Minako Aino (愛野 美奈子, Aino Minako) is the present-day incarnation of Sailor Venus (セーラーヴィーナス, Sērā Vīnasu) and the civilian identity of Sailor V (セーラーV, Sērā Bui). Minako is the original Sailor Guardian, protagonist of Codename: Sailor V, and leader of the Inner Sailor Guardians in the Sailor Moon manga.
Nomenclature & Etymology[]
Etymology[]
Her family name begins with the character meaning "love" (愛), which still indirectly represented the planet of Venus, as Venus was the goddess of love in Roman mythology.
Her first name, Minako (美奈子), contains the kanji for "beautiful" (美, mi) and "child" (子, ko), along with 奈 (na), a phonetic character.
Minako's full name means "Beautiful Child of Love" in Japanese.
Due to being the first created, Minako is the only Solar System Sailor Senshi whose surname does not begin with the Japanese kanji directly denoting her celestial body, Venus. Her surname is a pun on a phrase meaning "of love," making her name sound like "Venus of Love". Minako is the fifth Sailor Guardian to join the team in the Sailor Moon Manga; creating an additional pun for Sailor V: V is the Roman numeral for 5.
Nomenclature[]
Naoko Takeuchi provided many additional details on Minako which include:
- Blood Type: B[1][2]
- Zodiac Sign: Libra[1][2] - Ruled by Venus
Appearance[]
Civilian[]
Minako Aino has light blue eyes and blonde hair, preferring to wear her long hair down with a simple big red bow in it. When she was in junior high, she wore a sailor-style school uniform like the other Sailor Guardians did in their civilian forms, but with a few differences. Also, the uniform was the most classic or orthodox among those of the Sailor Team.
Sailor V[]
This was the first Senshi form that Minako had ever had which first appeared in Codename: Sailor V. She wore a top revealing her belly button sometimes, shoulder protector (revealing the sleeves of her shirt), a blue skirt with red at the bottom, an orange broach, red bows, a white choker with a golden crescent moon on it, blue heels, a red mask, and a crescent moon on her forehead.
Sailor Venus[]
Sailor Venus' dominant color was orange (choker, collar, center of front bow, elbow fittings of gloves, skirt, shoes, and earrings) and her accent colors were blue (front bow) and yellow (back bow). Her tiara gem was usually orange, but sometimes appeared more yellow. Her collar had one white stripe near the edge of the collar (not at the center), and her shoes were orange heels with ankle straps. Her brooch is round and becomes heart shaped when the Holy Grail awakens.
Super Sailor Venus[]
Super Sailor Venus first appears in Act 38. Her sleeves now have a clear layer and her brooch is heart shaped. Her back bow has long ribbons.
Eternal Sailor Venus[]
Eternal Sailor Venus first appears in Act 49. Her brooch is star shaped and she has bubble like shoulder pads.
Princess Venus[]
During the Silver Millennium, Princess Venus was the leader of those who protect Princess Serenity. She wore a yellow gown with frills running down it. In her hair she wore a yellow bow and a rose, she also wore a choker that was tied in a ribbon at the back. She also wore yellow high heels. During her time as a Princess she had Magellan Castle.
Personality[]
Minako is athletic and hyperactive. She regularly states idioms incorrectly and spends her time finding new idols to chase, and new "first loves" to gush over. This lack of commitment extends to most of her life. She is an academic underachiever, like Usagi, despite the cleverness she displays in battle and puts little effort into her studies and requires Artemis' nagging to remain Sailor V as she quickly loses interest in being a "Guardian of Justice" for Justice's sake. Everything in her life is secondary to the one thing she is committed to: protecting her Princess. This is true even before regaining her memories and she becomes focused on locating her fellow Sailor Senshi when she remembers. She begins to open up to them once the Dark Kingdom is defeated. Minako continues to challenge herself to prove she is worthy of being the leader of the Inner Sailor Guardians as she neglects her other responsibilities and devotes herself to temporary distractions.
Information[]
Background[]
Minako Aino is an only child who lives in a house with her Mother and Father. She is a first year student at Shiba Koen Public Middle School and regularly spends time with her long time friend Hikaru Sorano.
Codename: Sailor V[]
Dark Kingdom arc[]
Black Moon arc[]
Infinity arc[]
Dream arc[]
Stars arc[]
Sailor Guardian Info[]
Minako Aino can transform info Sailor V by saying Moon Power, Transform. Later as Sailor Venus, she utters the words Venus Power, Make Up! Also, she can disguise herself as anyone she desires to be, like Usagi, with her compact, by saying Crescent Moon Power, Transform! Her attacks are centered around metal (gold) and light element attributes.
Phrases[]
- Moon Power, Transform
- Crescent Moon Power, Transform
- Venus Power, Make Up
- Venus Star Power, Make Up
- Venus Planet Power, Make Up
- Venus Crystal Power, Make Up
Attacks[]
- Venus Love-Me Chain
- Rolling Heart Vibration
- Venus Wink Chain Sword
- Venus Love and Beauty Shock
- Venus Love and Galactica Shock
- Akuryo Taisan
- Sailor Planet Attack
- Sailor Planet Power Meditation
- Galactica Gale
- Galactica Planet Attack
- Crescent Beam
- Crescent Super Beam
- Crescent Slender Beam
- Venus Power, Love Crescent Shower
- Venus Love, Megaton Shower
- Crescent Boomerang
- Sailor V Kick
- Double Sailor Kick
- Sailor V Chop
- Venus Iron Muscle Punch
- Rolling Screw Sailor V Punch
- Venus Sulphur Smoke
- Venus Brand: Mosquito Incense Typhoon
- Venus Ten Billion Volt Rock N' Rouge
Items[]
Weapons[]
Development[]
Naoko Takeuchi revealed Minako's design and personality came to her quickly ever since she first thought of her for the Codename: Sailor V one-shot and barely changed afterwards.[5] In working on a follow up to that one-shot, Takeuchi originally planned to have Minako as the primary protagonist of a team of Sailor Senshi. As shown in Artbook Infinity, she lead her friend Hikaru Sorano and prototype versions of Rei and Makoto. Afterward, Usagi was created to be the primary protagonist and Minako became the leader of her protectors instead in the "Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon" manga and anime.
A few years later, Run-Run, the magazine that serialized Codename: Sailor V, had intended to produce an OVA based on Minako's manga, but it went bankrupt before it could happen, so Minako was relegated to the sidelines as one of Sailor Moon's co-stars, to Takeuchi's regret.[5]
Gallery[]
Codename Sailor V[]
Dark Kingdom[]
Black Moon[]
Infinity[]
Dream[]
Stars[]
Manga Covers[]
Artwork[]
Trivia[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Official Sailor Moon website; Sailor Venus' Profile
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon (Volume 10)/Tankoubon - Minako's Profile
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 At the start of the first several chapters of Codename: Sailor V, including Vol.1, Minako says she just started middle school. Japanese schools start in April and children in first year middle school are 12 and turn 13. In the later chapters starting with Vol.6, including Vol.9 which takes place near Valentines day, she also says she is 13, so these chapters are after her birthday. In the first two arcs of Sailor Moon, she is in her second year of middle school. In Act 19, Usagi says Mamoru's August 3rd birthday has not yet passed implying the Dark Kingdom and Black Moon arcs are before Minako's October birthday. The Infinity arc takes place over her third year of middle school with Rei's April 17th birthday in Act 28 and Minako's birthday celebrated in The Lover of Princess Kaguya. The Dream arc starts with the beginning of High school on April 1st and the Stars arc ends a few months later. It is unclear if enough time passes for her to have her 16th birthday before the end of the story.
- ↑ Codename: Sailor V - Vol.2 Minako in "Game Center Crown"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Shinsouban Vol. 3 - Naoko Takeuchi's comic on Minako