Sailor Moon Kodansha Release Vol. 1 Errors

Written by Misty of Myu Corner

The following are errors that I found in the first printing of Volume 1 of Kodansha USA’s English release of the Sailor Moon manga. They are divided into sections for writing errors (presented in a table), possible issues on multiple pages, honorific issues, inconsistencies/continuity errors, and miscellaneous errors (presented as bulleted lists).

I am not in any way affiliated with Kodansha USA, Del Rey, William Flanagan, or any other person or entity involved in the translation, production, or publication of the volume critiqued here. I also do not mean these critiques as libel in any way, shape, or form, and hope that the persons and entities involved in the translation, production, or publication of the volume critiqued here will not take it as such.

Writing Errors

(Awkward writing, grammar & syntax errors, etc)

Possible Replacement Mixx Translation Miss Dream translation
ā€œI admit it myself…I’m a bit of a crybaby.ā€

(p. 7)

ā€œI’ll admit it…I’m a bit of a crybaby.ā€
or something similar
ā€œI’m kind of a crybaby I admit itā€¦ā€ ā€œEven though I don’t like to admit it, I am a bit of a crybaby.ā€
ā€œI’ve got no time to be doing this!ā€

(p. 9)

(unsure)

ā€œI don’t have time for this!ā€

or something similar

ā€œI’m busted again.ā€ ā€œI don’t have time for this right now!ā€
ā€œOh honestly! Forcing a delicate young lady to stand in the hall!ā€

(p. 10)

 

Pointed out by Brad/Moonkitty

ā€œAw man! Making a girl like me stand in the hall!ā€

or something similar

ā€œI’m sorry. See, there was this poor old kitty in the streetā€¦ā€

(completely different dialogue)

ā€œThis sucks, how could she make a sweet and darling girl like me stand in the hall like this?ā€
ā€œIt’s your attitude that makes you get grades like this!ā€

(p. 11)

(unsure)

ā€œThis is why you get such bad grades!ā€

or something similar

ā€œSee! If you were more serious about school, you wouldn’t get such lousy grades!ā€ ā€œIt’s because of shenanigans like this that you end up getting terrible exam scores like this one right here!!ā€
ā€œā€¦we’ve been having a huge sale ever since yesterday!ā€

(p. 13)

(unsure)

ā€œā€¦we’ve been having a huge sale since yesterday!ā€ ā€œMy mom’s store is having a huge sale.ā€ ā€œWe actually began a huge sale yesterdayā€
ā€œUsagi? You’re coming home late, aren’t you?ā€

(p. 20)

ā€œUsagi? You’re home late, aren’t you?ā€ ā€œYou’re home late today, honey.ā€ ā€œWOW Usagi, you sure are coming home late!ā€
ā€œAnd I’ll just take the real jewels for myself!ā€

(p. 23)

(unsure)

ā€œI’ll just take the real jewels for myself!ā€ ā€œNow, I’ll just grab this real jewelryā€¦ā€ ā€œNow I will take all the real gems tooā€
ā€œAww…I’m worn out from all the crying.ā€

(p. 24)

ā€œAww…I’m worn out from all this crying.ā€ ā€œWow all that crying wore me out.ā€ ā€œI’ve been crying so long, I’m so exhausted.ā€
ā€œThe punk kids in this area are very bad, playing pranks like that.ā€

(p. 27)

Not sure what is meant by ā€œpunk kids,ā€ but rest of sentence might be ok. ā€œThere are so many punk kids in this area…it’s been horrible.ā€ ā€œThe kids around here sure are bratty! Their stupid prank really put me in a pinch.ā€
ā€œA pretty broach!ā€

(p. 28)

ā€œLuna! The broach is shining!ā€

(p. 29)

Spelling error. Should be ā€œbrooch.ā€ Spelled ā€œbroochā€ correctly. Spelled ā€œbroochā€ correctly.
ā€œā€¦Usagi-chan, you’ve been chosen as the guardianā€

(p. 29)

Since there are eventually multiple ā€œguardians,ā€ probably should be ā€œa guardianā€ not ā€œthe guardianā€ ā€œYou are the chosen warrior.ā€ ā€œUsagi, you have been chosen to be a soldier!ā€
ā€œYou get away from Naru-chan!ā€

(p. 34)

(unsure)

Not sure the ā€œyouā€ is necessary, could be reworked as ā€œGet away from Naru-chan!ā€ or ā€œHey you! Get away from Naru-chan!ā€ ā€œYou ugly witch!ā€ ā€œGet your grubby hands off of Naru this instant!ā€
ā€œShe turned to sand and vanished?!ā€

(p. 40)

Should be ā€œinto sandā€ ā€œNo way! I turned that witch into sand!ā€ ā€œNo way! Did she just turn into dust?!ā€
ā€œI’m a normal, cute, bit of a crybaby, young girlā€

(p. 49)

ā€œI’m a normal, cute young girl but a bit of a crybaby.ā€

Or something similar

ā€œI guess I cry easily, but I’m a regular, cute girl!ā€ ā€œI’m a bit of a crybaby, but otherwise I’m an average, super
c-u-t-e girl!ā€
ā€œHonestly! I just can’t believe it!ā€

(p. 50)

As Brad/Moonkitty pointed out, it might sound very ā€œposhā€ of Usagi to say ā€œHonestly!ā€ The ā€œI just can’t believe it!ā€ might be ok. ā€œAt least I wasā€¦ā€

(replaces this line and the one before it)

ā€œOr at least, that’s what I was.ā€
ā€œThe only thing I’m good for is studying.ā€

(p. 59)

Caught by Joanna (in comments below)

Should probably be “The only thing I’m good at is studying.” It depends on what idea they’re going for here – having Ami say studying is the only thing she excels at (which would be “I’m good at”) or having her that without studying, she’s worthless (which would be “I’m good for”). “I’ve got to study hard” ā€œI’ve got to stay on top of my studiesā€
ā€œEveryone is aiming for you, so keep upping the ante on your study level.ā€

(p. 60)

(also flashback on p. 63)

ā€œAiming for youā€ should be something like ā€œaiming for your levelā€ or something like that. ā€œAiming for youā€ sounds like someone wants to aim a gun or something at Ami! ā€œEveryone’s trying to catch you, so keep raising your level.ā€ ā€œEveryone is trying to catch up to you, but the truth is you are on a level of your own, you are far above themā€
ā€œWhere’s Ami-chan!ā€

(p. 72)

Exclamation point should be a question mark, or it should be ā€œAmi-chan?!ā€ ā€œYou’re right…where’s Amy?ā€ ā€œOh yeah, I’ve got to help Ami!ā€
ā€œFarewell, Mii-chan.ā€

(p. 84)

(unsure)

ā€œFarewellā€ may be meant to be a more literal translation of sayonara, and since Rei’s kinda classy, it might be all right. Still, it sounds odd in this instance in English. ā€œGoodbyeā€ might be better. ā€œGoodbye, Mimi!ā€ ā€œGoodbye, Mii!ā€
ā€œOne of you heathens who would bring evil calamity even to a sacred shrine?!ā€

(p. 93)

Could be reworded; it sounds awkward. ā€œI won’t let you invade this sacred temple!ā€ ā€œI won’t forgive you, evil spirit, for coming to my shrine to attempt to bring ruin to it!ā€
ā€œā€¦and a servant of the Gods.ā€

(p. 96)

Should probably be ā€œgods,ā€ since ā€œGodā€ typically refers to the Christian God in Western thought. ā€œā€¦and a priestessā€¦ā€ ā€œand she’s a servant of the gods.ā€
ā€œBun-head, we meet up a lot, huh?ā€

(p. 100)

ā€œBun-headā€ should probably be moved to the end of the sentence. Or it could be ā€œWe sure meet up a lot, don’t we, Bun-head?ā€ or something like that (though it would likely be something more posh, knowing Mamoru) ā€œStop shrieking, Miss Pig-tails!ā€

(takes the place of the whole bit of dialogue here)

ā€œWe sure do seem to run into each other an awful lot.ā€
ā€œFire Fortune Riteā€

(p. 106)

I’m pretty sure Rei means ā€œfortune-telling rite.” ā€œI saw him through ESPā€¦ā€ ā€œHe’s the person whose face I saw in the flamesā€¦ā€
ā€œBecause my duty is to protect passengers’ safetyā€ (p. 108) ā€œBecause my duty is to protect the passengers’ safetyā€ ā€œIt’s my role to protect the passengers!ā€ ā€œBecause it is the duty of a stewardess to ensure that all passengers have a safe trip!!ā€
ā€œWe’re going to have to hope for some luck!ā€

(p. 117)

ā€œWe’re going to have to hope we get lucky!ā€

Or something similar

ā€œIt’s our only hope!ā€ ā€œAll of our hopes are depending on you using it now!ā€
ā€œThe fire is forcing distortions on the dimension!ā€

(p. 119)

ā€œThe fire is causing distortions in the dimension!ā€

Or something similar

ā€œThe flames are causing a tremor!ā€ ā€œIt looks like the alternate dimension has caught fire, and in distress is now breaking apart!!ā€
ā€œPrincess D, the heir apparent to be queen of the Jewel Capital of the World, The Kingdom of Dā€

(headline, p. 125)

ā€œPrincess D, the heir apparent of the Kingdom of D, the Jewel Capital of the Worldā€

Or something similar

ā€œPrincess D arrives from D-Landā€ ā€œPrincess of the D Kingdom, a Kin[g]dom of Jewelsā€¦ā€
ā€œI already found two of my allies!ā€

(p. 130)

Should be ā€œI’ve already found two of my allies!ā€ ā€œThey’re my fellow Sailor Scouts!ā€ ā€œThese two are the allies I’ve found so far.ā€
ā€œThe sacred stone, the ā€˜Legendary Silver Crystalā€™ā€ (p. 132) ā€œThe ā€˜Legendary Silver Crystal,’ a sacred stoneā€

Or something similar

ā€œThe Silver Imperium Crystalā€ ā€œThe ā€˜Silver Crystal’ is a holy gemā€
ā€œAt precisely this moment…I was just hoping that I’d meet you again.ā€ (Usagi)

ā€œThe same for me.ā€ (Tuxedo Mask)

(p.143)

(also flashback p. 159)

The first clause of Usagi’s line is kind of redundant, unless the ā€œjustā€ was taken out of the main sentence. Tuxedo Mask’s reply is oddly worded and could be ā€œSame hereā€ or something like that. ā€œJust now…I was thinking that I wanted to see you.ā€

ā€œMe, tooā€¦ā€

ā€œYou know, I was just thinking about you, and how much I wanted to see youā€¦ā€

ā€œSo was Iā€

ā€œI’m full of anticipation for tonight’s main event: the revelation of D’s secret treasure, aren’t you?ā€

ā€œThis chance won’t come again. I wish they’d get to it now.ā€

(p. 145)

Both these sentences could be simplified. The first could be ā€œI can’t wait for the main event. How about you?ā€ and the second could be ā€œI wish they’d get on with it.ā€ (The sentence about the chance isn’t really needed). ā€œI can’t wait to see the D-Land treasure!ā€

ā€œIt’s such a rare opportunity!ā€

ā€œI’m having so much fun. And tonight’s the main event! We get to see the treasure of the D Kingdom!ā€

ā€œThere’ll never be another chance like this again! I want to see it already!ā€

ā€œThe feeling.ā€

(p. 160)

Given the sentence that follows it (ā€œIt feels a bit nostalgicā€), it should probably be ā€œthis feelingā€ ā€œThis feelsā€¦ā€ ā€œThis feelingā€
ā€œIs this the coming of a storm?ā€

(p. 163)

(unsure)

Not sure what would replace it, but the sentence seems a little odd for Mako-chan. ā€œA storm has begunā€¦ā€ ā€œLooks like a storm is headed this wayā€
ā€œSomebody is calling for me. But the fog is so thick…that I can’t see!ā€

(p. 165)

(ā€œcalling for meā€ also on p. 234)

ā€œSomebody is calling me. But the fog is so thick…that I can’t see who it is!ā€ ā€œSomebody’s calling me. But this fog…I can’t see!ā€ ā€œSomebody is calling out to me…The fog is so thick I can’t make anything outā€
ā€œYou know, you should live your life a bit more nervously.ā€ (Luna)

ā€œNervously? What’s that supposed to mean?ā€ (Usagi)

(p. 166)

Should most likely be ā€œseriously.ā€ This error was pointed out initially by Brad/Moonkitty and people made a bit of a meme of ā€œliving nervouslyā€ on Twitter. ā€œBunny, you should live your life with more voracity.ā€

ā€œVor-aci-what?ā€

Voracity means ā€œ[the act of] craving or consuming large quantities of food; exceedingly eager or avidā€ [dictionary.com]. The first definition already kinda fits Usagi, ne?

ā€œYou know Usagi, you should worry a little more about the course your life is takingā€

ā€œWorry? What’s that?ā€

ā€œI’m the weirdo, right?ā€

ā€œI’m just weird.ā€

(p. 167)

She’s talking about her heart racing when she hears Tuxedo Mask’s name. The phrases about her being ā€œweirdā€ sound, well, weird, in that context. ā€œJust hearing his name makes my heart poundā€¦ā€

No equivalent for second line

ā€œI’m so weird.ā€

No equivalent for second line

ā€œThe Pretty Guardian of Love of Justice in a Sailor Suit will punish you in the name of the Moon!!ā€

(p. 187)

Probably should be ā€œThe Pretty Guardian of Love Justice in a Sailor Suit, Sailor Moon, will punish you in the name of the Moon!!ā€ or something similar. The lack of Usagi’s senshi name in this phrase is what makes it awkward. ā€œOn behalf of the moon, you’re punished!!ā€ ā€œI am the sailor suited pretty soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!ā€
ā€œThese high-heeled legs will deliver your punishment!ā€

(p. 188)

Others have pointed out that with this translation it’s hard to know what the ā€œhigh-heeled legsā€ refer to, but I think the art helps: the tail of the dialogue balloon for this line conveniently points to Sailor Mars’s legs. ā€œI’ll punish you in high heels!ā€ ā€œWith my high heels, I will punish you!ā€
ā€œI’ll let you know about a woman’s pure feelings with raw strength!ā€

(p. 188)

ā€œI’ll show you a woman’s pure feelings with raw strength!ā€ ā€œYou think you can mess with a girl’s heart?!ā€ ā€œI’ll show you the power an innocent girl like me has!!ā€
ā€œWe don’t have the luxury of the time it takes to cry over a man.ā€

(p. 194)

ā€œWe don’t have the time to cry over a man.ā€ ā€œThere’s no time to cry over boys.ā€ ā€œAnd now, you don’t have time to be moping over some guy.ā€
ā€œHis uniform is for that really advanced Moto Azabu High that has a test score of 90!ā€

(p. 205)

Not sure what Ami means by ā€œthat has a test score of 90ā€ here, so I don’t know what to suggest. It just sounds weird. ā€œWow…He goes to that super-elite prep school!ā€ ā€œWow, he’s wearing the Moto Azabu Prep School uniform, they’re a really elite school that only accept the top .01% academically.ā€
ā€œā€¦the princess in whose veins flows the blood of the Moon’s royaltyā€

(p. 211)

ā€œA princess who has the blood of the Moon’s royalty?ā€

(p. 212)

ā€œā€¦a/the princess of the Moon’s royal lineā€

Or something similar

ā€œand the Moon Princessā€

ā€œThe Moon Princess?!ā€

ā€œAnd the Princess of the Moon Kingdomā€

ā€œThe Princess of the Moon Kingdom?ā€

ā€œAnd this princess…is royalty…of the Moon?ā€

(p. 213)

ā€œAnd this princess is from the Moon too?ā€

(Usagi’s previous line was ā€œThat means…Luna…that you…come from the Moon?ā€)

Or something similar

ā€œAnd the princess…is the Moon Princess…?ā€ ā€œAnd this Princess we’ve got to find, she’s the princess of the Moon Kingdom?ā€
ā€œBut Usagi-chan!ā€

(p. 216)

Take out the word ā€œbutā€ ā€œBunny’s buying it though.ā€ ā€œAnyway, that’s enough TV, Usagi, you already watch too much.ā€
ā€œThose eyes, like I could I could be sucked right into themā€¦ā€

(p. 226)

ā€œThose eyes, I feel like I could I be sucked right into themā€¦ā€ ā€œHis eyes…all-knowing, strangely familiar, I feel myself drawnā€¦ā€ ā€œHis eyes seem like he knows everything, I feel like I’ve seen them before.ā€
ā€œTake everybody…and give them back their lives…!!ā€

(p. 231)

ā€œSave everybody…give them back their lives…!!ā€ ā€œBring everyone…back to life!!ā€ ā€œBring everyone back to life! Help them!ā€
ā€œYou used too much power?ā€

(p. 232)

ā€œYou used too much power.ā€

(Should be a period in order for the next sentence, ā€œBut well done…Sailor Moonā€ to make sense).

ā€œYou used all your powerā€¦ā€ ā€œYou must have used too much of your powerā€¦ā€
ā€œWho’s is it?ā€

(p. 234)

Grammar error. Should be ā€œWhose is it?ā€ ā€œā€¦whose is it?ā€ ā€œwhose is it?ā€
ā€œā€¦I mean he’s always rescuing me.ā€

(p. 235)

Needs a comma: ā€œI mean, he’s always rescuing me.ā€ ā€œā€¦He’s always helping me.ā€ ā€œHe’s always been there to help meā€

Possible Issues on Several Pages

  • Awkward writing:Ā  ā€œdummyā€ a bit overused and could be replaced by another word, also ā€œYou’re kiddingā€ is used a lot and could probably be replaced with something like ā€œNo way!ā€.
  • Inconsistency:Ā  In Usagi’s first transformation on p. 30, she says ā€œMoon Prism Power! Make Up!ā€ but on other pages the ā€œupā€ part is written with extra u’s, though this may just be Usagi dragging out the vowel for emphasis.
  • Inconsistency:Ā  Throughout Act 2, the coursework used by the Crystal Seminar is said to be on ā€œdisks,ā€ but they’re clearly shown in the art to be CD-ROMs. It’s possible that’s it a spelling error and was meant to be ā€œdiscs,ā€ but if so, it’s a pretty pervasive spelling error. Either that or Naoko-san updated the art to be CD-ROMs in the renewal version (since in episode 8 of the anime and assumedly the original manga run, they were indeed floppy disks) but didn’t update the dialogue.
  • As Brad/Moonkitty has pointed out, the ā€œHaruna/Harudaā€ pun that appears several times in the manga, while it makes sense in the original Japanese, doesn’t make any sense in English. No explanation of the pun is given in the translation notes either. (TokyoPop instead nicknamed Haruna ā€œMiss Hā€). It is strange that they left that pun in without explanation, considering they left out the ā€œprincessā€/ā€puddingā€ pun (ā€œpurincesuā€/ā€purinā€) from p. 51, stating in the translation notes that the words ā€œdon’t sound all that similar in English.ā€ (They instead attempted to create a reasonable English equivalent with ā€œprincessā€ and ā€œRoyal chocolateā€).
  • Page 121 and others – ā€œFour Kings of Heavenā€:Ā  Technically, the translation of the Japanese word for the Dark Kingdom generals, Shitennou, is ā€œFour Heavenly Kings.ā€ No explanation is given for why it’s translated ā€œFour Kings of Heavenā€ in this translation.
    • Correction: sassypants678 has pointed out to me that the correct translation of “Shitennou” is actually “four generals,” the way it was translated in the English dub. So apparently both me and William Flanagan (the translator of the Kodansha version) are wrong.

Honorific Issues (Oddly Used, Not Needed)

    • This whole volume could have benefited from an honorifics guide like the one included in Del Rey mangas. It would’ve made the honorifics that were left in make much more sense to the average reader.
    • ā€œThat kitty-chanā€ and ā€œcrescent-shaped-bald spot kitty-chanā€ (p. 25):Ā  ā€œ-chanā€ not needed
    • ā€œOh, crescent bald-spot-chan, dinner isn’t ready yetā€ (p. 49):Ā  ā€œ-chanā€ not needed
    • ā€œPrincess-samaā€ (p. 51):Ā  Pointed out by Brad/Moonkitty; ā€œ-samaā€ not needed
    • ā€œMs. Geniusā€ (several pages in Act 2):Ā  A random use of an English honorific in a manga mostly filled with Japanese ones. Not sure what to replace it with, maybe ā€œgenius girlā€?
    • ā€œOld-Man Hinoā€ (p. 95):Ā  Probably Hino-ojiisan in the original. Not sure whether ā€œOld-Man Hinoā€ is the best translation of that, though since it is used by people who may not know Rei’s grandfather very well, it may be acceptable.
    • ā€œA Miko-san, huh?ā€ (p. 103):Ā  the ā€œ-sanā€ is not needed in English.
    • ā€œSailor Moon-chanā€ (p. 125):Ā  ā€œ-chanā€ not needed really, though it may be included just to be cute (people call Sailor V ā€œV-chanā€).
    • ā€œUsagi-chan’s kitty-chanā€ (p. 129):Ā  ā€œ-chanā€ on ā€œkittyā€ not needed (plus it
    • Starting on p. 134, also on other pages:Ā  The ā€œBroā€ issue with Motoki, already mentioned by Brad/Moonkitty. Probably Onii-san in the original, since it’s acceptable in Japanese to address an older boy whose name you don’t know as Onii-san (and the girls don’t know Motoki’s name till Act 6). After the girls learn Motoki’s name, though, the use of ā€œBroā€ is not needed (although Mako-chan uses it on page 205 after learning Motoki’s name – ā€œthe ā€˜bro’ at the game centerā€). Before that, though, I don’t know what a good translation would’ve been; I suppose they could’ve left it as Onii-san and then had a translation note to explain it.
    • Brad/Moonkitty pointed out that the sensei in Makoto’s remark ā€œIt’s naturally wavy, Senseiā€ (p. 171) could just have easily been translated ā€œsir,ā€ but I think that since she seems to be speaking to a teacher, sensei is appropriate. Yet another example of why this volume needs an honorifics guide.
    • ā€œBride-sanā€ (p. 185):Ā  ā€œ-sanā€ not needed.
    • ā€œThe beautiful Miko-sanā€ (p. 200):Ā  ā€œ-sanā€ not needed.

    Inconsistencies/Continuity Errors

  • ā€œI need more youth energy!ā€ (p. 15)
    • The previous page has an aside pointing out that the store is full of middle-aged women, so I’m not sure how the baddie’s going to get youth energy from them, unless she means energy to make her look young, since some of the youmas (as well as some of the Dark Agency idols in Sailor V) look really ugly in their true guises.
  • ā€œPretty Guardian of Love and Justiceā€ (p. 71)
      Whereas on page 35 it was ā€œBeauty and Justice.ā€ ā€œGuardian of Love and Justiceā€ is the correct translation of the original, ai to seigi no senshi. Pointed out by Brad/Moonkitty.
  • ā€œThe warrior of intelligence and the water elementā€ (p. 77)
    • While ā€œwarriorā€ is an accurate translation of senshi, it is inconsistent with the word that is used for senshi throughout the manga, ā€œguardian.ā€ ā€œWarriorā€ is used again on page 120 with Sailor Mars, called the ā€œwarrior of fire and passion.ā€ Once Jupiter is declared on p. 194, it’s ā€œguardianā€ again. Coincidentally, right after Luna calls Mercury a ā€œwarrior,ā€ she calls her ā€œguardian of the Sun’s nearest planet.ā€ Hmm.
  • The name for Sendai Hill is variously written as ā€œSendai-Zaka,ā€ ā€œSendaizakaue,ā€ and ā€œSendai-zakueā€ throughout Act 3.
  • ā€œAmi-chan, it’s 5:00 PM already.ā€ (Usagi)

    ā€œThis is awful! I’m supposed to be at English night school!ā€ (Ami) (p. 90)

    • On page 86, Luna told Usagi they were meeting for a strategy meeting at Crown at 5:00. It seems odd that, if Ami knew she had juku at that time, she would’ve also agreed to meet Usagi and Luna at that time. Also, the art in this panel shows it’s actually 5:05.
  • The word ā€œmikoā€ is variously written as either ā€œmikoā€ or ā€œMikoā€ throughout Act 3, like the translator couldn’t decide whether to capitalize it or not.
  • ā€œEvil Spirit, be exorcised!ā€ (p. 93-94):Ā  As Brad/Moonkitty has pointed out, the name of Rei/Mars’s attack ā€œAkuryou Taisanā€ is inconsistent in this volume; here it’s translated ā€œEvil Spirit, be exorcised!ā€ whereas elsewhere in the volume it is translated ā€œEvil spirit, be gone!ā€
    • Coincidentially, the “Evil spirit, be gone!” translation is rather similar to the name change for “Akuryou Taisan” in the French Sailor Moon manga (published by GlĆ©nat), where it was replaced with “Vade retro, Satanas,” a common Catholic exorcism meaning “Get thee behind me, Satan” (probably taken from Jesus’s words to Peter in Matthew 16:23). This change also appeared in the Spanish manga, which was also published by GlĆ©nat and translated from the French manga.
  • ā€œUsagi-sanā€ (p. 94):Ā  While this is appropriate for Rei to use since she’s just meeting Usagi (whose name she must’ve heard from Luna when Luna and Usagi were outside the shrine, or from Ami when Ami pointed Rei out to Usagi earlier; it’s not clear), later, on pages 104 and 105, Rei is suddenly calling Usagi ā€œUsagi-chan,ā€ with no explanation for this sudden change in address.
  • Drunk Usagi (p. 158):Ā  Usagi fainting and her slurred speech (ā€œShorryā€¦ā€) suggest she’s drunk, but in a translation note on page 239, ā€œjuiceā€ (juusu) is indicated as being a word in Japanese for non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Ami’s IQ (p. 200):Ā  Ami’s IQ was only rumored to be 300 in Act 2, but on this page it is stated by Usagi as if it were a fact.

Miscellaneous

  • The shirt of Ami’s school uniform is dark-colored on pages 53-59, but white thereafter.
    • Correction: An anonymous commenter pointed out that the reason Ami’s shirt looks darker is because she is wearing a sweater over her uniform. There is a picture of her wearing a similar sweater on page 6 of the Materials Collection. I had not noted this in the manga art. Thanks to whoever it was who pointed that out!
  • Classes are over? (p. 62):Ā  Usagi says classes are over, but she appears to be in a gym class uniform. Though maybe she just came from gym class (since I don’t think she’s in any sports clubs).
  • Misplaced footnote (p. 93): Ā  The footnote stating what’s written on Rei’s ofuda is placed under the wrong panel (though they may have done that because the panel it should be under is borderless and doesn’t leave enough room to put it there).
  • Fire or Flame? (p. 120):Ā  Here Mars is called the ā€œwarrior of fire and passion,ā€ but elsewhere in the Sailor Moon canon Mars is called the senshi/guardian of ā€œflame and passionā€ (honoo to jounetsu no senshi). Not sure if hi (ā€œfireā€) or honoo (ā€œflameā€) is used here in the Japanese original.
  • Tuxedo Mask Double Take (p. 124):Ā  In Luna’s profiles, Tuxedo Mask’s civilian name is given as ā€œMamoru Chiba,ā€ but as far as I know, the fact that Tuxedo Mask is Mamoru is not known yet at this point (it’s revealed in Act 7 when Usagi wakes up in Mamoru’s apartment after being saved by Tuxedo Mask).
  • Zakaue?:Ā  No explanation is given for the suffix ā€œ-zakaueā€ added to ā€œSendaiā€ in Act 3. It’s possible that it is meant to be ā€œ-sakaue,ā€ which is one reading for the last two kanji (å‚äøŠ) used in the Japanese name for ā€œSendai Hill,ā€ where Rei’s shrine is located. ā€œSakaueā€ is made up of the character for ā€œhill/incline/slopeā€ (saka) and the suffix ue, which means ā€œaboveā€ or ā€œupā€ and was once used as a honorific added to names, though it is now rarely used (except in cases like chichiue and hahaue, very polite ways to refer to your father and mother; one modern example of these words in use is in Japan’s version of the Hetalia: Axis Powers ending ā€œMarukaite Chikyuuā€). (Thanks to Denshi Jisho for the kanji meanings here, and Wikipedia’s ā€œJapanese honorificsā€ article for the info on the use of ā€œ-ueā€ as an honorific. The Hetalia factoid I found out myself from watching it).
    • After doing some research, I have found that ā€œSendaizakaueā€ is in fact an actual name used for an area of the Azabu-Juuban Minato district of Tokyo. (And apparently it is a really desirable neighborhood, because searching for it on Google brings up a lot of apartment listings). However, that name would mean nothing to the average reader of this manga; therefore, it would’ve probably been better to translate it ā€œSendai Hill,ā€ as I believe TokyoPop chose to do, which would make more sense (and still be accurate translation-wise).
  • Translator tour? (p. 145): When Princess D calls over her translator, she says she needs help from said translator because she ā€œstill [doesn’t] quite understand the layout of the embassy.ā€ How would a translator be able to help the Princess find her way around the embassy? Unless the translator works there or something (and of course, we find out later that the translator’s a youma, or possessed by one at least).
  • Groom at the Fitting? (p. 170):Ā  One of Usagi and Naru’s friends says to Naru, ā€œI see, so that’s why you went to the fitting instead, huh?ā€, after hearing that Naru’s cousin’s fiancĆ© disappeared. However, grooms do not usually go to bridal dress fittings, unless the bride decides to bring her groom along – probably a reference to the old superstition about a groom not being allowed to see a bride in her wedding dress until the big day.
  • Tuxedo Mask’s Quick Change (pp. 181-182): Ā  On page 181, Mamoru’s wearing his school uniform, then all the sudden on the next page (182) he’s Tuxedo Mask. How’d he change clothes so fast? Does he wear his tuxedo under his school uniform, or did he stop by his apartment on the way to Usagi’s house and change clothes? (The last panel on 181 suggests the former, as it shows Mamoru taking off his glasses and loosening his tie – perhaps something similar to how Minako is often shown in her “Crescent Moon Power Transform” pose on the last panel of a page in the Codename Sailor V manga, with her transformed self in the first panel of the next page).
  • Bad Translator Note Grammar (p. 238):Ā  There’s a slight writing error in the translation note for ā€œLupin.” It probably should be written ā€œMost likely, she’s referring to the manga hit by the artist Monkey Punch, Lupin III, but it’s possible she is referring to the original French novels about a dashing thief in turn-of-the-20th-century France, from which Monkey Punch drew his inspiration.ā€ That just makes more sense as a sentence. Also, the translator fails to mention the actual name of the original thief from the novels, ArsĆØne Lupin, even though I’m pretty sure I’ve always seen that name mentioned in other explanations of the origins of Lupin III. I do find this note a little odd period, since they suggest there is a possibility Usagi has read the original novels, though I seriously doubt a school underachiever like Usagi would ever read classic novels like the ArsĆØne Lupin novels. (Ami might, though). It’s much more likely she’s read Lupin III (being the manga nut she is) and knew about Lupin from that.

Credits: The lines from the Mixx English translation come from scans I obtained at Neo Nobility. The examples given from Miss Dream’s translation belong, naturally, to Miss Dream. Mixx English manga (Sailor Moon) Ā© 1996-1998 Mixx/TokyoPop. Kodansha English manga (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon) Ā© 2011 Kodansha USA, Kodansha Comics and William Flanagan. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (Japanese) Ā© 1992-1997, 2003-2004 Naoko Takeuchi.

15 Responses to “Sailor Moon Kodansha Release Vol. 1 Errors”

  1. Joanna

    I wanted to point out one more mistake on the page 59 where Ami says: “The only thing I’m good for is studying. I want to become a doctor like Mom, so I have to work hard.” Shouldn’t be here: ” The only thing I’m good AT is studying…”?

    Reply
    • Misty

      You’re right, it should be “The only thing I’m good at is studying.” Good catch! “The only thing I’m good for is studying” isn’t technically incorrect gramatically, it’s just maybe not the right phrase for this situation.

      Reply
  2. Malo

    I certainly rebemmer Smile! I was really excited when I first found an issue of it as a wee thing, and actually kind of disappointed when they switched to their all-manga format. Initially. at least. I recently found my entire Smile collection and, flipping through them now, I’m pretty shocked at the publishers’ complete lack of aesthetic sense. The awful layouts the jarring colors the awful, Photoshop’d covers! What were they DOING? And why was I reading those?? Now if I could only figure out what to do with this stack of the things

    Reply
    • sassypants678

      Ahaha yeah! Well, if you don’t know what to do with your Smile magazines, I’d be happy to take them off your hands to scan and preserve for other people to check out and laugh at! :)

      Reply
  3. Lilly

    I might have an explination for the “drunk Usagi” part. She may have thought the drink was just regular juice, but it might have turned out to be some fancy alchohalic drink, which she probably had no idea of. You see the manga note was just explaning what she ment by juice, but it never said that that’s all she drank was juice. It was her first time a fancy ball, and she probably had no idea about it. That makes sense doesn’t it?

    Reply
    • Misty

      That’s true. It is highly possible that she drank some alcohol by mistake. Usagi is the sort of person who would do something like that.

      Reply
  4. Mayonniaise

    Guess you already know it, but I recently bought a copy of the first volume of Sailor Moon + Sailor V (Kodansha), and some mistakes had been corrected! (Motoki is always reffered to as “Onii-San”, and brooch is spelled correctly.) ^^ Do you think they might have noticed their mistakes thanks to comparisons like this one?

    Reply
    • sassypants678

      I have heard that they are releasing a new version with corrections, but I have yet to find one in my area to buy and compare. I hope they are fixing the mistakes because of the fans, but whatever their reason I’m happy to see the fixes being made.

      Reply
      • SnowWolf

        Here’s the breakdown of changes in the second printing:

        1) “Bro” changed to “Onii-san”.
        2) “Broach” changed to “brooch”.
        3) Sailor Moon’s “Beauty and Justice” changed back to “Love and Justice”.
        4) Princess-sama fixed and now just says “princess”.

        It looks like a third person just went through and corrected the main things people complained about. The newest volumes are much better so I’m hoping that by the time we get to volume 12 that Kodansha realises that the difference in quality is so great that they have to fix books 1-4 at the very least.

        Reply
        • sassypants678

          Do you have a copy of the second printing? I haven’t been able to locate any fixed volumes in my local bookstores. Bummer. D:

          Reply
          • SnowWolf

            Yep I do. I got mine through the bookdespository.com website. Looking forward to the error report for volume 6 although obviously reading it is a bittersweet moment.

  5. SnowWolf

    Could I possibly get some scanned pictures of 1st English printings mistakes (e.g. beauty and justice, princess-sama, bro and broach) because I’m doing a comparison video with tokyopop and only have the second printing. That would be great.

    Reply
  6. fluffybunny21

    The thing I want to know is how the hell does Tuxedo Kamen know where Usagi lives??!! O.o
    And yeah I think it was William Flanlang who said every printing the errors get corrected.

    Reply
  7. Niha

    Sorry to ask but why isn’t the volume 2 of Sailor Moon by Kodansha compared in your website? Is it perfectly or something or I haven’t been able to find it?

    Reply

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