Sailor Moon Cosmos marks the presumed end of the Sailor Moon Crystal anime adaptation of Naoko Takeuchi’s iconic manga, but it doesn’t have to be. During the two-part film’s 160-minute runtime, many new characters, like the Sailor Starlights and Animamates, are introduced without enough time to fully flesh out their stories. However, the Sailor Guardian with the most potential for an original spin-off within the Crystal timeline is a longstanding member of the team with much more story to tell.
Sailor Moon is the story of a once-in-a-generation princess with the power to hold the forces of evil and chaos at bay, told through manga, multiple anime series, films, cosplay performances, and even stage musicals. This princess surrounds herself with loyal, protective friends who wield their power to defend humanity on Earth. Thus far, Sailor Moon Crystal has focused on Usagi Tsukino’s fulfillment of that destiny, but the best chance for continuing the series lies in shifting the setting to the 30th century and following the coming-of-age story of her daughter, Chibiusa.
Chibiusa Is Powerful, but She Still Has a Lot to Learn
Black Lady Hints at the Woman She Will Become
Chibiusa is almost identical to her mother, Usagi, only much more mature and rational. Centering the next chapter around a confident, capable successor to Sailor Moon would be an interesting inversion of the original story. In Sailor Moon Crystal‘s second season, episode #10, “Act. 23 Covert Maneuvers – Wiseman”, Chibiusa is transformed into Black Lady, giving a first glimpse at her mature physical form. A continuation of the story in the 30th century could revisit some version of that young-adult version of herself, as well as incorporate other Black Moon Clan characters like the evil mastermind, Wiseman.
Returning to the Black Lady persona would also set up an interesting challenge for the Sailor Quartet in battling the princess they’ve sworn to protect.
Chibiusa is far more aware of the cyclical destiny she is part of than Usagi was, but her time travels place her in Sailor Moon’s shadow for much of Crystal. First, she is treated like a child, then she becomes Sailor Chibi Moon and is considered a sidekick. As Black Lady, the aged-up Chibiusa expresses angst and feels out of place, which begs to be revisited as a teenage member of Crystal Tokyo’s royal family. Returning to the Black Lady persona would also set up an interesting challenge for the Sailor Quartet in battling the princess they’ve sworn to protect.
The Sailor Guardians Deserve a Chance to Move On
Their Training and Guidance Are Essential to Chibiusa’s Development
As Chibiusa grows up, so do the other Sailor Guardians and the beloved characters surrounding them. So many of Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako’s hopes and dreams are explored in Sailor Moon Crystal, and finding out whether those dreams came true, or are still in progress, would be extremely rewarding. How they balance their lives with their responsibilities as Sailor Guardians, the role they play in training the next generation, and what daily life is like in the 30th century are all burning questions waiting to be answered.
The Sailor Quartet are fascinating characters in their own right. The girls formerly served as acrobats in Queen Nehellenia’s Dark Moon Circus, but now act as Chibiusa’s royal guard of Sailors. So far, they have not been allowed to adopt civilian personas and explore the human experience. Their personal history with one another is strong, raising questions about how Chibiusa relates to them off the battlefield, as the “new girl”. With so much of Takeuchi’s world left unexplored, there are many dangling plot threads to pull at, but Chibiusa’s future is the logical and likely sequel to Sailor Moon Cosmos .
