The beloved manga and anime Sailor Moon brings its best to North America with a spectacular theatrical debut as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live embarks on its U.S. tour today in Austin, TX.
The musical features a lively stage production that brings Naoko Takeuchi’s iconic Sailor Moon characters to life through special effects, vibrant music, and captivating choreography. Leading the all-female cast is Riko Tanaka as Sailor Moon, otherwise known as Usagi Tsukino, the rabbit-named main character of the series. She leads the “Sailor Scouts,” “Pretty Soldiers,” or whatever English dub translation you grew up with, as they fight against the forces of the Negaverse.
Lead producer Makoto Matsuda, along with Satomi Toma and Tanaka, met with the press to discuss the highly anticipated U.S. tour of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live and the enduring global impact of Sailor Moon.
The show distinguishes itself by going beyond a typical musical or concert. It masterfully incorporates elements from the manga and anime, a style Matsuda describes as bringing 2D characters into a vibrant 3D world. This aligns with the 2.5D trend in Japan, and Matsuda believes this unique form of stage adaptation has evolved to the point where it necessitates its own distinct category.
The tour officially launches today in partnership with South by Southwest, following a preview performance in Pittsburgh on March 12. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live will then visit 21 additional cities across the United States, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, St. Louis, Chicago, and New York, before concluding on April 24.
Tanaka shared that she has loved Sailor Moon since childhood.
” I’m a little too young to experience it live, but I was from a time where I would rent Sailor Moon at a video rental shop and watch it — that’s how much I loved Sailor Moon,” she said. “Now that I’m portraying the character, I feel so much love from throughout the entire world, everybody loves Sailor Moon.”
The Sailor Moon manga, first published in 1991, rapidly achieved widespread popularity, which has since spurred the creation of over 40 musical productions since 1993. The original Sailor Moon anime series is currently available on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. The 2014 reboot, Sailor Moon Crystal, is streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix, while its two-part movie is exclusively on Netflix.
According to the show’s choreographer, Toma, Sailor Moon is a global phenomenon that profoundly impacted her during childhood, particularly through its distinctive visuals and presentation.
“Once I became involved in this production, I reread the original manga, and I was so moved by the beauty of how it was portrayed — how her hair moves and how her skirt flitters,” said Toma. “I want to keep that sense of awe in the production. The impression it left on me was very strong.”
The full schedule of the U.S. tour, along with ticket availability, is available on the show’s official website.
Image: Naoko Takeuchi / The Super Live Production Committee
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