At this point, Sailor Moon is a total classic. Often mentioned as one of the top Shōjo and magical girl anime and manga series of all time, it is also the most popular of them all. In case you don't know, it follows the adventures of a group of magical heroines known as the Sailor Scouts (each one with the name of a planet in our solar system), as they fight against the forces of evil, the baddies often employ creatures and powerful fiends such as monsters, malicious entities from another dimension or universe, even a circus and a bunch of witches made the cut.
The main group initially seem to be normal high schoolers but it is revealed to them that they are the reincarnations of the aforementioned mystical Sailor Scouts. These Scouts were the guardians and defenders of the Moon Kingdom, ruled by Queen Serenity and her husband, Endymion, before its destruction.
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| I wonder who they reincarnated as. |
Today we will focus on the main protagonist, the lovely Usagi Tsukino, also referred to as Serena Tsukino. She's a lazy and emotional teenager that gets on everyone's nerves (from her friends to her family members). Usagi gets bad grades because she isn't very smart, she's disorganized, cries and complains at the slightest inconvenience, has a questionable taste in men (she likes them far older than her) and is often inappropriate in her comments and actions.
However, while some people might think she's annoying and fairly flawed, I do believe that makes for an interesting character, after all, Usagi is often called out on her bad traits and actions. She wants to get better but doesnt know how to do that exactly, something relatable, especially at that age. The show makes her take a life-changing decision that throws her into a world full of responsibilities that makes her grow up and realize who she really is and can become. The story is her journey of self discovery and maturity.
Usagi is introduced with the already mentioned defects but also with some virtues, she's kind hearted at her core, her personality is optimist to the max and also doesn't think twice about helping others. She is an imperfect heroine but with a pure heart that makes her likable and even admirable. While she struggles both externally and internally, she eventually comes out on top at the end and is rewarded for her purity.
Throughout the show she is seen running away from danger, crying in her very first battle against a monster and often has moments when she is seen doing something silly and immature. The series is aware of this but what they do with her is what matters. Her initial flaws and fears are there for her to overcome, quickly after her first battle, she understands that she needs to become stronger and be mentally and physically prepared to use her powers in order to destroy the corrupted enemies that plot against pure souls, even if she's afraid.
In the series, Usagi meets with the rest of the Sailor Scouts, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury, building a strong friendship with all of them, both with each one and as a group. She has some frenemy type of interactions with Rei (Sailor Mars) but it is quickly established that this is just the way their chemistry is, Rei is harsh and a bit mean but more often than not both have fun and display a strong link that makes them almost inseparable, tough love, if you will.
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| They really do care about each other even if they fight. |
She meets her life partner, Darien, who starts out as a pesky annoyance but eventually becomes nicer and nicer to her as the show goes on until they begin to date. He's a good but dull boyfriend, not much personality (sometimes he's even contradictory or inconsistent) but he has good looks and functions as the mature one in the relationship. Soon enough, Usagi's daughter from the future, named Chibiusa, comes to shake their relationship and inject more comedy into the series with her competition with Usagi over the heart and attention of Darien, a very obvious Electra complex.
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| Usagi and her future child. |
It's no wonder that such a down to earth and relatable character resonated with audiences all over the world. Besides the fact that the show had interesting lore, good plots and great art, the characters and their journey are what kept us coming. Usagi is the heart of the group in many ways. The ending is amazing and extremely moving. It's hard not to become emotional after seeing these girls grow for many years and adventures, especially Usagi, who becomes one of the best female characters in media by the end.
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| Always with a cute smile. |
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| Getting your heart broken is part of becoming an adult. |
The show is a must watch for all anime lovers out there. We will always remember a certain magical girl who reminded us how strong love is in the face of evil.
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