From: phoenix@mediaone.net   
      
   In August 1997, the first English edition of Sailor Moon was published   
   by a new manga company named Mixxzine. Representatives from Mixxzine   
   actually posted on afs-m to answer fan questions. I remember that   
   there was some flack because the Mixxzine staff said they were   
   required to stick with the NA names that DiC had created. However,   
   they attempted to get around this restriction, at least for Usagi, by   
   having her introduce herself as Serena but say that everyone just   
   calls her "Bunny". This change would allow Mixxzine to preserve all   
   the rabbit jokes.   
      
   As a part of the initial promotion, they gave out VIP copies of the   
   first issue to the first 2500 subscribers and I was lucky enough to   
   get one of those.   
      
   OK, enough with the intro. Let's get started.   
      
   The first act of the manga (published February 1992) pretty much   
   matches the first episode of the anime (which aired only a month   
   later) almost exactly.   
      
   Usagi/Bunny introduces herself saying that she is 14 and in 8th grade.   
   We are introduced to Luna the cat, Haruna (Usagi's teacher who gets to   
   keep her last name), Naru/Molly, Umino/Melvin, Mamoru/Darien,   
   Shingo/Sammy, Tuxedo Kaman/Tuxedo Mask and several others. Although   
   Motoki is introduced, he is not yet given a name. He got two different   
   names in the dub, Andrew and Paul. Funny that there was a requirement   
   to preserve the original NA names when even the dub itself couldn't   
   keep track of its own name continuity.   
      
   As with the anime, the first act deals with Usagi learning of her new   
   role and saving the jewelry story of Naru's mother. The anime   
   adaptation of this first act was pretty near perfect.   
      
   The English translation appears to have a bit of localization, but   
   nothing like the anime. When Mamoru teases Usagi with a nickname,   
   Mixxzine uses "cow-tails/pig-tails" instead of "odango atama (dumpling   
   head)". When she meets him (with the paper toss over the head), he's   
   wearing a tux. What in the world? Mamoru wears a tuxedo even when he   
   is in civilian mode? That means he need only add a mask and top hat   
   for his TK transformation.   
      
   In her first transformation, Sailor Moon starts off with the Sailor V   
   glasses, but ditches them quickly.   
      
   We see the still unnamed Jadeite at the end of the act.   
      
   As a bonus to the Mixxzine issue, they included an interview with   
   Naoko Takeuchi, the mangaka of Sailor Moon. Along with the usual   
   fluff, there were a few interesting tidbits. She sees Usagi as being   
   the closest to her own personality and Michiru (Neptune) as being the   
   most opposite. She also noted that the anime has a bit of a male   
   perspective to it due to the prominently male staff, while the manga   
   is definitely written for girls by a girl (her).   
      
   Phoenix ;{)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)