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Those who grew up in the ‘90s would have been captivated by the magic Sailor Moon brought through your television screen, if you ever had a television accessible to you as a child. Adapted for the television from the manga series, written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi, the magical girl series became the source of inspiration for many young girls (and perhaps some young boys), especially because the story is one that meshes the ordinary and the extraordinary. Sailor Moon centres on Usagi Tsukino, a middle-school female underachiever by day, but a superwoman by night. Set in 1990s Tokyo, she learns from the talking cat that she is a reincarnation of a beautiful princess from the Moon Kingdom, known as Sailor Moon.  In search of the Phantom Silver Crystal, she leads her friends who transform into characters from outside the mundane world, they are known as Sailor Soldiers or Sailor Guardians. They aim to not only prevent the theft of the Silver Crystal, but also inhibit the solar system from being destroyed.

The highest-rated anime television series, produced by Toei Animation, aired from 7 March 1992 to 8 February 1997 in Japan. Not long after that, the series was also broadcast internationally, making it one of the most influential episodic series – way before there was on-demand streaming. ‘90s kids would remember watching the series on their respective local television channels.

The Sailor Moon television series ran for five years, spanning 200 episodes, with censored scenes, depending on where the series is broadcast, in accordance with censorship laws and regulations. There were also dubbed versions depending on the audience of a particular locality.

Known for the unforgettable transformation sequences, it’s no wonder Sailor Moon remains etched in the viewers’ minds, even if these viewers are in their 30s today.

The young of Malaysia would remember watching Sailor Moon alongside other anime series like Doraemon and Dragon Ball.