Which Character from Sailor Moon Do You Like the Most?
Which Character from Sailor Moon Do You Like the Most?
——Sailor Venus, Aino Minako
In the original Sailor Moon series, she has a unique presence. Like the protagonist Usagi Tsukino, she also has long golden hair, and her hair is even more stunning in volume.
Although she was the last to appear, she was the first to awaken as a Sailor Soldier. From her debut, her strength and vast battle experience far surpassed those of the original main characters, making her the unquestionable leader of the group.
She is inseparably connected to the entire Sailor Moon universe. She is Venus, the Sailor Soldier of love and beauty—Aino Minako.
1.The Meaning of Her Name
Sailor Venus, Aino Minako, stands out even from her name. Just like Usagi Tsukino, who represents the Moon, Ami Mizuno who represents Mercury, Rei Hino who represents Mars, and Makoto Kino who represents Jupiter, all of their names are connected to their respective guardian planets.
However, Minako's name does not directly reference her guardian planet. After transforming into Sailor Venus, she becomes Sailor Venus. Naoko Takeuchi gave Minako’s name a deeper, more perfect meaning by drawing from Roman mythology, where Venus is the goddess of love and beauty.
Perhaps the "Ai" (love) in Aino Minako’s name comes from this connection, but do you remember Minako’s other identity?
2.Her First Appearance
In the TV version of the original series, the first appearances of the initial warriors—Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter—were all guided by the black cat Luna in special circumstances before they transformed into Sailor Soldiers.
In the final battle of episode 33, when Sailor Venus made her debut, the original team was facing the risk of total annihilation due to the overwhelming power of their enemies.
At this critical moment, Minako Aino, in her transformed state, appeared with her mentor, the white cat Artemis.
She single-handedly saved Usagi and the other warriors, who had already lost their ability to fight. Although she was the last to appear as a Sailor Soldier, her strength and quick reactions in her first battle quickly established her as the de facto leader of the original group. Her wealth of battle experience was far beyond that of the other warriors.
3.Her Special Origin
So why is Minako so special?
Before Sailor Moon was created, Naoko Takeuchi had already written a short manga titled Sailor V, which featured Aino Minako as the main character. In this story, Minako transforms into a Sailor Soldier and battles evil forces, all while sporting her signature golden, shoulder-length hair.
Sailor V stood out during the 90s, a time when the magical girl transformation genre was thriving. Toei Animation had initially planned to adapt it into an anime series, but due to issues with the title and copyright, the project was halted. In the end, Toei Animation and Takeuchi reached a consensus and decided to create a new Sailor Soldier-themed magical girl series in the same universe as Sailor V.
On March 7, 1992, Sailor Moon officially premiered and made its mark on the world.
Though Minako Aino, the older and more mature character, had already appeared before Usagi Tsukino, and Takeuchi had a special fondness for Minako—believing her to be the true protagonist of Sailor Moon—a, the new series could not simply carry over characters from another work as the lead. Marketability and public acceptance took precedence over personal preference.
Thus, Usagi Tsukino, who also had golden hair and the ability to transform, along with the other Sailor Soldiers, made their grand entrance. These interesting coincidences—or perhaps, necessary decisions—ultimately led to the creation of a timeless classic, one that became one of our most cherished childhood memories.
4.Minako and Sailor V
Interestingly, in the early episodes of Sailor Moon, Sailor V made several appearances, and Usagi Tsukino even expressed that she greatly admired Sailor V, considering her an idol and a role model.
This is likely Naoko Takeuchi’s way of paying homage, passing down, and showing her special affection for the character. In episode 42, Minako shared with Usagi her past experiences in London. To ensure the happiness of her beloved sister, Minako sacrificed her own love. At that moment, Usagi realized how much more mature Minako was compared to everyone else.
So, the question remains: will you continue to love Aino Minako, the girl with golden hair who is strong, determined, and carries a deep sense of responsibility, willing to sacrifice her life to complete her mission?
