One day, Usagi Tsukino, clumsy 2nd-year middle school student, stumbles upon a talking cat named Luna. Luna tells her that she is destined to be Sailor Moon, "champion of love and justice", and she must search for the fabled Moon Princess. Usagi finds friends that turn out to be destined senshi as well, and together they fight to save the world from the certain doom brought upon by the Dark Kingdom.
Both Luna and Queen Beryl wonder if a visiting princess could be the one the Sailor Senshi has been looking for. Mamoru dreams he is Tuxedo Mask and a girl is asking him for the Silver Crystal. At the ball, Usagi gets her first kiss.
Zoisite decides to use Nephrite's recently discovered romantic feelings for Naru to manipulate him into handing over the Black Crystal to him.
Still in love with Nephrite, Naru becomes an unwilling tool in the power struggle between Nephrite and Zoisite.
Queen Beryl partially awakens the evil entity Metalia and sends Zoisite and Kunzite to find the Seven Great Youma and their Rainbow Crystals. Meanwhile, the tomboyish Makoto Kino transfers into Usagi's school and falls for a crane-game whiz at the arcade.
Naru is still very depressed after Nephrite's death. Usagi and Umino decide to take her to Yokohama to cheer her up. There, a kindly priest is attacked by Zoisite. Mamoru realizes that he is Tuxedo Mask, and drops a locket on the ground, where Usagi finds it.
Ami meets Ryo Urawa, a clairvoyant boy who has a crush on her. However, Urawa's power makes him aware that he will soon be transformed into a Youma by Zoisite.
