So I was in chapters today buying Vol. 3 and 4 of the Sailor Moon manga to read and I noticed that there were two volumes for short stories. 



I was just wondering if anyone's read them? Are they any good and worth buying?

I think they have the mini manga stories Takeuchi did alongside the main manga. They have some nice character moments in them, and at least one chapter for each main senshi. I read the older version of some of them and liked it, so I think if you're interested in that kind of "filler story/gaiden" thing it's worth your money.

Ah, ok so these aren't new stories or anything. I wasn't sure as the publication date is in 2013 for the first volume.

This is the first time they were published all togeher in this format, I think, so that would explain the date. They've definitely been around before though.

I've read the first and I'm in the middle of the second one. I thought the first one was entertaining enough (hear the 2nd one has better stories) and had about Chibi Usa's scary classmate, Ami's secret crush and Chibi Usa's twin girl classmates who shop high end couture at a thrift shop. The stories are random and are cute and fun. I bought them because I want to complete my manga collection of the new 2013 edition and besides the covers are so pretty! There's nothing truly special in these but if you wanna read some side pieces on the characters then get it.

I think they're really great. They don't fit into the plot, but they are definitely worth reading, especially "The Lover of Princess Kaguya"

Yes definitely buy them! As JupiterThunderCrash said, they originally ran along side with the manga, with "The Lover of Princess Kaguya" being the story they used for the S movie and its like the first half of one of the original volumes (vol 10 I believe). Also don't forget Casablanca Memories (the awesome Rei character building backstory) and the High School Entrance Exam ones. Those are great.

Small Lady wrote:

Yes definitely buy them! As JupiterThunderCrash said, they originally ran along side with the manga, with "The Lover of Princess Kaguya" being the story they used for the S movie and its like the first half of one of the original volumes (vol 10 I believe).  Also don't forget Casablanca Memories (the awesome Rei character building backstory) and the High School Entrance Exam ones. Those are great.

You were so right Small Lady. The 2nd book of the short stories is so good. Just read "The Lover of Princess Kaguya". Hit me RIGHT IN THE FEELS. I actually shed some tears while I was reading on the bus and I was trying to cover my face. Now I def need to cosplay as Luna this year! Casablanca Memories is also very good. Ahh young love!

Yeah, some of these were available at the end of a few of the original Japanese manga, the English versions never published them. A few of the other stories were in an artbook or something, and I think another was a Christmas special. It is the first time these are all together in one place. 

I love the Luna one, it is where they get the luna plot line from for that one movie, S? or SuperS? I forget. Also, parallel sailor moon. And I especially love the side stories of Chibiusa having friends a school. R arch blew through plot so fast they didn't get to actually make little chibiusa very human-like until they get to crystal tokyo. But the short with her friends make her so normal its cute ^^

Yep! The Luna one is what they used for the plot of the Super movie. Also I want to say all of the short stories were including in the original Mixx/Tokyopop run of the manga but just not as separate entities, they were often at the end of the manga (like how it was originally released). The only reason we didn't get Parallel Moon is because it was including in hte Materials Collection (someone correct me if I'm wrong, memory is fuzzy). But before this release, I had read all the short stories (minus parallel moon) as they were included in my original manga.

Obviously I'm a little late to the discussion, but I'd highly recommend them too. Yeah, Parallel Moon was published after the original release of the manga and was only included an art book, so we got it in the second release. 

It is interesting that we didn't get Rei's side chapter until now. It was technically the first new Sailor Moon chapter I had read in years (I had looked up Parallel Moon long before that) and I was baffled as to why I hadn't read it before. That chapter alone easily justifies the price of the second volume. Yeah, they're a little expensive for such short volumes but if you can afford it, they're worth it.

Just read Parallel Sailor Moon I don't know...I didn't like it. Too much cheese for me. What a coincidence all of them are married, have kids, and settle down. And then they are so mean to Usagi's kid! And the kids looked EXACTLY like their moms. No creativity in their design whatsoever. But that's just my two cents on that short story. The rest of it was great.

To be fair about Parallel moon, I think the cheese and all that was intended on Naoko's part. She was obviusly writing a tongue in cheek type of story. Also funny you bring up them being mean to Usagi's kid, makes me find it funny how originally the girls are all attracted to Usagi because of her personality just draws everyone in and now her kid is the loner and the loner's kids aren't. Irony. xD

Just popping back here to ask if people think The Lover of Princess Kaguya is better in manga or movie form? Haven't seen the movie yet (gonna check it out soon) but just wondering which you guys like better?

I think since I saw the movie first, I prefer the movie. It also fleshes Luna's love interest, kakeru more, and (sorta) fleshes out the villain. But both stories are good!

When does the movie take place? After what season?

the move is set during the S season. Since the movies don't have a strict continuity with the anime, it doesn't have any real placement. I think I saw best guess is before the end of the the S season but after Chibi-Usa returns.

The stories are cute and not a part of the whole story line but it depends on you whether or not you want it.  I plan on getting the box sets.