A Sailor Moon fan went viral in October 2019 month when she found the original Dior dress that inspired Princess Serenity’s outfit in the Japanese manga and anime series.
Where did the fan see Princess Serenity’s iconic dress?
The fan who goes by the Twitter handle @eunjeechong checked out the Dior: From Paris to the World exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art, and it was there that she spotted a dress similar to Princess Serenity’s attire in the Sailor Moon manga and anime series.
museum worker: you seem very excited are you studying fashion? 🙂
me: it’s um…that dress is…there’s a pop culture reference that i love… pic.twitter.com/qaPBqWhdOc
— EJ Chong (@ejknoodles) October 5, 2019
Based on her tweet, @eunjeechong seemed to think that the similarity between the two was just a coincidence, but the truth is, the dress at the exhibit is the actual inspiration behind Princess Serenity’s costume.
Designed by Gianfranco Ferré for Dior sometime between 1986 and 1996, the Palladio dress features a floor-length flowy skirt, an ornate top, and off-the-shoulder bell sleeves that look like Greek pillars.
Is Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi into fashion?
Unbeknownst to many, Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi loves haute fashion, and that explains why a lot of the characters she made are wearing attires inspired by the creations of high-end fashion designers.
To prove this, fellow Sailor Moon fan @colorofsakura made a series of comments on @eunjeechong’s tweet, pointing out that Catzi’s outfit from The Black Moon arc is inspired by a 1992 Thierry Mugler dress while Avery’s outfit is based on a 1992 Christian LaCroix creation.
@colorofsakura added that Queen Beryl’s dress is based on another 1992 Mugler garb, and Black Lady’s outfit is loosely inspired by a dress featured in a Yves Saint Laurent advertisement. Take a look at some of the mentioned original dresses in the tweets below:
Here’s the Koan outfit: pic.twitter.com/YpKyHMWpQ0
— Aerik Tirel (@colorofsakura) October 6, 2019
— Aerik Tirel (@colorofsakura) October 6, 2019
Black Lady’s dress, Beryl’s dress, and of course, Serenity’s princess dress (the Dior dress in the original post) pic.twitter.com/y3svSGryLU
— Aerik Tirel (@colorofsakura) October 6, 2019
Hotaru’s Mugler dress, Setsuna’s Chanel dress, and Calaveras’s LaCroix dress. pic.twitter.com/slQymVByUf
— Aerik Tirel (@colorofsakura) October 6, 2019
What is Sailor Moon?
Sailor Moon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. Originally serialized in Kodansha’s shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from 1991 to 1997, the manga has 52 individual chapters that were published in 18 volumes.
The series follows the adventures of a schoolgirl named Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into the eponymous character to search for a magical artifact, the “Legendary Silver Crystal”. She leads a group of comrades, the Sailor Soldiers, as they battle against villains to prevent the theft of the Silver Crystal and the destruction of the Solar System.
The manga was then adapted into an anime series produced by Toei Animation, which was originally broadcast in Japan from 1992 to 1997. In addition to the anime series, Toei also developed three animated feature films, a television special, and three short films based on the original anime. A live-action television adaptation, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, aired from 2003 to 2004, and a second anime series, Sailor Moon Crystal, began simulcasting in 2014.
Who is Princess Serenity?
Princess Serenity is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon manga and anime series. She is Moon Kingdom’s ruler and the true identity of the main character, Usagi Tsukino, who transforms into Princess Sailor Moon to fight evil.
Princess Serenity is depicted as a beautiful and graceful young woman with long blonde hair and a kind heart. She fell in love with a prince from Earth named Endymion, but their love was forbidden due to the long-standing conflict between their two worlds. Despite this, they continued to secretly meet each other.
However, their relationship came to a tragic end when the evil Queen Beryl of the Dark Kingdom attacked the Moon Kingdom, resulting in the deaths of both Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. In the present day, Usagi discovers her past life as Princess Serenity and becomes determined to protect Earth and those she loves from the same fate that befell her in her previous life.
How exactly did Princess Serenity die?
Princess Serenity’s death is a pivotal event in the Sailor Moon storyline. In the Silver Millennium, a great war broke out between the Moon Kingdom and the Dark Kingdom. During the final battle, Queen Beryl, the leader of the Dark Kingdom, attacked the Moon Kingdom, which resulted in Moon Kingdom’s downfall and Prince Endymion’s death. Princess Serenity fell into extreme grief due to Prince Enymion’s passing and ultimately died of suicide. After her own death, Princess Serenity’s spirit was reincarnated on Earth as Usagi Tsukino, the main character of the series, and she eventually regains her memories and her role as Sailor Moon.
Who is Princess Serenity’s mother?
Princess Serenity’s mother is Queen Serenity. She was the queen of the Moon Kingdom and the mother of Princess Serenity. In the Sailor Moon manga and anime series, Queen Serenity is depicted as a wise and powerful queen who was greatly loved by her people. She sacrificed herself to use the Silver Crystal to send her daughter and the other guardians to Earth in order to protect them from the destruction of the Moon Kingdom.
Who is Queen Beryl?
Queen Beryl is the main antagonist of the first story arc in the Sailor Moon manga and anime. She is the leader of the Dark Kingdom, an evil organization from the past that seeks to conquer the world and spread darkness. She is a powerful sorceress who commands an army of monsters called Youma.
In the manga, Beryl is not referred to as “Super Beryl.” However, in some adaptations of the anime, such as the English dub, she is given this title to differentiate her from her subordinates. “Super Beryl” may also refer to her powered-up form after she is possessed by the evil entity known as Queen Metalia. In this form, her powers are greatly enhanced, and she becomes even more dangerous.
Are Tuxedo Mask and Prince Endymion one person?
Yes, Tuxedo Mask and Prince Endymion are the same person in the Sailor Moon anime and manga series. Tuxedo Mask is the superhero alter-ego of Mamoru Chiba, who is also known as Prince Endymion. In his role as Tuxedo Mask, he fights alongside Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Guardians to protect the Earth from evil forces. As Prince Endymion, he is the reincarnation of the legendary Prince of Earth who fell in love with the Moon Princess, Serenity (also known as Sailor Moon), in their past lives.
Are Prince Endymion and King Endymion the same person?
King Endymion is a character in the Sailor Moon series who is also known as Endymion, but he is not the same person as Prince Endymion (who is also Tuxedo Mask). King Endymion is actually the future version of Mamoru Chiba, the civilian identity of Tuxedo Mask/Prince Endymion.
In the distant future, Mamoru becomes the ruler of Earth and takes on the title of King Endymion. He is married to Usagi Tsukino, who is also known as Sailor Moon. Together, they have a daughter named Chibiusa, who travels back in time to seek their help in saving the future. So, while Prince Endymion and King Endymion are both versions of Mamoru Chiba, they exist in different time periods and have different roles in the story.
What are the different transformations of Usagi?
- Sailor Moon: Usagi’s first transformation, which she receives from Luna, the talking black cat. Sailor Moon has enhanced strength, agility, and the ability to use special attacks like Moon Tiara Action and Moon Healing Escalation.
- Princess Serenity: Usagi’s true form as the reincarnation of the Moon Princess. This form is shown in flashbacks to the Silver Millennium era.
- Super Sailor Moon: A powered-up version of Sailor Moon, achieved by using the Holy Grail. Super Sailor Moon has enhanced abilities, including the ability to use the Moon Spiral Heart Attack and Rainbow Moon Heartache attacks.
- Eternal Sailor Moon: The ultimate form of Sailor Moon, achieved by using the power of the Silver Crystal. Eternal Sailor Moon has even greater strength and power, and is able to use the Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss and Moon Gorgeous Meditation attacks.
In addition to these transformations, Usagi also has several other forms throughout the series, including Small Lady (her future daughter’s child form), Neo-Queen Serenity (her future self as the queen of Crystal Tokyo), and Usagi-hime (her princess form in the Parallel Sailor Moon story arc).