Sailor Moon Kanzenban セーラームーン完全版 Vol. 1 Review
Around 9 months ago we found out Japan was releasing another edition of the Sailor Moon manga, this time it’s called 完全版 (kanzenban) aka the complete edition. Most people’s reaction, myself included, was “what? again? we don’t need so many books of the same story!” But the more we found out about it the more intrigued I got so I ordered Vol. 1 and had it Fedex-ed from Japan to Canada in 1 day just to review it as soon as possible. My stance has completely changed since receiving it and I hope this review can help you decide too!
The book comes shrinkwrapped so you’ll be the first person to touch it and all the new book smell is intact. The giant 完全版 sticker and the ISBN barcode sticker are on the plastic and not the book itself. It is very heavy, high quality and sturdy. It’s a thick softcover, far from paperback. Both the front and back covers are prismatic, though on first glance you might not notice. If you take a photo of it with flash you’ll definitely see the sparkles.
The book is designed with ‘fake sleeves’ but there isn’t actually a dust jacket, nothing comes apart. I really love the ‘sleeve’ on the back cover because this is the first image of this new artwork that shows Sailor Moon’s entire boots! Before this we’ve only seen up until her calves, it’s such a small detail but I love it!
Vol. 1 of the kanzenban edition includes Act 1 to Act 7, in the previous edition it only went up to Act 6.
Each page in this edition is a nice thick almost glossy white paper, whereas in previous editions the paper quality was rough like recycled paper with a yellow tinge. The artwork has all been digitally enhanced so it’s noticeably cleaner.
This next section is a comparison between the Sailor Moon 2003 Reprint Edition 新装版 (shinsouban) and the 2013 完全版 (kanzenban) edition. There’s a significant size increase from the old one, which means a lot of the artwork is clearer and details can be seen easier. The 2003 one is a lighter, cheaper quality book you can read and throw around without guilt, but this 2013 one looks and feels like a collectible. The prices are 429yen vs 1500yen, in this case you really get what you pay for.
The first page between the 2 books are different as you can see below.
There are some subtle differences throughout the two books, Naoko Takeuchi reviewed and made improvements for this new edition.
This next image was a big surprise to me. It has been changed back to Naoko’s original initial design. The image in the new manga appeared in the Volume 1 Artbook where she said it “should be commemorated, it’s a work very, very deep with memories.”
In the new kanzenban edition, each chapter starts with a fully coloured page. Below are all the newly coloured pages in Volume 1.
The next image is a great example of the new details we can see in the kanzenban edition. I never realized this umbrella was the umbrella she transformed from the Disguise Pen to break their fall off the balcony. You can also see now the details Naoko Takeuchi put into the topper and handle.
This last coloured page marks Act 7, which is in kanzenban Vol. 1, but it shows up in Vol. 2 in shinsouban.
Lastly included in Vol. 1 are 2 flyers, one about a lottery prize draw, the other about the 20th anniversary merchandise. The lottery flyer includes 3 stamps you need to cut out to enter the draw. Prizes include 3 Moon Sticks, 7 Makeup Compacts, 80 iPhone 5 cases featuring the cover art of Vol.1-4, 400 clearfiles, etc! In total there will be 650 winners. This is only the first draw, ends February 28, 2014. If you want to purchase any of the merchandise on the flyer, check the shopping guide. Overall I think the kanzenban is highly worth collecting, the quality is just amazing and the prismatic cover art is gorgeous. It is very glossy and sturdy I can’t stop touching my copy! It’s really like a whole different reading experience. Links to buy: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.
17 Comments
Michelle
Thanks for this review! I live in NYC and saw this in Kinokuniya, but wasn’t sure whether to buy it since I already own all the English volumes. I think I’ll go back on Tuesday and buy it now!
windsting
Thank you so much for this! I wasn’t going to buy them if it was only new cover art, though that was tempting. I may wait til they come out in English though. I have the ’03 ones, well the English version of them. Just finished collecting them. And I have a stack of the actual comics. Mixx I think. You know it’s weird. My comic number 1 starts at the Tokyo tower when everyone finds out Sailor Moon is Princess Serenity. I wondered if originally the story started there and the rest was done later or if it was a typo. Do you happen to know?
Vivian
Was on the fence about these but I definitely want them now. I only have the original English copies (the old-school, flipped Tokyopop ones!) and it’s about time I get a full collector’s set. I’ll still read my old ones for memories, but this series truly looks like a collectible to keep for years to come.
Mel
Hi,
do you know if people outside from Japan are able to use the bonuspoints that comes with every new Manga on a small infosheet? I collect them but I don’t know how and if I can use since I can’t read Japanese 🙁
Thank you,
Mel
smcollectibles
Do you mean the little stamp looking things? Those are for the lottery draw but sadly it’s for Japan only T_T
Marcy
Do you know if the drawing is void outside of Japan? i.e. will US residents be able to participate in the drawing? Thanks!
Diannellys
Good evening, how many dollars come from? as I can get it? Greetings from Venezuela
Cigi
Absolutely beautiful. I now want these even though I can’t read them. xD Do you know if people in the US can enter the raffle thing?
Hillary
Thanks so much for this!!! I wasn’t going to get these until I have started hearing more about them. I LOVE how everything that was originally in color is printed in color. I wish more comics did this!
I’m curious about all the minor changes as well. I don’t own my old Sailor Moon comics anymore to do a side-by-side comparison, but I hope someone does someday. I can probably easily find scans online and do it myself when mine arrive.
DoReDani
Wow, super interesting and detailed! Thank you a lot! Seriously thinking about to get my very own copy…. =)
Love,
Daniel
Sera
Are there a lot more updates in the manga other than this?
Nicolas
Is that true that the books are bigger now?
Kate
Do you think they will translate this version into English too? Trying to decide if I should buy the Japanese versions or wait since I won’t be able to read them anyway…
smcollectibles
If they follow Japan’s timeline..maybe in 10 years?
@EndyMX
You deserve more likes, I LOL’d.
Tasha
Wait, really??
Liz
Well there’s also a possibility, when the sailor moon reboot comes out that the Americans will dub it.. Which might mean the managas can come earlier in English.