The Sailor Moon Movie Timeline, Explained

The 1990s saw the skyrocketing popularity of Sailor Moon in the Western market. With the first season of Sailor Moon running from March 1992 through February 1993, Usagi’s story transfixed Western audiences. From her transformation to Sailor Moon, battles with the Sailor Guardians against the evil forces, and her dramatic love story with the Prince-Endymion-reincarnated Mamoru Chiba, Usagi tale made for a compelling narrative, especially for younger viewers.

Its popularity led to Sailor Moon movies to complement and expand upon the lore and adventures, doubling down on the massive success of the franchise. Three feature length movies were released during the 1990s, connected directly to the original anime series. When the Sailor Moon anime ended in 1997, its popularity never waned. This no doubt fueled the decision to green-light Sailor Moon Crystal, a new retelling of Sailor Moon’s story. Aligning more accurately with the original manga, the series cut back on the number of filler episodes and introduced a whole new generation to the beloved magical girls.

Sailor Moon R: The Movie Features an Entirely New Story

An Old Promise Spells Disaster for the Sailor Guardians

Sailor Moon R: The Movie takes its name from the second season of the Sailor Moon 90s anime series. In the film, the Sailor Guardians are enjoying a peaceful day at the Jindai Botanical Gardens when a stranger appears. Fiore is a childhood friend of Mamoru Chiba who returned to Earth to keep a promise he made to Mamoru years ago.

At the same time, a dangerous comet continues to hurtle toward Earth, drawing concern from Luna, Artemis and the Sailor Guardians. Fiore attempts to steal life energy from the humans on Earth, eventually taking Mamoru back to the comet, and the audience learns that he’s doing so under the control of the Xenian flower. Sailor Moon uses the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal to cleanse Fiore of the Xenian flower’s influence and deflect the comet from striking Earth, though sadly, Fiore perishes in a noble sacrifice to assist Sailor Moon.

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Toei Animation originally released the Japanese language version of Sailor Moon R: The Movie on December 5, 1993, earning an impressive ¥1.3 billion at the box office. In 2018, a later Blu-ray collection of this film and the two films that followed. Pioneer released a Japanese version with English subtitles on August 31, 1999, with an uncut bilingual DVD on February 8, 2000. Later, Viz Media re-licensed the film in 2014 for an updated English-language release, with a DVD and Blu-ray version coming out on April 18, 2017. Within the overall story of Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon R: The Movie takes place within the second season of the 1990s anime.

Sailor Moon R: The Promise of the Rose

A Mamoru’s friend from the past arrives on Earth to wreak havoc and the heroes must stop them.

Director

Kunihiko Ikuhara

Release Date

December 5, 1994

Cast

Terri Hawkes , Kotono Mitsuishi , Tôru Furuya , Aya Hisakawa , Katie Griffin , Vincent Corazza

Runtime

1 hour 1 minute

Sailor Moon S: The Movie Capitalizes on the Pervious Movie’s Success

The Film Offers a Plot Written by Series Creator, Naoko Takeuchi

The icy plot of Sailor Moon S: The Movie revolves around Princess Snow Kaguya, an alien invader who arrives on Earth with the intention of claiming it as her own. Meanwhile, Luna, Usagi’s close friend and cat confidante, develops a one-sided unrequited love for Kakeru, an astronomer who dreams of space and believes in the existence of Princess Kaguya. Kakeru’s girlfriend, astronaut Himeko, struggles to understand his obsession with the comet, causing friction in their relationship. As Princess Snow Kaguya attacks, the Sailor Guardians unite to protect Earth, battling ice creatures and the alien queen herself. In the film, Luna transforms into a human to express her feelings and inspire hope to Kakeru, which allows him to reconnect with Himeko. Sailor Moon and her friends overcome the challenge of Princess Snow Kaguya, rescuing Earth from an eternal winter, in a film that beautifully weaves together themes of love and sacrifice.

The film was released in Japanese theaters on December 4, 1994, and included in the three-film collection released on February 7, 2018, for Blu-ray. English releases — like the first film — saw the licensing studio change hands as the years progressed. Firstly, Pioneer Entertainment released the film in its original Japanese with English subtitles on August 31, 1999, and then an uncut bilingual DVD on May 23, 2000. In 2014, Viz Media updated the English-language version and released a new dubbed version, with a DVD and Blu-ray available on October 2, 2018. Fathom Events offered a one-day screening throughout the U.S., featuring this film and its predecessor, with dubbed and subtitled options, on July 28, 2018, and July 30, 2018, respectively. Within the continuity of Usagi’s story, Sailor Moon S: The Movie takes place in the third season of the 1990s anime series. While it’s not part of the main storyline, real fans of Sailor Moon don’t skip the movies.

Sailor Moon S: The Movie

An unusual snow storm hits the town and the Sailor Scouts discover that an evil snow queen Kaguya, wants to freeze the entire earth. It’s up to the Inner Sailor Scouts along with the Outers, to defeat the Queen. Meanwhile, Luna falls in love with a human astronomer named Kakeru whose girlfriend is an astronaut about to take a space shuttle mission. Kakeru becomes ill and Luna wishes she could be a human to help him.

Release Date

December 4, 1994

Studio

Toei Animation

Cast

Kotono Mitsuishi , Aya Hisakawa , Megumi Ogata

Runtime

61 Minutes

Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie Concludes the Original Anime Run of Movies

Naoko Takeuchi Provided the Character Concept for the Antagonist

In a film rife with some of the Sailor Moon franchise’s darkest moments, Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie begins with children across the world disappearing, lured away by the enchanting sound of a magical flute by the mysterious Poupelin. Back in Tokyo, Usagi, Chibiusa and the rest of their friends bake cookies together, with Usagi’s looking good but tasting terrible, and vice versa for Chibiusa. Chibiusa intends to give her cookies to Mamoru, but instead gives them to a new friend she makes at a sweet shop named Perle.

That night, children — including Chibiusa — begin leaving their beds and sleepwalking through the city, summoned by the henchman of Queen Badiane. To rescue their friend, Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians go after her, learning that Queen Badiane intends to create a Black Dream Hole from the dreams of the captured children. Together, the Super Sailor Guardians rally their power and defeat the dark Queen of Dreams, rescuing the children with Perle’s help and sending them home. Perle gives his glass flute to Chibiusa and comments that he will return to his task of protecting children’s dreams, assuring Chibiusa that he will always be with her.

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Japan’s theatrical run of Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie began on December 23, 1995, with its Blu-ray release joining the previous two films in a collection released on February 7, 2018. For English audiences, Pioneer released an English subtitled version of the film on August 31, 1999, with an uncut bilingual DVD version released nearly a year later on August 15, 2000. Afterward, Viz Media acquired the rights to the film, redubbing the film in association with Studiopolis for a 2014 re-release. Fathom Events sponsored a one-day nationwide showing of the film, with dubbed screenings on August 4, 2018, and subtitled screenings on August 6, 2018. Within the continuity of the Sailor Moon main storyline, Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie takes place within the fourth season of the original ’90s anime.

Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie

Usagi and her allies must save Chibi-Usa from the Evil Madame Vadiane

Director

Hiroki Shibata

Release Date

December 23, 1995

Cast

Tôru Furuya , Aya Hisakawa , Kotono Mitsuishi , Terri Hawkes , Vincent Corazza , Katie Griffin

Runtime

1 hour 15 minutes

Sailor Moon Eternal Serves as the Fourth Season of the Sailor Moon Crystal Reboot

The Film Covers the Dead Moon Circus Arc from the Original Manga

Sailor Moon Eternal follows directly after the end of the third season of Sailor Moon Crysta. This two-part film begins with a rare solar eclipse, which heralds the arrival of the Dead Moon Circus, a sinister group led by Zirconia. Zirconia serves Queen Nehelenia, the dark queen of the Dead Moon who was trapped in a mirror centuries ago by Queen Serenity. She seeks the pegasus, Helios and the Golden Crystal, a powerful artifact which will allow her to dominate the Earth and the Moon.

Looking for assistance, Helios seeks out Chibiusa, who reveals that only those with strong, pure dreams can protect the crystal and defeat the Dead Moon Circus. After overcoming their insecurities and defeating the Amazoness Quartet, all the Sailor Guardians unlock new transformations, becoming Super Sailor Guardians. The band together — showcasing some of the best Sailor Moon friendships — to defeat Queen Nehelenia, restoring peace to Earth.

COVID-19 derailed the original Japanese theatrical release date for Sailor Moon Eternal, with the epidemic pushing the release of the first half of the two-part film from the intended September 11, 2020, release to January 8, 2021, instead. The second came out more than a year later, releasing to Japanese audiences on February 11, 2021. Afterward, the Japanese Blu-ray and DVD were released on June 30, 2021. For international audiences, Netflix acquired the streaming rights, premiering it worldwide (excluding Japan and Mainland China,) on June 3, 2021. Within the overarching story of Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon Eternal has nothing to do with the 1990s anime and instead serves as the fourth season of the Sailor Moon Crystal reboot.

Sailor Moon Eternal

When a dark power enshrouds the Earth after a total solar eclipse, the scattered Sailor Guardians must reunite to bring light back into the world.

Director

Chiaki Kon

Release Date

January 8, 2021

Cast

Kotono Mitsuishi , Kenji Nojima , Michelle Ruff , Stephanie Sheh , Robbie Daymond , Ryō Hirohashi

Runtime

2 hours 40 minutes

Sailor Moon Cosmos Serves as the Final Chapter of the Sailor Moon Crystal Saga

The Film Covers the Sailor Stars Arc from the Original Manga

Sailor Moon Cosmos is a two-part film that concludes the Sailor Moon Crystal series, with the titular Sailor Moon and her Sailor Guardian friends poised against Sailor Galaxia’s Shadow Galactica. As the Shadow Galactica sweep across the galaxy, they defeat and steal the Sailor Crystals from Sailor Guardians, with Sailor Galaxia then destroying the planet as it is bereft of its sworn protector. Having conquered much of the Milky Way, she’s set her sights on Earth’s Solar System, where she steals the Golden Crystal from Mamoru Chiba, killing him in a brutal moment that causes Usagi’s mind to reject the memory out of self-preservation.

Sailor Moon meets the Sailor Starlights, a group of fighters from another star system searching for their missing princess after she fled from Sailor Galaxia’s rampage, and the mysterious Chibi Chibi, a young girl who reminds Usagi of Chibiusa. As Sailor Moon’s friends fall to the nefarious Sailor Animamates within the Shadow Galactica, Sailor Moon and her new allies decide to take the fight to Sailor Galaxia, meeting her at the heart of the cosmos: the Galaxy Cauldron. While there, she encounters the primordial force of evil, Chaos, and must make a courageous decision that will determine the course of life throughout the cosmos.

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The Japanese version of the two-part film released its components much closer time-wise than the previous film, Sailor Moon Eternal, with the first part being released on June 9, 2023 and the second releasing on June 30, 2023. The Blu-ray and DVD were released on December 20, 2023, to Japanese audiences. Like the previous Sailor Moon Crystal film, Netflix acquired the streaming rights and released both parts worldwide on August 22, 2024. Within the continuity of Usagi’s story, Sailor Moon Cosmos has nothing to do with the 90s anime series but serves as the final installment in the Sailor Moon Crystal franchise, wrapping up the series with love, peace and hope.

The Sailor Senshi team up with the Sailor Starlights to stop Sailor Galaxia from conquering the galaxy.

Director

Tomoya Takahashi

Release Date

June 9, 2023

Cast

Kotono Mitsuishi , Ryō Hirohashi , Kenji Nojima , Megumi Hayashibara , Hisako Kanemoto , Rina Satō

Runtime

2 hours 40 minutes