Warriors of Legend

This is basically a plug for what's probably now the only piece of Sailor Moon merchandise still available in America. Not that I actually live in America (hence my wacky, obtrusive and ultimately correct spelling of "Encyclopaedia"), but we pretty much get what they get anyway in terms of anime. Only it's more expensive and takes longer to arrive.

Well, happily that's one thing that can't be said about the book Warriors of Legend, by Sushil K Rudranath and Jay Navok (otherwise known as Dr Xadium from Suburban Senshi, and the bloke who writes all the funny stuff for Genvid). The Sailor Moon license-holders refused to give this book their official seal, but it's a reference work anyway so nuts to them. This is without a doubt the best and most informative work about Sailor Moon in the whole of the English language, and most of the others as well, I should think. It discusses the curious snippets of Japanese culture that pop up in Sailor Moon... stuff that would seem perfectly normal to the Japanese, but is baffling to us unless put in context. There's a tour of the many real places that were featured in the series, plus tons of fascinating background information I'd never heard before (the account of reactions to Episode 45 is brilliant, and makes it seem all the more incredible that the writers actually got away with it). The book has facts that will surprise even the most obsessive fan, which is something I can vouch for, given that I spend an unhealthy amount of time cataloguing every event that ever happened in the anime.

The price seems to vary a bit, but I got my copy for about seven quid, which is superb value... although that is partly due to the absurd exchange rate between the UK and America, ha ha ha. You might have trouble finding it in bookshops, but Amazon has a ready supply, and you could even try Booksurge if you fancy indulging in a thrilling game of chance.

So, in summary, buy this book. Or little Martina Navratilova will cry.