“Today, after I drew the cover for this book, I read a couple of fan letters. One letter was from Jakarta. From the Indonesian island of Java. Another letter was from Reunion island. An island that broke off from the Seychelles. Immediately I opened my massive blue National Geographic atlas. (Until they come out with a map of the universe, this is the book for me ^^)
And there it was. Floating in the Indian ocean next to the Republic of Madagascar, a little island! All this time, I had thought there was nothing on either side of it.
In such a far away unknown place, to find supporters of Sailormoon manga and anime… I was astonished! And two of them to boot (both teenage girls). The power of Japanese manga and anime must be amazing!
As I was reading all the fan letters from far away places, tears of happiness came to me. (Naoko is very prone to tears.) From this day forth, let’s live life to the fullest! That’s right. If there is that much happiness in it, then I will start to draw Sailormoon with that in mind.
Sailormoon manga was, at first, a creation of my own humble mind, nothing more than a personal fantasy world. Then, thanks to the power of countless people throughout the world, a great many fans of the series were born. I still can’t believe it myself, but it’s true.
The people of the world, all of them, whether it is the wrong race or the wrong language or the wrong lifestyle, tend to only think about what we cannot share. But our brains are all the same. We are the same people. With everyone’s strength, we can all share the same feelings. That much is obvious. But it won’t come easily.
My dream is (and I have many dreams), someday, to go out into the cosmos and gaze back at the Earth. Right now, even while at my desk (or lounging in my bed), I picture myself looking at the Earth while piloting a spaceship from far above.
We only have one Earth.
To be able to feel such joy is true happiness.
For being able to draw Sailormoon, I am truly grateful. To everyone, my deepest thanks.
–In this book, to all the fans of Sailormoon around the world, I enclose my love.
Please accept, in the name of happiness everywhere.”
1997.5.23 Naoko Takeuchi
English translation © 2002 David Jao. Used with permission.
- 390x538mm
- Original Picture Collection cover [scan is of the pull-out poster version inside]
- Media: Color ink, marker
- Paper: BB Kent
“For the final volume of the original picture collection, it’s Sailor Moon by herself. For the back I decided on a thick blue (sky) color. The yellow flowers adorning Sailor Moon are cymbidiums which appeared in “Happy Barry Sailor Moon” * of volume 18 of the comics. Aren’t they awesome? One of these flowers is named after Sailor Moon. The day the final Sailor Moon anime was released, I received this flower from Tomari-sama, the Toei director of animation, and I was so happy that I tried putting them on the cover as well.”
[The text in volume 18 says “Happy Barry ‘Sailor Moon’ ” in both English (roman characters) and Japanese katakana as the name of the flowers. It appears there really is a type of cymbidium called Happy Barry ‘Sailor Moon’!]
- 375x274mm
- Kodansha Comics Vol. 18 pinup
- Media: Color ink, color spray, marker
- Paper: Canson
“Here’s the “Happy Valley Sailor Moon” cover that also features the cymbidiums. I wanted to put a few more flowers in the picture. Surrounded by the Sailor Moon flowers, a happy Usagi and Mamo-chan are sealing their vows with a kiss. In my heart this is the last scene in Sailor Moon.”
- 373x550mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi March frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, marker, InstanTeX, water based ball pen, aeroflash
- Paper: Canson
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The scan was merged into one image by Terralune.]
“In the last installment’s frontispiece I decided to do a wedding ceremony. Everybody is full of happiness in their wedding dresses. I didn’t have much time to draw these so while going through Yamahodo’s wedding dress book I decided to use what everyone there was wearing, and it really was a lot of fun. My dream is also to be a bride ^_^ Hurry up and let me wear a beautiful wedding dress, my future husband.”
- 395x547mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi January supplement
- Media: Color ink, marker, Japanese paper, color copy, sticker, poster color
- Paper: Feather Waltz Cherry
“Some day or other I was going to draw the whole gang in kimono figures and I finally got around to doing it! It was fun but terribly difficult! Even in the best of circumstances it’s really hard work to draw kimonos x 11 people! The pink flowers in the back were cut out for me by manager Yurika-sama, but it was still tough. Whenever she was cutting them she would have to leave her desk…. Thank you so much, Yurika-sama.”
- 383x545mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi July frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, marker, transparent watercolor paint, pastel, modeling paste
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The second version above was merged into one image by Terralune.]
“Here I wanted to do a refreshing piece. The main lines I succeeded in doing in watercolor, and the back was done in classic. So in the midst of my usual work is this very un-Sailormoon-like illustration. You could say it’s my experimental drawing. The 11 girls’ poses, with their loving eyes, are very pleasing. But in this drawing, during the design stage (when I was testing it out) everyone’s hair, clothes, flowers, and the back were all yellow!”
- 381x542mm
- Materials Collection cover
- Media: Color ink, marker, color spray
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“The color of the cover of the materials collection would be yellow, I decided. This picture is the last one I drew out of all the pictures in this book. Having gone such a long time since last drawing all the soldiers I was pretty nervous. The materials collection is loaded with lots of cherished drawings that are really embarrassing, but together with the five picture collection volumes they commemorate my life’s work. Everyone please check it out!”
- 380x540mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi December frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, marker, water based ball pen
- Paper: Fine BB Kent, marble paper
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The first scan was merged into one image by Diana. The second version was edited by Terralune.]
“In this composition, as I started drawing Sailor Moon and the others, I thought the ten figures somehow turned out really small and the picture ended up without any intensity. Looking at it myself, it seems to be a very strange picture. The colors of the sailor senshi aside from Sailor Moon might be different from the colors I’m used to seeing, I wonder.”
- 550x395mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi April first page
- Media: Color ink, color spray, marker
- Paper: Cloudscape hydrangea
“Looking at it now, I really treasure this picture. While I was drawing it for the fifth season, I decided that I wanted to try using a cool color for their puppy eyes. It seems that this determination was very stubborn on my part. The contents of season 5 ended up being cooler than I thought as well. Sorry to all my fans. But personally I liked the fifth season. I think it looks like what I would have done if I were totally free to draw what I want.”
- 387x269mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi February frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, marker, water based ball pen
- Paper: Fine BB Kent, Japanese paper
“This picture was originally supposed to be two pages facing each other, but I forced it into a one-sided piece, because I didn’t really have enough time. It was during the middle of ’96 when I felt the most strongly that I didn’t want to work. On the job and in my private life, I was hemmed in and stressed. I wonder why nowadays when I think something is stressful that I can’t remember what it was like back then <G> I really wanted to see Sailor Cosmos in the anime.”
- 396x275mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi March first page
- Media: Color ink, color spray, breed proof, white
- Paper: Thick art drop, Cloudscape marble
“Eternal Sailor Moon and Sailor Cosmos’s two images are layered on top of each other in this drawing. The main lines were drawn in purple ink, but when I took it over to Nakayoshi the pink started to come out, so I finished it up very softly. The lace paper was glued to a cardboard back and on top of that I drew the picture on tracing paper. I really enjoyed how the colors came out in this book.”
- 396x272mm
- Drawn for the original picture collection
- Media: Pencil, color ink, water based ball pen, texture gel, glass beads
- Paper: OK Muse Kaiser
“In an American men’s magazine, I saw a nude photo in this pose and thought “How cool!” and while looking at it I drew it to see. I apologize for my preferences ^_^ Her face is different too, isn’t it. But I like this Sailor Moon-chan.”
- 374x275mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi April cover
- Media: Color ink, marker, modeling paste, beads
- Paper: Canson
“Although I had already drawn this white image portrait, I received notice from Nakayoshi that they wanted me to put in a pink back–I was surprised and shocked. In the printing I arbitrarily put in some color, but no matter how many times I go through these last minute color changes it’s always sad. ;_; But in this book the original picture is properly white as it’s supposed to be.”
- 365x257mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi April all-characters bonus
- Media: Marker, color spray, stickers
- Paper: Copy paper
“This picture was originally part of an all-characters gift item. Nakayoshi made it for me with a red look. It was really cute. I like it, with all the color it has.”
- 382x545mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi September frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, color spray
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The scan was merged into one image by Diana.]
“In the trailer for the Tom Cruise movie “Mission Impossible” there is a scene where he operates a computer while hanging from midair. When I saw that I was like, all right, I’m gonna draw Sailor Moon in that pose! So. This drawing was born. Being a long time since I drew a night view, it was fun. A friend said to me, it’s “Usagi-chan without panties.” ^_^”
- 385x270mm Kodansha Comics Vol. 16 cover
- Media: Color ink, pastel, marker
- Paper: Coarse BB Kent
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The scan was merged into one image by Diana.]
“OSABU kept on calling this a very strange pose, but I really like it. Her un-Sailormoon-like wide eyes, and her bare feet.”
- 385x270mm
- Kodansha Comics Vol. 17 cover
- Media: Color ink, color spray, marker
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“More than just a little cool, this drawing came out downright wintry. During the design stage, there was no indication that it would be like this, but anyway. I don’t like pens very much. When I use pens my drawings end up all cold. Pencils are softer, and look more pleasing and ladylike to me, but they don’t come out pretty when printed. Yeah.”
- 360x547mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi November frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, color spray, water based ball pen
- Paper: Canson
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The scan was merged into one image by Diana.]
“For season 5, I thought I would do my best to draw the upper part of Sailor Moon. Drawing only one person was really easy ^_^ <G> At the time I was only drawing pictures with cute lovable eyes, so as a result it came out with this tint. Back then I was obsessed with cross accessories. I like this piece.”
- 361x256mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi January frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, color copy, tone, beads, color spray
- Paper: Watson board
“Without a lot of time or energy, I didn’t really put any effort into this drawing, so I just stuck in some beads and color copies to fill in the extra space and handed it over to OSABU. Drawn without time or attention, it does seem just like a space filler picture.”
- 297x192mm
- 1997 Amie Feburary all-characters bonus
- Media: Color ink, marker, color spray
- Paper: Kozato evening calm
“While Sailormoon was on air, the Sailormoon merchandising director Oono-chan betrayed the ranks of unmarried ladies on our staff and left by herself to retire into blissful marriage, wearing the dress that Usagi-chan is wearing here. Since Oono-chan really gave me lots of Sailor Moon goodies, I forgave her betrayal 🙂 Best wishes :)”
- 240x365mm
- Unreleased work
- Media: Marker
- Paper: Paradise
“While I was thinking about season 5, the first image I drew of the Three Lights was this one. At first the three had short hair like in this drawing. But when Bandai saw them they cried, and asked if I couldn’t make their hair longer for the dolls that were coming out (short was not suitable, it seems). Naoko having a soft spot for dolls, I attached tails onto the three of them.”
- 392x272mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi December first page
- Media: Color ink, marker, tone
- Paper: New grass/wood stained herb, Chamomile
“When looking at this picture, one might wonder where Naoko acquired such a penchant for Western style clothing. (Actually it’s Bo-G brand clothes <G>.) As for the page itself, the kids are drawn in various singing scenes.”
- 365x512mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi September first page
- Media: Color ink, marker
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The scan was merged into one image by Diana.]
“Here’s the none-so-popular within Nakayoshi <grin> Three Lights and Kakyuu-sama. I really wanted to see Kakyuu-sama’s Sailor Senshi figure in the anime. Always mysterious, why Toei didn’t put her in?”
- 410x315mm, 395x272mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi June frontispiece
- Media: Marker, color spray
- Paper: Fine BB Kent, New grass/wood stained herb
“The Sailor Starlights were supposed to have even more minor roles than the akuma. So when it looked like they were gonna get leading roles in the anime, I was totally surprised! Even more surprising, before transforming into Sailor Senshi they were men?! I was really shocked to learn that.”
- 275x174mm
- Kodansha Comics Vol. 16 inside flap
- Media: Marker, poster color
- Paper: Cloudscape marble
“Galaxia-sama was conceived of as a senshi to rival Sailor Moon. However at any rate she was very hard to draw. (I even forgot to draw lots of the parts.) To all of the in-house staff who helped draw the parts, thank you :)”
- 381x536mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi April frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, marker, modeling paste, color spray
- Paper: Coarse BB Kent
[This illustration is spread over two pages. The scan was merged into one image by Diana.]
“Being a long time since I drew the upper half of Sailor Moon, this is a somewhat tense drawing. But I like it. In the fifth season I wrote everything in the story from this drawing to the anime theme song “Sailor Star Song.” It was my first time. Particularly with that song, when I received the tune, I was really impressed with it, and poured everything I had into the lyrics. I was very satisfied.”
- 390x271mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi October frontispiece
- Media: Color ink, marker, beads
- Paper: Mermaid
“This is a contrast between two people. The back is, of course, an image of a dark black sky.”
- 396x272mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi November first page
- Media: Marker, color spray
- Paper: Paradise, Japanese paper
“It’s a shame that these two didn’t appear in the anime, because OSABU and I really like them. For me especially their hairdo and dress ^_^ OSABU likes Sailor Lethe. He likes strong-willed women.”
- 192x98mm, 255x180mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi February supplement
- Media: Color ink, marker, water based ball pen
- Paper: Fine BB Kent, Japanese paper
“I was surprised that Chibi-chibi got so popular. I’m really pleased with Chibi-chibi’s hair. ^_^ In the summer of ’97 musical, Chibi-chibi finally made an appearance! Looking at the Polaroid now, the real thing is just too cute! (Mao-chan, thank you **) It was fun **”
- 196x275mm, 420x298mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi December supplement
- Media: Color ink, marker, color spray, color copy, beads
- Paper: Feather Waltz Cherry
“Chibi-chibi in the anime is of course voiced by Mitsuishi Kotono-chan, and all she does is talk nonsense all the time. It’s sort of too bad. In 10 to 20 years, Chibi-chibi will be the main character and the anime will be ……, um. Just imagining that character is a little scary ^_^, no way.”
- 197x137mm, 200x147mm, 243x197mm, 268x338mm,
- 274x199mm, 267x199mm, 200x274mm, 275x198mm,
- 272x190mm, 272x245mm, 191x192mm, 147x104mm
- Kodansha Comics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18 inside flaps
- Media: Color ink, tone, marker, color spray
- Paper: Paradise, OK Feather Waltz, New grass/wood stained herb, postcard
“On the cover flaps (both sides) of the comics, I arranged these cards. It was kind of awkward using these precious drawings. When I drew Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, the three soldiers of the outer Solar System and Saturn and Chibi-chibi and Sailor Cosmos … I was happy not to think about them in my dreams! (^_^)”
- 390x269mm
- Unreleased work
- Media: Pencil, color ink, color spray, marker
- Paper: KMK kendo paper
“These two facing sheets, as well as the following one with the Sailor Quartet & Saturn & Chibiusa, were drawn at the same time as the Sailor Moon on the last page of Vol. IV while I was thinking about the fifth season. They were supposed to be in the original picture collection, but for lack of space they were put here.” (continued below)
- 390x270mm
- Unreleased work
- Media: Pencil, color ink, color spray, marker
- Paper: KMK kendo paper
(continued from above) “Like in the manga, I thought the anime would also feature these costumes, so why did Toei not put them in??? Surely (as it always is) I have no idea what goes on with the staff on the television side of things.”
- 390x268mm
- Unreleased work
- Media: Pencil, color ink, color spray, marker
- Paper: KMK kendo paper
“When I was drawing this, I thought I’d put together Sailor Saturn and Sailor Chibi-Moon in a pair. Then I followed it with the Sailor Quartet. One of these days I’m going to put this team together into the manga. What a weird thing that would be. Anyway, here’s the six.”
- 392x274mm
- 1997 Calender ornament
- Media: Color ink, color spray, InstanTeX, color copy
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“Having not drawn very many dress-clothed figures for this book collection, here’s a bonus. If I had time, I’d like to draw lots of these extras. In the middle of it, I also realized that drawing a rain picture made me especially happy.”
- 297x434mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi May frontispiece
- Media: Marker, pastel, poster color, color spray
- Paper: OK Feather Waltz
“This is a drawing of the whole team in uniform. When the white-clad Setsuna-sama came out in the musical, followed by army tights, I was knocked out. Within myself, I still think Setsuna-sama should forever wear white clothes. ^_^”
- 383x270mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi August cover
- Media: Color ink, color tone, marker
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“Once more. A fan service picture. I like this one too. Looking at it myself, it’s a little hot. With these two, I just kept drawing it up more and more.”
- 378x266mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi December cover
Media: Color ink, marker, water based ball pen, pastel
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“Having drawn many cool pictures, this time, I decided that being a shoujo manga house and all, to stop drawing so many such pictures. So this is a pretty strange picture. I like the Usagi-chan in western clothes.”
- 342x494mm
- Drawn for the CD BOX
- Media: Pencil, color ink, marker, color spray
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“The kind and generous folks at Columbia accepted my request to include my CD jacket work in their box set! Thank you Honchi-sama. ^_^ However, as the box was being prepared, the original picture collection went to press first <G>, and I certainly have no control over the CD. ;_; Everyone should buy the CDs in the box set. ^_^”
- 364x250mm
- Written below
- Media: Color ink, poster color, tone
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“I thought they were gonna use this drawing for the August ’95 frontispiece. However OSABU discarded it, saying “a picture with one guy in it is no good.” A friend of mine asked me “Why would Usagi-chan like such a useless guy.” Poor thing. Actually, Usagi and Chibiusa would probably go “Mamo-chan Love Love” instead.”
- 374x272mm
- 1996 Nakayoshi July first page
- Media: Color ink, marker, modeling paste, color spray
- Paper: Canson
“As I look at this drawing right now, it’s apparent how much I liked the Bo- brand at the time. (The Bo-V brand, actually.) But right now I’m more fickle. Right now my favorite western brands are Ann Sui and Vivian Tam.”
- 374x277mm
- Kodansha Comics Vol. 18 back cover
- Media: Color ink, poster color, InstanTeX, marker
- Paper: Canson
“For the last volume of the Sailormoon comics, I drew a happy couple’s kissing scene. How sweet. In the past, often, in planning this kind of composition and this kind of love look, I drew out a lot of these kind of paintings with a night sky in the background. I put all my heart and soul into depicting their emotion. Of course right now that passion shows through. Usagi-chan not as much, but hey.”
- 210x153mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi April frontispiece
- Media: Marker, color spray
- Paper: Postcard, marble paper
“This is what I painted for the last page of the last part of Sailor Moon. This picture was made into telephone cards which were distributed to all the various staff members at Nakayoshi to which I am indebted as presents by OSABU. Has anyone actually used the cards yet? Congratulations ^_^ They’re commemorative cards ^_^ Guard them well ^_^”
- 364x515mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi April popularity poll
- Media: Color ink, marker, pastel, tone
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“When this drawing appeared in Nakayoshi, it was painted rather quickly and the colors looked a little stiff, so this time around I repainted it. This one is very dear to me. All of the Sailor Moon characters drawn here, and all the many goods in the bookstores, from the picture collection I to V, together with all the fan letters and presents from the fans, is something I will treasure for eternity.”
- 382x273mm
- 1997 Nakayoshi March cover
- Media: Color ink, beads
- Paper: Fine BB Kent
“This is the last single page. It’s the cover of the last volume of Sailormoon that appeared in Nakayoshi. Up to now this has been the easiest of all to draw, and I’ll probably never forget it for the rest of my life. For this last drawing, I received assistance from all the fans whose love I put in to it. This one’s for you. ^_^”
- 390x539mm
- Drawn for the CD jacket
- Media: Color ink, marker
- Paper: BB Kent
“This picture is the six-part CD jacket for the box set that’s on sale. There really are six CDs in this jacket, and the idea is that when you line them all up you get this poster from the original picture collection, but there are all sorts of ways to line them up in the wrong order <G>. But once you do it you can see the CD jacket. Everyone please buy it, and check it out, ne?
