Naoko Takeuchi has announced that we don’t have to put away our plastic moon scepters just yet–the series will return with a new anime debuting in the summer of 2013.
On the morning of July 6th, Sailor Moon fans who tuned into Japan’s premier video sharing site, Nico Nico, for the 20th anniversary talk featuring pop band Momoiro Clover Z, were pleasantly surprised with the news that Takeuchi and Kodansha Comics already have a new series in the works. Kodansha editor Fumio Osano has confirmed that the new project will not be a film, but a serialized anime. They have yet to release any details beyond its existence, its format, and its debut timeframe, but longtime fans of the series have already begun to speculate that this new anime will be a reboot geared to both young, potential-moonies, and older fans.
The presence of Kotono Mitsuishi (voice actor of Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon) and Toru Furuya (voice actor of Mamoru Chiba/Tuxedo Mask) at the anniversary event has certainly raised some eyebrows — will they reprise their roles in the upcoming series? The voice actor cast remains to be seen, but what we do know is that Momoiro Clover Z will provide the show’s theme song, it will be produced by Toei animation, which also animated the original series, and it will be distributed worldwide (!) after it runs its course in Japan, though I’m sure people will be subbing it and uploading it online much sooner than that.
I am totally pumped for this reboot, I just hope they maintain Haruka and Michiru’s relationship when the series finally makes its way over the the States. What are you hoping to see in the new Sailor Moon series?
(via MTV Geek News, Kodansha Comics, Anime News Network, and Toon Zone.)
