Sailor Moon (character)

"Tsukino Usagi" redirects here. For the mythological character, see Moon rabbit.
This article is about title character. For the media franchise, see Sailor Moon. For other uses, see Sailor Moon (disambiguation).
The native form of this personal name is Tsukino Usagi. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon character
Usagi in her Super Sailor Moon form as seen in the SuperS series of the 1990s anime
First appearanceSailor Moon chapter #1: "Usagi – Sailor Moon" (December 28, 1991)
Created byNaoko Takeuchi
Voiced by
In-universe information
Alias
  • Usagi Tsukino
  • Princess Serenity (past life name)
  • Neo-Queen Serenity (30th century future self)
NicknameBun/Dumpling Head
AffiliationSailor Guardians
Family
SpouseKing Endymion (husband)
Children
Powers and abilities
    • Generation of damaging energy
    • Uses the power of Silver Crystal
    • Healing powers
    • Teleportation (with fellow Sailor Guardians)

Usagi Tsukino (月野 うさぎ, Tsukino Usagi, renamed Serena in the DiC and Cloverway English adaptations and Bunny in the Mixx/Tokyopop adaptation), better known as Sailor Moon (セーラームーン, Sērā Mūn), is a Japanese superheroine and the protagonist of the Sailor Moon franchise created by Naoko Takeuchi. She is introduced in chapter No. 1 of the manga, "Usagi – Sailor Moon" (originally published in Japan's Nakayoshi magazine on December 28, 1991), as a carefree Japanese schoolgirl who can transform into the magical "Guardian of Love and Justice", Sailor Moon.

Usagi initially meets Luna, a magical talking black cat who is searching for the Moon Princess. Luna reveals that Usagi is destined to save Earth from the forces of evil and gives her a brooch to transform into Sailor Moon. She asks Usagi to locate the other reincarnated Sailor Guardians, find the princess and protect the "Silver Crystal", an item of immense power. After locating her comrades, Usagi later discovers that she is the reincarnation of the Moon Princess, Princess Serenity (プリンセス・セレニティ, Purinsesu Sereniti) and that her former lover, Prince Endymion of Earth has also been reincarnated in the present as the mysterious hero, Tuxedo Mask. As Usagi matures, she becomes a powerful warrior and protects her adopted home planet, Earth, from villains who wish to harm it. Usagi is depicted as usually carefree and cheerful, but with immature tendencies that show themselves when things do not go her way.

Usagi appears in every episode, film, video game, and television special of the anime adaptations, Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon Crystal; as well as the live action adaptation, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, with her trademark twin buns with twin pigtails. She also cameos in the sister series Codename: Sailor V. She has been the subject of parodies and has appeared in special events. Usagi's critical reception has been largely positive and she is recognized as one of the most important and popular female superheroes of all time, and a cultural symbol of Japan.[1][2][3][4]

  1. ^ Berlatsky, Noah (September 7, 2011). "Can Sailor Moon Break Up the Superhero Boys Club?". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  2. ^ "Sailor Moon superhero may replace Power Rangers". Ludington Daily News. Archived from the original on May 22, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2014 – via Google News.
  3. ^ Misiroglu, Gina Renée; Roach, David A. (2004). "Sailor Moon (superhero)". The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic Book Icons. ISBN 9781578591541. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  4. ^ Comella, Anthony (March 24, 2013). "Grrrl power: why female superheroes matter". Pop Mythology. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2014.