Sailor Moon wasn't the first magical girl anime, but it was the one to set the tone for so many to come because it keeps some classic elements of the genre, and incorporates new elements. Manga series author Naoko Takeuchi added her own flair with intricate references to mythology, folklore, science, and haute couture fashion.
She also kept the magical girl model of a team of superhero girls with amazing powers and transformation sequences. Most fans are very attached to the Inner Senshi, the five Sailor Scouts introduced in the first season. But as the series continues on, more and more Sailor Scouts reveal themselves. Between the Inner Senshi, the Outer Senshi, ancient Sailor Scouts, and the Sailor Animamates, some Sailor Scouts aren't given as much love, but they're still amazing characters.
10 Sailor Tin Nyanko Has History with Luna & Artemis
Sailor Moon has several cat-themed characters. Luna and Artemis have human forms, but they mostly appear as cats. They are Moon Kingdom ambassadors and mentors to the Senshi. Sailor Tin Nyanko is the only cat-themed Senshi, and she began as an evil villain.
Sailor Tin Nyanko is featured in the manga more than in the anime, and her lore goes deep. She hails from the same planet as Luna and Artemis. She resents Luna and Artemis because she feels that they abandoned their planet, Mau, to work for the Moon Kingdom. Sailor Tin Nyanko works for Sailor Galaxia, and her signature attack is an electricity-based attack.
9 The Sailor Starlights Are Unique & Talented
If fans talk about the Sailor Starlights at all, they tend to focus on Seiya, Sailor Star Fighter. That's because Seiya has a romantic subplot with Sailor Moon. It's understandable that they're not as memorable as the Inner Senshi, because they didn't appear until the last season of the anime and the last arc of the manga.
The Sailor Starlights still deserve their flowers, though. Sailor Star Healer's civilian name, Kou Yaten means "light of the night sky," and Naoko Takeuchi described them as very artistic and refined. Sailor Star Maker is very reserved and thoughtful; Takeuchi said that they are most like Setsuna, Sailor Pluto--another underrated and under-featured Senshi.
8 Tuxedo Mask Represents Sailor Earth
The true Sailor Earth doesn't go by the title Senshi, but rather Prince. Naoko Takeuchi said that only women and girls are Sailor Senshi, but Tuxedo Mask does fill in the role for Sailor Earth. He's grandfathered into the role, so to speak, though he's never fully recognized as a Senshi. All the Sailor Senshi are princesses of their own planet, and Tuxedo Mask is Prince Endymion of Earth.
He even has his own transformation sequence, like the other Senshi. The only other difference aside from his gender between him and the other Senshi, is that he doesn't have as many powers. Tuxedo Mask has just two attacks in the anime: Rose Darts, and Pink Sugar Tuxedo Mask Attack. He does have one other attack in the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal, too; Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber.
7 Sailor Aluminum Siren Is Resourceful
In the manga, Sailor Aluminum Siren comes from Planet Mermaid, and she killed the Senshi there, Sailor Mermaid, so she could take her place. Sailor Aluminum Siren also has a very mermaid-like appearance, with flowing hair and a cerulean blue costume. In the anime, the Sailor Animamates are corrupted Sailor Scouts who were once good, whereas in the manga, they're usurpers of their planets.
Sailor Aluminum Siren had a strong and complicated bond with Sailor Lead Crow, who mourns her passing when Sailor Galaxia destroys her. Aluminum Siren was one of the more resourceful Animamates, because she would use her failed Star Seeds as youma-like minions. Like Sailor Mercury, she has water-based attacks, but hers are decidedly more funny--her Galactica Tsunami attack was just her throwing water bottles and juice boxes.
6 The '90s Anime Doesn't Tell the Full Sailor Quartet Story
In the '90s anime, Pallas, Juno, Ceres, and Vesta are minor villains who work for the Dead Moon Circus. The anime keeps their original hairstyles and color scheme, but only shows their circus dancer dresses. Sailor Moon Crystal tells more of the full manga story for these characters: they are the Amazoness Quartet and the Sailor Quartet.
The Sailor Quartet is Juno, Ceres, Vesta, and Pallas' true identity. They were meant to transform into their Sailor Scout selves to serve and protect Sailor Chibi Moon as her handmaidens, and have a combination attack with Sailor Chibi Moon. Fans call them the Asteroid Senshi, as they hail from four different asteroids rather than planets.
5 Many People Dismiss Sailor Chibi Moon As Annoying
It's important to remember that Sailor Chibi Moon is a child. Not only is she a young one, she holds more responsibility than most regular adults, and she's separated from her parents at a young age. When that part of her is understood, her behavior makes complete sense. Sailor Chibi Moon fights a lot with Usagi, and she clings to Mamoru Chiba.
Those are the actions of a normal child. And even though it's difficult to be separated from her timeline and her parents, she does what needs to be done, and always protects people in great need, like Hotaru and Pegasus. She also has a fabulous temporary villain arc, and a bright future as the crown princess of Crystal Tokyo.
4 Chibi Chibi Moon Is Actually Sailor Cosmos
Sailor Chibi Chibi Moon is a complex character who has different canon and semi-canon explanations. She looks exactly like she could be Chibi Moon's sister. Their names match, they have very similar hair colors and odango, and her Sailor Scout uniform looks like Sailor Moon's first uniform.
In the anime, Chibi Chibi Moon is Sailor Galaxia's personified Star Seed, and she has no big Sailor Scout transformation. In an alternate universe short story by Naoko Takeuchi, Parallel Sailor Moon, she's Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's second daughter. And in the manga series, Sailor Chibi Chibi Moon transforms into Sailor Cosmos, who is the antithesis of Chaos, and eventually, Sailor Moon's most ultimate self. She's the most complicated and enigmatic Sailor Scout.
3 Sailor Galaxia Is More Than a Main Villain
Galaxia is mostly known for being one of the best Sailor Moon villains. The focus tends to be on what a threatening and effective antagonist she is, and less on her tragic backstory. Sailor Moon knows her as a former dear friend and ally. Galaxia was once Sailor Galaxia, the most powerful Sailor Scout in the Milky Way Galaxy.
She only became a villain separated from her true self because she tried to sacrifice herself to contain Chaos before it could annihilate more lives and planets. Sailor Moon loves Galaxia so much that she insists on restoring her former Sailor Scout self rather than destroying her as a villain. Sailor Galaxia may be terrifying and brutal, but her true self is compassionate and heroic.
2 Sailor Pluto Deserved More Screen Time
It's criminal how under-played Sailor Pluto is throughout the series. She may be quiet and reserved, but she has some of the most interesting powers and duties as a Sailor Scout. Not only is she the Princess of Pluto, she guards the Door of Space and Time. Sailor Pluto's job as Door guard is what keeps her away from most of the action, unfortunately.
She really shines when she comforts and mentors Sailor Chibi Moon as she travels to the future and tries to save it. Sailor Pluto is quite nurturing, because she also adopts and helps raise the reborn infant Sailor Saturn. It makes sense that she wasn't in the plot as much, but she deserves more recognition.
1 Sailor Chaos Is a Huge Thematic Part of Sailor Moon
Sailor Chaos is a beautiful example of what hate and chaos can be redirected into. The anime stops at describing Chaos as an evil, primordial entity that is the source of all revenge, greed, and violence in the universe. Chaos did begin as that sort of entity in the anime, but Chaos' eventual and true form is Sailor Chaos, which is sadly not shown in the original anime.
Sailor Chaos is described as a new star, and the brightest one in the universe. There's a reason that Naoko Takeuchi saved Chaos for the last antagonist. Sailor Chaos embodies what should be done with hate and violence, that that energy can be redirected into something creative and beautiful with healing and understanding.
