Iconic magical girl Usagi Tsukino has been fighting evil and winning love for over 30 years, so what better way to celebrate than the biggest ever exhibition dedicated to Sailor Moon?
We headed down to Roppongi Museum in Tokyo to give you a look at the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Museum, which is part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for Naoko Takeuchi’s classic manga. The event brings together more than 600 items, including original illustrations, props, costumes and more. Not to mention, there’s themed food for anyone who gets hungry from all the excitement!
Whether you’re already in Japan or planning a visit, read on for a taste of what you can expect.
First up is a gorgeous series of items used by Sailor Moon and her friends. Yes, we’ll admit that our first instinct was to pick them up so we could wield them in a battle that would save Earth… but that’s totally normal, right? Right?
Sailor Moon has lit up our lives for three decades, but now it’s time to get ready for a whole new level of sparkliness! We could have spent hours staring at these iconic manga panels alone, but the holographic material meant there was also lots of fun to be had looking at them from different angles.
From nostalgic 90’s designs to today’s polished style, Usagi and the girls have had an epic anime journey, and it’s only right to celebrate all of it! Featuring vibrant snapshots, storyboards, character designs and more, this section was an absolute goldmine for anime fans.
In addition to 2D displays, we were treated to literal walls full of beautiful items that had our wallets crying for mercy. And this wasn’t even the merch shop!
These costumes may not be for sale, but just seeing the effort put into every little detail was enough for us. Plus, they’re sure to inspire countless cosplayers who want some more magic in their lives!
Do you have a favorite Sailor Moon collab? This time, the spotlight was on Jimmy Choo’s limited edition Crystal Boots. True to their name, they’re smothered with Swarovski crystals… which explains its price tag of 1,796,000 yen, or over $13,000!
Luckily, we found plenty of event-exclusive merch that was suitable for most budgets. Whether you want to rock a Sailor Moon bucket hat or chill with a collection of chibi acrylic stands, there’s something for you!
We’re not going to lie – with so many areas to see and things to fangirl over, we seriously needed to replenish our energy. Fortunately, the museum’s café had a selection of themed dishes and drinks that were perfect for rounding off the visit.
Finally, as a bonus for reading all the way to the end, here’s a cute little detail we loved. Yup, even the toilet signs were changed to look like Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask!
What did you think of our peek into this Sailor Moon paradise? Believe it or not, there’s even more to see in our photo gallery, which is right below this article. And if you can make it to Tokyo, there’s still plenty to discover at the actual event!
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Museum will be held at Roppongi Museum until December 30, 2022. It is divided into three periods that each feature original illustrations from different parts of the manga.
For more info, visit the official website.
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article with photography by T. Hara.