Naoko Takeuchi. Kodansha Comics
was written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi and published in English by Kodansha on 11 December 2019. It is 300 pages long and covers acts 34 through to 38 of the Infinity Arc and includes the short stories
"Chibiusa's Picture Diary, Chapter 2, Beware of Tanabata" and
"The Love of Princess Kaguya". The front cover features Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune holding their talismans. In Volume 6, Takeuchi explores the character of Hotaru and her alter-ego Sailor Saturn, and wraps up the Infinity Arc in an explosive finale. The Infinity Arc has always been my favourite Sailor Moon storyline next to Sailor Stars. I love the depth that Naoko Takeuchi puts into Hotaru and Sailor Saturn.
At the start of the Infinity Arc, Hotaru is a weak and sickly girl, who is constantly bullied at school. After she meets Chibiusa, the two of them become friends. When Hotaru's body is possessed by an evil being called Mistress 9, the sick and fragile girl everyone thought was too weak to live doesn't die. Her spirit lingers and remains behind to heal Chibiusa, who was injured in battle, and then goes on to challenge Mistress 9 for control of her body. After eliminating Mistress 9, Hotaru becomes flesh again and awakens as the powerful Sailor Saturn. Her revival frightens the Sailor Guardians, who fear she will use her powerful weapon, the Silence Glaive, to obliterate all life on Earth.
Naoko Takeuchi. Kodansha Comics
is a fantastic book. I continue to be impressed with the high-quality nature of these books. I love how the spine doesn't crack or crease and the pages do not fall out. The book is large, but it is not heavy, which means I can carry it around in my bag without hurting my back or my shoulder. The pages are high quality and glossy, which means the ink does not smudge. The black and white illustrations are so crisp and clear, you can really see the fine detail that Naoko Takeuchi puts into her characters, like how Mistress 9 has long hair that whips around her head and shoulders every time she utters a classic villain laugh. And finally,
Eternal Edition Volume 6 includes some of my favourite Naoko Takeuchi illustrations in full-colour, like this one of Usagi as Princess Serenity, standing over everyone like a beautiful messiah. The one thing that I didn't like about this book was the front cover. I think Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune look great together, but considering how much of this book was about Sailor Saturn, I would've liked to have seen her on the cover instead.
