The Sailor Moon manga series features a cast of characters created by Naoko Takeuchi. The series takes place in Tokyo, Japan, where the, a group of ten magical girls, are formed to fight against antagonists who aim to take over the Earth, the Solar System, and the Milky Way. Each Guardian undergoes a transformation which grants her a uniform in her own theme colors and an elemental power. They are named after the planets of the Solar System, with the exception of Earth but including its moon. While many characters are humans who possess superhuman strength and magical abilities, the cast also includes anthropomorphic animals and extraterrestrial lifeforms.
The series follows the adventures of the titular protagonist, Sailor Moon, her lover Tuxedo Mask, her cat advisor Luna, and her guardians and friends: Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. They are later joined by Chibiusa, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's daughter from the future, and four more guardians: Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn. The series' antagonists include the Dark Kingdom, the Black Moon Clan, the Death Busters, the Dead Moon Circus, and Shadow Galactica.
Takeuchi's initial concept for the series was , in which Sailor V discovers her magical powers and protects the people of Earth. After the Codename: Sailor V manga was proposed for an anime adaptation, Takeuchi changed her concept to include ten superheroines who defend the galaxy. The manga's anime, live-action, musical, and video game adaptations feature original characters the production staff created rather than Takeuchi.
Naoko Takeuchi initially wrote , a one-shot manga that focused on Sailor Venus. When Toei Animation proposed it for an anime adaptation, Takeuchi changed the concept to include Sailor Venus as a part of a "sentai" (team of five) and created the characters of Sailors Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter.[1]
The name "Sailor Senshi" is derived from sailor fuku, a type of Japanese school uniform that the main characters' fighting uniforms are based on, and the Japanese word senshi, which can mean "soldier", "warrior", "guardian", or "fighter".[2] Takeuchi created the term by fusing English and Japanese words. DIC Entertainment/Cloverway's English adaptation of the anime changed it to "Sailor Scout" for most of its run. According to Takeuchi, only females can be Sailor Guardians.[1] In the anime's fifth season, the Sailor Starlights are depicted as men transforming into women when changing from their normal forms into Sailor Guardians, rather than women disguising as men as they appear in the manga.
Takeuchi wanted to create a series about girls in outer space, and her editor, Fumio Osano, suggested that she add the "sailor suit" motif to their uniforms.[3] Takeuchi settled on a more unified appearance in later stages of character design.[4] Among the protagonist Sailor Guardians, Sailor Venus, during her time as Sailor V, has the only outfit that varies significantly from the others. Sailor Moon, regardless of form, always has a more elaborate costume than others, and has individual power-ups more frequently than other characters. Sailor Guardians originating from outside the Solar System have different and varying outfits, but the sailor collar serves as a unifying trait in their designs.
Most of the antagonists in the series have names related to minerals and gemstones, including Queen Beryl and the Four Kings of Heaven, the Black Moon Clan, Kaolinite and the Witches 5, and most members of the Dead Moon Circus. Members of the Amazoness Quartet are named after the first four asteroids to be discovered. The Sailor Animamates have the prefix "Sailor", despite not being true Sailor Guardians in the manga,[5] followed by the name of a metal and the name of an animal.
See main article: Sailor Moon (character). is the main protagonist of the series. She is a fourteen-year-old girl who is sometimes careless but has a great capacity for love, compassion, and understanding. Usagi transforms into the heroine Sailor Moon, the Guardian of Love and Justice. At the beginning of the series, she is a self-described immature crybaby who resents fighting evil and wants nothing more than to be a normal girl. As the story progresses, however, she embraces the chance to use her power to protect those she cares about.[6] [7] Her theme color is pink.
Tuxedo MaskSee main article: Tuxedo Mask. is a student who is older than Usagi. When he was young, he was in a car accident that killed his parents and erased his memories.[8] He and Usagi share a special psychic connection, and he can sense when she is in danger.[9] [10] This inspires him to take on the guise of Tuxedo Mask and fight alongside the Sailor Guardians when needed. After an initially confrontational relationship,[11] he and Usagi remember their past lives and fall in love again.
Sailor MercurySee main article: Sailor Mercury. is a fourteen-year-old bookworm in Usagi's class, who is quiet yet intelligent and rumored to have an IQ of 300.[12] She can transform into Sailor Mercury, the Guardian of Water and Wisdom. Despite her shy exterior, she is passionate about learning and taking care of those around her[13] and hopes to eventually become a doctor like her mother. She tends to be the practical one of the group and is secretly a fan of pop culture and romance novels, and becomes embarrassed when this is pointed out. She owns a handheld computer which can scan and detect virtually anything which she needs information about. Her theme color is blue.
Sailor MarsSee main article: Sailor Mars. is an elegant fourteen-year-old miko (English: shrine maiden). Because of her work as a Shinto priestess, she has limited precognition and can dispel or nullify evil using special ofuda scrolls, even in her civilian form.[6] She transforms into Sailor Mars, the Guardian of Fire and Passion. She is very serious and focused and easily annoyed by Usagi's laziness, but cares about her. In the anime adaptation, Rei is portrayed as boy-crazy and short-tempered,[6] while in the manga and live-action series she is depicted as uninterested in romance and more self-controlled.[14] She attends a private Catholic school separate from the other girls. Her theme color is red.
Sailor JupiterSee main article: Sailor Jupiter. is a fourteen-year-old girl who is a student in Usagi's class. She excels at hand-to-hand combat and is rumored to have been expelled from her previous school for fighting. She is unusually tall and strong for a Japanese schoolgirl,[15] and transforms into Sailor Jupiter, the Guardian of Thunder and Courage. Because her parents died in a plane crash years ago, she lives alone and takes care of herself.[16] She cultivates her physical strength and domestic interests, including housekeeping, cooking, and gardening. Her dream is to marry a young handsome man and to own a flower-and-cake shop.[16] Her theme color is green.
Sailor VenusSee main article: Sailor Venus. is a fourteen-year-old perky dreamer who first appears as the main protagonist of .[17] [18] She has a companion cat called Artemis, who works alongside Luna in guiding the Sailor Guardians. Minako transforms into Sailor Venus, the Guardian of Love and Beauty, and leads Sailor Moon's four inner Guardians while acting as her bodyguard and decoy because of their similar appearances. She dreams of becoming a famous singer and idol and attends auditions whenever she can.[19] In contrast, in the live-action series, she is a successful J-pop singer whom Usagi, Ami, and Makoto are fans of and has poor health due to her anemia, causing her to choose to isolate herself from the other Guardians.[20] Her theme color is orange.
Sailor Chibi MoonSee main article: Chibiusa. is the future daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion in the 30th century. She later trains with Sailor Moon to become a Sailor Guardian in her own right,[6] and learns to transform into Sailor Chibi Moon (known as "Sailor Mini Moon" in the English series). At times, she has an adversarial relationship with her mother,[6] but as the series progresses they develop a deep bond, with her wanting to grow up to become like her.[14] Her theme color is light pink.
Sailor PlutoSee main article: Sailor Pluto. is a mysterious woman who initially appears as Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Spacetime and Change.[21] She has the duty of guarding the Space-Time Door against unauthorized travelers, but later appears on Earth living as a college student. She has a distant personality and can be very stern, but can also be friendly and helps the Sailor Guardians when she can.[6] After her long vigil guarding the Space-Time Door, she carries a deep sense of loneliness, although she is close friends with Chibiusa, who calls her by her nickname "Puu". Her talisman, the Garnet Orb, aids her power to attack and temporarily stop time. Her theme color is crimson.
Sailor Uranusis a good-natured tomboyish girl who is a year older than most of the other Sailor Guardians. She transforms into Sailor Uranus, the Guardian of Sky and Flight.[21] Before becoming a Sailor Guardian, she aspired to become a race car driver, and has excellent driving skills.[22] She tends to dress and, in the anime, speak like a man, with other characters often mistaking her for a man. When fighting the enemy, she distrusts outside help and prefers to work solely with her girlfriend, Sailor Neptune, and later Pluto and Saturn. Her talisman, the Space Sword, aids her fighting. Her theme color is navy.
Sailor NeptuneSee main article: Sailor Neptune. is an elegant and talented violinist and painter. Similar to her partner and lover, Haruka Tenoh, she hails from a wealthy family, though they are not mentioned in the series. She transforms into Sailor Neptune, the Guardian of Ocean and Embrace.[21] She worked alone for some time before finding her partner, Sailor Uranus.[23] Neptune ultimately gave up her dreams and devoted herself to her duty as a Sailor Guardian, which she is willing to make sacrifices for. Her talisman, the Deep Aqua Mirror, aids her intuition and reveals cloaked evil. Her theme color is teal.
Sailor SaturnSee main article: Sailor Saturn. is a sweet and lonely young girl, whose health was compromised following a laboratory accident in her youth. After overcoming the darkness that surrounded her family, she transforms into Sailor Saturn, the Guardian of Silence, Destruction, and Rebirth.[6] She is often pensive, and as a human has the power to heal others.[24] She wields the Silence Glaive, which gives her the power to generate barriers and destroy a planet. When she uses that power, she kills herself, but Sailor Moon later revives her and she comes to live with Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna like a family. Her theme color is purple.
See main article: Dark Kingdom. The are the first set of antagonists the Sailor Guardians encounter, who appear in the first arc of the manga and its adaptions. Established by Queen Beryl, its members mostly consist of brainwashed reincarnations of residents from the Golden Kingdom of Earth who aim to gather human energy and find the Silver Crystal to reawaken Queen Metaria, who was responsible for the destruction of the Silver Millennium of the Moon and the Golden Kingdom.
Hell Tree aliensand are humanoid aliens who pose respectively as and, siblings who transfer to Usagi's school and live in the Jūban Odyssey apartments. While trying to blend in, Ail acts as An's brother and develops a crush on Usagi and tries to win her over, much to An's dismay. Despite this, he constantly denies these feelings to her, knowing her tendency to have fits of jealous rage. An later develops a crush on Mamoru and tries to win him over, much to Ail and Usagi's dismay of Ail and Usagi. Ail and An are the only two of their kind.
In Japanese, in the original series, they are voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa and Yumi Tōma respectively. In English, in the DIC English version they are voiced by Vince Corazza and Sabrina Grdevich respectively, and in the Viz Media English version they are voiced by Brian Beacock and Dorothy Elias-Fahn respectively.
The is an alien tree that nourishes Ail and An. It lived alone on an island in a vast ocean on a faraway planet before creating life and giving energy to its many children. The children became greedy and fought each other until the planet was destroyed, with the tree and Ail and An as the only survivors. The tree became weak and required energy to stay alive, with Ail and An supplying it with human energy to revive it, which eventually stops working. The tree becomes angered and starts to injure those around it, killing An in the process. Sailor Moon uses her power to purify the Tree and resurrect An, who, along with Ail and a reborn tree in the form of a small sapling, leave Earth for a better life.
In Japanese, the Hell Tree is voiced by Taeko Nakanishi. In English, it is voiced by Elizabeth Hanna in the DIC English adaptation and by Erin Fitzgerald in the Viz Media English adaptation.
The are monsters of the week Ail and An use to obtain energy to revive the Hell Tree. They are kept in cards until Ail summons them by playing a tune on his flute, causing it to come alive. When a Cardian is destroyed, it changes back into its card form and the picture of it on the card turns black.
Black Moon ClanSee main article: Black Moon Clan. The are the main antagonists of the "Black Moon" arc of the manga and its adaptations. They are a terrorist group from the 30th century led by Prince Demand and based on the planet Nemesis, which provides them with the Malefic Black Crystal, whose goal of ending Neo-Queen Serenity's reign is being manipulated by the mysterious Wiseman.[25]
Death BustersSee main article: Death Busters. The are the main antagonists of the "Infinity" arc of the manga and its adaptions. Initially led by Kaolinite and Professor Souichi Tomoe before the resurrection of their true leader Mistress 9,[26] they are human-alien hybrids seeking to bring the alien creature Pharaoh 90 to terraform Earth.[27]
Dead Moon CircusSee main article: Dead Moon Circus. The are the main antagonists of the "Dream" arc of the manga and its adaptations. Led by Zirconia, they seek the Golden Crystal to release their ruler Queen Nehelenia from her mirror prison and take over Earth.
See main article: Shadow Galactica. are the main antagonists of the final arc of the manga and its adaptations. They are an organization of corrupted Sailor Guardians led by Sailor Galaxia, who devote themselves to stealing Star Seeds, the essence of sentient life, from inhabitants of the Milky Way. Their ultimate goal is to reorganize the universe as desired by Chaos, the overarching antagonist of the series.[5]
Luna, Artemis, and Diana are cats from the planet Mau, which is named after the Chinese word "貓", meaning "cat", who act as advisors to their owners. They are capable of speech and have a crescent moon symbol on their forehead, and can also assume a human form. The two older cats, Luna and Artemis, lived in the Moon Kingdom millennia before the events of the series and were advisors to Queen Serenity; the third, Diana, is much younger and was born on Earth. The cats serve as mentors and confidantes, as well as a source of information and new tools and items. Although Luna has the largest role of the three, Artemis was the first to appear and was also prominent in .
In Act 55 of the manga, Sailor Tin Nyanko, a false Guardian from Mau, attacks them. Artemis calls it a peace-loving world, but Tin Nyanko informs him that Sailor Galaxia wiped out its people after he and Luna left. She blasts them on their crescent moon symbols and they turn into ordinary cats, unable to speak. Later, as they care for the cats, Princess Kakyuu informs Usagi that they have powerful Star Seeds which are as brilliant as Sailor Crystals. In Act 56, they are brought to the River Lethe and Sailor Lethe kills them, but are reincarnated at the end of the series along with everyone else.[28]
In the live-action series, Luna and Artemis are portrayed as stuffed toys rather than real cats. They are usually represented using puppets, though CGI effects are used for complicated scenes.
Writer Mary Grigsby considers the cat characters to blend pre-modern ideas about feminine mystery with modern ideas such as the lucky cat.[29]
See main article: Luna (Sailor Moon). is a black cat who was a devoted servant to Princess Serenity and advisor to her mother, Queen Serenity. When the kingdom fell, she and Artemis were put into a long sleep and sent to Earth to look after the Sailor Guardians, who are reborn there, with parts of her memory suppressed so that she must find the Sailor Guardians.[18] She also provides them with many of their items. She first encounters Usagi and teaches her to become Sailor Moon, unaware that she is actually the reincarnated Princess Serenity. Over the course of the series, Luna develops a close bond with Usagi, though it is initially on uneasy terms, as Luna often upsets her by giving her unsolicited advice. She and Artemis have an implied romantic relationship, which is confirmed when they meet Diana, their daughter from the future.
is the white cat companion to Minako Aino, who trains her to become Sailor V and remains by her side when she takes on her proper role as Sailor Venus. He first guides Usagi through the Sailor V video game at the Crown Game Center arcade without revealing his true identity. In the anime, when a technical problem reveals him, Luna is annoyed to learn that he was guiding her.[30] Later, he fills Luna in on the details of her true mission.[18] In the Sailor V manga and the live-action series, he gives special items to the Guardians, but unlike Luna does not seem to produce them himself. He does not seem to mind the fact that he is named after a female goddess, even when Minako teases him about it.[17] He is more easy-going than Luna and has a "big brother" relationship with Minako, although it is implied he is attracted to her.[16] He also cares deeply for Luna, often comforting her when she is distressed and stating his admiration of her. In addition, he is a good father to Diana, as evidenced by her affection for him.
In Japanese, Artemis is voiced by Yasuhiro Takato in the first anime adaptation, by Yohei Oobayashi in the first three seasons of Crystal, and Taishi Murata in the Eternal and Cosmos films.[31] In the live-action series, he is voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi. He appears in the first Sailor Moon musical, played by a cat-suited Keiji Himeno. In English, he is voiced by Ron Rubin in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation and by Johnny Yong Bosch in the Viz Media English adaptation.
is the future daughter of Luna and Artemis, who first appears when the Sailor Guardians travel to the 30th century in the Black Moon arc. After defeating Death Phantom, she joins them after they return to the 20th century. In the anime, she first appears in Sailor Moon SuperS, calling Artemis her father, to Luna's initial dismay. It is later revealed that she is from the future and that her mother is Luna. Just as Luna and Artemis guide Usagi and Minako, Diana acts as a guardian to Chibiusa. She is curious, eager to help, and polite, always addressing Usagi and Mamoru with the Japanese honorific and calling Chibiusa by her formal title, Small Lady. Despite her youth, she is occasionally able to help the Sailor Guardians, often because of the knowledge she has gained in the future.
In Japanese, Diana is voiced by Kumiko Nishihara in the first series and by Shoko Nakagawa in Crystal. In English, she is voiced by Loretta Jafelice in the Cloverway English adaptation, by Naomi Emmerson in , and by Debi Derryberry in the Viz Media English adaptation.
In one of her reviews of Sailor Moon Crystal, IGN writer Meghan Sullivan admitted that the scene in which Diana tells Sailor Pluto to go and help Chibiusa and the Sailor Guardians while she guards the Door of Time and Space made her tear up, stating: "Here was this tiny cat - who by her own admission has no powers and is too small to fight, offering to help however she could. It's moments like these that remind me why I love Sailor Moon so much."[32]
Sailor StarlightsIn the anime, the Starlights were given a major role. On Earth, they physically change into males in their civilian forms and become women again when transforming into Sailor Guardians, as opposed to their manga counterparts, who disguise themselves as men as civilians. As Starlights, they distance themselves from the other Sailor Guardians, deeming that Earth is not their responsibility. They survive several direct battles with Galaxia herself, and help Sailor Moon defeat Chaos to save Galaxia. Takeuchi expressed surprise at Toei Animation's decision to make the Starlights lead characters in the anime adaptation, but was even more shocked by their treatment of their' sex.[33] In the Italian dub, instead of changing sex, the team has six members, as the Three Lights summon their twin sisters instead of transforming, as the original depiction was very controversial in Italy.[34]
The Starlights are featured in several of the Sailor Moon musicals (Sailor Stars, Eien Densetsu, and their revised editions, as well as Ryuusei Densetsu, Kakyuu-Ouhi Kourin and Le Mouvement Final). Despite being portrayed by women, it is meant to be ambiguous as to whether they take on male forms or cross-dress, though their personalities reflect the former. Their story also combines elements from both the manga and the anime; for instance, they travel to the Galaxy Cauldron as in the manga, but survive the battles against Galaxia as in the anime. The pairings with the Sailor Guardians from the anime are also featured in some musicals.
Their exact relationship to each other is unknown; according to the manga, they are not siblings.[35] Their name "Kou" (光) has several meanings, including "light", making the name "Three Lights" a pun. In the original English manga, "Kou" was translated to "Lights" and was used as their shared family name.
Sailor Star FighterSeiya becomes the star player of their local high-school American football team and the school's star athlete, upsetting Haruka Tenoh, who was the previous star athlete on the track and field team. Eventually, Seiya raises the suspicions of the Sailor Guardians as to their identity. In the anime, Taiki and Yaten consider them to be prone to bouts of childishness, such as when they show off their basketball skills before the school,[36] but generally follow their lead.
Seiya develops strong feelings for Usagi, calling her odango, like Mamoru does, their attempts to forge a bond with her providing the primary romantic tension of the season. The two go on a date at an amusement park, which is interrupted when Sailor Iron Mouse attacks.[37] Seiya makes their interest in her clear when they spend time together practicing softball, telling her, "I like your light."[38] However, their feelings are not reciprocated and they acknowledge the one-sided romance.[39]
The relationship between Sailor Star Fighter and Princess Kakyuu is slightly ambiguous. In the anime, when Seiya daydreams of their home planet, they think of an image of her, which is suddenly superimposed by an image of Usagi, much as Usagi had seen Seiya's image overlaid by Mamoru in previous episodes.[40] In the image poem released for their CD single, however, they suggest that their feelings for her are because they are "carrying the heart of a boy" and because they were attracted to her light.
In the band, they have the role of lead vocals, guitar, and lyrics, but were also playing the drums in their hideout because they believed Kakyuu had not heard them yet. According to Takeuchi, when she created them, they were meant to be a combination between Haruka and Mamoru, and were modeled after Jenny Shimizu.[15] Her theme color is sky blue.
In Japanese, they were voiced by Shiho Niiyama in the original series in one of her final roles before her death and by Marina Inoue in Sailor Moon Cosmos. In English, they are voiced by Melissa Hutchison.[41] In the musicals, Seiya has been portrayed by Sayuri Katayama, Chinatsu Akiyama and Meiku Harukawa.
Sailor Star MakerLike Yaten, Taiki believes that Seiya should stay away from Usagi after learning she is Sailor Moon, despite their wish, shared by Princess Kakyuu and the Sailor Guardians, for them to work together. However, their views on Usagi change for the better near the end of Sailor Stars.
In the band, they have the role of background vocals, keyboards, and composition. They also enjoy poetry and are part of the literature club at school. Taiki is meant to be a more-distant Setsuna Meioh.[15] Her theme color is violet.
In Japanese, Taiki is voiced by Narumi Tsunoda in the original series and by Saori Hayami in Cosmos. In English, they are voiced by Erika Harlacher.[41] In the musicals, Taiki has been portrayed by Hikari Ono, Akiko Nakayama, and Riona Tatemichi.
Sailor Star HealerYaten has the most spiritual awareness of the three and is able to tell when Star Seeds are taken by Galaxia. They view humans as untrustworthy and want to find Kakyuu so they can leave Earth as soon as possible. After learning that Usagi is Sailor Moon, Yaten believes that Seiya should stay away from her, despite their wish, shared by Princess Kakyuu and the Sailor Guardians, for them to work together, a view shared by Taiki and Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. However, like Taiki, their views on Usagi change for the better near the end of Sailor Stars. In the anime, Yaten is shown to be physically stronger than Makoto Kino in their civilian form, and bonds with her as they share moments together.
In the band, they have the role of background vocals, bass guitar, and song arrangement. They also enjoy photography, but do not belong to any school club, preferring to just go home.[15] Their theme color is chartreuse.
In Japanese, Yaten is voiced by Chika Sakamoto in the original series and by Ayane Sakura in Cosmos. In English, they are voiced by Sarah Anne Williams.[41] In the musicals, Yaten has been portrayed by Momoko Okuyama, Mikako Tabe, and Saki Matsuda.
is Usagi's mother, who is often seen cooking and lecturing her for her grades in school. They are shown to be close, since she gives Usagi advice on relationships and eagerly accepts her relationship with Mamoru. She cares for Chibiusa when she is present, whom she believes to be her niece, but in reality is her future granddaughter. She also cares for Chibi-Chibi, whom she believes to be her second daughter. Ikuko's name and design are modeled after Takeuchi's mother.[45]
In the live-action series, Ikuko is portrayed as an outgoing, quirky, and determined person. She changes her hairstyle almost every day, is constantly trying out new omelette recipes, and loves to be in the spotlight. She is a high-school friend with Minako's manager, and it is said they were participants in their school's theater program.
In Japanese, Ikuko is voiced by Sanae Takagi in the original series and in Crystal by Yūko Mizutani until her death in 2016,[46] a role later taken over by Wakana Yamazaki in Cosmos. In English, she is voiced by Barbara Radecki in the DIC and Cloverway English dubs and by Tara Platt in the Viz Media English dub. Kaori Moriwaka portrays Ikuko in the live-action series.
is Usagi's father. He is a stereotypical well-meaning Japanese salaryman, who works as a magazine reporter[12] and later as an editor-in-chief.[47] Early on, he becomes jealous when he sees Usagi with Mamoru Chiba, thinking he is too old for her.[48] Like his wife, Kenji is unaware of Usagi's real identity. He senses a maturity in her when she is finally aware of her status as Princess Serenity, and notes that at times, her beauty seems serene.[49] Kenji appears less frequently after the anime adaptation's second season.
He does not appear in the live-action series, which is explained by him being away on business trips. However, he appears briefly in the direct-to-DVD Special Act, crying at Usagi's wedding.
In Japanese, Kenji is voiced by Yuji Machi in the original series and by Mitsuaki Madono in Crystal. In English, he is voiced by David Huband in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation and by Keith Silverstein in the Viz Media English adaptation. In the Special Act of the live-action series, he is portrayed by series director Ryuta Tasaki.
Shingo TsukinoIn the live-action series, Shingo dislikes much of what his sister and mother do, and does not care much for life in general. In the video game Sailor Moon: Another Story, Shingo is kidnapped by the villains in an attempt to force Usagi to hand over the Silver Crystal.
In Japanese, Shingo was voiced by Chiyoko Kawashima in the original series until her retirement in 2001, with Seira Ryū taking over the role in Crystal.[46] In English, he is voiced by Julie Lemieux in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation and by Nicolas Roye in the Viz Media English adaptation. In the live-action series, he is portrayed by Naoki Takeshi.
Naru OsakaNaru plays a more important role in the live-action series, learning most of the truth about the Sailor Guardians. She is also a more confident and outgoing person. For a short while, she and Ami share a conflicted relationship, as both seem to be jealous of the other's closeness with Usagi. However, they resolve their differences and become good friends.
Naru's younger sister, Naruru, is featured in a short side-story in the Stars manga.[52] [53] In the anime it is stated that she is an only child.[54] Naruru at first appears with Haruka, Michiru, and Usagi at the high school and is shown getting along with them.
In Japanese, Naru is voiced by Shino Kakinuma in the original series and by Satomi Satō in Crystal.[46] In English, she is voiced by Mary Long in the DIC/Cloverway English version[13] and by Danielle Judovits in the Viz Media English version. Chieko Ochi portrays her in the live-action series, and Yuka Yamauchi portrays her in the musical Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon - Nogizaka46 Version.
Gurio UminoThe kanji in Umino's surname mean either "ocean field" or "of ocean"; as such, it is constructed in the same way as Usagi's and those of other Sailor Guardians.
In Japanese, he is voiced by Keiichi Nanba in Sailor Moon and Daiki Yamashita in Crystal.[46] In English, he is voiced by Roland Parliament in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation and by Benjamin Diskin in the Viz Media English adaptationn. In the musical Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon - Nogizaka46 Version, he is portrayed by Marina Tanoue.
Haruna SakuradaThe kanji in her name mean "cherry blossom" (sakura), "rice field" (da), "spring" (haru), and "vegetables" (na). The "spring" part of her name becomes a pun in the context of other works by Takeuchi: Haruna appears in her earlier series, The Cherry Project, which features her sister Fuyuna in one of its side stories. Two other characters with similar names appear in Takeuchi works: Natsuna in and Akina in PQ Angels, and also have the surname Sakurada. The Japanese words fuyu, natsu, and aki mean "winter", "summer", and "autumn", respectively.
In Japanese, Haruna was originally voiced by Chiyoko Kawashima in Sailor Moon until her retirement in 2001, with Akemi Kanda voicing her from Crystal onwards.[46] In English, she is voiced by Nadine Rabinovitch in the DIC English adaptation and by Julie Ann Taylor in the Viz Media English adaptation. She is portrayed by Tomoko Otakara in the live-action series and by Kasumi Hyuga and Kiho Seishi in the musicals.
Motoki FuruhataIn the live-action series, the Crown Center is a karaoke parlor. There is an initial flirtatious relationship between Motoki and Makoto until it intensifies, and in the Special Act, which takes place four years after the series finale, Motoki proposes to Makoto, who accepts.
In Japanese, Motoki is voiced by Hiroyuki Satō in Sailor Moon and by Hiroshi Okamoto in Crystal.[46] In English, he is voiced by Colin O'Meara in the DIC English adaptation, by Steven Bednarski in the Cloverway dub, and by Lucien Dodge in the Viz Media English adaptation. He is portrayed by Masaya Kikawada in the live-action series.
Reika Nishimurais a Shinto priest and Rei Hino's grandfather, who lives at the Hikawa Shrine. In the anime, he has a different physical appearance and has a more prominent role as one of the holders of the Rainbow Crystals that make up the Silver Crystal. He often flirts with anyone, regardless of their gender.[58] In Japanese, he is voiced by Tomomichi Nishimura in the first anime adaptation and by Hirohiko Kakegawa in Sailor Moon Eternal. In English, he is voiced by David Fraser in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation, by John Stocker as a stand-in in Sailor Moon S episode 99, by Michael Sorich in the Viz Media English adaptation, and by Todd Haberkorn in Sailor Moon Eternal.
is an anime-only character who helps out at the Hikawa Shrine. His family is very rich and has a mountain lodge, where he takes Rei and her friends for skiing. After falling in love with Rei, Yūichirō decides to stay at Hikawa Shrine to be near her. Despite her not reciprocating his love, he remains faithful to her and tries to protect her, with her warming up to his personality over time. In Japanese, he is voiced by Bin Shimada in the first anime series. In English, he is voiced by Steven Bednarski in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation, by Damon D'Oliveira in Sailor Moon S, by Jason Barr in Sailor Moon SuperS), and by Wally Wingert in the Viz Media English adaption.
is Motoki Furuhata's younger sister, who works as a waitress at the Crown Fruit Parlor and attends T•A Private Girls School with Rei Hino. She first appears sporadically, with her initial appearance being in Sailor Moon R as a mistaken love rival for Mamoru Chiba. She dreams of her first kiss in Sailor Moon S, which results in her being targeted by the Death Busters. Unazuki appears more frequently in SuperS as a major supporting character who is usually among Usagi's group. In Japanese, she is voiced by Miyako Endou in the first series, with Eriko Hara as a stand-in. In English, she is voiced by Sabrina Grdevich in the DIC English adaptation, by Sabrina Grdevich in the Cloverway dub, by Catherine Disher in Sailor Moon S, by Daniela Olivieri in SuperS, and by Veronica Taylor in the Viz Media English adaptation.
is Kyusuke Sarashina's elder sister and a student at T•A Academy for Girls, where she is the president of its Supernatural Research Club. Like many students at T•A, she seems to have an admiration for Rei Hino. She first appeared in Act 15, when the disguised Koan created a rival club with a fortune-telling booth at the school festival. She made a Sailor V button for her brother, which Kyusuke refused to get for Chibiusa despite her liking it. However, after they help defeat the vampire Lilica Hubert, he has Kotono make a Sailor Moon button for her as well. She is voiced by Akemi Kanda in Sailor Moon Crystal and by Tara Sands in the Viz Media English dub.
is introduced in the Black Moon arc of the manga as Makoto's friend, who is interested in science fiction, UFOs, and local paranormal activity. He greatly respects Mamoru, who is an upperclassman at his school. Asanuma initially thinks that the Sailor Guardians are aliens, but after he hears Luna talk, Makoto confesses the Guardians' identities to him.[59] Asanuma is later attacked by Ayakashi sister Calaveras and rescued by Sailor Moon. At the beginning of the Infinity arc, he appears with Mamoru and Chibiusa in an amusement park,[60] and in the Stars arc he gives Mamoru's phone number to Usagi when she is unable to locate him.[35] Asanuma is briefly seen in the anime, looking for Mamoru when the latter is controlled by Queen Nehelenia.[61] In Japanese, he is voiced by Kazuya Nakai in the original series and by Daisuke Sakaguchi in Crystal. In the Viz Media English dub, he is voiced by Greg Felden.
is an elementary-school student who befriends Chibiusa. In the anime, she is badly injured in a fight with Chiral and Achiral, two Black Moon members, causing Chibiusa to go into a fit and unleash her latent powers at them. Later, Momoko becomes the first target of the Amazoness Quartet, but is saved by Sailor Chibi Moon and Sailor Moon. In Japanese, she is voiced by Taeko Kawata. In English, she is voiced by Mary Long and Tanya Donato in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation, where her name is changed to Melissa and later Melanie, and by Debi Derryberry in the Viz Media English adaptation.
is an athletic and sarcastic boy who attends elementary school with Chibiusa and Momoko and is the younger brother of Kotono, who goes to school with Rei. He makes recurring appearances in Sailor Moon SuperS, and is targeted by Amazoness JunJun in episode 155. He later appears when Chibiusa befriends a boy named Hiroki, who is trying to build a flying machine.[62] While Kyūsuke is initially resentful of Hiroki and how impressed Chibiusa is with Hiroki's dream, Kyūsuke encourages Hiroki to continue building the flying machine after multiple failed attempts. In Japanese, he is voiced by Kazumi Okushima in Sailor Moon R, by Daisuke Sakaguchi in Sailor Moon SuperS, and by Yukiko Morishita in Sailor Moon Crystal. In English, he is voiced by Nicola St. John in the DIC/Cloverway English adaptation, where his name is changed to Kelly, and by Kyle Hebert and Cristina Vee as a child in the Viz English dub.
is the incarnation of the moon goddess, Selene,[63] with ancient Earth civilizations having known her as Selene. She was the mother of Sailor Moon in her past life as Princess Serenity and the Queen regnant of the Moon, who reigned during the first Silver Millennium era. When the Dark Kingdom attacked the Moon Kingdom, she sacrificed herself to use the Silver Crystal to seal Queen Metaria and have her daughter, Endymion, and the Sailor Guardians reborn on Earth. Queen Serenity first appears as a hologram, having saved her spirit within a computer to preserve her will.[49] She tells the five Sailor Guardians of their past lives, which they begin to remember as she describes them, and that they must find Queen Metaria, who escaped the thousand-year-old seal placed on her and gone into hiding on Earth. Afterwards, she only appears in flashbacks or as cameos.
In the thirteen-episode separate arc of Sailor Moon R preceding the Black Moon saga, a vision of Queen Serenity gives Usagi her second transformation brooch, the Crystal Star, as well as the mystical Cutie Moon Rod as her new weapon. She also appears in the forty-episode live-action series's special episode, "We're Getting Married!", which also adapted the Dark Kingdom saga.
In Japanese, she is voiced by Mika Doi in the first anime series and by Mami Koyama in Sailor Moon Crystal. In English, she is voiced by Barbara Radecki in the premiere of the Cloverway English adaptation and later by Wendy Lyon, and by Wendee Lee in the Viz Media English adaptation. In the live-action series, she is portrayed by Miyu Sawai, with her voice dubbed over by Yōko Sōmi.
Phobos and DeimosIn Japanese, they are voiced by Kanami Taguchi and Aya Yamane respectively in Sailor Moon Eternal. In the Viz English dub of Sailor Moon Eternal, Phobos is voiced by Kate Higgins and Deimos is voiced by Kelly Baskin.
In the live-action series, they appear only in the third episode. In the Another Story video game, they accompany her in the search for Jadeite's stone. A fake Deimos and Phobos appear in crow form in the musical Sailor Moon S – Usagi – Ai no Senshi e no Michi, where they are portrayed by male actors in animal costumes.[65]
Helios/PegasusIn Sailor Moon SuperS, Helios guards the Golden Crystal, which protects the dreams of Earth's people, and draws power and strength from these dreams. After Nehelenia attacks him seeking the Crystal for herself, Helios leaves his body to flee with the Crystal. Taking on the form of the mythical Pegasus, he places the Crystal on his forehead as a horn and hides in Chibiusa's dreams. There, he asks for her help and grants power to her and her allies through special items. Though he does not trust Chibiusa at first, they gradually develop a connection, and he ultimately reveals his secrets to her by revealing his world of Elysion and his true form and name.
In Japanese, he is voiced by Taiki Matsuno in Sailor Moon and by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka in Sailor Moon Eternal.[67] In English, he is voiced by Rowan Tichenor in the Cloverway English adaptation, by Chris Niosi in the Viz Media English adaptation, and by Brian Beacock in Sailor Moon Eternal. In the musicals, Pegasus is voiced by Yuta Enomoto.[68]
Takeuchi stated that she was dissatisfied with Helios' attire, having created his outfit quickly because it was easy to draw and she was pressed for time. She describes the result as "ugly" and "a disaster", commenting that he inherited his "irresponsible ways" from herself.[69]
Helios is assisted by the, two priestesses who guard a shrine in Elysion and escaped the Dead Moon Circus's curse by falling asleep. The Maenads eventually awaken and guide Chibiusa to Helios, and later appear along with the main characters after Nehelenia's defeat. In Eternal, they are voiced by Ruriko Noguchi and Yuuki Hirose.
Princess KakyuuIn the anime, Kakyuu goes to Earth to locate the "Light of Hope" and hide from Galaxia.[39] While under Chibi-Chibi's care, she is aware of the Starlights searching for her, but cannot reveal herself too soon.[39] She eventually saves Sailor Moon and the others from a black hole and resumes leadership of the Starlights. However, after Kakyuu is found, Galaxia steals her Star Seed, killing her. After Sailor Moon defeats Chaos, she is revived and, along with the Starlights, returns to Kinmoku to rebuild.[70] Her Sailor Guardian form is never shown in this adaptation.
In Japanese, she is voiced by Sakiko Tamagawa in the original series and by Nana Mizuki in Cosmos. In English, she is voiced by Allegra Clark. In the musical version, she is portrayed by Sakoto Yoshioka, Ai Toyama, and Asami Okamura.
Chibi-ChibiChibi-Chibi is first shown floating down to Earth and appearing at the Tsukino house.[35] In the anime, she first meets Usagi in the park and starts to follow her around, saying only "chibi chibi" without having been prompted.[72] Chibi-Chibi attaches herself to Usagi's family, whose memories are modified so that they believe her to be the youngest child of the family, like how Chibiusa had made them believe she was her cousin.[73] Chibi-Chibi is the caretaker of a small ornate censer in which Princess Kakyuu is resting, hidden from Sailor Galaxia.[35] [74] Eventually, she uses her own power to transform into the Sailor Guardian Sailor Chibi-Chibi.[52] In her Sailor Guardian form, she wields a heart scepter and uses it to defend herself and Sailor Moon, but is not shown using attacks of her own.[52] Her childlike form is a disguise for Sailor Cosmos, a powerful Sailor Guardian who is the future version of Sailor Moon.[5]
In the anime, Chibi-Chibi is Galaxia's Star Seed, who had once been a great force for good.[75] When Galaxia fought Chaos, she defeated it by sealing it inside her own body. To prevent her Star Seed from being corrupted, she sent it away to Earth, where it became Chibi-Chibi.[75] The Starlights refer to Chibi-Chibi as the, as she is their final hope to defeat Galaxia. Ultimately, Chibi-Chibi transforms into the, which Galaxia had used to seal away Chaos, and asks Sailor Moon to use it to defeat them. During the battle, Galaxia shatters the sword, killing Chibi-Chibi. However, she is revived along with the other fallen Sailor Guardians after Sailor Moon cleanses Galaxia of Chaos.[70]
Chibi-Chibi is voiced by Kotono Mitsuishi in Japanese and by Stephanie Sheh in English.[76] In the stage musicals, she has been portrayed by Mao Kawasaki, Mikiko Asuke, Yuka Gouchou, and Mina Horita. Takeuchi praised Kawasaki's cuteness as Chibi-Chibi.[77] In the stage musicals, her backstory follows that of the anime and she is given her own song, "Mou ii no" (English: It's All Right), which she sings to announce that she has come to rejoin Galaxia.
is the ultimate future form of Sailor Moon.[78] She comes from a future which has been destroyed by the battle with Sailor Chaos; after ages of fighting, she despairs and flees to the past as Chibi-Chibi to encourage Sailor Moon to defeat Chaos. At first, she wants Sailor Moon to destroy the Galaxy Cauldron altogether, ensuring Chaos' destruction, but she protests after realizing that if the Cauldron is destroyed, no more stars will be born, leaving the Galaxy without a future. Sailor Moon chooses to sacrifice herself to the Cauldron and seal Chaos away, which Cosmos realizes to have been the right decision. Reminded of the strength and courage she needs to have, Sailor Cosmos returns to the future with new hope.[5] After the end of the anime adaptation, Takeuchi commented that she wished Sailor Cosmos had been used in Sailor Moon Sailor Stars.[79] In Sailor Moon Cosmos, she is voiced by Keiko Kitagawa.[80] In the musicals, Sailor Cosmos is portrayed by Satomi Okubo, who had also portrayed Usagi from 2013 to 2015.
Differences in character between the Sailor Guardians mirror differences in their hairstyles, fashion, and magical items, which has translated well into doll lines.[81] Sales of the Sailor Guardians fashion dolls overtook those of Licca-chan in the 1990s. Mattel attributed this to the "fashion-action" blend of the Sailor Moon storyline; doll accessories included both fashion items and the Guardian's weapons.[13] The first line of dolls included Queen Beryl, the first major antagonist of the series, a decision that was described as a "radical idea".[82] Bandai introduced a line of little dolls that included the Amazoness Quartet and, according to Takeuchi, these were their favorite because "with their costumes and faithfulness to the originals, the dolls really excelled."[69] Bandai has released several S.H. Figuarts based on the characters' appearances from the first anime adaptation. Among those figures are the Sailor Guardians, Tuxedo Mask, and Black Lady.[83] In early 2014, Megahouse released a set of trading figures consisting of twelve figurines, two for each Sailor Guardian and two for Tuxedo Mask.[84]
Several characters, including Sailor Guardians, villains, supporting characters, and monsters of the day are featured in a collectible card game which was released in 2000 by Dart Flipcards.[85] A collaboration between Sailor Moon and Capcom took place in March 2018 as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Sailor Moon franchise. In this collaboration, the Felyne cat companion resembles Luna and wields Usagi's Cutie Moon Rod weapon in the Monster Hunter XX expansion of Monster Hunter Generations.[86]
Sailor Moon has been described largely in terms of its characters; a sustained 18-volume narrative about a group of young heroines who are simultaneously heroic and introspective, active and emotional, dutiful and ambitious.[11] [87] The combination proved extremely successful, and Sailor Moon became internationally popular in both manga and anime formats.[13] [88]
The function of the Sailor Guardians themselves has been analyzed by critics, often in terms of feminist theory.[89] Susan J. Napier described the Sailor Guardians as "powerful, yet childlike", and suggested that this is because Sailor Moon is aimed towards an audience of young girls. She stated that the Sailor Guardians readily accept their powers and destinies and do not agonize over them, which can be read as an expression of power and success.[81] The Sailor Guardians have been described as merging male and female traits, being both desirable and powerful. As sexualized teen heroines, they are significantly different from the sexless representation of 1980s teen heroines such as Nausicaä.[90] Anne Allison noted that the use of the sailor fuku as a costume makes it easy for girls to identify with the Sailor Guardians, but also for older males to see them as sex symbols.[87] Unlike the female Power Rangers, who as the series go on become more unisex in both costume and poses, the Sailor Guardians' costumes become frillier and more "feminine".[91]
Mary Grigsby considered that the Sailor Guardians blend ancient characteristics and symbols of femininity with modern ideas, reminding the audience of a pre-modern time when females were equal to males,[11] but other critics drew parallels with the modern character type of the aggressive cyborg woman, pointing out that the Sailor Guardians are augmented by their magical equipment.[81] [92] [93] Much of the Sailor Guardians' strength stems from their reliance and friendship with other girls rather than from men.[94]
Kazuko Minomiya has described the daily lives of the girls within the series as risoukyou, or "utopic". They are shown as enjoying many leisure activities such as shopping, visiting amusement parks, and hanging out at the Crown Arcade. According to Allison, Minomiya points out that the depiction of life is harder and more serious for male superheroes.[87] The characters "double" as ordinary girls and as "celestially-empowered superheroes".[13] The "highly stylized"[13] transformation that the Sailor Guardians go through has been said to "symbolically separate" the negative aspects of the characters (laziness, for example) and the positive aspects of the superheroine,[92] and gives each girl her unique uniform and "a set of individual powers".[13] Some commentators have read the transformation of the Sailor Guardians as symbolic of puberty, as cosmetics appear on the Guardians and their uniforms highlight cleavages, slim waists, and long legs,[11] [95] which "outright force the pun on heavenly bodies".[96]
Jason Thompson found the Sailor Moon anime reinvigorated the magical girl genre by adding dynamic heroines and action-oriented plots. Following its success, similar series, such Magic Knight Rayearth, Akazukin Chacha, Wedding Peach, Nurse Angel Ririka SOS, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Fushigi Yuugi and Pretty Cure, emerged.[7]
Naru tells Usagi that even though she treats her childhood friend Rui Saionji like a sister, she is in fact an only child.
