Kunzite is the fourth and most powerful general of Queen Beryl. He had a relationship with Zoisite. In the manga he was formerly a general of Prince Endymion. In the English anime, Kunzite's name was Malachite.
In the anime
In the anime, Kunzite's first appearance was during Nephrite turn to gather energy for Queen Beryl. He appeared from time to time during Zoisite’s saga where he was attempting to get the Rainbow Crystals. When he challenged Tuxedo Mask for the crystals, Kunzite appeared and took them. When Zoisite was defeated by Sailor Moon and killed by Queen Beryl for disobeying her, Kunzite fought the Sailor Scouts but Sailor Moon defeated him with Cosmic Moon Power. For the rest of the series, Kunzite attempted to find Sailor Moon, often turning people into monsters to do so. In the second last episode of the first season, he attacks the Sailor Scouts in a cave, where they are transported to the past. Kunzite attacks Luna and Artemis, but when the Sailor Scouts return, all are defeated by Kunzite, who gets stronger every time they see him. Sailor Moon uses Cosmic Moon power and reflects one of Kunzite's energy blades at him. This finally kills Kunzite, and as he dissolves into nothingness, he says he'll be coming to join Zoisite really soon.
From when they first appear to when they last appear, he is the longest villain in the first season to last, aside from Queen Beryl herself, though the shortest to last when it's their turn. Jadeite gathered energy for nine episodes and was sentenced to Eternal Sleep in the tenth; Nephrite took over for another nine episodes to gather energy but turned good and was subsequently killed in the tenth (20th episode of the series). From Episode 21, Zoisite seeks out the Rainbow Crystals but is killed in Episode 31 (his saga technically lasts the longest at 11 episodes, though episodes 30 and 31 are like a two-part episode), and Kunzite starts searching for Sailor Moon in Episode 32, and dies in Episode 39, making his saga eight episodes long.
Trivia
- Kunzite is the only one of the four generals to be killed by Sailor Moon, or any of the Sailor Scouts. Jadeite was condemned to "Eternal Slumber" by Queen Beryl, Nephrite was killed by Housenka, and Zoisite was killed by Queen Beryl.
- Kunzite dies one episode before Queen Beryl in the English dub, and in the second last episode of the first season.
- In the Japanese version of the anime, Kunzite was the gay lover of Zoisite. This is why Zoisite was changed to a woman in the English anime. The gender change did not happen in the manga, as the two were not lovers.
- When Sailor Venus hits Kunzite's hands with her Venus Crescent Beam, it almost looks like flecks of red blood are flying everywhere (though this could just be a result of the energy hitting him rather than blood). However Nephrite's blood is green.
- As opposed to collecting energy or items like the other three generals before him, Kunzite's main task in his saga is purely to find and destroy Sailor Moon.
- On that note, he is the only one of the four generals to not find out Sailor Moon's true identity before his death.
- Kunzite is the only one of the generals with a cape.
- Unlike Jedite/Jadeite, Neflite/Nephrite, and Zoycite/Zoisite, Malachite's English name and Japanese name (Kunzite) sound nothing like each other, aside from ending in "ite".
- Kunzite was the only general who created all of his youma from humans.