Minako Aino (愛野 美奈子, Aino Minako) is the civilian identity of Sailor V (セーラーV, Sērā V) and the present-day incarnation of Sailor Venus (セーラーヴィーナス, Sērā Vīnasu). She is the 5th Sailor Guardian to be introduced and join the Sailor team. She is also the real leader of the Inner Sailor Guardians.
Quick Answers
Who is the civilian identity of Sailor V in Sailor Moon Crystal?
What is the role of Minako Aino in the Sailor team?
What is the significance of the title 'Princess Venus' in relation to Sailor Venus?
How does Sailor Venus introduce herself in Sailor Moon Crystal?
What powers does Sailor Venus possess in her 'Eternal' form?
Appearance[]
Civilian[]
She retains her manga and anime appearance.
Sailor Guardian[]
Like the other characters, Sailor Venus' appearance is based on her appearance in the manga.
In her appearance as Sailor V her uniform is different than the other Sailor guardians uniforms. She wears a sleeveless midriff shirt with red accents on the sides that sometimes reveal her stomach. Her shoulder pads are white, armor-like, shoulder guards, and she wears a navy blue collar with two red stripes, a white choker with a crescent moon attached to it, and a dark blue skirt with a red border. She wears a dark pink bow at the chest with a dark orange circular brooch at the center. She wears dark blue shoes with ankle straps, white gloves with a light yellow arm fitting at the end that reach just below her elbows, and in place of a tiara, she wears a red mask with a crescent moon symbol on her forehead and her red ribbon from her civilian form is carried over into her Guardian form.
Sailor Venus' sailor uniform consists of a white, chest-armored leotard with three white shoulder pads, a dark orange sailor collar with one white stripe, a dark orange choker, a dark orange skirt with a white puffy belt sat above it along with a dark red chain that she uses as a weapon on her waist, and a dark blue bow at the chest and a light yellow bow at the back of her skirt with a light yellow circular brooch at the center of her chest bow. She wears a pair of dark orange high heels, white gloves with three dark orange arm fittings at the ends that reach just below her elbows. At first she has a crescent moon symbol on her forehead but when Princess Serenity awakens it is replaced with a golden tiara with a light orange, oval-shaped gem at its center on her forehead and she has orange stud earrings.
As Super Sailor Venus, she wears an upgraded version of the Sailor Venus sailor uniform. Her choker has a yellow star with a dark orange gemstone in the center attached to it, the shape of her brooch at the center of her chest bow is now a light yellow heart, the back waist bow is enlarged and lengthened, and the shoulder pads are more wing-like and translucent,
As Eternal Sailor Venus, her sailor uniform changes completely. Her leotard no longer has chest armor, her shoulder pads are replaced with short light orange bubble-like sleeves with two dark orange fittings at the ends; they have somewhat of a translucent aspect to them, her choker is v-shaped with a yellow star in the center, her skirt now consists of two layers; dark orange on the top and light yellow on the bottom. Her belt is now made up of two ribbons, the top one being dark orange and the bottom one being light yellow, her brooch at the center of her chest bow is light yellow and star-shaped, and her back bow is a lighter yellow and is back to its original size with narrow, long, dark orange ribbons extending from it down to her knees. She wears a pair of white knee-length boots that have larger heels and dark orange v-shaped borders at the top that have yellow stars in the center, her gloves now have dark orange, v-shaped wristbands and are extended to reach her upper arms, the gemstone in the middle of her tiara is dark orange and star-shaped. and she has a dark orange star dangling from a single gold stud.
As Princess Venus she wears a light yellow strap dress with light yellow frills running down it with light yellow cloth that goes past her feet. In her hair she wears a dark orange bow and a dark red rose, she wears a light yellow choker that is tied into a ribbon at the back with the streams running down her back. She has a gold necklace and her straps have three gold ornaments each. Her necklace and ornaments each have dark orange gems in them and she wears small light orange stud earrings and dark orange high-heeled shoes.
In the 90's anime series, her mystical chain of love is never worn. It is used in later seasons where she utilizes her much stronger Venus Love Me Chain attack in the third season in her secondary evolved Sailor form.
Personality[]
In "Crystal", Minako stays true to her original source as the true leader of the Sailor Guardians. Minako takes command as a firm, smart and supportive leader to the others. Since Minako is the first Sailor Guardian to awaken, she knows more than the others about the truth of their mission and who the Moon Princess is. Much like her anime version, Minako is a caring, courageous and romantic girl but keeps her head straight when it comes to their mission. She has great instincts as a guardian and leader. After the Dark Kingdom crisis, Minako shows her cheerful and bubbly side which her friends adore but still is vigilant and strong.
History[]
Long before the events of the series occur, Minako became a Sailor Guardian by Artemis discovering her as Sailor Venus before Luna discovered Usagi as Sailor Moon.
Dark Kingdom arc[]
The Sailor V Game is a side-scrolling game that is made by Artemis, it is used to train Minako to use her powers without her realizing it. Usagi is a fan of the Sailor V Game and she often visits the Game Center Crown to play the game. Usagi's Disguise Pen (Pink), Ami's transformation pen (Blue), and their communicator watch all came from the game.
The Headquarters for the Sailor Guardians is also located underneath the machine; the door to it opens when the words "GAME ENDLESS" appears on the screen.
She first appears in Act 1 (albeit in her Sailor V form) watching from afar. In Act 6, Sailor Venus encourages Usagi through the Sailor V game, telling her that she can defeat the enemies using the moon stick. When Sailor Venus meets Usagi and the rest of the Guardians, they spot a crescent moon on her forehead; Sailor Venus and Artemis go on to say that she is the Moon Princess that they need to protect. She appears at the end of Act 7, throwing her Crescent Boomerang at Zoisite.
In Act 9, she transforms into her full Sailor form as Sailor Venus when the true Princess of the Moon is revealed to be none other than Sailor Moon/Usagi herself. To prove her true identity as the leader of the four Inner Sailor Guardians, the circular gemstone on her tiara turns bright orange. Unlike the others, she has more experience as a Sailor Guardian and knows more about the corrupted people of the Dark Kingdom, and their mistress, Queen Metalia.
Sailor Venus also likes to do solo missions believing that she can handle situations by herself, but thanks to Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars she no longer has that mindset.
Black Moon arc[]
Sailor Venus becomes much stronger; due to the mystical Star Power Stick, she is given by Luna, which increases her light-based powers and attacks greatly. She is the only Sailor Guardian not abducted by Rubeus and remains by Sailor Moon's side to help rescue their fellow Guardians from the forbidden planet Nemesis. She confronts the second oldest of the Spectre sisters' with her new and much stronger Rolling Heart Vibration attack, but misses her target. With the help of Chibiusa and her time key, Venus goes off to the future along with Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, Luna, and Artemis to aid Chibiusa in saving her homeland and her mother. She is surprised but pleased to meet another Sailor Guardian, Sailor Pluto, the Sailor Guardian of Space-Time. She is even more puzzled upon meeting a man who greatly resembles Tuxedo Mask, who is revealed to be King Endymion.
Sailor Venus later fights against two creations of Rubeus' when Prince Demande himself arrives and abducts Sailor Moon; much to her shock.
Infinity arc[]
Sailor Moon Eternal[]
Minako is still hanging out with Rei, Makoto, and Ami where Usagi and the others left them at the end of season 3. They see the solar eclipse coming and each make wishes. Minako wishes to be a star. During the eclipse Minako sees the bizarre announcement and arrival of the Dead Moon Circus.
The next day she is called to the hospital with the others to check on Mamoru and sees Usagi and Chibiusa have been forced to swap ages through strange magic. Minako meets Ami's Mother and leaves. Minako notices she cannot transform for some reason but hides it from everyone else.
The day before the Dead Moon Circus opens, Rei is looking into how to better run Hikawa Shrine and Minako suggests getting a husband for free labour. At the Dead Moon Circus opening, everyone splits into groups to check it out. Minako goes with Ami and Makoto to investigate ice cream stands, among other festivities. Later. she finds out Rei took down Tiger's Eye and their enemies prey on their insecurities.
Minako starts getting self conscience about her failure to transform when everyone else has been able to. CereCere notices this, and VesVes summons two knife-throwing twins, Xenotime and Zeolite, to target her. Minako, Ami, Rei, and Makoto are patrolling Azabu-Juban and notice it’s getting hot and civilians are getting aggressive toward each other. Minako thinks she's a failure as a leader of the Inner Sailor Guardians and lashes out at the other three when they keep mentioning the Outers who are absent and runs away. A disguised Xenotime invites her to a Pop Idol Audition at the Dead Moon Circus, and she enters despite knowing it's a trap. She wants to prove herself. At the audition, Xenotime announces to a crowd of prospective idols that they must race to save four kids he set at the top of a tower, and the winner gets five million yen and stardom. Lemures attack the other idols, and despite Super Sailor Jupiter, Super Sailor Mars, and Super Sailor Mercury arriving to help Minako, she runs ahead to handle the situation on her own.
Minako reaches the kids, but they turn out to be Lemures in disguise. Minako is pinned by Xenotime with knives and VesVes then has the Lemures brainwash Minako, but Artemis quickly snaps her out of it and VesVes reacts by sending her falling down a trapdoor. Artemis tries to save her, but PallaPalla sends a boulder to fall on top of him. Artemis then turns into his human form for the first time and lifts the boulder off himself catching Minako's hand. He gives her the Venus Crystal he tells her that it is his doubts about her that had been holding her back and she regains the ability to transform into Super Sailor Venus. She quickly destroys Xenotime and Zeolite with Venus Love and Beauty Shock from her new Whip of Love. Soon after the Super Sailor Guardians reunite, PallaPalla then traps them in vines before confronting them alongside VesVes, CereCere, and JunJun.
Hotaru, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna arrive in time to save the girls and Artemis takes his cat form once again. With the group reassembled, including Tuxedo Mask and Super Sailor Moon, they are challenged by Zirconia who eventually catches them in a dream. Super Sailor Venus has a nightmare of Super Sailor Moon dying and falling apart in her arms but Tuxedo Mask awakens her and everyone else. Awakened from the nightmare, Super Sailor Venus joins the other Sailor Guardians to attack with Sailor Planet Power Meditation. This makes Zirconia start to retreat and Super Sailor Venus uses Venus Love and Beauty Shock while chasing her.
Super Sailor Moon follows her into a mirror but Super Sailor Venus cannot follow. After Super Sailor Jupiter breaks the mirror, Super Sailor Moon, Super Sailor Chibi Moon, and Super Sailor Saturn emerge. They find the enemy hasn't been defeated so they Sailor Teleport to Elysion.
There they find the Maenads and a collapsed Helios before Queen Nehelenia arrives. She baits Super Sailor Moon into using Moon Gorgeous Meditation and turns the attack back on the group. There Minako and the others see a flashback of when a young Sailor Venus visits a newborn Princess Serenity and pledges to protect her. Seeing the vision makes her memories start to return to her. Queen Nehelenia arrives to the festivities uninvited and Sailor Venus carries the baby as Queen Serenity speaks and banishes her.
Usagi and Mamoru manage to break them out of the trap and Super Sailor Moon manifests the new Holy Moon Chalice. She transforms Minako and the other Sailor Guardians into their Princess forms and summons Luna, Artemis, and Diana from the command center into their human forms. Guardian Venus appears and tells her to send power from Magellan Castle to the Holy Grail. This transforms her into Eternal Sailor Moon and soon after Minako takes her own Eternal form. Using the gathered power, Eternal Sailor Moon finishes the Dead Moon.
Usagi and Mamoru take forms resembling their future selves and hold a coronation in the freed Elysion with their guardians. They head back to the surface of the Earth where Minako tries to cheer up Chibiusa after she says farewell to Helios.
Sailor Moon Cosmos[]
Sailor Guardian Info[]
Transformation Phrases[]
- Venus Power, Make Up
- Venus Star Power, Make Up
- Venus Planet Power, Make Up
- Venus Crystal Power, Make Up
Attacks[]
- Crescent Boomerang
- Sailor Planet Attack
- Venus Love-Me Chain
- Rolling Heart Vibration
- Venus Wink Chain Sword
- Venus Love and Beauty Shock
- Venus Love and Galactica Shock
- Sailor Planet Power Meditation
- Galactica Gale
- Galactica Planet Attack
Items[]
- Transformation Pen
- Star Power Stick
- Venus Crystal
- V Mask
- Compact
- Chain
- Holy Sword
- Communicator
- Whip of Love
Gallery[]
Season 1[]
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
Eternal[]
Cosmos[]
Misc. Artwork[]
Trivia[]
- Her Japanese voice actress, Shizuka Ito, won an award in the "Best Actresses in Supporting Roles" category at the 10th Seiyu Awards for her work in Crystal Season III and Prison School.
- In Sailor Moon Crystal, carnations appear in the backdrop of Sailor Venus's signature pose as she gives her introductory speech.
- Her English-language voice actress Cherami Leigh also voiced Mizuchi from Beastars, Sarada Uchiha from Boruto franchise, and also Nyaa Hashimoto and Hatabo from Osomatsu-san.
References[]