Sailor Moon’s magical-girl transformation sequence has been brought to life in a new costume by professional Japanese cosplayer Princess Usako, who recently posted her handmade costume on X (formerly Twitter). The outfit is constructed of 18 meters, or 59 feet, of aurora reflective ribbon.
Princess Usako regularly cosplays as Usagi Tsukino and her fellow Sailor Guardians, posting her design processes and photoshoots online, in addition to appearing at various conventions and events. Her new creation was inspired by Usagi’s transformation sequence into her Sailor Moon sailor suit -- one of the series’ most iconic scenes, which commences with Usagi reaching for the sky and shouting, "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" The character's transformation medallion -- her first-ever magical item and the trigger for her adventures as Sailor Moon -- then erupts with pink streams of magical energy, molding to her body and transforming into the beloved sailor suit.
Princess Usako detailed her process of the costume’s creation thoroughly over a series of posts on X, as well as on her personal blog. The costume is completely handmade and constructed using nearly 60 feet of French wire ribbon with reflective fabric sewn to each side, ensuring that any piece of the costume hit by light will shimmer with magical-girl energy.
The ribbons are arranged to represent the transformation mid-sequence, flowing from a replica of Usagi’s transformation brooch that adorns the center of the bodice. While wearing the costume, Princess Usako wears a nude-colored full-body tight, a leotard, and then layers the structured ribbons snapped into place over top.
While documenting the creation process, Princess Usako revealed that she’d long wished to be able to capture the Sailor Moon transformation in cosplay, making her first attempt 10 years ago with 30 meters (nearly 100 feet) of pink ribbons sewn onto a leotard. However, it was impossible to disassemble, as the ribbons would fall out of place, making the outfit lose its shape each time it was taken off.
Sailor Moon's Classic Anime Transformation Is Iconic But Difficult to Recreate
Many Sailor Moon cosplayers have attempted to recreate the transformation sequence off-screen, but the nature of the sequence’s animation makes the creation of a costume fairly subjective. There has been no standard "transformation sequence" outfit, which can also make the costume difficult to place. Princess Usako’s interpretation has been hailed on social media as doing the transformation true justice, from its level of detail to its sheer recognizability.
Toei Animation's first Sailor Moon anime series, which began airing in Japan in 1992, is available to stream on Hulu and Prime Video. The more recent reboot anime, Sailor Moon Crystal, can be watched on Netflix and Crunchyroll. Naoko Takeuchi's original Sailor Moon manga, on which the anime is based, is licensed for North American readers by Kodansha US.
Source: X (formerly Twitter) via SoraNews24
