This is a translation of a Naoko Takeuchi article in Flash Magazine from 1993, which features information about Sailor Moon and author Naoko Takeuchi. “Flash” magazine is an adult magazine from the 1990s which featured articles about pop culture. This was published shortly after Naoko Takeuchi won the 17th Kodansha Manga Award for girlsâ manga.
As there is a shortage of information about Naoko Takeuchi on the web, this Naoko Takeuchi article in Flash Magazine is a rarity. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Special thanks to ainomessage for the translations. Scans by Miss Dream. Page formatting by Galadan.


click on images for full-size
The author of the popular comic âSailor Moonâ is such a beauty!
![]() âIâll stamp you out!â |
The âSailor Suited Pretty Guardian of Love and Justiceâ illustrated by Ms. Naoko Takeuchi has set records with sales of over 25 billion yen.
When you hear of a story* about a pretty girl in a sailor uniform dealing out punishment with a kick, a dirty image comes to your mind. Thatâs exactly when Usagi Tsukino would chastise you and say âIâll stamp you out!â This is actually a girlsâ manga about âgood triumphing over evil.â This huge hit character thatâs currently breaking records with 25 billion yen in sales, the sailor suited pretty soldier of love and justice Sailor Moon is a hot topic!
Ms. Naoko Takeuchiâs âPretty Guardian Sailor Moonâ began its run in the monthly publication âNakayoshiâ at the end of the year before last. A school love comedy that young girl readers could imagine themselves in + a story of good triumphing over evil + paranormal elements for lovers of the occult, this clever melting pot of a story was such a huge hit that it doubled the sales of the magazine from 1 to 2 million volumes. Naturally it has been made into an anime and âSailor Moon R,â which started airing this spring, is a popular Saturday night show with an average viewership of 13-14% (according to TV Asahi). Tie-in goods like the âBecome Sailor Moonâ items âreached sales of 5 billion just last yearâ (according to Bandai). The videos, sweets, food items, Famicon games, and musicals are all in full swing. Usagi, the main character, is a bit of a clumsy crybaby 2nd year middle school girl. The story is about her unexpectedly being designed a friend of justice and fighting to âstamp outâ evil with four other beautiful girls.
![]() Photo by Kiyoshi Koishikawa |
The exact age of author Ms. Naoko Takeuchi is unknown, but she is assumed to be single and in her late twenties. The native of Kofu in Yamanashi prefecture debuted during her second year of college and she seriously took up the pen after graduating. âThis guy (Editor Mr. Fumio Osano) said âWhat do you think of a Sailor-suited guardian of justice?â [laughs],â says the writer of the secret beginning of the series. So she tried out the experimental work âSailor Vâ (currently running in RunRun magazine as a special edition) and it was a huge hit. And that was how Usagi was born.
![]() Naoko Takeuchi with her Porche Carrera II |
âA boyfriend, right? I seriously have no opportunities to meet anyone [laughs]. You know, I like quiet, gloomy guys. I like miserable guys. I want to say âDonât be so sadâ [laughs]. Iâm super talkative, so Iâd like my partner to be someone glooooomy whoâll say âHey, talk to me about something.ââ
Her hobbies include going for a drive, so pictured with her in the photo is her Carrera II. The incredibly popular lady seems like a shut-in, but sometimes she likes to set out on the highway late at night for a drive.
To gain the favor of young girls, youâve got to have the hit work of our times. Dads might even be using it for reference too.
Translator’s Notes
*The author uses the phrase âă«ăłăă§ăŒćâ here, making a play on words. When Japanese people see the phrase âkanchoâ they think of the naughty prank pulled by kids, but here the author is using it as an abbreviation forć§ćæČæȘć, a story in which good triumphs over evil. The author is trying to trick the reader into thinking of a perverted story before explaining Sailor Moon isnât that type of story at all.