Jadeite (manga)

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Jadeite

Jedite (ジェダイト or “Jedaito [Romanisation]”), as spelt in the North American version of the anime was the first of the four Shitennou (four “heavenly” kings or generals in the dubbed North America version of the anime) from the Dark Kingdom (Negaverse) to appear in the first (classic) season of Sailor Moon and the manga. He is considered to be the weakest of all the Shitennou given his low rank (last of all the Shitennou despite being older than Zoycite, who is one rank above him) and the belief that he got by on his looks. Naoko Takeuchi in her Materials Collection Art Book described him as being the second youngest Shitennou with an age of 18 years . The manga series depict him as being 24 years of age whilst Jadeite is shown as the youngest of the Shitennou in the live-action series. His name is derived from the mineral Jadeite and his name in the manga and the Japanese version of the anime was also spelt Jadeite.

Jadeite's voice for the original anime was provided by Masaya Onosaka and in the North American version of the anime by Tony Daniels. In the live-action series he was portrayed by Jun Masuo and two people have played him in the stage musicals: Susumu Futabashi and the actress Yuhka Asami.

In the manga

File:C jadeite.jpg

Image of Jadeite from the manga

Jadeite was originally tasked with locating the Silver Crystal but changes to stealing human energy to awaken Queen Metalia (Negaforce). Despite appearing in the first act, his name is not revealed until the second act where he also declares himself as the commander of the Dark Kingdom (Negaverse)'s "Far Eastern division ". He has very little interaction with the other Shitennou, only briefly being seen with (and mocked by) Nephrite. He expresses an attraction to Sailor Mars and is eventually killed by her anti-evil scrolls, at which point at which point he dies and is transformed into the soft jade jadeite! Nephrite preserves his skeleton and vows to take revenge for his fallen comrade . In the later side story Casablanca Memories, Zoisite also tries to avenge Jadeite.

In the anime

In the anime he was portrayed as more of a weak individual driven only on hate and greed. This hate appeared to have manifested into his character being sexist against women, often remarking how women and girls cannot match his power nor comprehend his methods, although this is toned down in the dubbed North American version of the anime and replaced with a more general rivalry between himself and Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. In the anime, Jadeite was primarily focused in gathering human energy to awaken the ruler of the Dark Kingdom (Negaverse) Queen Metalia (Negaforce). When plotting for a method to steal human energy, Jadeite would observe the behaviour of humans and then report back to the Dark Kingdom (Negaverse) appearing in front of Queen Beryl to explain his plans. Once approval was sought from Queen Beryl, he would dispatch his servant i.e. a youma to take on a human disguise and with the aid of the youma start gathering energy from the humans. His method for gathering human energy would be to draw large crowds using his youma and trick them into buying goods charged with dark energy (e.g. jewellery, Chanelas, clocks, good luck charms) or use services that stole human energy (e.g. “relaxation pods”, tarot cards and computer applications). From the beginning, Jadeite was fairly confident of himself, often taking a hands-on approach by physically being present in his plots. This could be due to his egotistical as he believed that no one can do the job right but himself. As a master of disguise, Jadeite would assume numerous human alter-egos and personae; masquerading as a radio host (J-Dite) in the third episode, a gym instructor in the fourth episode, an MC for a talent contest in the seventh episode, a caretaker for the Cherry Hill Temple (Jed ) in the tenth episode, as well as a security guard at an amusement park in the eleventh episode . However, his pride got to him as he foolishly stole too much energy from humans and underestimated the strength of Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars who always foiled his plans and killed his youmas. For every death of his youma, the stolen energy disappears as Jadeite is summoned to face Queen Beryl for his failures.

Neither the manga nor the anime adequately developed his character as very little reference was made about his past. The only reference made to his past includes Jadeite collaborating with an old acquaintance named Titus. Titus was one of Queen Beryl’s best youma’s who volunteered herself in episode #12 titled "Cruise Blues". Initially reluctant, Jadeite accepts her “romantic cruise strategy”, after the thought appealed to him. Titus, under the supervision of Jadeite, implements the scheme hoping to drain the love energy from couples on board the cruise ship . But this plan is foiled by Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars who were also on board the ship and destroyed Titus just like any other youma. Upon reporting back to Queen Beryl, Jadeite was grilled for the use of her best youma Titus and punished him with an ultimatum: finally destroy Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars forever otherwise be condemned to eternal sleep (which was reputed to be worse than death itself . Desperate, Jadeite though an illusion in the sky; challenges Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars to a duel (in episode #13) at the main runway of Haneda Airport at one o’clock in the morning otherwise he would burn the city (Tokyo) to the ground. Luna consults with Rei (Raye) Hino, Ami Mizuno (Amy Anderson) and Usagi (Serena) Tsukino over the perceived threat. Rei (Raye) Hino decides to accept Jadeite's duel while Ami Mizuno (Amy Anderson) refuses believing that it may be a trap. Thinking it was a hoax the police play down the threat. However, the threat to burn the city to the ground cannot be ignored and as such the police station teams of police at the airport. Usagi (Serena) Tsukino who was scared decides that the trio should not fight but later changes her mind and accepts the duel citing concerns over her school mates as they voice their interest in watching the upcoming fight. Jadeite dispensed of the police presence at the airport by using telekinesis to put them to sleep and replaced them with imitations made up of mud. Upon arriving at the airport in a specially chartered monorail carriage, Rei (Raye) Hino), Ami Mizuno (Amy Anderson) and Usagi (Serena) Tsukino are chased by the fake police assault teams to the main runway where the trio transform into Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars and dispose of the fake police with her Fire Soul (Mars Fire Ignite) attack. After witnessing the trio transform Jadeite learned of their true identities and begins his battle by again using telekinesis to control nearby 747 jumbo jets to chase after Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. Sailor Mars tries to use her Fire Soul (Mars Fire Ignite) attack but is prevented by Luna given the huge damage that would result if either 747 jumbo jet is destroyed. The nearby 747 jumbo jet continue to chase after the trio, until Tuxedo Mask arrives and fights with Jadeite, who supposedly killed Tuxedo Mask (he was later shown to have survived). Jadeite made the 747 jumbo jets chase after the trio again, but they devised a plan. Sailor Moon got one of the jets to chase after her while Sailor Mercury used her Sabão Spray (Mercury Bubbles Blast) attack to obscure Jadeite’s vision. While the other jet chased her, Sailor Mars used an anti evil scroll attack on Jadeite, which caused the two jets to chase him instead. Just as Sailor Moon tries to finish Jadeite off with her tiara, he dodges it and appears to be teleported back to Queen Beryl before either 747 jumbo jet could flatten him. He tried to tell her that he had found out the true identities of Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars but angered over his failed duel, she locks him into “Eternal Sleep”. Encased in a crystal and forever teleported away towards profound darkness, he is never seen again apart from flashbacks of him being present in the epic battle between Queen Serenity and Queen Beryl of the Negaverse invading the Moon Kingdom (in future episodes of the anime) during the Silver Millennium and in episode #58 when an actor playing his role in a Sailor Moon show fell victim to the cardian Four Face who attacked him and everyone else watching the show. His punishment served as a warning to the other youma’s and allies of the Negaverse. Queen Beryl then promotes the next shitennou Nephrite (Neflite) as his successor.

The various disguises of Jadeite in the Anime

Jadeite (Jedite) masquerading as a radio host (J-Dite) in the 3rd episode	Jadeite (Jedite) disguised as a gym instructor in the 4th episode	Jadeite (Jedite) disguised as an MC for a talent contest in the 7th episode
Jadeite (Jedite)disguised as "Jed": the caretaker for the Hikawa Shrine (Cherry Hill Temple) in the 10th episode	Jadeite (Jedite) disguised as a security guard in the 10th episode	Jadeite (Jedite) disguised as a captain of a "romantic" cruise ship in the 12th episode

Images pertinent to Jadeite in the Anime

Jadeite (Jedite) collecting human energy to awaken Queen Metalia (Negaforce)	File:CS013-046.jpg Jadeite (Jedite) issuing his duel to Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars	Jadeite (Jedite) putting the specialist assault teams at the airport to sleep
Jadeite (Jedite) using telekinesis to control a nearby 747 jumbo jet	File:CS013-407.jpg Jadeite (Jedite) being locked into "Eternal Sleep"	File:R58-066.jpg Final reference to Jadeite (Jedite) in the anime (as shown in the bottom right corner of the screen)

In Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

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Jadeite poster in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

Of all the Shitennou, Jadeite is the only one to retain his basic appearance and mannerisms in the live-action series (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon). Again, he was the first Shitennou to appear and he was totally subservient to Queen Beryl, for which she rewards him with her favour, sending him on missions that range from gathering energy using youmas , to spying on his fellow warriors as well as to attacking the Senshi directly. He acquires the gift of teleportation in Act 8 with the help of Zoisite but due to an injury, he loses his gift of teleportation and disappears early in the series (Act 9), with Queen Beryl congealing him into a hisui (jade) form . Fortunately, he is revived some time later in Act 16 by the growing power of Queen Metalia (Negaforce). Firmly loyal to Queen Beryl, he rejects Prince Endymion as his true master until the very last episode of the series. .

Trivia

• In the first official Sailor Moon popularity poll, Jadeite was ranked the twentieth most popular character out of thirty eight choices.
• Jadeite's servants included youma's such as Morga (1st episode), Balm (2nd episode), Fro (3rd episode), Iguana (5th episode), Cyrene (6th episode), Derela (7th episode), Garoben (8th episode), Ramwoir (9th episode), Kigaan (10th episode) and Murido (Dream Dolly) (11th episode).
• In the fourth episode of the anime, "Slim City", Jadeite does not send a youma to drain people’s energy, but rather puts them inside energy sucking machines called “relaxation pods”, draining their energy whilst manipulating the trainers at the fitness centre as his servants. But Sailor Moon foils Jadeite’s plan by causing one of the manipulated trainers to destroy the source of the devices rendering them useless and returning the trainers of the fitness centre back to normal with her Moon Tiara.
• Jadeite who was posing as the captain of the "romantic" cruise ship in the 12th episode acts nice to Usagi (Serena) Tsukino. He wonders why he is being nice to her and cannot explain such a feeling towards her . Many websites incorrectly assumed such a feeling as love and as such wrongly assert that Jadeite had nearly “fell for her”.
• Jadeite looks slightly similar to Zoycite, Alan (in his human form), and Amara.
• Many "Jadeite returns" fanfics have been written, depicting Jadeite's return from his Eternal Sleep.
• He resembles the title character from the video game Astyanax. This is most noticable in the game's opening cut scene.