Sailor Moon, known in Japan as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, is an anime series adapted from the manga series of the title by Naoko Takeuchi. The series was produced by Toei Animation and directed by Junichi Sato, Kunihiko Ikuhara and Takuya Igarashi and produced by TV Asahi and Toei Animation. The first four seasons were dubbed and released in North America by DIC Entertainment and Cloverway. The series concentrates on the adventures of Usagi Tsukino, a schoolgirl who learns that she and several other girls can transform into superheroines, Sailor Senshi, and fight against evil forces that threaten the world.