Product Description

The book Warriors of Legend is one of the first of its kind, using a specific Japanese anime/manga series- the megahit Sailor Moon- to teach about Japan. Neophytes to Japan studies will find Warriors of Legend an accessible way to learn about this fascinating country. Those who know quite a lot about Japan already will find their understanding enhanced by the way the book analyzes the nuances of Tokyo's history and Japanese society. The book also argues that Sailor Moon is a unique series in that it was both internationally popular and strongly structured by the culture of the city of Tokyo and post-Economic Bubble Japan.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #116660 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-17
• Released on: 2005-05-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 148 pages

Review
Warriors of Legend is an innovative volume that turns Japanese cultural study on its head…indispensable guide…should delight hardcore anime/manga fans. -- Internal Correspondence (ICv2.com), May 26, 2005

About the Author
Jay Navok holds a Masters degree in Regional Studies East Asia from Columbia University and is winner of the Japanese government's 2005 Monbukagakusho research scholarship. Sushil K. Rudranath is a practicing attorney in the state of Florida and holds a Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida. Jonathan Mays (Editor) is a freelance writer for Newtype USA, Animerica, Anime Insider, IGN, Protoculture Addicts, and Neo Magazine (UK), and is the Senior Editor of Anime News Network.

Customer Reviews

A tour of Tokyo, courtesy of the Sailor Team
Sailor Moon, while having its roots in fantasy, contained a realism to it that has made it a fascinating series to watch. That realism almost made it feel like the main characters in the show were living in the same world as you were. This is the first book about Sailor Moon to take a look at the more realistic elements of the show that have played an important role in making the series a big hit worldwide.

The first part of the book shows how the city of Tokyo, in particular the Minato Ward district, has had an influence on the Sailor Moon story. Several real life landmarks have made their way into the plotline of the story, and this book takes a look at how these landmarks has played a role in the shaping of the characters lives. The book also looks at has how these landmarks have had an influence on the creation of the various stories in Sailor Moon, both by Naoko Takeuchi and the animation staff. An avid Sailor Moon fan will find themselves going back to their DVD library in no time to check out these landmarks!

The second part of the book looks at how the daily culture of Japan has made its way into the characters lives. The reader begins to understand the pressures that the Sailor Soldiers would be experiencing if they were real life people living in Japan. We also look at how the show critiques the daily culture of Japan (including among other things, education and religion) through the Sailor Soldiers. We also learn how Japan inspired some of the trademarks and imagery of the Sailor Moon series, such as the Sailor Team's introductory speeches and the concept of the futuristic Crystal Tokyo.

Overall, this book offers a fresh look at one of the biggest and well-known anime series of all time. If you are a fan of Sailor Moon, or if you are a fan of Japanese culture, this book is an essential read. Buy this book, and let your tour of the Sailor Moon universe begin!

Warriors of Legend makes it to New Zealand intact.
Okay! My copy of WoL arrived in the post this morning. The packaging indicated that it had come directly from Booksurge's Australian branch, which explains why it wasn't very expensive to ship to me ($5.80 in US dollars). I was very pleased about that as I wanted to support the publication but was afraid it might put more of a dent in my fortune than I was prepared for. (The cost of getting things shipped to New Zealand has always curtailed my anime and manga collections, although now that I have a real job that isn't such a restriction as it was when I was a student.) It was securely packed in cardboard and plastic wrap, and reached me in fine shape. I'm a pretty fast reader in my leisure time, and finished it while getting my hair cut this afternoon.
Early Thoughts: As an 'unauthorised' publication (clearly marked as such on the front cover) WoL offers an independent and unvarnished view of the Sailor Moon legend and its connections with real life in Japan, which is wonderful, but for the same reason, and the necessity to publish relatively cheaply, it suffers from a lack of colourful pictures, which would help bring to life the real Japanese locations it describes, and of course it cannot reproduce any art from the original anime and manga. This reduces its accessibility to readers who are not already familiar with the appearance of the Sailor Moon characters (and may not understand their appeal), and makes it impossible to run side by side comparisons of locations and objects as shown in the series and their real-world counterparts.
This, and some typographical errors of the kind I would expect to find in a small-press publication, are the only real cavils I have about what is otherwise a well written guide, which does a very nice job of balancing the interests of established Sailor Moon fans and readers who know less about the series but are curious about Japan. A slim volume, it provides some fascinating information and leaves the reader wanting to know more, and hopefully the authors' plans to publish a series will pan out.
I was particularly interested in the background information about decision-making on the anime and manga series, and the explanation offered for Takeuchi's lack of productive focus post-Sailor Moon. I would not hesitate to recommend this title to fans of Naoko Takeuchi's work. Non-fans would be understandably less likely to pick it up in a bookshop, but with a little persuasion from a fan might find it very worthwhile.

Peels away the layers, exposing the messages underneath
This book has proven to be a well-informed and quick look at Japanese culture and society. The information found within could have been delivered with a textbook-like dryness, however, the fact that the authors used a well-known series like Sailor Moon helps to make the information very relatable, and easy to absorb.

At first glance, the show is merely fictional and full of fantasy. Beneath the surface, however, there is much commentary on Japanese society that one, as a foriegner, may not be able to easily decipher. This book, by examining the series from an anthropological stance, helps to peel away the layers, exposing the hidden messages underneath.

Warriors of Legend almost effortlessly draws parallels between scenery seen in the animated series to real-life locales in Tokyo. Family life and culture as depicted in the show are shown to be direct reflections of Japanese attitudes and beliefs. Of particular interest are the essays on religion and how lines between faiths in Japan are often blurred. All of these concepts have been present in the show, but often go unnoticed to average person.

The book itself is a little bit rough around the edges. That being said, it gets the job done as a nice introduction to the Japanese mindset and way of life.