Adult Swim Finally Resurrects an Unforgettable '90s Anime Classic, But There's a Big Catch

3 hours ago 2

Published Mar 9, 2026, 1:36 PM EDT

An experienced Editor representing Canada via Screen Rant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.

His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.

One of anime's foundational 1990s classics is returning to an iconic home as Sailor Moon rejoins the Adult Swim programming block. Replacing the outgoing Dragon Ball Z: Kai anime with the VIZ Media dub as of March 9, 2026, Sailor Moon will air its reruns every weekday with two episodes from 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM.

The news was announced via Adult Swim on Twitter, featuring a killer promo ad with music by XmegaLxl via Instagram. While it's a welcome return, and essentially a throwback to 1995 albeit with a better dub this time around, its timeslot is not the most accessible. In fact, Sailor Moon's return is set to close our Adult Swim's "graveyard slot".

Sailor Moon's Adult Swim Return Comes at a Welcome-but-Inconvenient Time

The return of Sailor Moon is a largely positive win for fans, promising a far less pared-down or censored version than the original DiC/Cloverway/Optimum adaptation. Still, the flip side is that it returns to the same "dead" or "graveyard" slot of programming, closing out the 2:00 AM - 6:00 AM hours with limited viewership potential.

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However, Sailor Moon's audience is not the same as its more predominantly younger viewership in the '90s. Many of its biggest fans are adults, many of whom work either early opening shifts or night shifts, and in these specific cases, the show's availability will be a welcome, nostalgic surprise. Plus, given Sailor Moon's success, a "graveyard" stint hardly hurts it.

Fans Can Catch Sailor Moon on Adult Swim Every Weekday Throughout Its Run

Starting with the original anime's premiere episode, "The Crybaby: Usagi's Beautiful Transformation", Sailor Moon fans are likely set for the months ahead with two episodes aired daily, back-to-back, at 5:00 and 5:30 AM on Mondays through Fridays. For those able to tune in, the experience will be a nostalgic return to one of Toei Animation's most iconic hits ever.

Sailor Moon's episodes for the week of its return are the following:

Monday:

The Crybaby: Usagi's Beautiful Transformation
Punishment Awaits: The House of Fortune Is the Monster Mansion

Tuesday:

The Mysterious Sleeping Sickness: Protect the Girls in Love
Learn How to Be Skinny from Usagi

Wednesday:

Scent of a Monster: Chanela Will Steal Your Love
Protect the Melody of Love: Usagi Plays Cupid

Thursday:

Usagi Learns Her Lesson: Becoming a Star Is Hard Work
The Girl Genius Is a Monster: The Brainwashing Cram School of Horror

Friday:

Usagi's Disaster: Beware of the Clock of Confusion
The Cursed Bus: Enter Mars, the Guardian of Fire

The first 10 episodes have already started strong with today going back to the very beginning, introducing Usagi Tsukino, her mentor Luna, Tuxedo Mask, and fellow Sailor Guardians like Mars in greater focus by Friday. As perhaps the most quintessential magical girl anime of all time, it's a pretty exciting return for Adult Swim. Check out Adult Swim's schedule HERE.

If anyone has never checked it out and wants to experience Sailor Moon like a '90s kid, now's the time. However, don't be too eager to discount the many other great magical girl anime out there should you be curious after this week's episodes.