Minako Aino
Encyclopedia
, is one of the central characters
in the Sailor Moon
metaseries. Her real name is , a cheerful schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi
.
Sailor Venus is the fifth member of the Sailor Senshi
to be discovered by Sailor Moon, though she was the first to awaken to her powers. In combat, she generates damaging energy and uses a chain. In the manga and anime series she dreams of becoming a famous idol
, whereas in the live-action series
her character is refactored to already be a celebrity.
She was first introduced as the protagonist
of Naoko Takeuchi
's much-shorter manga
series, Codename: Sailor V, of which Sailor Moon is a sequel. In it (and the early part of Sailor Moon), she goes by the pseudonym , short for "Venus", and is given personal backstory. The plot lines of Sailor V are generally compatible with the newer series, but are usually considered as separate. Later, she co-stars with Rei Hino in a special short story titled Rei and Minako's Girls School Battle.
when she is thirteen years old and instructed that she has a duty to become the beautiful warrior, Sailor V. Artemis explains that Venus
and Earth
are "twin planets" of about the same size and weight, that Venus is her "mother star", and that she must protect Earth from its enemies. He shows her Magellan Castle orbiting around Venus and says that it is hers, although the existence of these castles is not revealed to the other Senshi characters until late in the Sailor Moon series. She first dons her red hair bow during the first chapter of the story, on the recommendation of a handsome villain character that she defeats, and is almost never seen without it again.
Minako is depicted as athletic, cheerful, romantic, resilient, and clever. She is very versatile acting very elegant, intelligent, and refined at times (episode 108 where she speaks English flawlessly even over Ami) and irrational, boy-crazy, and over-ambitious at others (episode 98 where she and Usagi meet Haruka). When Sailor V was enough of a hit to earn its own anime adaptation, Takeuchi was asked to expand the concept to include more girls, and when she did, she placed Usagi Tsukino as the protagonist, with Minako as a part of the team.
In the anime, Minako is given a slightly different backstory, having spent some of her time as Sailor V in England, where she met a young Interpol
officer named Katarina who taught her English and acted as a big sister, and a young man called Alan, with whom she fell in love. After Sailor V was caught in an explosion and believed to be dead, she saw them together and realized that they, without her knowing, had become a couple. She moved back to Japan shortly thereafter. She is also widely traveled in the manga, having visited Greece and China.
As a result of her past battles, when Minako meets the other Senshi she has a relatively serious personality, and is very focused on their mission as Sailor Senshi
. In the manga, she even tells them she is the Princess they have been searching for, although in fact she is merely serving as a decoy to protect the real princess, Usagi. Throughout the first story arc she has by far the strongest memories of their past life
during the Silver Millennium
. After the first story arc
concludes, she becomes a more excitable, even goofy character, and her adventures frequently involve overconfidence, enthusiastic determination to come out on top, and slapstick
humor. In the anime, her speech is peppered with malapropism
s and fractured proverb
s. In the English-dubbed anime, "Mina's" personality is adjusted somewhat further; she adopts a valley girl
dialect, and in the latter two seasons is rewritten as being sarcastic or mean-spirited in places where she had not been in the original Japanese.
Artemis lives in Minako's home (as Luna lives in Usagi's) and is one of her closest friends. Minako lives with both her parents, although references to her family life are few in the Sailor Moon series. Her family, like Usagi's, is based on Takeuchi's own family. For the first several story arcs, Minako attends a different junior high school from the others, Shiba Kōen. When the characters enter high school
, she joins Usagi, Ami
, and Makoto
at Azabu Jūban. One of her greatest loves is volleyball
, as shown from the beginning of the first Sailor V chapter throughout the rest of the series—she even considers quitting the Sailor Senshi to become a professional, and in high school joins the Volleyball club. Her favorite class is Physical Education
, while in the manga her least favorites are mathematics
and the English language
. In the anime, having lived in England for some time, she is skilled at the language (in one episode it is shown her skills are more refined than Ami Mizuno's), and Usagi begs Minako to teach her.
Minako's other greatest love is pop culture. She desperately wants to be an idol
, and so makes a hobby of chasing them and attending audition
s whenever possible. She takes her role as the "Soldier of Love" literally, and enjoys regaling friends and acquaintances with advice about romance
. Despite her declared expertise, Minako herself has little personal experience in relationships (aside from a brief and ill-fated love in the Sailor V manga), but is enthusiastic about romantic opportunities—even to the point of two-timing a pair of the series' villains. She has a crush on Yaten Kou throughout the Sailor Stars
anime storyline, and in one episode the sinister idea of herself as a cat with Yaten gives her a nosebleed—a common symbol of sexual arousal
in anime
. In the manga, by contrast, Minako suspects Yaten of being an enemy; while confronting the Starlights, she and Rei reaffirm that they do not need men because they have dedicated their lives to their duty of protecting Usagi.
Minako is stated as having trouble with shiitake mushrooms, her mother, and the police. Her favorite colors are listed as yellow
, pink and red
, and she likes birds curry rice
and ramen.
; in the live-action series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
, she actually is one. Starting in Act 1, Minako is shown as a famous singer, of whom Usagi Tsukino in particular is an enormous fan. Her second album, newly released at the start of the series, is called "Venus" and her most popular song is "C'est La Vie", which is a Japanese pun
: in Japanese, the French phrase and the name of her alter-ego
, Sailor V, are pronounced almost identically (as sērāvī). Her first album, "Imitation," was released prior to her meeting Artemis and becoming a Senshi, but its track listing, shown onscreen, foreshadows later plot developments: "Origin of the Legend", "Imitation", "Don't Lose! Christmas Girl", "Love Versus Dream", "Happily", "Secret!", "Orange Heart", "White Rendezvous", and "Make Up! Power!!".
In the live-action series, Minako secretly leads a double life as idol and heroine—famous as a singer, and equally well-known as Sailor V. She remains entirely separate from the other girls, but is aware of each of their civilian identities. As in the other series, she eventually discards the guise of Sailor V in favor of her true form, Sailor Venus; nevertheless, she becomes only slightly involved with the others, and frequently expresses disapproval of their effectiveness as Senshi. She is frustrated by their lack of focus, and distances herself both for that reason and because, as revealed later, she has a terminal illness
and does not want them to become close to her and then be saddened by her probable death.
When the other Senshi learn that Minako and Sailor V are the same person, they hide it from the irresponsible Usagi for some time. The character Minako is closest to being friends with is Rei Hino, with whom she has a conflicted relationship. Rei is supposed to be the secondary leader, but she is initially both less skilled than Minako and resentful of her advice. Although they often disagree and compete, they develop great respect for each other, to the point where Minako sometimes lets her guard down, and eventually confides to Rei about both her illness and what she feels is her destiny as a Senshi.
In terms of personality, the live-action Minako is deeply solemn and rarely smiles. Besides the complications from her unnamed illness (the doctors in one episode give her six months to live), her obsession with the collective past life makes her feel detached from the world, thinking of her current life as less important. However, she does seem to genuinely love singing, and shows a small mischievous side, especially in her relationship with Artemis.
As in the manga, she serves as a decoy Moon Princess for part of the series. She seems to be aware of her true position, often endangering herself to protect the real princess, Sailor Moon. In a twist, Usagi serves as a decoy Minako, chasing away a group of autograph hounds. She does this because she figures Minako needed to be away from the trappings of stardom for a while.
Near the end of the series, it is revealed that there is a surgery which might either correct Minako's condition or kill her early. She refuses to undergo the procedure, preferring to last as long as she can without it, but the other girls convince her to take any chance at life she can get. She is shown leaving for the hospital, and later that day, Artemis arrives at Rei's temple to tell the girls that Minako has died. She did, however, leave each of them a note giving her goodbyes. Rei uses Minako's weapon, Venus Dagger, in conjunction with her own Mars Dagger in the final battle. Though Minako dies before the final battle, Usagi's use of the Silver Crystal in the finale gives her a second chance at life. This allows her to take part in the battle in the direct-to-DVD special, in which she uses her own weapon as well as Rei's (who is in the hospital) in combat.
As a character with different incarnations, special powers, transformations and a long lifetime virtually spanned between the Silver Millennium
era and the 30th century, Minako gains multiple aspects and aliases as the series progresses.
(front bow) and yellow (tiara gem and back bow), and retains the red bow she wears as a civilian. In the live-action series, this bow appears only when she is in one of her Senshi forms, and has a gem in the center. In the manga and live-action series, she wears an item called the "wink chain" around her waist, which she sometimes uses as a weapon. She is given specific titles throughout the various series, including Soldier of Love, Soldier of Love and Hope, and Soldier of Love and Beauty. Her personality is no different from when she is a civilian, although she must be Sailor Venus to access her celestial powers.
In Japanese, the name for the planet Venus is , the first kanji indicating a metal, especially gold
, and the second indicating a celestial object
. Unlike the other Senshi, her special abilities are not derived from the element in her planet's name, but are instead based on the concept of love, a reference to the Roman goddess of love, Venus
. Metal does appear in her use of a special chain as a weapon, and she also has a few attacks with "crescent" in their names, mainly acquired during her time as Sailor V.
Sailor Venus is the de jure
leader of the Guardian Senshi in their mission to protect Princess Serenity, and in turn is under the sometimes-awkward leadership of Sailor Moon. In the manga, as the leader, she is entrusted with the poisonous sword used to kill Queen Beryl
, which turns the stone blade into a sword made of Silver Crystal.
In the live-action series only, upon her introduction, Sailor Venus's outfit is slightly different to represent her disguise as the Moon Princess. She bears the crescent moon symbol on her forehead in place of a tiara (just as she did when she was Sailor V), and wears a crown with a fake Silver Crystal on it. The latter disappears after the gem is revealed to be a fake, and she gains a normal tiara when Usagi is revealed as the real princess. Other characters refer to her in this form as Princess Sailor Venus. In the manga she does not have a different title or a crown, but she does retain the crescent moon on her forehead until Usagi is revealed as the princess.
As she grows stronger, Sailor Venus gains additional powers, and at key points her uniform changes to reflect this. The first change takes place in Act 39 of the manga, when she obtains the Venus Crystal and her outfit becomes similar to that of Super Sailor Moon. She is not given a new title. A similar event is divided between Episodes 143 and 154 of the anime, and she is given the name Super Sailor Venus. A third, manga-only form appears in Act 42, unnamed but analogous to Eternal Sailor Moon (sans wings).
During the Silver Millennium
, Sailor Venus was also the Princess of her home planet. She was the leader of those who protected Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. As Princess Venus, she dwelt in Magellan Castle and wore a yellow gown—she appears in this form in the original manga, as well as in supplementary art. In the Sailor V manga, it is shown that she was loved by Adonis, a foot soldier in her army, who was later under the command of Endymion. His love went unnoticed by her, and he became a villain working for the Dark Agency after he was reborn.
Naoko Takeuchi
once drew her in the arms of Kunzite, leader of the Shitennou. In the Original Picture Collection Vol. I, Takeuchi expresses a desire to explore the possibility of such relationships; unlike the other characters, with Venus and Kunzite this is explored within the series. In one flashback, Minako blushes and seems flustered around Kunzite after a conversation about love, and in the last chapter of Codename: Sailor V, Princess Venus is shown as having had an infatuation with Kunzite. The stage musicals
told that the two of them were in love at the time of the Moon Kingdom, as does the Another Story video game.
were awakened. She was used to distract the enemy into thinking she was the Moon Princess, while trying to find the real one. She wore a different uniform under this name, most notably a red mask
, and her appearance and powers incorporated the use of a crescent
motif. In the early storyline of Sailor Moon, she is something of a celebrity figure, of whom Usagi Tsukino is a great fan. She called herself the Soldier of Justice. The V was short for Venus, and she would sometimes introduce herself as such, though no other character refers to this form as such.
Because Minako's creation predates the Sailor Moon metaseries, some aspects of her character are slightly incompatible with the other Senshi. For example, her magical attacks lack the strict elemental rules: Venus
is typically associated with metal in Chinese astrology
, but her attacks are mostly light or love related. The incorporation of the "love element" comes from the Roman goddess
Venus
; the association with light is derived from astronomy
, where the planet Venus is the visibly brightest object in the sky.
Sailor V's uniform is mostly blue and red, and includes shoulder-armor, quarter-length sleeves, and broad stripes of color. She wears a shirt rather than a leotard
, as well as her characteristic red mask. Some of the details vary between version to version; in the manga and live-action series the shirt had sleeves and smooth gloves, but in the anime it was sleeveless with ring-topped gloves. The anime added a second layer to her shoulder guards, omitted the crescent Moon that is normally visible on her forehead, and added a second stripe to her collar. In the live-action series, the bow on Sailor V's chest was made dark pink
, like the red parts of Sailor Moon's costume, but her mask and hair bow are red.
, must transform in order to gain access to her special powers. To transform
into Sailor Venus, she must first raise a special device (pen, bracelet, wand, or crystal) into the air and shout a special phrase, originally "Venus Power, Make-up!" As she becomes more powerful and obtains new transformation devices, this phrase changes to evoke Venus Star, Planet, or Crystal Power.
Minako's transformations into Sailor V are not clearly shown—in the Sailor V manga, she raises her transformation pen and shouts the phrase Moon Power Transform. By saying the word Crescent first, she can take on a disguise using her Crescent Compact, and this is used in the Sailor Moon manga as well. In the live-action series she is shown storing her uniform in a suitcase, but she is also shown changing instantaneously into Sailor V while running down the street. Although her true identity as Sailor Venus takes precedence over her temporary Sailor V guise, in her own manga series she used a number of powers unique to the form. Her most important item was the Crescent Compact, which she used to gain energy for her primary attack, Crescent Beam (a beam of light which strikes enemies). She is also given numerous physical attacks, which are references to her guardian planet, and comically named one-off powers. The Compact must be placed in the moonlight to charge. It can also be used as a sharp throwing weapon, and in the manga series she retains it even as Sailor Venus. In the live-action version, she has an identical item which does not double as a compact, called the Crescent Moon Cutter. The pen she uses to transform into Sailor V has an extendable antenna used to contact "Boss," and no matter what is written with it, it will always be right. She later uses the same pen to transform into Sailor Venus.
In the Sailor Moon anime, Sailor Venus' first primary attack is again Crescent Beam, this time without use of an item. She uses a similar power in the live-action series, without using an item or any special phrase, but nothing like it in the manga; instead, she uses Rolling Heart Vibration, which also makes a single appearance in the live-action series. Her first attack that is entirely consistent across the different adaptations is Venus Love-Me Chain, which in the manga and live-action series uses the chain wrapped around her waist. This remains her main attack for the rest of the second story arc, all of the third, and much of the fourth, and the chain itself is used in several variations, with the links taking on different shapes. The chain-links are round in the manga and live-action series, but heart-shaped in the anime. Venus Wink Chain Sword (with heart-shaped links) appears in Manga Act 24, and Hissatsu Love-Me Chain is her attack when disguised as Sailor Moon in anime Episode 102.
When she takes on her second Senshi form (Super Sailor Venus in the anime), she gains the ability to use Venus Love and Beauty Shock, which is her most powerful attack. In the manga she also gains the Venus Crystal, which is her Sailor Crystal and the source of all of her power. In the live-action series, she is given a tambourine
-like weapon (the Sailor Star Tambo) by Artemis. Also in the live-action series, once Minako discovers her true potential as a Senshi, she uses the attack Rolling Heart Vibration, a heart-shaped beam of rainbow energy, but only uses it once. She used the attack much earlier in the manga.
has written that the concept of Minako has barely changed at all from the first moment she was created. The magazine that serialized Sailor V, Run-Run, intended to produce an OVA based on the character, but went bankrupt before it could happen, so Minako was relegated to the sidelines as one of Sailor Moon's costars, to Takeuchi's regret.
In Minako's new form as Sailor Venus, she would have a new uniform, and this went through many changes before settling to the one used in publication. Early on, each of the Senshi had a fully unique costume, and Venus's was inspired largely by the Sailor V outfit. It was colored mostly in dark blue, with orange used only for the chest-ribbon (which was not bow-shaped), and included a crescent moon motif, prominent armor, and white- and red-stripes. Her red hair-ribbon and trademark Sailor V mask were present as well. Later, Takeuchi was surprised by these sketches and stated that she did not remember drawing them.
The kanji
in Minako's name translate as , , , , and . It is structured as a pun
, as the syllable "no" indicates a possessive
, so that her name can also be understood as "Minako of Love." As Minako was "transplanted" from her previous series, unlike the other Senshi, her family name
does not begin with the same kanji as her planet, which would have been . However, like them it is still a representation of her primary element, the "inevitable" connection with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The characters of her given name
can also, using unconventional but extant readings, be read as Binasu—a Japanese approximation of the name "Venus".
Minako has had her powers the longest of the Sailor Senshi, and because of this, Jennifer Brown suggests that her sense of self-worth is more connected to her confidence in her powers.
Writing about Codename: Sailor V, Brigid Alverson describes Minako as more energetic than Usagi, stating that although she is not a good student, she is "a lively girl with a strong spirit, someone who does nothing by half measures", describing her as leaping through the panels of the manga. Katherine Dacey praises Minako's "can-do spirit", noting that she wholeheartedly embraces her responsibilities as Sailor V. Ed Sizemore feels that Minako's sporty nature makes her more confident than Usagi, feeling that she is much more self-sufficient. Sean Gaffney describes Minako as hyperactive and proactive.
. In the English-language dub, Mina is voiced by Stephanie Morgenstern
(the original and R seasons and movies) and Emilie-Claire Barlow
(S and SuperS seasons).
In the stage musicals
, Minako has been played by eleven actresses: Nana Suzuki, Sakae Yamashita ("Yume Senshi - Ai - Eien Ni" soundtrack only), Chizuru Soya, Kanatsu Nakaya, Akiko Miyazawa, Miyu Otani, Nao Inada, Yuki Nakamura, Ayumi Murata
, Mizuki Watanabe, Momoko Shibuya
, and half-American idol Erica.
In Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
, Minako is played by Ayaka Komatsu
.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
metaseries. Her real name is , a cheerful schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi
Sailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
.
Sailor Venus is the fifth member of the Sailor Senshi
Sailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
to be discovered by Sailor Moon, though she was the first to awaken to her powers. In combat, she generates damaging energy and uses a chain. In the manga and anime series she dreams of becoming a famous idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
, whereas in the live-action series
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series in the Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon metaseries originally created by Naoko Takeuchi. It is produced by Toei, the same company that produces the Super Sentai Series and the Kamen Rider Series and of which their animation firm Toei Animation, produced the...
her character is refactored to already be a celebrity.
She was first introduced as the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of Naoko Takeuchi
Naoko Takeuchi
is a Japanese manga artist who lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime and manga fans worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga and anime products to date.-Early life:...
's much-shorter manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series, Codename: Sailor V, of which Sailor Moon is a sequel. In it (and the early part of Sailor Moon), she goes by the pseudonym , short for "Venus", and is given personal backstory. The plot lines of Sailor V are generally compatible with the newer series, but are usually considered as separate. Later, she co-stars with Rei Hino in a special short story titled Rei and Minako's Girls School Battle.
Anime and manga
Minako is first introduced in the Codename: Sailor V manga, of which she is the lead character. She is awakened as a Senshi by the white cat ArtemisCats (Sailor Moon)
The Sailor Moon metaseries includes three different cat characters who act as advisors to their respective owners. Each has the power of speech, and bears a crescent moon symbol on his or her forehead...
when she is thirteen years old and instructed that she has a duty to become the beautiful warrior, Sailor V. Artemis explains that Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
and Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
are "twin planets" of about the same size and weight, that Venus is her "mother star", and that she must protect Earth from its enemies. He shows her Magellan Castle orbiting around Venus and says that it is hers, although the existence of these castles is not revealed to the other Senshi characters until late in the Sailor Moon series. She first dons her red hair bow during the first chapter of the story, on the recommendation of a handsome villain character that she defeats, and is almost never seen without it again.
Minako is depicted as athletic, cheerful, romantic, resilient, and clever. She is very versatile acting very elegant, intelligent, and refined at times (episode 108 where she speaks English flawlessly even over Ami) and irrational, boy-crazy, and over-ambitious at others (episode 98 where she and Usagi meet Haruka). When Sailor V was enough of a hit to earn its own anime adaptation, Takeuchi was asked to expand the concept to include more girls, and when she did, she placed Usagi Tsukino as the protagonist, with Minako as a part of the team.
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
officer named Katarina who taught her English and acted as a big sister, and a young man called Alan, with whom she fell in love. After Sailor V was caught in an explosion and believed to be dead, she saw them together and realized that they, without her knowing, had become a couple. She moved back to Japan shortly thereafter. She is also widely traveled in the manga, having visited Greece and China.
As a result of her past battles, when Minako meets the other Senshi she has a relatively serious personality, and is very focused on their mission as Sailor Senshi
Sailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
. In the manga, she even tells them she is the Princess they have been searching for, although in fact she is merely serving as a decoy to protect the real princess, Usagi. Throughout the first story arc she has by far the strongest memories of their past life
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
during the Silver Millennium
Silver Millennium
The Silver Millennium, a fictional kingdom in the Sailor Moon metaseries, lies on the moon. It provides a setting for the past lives and future selves of most of the series' major characters, and functions as a major driving force behind both plot and characterization.The series first shows the...
. After the first story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
concludes, she becomes a more excitable, even goofy character, and her adventures frequently involve overconfidence, enthusiastic determination to come out on top, and slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
humor. In the anime, her speech is peppered with malapropism
Malapropism
A malapropism is an act of misusing or the habitual misuse of similar sounding words, especially with humorous results. An example is Yogi Berra's statement: "Texas has a lot of electrical votes," rather than "electoral votes".-Etymology:...
s and fractured proverb
Proverb
A proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim...
s. In the English-dubbed anime, "Mina's" personality is adjusted somewhat further; she adopts a valley girl
Valley girl
Valley Girl is a stereotype leveled at a socio-economic and ethnic class of American women who can be described as colloquial English-speaking and materialistic...
dialect, and in the latter two seasons is rewritten as being sarcastic or mean-spirited in places where she had not been in the original Japanese.
Artemis lives in Minako's home (as Luna lives in Usagi's) and is one of her closest friends. Minako lives with both her parents, although references to her family life are few in the Sailor Moon series. Her family, like Usagi's, is based on Takeuchi's own family. For the first several story arcs, Minako attends a different junior high school from the others, Shiba Kōen. When the characters enter high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, she joins Usagi, Ami
Sailor Mercury
, in Japan, is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a genius schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
, and Makoto
Sailor Jupiter
is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is , a strong schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi....
at Azabu Jūban. One of her greatest loves is volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, as shown from the beginning of the first Sailor V chapter throughout the rest of the series—she even considers quitting the Sailor Senshi to become a professional, and in high school joins the Volleyball club. Her favorite class is Physical Education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
, while in the manga her least favorites are mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. In the anime, having lived in England for some time, she is skilled at the language (in one episode it is shown her skills are more refined than Ami Mizuno's), and Usagi begs Minako to teach her.
Minako's other greatest love is pop culture. She desperately wants to be an idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
, and so makes a hobby of chasing them and attending audition
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...
s whenever possible. She takes her role as the "Soldier of Love" literally, and enjoys regaling friends and acquaintances with advice about romance
Romantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
. Despite her declared expertise, Minako herself has little personal experience in relationships (aside from a brief and ill-fated love in the Sailor V manga), but is enthusiastic about romantic opportunities—even to the point of two-timing a pair of the series' villains. She has a crush on Yaten Kou throughout the Sailor Stars
Sailor Stars
The following list of episodes of the Sailor Moon anime series covers , the fifth season of the series. Children's TV Asahi, Toei Agency and Toei Animation co-produced the episodes; Takuya Igarashi directed. The series originally aired on Children's TV Asahi between March 9, 1996 and February 8, 1997...
anime storyline, and in one episode the sinister idea of herself as a cat with Yaten gives her a nosebleed—a common symbol of sexual arousal
Sexual arousal
Sexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...
in anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
. In the manga, by contrast, Minako suspects Yaten of being an enemy; while confronting the Starlights, she and Rei reaffirm that they do not need men because they have dedicated their lives to their duty of protecting Usagi.
Minako is stated as having trouble with shiitake mushrooms, her mother, and the police. Her favorite colors are listed as yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, pink and red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
, and she likes birds curry rice
Japanese curry
is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It is commonly served in three main forms: , karē udon and karē-pan . Curry rice is most commonly referred to simply as ....
and ramen.
Live-action series
In the anime and manga, Minako dreams of being an idolTeen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
; in the live-action series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series in the Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon metaseries originally created by Naoko Takeuchi. It is produced by Toei, the same company that produces the Super Sentai Series and the Kamen Rider Series and of which their animation firm Toei Animation, produced the...
, she actually is one. Starting in Act 1, Minako is shown as a famous singer, of whom Usagi Tsukino in particular is an enormous fan. Her second album, newly released at the start of the series, is called "Venus" and her most popular song is "C'est La Vie", which is a Japanese pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
: in Japanese, the French phrase and the name of her alter-ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
, Sailor V, are pronounced almost identically (as sērāvī). Her first album, "Imitation," was released prior to her meeting Artemis and becoming a Senshi, but its track listing, shown onscreen, foreshadows later plot developments: "Origin of the Legend", "Imitation", "Don't Lose! Christmas Girl", "Love Versus Dream", "Happily", "Secret!", "Orange Heart", "White Rendezvous", and "Make Up! Power!!".
In the live-action series, Minako secretly leads a double life as idol and heroine—famous as a singer, and equally well-known as Sailor V. She remains entirely separate from the other girls, but is aware of each of their civilian identities. As in the other series, she eventually discards the guise of Sailor V in favor of her true form, Sailor Venus; nevertheless, she becomes only slightly involved with the others, and frequently expresses disapproval of their effectiveness as Senshi. She is frustrated by their lack of focus, and distances herself both for that reason and because, as revealed later, she has a terminal illness
Terminal illness
Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as...
and does not want them to become close to her and then be saddened by her probable death.
When the other Senshi learn that Minako and Sailor V are the same person, they hide it from the irresponsible Usagi for some time. The character Minako is closest to being friends with is Rei Hino, with whom she has a conflicted relationship. Rei is supposed to be the secondary leader, but she is initially both less skilled than Minako and resentful of her advice. Although they often disagree and compete, they develop great respect for each other, to the point where Minako sometimes lets her guard down, and eventually confides to Rei about both her illness and what she feels is her destiny as a Senshi.
In terms of personality, the live-action Minako is deeply solemn and rarely smiles. Besides the complications from her unnamed illness (the doctors in one episode give her six months to live), her obsession with the collective past life makes her feel detached from the world, thinking of her current life as less important. However, she does seem to genuinely love singing, and shows a small mischievous side, especially in her relationship with Artemis.
As in the manga, she serves as a decoy Moon Princess for part of the series. She seems to be aware of her true position, often endangering herself to protect the real princess, Sailor Moon. In a twist, Usagi serves as a decoy Minako, chasing away a group of autograph hounds. She does this because she figures Minako needed to be away from the trappings of stardom for a while.
Near the end of the series, it is revealed that there is a surgery which might either correct Minako's condition or kill her early. She refuses to undergo the procedure, preferring to last as long as she can without it, but the other girls convince her to take any chance at life she can get. She is shown leaving for the hospital, and later that day, Artemis arrives at Rei's temple to tell the girls that Minako has died. She did, however, leave each of them a note giving her goodbyes. Rei uses Minako's weapon, Venus Dagger, in conjunction with her own Mars Dagger in the final battle. Though Minako dies before the final battle, Usagi's use of the Silver Crystal in the finale gives her a second chance at life. This allows her to take part in the battle in the direct-to-DVD special, in which she uses her own weapon as well as Rei's (who is in the hospital) in combat.
Aspects and forms
| First appearance | ||||
| Form | Manga | Anime | Live-action | Sailor V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailor V | Act 1 | Ep. 33 | Act 1 | Vol. 1 |
| Minako Aino | Act 8 | Ep. 33 | Act 1 | Vol. 1 |
| Sailor Venus | Act 8 | Ep. 33 | Act 12 | Vol. 15 |
| Super Sailor Venus | Act 39 | Ep. 143 | -- | -- |
| Princess Venus | Act 41 | -- | -- | -- |
| Third Senshi Form | Act 42 | -- | -- | -- |
As a character with different incarnations, special powers, transformations and a long lifetime virtually spanned between the Silver Millennium
Silver Millennium
The Silver Millennium, a fictional kingdom in the Sailor Moon metaseries, lies on the moon. It provides a setting for the past lives and future selves of most of the series' major characters, and functions as a major driving force behind both plot and characterization.The series first shows the...
era and the 30th century, Minako gains multiple aspects and aliases as the series progresses.
Sailor Venus
Minako's primary Senshi identity is that of Sailor Venus. Sailor Venus wears a uniform colored in orange (choker, collar, center of front bow, elbow fittings of gloves, skirt, she also has a matching set of orange ankle-strap heels, and earrings), navy blueNavy blue
Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue which almost appears as black. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue worn by officers in the British Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world....
(front bow) and yellow (tiara gem and back bow), and retains the red bow she wears as a civilian. In the live-action series, this bow appears only when she is in one of her Senshi forms, and has a gem in the center. In the manga and live-action series, she wears an item called the "wink chain" around her waist, which she sometimes uses as a weapon. She is given specific titles throughout the various series, including Soldier of Love, Soldier of Love and Hope, and Soldier of Love and Beauty. Her personality is no different from when she is a civilian, although she must be Sailor Venus to access her celestial powers.
In Japanese, the name for the planet Venus is , the first kanji indicating a metal, especially gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, and the second indicating a celestial object
Astronomical object
Astronomical objects or celestial objects are naturally occurring physical entities, associations or structures that current science has demonstrated to exist in the observable universe. The term astronomical object is sometimes used interchangeably with astronomical body...
. Unlike the other Senshi, her special abilities are not derived from the element in her planet's name, but are instead based on the concept of love, a reference to the Roman goddess of love, Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
. Metal does appear in her use of a special chain as a weapon, and she also has a few attacks with "crescent" in their names, mainly acquired during her time as Sailor V.
Sailor Venus is the de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
leader of the Guardian Senshi in their mission to protect Princess Serenity, and in turn is under the sometimes-awkward leadership of Sailor Moon. In the manga, as the leader, she is entrusted with the poisonous sword used to kill Queen Beryl
Dark Kingdom
The ' is an organization of antagonists in the Sailor Moon metaseries. They are the primary villains of the first story arc in every version of the series, and are responsible for the destruction of the ancient Moon Kingdom....
, which turns the stone blade into a sword made of Silver Crystal.
In the live-action series only, upon her introduction, Sailor Venus's outfit is slightly different to represent her disguise as the Moon Princess. She bears the crescent moon symbol on her forehead in place of a tiara (just as she did when she was Sailor V), and wears a crown with a fake Silver Crystal on it. The latter disappears after the gem is revealed to be a fake, and she gains a normal tiara when Usagi is revealed as the real princess. Other characters refer to her in this form as Princess Sailor Venus. In the manga she does not have a different title or a crown, but she does retain the crescent moon on her forehead until Usagi is revealed as the princess.
As she grows stronger, Sailor Venus gains additional powers, and at key points her uniform changes to reflect this. The first change takes place in Act 39 of the manga, when she obtains the Venus Crystal and her outfit becomes similar to that of Super Sailor Moon. She is not given a new title. A similar event is divided between Episodes 143 and 154 of the anime, and she is given the name Super Sailor Venus. A third, manga-only form appears in Act 42, unnamed but analogous to Eternal Sailor Moon (sans wings).
Princess Venus
Silver Millennium
The Silver Millennium, a fictional kingdom in the Sailor Moon metaseries, lies on the moon. It provides a setting for the past lives and future selves of most of the series' major characters, and functions as a major driving force behind both plot and characterization.The series first shows the...
, Sailor Venus was also the Princess of her home planet. She was the leader of those who protected Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. As Princess Venus, she dwelt in Magellan Castle and wore a yellow gown—she appears in this form in the original manga, as well as in supplementary art. In the Sailor V manga, it is shown that she was loved by Adonis, a foot soldier in her army, who was later under the command of Endymion. His love went unnoticed by her, and he became a villain working for the Dark Agency after he was reborn.
Naoko Takeuchi
Naoko Takeuchi
is a Japanese manga artist who lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime and manga fans worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga and anime products to date.-Early life:...
once drew her in the arms of Kunzite, leader of the Shitennou. In the Original Picture Collection Vol. I, Takeuchi expresses a desire to explore the possibility of such relationships; unlike the other characters, with Venus and Kunzite this is explored within the series. In one flashback, Minako blushes and seems flustered around Kunzite after a conversation about love, and in the last chapter of Codename: Sailor V, Princess Venus is shown as having had an infatuation with Kunzite. The stage musicals
Sailor Moon musicals
The , commonly referred to as , are a series of live theatre productions based on Naoko Takeuchi's metaseries Sailor Moon. The series consists of 29 musicals which have had more than 800 performances since the show opened in Summer 1993...
told that the two of them were in love at the time of the Moon Kingdom, as does the Another Story video game.
Sailor V
A preliminary form, under which Minako fought alone before the other Sailor SenshiSailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
were awakened. She was used to distract the enemy into thinking she was the Moon Princess, while trying to find the real one. She wore a different uniform under this name, most notably a red mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
, and her appearance and powers incorporated the use of a crescent
Crescent
In art and symbolism, a crescent is generally the shape produced when a circular disk has a segment of another circle removed from its edge, so that what remains is a shape enclosed by two circular arcs of different diameters which intersect at two points .In astronomy, a crescent...
motif. In the early storyline of Sailor Moon, she is something of a celebrity figure, of whom Usagi Tsukino is a great fan. She called herself the Soldier of Justice. The V was short for Venus, and she would sometimes introduce herself as such, though no other character refers to this form as such.
Because Minako's creation predates the Sailor Moon metaseries, some aspects of her character are slightly incompatible with the other Senshi. For example, her magical attacks lack the strict elemental rules: Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
is typically associated with metal in Chinese astrology
Chinese astrology
Chinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy, which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty ....
, but her attacks are mostly light or love related. The incorporation of the "love element" comes from the Roman goddess
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
; the association with light is derived from astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, where the planet Venus is the visibly brightest object in the sky.
Sailor V's uniform is mostly blue and red, and includes shoulder-armor, quarter-length sleeves, and broad stripes of color. She wears a shirt rather than a leotard
Leotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
, as well as her characteristic red mask. Some of the details vary between version to version; in the manga and live-action series the shirt had sleeves and smooth gloves, but in the anime it was sleeveless with ring-topped gloves. The anime added a second layer to her shoulder guards, omitted the crescent Moon that is normally visible on her forehead, and added a second stripe to her collar. In the live-action series, the bow on Sailor V's chest was made dark pink
Pink
Pink is a mixture of red and white. Commonly used for Valentine's Day and Easter, pink is sometimes referred to as "the color of love." The use of the word for the color known today as pink was first recorded in the late 17th century....
, like the red parts of Sailor Moon's costume, but her mask and hair bow are red.
Special powers and items
Minako, like the other Sailor SenshiSailor Senshi
A appears as a type of heroine in the metaseries known as Sailor Moon. The name comes from sailor fuku, a type of school uniform, and senshi, which can mean "soldier" or "warrior". Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist who originated the series, coined the term by fusing English and Japanese elements,...
, must transform in order to gain access to her special powers. To transform
Henshin
is the Japanese word for "transformation," literally meaning, "to change or transform the body." This word is primarily used in manga, anime, and tokusatsu dramas for when a character transforms into a superhero. usually have a "henshin call", a catchphrase which they recite when they transform...
into Sailor Venus, she must first raise a special device (pen, bracelet, wand, or crystal) into the air and shout a special phrase, originally "Venus Power, Make-up!" As she becomes more powerful and obtains new transformation devices, this phrase changes to evoke Venus Star, Planet, or Crystal Power.
Minako's transformations into Sailor V are not clearly shown—in the Sailor V manga, she raises her transformation pen and shouts the phrase Moon Power Transform. By saying the word Crescent first, she can take on a disguise using her Crescent Compact, and this is used in the Sailor Moon manga as well. In the live-action series she is shown storing her uniform in a suitcase, but she is also shown changing instantaneously into Sailor V while running down the street. Although her true identity as Sailor Venus takes precedence over her temporary Sailor V guise, in her own manga series she used a number of powers unique to the form. Her most important item was the Crescent Compact, which she used to gain energy for her primary attack, Crescent Beam (a beam of light which strikes enemies). She is also given numerous physical attacks, which are references to her guardian planet, and comically named one-off powers. The Compact must be placed in the moonlight to charge. It can also be used as a sharp throwing weapon, and in the manga series she retains it even as Sailor Venus. In the live-action version, she has an identical item which does not double as a compact, called the Crescent Moon Cutter. The pen she uses to transform into Sailor V has an extendable antenna used to contact "Boss," and no matter what is written with it, it will always be right. She later uses the same pen to transform into Sailor Venus.
In the Sailor Moon anime, Sailor Venus' first primary attack is again Crescent Beam, this time without use of an item. She uses a similar power in the live-action series, without using an item or any special phrase, but nothing like it in the manga; instead, she uses Rolling Heart Vibration, which also makes a single appearance in the live-action series. Her first attack that is entirely consistent across the different adaptations is Venus Love-Me Chain, which in the manga and live-action series uses the chain wrapped around her waist. This remains her main attack for the rest of the second story arc, all of the third, and much of the fourth, and the chain itself is used in several variations, with the links taking on different shapes. The chain-links are round in the manga and live-action series, but heart-shaped in the anime. Venus Wink Chain Sword (with heart-shaped links) appears in Manga Act 24, and Hissatsu Love-Me Chain is her attack when disguised as Sailor Moon in anime Episode 102.
When she takes on her second Senshi form (Super Sailor Venus in the anime), she gains the ability to use Venus Love and Beauty Shock, which is her most powerful attack. In the manga she also gains the Venus Crystal, which is her Sailor Crystal and the source of all of her power. In the live-action series, she is given a tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
-like weapon (the Sailor Star Tambo) by Artemis. Also in the live-action series, once Minako discovers her true potential as a Senshi, she uses the attack Rolling Heart Vibration, a heart-shaped beam of rainbow energy, but only uses it once. She used the attack much earlier in the manga.
Development
In the transition between the Sailor V and Sailor Moon series, Minako's basic character design did not change—in fact, creator Naoko TakeuchiNaoko Takeuchi
is a Japanese manga artist who lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime and manga fans worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga and anime products to date.-Early life:...
has written that the concept of Minako has barely changed at all from the first moment she was created. The magazine that serialized Sailor V, Run-Run, intended to produce an OVA based on the character, but went bankrupt before it could happen, so Minako was relegated to the sidelines as one of Sailor Moon's costars, to Takeuchi's regret.
In Minako's new form as Sailor Venus, she would have a new uniform, and this went through many changes before settling to the one used in publication. Early on, each of the Senshi had a fully unique costume, and Venus's was inspired largely by the Sailor V outfit. It was colored mostly in dark blue, with orange used only for the chest-ribbon (which was not bow-shaped), and included a crescent moon motif, prominent armor, and white- and red-stripes. Her red hair-ribbon and trademark Sailor V mask were present as well. Later, Takeuchi was surprised by these sketches and stated that she did not remember drawing them.
The kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
in Minako's name translate as , , , , and . It is structured as a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
, as the syllable "no" indicates a possessive
Possessive
Possessive may be:* Possessive case* Possessive adjective* Possessive pronoun* Possessive suffix* Possessive construction, pattern among words indicating possession * For possessive behavior in a relationship, see Attachment in adults...
, so that her name can also be understood as "Minako of Love." As Minako was "transplanted" from her previous series, unlike the other Senshi, her family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
does not begin with the same kanji as her planet, which would have been . However, like them it is still a representation of her primary element, the "inevitable" connection with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The characters of her given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
can also, using unconventional but extant readings, be read as Binasu—a Japanese approximation of the name "Venus".
Reception and influence
The official Sailor Moon character popularity polls listed Minako Aino, Sailor V, and Sailor Venus as separate entities. In 1992, readers ranked Venus as the second most popular character, Minako being tenth and Sailor V being ninth, out of thirty eight choices. One year later, now with fifty choices, Minako was the fifth most popular character, Sailor Venus was seventh, and Sailor V was tenth. In 1994, with fifty one choices, Sailor Venus was the twelfth most popular character, Minako was the fourteenth, and Sailor V was the nineteenth most popular character. In early 1996, with fifty one choices, Sailor Venus was the seventeenth most popular character, Minako was again the fourteenth most popular, and Sailor V did not place.Minako has had her powers the longest of the Sailor Senshi, and because of this, Jennifer Brown suggests that her sense of self-worth is more connected to her confidence in her powers.
Writing about Codename: Sailor V, Brigid Alverson describes Minako as more energetic than Usagi, stating that although she is not a good student, she is "a lively girl with a strong spirit, someone who does nothing by half measures", describing her as leaping through the panels of the manga. Katherine Dacey praises Minako's "can-do spirit", noting that she wholeheartedly embraces her responsibilities as Sailor V. Ed Sizemore feels that Minako's sporty nature makes her more confident than Usagi, feeling that she is much more self-sufficient. Sean Gaffney describes Minako as hyperactive and proactive.
Actresses
In the anime, Minako's seiyū is Rika FukamiRika Fukami
Rica Fukami , born August 8, 1963 in Saitama) is a Japanese voice actress and licensed hypnotherapist.She is the Japanese voice of Linka in Captain Planet and the Planeteers...
. In the English-language dub, Mina is voiced by Stephanie Morgenstern
Stephanie Morgenstern
Stephanie Grace Morgenstern is a Swiss-Canadian actress, filmmaker, and screenwriter for television and film. Born in Geneva, Switzerland and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Morgenstern began her acting career when she was 15. She has worked extensively on stage, film, and television in both English...
(the original and R seasons and movies) and Emilie-Claire Barlow
Emilie-Claire Barlow
Emilie-Claire Barlow is a Canadian jazz singer and voice actress. Born to parents who were professional musicians, she was encouraged to sing and study several instruments including piano, cello, clarinet and violin. By age seven she had begun her career, singing television and radio...
(S and SuperS seasons).
In the stage musicals
Sailor Moon musicals
The , commonly referred to as , are a series of live theatre productions based on Naoko Takeuchi's metaseries Sailor Moon. The series consists of 29 musicals which have had more than 800 performances since the show opened in Summer 1993...
, Minako has been played by eleven actresses: Nana Suzuki, Sakae Yamashita ("Yume Senshi - Ai - Eien Ni" soundtrack only), Chizuru Soya, Kanatsu Nakaya, Akiko Miyazawa, Miyu Otani, Nao Inada, Yuki Nakamura, Ayumi Murata
Ayumi Murata
is a female Japanese singer from Tokyo, Japan. She has also played the role of Minako Aino in the Sailor Moon musicals from 2001 to 2002.-Anime voice roles:*Happiness! *Kappa no Kaikata...
, Mizuki Watanabe, Momoko Shibuya
Momoko Shibuya
Shibuya Momoko is a Japanese actress. Shibuya deputed as a model when she was one year old. She has played the role of Minako Aino in the Sailor Moon musicals.-Filmography:*Ugly Duckling...
, and half-American idol Erica.
In Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series in the Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon metaseries originally created by Naoko Takeuchi. It is produced by Toei, the same company that produces the Super Sentai Series and the Kamen Rider Series and of which their animation firm Toei Animation, produced the...
, Minako is played by Ayaka Komatsu
Ayaka Komatsu
Ayaka Komatsu is a Japanese model/actress. She was born on July 23, 1986 in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture.-Modeling career:Her modeling agency is Amuse inc. She was a regular model of the now defunct Candy magazine...
.