The manga and anime Sailor Moon became a cultural phenomenon all around the world ever since the 90s. The magical girl genre wouldn’t be as popular if it wasn’t for this iconic and beloved franchise. There are many forms that help make the series stand out, whether it be the art style, the story, or concept of how all of Sailor Moon was created.
What makes the series interesting are the cast of characters. Mostly consisting of females since it is about them fighting to save their world, the girls have distinct personalities and despite the differences, they managed to become great friends over time. The one we will be referring to on this list is the one and only protagonist Sailor Moon.
Born as Usagi Tsukino, or Serena for those who grew up with the DiC localization, she is a fourteen-year-old girl who would rather play video games and eat junk food rather than study in school. After saving Luna, she found out she was able to transform into the pretty guardian Sailor Moon. Naturally, she cries and hopes that it was all but a dream, but it wasn’t. Usagi’s life changed ever since then and she would later find other Sailor Scouts along the way.
Usagi has become of the most recognizable protagonists in any anime and she might not be the best when it comes to character, but she is beloved by fans everywhere. Here are some facts about the whiny crybaby guardian of the moon, Usagi!
20 Couldn’t Tell The Difference
As teenagers, we do stuff that is rather silly, but as we get older, we can laugh it off and enjoy the positive memories from it. In season three of the classic Sailor Moon anime, she and her friends went to a party and Usagi was overall nervous. So, what does she do to help calm herself down? She decided to have a drink.
Usagi managed to drink what she assumed is punch, but the more she drank, the loopier she got. The scene is pretty funny in whatever dub you are watching and we honestly feel her for being nervous, but can’t help but giggle when she was out of balance. The main concern is that she is probably around fifteen and this is certainly not a good thing, especially when out in public.
Poor Usagi only wanted to calm down, but from how she acted after drinking the punch, we were in for a treat that made us laugh a lot while also pitying her. While it is dangerous for her to do something like that, especially since she is not at the age cap, Usagi was at least okay in the end and got off scot-free.
19 Such Great Hair
Usagi has one of the most interesting designs in the series. Having blonde hair and blue eyes, she stands out from the typical Japanese teenage girl. Then again, some of the characters have unnatural hair color. Her hairstyle would later appear in subtle references, such as being in video games where you can customize your own character. The hair would even be joked about whenever Mamoru would see Usagi way before they became a romantic couple, calling her Bunhead as a way to tease her.
According to the creator, Naoko Takeuchi, the hair is more than just a part of Usagi’s design.
During her university years, Naoko actually based Usagi’s hairstyle on a good luck charm as she studied. She would put her hair up in the same style as Usagi’s before she started her classes or exams. Another fact about Usagi’s hair was that it was originally going to be silver just like Princess Serenity’s, but it would be too plain.
Even though Usagi’s hair is officially blonde, whenever she transforms into Princess Serenity, her hair would change back to silver just like from her past life. Usagi’s hair will always be iconic due to how original it is for a unique character like her.
18 We Saw The Sign
What makes Sailor Moon so memorable would have to be the transformation scenes. Seeing the main girls transform into Sailor Scouts takes us on an exhilarating adventure even though it lasts for about a minute. In the original anime, it does have issues with reusing stock footage and takes up a huge amount of time to let the girls transform one at a time, but Crystal made them quick and straight to the point after they are first seen transforming. The first transformation scene is, of course, Usagi’s. We were all entranced by the colors, animation, and seeing the uniform she wears while fighting as Sailor Moon.
There are some nice touches that make her transformation wholesome.
Usagi states that she is the soldier from the moon and fights for love and justice. While she says, “In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you,” she does hand signs that actually mean something, albeit ironic. The hand signs are actually from a sign language. It means, “I love you.” It may be weird to have that while fighting someone, but in Usagi’s case, she does fight for love.
Adding the sign language is a nice touch and even educated us just in case we come across someone who uses sign language.
17 What A Cameo!
Due to Sailor Moon’s popularity, you can expect some weird and funny cameos from completely different types of media. For example, the song “One Week” by Barenaked Ladies has the lyrics, “Gotta get in tune with Sailor Moon, Cause that cartoon has got the boom anime babes.” As a reference, it was unexpected but awesome, though the meaning behind the lyrics can be strange given the context.
While the show has been referenced numerous times, Usagi as Sailor Moon is a definite must to put in for tribute. A few shows she has made cameos in are The Simpsons, where Lisa Simpson is dressed up as Sailor Moon and Robot Chicken, which features a segment around her. There was even a small reference in Adventure Time where Princess Fiona was wearing Princess Serenity’s dress for Prince Gumball’s party.
It is always nice to witness Easter eggs when it comes to Sailor Moon since it is one of the most popular anime of all time. It is more than likely possible that the show, especially the character of the same name, will be referenced time and time again in any type of media in the future. Where else have you seen a Sailor Moon appearance?
16 Time To Upgrade!
There are at times where being the main character can be a good or bad thing, but for Usagi, it is definitely the former. The story is focused on her, we get to see her grow and struggle along the way, and see her fight alongside the other Sailor Scouts. Since she is the one named Sailor Moon, Usagi has upgraded in each season in the classic anime. Compared to the other Sailor Scouts, Usagi has upgraded a lot compared to the others, who only have one upgrade overall.
First, we see Queen Serenity reunite with Usagi as Princess Serenity, and she gives her an upgrade. Then with the help of Mamoru’s love, she upgraded again. As she upgrades, her uniform would have subtle changes. The last one, Eternal Sailor Moon, gains white wings and a huge variation from the shoulder pads to the boots. In each form, Usagi is beautiful but much stronger.
While the first form of Sailor Moon’s attire will always be the most memorable, seeing Usagi grow stronger in strength and willpower helps with her beauty in any outfit she is in. As long as she has her friends to back her up, she will always save the day.
15 Not The First Sailor Scout
Sailor Moon is widely regarded as the most popular magical girl manga and anime ever since it was released in the 90s. With a name like that, it is simple and memorable. Referring to Usagi whenever she transforms into a Sailor Scout, she would announce who she is and what she fights for. So, does that mean she was the first Sailor Scout introduced in the series? Actually, no.
Usagi might be the recognizable Sailor Scout, but she was not the first to be introduced. That credit goes to Sailor Venus, or Minako Aino, who actually had her own story way before Sailor Moon became a thing, which is titled Codename: Sailor V. It is also uncanny how very similar she looks to Usagi, even though they are not related by blood. The reason for that is plausible.
Since Usagi is Princess Serenity and holds the Silver Crystal, Minako would act as a decoy so that the former can be safe if she were to be captured. Other than her duty as a Sailor Scout, Minako is great friends with Usagi. They also have a lot in common, such as having blonde hair, blue eyes, and have their cats Luna and Artemis act as their guides.
14 A Rocky Start
Manga and anime are made for completely different audiences. The manga would act as the official story for the setting and characters while the anime is adapted from the manga and is a marketing tool to get people to read the original source material. This is brought up because there is one relationship Usagi has with someone that is completely different from the manga and the classic anime.
It would be the relationship between Usagi and Mamoru.
These two definitely did not like each other at first, but they gradually warm up to each other and start to fall in love. The representation for the couple’s relationship in the first anime series was not particularly accurate. The two were bickering way more than they should have, and they had an unnecessary break up that could have ruined the chances of Chibi-Usa being born.
The manga’s romance for these two was incredibly passionate. They would sacrifice themselves in order to save one another and they were so madly in love. They craved and desired each other, and their love formed a strong bond that would benefit them whenever they transform into Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. These two are the ultimate couple in all of anime and manga.
13 An Actual Secret Identity
Adaptations can even go far beyond just anime. There are radio dramas, musicals, and live-action versions. Sailor Moon has been fortunate enough to have a lot of adaptations to tell a completely different story of a girl who gets to transform into a Sailor Scout. So which adaptation will we be talking about? None other than the live-action version titled Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.
The plot is somewhat the same, but what makes the live-action adaptation so exceptional compared to other types of media is the fact that Usagi and the other girls actually blend into a Japanese setting. When Usagi is just a normal civilian, she has black hair and dark brown eyes. Once she transforms into Sailor Moon, she looks completely different. That way, Usagi and the others can have actual secret identities without having the retain the same hair color.
It does take away the live-action aspect by making it a bit colorful and over the top, but for what the live-action adaptation is adjusting from, it makes the show stand out. Usagi still has her personality and charm from the manga and classic anime, and while the live-action version is catered for a wider demographic, fans of the show will be pleasantly surprised at how good the show is.
12 Inspiration From Mythology
Let’s talk about the past life of Usagi, Princess Serenity. Hailing from the Moon Kingdom, she rules it alongside her mother Queen Serenity. Not much is entirely known in how Princess Serenity’s life was before the Silver Millennium Fall, but she knew that she wanted to be free to live her life how she pleases. Unexpected to her, she ends up falling in love with Prince Endymion. Unfortunately, their love was forbidden as they were from different worlds. A war broke out and it caused everyone to lose their lives except for Queen Serenity, Luna, and Artemis.
The love between Serenity and Endymion is based off a Greek myth.
While the original name Serenity was named after was Selene, Endymion remained unchanged. Selene was the goddess of the moon and Endymion was only human. The two fell in love, but there was a problem: Selene was immortal, but Endymion was not. In order to preserve his youth, he was put to sleep and never to wake up. They also birthed a lot of daughters. The myth is somewhat tragic just like Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion’s love for each other. In the end, they will always find each other in their next lives.
11 Role Reprisal
Ever since Sailor Moon Crystal was announced to be a reboot for the first anime, a lot of fans were hyped up. Toei Animation would bring it to life just like in the 90’s and it would be more true to the manga as the classic had a lot, and we mean a lot of filler episodes that do not contribute to the plot. There was an issue though, and it would have to be that the original Japanese cast would not reprise their roles since they have gotten older.
There was a catch though. Usagi’s original seiyuu, Kotono Mitsuishi, was the only one from the original series to reprise her role in Crystal. And for that, we were very glad since we couldn’t imagine her being replaced. Kotono Mitsuishi’s substitute, Kae Araki, could have filled in as well since she did whenever Kotono Mitsuishi was out for a few episodes due to having her appendix removed. However, she did not reprise her role as Chibi-Usa, so it was unfortunate if that were the case of Usagi’s seiyuu not returning.
Having to prepare herself mentally in order to play Usagi perfectly shows how much dedication she put in for the character, and we are glad that she still voices an amazing character.
10 A Dream Come True
Just like us, the characters from Sailor Moon have a lot of goals that they would like to achieve once they grow up. For example, Minako Aino, or Sailor Venus, wants to become an idol. For a girl like Usagi, what do you think she would like to be when she gets older? The answer is something that most girls dreamed of ever since they are little, and it would be to become a bride.
Long story short, she does end up becoming one since she got engaged to Mamoru near the end of the story and in the manga, they both have their wedding, which was one of the most beautiful ways to end a story. Usagi looks absolutely gorgeous as a bride that it would make Makoto Kino, also known as Sailor Jupiter, envious since she also hopes to be a bride.
Seeing Mamoru propose to Usagi was a given since they will become Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion in the future, but it is still a heartwarming moment since it is something we can enjoy watching. Again, the wedding might have been short, but having the two become endgame is a wonderful and pleasant way to conclude a fantastic story.
9 What Does It Mean?
In Japan, names are given to manga characters that, for the most part, reflect on who they represent in the story. The name meanings can either be based on the appearance of a character or their personality. That is how we are able to see colorful characters from Japan and identify them with their names. Usagi is no exception, and the meaning behind her name is rather creative.
So, what does Usagi Tsukino mean?
The name Usagi means “rabbit” and Tsukino means “of the moon.” Together, Usagi’s full name is translated to “Rabbit of the moon.” Her last name makes a ton of sense, but how does Usagi come into play? You see, there is a myth in Asia about a rabbit on the moon who makes rice cakes, but that is specifically for Japanese and Korean versions of the folktale.
The name Usagi can also reference the fact that there are a number of rabbit items Usagi has in her room, such as her comforter in her bedroom. She also likes rabbits, so that benefits her name meaning quite accurately. If Usagi had a confirmed year she was born in, it would be convenient if she was born in the year of the rabbit from the Chinese Zodiac.
8 What Kind Of Rabbit Doesn’t Like Carrots?
With Usagi’s name meaning “rabbit of the moon,” it fits her due to her powers being associated with the moon and having a liking for rabbits. So, with the title for this entry, what does it exactly mean? Despite having a name meaning that has to do with rabbits, Usagi has a strong dislike for carrots. Rabbits are associated with carrots, so having Usagi not like that vegetable makes this situation hilarious. Whether it is the taste or the texture, carrots are something Usagi would not want if she were to have meals.
What is even weirder is that Usagi was actually seen eating carrots in the anime. It could be an oversight from the anime directors, but in the end, Usagi didn’t seem to mind eating them. Another look on the bright side is that she does not need to eat it to help her eyesight.
Then again, carrots are not a popular vegetable and do have a strange taste unless dipped in a dressing like ranch. Just imagine Usagi having to do a dare of eating carrots and complain about it. After all, not all rabbits have to like carrots. Overall, this fact is very ironic and funny regarding Usagi’s disinterests.
7 Always On The Side Of Good
One of the most terrifying things that can happen to a hero is that a villain might have the ability to manipulate one if they can look into their darkest and most selfish desires. It has been done a lot, but when it is written well, it can make battles between two allies heartbreaking. In the Sailor Moon manga, we witness one of the cruelest actions a villain has done. Sailor Galaxia not only singlehandedly eliminated the Sailor Scouts minus Sailor Moon, the Sailor Starlights, and Chibi Chibi, but she revived them in order to turn against her.
What makes Usagi as Sailor Moon interesting is that despite having some desires that can be considered dark, she never gives in to evil. She always keeps on fighting to save those she cares about, as well as even try to save the villains since she is a pacifist and wants everyone to be at peace. It could also be because she holds the Silver Crystal, which is incredibly powerful and is devoid of evil.
Let’s face it, if Usagi were to turn evil, then the whole world and the Moon Kingdom would be doomed. But thankfully, she fought with great willpower and never backed down.
6 Quite A Profile
In Japanese culture, there are some types of information that are not necessary for profiles unless it is required in certain areas. Anime and manga characters reveal a lot about them whether it is their biography, name, height, you name it. Usagi’s is one-of-a-kind since there is some information that we normally wouldn’t care about here in the west. For example, her blood type is O.
Those with that blood type are considered to be confident, self-determined, ambitious, and strong-willed. The negative traits include being cold, arrogant, self-centered, and envious. Usagi has shown some of those traits and it fits her character extremely well. Blood type personalities is an extremely popular theory and while it is not always the case, those with whatever blood type can fit the person accurately.
As we all know, Usagi is a lazy bum who doesn’t study and loves eating junk food and playing video games. While studying is a huge factor in Japanese schools, Usagi broke the stereotype and that made her a relatable and realistic character. Being easygoing helps her make friends and that would eventually result in making friends with the other Sailor Scouts. Just like a puzzle piece, Usagi is important.
5 Takes After The Creator
Sailor Moon is created by the one and only Naoko Takeuchi. She would have never thought that the manga would become a huge hit to audiences, let alone be translated into a ton of languages. Despite being her only well-known series, Sailor Moon is still relevant and popular to this day. Usagi’s personality is based on Naoko’s and it’s interesting in how she managed to make Usagi annoying but eventually become a better character as the series progresses. What is interesting about Naoko is that she would make small references to those she grew up with.
That said, Naoko based Usagi’s family on her own.
The names that they have, minus Usagi’s, are the names of her family members. Like Usagi, Naoko has parents and a brother named Kenji, Ikuko, and Shingo respectively. Most writers would base off characters that were inspired by people they have met, so Naoko doing this is to be expected.
Even though they are minor characters, seeing them and Usagi act like an actual family is refreshing. Ikuko was a bit aggressive with having Usagi stay outside after finding out about a bad grade but other than that, she is a caring mother. Kenji hopes that Usagi will grow into a successful and beautiful woman while Shingo is that typical annoying little brother you can’t help but love.
4 The Many Names Of The Sailor Scout
Since the franchise originated from Japan, Sailor Moon’s civilian name is Usagi Tsukino and the setting, for the most part, takes place in modern day Japan. Once Sailor Moon would be localized and air on TV in the west, there were some changes that had to be made in order to capture the show’s target demographic. As much as it is not true to the original source, that was a thing that happened in the 90’s and an iconic anime like Pokémon did the same and did fine.
Name changes were one of the aspects that differ greatly from the original Japanese version.
Usagi’s name would be known for a while as Serena. The irony behind that is how it does not technically fit her since she was not always calm, especially when she started out as Sailor Moon. But it does resemble her past and future lives of being Princess Serenity and Neo-Queen Serenity. At first, Serena was not the final name for Usagi in the first English dub. Originally, her name could have also been Victoria.
Whatever you want to call Sailor Moon in her civilian form is completely up to your preference. If someone grew up with the original version, they would refer to her as Usagi. If someone watched the DiC dub, then they would call her Serena. Either way, we would be able to witness her transforming into the iconic Sailor Moon and cheer for her.
3 Variety Of Voices
Usagi’s voice is one part of her character that makes her charming and fits her really well. She sounds like a fourteen-year-old and the voice actresses have done a fantastic job of capturing Usagi’s personality. Her original seiyuu as we have gone over is Kotono Mitsuishi and she capitalizes on how a teenage girl sounds and acts. Other than her role as Usagi/Sailor Moon, Kotono also voiced Misato Katsuragi from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Boa Hancock from One Piece. Voicing the role for over twenty years, Kotono still captures Usagi and is not letting her aging stop her.
In English, Usagi had a lot of voice actresses who played her. First was Tracey Moore, then Terri Hawkes, then Linda Ballantyne. Currently, Stephanie Sheh has taken up the role of Usagi and she nails the part. With her incredible range, she gave Usagi a cute and believable voice for her in the Viz Media dub. Stephanie’s voice roles include Hinata from Naruto, Orihime from Bleach, and video game roles like Tharja from Fire Emblem Awakening and Rebecca Chambers from the Resident Evil series.
Sometimes it is hard to listen to some of the old English dub due to how outdated it is, but the fans that grew up with it will always look back on the good old days when Sailor Moon first aired on TV.
2 Huge Character Development
Character growth is an important part of any type of story. Showing how much they have developed over an amount of time is one of the most exciting parts ever. Seeing Usagi grow from a whiny crybaby to becoming a braver and thoughtful person makes us feel relieved. Not only were we spared of having to hear Usagi cry all the time, but she managed to be levelheaded in any situation that landed on her. Thanks to her awesome group of friends, they helped her develop throughout the series.
In the end, she blossomed greatly thanks to becoming a Sailor Scout.
Usagi would eventually be like Queen Serenity: calm, kind, and selfless. The last arc in the manga and in Sailor Moon Stars helps Usagi grow as a character when she faces her toughest enemy, Sailor Galaxia. Even though she has shed tears, she still managed to do her best to defeat Sailor Galaxia without taking her life and reviving her friends at the same time. Those obstacles were really tough and Usagi managed to pull it off. Once all of it was over, Usagi would later be able to achieve her goals, like becoming Mamoru’s bride at the end of the manga.
1 Her Next Life
Usagi’s past and future life have been a huge part of her character story as it is guaranteed that she will be reborn to continue living for as long as humanity lives on. As Princess Serenity and Neo-Queen Serenity, Usagi would be able to be the same, alongside the other Sailor Scouts and Mamoru. However, there is one character that took us by surprise when she first appeared in the last two acts from the manga. In the anime, she technically appeared, but in the form of a small girl named Chibi Chibi.
Chibi Chibi disguised herself as Sailor Cosmos in order to help Usagi defeat Chaos. Sailor Cosmos comes from a distant future where all was destroyed and she would battle endlessly against Sailor Chaos. To fix this, she went back in time to help Eternal Sailor Moon defeat Chaos for good. So, by adding this up, it is more than likely that Usagi will become Sailor Cosmos after becoming Neo-Queen Serenity.
Naoko has stated that she is the future version of Sailor Moon, but there are a lot of theories on who Sailor Cosmos really is. To this day, she is still a mystery, but the idea of Sailor Moon living on shows that there will always be someone that will save the day.
