Setsuna Meiou (冥王 せつな, Meiou Setsuna) is the civilian identity and present-day incarnation of Sailor Pluto (セーラープルート, Seeraa Puruuto). She is one of the Outer Guardians and the guardian of the Door of Space and Time.
Quick Answers
What is the meaning of the name Setsuna Meiou in the Sailor Moon series?
What is the role of Sailor Pluto as a guardian in the Sailor Moon series?
What is the significance of Sailor Pluto's powers over time?
What is the civilian identity of Sailor Pluto?
How does the character of Setsuna Meiou evolve in the Sailor Moon series?
Nomenclature & Etymology[]
Etymology[]
Setsuna: Even though her name is written in hiragana and is not inherent, Setsuna can mean "moment", relating to her powers over time, or "sorrow".
Meiou: The kanji for Mei means "dark" while the kanji for ou means "king", based on the Japanese name of the planet Pluto (冥王星 Meiousei "Nether King Star", the given title of Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld).
Combined her name could be read as "Momentary Dark King" or "Sorrowful Dark King".
Appearance[]
Civilian[]
Setsuna is a young adult woman who has knee-length dark green hair partly tied up in a high bun and the rest hanging down freely and red eyes. In comparison to the other Sailor Guardians, her skin is darker. Some depictions give her lighter skin and change her eye color from red to purple.
Sailor Pluto[]
Sailor Pluto’s sailor uniform consists of a white, chest-armored leotard with no shoulder pads and no sleeves, a black sailor collar, a black choker with a red bauble attached to it, a black skirt with a white puffy belt sat above it, and a maroon bow at the chest and at the back of her skirt. She wears black knee-high heeled boots with white triangular arches, as well as white wrist-length gloves with three black arm bands at the ends, and a bright red circular gem at the center of her chest bow. Her leotard does not have any stripes on it, and her shoulder pads have three layers. A golden tiara with a garnet red, oval-shaped gem is located on her forehead, and she wears thick red earrings in the shape of arrows. She also wears a chain around her waist, which has four space-time keys that she uses only for special circumstances to travel through various timelines and alternate realities.
Super Sailor Pluto[]
As Super Sailor Pluto, she wears an upgraded version of the Sailor Pluto sailor uniform. The only things that change are the length of her back bow, a garnet heart brooch on her front bow, the sailor collar now features one white stripe, the shoulder pads last pad is more wing-like and translucent and her garnet gem is embedded in a yellow star.
Eternal Sailor Pluto[]
As Eternal Sailor Pluto, her outfit is almost completely altered. The gem on her tiara is now black and star-shaped. Her earrings have a black star dangling from a single gold stud. Her choker is now v-shaped with a yellow star in the center. Her sailor collar has a single gold stripe on it. Her brooch is now light black and star shaped with her front bow now dark pink. Replacing her shoulder pads are short solid light black bubble-like sleeves with black fittings at the end. Her gloves now have black, v-shaped wristbands and are extended to reach her upper arms. And her skirt is attached to her leotard by a black and light black belt. A yellow star is connecting both belts in the center, her skirt is in two layers with the top being black and the bottom being a lighter black. Her back bow has been reverted to the one from her original form but this time it's a light black with narrow, long, black ribbons extending from it down to her knees. Her boots are now white and knee-length with black colored v-shaped borders with a yellow star in the center.
Princess Pluto[]
As Princess Pluto, she wears a black gown with white cloth. Her dress has four straps each with gold accessories. She wears a gold pendant. She also wears black high heels with straps.
Personality[]
Setsuna Meiou is a university student while the others are still in middle or high school. Despite being the oldest of all the Sailor Guardians, Setsuna never assumes any type of official leadership role. Even among the Outer Sailor Guardians, she frequently defers to Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. She has a special relationship with Chibiusa.
Setsuna Meiou is a solitary and refined figure whose personality blends wisdom, restraint, and a near-transcendental sense of duty. Observant and analytical, she operates from the shadows with quiet strength and elegance—guided by logic, yet with a deep sensitivity that surfaces in pivotal moments. Her balance of scientific reasoning, artistic longing, and cosmic melancholy grants her a singular depth.
Information[]
Background[]
Sailor Pluto is the Princess of Pluto and the daughter of Chronos, the God of Time. One day when she was a child, Queen Serenity assigns her to the Door of Space and Time to guard it and tells her the three taboos she must never break: She must never leave her post, she must not allow anyone to travel through time, and she must never use her powers to disrupt the flow of time in any way. Breaking the last taboo would mean the end of her life. However, after the Silver Millennium is attacked by the Dark Kingdom, she and the other two Outer Sailor Guardians are drawn together and her Garnet Orb along with Sailor Uranus’s Space Sword, and Sailor Neptune's Deep Aqua Mirror, resonate which causes Sailor Saturn to awaken. It’s then that she watches in horror as Sailor Saturn swings down her Silence Glaive and obliterates all that’s left of the Moon Kingdom. Sailor Pluto is reborn and continues her mission to protect the Door of Space and Time. One day during the era of the second Silver Millennium, Sailor Pluto meets Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity after she wanders down a forbidden corridor of the Crystal Palace and goes through the Door of Space-Time. She and the princess soon become friends, with Pluto assuring her that she and her mother are very alike and that she will one day grow to be as strong as her. After Crystal Tokyo is attacked by the Black Moon, Chibiusa steals one of Sailor Pluto's Space-Time Keys and travels to the 20th Century.
Black Moon arc[]
When Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, Tuxedo Mask, and Chibiusa travel to the Time Gate, Sailor Pluto attacks, preventing them from using the gate until she sees Chibiusa and allows them to travel to the 30th century. When Prince Demande tries to connect the Silver Crystal of the past and future to end everything, Sailor Pluto stops time, knowing it will cost her life. Her death breaks Wiseman's hold on Chibiusa and she becomes Sailor Chibi Moon.
Infinity arc[]
In the Infinity arc, Setsuna is introduced at the end of Act 30, as a student at K.O. University studying physics and works in one of the research laboratories. She becomes friends with Reika Nishimura who works in a lab next door. She has been reborn in the 20th century by Neo Queen Serenity's power. Due to being reincarnated, she has no memories of her previous life as Sailor Pluto. At the beginning of Act 31, she and her professor are discussing strange distortions around the Sankakusu. Later, Setsuna falls victim to Tellu's Tellun plant, and collapses on the ground, with Haruka and Michiru sensing that someone close to them is in danger. Setsuna calls for help, and a voice inside her commands for her to awaken, causing the symbol of Pluto to appear on her forehead. This also causes the symbols of Uranus and Neptune to appear on Haruka's and Michiru's foreheads, and the three appear in the same room together. In effect, she becomes Sailor Pluto again and regains her memories. She then works with Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune as one of the Outer Sailor Guardians to fight against the Death Busters and the threat they see in Sailor Saturn's awakening. After the events at Mugen Academy, Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka live together to help raise baby Hotaru.
Dream arc[]
While at the observatory, she witnesses the eclipse and feels the dark force of the Dead Moon Circus coming from it. When she tries to transform, it fails. After Hotaru recreates a projection of the solar system, she sees that the solar eclipse unleashed the forces of the new moon onto the Earth and Moon, however, the Outer Guardians believe that they are not needed because they cannot transform. After Hotaru reawakens as Sailor Saturn, she presents all three with their Sailor Crystals, they transform and join the fight.
Stars arc[]
After the defeat of the Dead Moon Circus, Setsuna becomes a part of the lives of Usagi and the others. She takes up a position as nurse at Juban Public Elementary School where Hotaru and Chibiusa attend. As Shadow Galactica's invasion of Earth ramps up, Setsuna, Haruka, and Michiru decide to head to their castles and raise a shield around the Solar System to halt further invasion with the help of their Sailor Power Guardians and to collect information. As Eternal Sailor Pluto arrives at Charon Castle, Guardian Pluto greets her and they begin talking remotely to Eternal Sailor Uranus and Eternal Sailor Neptune. Pluto looks through her data before raising the shield and finds their enemies come from the center of the milky way just as Sailor Galaxia arrives and kills Guardian Pluto alongside Eternal Sailor Pluto. Hotaru senses the danger and comes from Earth but is too late and dies alongside them with Guardian Saturn. Galaxia revives Pluto alongside the Inner Guardians and other Outer Guardians with her Galactica Bracelets and sends them to fight Eternal Sailor Moon. She, and the others, are defeated and eventually properly revive inside the Galaxy Cauldron.
Sailor Guardian Info[]
Setsuna can transform into Sailor Pluto by saying Pluto Planet Power, Make Up! Her attacks possess space-time continuum and underworld attributes.
Phrases[]
Weapons and Items[]
Attacks[]
- Dead Scream
- Time Stop
- Chronos Typhoon
- Garnet Ball
- Dark Dome Close
- Sailor Planet Power Meditation
- Galactica Cannon
- Galactica Planet Attack
Development[]
In the concept art in the Materials Collection, there is a sketch where Sailor Pluto has gray skin. Her belt and hair are also different and she appears physically younger. In another sketch that more closely resembles her final depiction, she is lacking her chain belt. The Garnet Rod also looks different.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Setsuna is the only one of the 10 Sailor Guardians whose civilian form does not have concept art in the Materials Collection. When Codename: Sailor V is considered, she is the only one of them whose transformed form appears before their civilian form.
- Setsuna's apartment number in the Infinity arc in "1209". Switching the "2" and the "0" around will reveal "1029", the numbers of her birthday.
- In Shinsouban manga Vol.5, Naoko Takeuchi noted that one of the logistical troubles with the manga was Setsuna having a different skin color than everyone else. Naoko Takeuchi also noted she wanted to write a unrequited love for Pluto. In the final manga, she has a bit of a crush on King Endymion.
- In the manga, Sailor Pluto also makes several references to being the daughter of Chronos, and in Act 20, King Endymion tells Sailor Venus that Pluto "carries the blood of the god in charge of time, Chronos." In the Sera Myu Musicals, the song "Forbidden Hades" also mentions that she has the blood of Chronos. Chibiusa's incantation when using the Space-Time Key refers to Chronos as the "father of the guardian", the guardian in question being Pluto.
- According to the Materials Collection, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Star Maker are the same height, making them the tallest of the Sailor Guardians.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Official Sailor Moon website; Sailor Pluto's Profile
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon (Volume 10)/Tankoubon - Setsuna's profile.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Materials Collection says she was defending the Door of Space and Time for thousands of years before the Black Moon arc. In the Infinity arc, she is a first year K.O. University student and in Japan that would make her 18 turning 19. The Dream arc starts on April 1st and the Stars arc ends a few months later. It is not clear if she has another birthday before the story ends.
