Sailor Moon is one of the greatest, most influential anime of all time. Since the debut of the original anime back in the ’90s, it has taken the anime world by storm and easily earned a place among the big names of anime. Many successful modern series cite Sailor Moon as their inspiration, and even those not directly inspired by the franchise owe their popularity to it.
There are plenty of trends throughout anime that the series started, with many modern series benefiting from its popularity. From setting the standard for magical girl anime to paving the way for stronger female characters, there’s no denying that Sailor Moon is one of anime’s biggest trendsetters.
10 After Sailor Moon, Magical Girls Started Fighting Evil
In the early days of magical girl anime, the cute heroines of the series normally didn’t have an evil foe to battle against. Most magical girls wore pretty outfits and went on fun adventures with their friends.
That isn’t to say that no magical girls before Sailor Moon ever fought to save the day, but it wasn’t until Usagi and her friends came around that this idea became popular. Before that, saving the day as a magical girl usually meant protecting dreams or collecting magical objects without the hindrance of a big villain.
9 Dark Themes In Magical Girl Anime Took Off Thanks To Sailor Moon
Before Sailor Moon made it big, most magical girl series were very lighthearted and cute. Its debut brought many groundbreaking changes to the genre, including much darker storylines than anime fans had seen before. Since then, dark magical girl anime have become more popular than ever, with many modern series deconstructing the genre.
Sailor Moon may not be the first magical girl series to take a dark turn, but it’s easily the most well-known. One can even argue that without its influence, magical girl anime would never have crossed the threshold into much darker territory.
8 It Blended Shojo And Shonen Together, And Many Other Series Followed Suit
There’s usually a pretty clear difference between shonen and shojo anime. However, as the years go by, the two become more and more alike. The ’90s Sailor Moon is one of the most notable early examples of the lines between shonen and shojo becoming blurred.
It retains many of the characteristics of a typical shojo but includes the action and higher stakes mostly found in a shonen series. Since then, many other series have taken the same route, blending together characteristics from both genres. It’s created much more nuance and unpredictability within anime that keeps things interesting for fans.
7 Magical Girl Prop Weapons Date Back To The Original Sailor Moon Series
Everyone knows a magical girl isn’t a magical girl without her signature prop she uses to save the day. Nowadays, that’s just commonplace, but it wasn’t always that way. However, once Sailor Moon arrived with her iconic Moon Stick, many other magical girls began to tote their own prop weapons.
What was once an innovative and groundbreaking addition to magical girls has now become a vital part of their identities. Now, it’s shocking to picture a magical girl without her own signature prop. It’s all thanks to Sailor Moon that this trend became a staple.
6 Monster Of The Week Plots Didn’t Start With Sailor Moon, But They Exploded In Popularity After Its Debut
The Monster of the Week plot is a classic trope that fans either love or hate, and when it came to the ’90s Sailor Moon, most couldn’t get enough. This trend certainly didn’t start with Sailor Moon, as many other anime had already put it into practice. However, it became more popular than ever after the series debuted.
Since then, countless anime have adopted the Monster of the Week format, and it’s a trend that’s still going strong in modern series. While it’s not for everyone, it’s a simple, straightforward plotline that’s been proven over the decades to work for just about any kind of anime.
5 Magical Girls Fighting In Teams Didn’t Use To Be A Thing
Back in the early years of magical girls, the heroine usually saved the day on her own. It wasn’t until Sailor Moon came along that magical girls working together as a team became normalized. While there are still plenty of examples of solo heroines, most magical girl series tend to take the sentai team route nowadays.
From PreCure to Madoka Magica, even the most innovative of magical girl shows incorporate this basic structure. What once was a groundbreaking change in the genre is now a defining characteristic that all fans expect.
4 A Love Interest That The Heroine Can’t Stand At First Is Nothing New Now, But Was Unheard Of Before Sailor Moon
Anime fans have all seen at least one series where the heroine can’t stop fighting with her love interest by now. It’s become a trend used so often that many see it as a big cliché. However, it was more or less unheard of until the ’90s Sailor Moon gave fans a taste of this dynamic.
Usagi and Mamoru’s relationship is complicated in every adaptation of the series, but in the original anime, their bickering reaches new heights that many fans weren’t accustomed to seeing. Since then, the enemies-to-lovers trend has exploded in popularity, and many series still use this trope to add interest and drama to their storylines.
3 Luna Is One Of The First Talking Animal Mentors, But Certainly Not The Last
Talking animals that act as a guide for the heroes is a staple in anime that transcends genres. There’s no shortage of cute animal mascots, from magical girls to shonen series. Luna and Artemis are two of the earliest examples of these animal mentors, each coming to the aid of Usagi and the other Senshi.
Soon after their debut, it became hard to find a series without some type of mascot acting as a mentor or aid. Today, cute animal mascots helping the heroes are so commonplace that no one thinks twice when they see them. The trend is so big now that many series even subvert it and introduce cute mascots acting as villains instead.
2 Before Sailor Moon, Heroes Weren’t As Relatable
Early anime heroes seemed larger than life to fans. While their powers were incredible, there was little for the audience to relate to with these powerhouses. Sailor Moon introduced to many the idea of ordinary teenagers gaining the power to save the world. This gave fans a chance to see themselves in anime heroes.
Since then, many rising heroes begin their journies as average students, slowly gaining power throughout the series. With the rise of the isekai genre, this trend is more popular than ever, and many fans can now put themselves into the action as the protagonist. Even shonen heroes are more relatable than before, thanks to Sailor Moon‘s influence.
1 Magical Girl Transformations Are Now An Iconic Part Of Magical Girls
A magical girl isn’t a magical girl without her own signature transformation sequence. Magical girl transformations are the bread and butter of the genre, each one unique to its heroine. With beautiful visuals and a catchy theme, they’re one of the most memorable parts of a magical girl series. However, before Sailor Moon took the stage, magical girl transformations were few and far between. But when Sailor Moon debuted, everyone was blown away by her transformation from Usagi to the Pretty Guardian.
It set the stage for future magical girl series, with every new heroine emulating that iconic style. Even other genres and non-anime series pay homage to Sailor Moon’s famous transformation with references and parodies, showing just how influential the series was for all forms of media.
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