Friday Five: Sailor Moon Characters
Since I’ve been on such a kick lately with Sailor Moon and Naruto articles in my freelance life, that’s what you’re going to be getting in the Friday Fives for the next few weeks as well. So, favorite characters, favorite episodes, etc for both anime are on the way. (I’ve only read a handful of the manga for each, so, sorry manga purists.) This week, in no particular order, except for maybe number one, you’re getting my favorite characters from Sailor Moon. To the surprise of probably no one, you’re getting four Sailor Scouts (Senshi, if you prefer) and one, or really one group of villains.
Five: Sailor Mars
When watching the 90s series, I always wavered between loving Sailor Mars and hating Sailor Mars. I think that’s because the characterization was so inconsistent there. But what I loved about her through the run was that she had something other than this destiny of becoming a Sailor Guardian going for her. Before she learned her reincarnated identity, she had psychic abilities. She was already trying to see the truth in the world around her. I also like, despite her slap happy nature in the 90s, that she was willing to call everyone out when they did something idiotic. Moon Princess or not, Usagi wasn’t getting away with anything while she was around.
Four: Sailor Pluto
I love that Setsuna has such a weird and lonely backstory. Instead of being a part of the team up in her past (and really future as well) life, she was tasked with guarding a doorway to time travel. She’s this immensely powerful and intelligent woman who can literally stop time, and she’s stuck in place. It’s sad, but it also means she has some of the coolest entrances in the show because everyone is in awe of her. I never understood why Sailor Saturn was the favorite of so many people when she was introduced in the 90s and everyone didn’t care about Pluto at all.
Three: The Witches 5
Ah, yes, my favorite group of villains. Look, I’ll always have a soft spot for Queen Beryl because she started this whole thing, but the Witches 5, whether you’re looking at the 90s anime or Sailor Moon Crystal, are just fun. I love that they have distinct power sets that make them a match for specific Senshi. I also love that Eudial doesn’t use magic when she goes up against her opponents. Instead, she uses science and makes her own machines - and she almost wins. They’re a creative group of villains and they deserved a bit better of an arc.
Two: Sailor Venus
I’ll admit that there are certain arcs where I hate Sailor Venus. She’s a bit too shallow for my tastes when the anime started really pushing that she and Usagi were two peas in a pod. But I love that she had an entire life as Sailor V before she ever found the rest of the girls. She’s the defacto leader of the group, the one who is supposed to stand in as Princess Serenity’s double if needed, and yet… we don’t get a sense of that in the 90s. Crystal does a better job at conveying that. She’s got some serious power. She’s the only one, other than Sailor Moon, who manages to take on bad guys alone, even if we don’t see it on screen. Despite being nearly as ditzy as Serena, she’s the one who takes the time to learn their history. And her power is literally love. You have to like her.
One: Sailor Jupiter
I find it fascinating that Sailor Jupiter is by and large the favorite in the US, though Sailor Mercury is the favorite in Japan. Or at least, that’s how it was in the 90s when the anime was still airing. Two decades later and some things have probably changed. I loved her because she felt the most fleshed out of all of the characters to me, though I probably wouldn’t have put it that way as a kid. Sailor Jupiter lives on her own, forcing her to be more responsible. She’s tough - the only one to have superior strength outside of a transformation sequence - but she’s also incredibly vulnerable. She might be able to pick up a bully and toss them across the room, but she’s crafty, likes to cook, and doesn’t want to stand out in a crowd, all things we think of from typical wallflowers. So many little things were revealed about her over the course of her introduction that she felt like a fully fledged character faster than most. She also got to wear cool boots in uniform and earrings that looked like roses. I mean… who didn’t love her? With an incredibly strong power set that involves thunder and earthquakes, she should definitely be remembered as one of the strongest transformed as well. Sailor Jupiter is just the entire package.
Okay, Sailor Moon fans, who’s your favorite?
