Sailor Moon

Author: Naoko Takeuchi

One of the most popular anime exports ever, in many ways the early 1990s anime series was defined by Sailor Moon. The series details the adventures of Usagi as a talking cat transforms her into Sailor Moon, allowing her to do battle with the Dark Kingdom along with the other Sailors, including Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, and the most fascinating tomboy, Sailor Jupiter. The Sailors are assisted by Tuxedo Mask, and while the Sailors are fighting great evils, they also have civilian lives that are amazingly human. Perhaps the most over-looked aspect of Sailor Moon is that it is often referencing, and sometimes lampooning, the dominant themes in other anime productions. The various alter egos of the Sailors each represent a form of the prominent girl-centric anime forms. There's a lot of adorable moments, and some very real moments of outer space conflict, and because they are so broad in the approach, they managed to connect with an international audience. A massive fandom grew up around Sailor Moon, lasting long-beyond the two year run of the series, and managed to become one of the most popular figures in the history of anime. Why it's on the list: A major turning point in the acceptance of anime for non-Japanese audiences.