Hi! It’s Annie!
Lately I’ve been getting really into ‘Sailor Moon’ and pretty much all of the Sailor Senshi, so after watching all of their individual episodes in ‘Sailor Moon: Crystal’ plus more original series footage, I have finally formed an opinion on which ones are my favorites and which ones seem the most powerful to me. This is a really difficult list for me to make considering how much I’ve really started to love everything about this anime and the characters. I only have one exception to that statement, which you’ll see very early on. Though I didn’t grow up with ‘Sailor Moon’, I’m so incredibly happy that this show influenced so many and helped pave the way for other female superheroes. Before I really get into it, this is your SPOILER WARNING! I will be talking about some spoilers but they shouldn’t be too major. Especially since so many are already so familiar with all of these stories! So with that, I’ll just get right into it.
10. Sailor Chibi Moon
She’s probably the most hated Sailor Senshi and I think that’s for a reason. Though I don’t hate Chibi Moon as much as some (she is just a little kid after all), I still don’t like her. Let’s all be honest, her crush on Mamoru is really creepy. That’s her Dad! And she knows that’s her Dad! Why??? But her constantly trying to separate Mamoru from Usagi is always annoying and it happens far too often. It also often makes Mamoru look stupid because he’s so clueless to everything happening with the animosity between Usagi and Chibi Moon. I’ve also found that Chibi Moon is pretty useless to the plot. She often takes screen time that even feels like it was originally meant for Usagi. She even sometimes transforms with Usagi in a joint sequence that always feels just a little cluttered. Her presence didn’t feel like it added much to me and I could have probably done without the future travel and the weird incestuous crush on Tuxedo Mask. None of her powers really seem to be unique or fleshed out either, so she doesn’t strike me as very powerful.
9. Sailor Mercury
Ami is the smart one and the bookish one, so of course I liked the hobbies they expanded on with her! I think my issue with Ami is probably what most people run into with her. In general she seems to be the least powerful Sailor Senshi and she often doesn’t speak up in group discussions. And while I love a good introverted character, not speaking up in the group can often lead her to having very little time to talk in general. Her singular episodes are always enjoyable at least! Ami is never shy showing off her intelligence and the show isn’t shy about it either! Whether she’s studying every subject, beating the bad guys in chess games, or beating the bad guys with her water powers and science wearing her cool visor, Ami is never sidelined when it really matters. I only wish she was given a little more screen time like some of the other characters. And really, I wish she wasn’t as easily knocked out in battle.
8. Sailor Venus
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Minako at first. Especially because my love of Michiru and Haruka made her dismissal of them annoying to me at parts. But she really did grow on me over time! I especially love her relationship with Artemis and how good of friends they are. It really makes you want to have a cat like Artemis. But where I struggle with her is the persistence of the show to make her both dumb and jealous on separate occasions. She’s often jealous of the Outer Senshi because her friends rely on them. And, to be fair, Rei has a special connection with Michiru, Makoto with Haruka, and Ami with Setsuna which makes her feel left out. It’s just that, especially in the 90s anime, she can be a little self centered at times especially when she’s going after two guys at once or pushing the other Senshi aside to get first dibs on a guy. Despite that, she’s hilarious and I truly have learned to love her! I just like a few of the other Senshi a little more.
7. Sailor Saturn
Hotaru is a complete badass and so fun to watch. And the way she’s portrayed somehow completely makes up for her being introduced so late into every series. While I’m not always the biggest fan of the cyborg plot line, the show more than makes up for it when it comes to the Saturn lore. The fact that there’s this mysterious Senshi who showed up and brought complete destruction with one movement without having done it purposefully is interesting in itself. When you then see her in battle and how calm and collected she is about being quite possibly the most powerful Sailor Senshi, you can’t help but feel stunned. She’s definitely my favorite of the Sailors to watch in battle and her gracefulness and commanding energy only makes it that much more entertaining. I only wish that we would get more personality from her that feels a bit more in depth. The lore behind her character almost completely makes up for it though!
6. Sailor Mars
Rei has some of my favorite powers and they are some of my favorite to watch as well. Her fire powers are always the most explosive of all of the other Senshi, which makes them far more noticeable in most cases. When a battle begins with Rei and a streak of fire across your screen is the signal of the beginning of the battle, you know that things are about to get at least a bit brutal. And Rei also has one of the most interesting backgrounds with her role as a Shrine Maiden. Her connection to her spirituality doesn’t just serve her personality either, it also gives her a different set of powers. One that often feels on par with the Outer Senshi. Rei has the ability to see into the future sometimes through visions; something that she often uses to help everyone else in times of trouble. I also love that she named her birds Deimos and Phobos. I can’t imagine more badass names for pets
5. Sailor Pluto
One of the most interesting and powerful of the Senshi, I always love when Setsuna’s on screen. She’s the tallest of the group and also this amazing combination of intelligent and incredibly stylish. Seriously, all of her outfits win. Sailor Jupiter probably has the most informative introduction of all of the Senshi. We meet her before she even actually wakes up in the main timeline, when she’s practically guarding time itself. One of the things I love about the Outer Senshi is that they all feel like these mysterious, mystical, powerful beings and it works in making each of these characters so much more interesting. Her connection with time and the edge of the universe, as well as her being the leader of the Outer Senshi, makes her have a feeling of importance that none of the other characters can match. I also love that she’s introduced as a scientist. Yay women in STEM!
4. Sailor Jupiter
Makoto has always been the most eye catching of the Inner Senshi to me. I don’t know if it’s the green mixed with the matching pink bows, the ponytail, or just how she towers over the other four; but she’s always stood out among the line up. And while watching I’m happy to say that she stood out just as much to me there as well. Though it is really difficult for me to choose her over Rei, I think she wins by a slight margin partially because of the dichotomy of her personality. She’s this mix of tomboyish and girly that proves that women don’t have to be one or the other. That was something that immediately popped out to me about her as well as her diverse hobbies in cooking and taking care of plants. She even makes her own tea for crying out loud! And she’s got the power to back up her promise of leaving her opponents numb. The electricity and lightning she uses always makes for a fun effect to watch during battle. And don’t even get me started on her unwavering loyalty. Snap your fingers and she’s there in a second if you need her.
3. Sailor Moon
I wasn’t really sure how to feel about Usagi at first. She’s adorable, but she also can be portrayed as dumb at times and there were parts where it felt like her relationship with Mamoru was all she ever thought about. But I think that all of this understandable and even shown to be flawed on multiple occasions. I’ve said before, I like a good flawed character. Usagi is still learning and she does all of this with the best of intentions; she never sets out to hurt anybody. And she’s often the most compassionate of the Senshi overall when it comes to understanding the feelings of others. When the others try to pull her away from Haruka, she doesn’t want to because she feels that Haruka is as confused and in pain as the rest of the Senshi are. Usagi is also a complete badass in the battlefield and has risked her life several times for her friends and the greater good. When you get past some of the obsessiveness, her relationship with Mamoru is actually quite sweet and she also learns to be less obsessive when it comes to him. Her compassion is really what boosted her on this list. Besides, she’s an icon.
2. Sailor Uranus
Haruka is cool. They are the absolute epitome of cool and nobody can convince me otherwise. When we’re first introduced, we see this guy who’s kind of flirty and definitely confident in himself and who he is as a person. Knowing that this confidence and protective nature is part of her personality as a Senshi only makes them that much more of a deep character. Constantly worrying about the mission at hand, it feels as though Haruka may just feel that burden more than anyone else. And this is not something she ever takes lightly, even though her playful personality often makes it seem as though responsibility is not the first thing on her mind. I also always love a badass with a sword and Haruka is the only Senshi to wield one as this is the talisman they have claimed. Haruka couldn’t be a more perfect and badass Senshi, with all the power to back up her promise to defend anyone they choose to take under their wing. Which ends up being far more people than she probably originally anticipated. (If you’re wondering why I jump around with pronouns, I explain more in my other post. Haruka seems to use all of them at one point so I also use all of them.)
1. Sailor Neptune
If you saw my last ‘Sailor Moon’ post, you probably already knew that this was coming. I fell absolutely head over heels for Michiru’s design before I even watched any of the series. I’m a sucker for nautical themed anything and her wavy hair also stole me right away. But I think what really made this character for me was the introduction and badassery of the duo. You can’t have Neptune without Uranus. While Haruka was busy messing with “bun head”, the mysterious aqua haired girl set her sights on Mamoru. Which was interesting because before this moment we had never seen a main character who could be on par with Mamoru in any way. Michiru has this eternal gracefulness about her with a hint of mischief, making you just that much more excited to learn everything you possibly can about her character. And I defy you to find a character dynamic as cute as Michiru and Haruka’s. You can’t help but completely get behind this couple. But while I love Haruka, it was the quiet gracefulness and the witty nature of Michiru that eventually won me over. Not to mention that water is my favorite element, and her water attacks just look so much stronger in comparison to Ami’s. It was nice to have a little more fun watching some of the water attacks.
Well, there you have it! As always, these are only my opinions and by no means a definitive list. This involves very little facts and mostly opinions! Please understand that I really do love all of the Sailor Senshi! (Except for maybe Chibi Moon.) With the aesthetic and the female superheroes, this show is so far in my wheelhouse that I still have no idea how I didn’t consume this content in at least middle school. But I’m glad that I found it now! Now I just have to do a little more to catch up in the merchandise department. Sorry wallet!
See you across the pond!
Sincerely, Annie
Oreos & Peanut Butter 